Truthwitch (The Witchlands, 1)

Essentially this book was worth the hype. So far I've bought two new books this month. Truthwitch and Passenger, I started them both around the same time. I have yet to even hit the quarter mark for Passenger. But this book pulled me in with such force and I did not want to be let go. Everyone loves a strong, courageous, relatable heroine. Well in these series we get two very different but amazing heroines, who also happen to be thick as thieves. Safi is a take action now, think about the consequences later type of girl. The sort of person finds it easier apologize later rather than ask for permission now. Iseult is a planner. She's the strategist that helps get the duo out of sticky situations. Where Safi is like a blazing fire, Iseult is calm water. It's great to see such a strong female friendship as a main focus in a book. It's refreshing. The author introduces us to such a wide array of different characters, all with their own interesting ties to the story. It is a world filled with adventure, friendship, romance, intrigue, secrets, betrayal, magic, prophecies and the threat of imminent war. Honestly, I love every minute it of it. Merik and Safi Because those eyes of hers were the color of the sky after a storm. Something had happened between Safi and Merik during their dance. Something as powerful as the wind and the music that had gusted around them. A shift in the air that preceded a storm. Basically from the moment these two met, it was obvious that they were going to mean more to each other than either would realize or care to admit. I loved their development, and that even in at times when they doubted each other they still cared of one another deep down. Their feelings mattered to each other. Plus, their fun banter was great, their chemistry undeniable. "...If I were to have a casual tumble, then you are easily the last person I would choose." "Good", she retorted, "because you're the last person I would choose." "Which is your loss, I promise." "As if you're so talented, Prince." "You know I am." Neither of them was so stubborn to the point of not understanding where the other was coming from. Merik was able to see the goodness and strength within Safi. He truly believed she was capable of great things. Even if she was not so sure. And she saw his strength, his selflessness, his willingness to do whatever it took to protect his people. To serve a greater purpose, and it inspired her. Meeting each other, they were changed for the better. Aeduan and Iseult “Kill me” “No” “I will hunt you” “I know” “I will kill you” “…I don’t think you will” It's hard to explain how I felt exactly when I read this. Maybe I am over thinking it, but for some reason it made me feeling something. Whether or not it was the author's intentions I can't be certain. But reading this made me feel like there was something deeper here, like these two despite being at odds might be the only ones who could truly understand each other's quiet sufferings. Unlike Merik and Safi, these two do not have romantic feelings towards each other (yet). However, I'm convinced that down the road this is going happen at some point. The build up is there. "Are you deaf or just stupid? Those Cleaved are seconds away. Trust me. "No." Her hazel eyes shook - but not with fear. With stubborn refusal. "Trust. Me." ...The Nomatsi girl still wasn't budging. So he summoned the only words he could find that would make her go: "Mhe varujta" (Trust me as if my soul were yours) I'm deeply curious as to how he came to know this term. I'm assuming from the Puppeteer, but time will tell. That being said, I know he only said this to get Iseult to to listen but I am a big believer in foreshadowing so I have faith something will come of this. Other characters I like include Kullen, Ryber and Prince Leopold. For the sake of not spoiling anything and not rambling further I won't go into detail. Just know that Merik and Kullen, just as Safi and Iseult are Threadsisters, these two are Threadbrothers. Their friendship is amazing. Both are so self-sacrificing it hurts. Kullen and Ryber their relationship is so heartbreaking. I adore them. The point is I really really liked this. Was it perfect? No, no book is perfect. But was is a great, entertaining read? Heck yes! Now I must play the horrid waiting game for yet another book. Hopefully, the sequel will be worth the wait.

