Book Review: Windwitch by Susan Dennard

*** This is the second book in a series. If you have not read Truthwitch be careful of spoilers. Also read it's great and was one of my favorite books of 2016. ***

Title: Windwitch Series: The Witchlamds #2 Written by: Alexandra Bracken Published: January 10, 2017 by Tor Teen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…   After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.  When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?   After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

For a very long time, Truthwitch was one of my favorite books of 2016. I absolutely loved the world Susan created, the characters who inhabited it, and the slow but thrilling plot. Therefore I have been super excited for it's sequel to find out what happens next in this series. And Windwitch did not disappoint.

I think the thing that I love most about this series, and this book in general, is the characters. I have always loved the way the author is able to create a whole cast of interesting and diverse characters and make you like every last one of them (well, almost everyone). And she proved yet again that she is a master of characterization in Windwitch. This is a book with changing perspectives as all of our main characters are separated and off on their own adventures. But I am so invested in each character that I didn't mind at all when it switched. Arguable the lead character here is Merik, I mean the book is named after him. I really liked his character development in this one. As we learned more about him and he learned more about the world he grew a lot and I appreciated that. But if you ask me, the real stars of this book are Aeduan and Isuelt. Those two are fantastically complex and mysterious. We got some fantastic information and revelations about them and I still want to know more. In general though I just want more from these characters because I love them and find them so interesting.

I also want more from this world. It's definitely a fascinating world. Like a lot of high fantasy it is based on real like and Medival Europe but is also has this really creative feel to it. It's a world at war and we get to see that first hand with each book. But honestly we know very little about the larger world and the politics of it. I want to know more and I'm really hopeful that the next book will show us at least some of that. But the main thing that seems lacking is information about the history and magic of the world. I'm generally a big fan of the magical system here. It's elemental magic reminiscent of Avatar the Last Airbender but more evolved. It's super interesting with rules and guidelines which I like. But we know so little about it. There are references to origins but we never hear about it. And don't even get me started on how little we know about the mythical chosen ones the Cahr Awen even though they keep talking about them. The world of this book is keeping things very close to the vest and I wish they wouldn't. It's such an interesting world but it's bordering on frustrating at times.

But for me, what it lacks in world building it makes up for in plot development. This is a slower paced plot, it is not the kind of book where you can dive in and power through but it is super thrilling. It slowly builds to a thrilling conclusion with a ton of action along the way. One thing that I do think made the plot challenging and slightly confusing was the fact that there were kind of three different plots for each of the main characters perspectives. There was some overlap but for the most part they are independent of each other with their own endings and climaxes. It made each of them really interesting but it made the overall story of the book a little muddled. But on the whole I love the direction of this series. The stakes are high and there are tons of action scenes and thrilling escapes. It's also full of surprises and mystery. I was incredibly shocked by more than one big reveal and a few of them are making me real excited for the next book.

Despite the fact that I didn't love some aspects about it this was a fantastic book that I really loved. It's got fantastic characters with great development, an exciting plot full of action and surprises, and a world with a cool magical system.

I give Windwitch by Susan Dennard 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first book in this series you will not be disappointed by the sequel. This series is developing into a fascinating and engaging high fantasy series with characters I am totally in love with. I definitely recommend it.

Have you read Windwitch? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Windwitch by Susan Dennard

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Windwitch Series: The Witchlands #2 Author: Susan Dennard Published: January 10, 2016 by Tor Teen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The follow-up to New York Times bestselling Truthwitch, next in a breathtaking YA fantasy series hailed by Alexandra Bracken as "a world you will want to inhabit forever." On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a "witchery," a magical skill that sets them apart from others. In this follow-up to New York Times bestselling Truthwitch, a shadow man haunts the Nubrevnan streets, leaving corpses in his wake—and then raising those corpses from the dead. Windwitch continues the tale of Merik—cunning privateer, prince, and windwitch.

Why I'm Waiting 

I've been a fan of Susan's books since I read the Something Strange and Deadly trilogy a few years back. So obviously I was super excited when I heard that she was writing a high fantasy with a world similar to Avatar: the Last Airbender. And I read Truthwitch at the beginning of this year when it came out and I loved it. In fact, it's one of my favorite reads of the year and I've read 120 other books since then so you know it's good

And therefore, I must be anxiously awaiting the books sequel, and I definitely am. I can't wait to find out what happens next to these characters. I'm excited that Merrik is taking a little bit more of the focus because I feel like there is a lot more to learn about him, as well as a many of the other characters. Plus that "shadow man: sounds really interesting and very Susan if you've read Something Strange and Deadly you know what I mean

I'm really excited to explore more of this world too. I think in Truthwitch we learned so little about the magical system and the history of this world. It was one of those show instead of tell kind of world-buildings and it left a lot of things unanswered and assumed that we knew stuff we didn't know. I want to know stuff and find out stuff!

