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The Mapweaver Chronicles #2
Inkspice
Something is amiss in the city of Calibas ...
That is the warning Fox and his Shavid companions are given when they find themselves in this strange place with its mad ruler. While Fox has spent months on the road now, learning everything he can about his gifts and powers as a Cartomancer, there is something in the air of Calibas that will test him further than ever before. A curious magic that lives and breathes, dangerous and illusive. Dropped suddenly into the world of political intrigue, with old friends and new companions at his side, can Fox discover the mysterious magic that fills the city, before it hunts him down?
That is the warning Fox and his Shavid companions are given when they find themselves in this strange place with its mad ruler. While Fox has spent months on the road now, learning everything he can about his gifts and powers as a Cartomancer, there is something in the air of Calibas that will test him further than ever before. A curious magic that lives and breathes, dangerous and illusive. Dropped suddenly into the world of political intrigue, with old friends and new companions at his side, can Fox discover the mysterious magic that fills the city, before it hunts him down?
286 pages, Hardcover
Published December 25, 2018
48 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Kaitlin Bellamy
15 books99 followersKaitlin is, in all aspects of her life, a storyteller. Whether she is performing on stage in her day job as an actor, narrating audiobooks from her home studio, or playing Dungeons and Dragons with her closest friends, she loves nothing more than a grand fantasy adventure. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida.
To keep up with all her adventures, feel free to join Kaitlin on any one of her social media platforms, or her website.
Facebook.com/KaitlinBellamyOfficial
Twitter.com/KaitlinBellamy
Instagram.com/Executive.Geek
www.KaitlinBellamy.com
To keep up with all her adventures, feel free to join Kaitlin on any one of her social media platforms, or her website.
Facebook.com/KaitlinBellamyOfficial
Twitter.com/KaitlinBellamy
Instagram.com/Executive.Geek
www.KaitlinBellamy.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
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January 23, 2020I stayed up WAY too late reading it, and I'm not even sorry!
July 16, 2020
Great addition
May 30, 2019
Wonderful
A wonderful follow-up to book 1. Fox grew into a little more of his power. However, the character development of Lai is what I was excited to see. The story arc for book 3 should be intriguing.
A wonderful follow-up to book 1. Fox grew into a little more of his power. However, the character development of Lai is what I was excited to see. The story arc for book 3 should be intriguing.
December 27, 2018
When is the next book????? So good, didn't want it to end!
January 4, 2019
Sweet
Great book 🤯 very memorable characters and very well written. I am looking forward to the next book. Super awesome coolness supreme.
Great book 🤯 very memorable characters and very well written. I am looking forward to the next book. Super awesome coolness supreme.
May 23, 2019
Next?
There's nothing quite like a well-told story and this one fits perfectly unto that mold. I hope the next book comes soon.
There's nothing quite like a well-told story and this one fits perfectly unto that mold. I hope the next book comes soon.
July 26, 2019
I couldnt put it down
I love this series, it is such a good read from start to finish. I really cant wait for the next instalment
I love this series, it is such a good read from start to finish. I really cant wait for the next instalment
December 3, 2018
I hope everyone who's read the first book is ready. This one is even better! The characters grow, the story moves more swiftly, the twists and turns are fascinating...and I basically want to live in Calibas!
Trust me, you will want to get this book come Christmas!
Trust me, you will want to get this book come Christmas!
June 22, 2019
This is my first review on Goodreads, so feel free to criticize, encourage, berate, extol, etc. I loved the first novel in this series and was pretty excited for the sequel, but I was quite disappointed by the changes in scale and pace. As I'm currently the only 2 star rating for this book I feel like I should explain why. Spoilers for both Windswept and Inkspice are in this review.
The first novel sees us getting to know Fox and his friends as he slowly begins to explore and grow his magical abilities. We get to experience his village and the surrounding areas through his brief travels and interactions with others, and through ceremonies and festivals we learn the culture of his lands. There's also some interpersonal drama and plenty of mysterious hints about some conflicts among the gods. In the end, the major conflict revolves around keeping the people of his village safe. I loved how it was a break from the "random teenage villager becomes the hero that saves the world" thing that many fantasy stories do. Fox is still growing, and there's a sense that he might be that person one day, but it will be a process as he grows magically and gets more experience.
