Talisa's Song — Linda Smith

Talisa Thatcher thinks she's useless - because she's the only one in her family who can't perform magic. But she learns the power of her own gift of music when she has to save the life of a young man unjustly accused of murder. This second book of the trilogy -set in Freya, a land simmering with magic and intrigue -tells the story of sixteen-year-old Talisa Thatcher and a talented young carver, Cory Updale. In Uglessia, Talisa's family is renowned for its great magicians. Her own gift--to write and sing beautiful songs - seems next to worthless. Talisa apprentices herself to a master musician in the city of Freyfall and gets caught in the middle of a street riot. Cory sees her danger and saves her. Through him, she learns about Freyan farmers turned off their land--an echo of the famous Highland Clearances.