Weasels piss on you if you don't read this book. Just kidding. But wow! This has been the first book of this year that I've really flipped out about. Honestly, it didn't look all that interesting to me at first, and I had other, more anticipated reads that I was looking forward to. However this book has bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love it. What I Loved: You ready for this long ass list?? (It's a little spoilery) Women: Holla! I mean, for real. This books was balls-to-the-wall full of capable female characters - some good, some bad, some I haven't figured out yet. They were messy and complicated and flawed and resourceful and smart and dangerous and my list could go on for days. I also felt like our two main protagonists - Safi and Iseult - underwent definitive transformations in book one. In other words, the characters at the beginning of the book were different than the characters at the end - and that's a good thing! They changed. They grew. The world around them affected change within them, and they in turn, affected change in the world around them. Friendship FTW!: I have been getting a bit tired of the girls vs girls, women vs women tropes that seem to permeate YA books at times. Girl meets another girl and immediately there is distrust, jealousy, suspicion, etc. But lately I've been getting my hands on books that celebrate female friendships and the strengths that women can derive from such relationships. (Uprooted by Naomi Novik is another recent find). I loved, loved, loved that this novel revolves around the friendship between Safi and Iseult. Of course there are other things happening - romances brewing, kingdoms falling, wars breaking – but the relationship between these two girls is front and center always. I am in love with these characters. Romance: What is fantasy without a little romance, hmm? Another trope I find to be a turn off is insta-love, and this happens a lot in YA novels. But the romance between Safi and Merik hit all the right notes for me. And it was a nice, slow burn with lots of beautiful, pent up tension (THAT dance!). I even loved that only one steamy make-out session occurred before Safi and Merik were separated at the end of the book. And I also loved how love (or lust) seemed to amplify a character’s witchery. Like how Merik’s wind witchery kept getting triggered by his lust for Safi. I felt like there were several tongue-in-cheek double entendres in those situations and I adored them. World Building Info: I think there are some people who would disagree, but I loved the way relevant information was dispersed in Truthwitch. We are kind of just dropped into this world and we learn how it works as we go. There’s no glossary or prologue or long expositional inner dialogue that sets up the magic system or the geo-political system of this world. We literally learn as we go with little bits of information dropped here and there in a very nice, relevant way without it ever feeling like a pace-destroying info dump session. We learn things as we need to learn them and that’s it. I loved it. There are still things that we don’t know. Things we can only guess and conjecture about. Things that will be revealed in the next book perhaps, or later. I’m fine with it. Hell, I loved it. I love trying to figure things out. I love having amazing facts and tidbits handed to me over the course of a book. All the different kinds of witchery? I was constantly surprised about certain character’s powers and what they were capable of. The magic runs deep, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface, which just makes me pine even harder for the next book. Magic: I love magic systems. I love reading about them in fantasy novels, marveling at their careful care and cultivation. This system was completely unique to me. I loved that it was based off the four basic elements – Fire, Earth, Water, Air – as well as other elements I found interesting and surprising. Within each of these elements are sub-elements and unique powers as well. It seems like there are never ending possibilities, which is pretty exciting when it comes to characters and world building. I’m looking forward to what we will find in the future. And who the hell is that thrice-damned puppeteer??? What I Didn’t Love: World Building Info: I do this a lot. Say I love something and then turn right back around and say I didn’t love it. You’ll get use to me. While I did love the way this was handled, I found myself wishing for maybe a glossary of some sort at the end of the book. Something I could reference and help keep certain things – like witcheries – straight. Like, maybe even just a character list with the elements of each one’s witchery notated. Perhaps that would have given info away prematurely and taken away from the reading experience. I don’t know. It’s just something I wished for several times throughout. POV Switches The book is mainly told through the close POV’s of four main characters – Safi, Iseult, Merik, and Aeduen. I don’t mind switching between POV’s, but the fact that the switches would happen within the chapters – sometimes with as many as three separate POV’s occurring within one chapter – would cause me to get pulled out of the story at times. Just when I was settling into one character, I would be shuttled over to another one. I would have liked to have seen longer character excerpts, maybe even a whole chapters, rather than bouncing back and forth so much in such a short period of time. Those are the only dislikes that come to mind as I write this review. Not many at all and even the ones I’ve mentioned aren’t enough to make me gripe or cancel out all the freaking awesome goodness that is contained within this novel. This is my first Susan Dennard book and that girl is a born storyteller. I’m anxiously awaiting more.