So in this sequel, we naturally break from all of that and Fox becomes the random teenage villager who saves the world. We do see him working at mastering his powers, but the massive jump in what he can do seems unreasonable. He also apparently gets trained by a master spy in espionage along the way, though we don't directly witness that training. Who knows what hidden talents he now has. Most of the story takes place in a single city, but we don't really get to know it that well. We certainly get an idea of what it looks like, but we hardly know the culture, customs, or lifestyle at all; a stark contrast with how we learned about the myriad of differences between the villages in the first book. Instead, we get to learn about the power structure and military capabilities of the city and its relations with its neighbors and the rest of the kingdom. Not exactly the sort of thing the son of a village trapper is typically concerned with. We do learn a little more about some the mysteries of the gods hinted at in Inkspice, but not much.
Many of the major characters of the first novel make a return appearance, and we get to see the various relationships between them grow and change. We don't get to know most of Fox's travelling companions all that well, but I think that was the right call; they aren't all that significant to the plot of this book and look like they won't be significant in the sequels, so they are essentially background characters even if Fox knows them quite well. The few major characters added seemed to complement the existing cast well, and I look forward to seeing how they all interact. I felt like the addition of an apparent archenemy at the end was a bit ham-fisted, but I'll reserve total judgement on that until I see how it plays out. The memory-loss induced romance drama seemed unnecessary (and honestly a bit irrational); as teenagers in a long-distance relationship, natural relationship struggles and drama would be not just plausible but expected.
On the whole, I think if this had been the 4th or 5th book of the series I would have had minimal problems with it, but as the 2nd book it feels like it was way too much too fast. We switched from a somewhat slice-of-life-ish story about a villager growing his magical abilities onto a hero story where that villager suddenly takes interest in political machinations and then saves the world with his incredible magical power by dispatching a godlike magical foe. There were just too many things that felt dubious and stretched. I will still read the next book in the series - I'm too invested in the characters not too read it - and I hope that the author only keeps things along the lines of the hinted "restoring a god's power" plotline rather than the "saving the world" plotline we received in this novel. The worldbuilding, interpersonal relationships, and realistic growth were the biggest appeal of Windswept, and I look forward to seeing more of that in the sequel to Inkspice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2019
Inkspice is the second book in Kaitlin Bellamy’s The Mapweaver Chronicles and the sequel to Windswept. If you enjoyed Windswept you’re likely to enjoy this one. It includes the same likeable characters, but ups the tension in the plot significantly. It keeps that coming-of-age feel while noticeably increasing the stakes.
One of the things I adored about Inkspice was the magic. In the first book in the series we were given a pretty barebones introduction to the magic. It was intriguing, but nothing was spelled out and we didn’t have a good idea of how the various ways of doing magic worked. In this sequel we’re treated to a great deal more information on the magic system. The overall workings remain mysterious, but we get to see more of the magic and it continues to be fun and intriguing both. Watching as Fox really comes into his own in terms of his powers is a real pleasure—and sticking him in a city that’s literally trying to hunt down magic users creates some truly tension moments in the story. The plot it also more tightly paced than in the first book. The plot moves along at a good clip and there isn’t much down time throughout the novel. I particularly appreciated how the stakes in this novel are much higher than in the first. Yet they aren’t higher in a way that feels contrived. Fox isn’t somehow the prophesied hero. Instead he’s a determined individual with power who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time—or the right place at the right time, I suppose, depending on your perspective. The characters, especially Fox and Neil, continue to be likeable, interesting, and well-written. There is also a fair bit of growth for Fox. Obviously, some of this comes as a result of him learning to use his magical powers to greater effect, but he’s also continuing to grow as an individual and learn more about who he is. I especially appreciated that aspect of the novel and felt Bellamy did a good job of bringing it out.
The book isn’t without flaws, however. Some of the weaknesses of the first book hold over, including some nebulous worldbuilding. I’m not sure of what the political system really is, and that starts to play a role in the plot in this book. There are also some small continuity errors, again, much like the first book. For me, the more disappointing flaw was in Lai’s plotline. While Fox and Neil are off traveling and getting into adventures (and misadventures), Lai is stuck back in Thiccan Valley. What’s more, somehow her plotline is reduced to a romance with a new character who isn’t particularly well introduced. It felt like Bellamy wanted to introduce a love triangle and that ended up being the entirety of Lai’s plotline. This is doubly disappointing because there was a good deal of potential for Lai’s story to be incredibly emotional and include a great deal of character development without ever needing to introduce a second love interest for her. To cap things off, the anticlimax in the story felt fairly long, the last several chapters being more setup for the next book than wrap up for this one.
