Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Aug 18, 2018 Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio, cover-love, favorites, own-physical-read, reread, fantasy, own-ebook-read, reviewed, young-adult

02/03/2020: Reread.

REREAD REVIEW
This is my second time reading this and it was just as amazing a second time. I listened on audiobook and if you haven't then you should. The narrator does an incredible job with the voices for each of the characters. It is really such an experience on audio. I fell in love with this world a second time and I even think that I got a deeper understanding of things the second time around. This world is so rich and detailed that it can almost be overwhelming but it i 02/03/2020: Reread.

REREAD REVIEW
This is my second time reading this and it was just as amazing a second time. I listened on audiobook and if you haven't then you should. The narrator does an incredible job with the voices for each of the characters. It is really such an experience on audio. I fell in love with this world a second time and I even think that I got a deeper understanding of things the second time around. This world is so rich and detailed that it can almost be overwhelming but it is such a beautiful world. The characters really rocked my world, again. I have so much love for these characters and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the series on audiobook.

This was such a masterpiece! Dennard weaves an impressive tale of adventure, friendship, and hope that was such a pleasure to experience. This is my first Dennard book and I am now a lifelong fan!

The world building is just gorgeous! It is intricate, layered, and a thrill to experience through the pages. The magic system that is presented in this book is complex and well thought out. The plot is very driven by the different countries and empires this world is made of. There are a lot of world-specific terms and different languages. I really admire Dennard for her creativity where the world building is concerned. The only criticism that I have is that the world building almost seemed too much at times. Especially at the beginning of the story. This wasn't a deal breaker by any means, but a simple dictionary or guide at the back of the book would have solved this completely.

The characters in this book are extremely noteworthy. I love the different backgrounds they have and the way that their chemistry is when they all come together. It is an interesting and magical mix of personalities. I also love that the characters are complicated and full of flaws and skills alike. I love the powerful concept of friendship that shows up throughout the book.

I loved the slow burn romance. The one trope that I am usually not on board with is instalove. Thank that stars that there was none of that in this book. The author provided enough emotion-jarring scenes to give the reader the right amount of feels. The romance was attraction, rage, vexation, and respect. It was a coming together after seeing someone for all of their strengths and faults. I am eager to see what blossoms forth in the next book.

The plot was really outstanding. The foreshadowing was written into the story beautifully, and I can only imagine that things will pop up in the next book that were hinted at in this one. There are so many pieces on the board, and Dennard plays them all with a clever prowess. She reveals just enough to make you want to read more and connect the dots. I like where the story is going and how it was shaped throughout the book. And that ending definitely makes the reader want to continue to the next book.

Overall, this was an exciting story with plenty of adventure and mystery. The fantasy world is immensely creative and will draw you right into the story. The characters are instantly likable and really grow on your heart the more that you read. If I had to describe this title by comparing to other books series I would say it is a combination of The Grisha Trilogy and the Throne of Glass series. If you like either of those series or books like them then I have no doubt that you will love this one as well!

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Dec 12, 2014 Christal rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-and-na, magic, multiple-leads, witches-warlocks-and-mages, zombies-and-ghouls, fantasy-aka-swords, assassins-spies-and-mercs, military, war, 2016-challenge

3.5 stars

See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!

Truthwitch was one of my most anticipated reads for 2016 and one of the most hyped YA reads among the blogosphere. While I can see why so many people loved it, Susan Dennard didn't quite knock it out of the park for me. Truthwitch was an enjoyable read, but it wasn't the perfect YA fantasy (in my opinion) that so many others had made it out to be.

My biggest problem with Truthwitch was a lack of world building. We are told a littl 3.5 stars

See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!

Truthwitch was one of my most anticipated reads for 2016 and one of the most hyped YA reads among the blogosphere. While I can see why so many people loved it, Susan Dennard didn't quite knock it out of the park for me. Truthwitch was an enjoyable read, but it wasn't the perfect YA fantasy (in my opinion) that so many others had made it out to be.

My biggest problem with Truthwitch was a lack of world building. We are told a little about Safi and Iseult's lives, but never enough to get a real feel for their world. There's an Emperor, a war, a 20 Year Truce, and several different... countries, I guess, mentioned, but nothing is really explained about how they intertwine. I kept trying to form a mental picture of this world, but I got nothing. The "threads" also weren't well explained; we have Threadsisters and brothers as well as Heartthreads, but are never given a clear idea at how they come about. Do all Threadsiblings only emerge when one saves another's life? Are Heartthreads predestined or does it take time to forge the connection? Can they be broken and, if so, what happens then? Another big sticking point for me was the clear disgust shown to Iseult because she is of the Nomatsi race, but it was never explained why people feared and distrusted them. All in all, the world building was close to nonexistent so it made it hard to immerse myself in this world.