I have a copy of this book preordered. I cannot wait to read it this January when it comes out. Winter for me is the perfect time to escape into a high fantasy epic and Windwitch will be the perfect book for that.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Windwitch along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch Series: The Witchlands #1 Written by: Susan Dennard Published: January 5, 2016 by Tor Teen (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: 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

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I've been a fan of Susan Dennard for awhile now. I marathoned her Something Strange and Deadly series in the summer of 2014 and really enjoyed it. So when I heard she was coming out with a new high fantasy series I knew I needed to read it. At BEA this year, I did things I'm not proud of to get my hands on an ARC (well mostly running but I'm not a runner) but I don't at all regret getting a copy because oh wow, this book was such a fantastic read.

First things first, Truthwitch is so full of action. I'm a plot driven reader. I like when a book takes me on an adventure and either doesn't stop from the word go or really builds to an exciting and thrilling conclusion. Truthwitch did both of those things. Right from the opening scene you know that this is going to be a book full of action and things don't really slow down at all. It's scene after scene of daring escapes, thrilling fights, and really close calls for the heroes. The stakes are incredibly high and more than once I was terrified about what would happen to one character or another. But it's not just action scene for the sake of drama, it's also incredibly well plotted. There is a subtle mystery to the book, more than a few twists and big reveals actually, and clues are slowly revealed as everything develops. Plus everything culminates in a huge climax where things intertwine and it all comes to head in a thrilling scene that had me on the edge of my seat. If you are looking for a book that is full of action and adventure then look no further than Truthwitch.

Truthwitch is also a book with a fascinating world and magical system. As a fan of fantasy, I am always looking for a magical system that isn't just the same thing over and over again. And I was a little nervous going into this book because I don't always love elemental magic, it's tough to make it creative for me. Susan Dennard however has managed to do it though. What helps is that while she has your standard control of things like fire, air, and water she also has some really unique ones as well. Like our two protagonists, Safi and Isuelt. Safi who is a Truthwitch and can tell if people are lying and Isuelt who is a Threadwitch and can see people's feeling and the threads that connect them to each other and the world around them. It sounds really confusing but it makes total sense throughout the book which is the mark of a great author. But I think my favorite power was Aeudan, who is a Bloodwitch meaning he can heal himself but also smell other people's blood and track them across long distances. Each of these three powers were so unique and fascinating.

The setting too was really interesting and engaging. You can see the influences of Medieval Europe in the world and geography of the Witchlands, something that is very common in high fantasy, but it still all comes off as creative an original. It's a world with it's own history, mythology, and religion all of which come into play in the book a little. I love these types of fantasy worlds, the ones that are rich in detail and information, the ones with a backstory. But Susan doesn't get bogged down with that backstory. There aren't info dumps where they tell you all about something that happened ages ago that will later influence the story. You as the reader have to figure things out on your own and use what is shown to develop that history. It made for a much more interesting and immersive experience for me.

And finally, Truthwitch has some absolutely brilliant and complex characters who intertwine and interact in fantastic ways. Of course the most engaging characters are our main characters, Safi and Isuelt. They are both incredibly tough and smart women who I love. Safi is a little more reckless with an act before you think personality while Isuelt is more cautious and calculating. I liked them both but I think I had more of a connection with Isuelt, which is interesting because I'm more like Safi. But I'm blaming it on the whole Treadsisters thing. Because while these two were interesting apart they are so compelling together. They feel such affection for one another and perfectly balance the other person out. I love books with strong female friendships and this one definitely had that. But it also had great males too. I already mentioned Aeduan who was also super interesting. He's such a dubious character. He could very well be a villainous character but he never comes off that way. He's also just so mysterious I want to learn more about him. Then there is Merik who also is a pretty dubious character. He's the prince of a small autonomous nation and a Waterwitch. He's got a quick temper but would also do anything to help the people he loves. He's surly but also so kind. I really enjoyed him and his development throughout the book. And that's just the main characters. Every person you interacted with in this book was interesting and complex.

On the whole, the only word for Truthwitch is brilliant! It was a book I was super excited to read from the moment I first learned about it. It has been really hyped up for months now and I'm really happy to say that it lives up to the hype. It introduced us to a unique new world with a fascinating magical system and the complex characters who inhabit it, while taking the reader on a non-stop thrill ride from beginning to end.

I give Truthwitch by Susan Dennard 10 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! You need this book. Trust me. Especially if you are a fan of high fantasy epics. It's reminiscent of so many of those great fantasy stories that I love and yet still comes off as creative and original. And even if you aren't a big fantasy fan but you like really action-packed stories with great characters then give Truthwitch a try. It lives up to the hype, you will love it too!