In the end, I’m hopeful that the next book will return the focus to character development and feature a much more interesting plotline for Lai. This one is worth reading, and the main plot is an enjoyable YA coming-of-age tale.
6.5/10
3.25/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
One of the things I adored about Inkspice was the magic. In the first book in the series we were given a pretty barebones introduction to the magic. It was intriguing, but nothing was spelled out and we didn’t have a good idea of how the various ways of doing magic worked. In this sequel we’re treated to a great deal more information on the magic system. The overall workings remain mysterious, but we get to see more of the magic and it continues to be fun and intriguing both. Watching as Fox really comes into his own in terms of his powers is a real pleasure—and sticking him in a city that’s literally trying to hunt down magic users creates some truly tension moments in the story. The plot it also more tightly paced than in the first book. The plot moves along at a good clip and there isn’t much down time throughout the novel. I particularly appreciated how the stakes in this novel are much higher than in the first. Yet they aren’t higher in a way that feels contrived. Fox isn’t somehow the prophesied hero. Instead he’s a determined individual with power who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time—or the right place at the right time, I suppose, depending on your perspective. The characters, especially Fox and Neil, continue to be likeable, interesting, and well-written. There is also a fair bit of growth for Fox. Obviously, some of this comes as a result of him learning to use his magical powers to greater effect, but he’s also continuing to grow as an individual and learn more about who he is. I especially appreciated that aspect of the novel and felt Bellamy did a good job of bringing it out.
The book isn’t without flaws, however. Some of the weaknesses of the first book hold over, including some nebulous worldbuilding. I’m not sure of what the political system really is, and that starts to play a role in the plot in this book. There are also some small continuity errors, again, much like the first book. For me, the more disappointing flaw was in Lai’s plotline. While Fox and Neil are off traveling and getting into adventures (and misadventures), Lai is stuck back in Thiccan Valley. What’s more, somehow her plotline is reduced to a romance with a new character who isn’t particularly well introduced. It felt like Bellamy wanted to introduce a love triangle and that ended up being the entirety of Lai’s plotline. This is doubly disappointing because there was a good deal of potential for Lai’s story to be incredibly emotional and include a great deal of character development without ever needing to introduce a second love interest for her. To cap things off, the anticlimax in the story felt fairly long, the last several chapters being more setup for the next book than wrap up for this one.
In the end, I’m hopeful that the next book will return the focus to character development and feature a much more interesting plotline for Lai. This one is worth reading, and the main plot is an enjoyable YA coming-of-age tale.
6.5/10
3.25/5 stars.
5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing
March 3, 2019
Even better than the first!
I don’t know how Kaitlin does it, but she weaves fascinating stories that you never want to put down, and when the book ends, you crave more. I’ve been on quite a hiatus from reading, but when I finally did get back to reading and picked up this book, I couldn’t put it down. Every character is complex and evokes emotions in you, good or bad. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book. And I highly recommend this to anyone that loves a good story. This is fantasy at its finest!
I don’t know how Kaitlin does it, but she weaves fascinating stories that you never want to put down, and when the book ends, you crave more. I’ve been on quite a hiatus from reading, but when I finally did get back to reading and picked up this book, I couldn’t put it down. Every character is complex and evokes emotions in you, good or bad. I absolutely cannot wait for the third book. And I highly recommend this to anyone that loves a good story. This is fantasy at its finest!
February 5, 2019
Wonderfully adventurous
It was amazing to see the growth in Fox. This was a rollercoaster of emotions. I can't wait to see where the wind takes them next.
It was amazing to see the growth in Fox. This was a rollercoaster of emotions. I can't wait to see where the wind takes them next.
February 28, 2019
A delight to return to this magical, rich world and its engaging characters. I couldn't put this book down, and I eagerly await the next book in the series!
January 23, 2020
When the 1st book was all about Fox discovering what his Blessing is, this second book is all about discovering what he can do with his Blessing and, most importantly, growing up.
