YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

There are three things that earn you a man’s name among the Jan’Tep. The first is to demonstrate the strength to defend your family. The second is to prove you can perform the high magic that defines our people. The third is simply to reach the age of sixteen. I was a few weeks shy of my birthday when I learned that I wouldn’t be doing any of those things.

Magic is a con game.

Kellen is moments away from facing his first mage's duel and the start of four trials that will make him a spellcaster. There's just one problem: his magic is gone. As his sixteenth birthday approaches, Kellen falls back on his cunning in a bid to avoid total disgrace. But when a daring stranger arrives in town, she challenges Kellen to take a different path. Ferius Parfax is one of the mysterious Argosi - a traveller who lives by her wits and the three decks of cards she carries. She's difficult and unpredictable, but she may be Kellen's only hope...

I'm starting this early because I'm so excited!

Just finished my first physical so will be starting this tonight too hopefully! It looks so goood.

Chapter 4: (view spoiler)[I am loving this new world and magic system. It has a unique flare to it that you don't usually see in YA fantasy. The magic categories sound so cool and I can't wait to delve into what they each can do. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[I am so confused by the concept of the deck of cards but I'm also very curious. I want to know more about them.
I really love the idea of the Argosi but I don't really understand who they are yet. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 17: (view spoiler)[I feel so bad for Kellen. He has been dealt the worst cards (no pun intended lol) and he has barely any magic and his family is known to be powerful. His father also doesn't listen to him and thinks he knows everything. I really don't like his sister Shalla. But I am so interested in the Nekhek, It sounds so majestic and only classed as an enemy to mages because of the way it effects their powers. Poor floof baby :( (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19: (view spoiler)[What they were doing to the nekhek made me feel so sick... :( (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25: (view spoiler)[Oh no. Poor Kellen just breaks his first band and now he's shadowblack. We haven't really got a clear definition of what shadowblack really is yet but I'm sure we may witness it through Kellen. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 34: (view spoiler)[the Nekhek is so sassy and I love it. The theory of who took shalla and why and whatnot is very logical but also a little too obvious for my liking. (hide spoiler)]

finished: (view spoiler)[I was a little disappointed by the ending because of how predictable it was however I love the uniqueness of this book. I've never read anything like this world and it was so original. I'm so glad Kellen left in the end, he really didn't belong there. will be continuing on with this series if you wanna buddy read more :) (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 8 (view spoiler)[ So far I'm liking the book. Little slow start, but things have picked up a bit. I am wondering what he's going to do. I think he might wind up going with the girl who taught them the cards, but at the same time obviously he won the first trial and is going to meet with the dowager princess/queen. I am intrigued and can't stop reading at this point. Hoping things get a bit more exciting though. The tag line "magic is a con game" is a large par of why I picked up this book in the first place. (hide spoiler)]

Shar wrote: "Chapter 4: [spoilers removed]"

I agree, definitely a unique read and quite different from what fills the YA fantasy genre.

end of ch 16 (view spoiler)[ Okay, those people were straight up evil. Anyone who would hurt a dog is completely evil. I hope that the demon creature doesn't die. I think it might have bonded with Kellen? I don't know though... (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 17 (view spoiler)[ I swear I can never tell where this book is going to go. Squirrel cats? That's hilarious. I hope that creature survives. I really like animals and was upset when the dog died. I am also really growing to love Ferrius and Kellen. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 19(view spoiler)[ Anyone who tortures animals disgusts me. This is horrible. I can't believe that he was friends with these people. I hope that he saves the animal and that it doesn't have to die painfully. The poor innocent being that did nothing but try to help his sister. The fact that he waited so long to help it makes me sick to begin with. I am liking the growth and change in his character arc so fat though... as long as he does the right thing right now... (hide spoiler)]

Shar wrote: "Chapter 17: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I actually really like reading about Kellen because he is weak and normally I read about strong characters. It's like the fact that he overcomes all these obstacles means so much more because he has to work so much harder for it. (hide spoiler)]

Shar wrote: "Chapter 19: [spoilers removed]"

OMG SAME

end of ch 23 (view spoiler)[I really didn't expect him to get any magic! That's awesome! It's like he had to prove that he could do the right thing in order to get magic! (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 24 (view spoiler)[I don't really know what it means to have the shadowblack, but by everyone's reaction it's gotta be bad. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 26 (view spoiler)[ This is absolutely insane. How dare they do this! How will he live after this?! What kind of fucking family is this?! (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 27 (view spoiler)[ Oh thank God. I hope he gets to keep some magic.. so hard to read about him suffering at the hands of his own family. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 28 (view spoiler)[ not who I expected at all, but still awesome. Love the fact that there is a talking animal, but this doesn't read like a kids book. Too few talking animals in books in my opinion. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 33 (view spoiler)[ He's becoming pretty self aware of the change within himself. Also I rally love Reichis as a character. He's funny and entertaining and kinda weird. Kinda how I would expect a squirrel cat to be, except less skittish than I would have thought. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 35 (view spoiler)[ Why would Abydos attack Kellen though? He actually seemed to love him. What to weaken his father? (hide spoiler)]

ch 36 (view spoiler)[ "Reichis clambered up my back to sit on my shoulder." For some reason I always expected Reichis to be the size of a mountain lion, not a house cat. I guess probably because they made him sound like a scary demon cat so I thought he must be huge. (hide spoiler)]

end of ch 43 (view spoiler)[ I can't believe that wasn't the climax of the book. this whole last hundred pages of the book have been non stop action packed. (hide spoiler)]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Okay so my favorite scene was probably when the Dowager magus was showing the history with the cards. (hide spoiler)] Review to come

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Amanda wrote: "ch 36 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ He's shown on the cover I believe so a little smaller than a lion but a little bigger than a house cat. (hide spoiler)]

Amanda wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed] Review to come"

(view spoiler)[Yus that scene was so cool and I love how Kellen's intelligence really shined then. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Shar wrote: "Amanda wrote: "ch 36 [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Omg I can't believe I didn't even think of that!

Shar wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed] Review to come"

[spoilers removed]"

I was wondering if the cards were ever going to play into the story and I felt like that scene was so unique!!

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Date changed. Restarting August 25th 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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Chapter 2
(view spoiler)[I can't decide if I like Shalla or not. She seems kind of badass, but I'm still not sure about her. (hide spoiler)] So far I'm liking this book!

Chapter 13
(view spoiler)[I wonder what Shalla came up with to get Kellen his magic...
I don't think I really like her. I like the book though! :D (hide spoiler)]

Ch 21
(view spoiler)[So Kellen and the squirrelcats can talk and understand each other. I can't wait to delve into this more (hide spoiler)]

Ch 44
(view spoiler)[I'm LOVING this book. The fire scenes are so intense and originally written, I think. I'm starting to really love Reichis! (hide spoiler)]