[...] Rating: 5 Stars Truthwitch centers around two female witches, Threadsisters, Safiya and Iseult. They fall on opposite ends of the spectrum in the world of class and such but they are bound and best friends. After a mishap they end up wanted and searching for them is the Bloodwitch, Aeduan, who can track anyone anywhere after he has their sent. Worst of all he can sent the power in the blood and that means he knows the secret Safiya has fought to keep hidden, that she is a Truthwitch. Merik the prince and admiral of the Nubrevna and only want to help his people but finds himself a reluctant ally in the mess Safiya and Iseult are part of running from the Bloodwitch and many others. The girls only want freedom and to escape the danger lurking for them at every corner but with the twenty year truce coming to an end war is coming and no one is safe. If I'm honest after being so excited for this book I was a bit worried in the beginning because I wasn't instantly in love. It had a lot to take in and it starts with a bang for sure but with all the unfamiliar names, places, terms and world it was a bit much to take in at fist and the shifts in POV were a bit harder. But then as I continued and I got a handle on the names everything just started to fall into place and I started to enjoy it more and more with each page. The world is still growing as we spend most of the story on the run the scenery is constantly changing which was fun and I liked the world I was seeing so far. Still more to learn and see. The concept for magic in the world with each person having a witchery and how different elements could focus in on different specialties was pretty bad ass and some connections were made I never would have thought of but as I read it they made perfect sense. Plus the action there was always something happening and I felt like I was right there in the action from fights, chases, pirates, creatures, and so much more you won't be bored. But I think my favorite part was the characters. There is still much to be flushed out on some of the characters for sure but I got a good sense of who Safiya, Iseult, and Merik were. Safiya of Safi has hidden what she is for fear of being killed or used as a pawn her whole life with her rare gift of being able to tell lie and truth, oh and she's a Domna. Iseult is a Nomatsi, an outcast of sorts that people are fine treating none to kindly. Safi and Iseult are Threadsisters and their connection and love for one another is great. No matter what they have one another's backs and that's that. They know one another perfectly and balance one another out and bring out the best in each other while accepting the flaws and the mistakes they both make. Then with Merik we know who he is and what he wants and while his pride sometimes gets the best of him he has a good heart and that shows through in his driving force. There are some amazing side characters as well that I hope to learn more about in depth in following stories and I feel Aeduan has much more to him and we only scratched the surface of a very deep well there. Overall this was a fantastic read for me and I am super excited to continue on in the series. Truthwitch set things up nicely for more in the series with many things open and ready for more but still managing to be a complete story in itself. I can't wait to learn more about the Puppeteer, Cahr Awen, Cleaving, the war, and so many other little tidbits that have been dangled in front of me. What witchery you'd like to have. I'm undecided there are so many awesome ones but to control air or metal seem like top picks to me. I mean using air you basically fly and who hasn't always wanted to fly?

Hello, and welcome back to another “Chelscey was real late to the party on this one” review. Yes, I am finally diving into the Witchlands with “Truthwitch” and yes, it’s my first book by Susan Dennard though I have followed her and her writing advice for years now. And coming out of this book, I can finally appreciate the “it’s me” and not the book feelings. Because “Truthwitch” is such a firm YA novel with its chosen one tropes and bonded pairs, and that’s great, but not for me as an actual adult anymore. It’s kind of nice knowing that that’s just a problem with me and not Safi and her witchery, so I can remove that element and really decipher what did and didn’t work for me. This first book in the series sets up an immense world. One where there seems to be a new, and only slightly nuanced version, of a witch almost every other page. Honestly though, for a world where it seems like the magic users were on the losing end of a war that led to a 20-year truce, there’s a lot of witches, and some are unique one-of-a-kind witches, but there’s a lot of those one-off witches too, so it’s like… magic is just all over the place. And when you have Bloodwitches like Aeudan (who is my favorite already, no shame) it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about concerning Safiya and her truthwitch powers. They just doesn’t seem all that powerful compared to others, and certainly not a big deal politically for all these nations to suddenly be clamoring for her and having her in the middle of all these political games she and her Threadsister are amazingly oblivious to. Which means, yes, the plot mainly happens TO these girls, Safi and Iseult, for the vast majority of the book rather than them being active participants. The powers that be have placed these girls in the middle of plots and political intrigue, so when the action starts happening, they have no idea why. So, for most of the book, it’s just them running away rather than actively affecting the plot itself. That changes a bit toward the end, but honestly, for the first half (well, over half) I was a bit frustrated that these girls weren’t more active in their own future and plans. It did take a hot minute to get into the book, too. The world building is massive, and Dennard plops you into it in such a way where I genuinely thought I skipped a book that would have explained this world and its powers and connections. Which may be a problem for real young adult readers. It’s not a matter of the book being slow or hard to get into, but the story starts with a lot of terminology and political structure that is meant to be explained through the context of the situation and story, but that takes a bit to really get, too because of, again, all the different types of witches you get introduced to almost every other chapter. It sets the foundation for the larger series, and I get that, but I also don’t like feeling confused about a character’s world for half of the book, either. All that being said, Dennard can write (even if this book over used italics)! All the characters (and there are a lot) felt distinct from one another and I loved the diversity of her cast. I especially loved the strong friendships in this book, especially the one between Safiya and Iseult. It was so refreshing to read about these two girls so furiously devoted to each other in a platonic way, it was genuinely beautiful. I am most curious about Aeudan and his story though, which maybe I shouldn’t be? But here we are. So even with my issues of the fragmented magic system, and me finally realizing I may not enjoy YA as much as I once did, I’m intrigued enough to keep going with the series, which I have been assured gets better. But that’s why I am giving “Truthwitch” a pretty solid 3 stars, some of it was a me issue, but not everything. Too bad it took me so long to read this that now my paperback won’t match the rest of the books… Oh well!

