Nook e-book, 341 pages
Release Date: January 5, 2016Published by: Tor TeenTruthwitch, #1Source: OwnFor fans of: Magic, Fantasy, Action, Pirates, Sparkly Covers, Womance, YA
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.
*MY THOUGHTS*
With the amount of hype and promo this book got, readers can only really fall into two categories: to hate it or love it. But of course, I had to fall smack dab in the middle. I loved it, but was it really all that it was hyped up to be?
“With your right hand, give a person what he expects and with your left hand, cut his purse.“7%
Safi and Iseult are Threadsisters and their lives are tangled up in each other. Their friendship runs deeper than most family ties. They know they will do anything for each other. So when all that is threatened, they know what they must do… Look out for each other. As this happens they go on an epic adventure and run into many problems that they never would’ve thought they’d see. They meet some amazing people along the way as well… Some who they never thought would mean so much.
“You will leave me again because you were meant for bigger things than I can give.“34%
Ok, to be honest, this didn’t really live up to the hype for me…. I’m sorry! I was expecting EVERY page to have a cliff hanger and to have them being just shy of death on every page. But in all actuality, there were just too many things missing for me to have fully enjoyed it. For instance, it seemed like EVERYONE was originally trying to kill them, but it was never explained why. Even Iseult questioned this in the book, so I’m thinking I have a theory, but it would have been nice to know. Especially since it seemed to be such a huge part of the plot.
“Sometimes justice was all about the small victories.“44%
Then there’s the magic. I was SO ON BOARD for the way the magic was done. I loved how every little aspect had it’s own magic (Ex. Word witches, Tide witches, etc.) but I wasn’t a fan of how the entire world wasn’t explained. I would have even gone for a glossary and picture book in the back to show what sign was what. It was just a lot to keep track of. (And I’m someone that writes notes while I read… I can only imagine someone who doesn’t!) And even though they were introduced, some magic wasn’t really described after that. It just seemed like there was so much going on and not enough explanation.
“…those who win wars are those who write history.“60%
But, even still, this is definitely a page turner. I fell in love with the action from the very first chapter. Them running through the streets and doing hold-ups and sword fighting was just so cool. I was so happy to see that continued throughout the book. I’m not a huge fantasy fan, but between the sword fights and sea foxes in this one, I was HOOKED. I also loved the characters. I have to say I spent the whole time picturing Safi and Iseult as Sarah J. Maas and Susan Dennard…. I can’t be the only one lol They were so bad ass and I’m so happy there is another story that talks about bad ass ladies and their womance more than a relationship. I can’t wait to see what adventures they go on next. I also loved the setting. As someone that doesn’t travel much, the setting and world-building is why I love reading. I love to see how the author describes the world around the characters. In this one, although the magic was a little confusing, the descriptions of every place they went were amazing. I had a clear picture of everything described and found myself wishing I could visit the Witchlands.
“So what do you see when you look at me?“79%
This book definitely surprised me, but in a completely good way. I will definitely be looking for the next book in the series. I can’t wait to see what Safi and Iseult have coming to them!
Overall, I give this
It's actually really nice to see a review that admits they didn't necessarily agree with all the hype. I have seen nothing but hype from this book and it's a little intimidating lol. Thanks for the review! You kinda turned this into a real book instead of this flawless piece of literature, if that makes any sense.
~ Lefty @ The Left-Handed Book Lover
Don't get me wrong, I liked it, but there was not much I was like OMGGGGG about. I'll read the second one, but in my opinion, this was just another book to read. *SHRUGS*