Selling stories is a deadly businessTanwen doesn’t just tell stories—she weaves them into crystallized 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, … 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.
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This was a great story! It had amazing magic that was somehow easy to understand even though the magic of this book was so different from anything else. I give it five stars because the story was really good, the characters were great, the magic was amazing and really well explained.
4.5 Stars https://christianshelfesteem.wordpress.com/
Book lovers, imagine what it would be like to see the spoken words of a gifted storyteller crystallizing into tangible objects right before your eyes! This idea is what initially lured me to Lindsay A. Franklin’s debut fiction novel, The Story Peddler. What kept me tethered to the story was her imaginative world-building, valiant characters, and the thrill of discovery.
Every person will read a story through the lens of their own personal worldview and experiences. I came at this story as a Christian, a mom, and a lukewarm fan of the fantasy genre so I will review it from all three perspectives.
I would tell Christians to seek the breadcrumbs. Much of what Franklin writes echoes the greatest story ever told—including a good Creator, a usurper who suppress the Truth by perpetuating lies, and the promise of redemption.
I believe this story was written for young adults and yet I’m a 40-year-old mother of two who found it to be thoroughly entertaining. Even more, I am allowing my middle-graders to read it. The author touches on the concept of doing what is right, even when it’s not popular or safe to do. She also extols the positive aspects of community and how our unique gifts, imparted by our Creator, contribute to the welfare of others. For parents considering this story for their own children, I’ll mention there is an element of spiritual warfare, a stolen kiss, and a tavern that serves both food and ale. My advice would be to read the story yourself and to discuss the deeper elements with your child.
Did I say I was a lukewarm fan of the fantasy genre? While this still holds true, authors like Mary Weber and Lindsay A. Franklin are turning up the heat. When the next installment of The Story Weaver Trilogy comes out, it will be mine!
Christian Shelf-Esteem received a book to facilitate this review. The views and opinions expressed here are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in Accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, part 255 Guidelines, concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in advertising.
It’s a book like The Story Peddler that has me save 5 star reviews for only the best books I read. I enjoy many books, but ones like this don’t come around all the time.
Lindsay has crafted a fun, beautiful, touching read about a young girl who is trying to make a life selling stories. But she has the story weaving gift, so her tales make beautiful little glass tokens people will buy.
One day when a treasonous thread slips into the story, the king is alerted and her life is endangered. Will she be able to avoid being a pawn in the politics of the realm?
First of all, this is such a unique magic system. It is so interesting to see the different ways weaving is used in the book.
The characters make the book for me. From the young and hopeful Tanwen who weaves stories to the Princess Braith and her attempts at reining in the king’s excesses, they are so fleshed out. They come alive on the pages.
The plot is also twisty and full of surprises. There’s fun and levity, along with heart-wrenching scenes that took a lot of bravery to write.
Finally, the hopeful and beautiful message brought everything together. I am not an emotional guy but I teared up at the end.
If you love YA, fantasy, or a well-spun tale, then make sure you read The Story Peddler. It is one of the best books I’ve read in years and I can’t wait for book 2.
Obsessed with this new fantasy!
Absolutely adored this debut novel from Lindsay A. Franklin. Stunning world-building and engrossing characters make it easy to slip into the pages of this fantasy and forget about the world. Rather than the epic fantasies like A Game of Thrones, Franklin’s storytelling steps along the path of a realistic, whimsical reverie. I’ve put it on the shelf alongside my favorite books like Dodger by Terry Pratchett, Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon, and Stardust by Neil Gaiman.
I read this book in less than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy to come out!
The Story Peddler Is a great fantasy story. It is about a big hearted Tanwen. It is also about determination, gifting, genuiness, jam packed, lasting and hidden Christian messaging. Courage because Tanwen gave a dire story to the king. Demanding because a mentor demands she does certain story peddling. Determination because she wanted to get away from him and be a story teller to the king. Gifting because she was gifted with story telling – so were others. Genuineness because that is what she is – genuine. Jam packed – the story is jam packed with new mystery action stories. Lasting and hidden Christian messaging – that is what it says. I can’t wait for book to. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all of the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.
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There are creative ideas. There are unique story lines. There are unusual characters. And then there is Lindsay Franklin’s book. The Story Peddler is a creative idea with a unique story line and unusual characters all wrapped up into a delightful fantasy. When her main character tells a story, lines of color flow from her hands, weave together and create something real that you can hold. It is such an amazing concept and her story reads as if Lindsay IS a story peddler. This book is the final outcome of many brilliant colors woven together by Lindsay into something real.