What It's About: Safi and Iseult are best friends live in a world where some people are born with a witchery that gives them a special skill. Iseult is a Threadwitch which makes her see invisible bonds between people. Safi is a Truthwitch, which is super rare, and she can tell the difference between the truth and a lie. Iseult, whose heritage makes her not always welcomed where they live, and Safi have worked hard to keep that a secret because if any of the three empires caught wind of it they'd want to scoop Safi up and use her for their purposes against the others. They just want to live free away from all the stuff they are fighting against and the things people want them to be/not be especially as war is on the mind of the empires. Their plan is screwed up when people find out their secrets and they are pulled into things they don't want to be in and they find themselves on the run aboard Prince Merik's ship with his crew with the likes of nobility and dangerous Bloodwitches chasing after them. In short: If you call yourself a fan of high fantasy in any capacity, this needs to be on your priority list for this 2016! It's a must read filled with a compelling world and magic system and characters whose journey will make you crave a reread as soon as you put it down. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy at the Book Expo of America this past June and I devoured it immediately upon returning home. And I have to say....I'm 6 months since my first read of the book and pretty much every month since I just had this very strong urge to reread it already. And I'm not a person who feels that way often. I think Truthwitch is perfect for people who have been reading high fantasy for 10 years+ and crave some of those classic high fantasy type stories just as much as it is also perfect for readers who are newer to the genre. There's an elaborate world and magic system (which is incredibly enthralling and unique) and, while I found it a little slower for me to get REALLY into the world in the first 50-75 pages or so, I could NOT put it down -- I love the world, the magic, the action, the emotions, the struggle and most importantly the AMAZING characters. I'm honestly still in awe of how truly incredible this book is. So let's break it down shall we: 1. The world and magic system Susan weaves is incredible: I was so fascinated by all the different witcheries and magic! I loved learning more about how it all worked and specifically how all the witcheries were rooted within the elements. We've got Windwitches, Truthwitches, Threadwitches, Bloodwitches and more! As I said, it took me a little bit to get my bearings with it all in the first 75 pages but once you do it’s like so absorbing and you will not want to come up for air. True story..I didn't. 2. Truly unforgettable characters: I love the main characters so much it's probably borderline a problem. I love books where I can 100% feel the characters struggles and emotions. This was entirely one of those kinds of books. These characters are all fighting for something or really grappling with something big in their life and you can FEEL it. You understand it. They are just characters who have so much heart. They are so incredibly complex and you see that in their individual pursuits as well as the ones that they end up sharing. You can feel the conflict to protect themselves but also to work together. I really loved how well that was clear when Safi and Iseult meet up with Prince Merik and his crew. They all have different goals and things they are pressing matters and I could feel that tension pushing and pulling them in their actions. Even the baddies are compelling as much as the people you are rooting for! 3. Badass ladies abound: What I loved about Truthwitch is how badass all the ladies are in this book -- the main ladies and the side characters alike. And it's not all physical shows of badassery -- they are smart and brave and cunning. I loved seeing all sorts of badassery represented because there were some seriously inspiring ladies. 4. FRIENDSHIP: This book is just rooted in friendship. It's a friendship story...nay...really it's #friendshipgoals. I'm serious though. I love good, solid friendships and this book had a really great friendship in Safi and Iseult as well as Prince Merik and Kullen. The friendships were real and honest and they made me quite emotional at times as you saw the pure love that flowed between each pair. 5. SO MUCH ACTION I CAN'T EVEN: SO MUCH GOES DOWN. SO MUCH. I don't want to give any of it away but there were so many scenes that made me flip out/gasp/sit straight up from my lounging position/die. Read it. This is a high fantasy series you are going to want to get into.