Have you read Truthwitch? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Truthwitch Series: The Witchlands #1 Author: Susan Dennard Published: January 6, 2016 by Tor Teen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: 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.

Why I'm Waiting 

Because I read YA? Seriously this is one of the most talked about books within the blogging community right now. I feel like everyone and their mother is waiting for Truthwitch. And I mean for good reason, right? It sounds absolutely brilliant. That's one of the main reasons I did things at BEA that I am not proud of to get an ARC of this book. I need it in my life and I would and did go all Veruca Salt to get it!

But, more specifics. Well for one thing I love Susan Dennard's writing. I read the Something Strange and Deadly series a year ago and I am seriously still not over the ending. It was shocking but made total sense and that's what made it so hard. Anyway, I'm psyched to see Susan write something a little bit more tradition fantasy.

But mostly, look at that synopsis. Elemental magic can be hit or miss for me but everything I learn about the magical system has me really interested. I know Susan is also a big fan of The Last Airbender so that bodes well. Plus the characters sound really amazing. I've read the first few chapters as part of the Misfits and Daydreamers newsletter and it's really good so far.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting for Truthwitch with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Top Five Books I Will Be Waiting In Line For at BEA

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

1.) Truthwitch by Susan Dennard
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: January 5, 2016 by Tor Teen

Synopsis: 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.

Why I'm Waiting: Epic Fantasy, elemental magic, strong female protagonists, and a roguish prince all written by Susan Dennard

2.) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: October 6, 2015 by Macmillan

Synopsis: Game of Thrones meets Ocean's Eleven in this brand-new book in the world of the Grisha by New York Times-bestselling author Leigh Bardugo.

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first

Why I'm Waiting: More from Leigh Bardugo set in the Grishaverse. Plus I seriously love heist stories. OHMYGOD I need this book!

3.) Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: January 5, 2016 by Disney Hyperion

Synopsis: Violin prodigy Etta Spencer had big plans for her future, but a tragedy has put her once-bright career at risk. Closely tied to her musical skill, however, is a mysterious power she doesn't even know she has. When her two talents collide during a stressful performance, Etta is drawn back hundreds of years through time.

Etta wakes, confused and terrified, in 1776, in the midst a fierce sea battle. Nicholas Carter, the handsome young prize master of a privateering ship, has been hired to retrieve Etta and deliver her unharmed to the Ironwoods, a powerful family in the Colonies--the very same one that orchestrated her jump back, and one Nicholas himself has ties to. But discovering she can time travel is nothing compared to the shock of discovering the true reason the Ironwoods have ensnared her in their web. 

Another traveler has stolen an object of untold value from them, and, if Etta can find it, they will return her to her own time. Out of options, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the mysterious traveler. But as they draw closer to each other and the end of their search, the true nature of the object, and the dangerous game the Ironwoods are playing, comes to light -- threatening to separate her not only from Nicholas, but her path home... forever.

Why I'm Waiting: More from Alexandra Bracken! Plus you guys it's an epic adventure through time! Plus look at that cover and the synopsis and *dies*

4.) After Alice by Gregory Maguire
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: October 27, 2015 by William Morrow

Synopsis: From the multi-million-copy bestselling author of Wicked comes a magical new twist on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lewis’s Carroll’s beloved classic

When Alice toppled down the rabbit-hole 150 years ago, she found a Wonderland as rife with inconsistent rules and abrasive egos as the world she left behind. But what of that world? How did 1860s Oxford react to Alice’s disappearance?

In this brilliant new work of fiction, Gregory Maguire turns his dazzling imagination to the question of underworlds, undergrounds, underpinnings—and understandings old and new, offering an inventive spin on Carroll’s enduring tale. Ada, a friend of Alice’s mentioned briefly in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is off to visit her friend, but arrives a moment too late—and tumbles down the rabbit hole herself.

Ada brings to Wonderland her own imperfect apprehension of cause and effect as she embarks on an odyssey to find Alice and see her safely home from this surreal world below the world. If Euridyce can ever be returned to the arms of Orpheus, or Lazarus can be raised from the tomb, perhaps Alice can be returned to life. Either way, everything that happens next is “After Alice.”

Why I'm Waiting: More from Gregory Maguire. He has written some of my absolute favorite fairy tale retellings. I love the ones with more high concept fantasy stuff so I'm excited to see his take on Wonderland.

5.) Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson
(Amazon / Goodreads)
Published: September 22, 2015 by Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins)

Synopsis: The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research

Why I'm Waiting: I haven't read any Rae Carson before (shhh, I know) but I've heard amazing things and a historical fantasy set in the gold rush with a girl who can sense gold. I want to go to there.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Are you at BEA with me? Will I see you in any of these line? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!