The characters in Truthwitch ranged from dynamic and engaging to bordering on Mary Sue territory. My favorite character was Iseult, but we really don't learn that much about her. Tantalizing glimpses are given of a painful past, but we never truly learn what drove her from her clan or even much about her clan at all. She's Safi's Threadsister and dedicated to her until the end, but there could be so much more to her. She's fierce and determined but also unsure of herself and a little frightened of her power at times. I want a book just about Iseult! Safi was an okay character but, being that she's the "chosen" one, her characterization listed toward stereotypical at times. She was beautiful and strong, could fight like a demon, but was educated right along with the best of them. Oh, did I mention she also has a witchery that men would (and do) kill for? My biggest issue with Safi, though, is that she makes terrible decisions. Most of the messes she and Iseult found themselves in could have been avoided if Safi just shut her mouth.

Another thing that I could have done with less of in Truthwitch was the romance. It definitely bordered on insta-love and Merik was a tepid character at best. If it wasn't for his devotion to his people, he really wouldn't have had any personality outside of his interactions with Safi. The Bloodwitch Aeduan is probably being setup as a future partner for Iseult, but at least it was done much, much more subtly. And Aeduan was interesting! He has a complex background and a powerful witchery that drives others to fear him. He has a conflicted psyche and so many more layers that are just waiting to be pulled back. He can join in the Iseult book too. The other characters in the book weren't very memorable except for Merik's aunt, Evrane. I liked her for the most part, but it always annoys me when a character knows something important about another character, Safi and Iseult in this instance, and they don't tell the others because reasons. It just feels like an excuse to drag that particular plot out.

I know I've complained a lot and these issues did honestly bother me quite a bit while reading Truthwitch, but I still found it to be a fun read. I wouldn't exactly call it fast-paced, but it didn't really drag either. The action was well-written and I did like the interactions between Safi and Iseult, though their Threadsister bond wasn't on display as much as I would have liked. I enjoyed this one enough that I want to know what happens next, so I will be reading Windwitch. I can't say that title excites me since it probably refers to Merik, but I will still be there. I can't highly recommend this one to readers of YA Fantasy readers, but it is a fun way to pass a few hours as long as you adjust your expectations accordingly.
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Apr 17, 2015 Samantha rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, ya, 2016

I'm looking forward to seeing where this one goes, but from the beginning certain things just didn't add up. I'd be the first to admit an attic room isn't the greatest, but Iseult lived over a coffee house with nice mentors and Safi lived as an apprentice, so I'm sorry if a roadside heist doesn't seem appropriate to start for these characters. It was way too convenient for the story and meant that from the beginning the first premise of the story had me a little irritated with the main character ...more

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May 11, 2015 Roshio rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, cool-magic-system, cool-heroines, heroines-that-rule, heroines-i-liked, badass-heroines

Great fun, I really enjoyed this. Action packed from start to finish and the heroines are ace. It's not perfect hence the 4 stars. I missed the emotional connection to the characters that makes me want to hug a book to my chest. I also found myself 100 pages into the book wondering exactly what was going on. As an impatient reader (I read really quickly and I'm probably a skimmer *blushes*) I found I'd read a whole page and have no concept of what exactly just happened, I couldn't quite play the ...more

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Jul 29, 2016 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-tbr

SO SO GOOD!!! I was prepared for a slow beginning, where the author slowly built the world and introduced all the characters. It was a little slow going at first but I knew that those booktubers I know and trust said this book was amazing and to give it time. I didn't need to much time for everything to click. This world and the characters are so amazing. I am in book hang over right now. I never thought high fantasy books would be my thing but wow have I been missing out.I love to get lost in t ...more

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Nov 14, 2017 Jenn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: uppercase, 2017

Fantasy is not my genre. It's really, really not. So while I enjoyed some aspects of this book it just wasn't my favorite. I loved some of the characters (Iseult & Aeduan) and love some of the plot points but it wasn't an easy ready for me. Not bad just not my book. Still, I'm invested in the characters enough I'll probably read the rest of the series at some point. Just not anytime soon. ...more

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