This book has it all if you love fantasy! Okay...so maybe there wasn't a vast amount of world building at first which led to my confusion in trying to understand the various witch cultures. BUT....if you go to the author’s website of thewitchlands, she has ALL the background information you’ll need to understand the magic and the places and cultures of the Witchlands! Seriously, take the time to check it out. Besides, even before I discovered the website, I was still pulled into the story regardless. I thoroughly enjoyed this new book by Susan Dennard. You've got all the fantasy elements like magic, monsters, pirates, romance, and two Kick-A girls that are constantly in the middle of mayhem. Add to that some awesome secondary characters like a scary Bloodwitch and a Prince and watch the action ratchet up in the second half of the book. As the story progressed, I slowly warmed to our heroines Safi and Iseult, who are the two main protagonists. By the time the book ends, there is growth in both their character arcs. This tale is about a genuine, "I've always got your back" friendship. They are Thread-sisters and care deeply for each other. Both of them have Aether magic. (Aether is the abstract element associated with life and the spirit/soul) Safiya is a rare Truthwitch and Iseult is a Threadwitch and together they make a good fighting team. Both are striving to protect their abilities and their freedom from those that would try to enslave or harm them. There are four different POV's that allow us to understand each character's perspective. Merik Nihar is from an impoverished nation known as Nubrevna, who's country has been devastated by previous magical attacks. He cares deeply about his people and is trying to restore trade. Aeduan, another character, possesses an extremely rare form of Void witchery. He is a Carawen monk who is also a Bloodwitch (but not a very moral monk I might add) His complex character fascinates me and I can't wait to see where his story goes in future books. Some of the witch powers reminded me vaguely of Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy which didn't bother me at all since I loved that series. I found this a fun fantasy novel with plenty of political subplots, action and mysteries to fuel future books. Can't wait to read "Windwitch!"

Favorite Quote: "If our paths cross again, make no mistake: I will kill you." "No, you won't," she whispered as the door clicked shut. I was pretty hyped up about this one and I'm quite happy to say it met all my expectations and then blew them away. Truthwitch grabbed hold and just did not let go. I never wanted to stop reading it. The book was thrilling, quite fast paced, and had a mix of so many elements that I love. Where to start. So since it's in the title I suppose I'll begin with the "magic" type element of the story. The magic in this book is called "witchery". There are multiple types, poison, fire, water, iron, truth, thread, blood, curse, etc. I found this quite interesting as it had more than just the typical elements involved. A bloodwitch could control the blood running in your veins, a threadwitch can see your emotions threads that they could see coming out of you. Different colors meaning different emotions. Tidewitches seem pretty self explanatory. What was also interesting was it wasn't complete control of a whole element. If you controlled water maybe you could only influence the tide, or maybe you could only heal the fluids in a body. With air maybe you control air currents but not the air people breathe in their lungs or create storms. I found the witchery element fascinating and well thought out. As more and more types of witchery were introduced I was pulled further in. I want to know more and more. The world itself (including the witchery) was incredible. The way Susan wrote I could really envision the world and the different places that we got to visit. I was surprised by how many places were involved without making the book feel like it had too much going on. Everything flowed so smoothly and the reasons for going or leaving a place all made sense to the plot. Susan's writing is quite descriptive and really made you feel like you were right there with the characters. Oh the characters. We had a rather large cast but I rather like that myself. The group was rich with different personalities and different allegiances. I actually found myself loving every character. This was multi POV so we got to follow Safi, Iseult, Merrick, and Aeduan. Safi was our books namesake, the truthwitch. I wasn't sure I would like Safi at the beginning. I figured she would be the reckless, probably stupid and yet somehow anyone and everyone would fall in love with her typical heroine. Thankfully I was quite mistaken. She is very down to earth and works towards her flaws. She is beyond loyal and was quite refreshing. I know that Susan was going for the strong friendship element along with the romance element and I love love love that. Her friendship with her threadsister (which I may start calling my bestie that now) was beautiful to read. Iseult, her resident threadsister was also fun to follow. She is physically strong and tries to be emotionless when she is so full of emotion. She had some serious struggles and I can't wait to see more inside her mind. I'm also quite glad we got to see the two main male characters thought processes as well. This made the romance side of things more interesting because it gave Merrick a huge personality and a lot of life. He was a strong male lead and even when I wanted to throttle him, I still rooted for him. Also seeing Aeduan, the closest to a villain we got to see was also very interesting. He had dark thoughts but still seemed to do whatever he needed for his own goals. He is also quite conflicted and made for a very three dimensional villain. Along the lines of the romance aspect I am QUITE happy with how this went. It wasn't BAM INSTALOVE OMG LET'S BE TOGETHER FOREVARRR. Yes they had a sizzling attraction but from there Safi and Merrick had a lot of ups and downs. For a good portion of the book I wasn't sure we'd even get a kiss from all that tension and having different goals and ways of achieving those goals. They were definitely mad at each other more than cuddling up to each other. Also was there a couple hints of possible Aeduan/Iseult? WANT WANT WANT. I certainly hope so. Hahaha my boyfriend just asked if I was writing a book review or a book so I'll wrap this up. The plot was FANTASTIC. I love it when there are so many twists and turns and not knowing who is involved with what. I couldn't see what was coming next and I LOVE THAT SO MUCH. I know this is a four part series and I need more post haste. I need it like we need air to breathe. Unfortunately I think I have quite a while to wait.

