Spellslinger by Sebastien De Castell

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 surviving your fourteenth year. 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... @goodreads 

I freaking loved this book!



I am so glad this is book one of a trilogy/duology/series, whatever because it rocked my little world!



Kellen (Kel) is a boy who is trying to get his magic to work. If he doesn't get his magic to work by his 16 bday and win in the trials, then he's up the creek without a paddle so to speak.

Kel's parents are a high powered family and Kel is just there so to speak. He gets into trouble a lot but I love him. Then he meets Ferius Parfax who just happens to save his life. She's supposedly a drifter, a Argosi, a wiz at taking people out with cards and one tough cookie. But what is she really? And I wonder why she likes Kel so much and she teaches him things, a few things with cards he's trying to pick up. But there are other secrets about Kel and his family. . . .

Kel has a lot of trouble with other kids his age and I just wanted to stomp them all into the ground. Well, not all of them but I digress. And believe me, some of their families are evil too!

This book as some really funny parts in it too. I had some great laughs and I need all of those I can get. Reichis, the Nekhek or squirrel cat and his crew. OMG! I wanted to put so many exerpts in here about him but you need to read all about him for yourself. He made me think of a little animal gangster the way he talked. :-D

I didn't like Kel's sister Shalla at all for something she did to him but she sort of made up for it all in the end. And of course there are revelations and all that good stuff. I really, really look forward to the books in this series!

until next time . . . .

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2052836448