I just can't with this series on how amazing the pacing and progress is. Everything felt just right on how things unfolded for me and nothing was rushed or is just is to make the story move along which made things feel so real for me. Fox and Laila are teens and they're growing up and they're not being the usual angsty YA characters. They're not being angsty teens just so they will feel like teens. They feel more genuinely like people caught in between still being young but already taking on responsibilities but still making mistakes along the way.
I love how unlike other YA books where power is just handed to them but we can see them train and grow into it.
What makes this so great is how there isn't a single big bad that they go chasing around for the rest of the series. I don't know how the author made it work but it works! It made the whole thing such a grand adventure that the antagonist is someone they face and work out with in this single book instead of something that would seem unbeatable for the mean time and could potentially be underwhelming in the end. The main driving force of this story for me is "what can the MC do next?" or "what will he be capable of next?" and not "Will he defeat the antagonist?" and I love it! It makes the story all about the MC and not the antagonist.
And can we talk about how heart wrenching the revelations are? Book 1 made such a solid foundation on making me love the characters and making my hope for their futures that when revelations come in this 2nd book that go way differently than I had hoped that it just made me go into an emotional roller coaster. The beauty there is that it just made sense. New characters weren't introduced just to add conflict. It just made sense.
I can keep rambling on and on but in short, I love this series.
I just can't with this series on how amazing the pacing and progress is. Everything felt just right on how things unfolded for me and nothing was rushed or is just is to make the story move along which made things feel so real for me. Fox and Laila are teens and they're growing up and they're not being the usual angsty YA characters. They're not being angsty teens just so they will feel like teens. They feel more genuinely like people caught in between still being young but already taking on responsibilities but still making mistakes along the way.
I love how unlike other YA books where power is just handed to them but we can see them train and grow into it.
What makes this so great is how there isn't a single big bad that they go chasing around for the rest of the series. I don't know how the author made it work but it works! It made the whole thing such a grand adventure that the antagonist is someone they face and work out with in this single book instead of something that would seem unbeatable for the mean time and could potentially be underwhelming in the end. The main driving force of this story for me is "what can the MC do next?" or "what will he be capable of next?" and not "Will he defeat the antagonist?" and I love it! It makes the story all about the MC and not the antagonist.
And can we talk about how heart wrenching the revelations are? Book 1 made such a solid foundation on making me love the characters and making my hope for their futures that when revelations come in this 2nd book that go way differently than I had hoped that it just made me go into an emotional roller coaster. The beauty there is that it just made sense. New characters weren't introduced just to add conflict. It just made sense.
I can keep rambling on and on but in short, I love this series.
April 19, 2021
It's like seeing a movie inside of your head
It’s like seeing a movie inside of your head.
Fox is on the road with the Shavid, his Blessing growing by the day. When the Shavid stop in a city to preform they are forbidden to leave by a corrupt ruler, who wants their magic. But what could he possibly want with the Magic of the Shavid?
Fox for now has remained undetected. He’s met up with an old friend who was hiding more from Fox then he originally thought.
Fox trains in secret becomes a spymaster, to investigate the tainted Magic of this city.
Farren wakens from his sleep, advising Fox and visiting his daughter Lei.
I haven’t forgiven what the pirate god did yet. Saying that he’s still one of my favourite characters..
We see through lei eyes and Neil. Lei comes in to her own, as her father’s powers begin to manifest.
We see her life and how things have changed for her. How she changes too, in to a young woman.
Neil, has fallen hard, for a redhead who is just as clever as he is. He must trust his friend Fox to rescue the love of his life. Can he do that? After the boys have a fight?
I couldn’t put this book down.
It has everything the first book had, and more, there’s much more of a story plot, far more adventure. I could feel the wind, I could hear the songs, I could see the battles taking place, I was holding my breath with each and every one.
When new and old Magic mingle who will win? New friends become part of the family.
This is writing on a grand scale to have me drawn in, and feeling everything that happens.
Go, read it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
It’s like seeing a movie inside of your head.
Fox is on the road with the Shavid, his Blessing growing by the day. When the Shavid stop in a city to preform they are forbidden to leave by a corrupt ruler, who wants their magic. But what could he possibly want with the Magic of the Shavid?