In the Witchlands, some are born with magic skills - also known as a witchery - which set them apart from others. The skills are as varied as there are stars in the sky: a Glamourwitch can craft illusions, a Flamewitch can control fire (or sometimes heal, oddly enough), and a Truthwitch can tell truth from lies. Safiya is a Truthwitch. Many would kill to have her skill at their disposal, especially the rulers of the three Empires that are about to end their 20 year treaty ... which is why Safi keeps her ability secret. Or tries to, until a Bloodwitch catches her scent and recognizes her witchery. Together with her Threadsister, Iseult, Safi embarks on a journey to find peace and the freedom to live her own life ... only to realize that in a war-torn world, peace isn't possible. Have you ever wondered what a book-lover would do when her favorite author leaves a rave review for another fantasy novel? Obviously, she reads it. Which is how I discovered Truthwitch, courtesy of Sarah J. Maas. And while I don't think it's quite as good as Maas's works, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the fantasy world and its unique take on magic. I liked the characters - even the stubborn-to-the-point-of-idiocy Safi. I adored the emphasis on friendship and the hint of romance. Now, some might find it hard to get into the book at first. Dennard does a great job at doling out bits and pieces of world building as the story progresses ... perhaps too good a job. There were a few points where the terminology confused me - like what exactly a Threadfamily was - but if you stick to it and just take the story as it goes, you get the answers in time. Most of them. Which brings me to my only complaint - which isn't so much a complaint as it is whining. Truthwitch suffers from series-syndrome. It's glaringly obvious that it's the first in a series, with unexplained hints and teasers and a not-quite-happy ending. This wouldn't ordinarily be a problem, but because I jumped on the hype train just as the book released ... I now have to wait a year to learn what happens next. Dangit.

I'm genuinely surprised to be giving this such a high rating. I nearly didn't buy Truthwitch. In all honesty I thought that I wasn't going to like this but I thought, hey ho, I want to read more witchy books and where better to start than this one that everyone seems to enjoy. I hate to add to the hype but this novel was just fantastic. I haven't heard the best things about Susan Dennard's 'Something Strange and Deadly' series, so I wasn't sure what to expect from Truthwitch , but Dennard really blew it out of the water (pun not intended). Her writing was great, and I feel like she really flourished when writing about the world and how it responded to magic - good and bad. I liked the magic system, though we don't learn a lot about how it works. I liked that using magic seeped the energy of a witch, and I really loved the different kinds of witches, which was something I actually thought I was going to dislike. The Origin Wells are interesting, and I hope we learn a little about how they affect the world in the next few instalments in the series. The characters in this were actually very refreshing. Especially the women. They were all so complex and badass, and there wasn't a single love triangle in sight! I'm so pleased! The main female characters weren't telling us that they were kick-arse then being continuously saved by the men, they were being kick-arse. They all worked as a team, as equals, and I just revelled in it. I really enjoyed the different personalities and cultures that we were introduced to. The female friendships are top notch, even the male friendships, which I honestly haven't seen a lot of in YA either, were nice to read about. Also the names were great. Slightly off topic but Iseult is one of my favourite names ever. Then there's the story itself, which was so freaking entertaining. Every time I sat down to read this I flew through it, devouring each page. This story is so fast-paced. Even with their journey across the sea and then across a continent it never seemed to slow right down, like novels of this sort usually do. It was also nice to see all of the witch types introduced without getting an info dump and while showcasing their powers in scenes that were actually relevant to the story's events. I'm curious to know more about the rarer types of witch (truthwitch, bloodwitch, voidwitch, etc.) and why they're considered so valuable. Since this is the first in a four (I think) book series there's a lot of questions left unanswered, but it just makes me all the more excited for the next book. Truthwitch was honestly just such a lovely surprise. The only thing that swayed me to buy this was that some big fantasy authors were giving it five stars, so even though I was completely sceptical I caved and bought into the hype, and I'm so glad I did. One of the easiest five star ratings I've ever given

