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Synopsis (From GoodReads):
On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.
Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.
Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.
Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.
Review:
I am very active on Twitter, participating in lots of book chats each month. Around four months ago, I started hearing about this book. It seemed as though everyone but me had an ARC of Truthwitch and was raving about it. To top it off, special Truthwitch chats popped up where people got to decide which clan they would belong to, and fangirl about the book.via GIPHY
Yes, I was a bit jealous! I suppose I could have joined in without having read the book first but, I would have looked very foolish, and I hate spoilers. So, I waited...
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Fast forward to January 5th and the day it is released, Truthwitch miraculously shows up on my doorstep (Thanks to Pre-ordering).
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What I loved about it:
The Friendships:
Safi and Iseult:
Two best friends who know each other so well they know what the other is thinking. These two women have been through thick and thin since they were twelve years old. They are Threadsisters who's lives are intertwined so completely they would sacrifice everything for each other.Merik and Kullen:
Friends for life, these two also understand each other perfectly. They expect the best out of each other. In order to ensure the well-being of their country, they will do whatever it takes.The Political Intrigue:
The Great War tore the world apart until the truce was signed with the understanding that it would be re-negotiated in twenty years. That time's almost up and the political maneuvering has just begun. With kings, emperors, princes, and other nobility jockeying about for leverage, having a truthwitch in your corner would be a big advantage, right?
So begins a complex dance of lies, political marriages, contracts, and betrayals that kept me guessing throughout the book.
The Universe:
The world of Truthwitch is one of magic where different kinds of witches have control over various types of elements. There are ironwitches, windwitches, firewitches, and countless more kinds to be discovered in forthcoming books. The possibilities are endless. There is also a intricate mythology that is only partly explained in this book. I look forward to learning more about the Origin Wells, the Carawen monks, The Puppeteer, The Raider King... There are so many exciting elements to this world and I can't wait to learn more.What I was mixed about:
The Romance:
I was kind of rooting for a certain pair of women to be more than friends. I thought I saw clues to this in the first few chapters, but it didn't pan out. This didn't ruin the book for me, but I thought "Wow, wouldn't this be great!". Instead the book followed a more traditional (and predictable) path where two people who hate each other wind up falling in love. I think the book did need that strong motivator for much of the plot to work. But wouldn't it be great if a major YA novel had taken a risk and made a female love story as a given part of the plot (and not some surprising twist)? Maybe in the next book...What I hated about it:
Nothing!
Rating:
Release Date: January 5th, 2016
Source: Bought by me
Format: Hardcover
Recommendation: A fun fantasy adventure. This book exceeded my already high expectations. It is worth purchasing right now!!!
Would I read more from this author? YES!!!
I know what you're saying. Looks like everyone BUT me has Truthwitch. I'll have to order it, I guess. Glad to hear you loved it.
ReplyDeleteMajanka @ I Heart Reading
Thank you. It was such a fun book. I hope it is a big hit so there will be many more books from this universe.
DeleteThis was a great review. I've only read a bit so far, but I definitely want to finish it (as soon as I can get my husband to give it up).
ReplyDeleteBtw, you've been nominated for One Lovely Blog. Please see this link for my post about it: http://tinyurl.com/jcahwbx
Truthwitch is fun and I couldn't put it down once I started. Thank you for tagging me for the One Lovely Blog award! I will respond to this tomorrow as I am falling asleep at the computer right now!
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