Fox for now has remained undetected. He’s met up with an old friend who was hiding more from Fox then he originally thought.
Fox trains in secret becomes a spymaster, to investigate the tainted Magic of this city.
Farren wakens from his sleep, advising Fox and visiting his daughter Lei.
I haven’t forgiven what the pirate god did yet. Saying that he’s still one of my favourite characters..
We see through lei eyes and Neil. Lei comes in to her own, as her father’s powers begin to manifest.
We see her life and how things have changed for her. How she changes too, in to a young woman.
Neil, has fallen hard, for a redhead who is just as clever as he is. He must trust his friend Fox to rescue the love of his life. Can he do that? After the boys have a fight?
I couldn’t put this book down.
It has everything the first book had, and more, there’s much more of a story plot, far more adventure. I could feel the wind, I could hear the songs, I could see the battles taking place, I was holding my breath with each and every one.
When new and old Magic mingle who will win? New friends become part of the family.
This is writing on a grand scale to have me drawn in, and feeling everything that happens.
Go, read it for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
July 16, 2019
A treasure
Magic, political intrigue, spies, villains, romance and pirates? The second book in this gorgeously written series goes above and beyond its unique storyline and captivates once again. I feel an investment in the multi-layered characters and, just like a Shavid, feel I can conjure an image of them in my mind because they are so artfully painted with words across the pages. The story is woven through two character’s own experiences simultaneously in different locations. Fox, while on his windkissed adventure with the magical company of the “blessed” Shavid, and Lai, as she prepares their home village to protect themselves from danger. The Pirate King, Farran, helps both of them as he is able to, but you can’t help but wonder what else he is up to as he picks and chooses the information he bestows upon them. This book hits upon all the elements of why I love fantasy. I cannot wait to see what is next for Fox and company! Fantastic Read, highly recommend!
Magic, political intrigue, spies, villains, romance and pirates? The second book in this gorgeously written series goes above and beyond its unique storyline and captivates once again. I feel an investment in the multi-layered characters and, just like a Shavid, feel I can conjure an image of them in my mind because they are so artfully painted with words across the pages. The story is woven through two character’s own experiences simultaneously in different locations. Fox, while on his windkissed adventure with the magical company of the “blessed” Shavid, and Lai, as she prepares their home village to protect themselves from danger. The Pirate King, Farran, helps both of them as he is able to, but you can’t help but wonder what else he is up to as he picks and chooses the information he bestows upon them. This book hits upon all the elements of why I love fantasy. I cannot wait to see what is next for Fox and company! Fantastic Read, highly recommend!
March 4, 2021
Fox's story continues as he hones his magic
I enjoyed this continuation... Not as much as book 1- Windswept, but the story seemed to be finding it's stride or rhythm near the end and really got good. Definitely high potential for re-reading at some point in the future. 😎
This book follows Fox on his journey with the Shavid (magic gypsies!) as he learns more of his Mapweaver skills. They end up trapped in a city by a corrupt ruler. There is a dangerous magic brewing. I really liked the growth we see in Fox and Farran during there course of the book. I also loved that the author kept Neil in the story and even have him more time, we see his intelligence and motivations. I did like the way the author showed Lai back in Thicca valley, growing in her own way and not just 'waiting' for Fox. The ending definitely made me want to have the next book lined up ready to go!
I enjoyed this continuation... Not as much as book 1- Windswept, but the story seemed to be finding it's stride or rhythm near the end and really got good. Definitely high potential for re-reading at some point in the future. 😎
This book follows Fox on his journey with the Shavid (magic gypsies!) as he learns more of his Mapweaver skills. They end up trapped in a city by a corrupt ruler. There is a dangerous magic brewing. I really liked the growth we see in Fox and Farran during there course of the book. I also loved that the author kept Neil in the story and even have him more time, we see his intelligence and motivations. I did like the way the author showed Lai back in Thicca valley, growing in her own way and not just 'waiting' for Fox. The ending definitely made me want to have the next book lined up ready to go!
June 3, 2020
Spectacular
I'm never fond of sequels because many times it doesn't do the original book justice. I am happy to say this isn't that type of sequel. I was more enthralled than ever in the story. Truly a book I could not put down and given the chance would have finished it in one sitting. I honestly did not want this book to end. The characters grow so much throughout the book and make life changing decisions( not all of which I agree with but that's still okay) that it's hard not to fall more deeply in love with them. I'm can't wait to read the next book then the rest of the series once it is released.