Amei do começo ao fim. Personagens muito bem escritos, cenários de tirar o fôlego e uma história épica e original. 5/5 ⭐️ because this book was everything and more, amazingly written, beautiful characters, strong females and friendships GOALS. Everyone need to read this book.

"Epic Friendship" is how Ms. Dennard described her book; that, and the fact that she succeeds in the portrayal, make this book really brilliant. Two young women are bonded strongly by a love everyone who's ever had a tight best friend knows and they won't let anything get in the way of that. Both are fully fleshed out, as are the secondary characters, and wonderfully, the world they reside in that is made up of not one, but several interesting and unique cultures.

Strong female leads who kick ass and rule the whole awesomeness thing going on are my favourites. Strong female leads who are best friends and kick ass together are even better. Give me more of this in YA fantasy, please! I enjoyed Truthwitch immensely. I’ve had it on my TBR for almost a year and a half, and I would keep passing it on the bookshelf, each time contemplating whether to pick it up, but never actually doing so. I honestly don’t know why I put off reading Truthwitch for so long, for it was just what I love: a lovely high fantasy story filled with a unique magic system, brilliant characters, complicated webs of plots and schemes, and a vivid, intricate plot that you can’t help but be hooked onto. For the first 150 pages or so, I was a little lost, because the introduction to the world was a little confusing. I was scrambling to get all the countries, histories and witcheries straight in my head. The story also takes some time to kick in for real, but if you can power through the beginning, you will most certainly fall in love with the rest of it. Safi and Isuelt, to keep it short, are a freaking brilliant team. Their friendship is heartwarming, and I love how they put each other above everyone and everything else. Safi would always choose Isuelt when it came between Isuelt and Merik. It’s not often I see such friendships… and I have to say seeing more of it would be AMAZING. Let’s have a petition for less romance and insta-love in books while having more of other kinds of relationships, because romantic love isn’t the only kind of love. That being said, I also have to make it known that I have nothing against romance in books, and romance done right makes me ship ships with a vengeance unparalleled. You just have to have a right blend of everything. And Susan Dennard does nicely. Safi and Merik have this spark that grows on you. In the start, I was hesitant about the almost instant attraction, but like I said, it grew on me. Maybe because I was half in love with Merik already? Merik Nihar, Prince of Nubrevna, windwitch, and Admiral of the Jana, was a person easy to fall in love with. I don’t know, but I was sort of getting Nikolai Lantsov vibes from him, since he’s a clever prince second in line for a throne in a country suffering from a war and sails the seas? (Not that he’d ever be as good as Nikolai, because Nikolai is the epitome of “swoon-worthy male protagonist”, and I would die for him). Apart from that, his devotion to his people, and putting his duty before Safi were what I loved most about him. And Aedun, dear god, we didn’t see much of him at all, but he’s already probably my favourite? That Bloodwitch is a cinnamon roll deep inside, and I assure you, if that doesn’t come to pass, I will accept defeat and refrain from making assumptions again (but only because I know it’s true). Whatever happens though, I don’t think I can hate him at all! Safi and Isuelt are complete opposites. Safi is headstrong and quick to jump into anything without another thought. She’s fiery and brave, and loves as easily as she laughs. Isuelt on the other hand, is more held-back and quiet. She keeps a hold on her emotions and thinks everything through before deciding on a course of action. She’s extremely clever, but finds it hard to trust other people. They both complement each other in every possible way, however different they are. The Witchlands are not lacking in terms of diversity or variety. Each country had it’s own races, histories and agendas! This makes for a very colourful and vibrant setting, and keeps you wanting to go back to learn everything about the world. I cannot wait to read Windwitch, and continue with the rest of the series! Fingers crossed that I’ll love the rest as much as I loved this one!

Et on arrive au bout avec une seule envie - lire le suivant ! Amateurs de pouvoirs magiques, histoires d’amour et d’amitié dans des mondes « qui n’existent pas », n’hésitez plus ! Lisez !