First things first, here’s my booktalk for Truthwitch that I wrote when I first read the book back in 2016 near its release:
Magic is as common as breathing in the Witchlands. But not all witcheries are created equal as two Thread Sisters know all too well.
Safiya is a Truthwitch able to use her magic to tell when someone is lying to her while Iseult is a Threadwitch able to see the threads that bind everyone together–except for her own.
Together, they have spent years keeping Safi’s witchery a secret, knowing that it could be seen as a valuable tool or a dangerous weapon. Safi and Iseult are used to getting into trouble as they prepare for the life they’d like to lead together free of societal obligations and pressures.
When a Bloodwitch catches Safi’s scent, both girls are forced into hiding as fugitives. With the help of their witcheries and unlikely allies including a Nubrevnan captain (and Windwitch) named Merik, Safi and Iseult might be able to survive the storm that is coming. But only if they can manage to stay together in Truthwitch (2016) by Susan Dennard.
Truthwitch is the start of Dennard’s Witchlands series. While I was excited about this book based on the premise and the hype, I was underwhelmed by the execution as I mention in my original review. In fact, I didn’t have any plans to come back to the series until last year when I wound up reviewing the fourth novel professionally which led to a deep dive as I binged the other books in the series to catch up. (I tried to the audio version which I would not recommend as every character has a terrible fake vaguely nordic accent.)
This book was an interesting reread because although a lot of it still frustrated me, I was able to appreciate more of the logic Dennard was going for with the choices she made. While I doubt Safi will lever be my favorite book character, I understood her impulsiveness as I remembered the way the story centers her physicality and tactile learning.
Reading this book also reminded me of a lot of dangling plot threads and it’s been interesting to see how they are all starting to tie together as the series moves forward in what’s turning out to be a very intricate series plot.
Have you read this one? Are you keeping up with the series?
I’ll be reviewing the rest of the books over the next few days so be sure to watch for this (first read) reviews.
Possible Pairings: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard, A Season of Sinister Dreams by Tracy Banghart, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, Roar by Cora Carmack, The Reader by Traci Chee, The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi, The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco, Witchlanders by Lena Coakley, Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst, Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen, The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey, The Glass Sentence by S. E. Grove, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks, Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim, Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee, Furyborn by Claire Legrand, Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Angel Mage by Garth Nix, The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson, There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool, Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross, Iron Cast by Destiny Soria, Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser
Miss Print 