I'm never fond of sequels because many times it doesn't do the original book justice. I am happy to say this isn't that type of sequel. I was more enthralled than ever in the story. Truly a book I could not put down and given the chance would have finished it in one sitting. I honestly did not want this book to end. The characters grow so much throughout the book and make life changing decisions( not all of which I agree with but that's still okay) that it's hard not to fall more deeply in love with them. I'm can't wait to read the next book then the rest of the series once it is released.
May 5, 2020
Inkspice is a wonderful sequel to Windswept. We continue to follow Fox as he journeys with the Shavid and we follow Lai, Fox’s best friend, as she remains in town and learns more of her god heritage. Once again Katlin Bellamy wrote a fantastic story that kept me turning pages. However, something happened in this book and I can see why the author did this, but it hurt a lot. I pray everything gets resolved and I will have to keep reading to ensure that it does. Please Katlin Bellamy, please don’t hurt my heart.
February 12, 2023
This series is interesting, because I find myself thinking I'm bored, but then the next thing you know I'm almost done and ready for the next book. I'm normally not a fan of books that are so character driven and slow-paced, but it works for this story and really pulls you in, almost without you noticing. The characters are so expertly created and fleshed out that your attachment to them is built slowly, just like you would learn to care for a person in the real world. It's a special kind of magic and I'm starting book three immediately.
February 28, 2020
The characters are just as adorably wonderful as in the first novel, but they come further along their character arc. Most notably Fox & Lai as they grow older, away from each other. I thoroughly enjoyed having paragraphs in Neil & Lai’s perspectives as it gave me a different insight into their characters & allowed me to keep up with Lai’s part of the story even though she’s a world away from Fox.
Continue reading... https://smmitchell.com/2020/02/21/ink...
Continue reading... https://smmitchell.com/2020/02/21/ink...
December 31, 2020
Adventure
This book is about the joy of fantastic adventure. It doesn't concern itself with petty details like the mechanics of magic systems, or how many leather straps needs to be tightened to saddle a dragon.
This book is all about taking you on a ride of wonder and excitement.
Don't get hung up on the details. Don't ask too many questions. Just buckle up, forget about the real world, and let the wind sweep you off to new adventures..
This book is about the joy of fantastic adventure. It doesn't concern itself with petty details like the mechanics of magic systems, or how many leather straps needs to be tightened to saddle a dragon.
This book is all about taking you on a ride of wonder and excitement.
Don't get hung up on the details. Don't ask too many questions. Just buckle up, forget about the real world, and let the wind sweep you off to new adventures..
November 26, 2022
I had to DNF about a quarter of the way in because of the sheer amount of misspellings or grammatical errors. I really tried to power through because I loved the first book despite the occasional typo, but COME ON.
One painful example was the continuous use of “alter” instead of “altar” in one of the first few chapters.
One painful example was the continuous use of “alter” instead of “altar” in one of the first few chapters.
October 1, 2019
She did it again! Kept me riveted from the first page to the last! I simply love this series—I love Kaitlin Bellamy’s style of writing and the incredible world she has created in this series. When is the next book coming out? And the next and the next??
March 21, 2024
I can't say enough about Kaitlin's world and characters. Using maps and theatre/performing arts with her love of storytelling as whole, she has created something I don't think you'll find in any other book.
August 25, 2019
Quick, fun read. Would be better if the strength of the prose matched the copious creativity.
November 16, 2020
I ADORE this book! Fantastic sequel, and leaving me with a feeling of rightness - so many small things in these books just feel RIGHT. I can't wait to get started on the next one!
February 10, 2019
I’m really hoping more people would pick up this series. It’s so easy to get lost in the story and it’s an enjoyable ride. There is no moment where it feels draggy - next thing you know the book has ended and you’re looking forward to the next one!
I like that we see more of the characters’ stories in this book, Neil and Lai, in particular. Fox also grows more into his power and we see him really taking ownership of what he has and using his power with gravity and consideration.
