i am not a bookworm!: The Story Peddler (The Weaver Trilogy #1) by Lindsay A. Franklin | ARC | Blog Tour

The Story Peddler by Lindsay A. Franklin | ARC | A Book Review by iamnotabookworm!

“Selling stories is a deadly business.”

Title: The Story Peddler

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

Published Date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: Enclave
Genre: Fantasy

Tanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystalized sculptures that sell for more than a few bits. But the only way to escape the control of her cruel mentor and claw her way from poverty is to set her sights on something grander: becoming Royal Storyteller to the king.

During her final story peddling tour, a tale of treason spills from her hands, threatening the king himself. Tanwen goes from peddler to prey as the king’s guard hunts her down . . . and they’re not known for their mercy. As Tanwen flees for her life, she unearths long-buried secrets and discovers she’s not the only outlaw in the empire. There’s a rebel group of weavers . . . and they’re after her too.

I got this book from Miss Laura Grace of Unicorn Quester. She's the blog tour coordinator for the tour of this book. She got my contact information from The Book Blogger List. Of course, I agreed to join the tour and review the book.

The Story Peddler is the first of The Weaver Trilogy. The main character in the story is Tanwen. An orphan whose only memory of her parents are the trinkets, few furniture, and books left on the cottage in the farming village of Pembrone. She had to support herself in order to survive. Until she found a mentor who taught her to master her storytelling and started peddling stories from town to town. Her one dream is to become the Royal Storyteller. She didn't know that when that dream would come true, it wouldn't be the dream job as she thought it would be and that it would be at the cost of denying her true self.

The cover alone of this book already had me. It's so beautiful. It's obvious that there's something magical within its pages. Something wonderful and mysterious awaits. And it didn't fail. My first question when I got this story was, "What's a story peddler?" And as simple as those two words, that's just what it is- selling stories. But the magic lies in how the stories are told. It's amazing. I can just imagine seeing it just as Tanwen narrates each of her stories. Then once the story is done, a crystal object materializes out of the ribbons of light from Tanwen's hand. Simply fascinating. It's like Dale Chihuly creating those colorful masterpieces out of blowing glass.

Tanwen En-Yestin is a character that you will definitely love. Her origin is a mystery at its best. A young woman with a very special talent which is very curious. I was asking myself the whole time where that special talent came from? How did Tanwen get it? She's one of the underdogs. Definitely made of the same stock of what most heroines of any stories are made of. Unyielding determination, unbelievable strength that comes forth when the situation demands it, a keen observer who speaks her mind and very smart. I think her strength is in speaking her mind. She's not afraid to ask the hard questions. Her honesty, which is sometimes brutal is refreshing. Not a lot of characters are like Tanwen, who calls out anyone without fear. Her being without filter is just what makes her character stand out. You either see her as one with a stupid mouth or one who's just too honest for her own good, depending on which of the two you are--one who likes to hear the truth or one who wants to keep it buried.

There are a lot of interesting characters in this story with very colorful pasts and lives. One of the things that stood out for me was that each character had a prefix to his/her last name. Like Tanwen, there's an En before her last name. The men have Bo and married women have Ma. It's one of the interesting and unique elements in the story.

Most of the important or relevant characters in the story were given enough background to get an understanding of the character. The story promises a mystery right from the start. It hooks you on that mystery and it dangles it in front of you. You know it's there but you can't put a finger on it. Not when the author isn't ready yet to reveal it. The story got me so curious that I started to formulate theories in my head. I know Tanwen is someone important or her parents are important. I know there is more to her gift. And all of those things that had me in its grip were slowly unravelled piece by piece with great timing. I can't let go of the story until I reached to the point where my questions were all answered and the mystery was finally unveiled. And it was all worth it. The waiting and anticipation was all greatly rewarded.

This is one very satisfying story. I gave it all my attention and never wavered. I can't lose my focus because as I progressed from one chapter to the next, the more I was drawn in and caught in it's web. I can't leave it unless I have unentangled all the knots. I give this book 5/5 colorful ribbons. I was helplessly caught in the story and I was totally relishing the journey. I shadowed Tanwen in every step of her adventure and I definitely wouldn't have missed it. This is a very very delightful start of a great adventure which I definitely wouldn't want to be left out. Tanwen's coming of age story and finally getting to know of her past and the story of her parents is a story you would want to be a part of. It's ripe with strong characters, villains that are cunning and so power-hungry like the characters in the Game of Thrones, and a lot of unexpected surprises. I am definitely a happy camper knowing that this story found me. I thought the mystery would have killed me, thankfully it only made me hang on tighter until I reached the end of the fantastic journey. Congratulations Miss Lindsay A. Franklin. This story is definitely selling.

I don't think my life's too keen on slipping by unnoticed. I seem to ping off one bank of the river, then bounce off the other. Then slam into a rock or two. Or twelve.