However, I do think there were too many things that the author tried to do in this book. Unlike the first book where it was focused on getting to know Fox and Farran, and each story (like Topper’s) propelled a discovery of who they are, in this book, it felt as if we started walking into a pool of stories, only to turn back when the water went knee-high. For example, Ines and Mindi...it felt like we were going to get to know them, but turns out they were more a digression of the story. I wish this second installment had that focus that the first book had.
There is also some editing needed - altar not alter, principle not principal.
Overall, for a debut series, this is a good one. I had a hard time sleeping after reading this book, speculating different scenarios on how the next one will unfold. Thank you for creating this world!
I like that we see more of the characters’ stories in this book, Neil and Lai, in particular. Fox also grows more into his power and we see him really taking ownership of what he has and using his power with gravity and consideration.
However, I do think there were too many things that the author tried to do in this book. Unlike the first book where it was focused on getting to know Fox and Farran, and each story (like Topper’s) propelled a discovery of who they are, in this book, it felt as if we started walking into a pool of stories, only to turn back when the water went knee-high. For example, Ines and Mindi...it felt like we were going to get to know them, but turns out they were more a digression of the story. I wish this second installment had that focus that the first book had.
There is also some editing needed - altar not alter, principle not principal.
Overall, for a debut series, this is a good one. I had a hard time sleeping after reading this book, speculating different scenarios on how the next one will unfold. Thank you for creating this world!
February 12, 2021
Sadly INKSPICE was not as good as WINDSWEPT in my eyes. It was still written incredibly well, and I still loved the characters for the most part, but it also had a lot of weaknesses I couldn't quite shy away from.
The whole spy game took me out of the story and felt like it didn't belong in this more whimsical series. And I'm afraid to say the romance didn't really intrigue me until the very end (for Neil's storyline, at least). I wanted to learn more about Fox and his powers, and felt like he was shunted off to the side, for a lot of the book, to make room for Neil and Lai's storylines.
Still, though, just like WINDSWEPT, I'm giving this book 4 stars. No, it wasn't as good as its predecessor, but it still held my attention and I still found myself rooting for the characters. I liked that this book was more action-oriented than the first and had a lot more action scenes in it than I had anticipated. Although the Climax was weaker in my humble opinion, I really loved the ending and the falling action of this book. Seeing Fox on the losing side of love was definitely a breath of fresh air, that most authors don't usually write.
Still, I'm excited to read WAYFINDER and KINGMAKER and the finale, and will make a point to read them as soon as possible. I'm excited to see what happens next!
But I might also take a break from the Mapweaver world before I dive into the next two books. (Although I do love this series and want to finish it through.) This book was just a little bit of a downer and was a struggle to get through at times, so I'm hoping the next book picks up the pace and fixes this one's mistakes.
Still, though, I'm happy I read it, and I really do love this series. It's definitely full of magic, and I'm not saying that lightly. Kaitlin Bellamy knows how to write and I've been enjoying myself immensely with these two books so far. My only wish is that INKSPICE somehow lived up to WINDSWEPT's potential.
The whole spy game took me out of the story and felt like it didn't belong in this more whimsical series. And I'm afraid to say the romance didn't really intrigue me until the very end (for Neil's storyline, at least). I wanted to learn more about Fox and his powers, and felt like he was shunted off to the side, for a lot of the book, to make room for Neil and Lai's storylines.
Still, though, just like WINDSWEPT, I'm giving this book 4 stars. No, it wasn't as good as its predecessor, but it still held my attention and I still found myself rooting for the characters. I liked that this book was more action-oriented than the first and had a lot more action scenes in it than I had anticipated. Although the Climax was weaker in my humble opinion, I really loved the ending and the falling action of this book. Seeing Fox on the losing side of love was definitely a breath of fresh air, that most authors don't usually write.
Still, I'm excited to read WAYFINDER and KINGMAKER and the finale, and will make a point to read them as soon as possible. I'm excited to see what happens next!
But I might also take a break from the Mapweaver world before I dive into the next two books. (Although I do love this series and want to finish it through.) This book was just a little bit of a downer and was a struggle to get through at times, so I'm hoping the next book picks up the pace and fixes this one's mistakes.
Still, though, I'm happy I read it, and I really do love this series. It's definitely full of magic, and I'm not saying that lightly. Kaitlin Bellamy knows how to write and I've been enjoying myself immensely with these two books so far. My only wish is that INKSPICE somehow lived up to WINDSWEPT's potential.
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