Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Release Date - January 5, 2016
Publisher Website - Tor Teen
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 416 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for honest review from the publisher**

Here is the 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. 

Truthwitch is a story filled with magic, mythical creatures, mysterious prophesies and wonder. It also happens to host two interesting female characters whose friendship is the heartbeat of this story and whose potential is only beginning to be untapped.

This novel feels like a piece of a larger puzzle. It's laying the foundation for what is to come. It reads and feels like a building block that will eventually be a larger part of a whole. It's methodically woven so that you're pulled into the story and the mysteries to be unravelled. This novel is meant to entice, and Susan Dennard certainly entices you to return to this world, and these characters.

Susan Dennard's talent is crafting a world for her characters to inhabit. This world comes to life under her bright, vivid descriptions. Fantasy demands a stunning backdrop and that's effortlessly created here. This novel also boasts an intriguing mythology to compliment it's setting. While the mythology is only beginning to be explored in this instalment the potential is there for a rich, deep mythology based fantasy series. The set up piques your interest and offers a enough of a tease to ensure you'll want to come back for more.

The main focus is the friendship and bond between Safi and Iseult. Threadsisters who would do anything to protect each other, and make any sacrifice for the other. Their friendship is allowed to shine brightly, and Susan smartly keeps the romance in the background while still allowing it to simmer just under the surface. This is sexual tension at it's most delicious and it's made all the more so because it's only given in pieces. It's a tantalizing tease of what could be and that makes it entirely addictive. This is a story of loyalty and the bond that exists between friends first and foremost and that is what allows this fantasy series to stand out from the rest.

While the setting is fantastically developed and the plot shows a lot of promise, it's the characters I hope benefit from development in the sequels. In particular the characters outside of Safi and Iseult could be fleshed out more. The stage is set, we've been introduced to the players, and are intrigued by them, it's time to let us know them. I didn't feel a strong connection to them while reading, but the other elements are so strong it's easy to look past it. This lack of connection was the only (slight) misstep in this novel for me, and it's one that is left with the most possibilities. The characters have a spark to them, one I hope is ignited in the the sequels.

A promising start to what has the potential to be a stunning fantasy series. Those who like the focus on friendships, and the loyalty they can hold will relish the connection between the main characters. Those looking for rich world building will find that here, and those looking for romance will be pleased as well. In other words, it's has a little something for everyone. I, personally, cannot wait to see where Susan Dennard takes these characters next.

Recap Of My Interview With Susan Dennard

I was recently granted an AMAZING opportunity to interview the lovely Susan Dennard over Skype thanks to Raincoast Books here in Canada.

You probably already know but Susan's newest book Truthwitch will be out this January and there is already A LOT of excitement about this title.

Interviewing an author is a little surreal. It's exciting, and nerve-racking, and you want to pinch yourself because you cannot believe you get to do it. Susan was incredibly lovely and put me at ease immediately.

This is going to mostly be a recap of our conversation rather than a full transcript because everything happened REALLY fast and was a delightful blur.

1 Describe Truthwitch in 3 words

The words Susan picked are - epic, sweeping, friendship. Perfect, right? It made me want to sneak this book into my reading schedule even sooner!

2 Do you listen to music while writing/ if so is there a song you had on repeat while writing Truthwitch?

Yes, she definitely listens to music while writing. She says that she is unable to not listen to music while writing. It is the starting point for all her ideas, and such a part of creating each scene. She says that scenes play out like a movie she needs music to capture that feeling. She likes big, epic music and soundtracks (both movie and video) to help set the scene she wants to write.

She listened to the band Two Steps From Hell a lot while writing Truthwitch (all the albums on repeat). They were a driving force behind these books.

Before moving on to the next question we talked about  the sequel a little bit. She is currently writing the sequel. It has taken her longer than anticipated. She wants to challenge herself while writing and she feels like she has done that with this series.

3 Favourite snack while revising/writing

Coffee (way too much coffee) and she just started a bag of gummy bears that her husband brought back from Germany. She tries to eat healthier when her husband is not bringing gummy bears into the house (they also happen to be her favourite candy).

4 Is there a book that you wish everyone would read?

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke or The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle. She feels not everyone has heard of The Last Unicorn, or that they know it from the cartoon. I've read The Last Unicorn and it is certainly magical.

5 What 2016 release are you most anticipating?

She is really excited about Veronica Rossi’s Riders (four Horseman of the Apocalypse). She feels like it's like nothing else out there.

6 You and Sarah have a friendship that is basically the definition of friendship goals. What do you think a great friendship needs?

She and Sarah are so vocal about their friendship, she feels that perhaps her other friends just aren't given the same attention. Understanding each other is key, and don’t expect them to change. Love them the way they are. Everyone is flawed, and wishing to change them is never going to work. Embrace them for who they are and respect it. Sarah and her have the same sense of humour so they make it each other laugh all the time. Seriously, her and Sarah are 100% the stuff of friendship goals.

7 What Myers Briggs personality type are you?

She has taken the test and the answer is INFP

8 If someone were to make an ice cream flavour for Truthwitch what might be included?

She says it would be a mash up of all different flavours like ginger cookie dough, with caramel weirdness mixed in with vanilla. Just a whole lot of different flavours that go well together.

9 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

Hardest question for her because of the sheer number of choices it brings forth. The old monasteries of 500 years ago appeal to her. She'd honestly just like to see something so different from what she knows that she can’t even imagine it.  She’d like to see everything. She is curious about Imperial Russia, and visiting a 1920's speakeasy as well.

10 What was your favourite scene to write in Truthwitch 

You can read one of them right now! It is a dance scene that she didn't expect to write. It exploded out of her and is part of the exclusive excerpt on the Truthwitch series website. Be sure to check it out.

The other is around the 40% mark of the book, and is between two of the characters. It is scene set in a lighthouse where lots of stuff goes down. It is where the Netgalley preview ends (if you've read it) and it another scene that just poured out of her when she wrote it.

With that our time had FLOWN by. We did chat about her time in Canada and that she had been to Ottawa before. We discussed poutine (a national treasure, honestly) and lots of other fun Canadian things like Tim Horton's.

It was a honour to get to interview her and was so much fun!

There is plenty of exciting things coming up regarding the release of Truthwitch, most importantly an amazing book tour and pre-order campaign.

First up, Susan Dennard will be touring with Alexandra Bracken! This is going to be an amazing tour and I wish I could attend so everyone who can should take the opportunity and go!

There will also be some news about more tour dates for Susan to come, so there will be plenty of chances for you to see Susan on this tour.

There is also a pre-order campaign for Truthwitch going on right now. There is a signed book plate and a poster up for grabs! Be sure to visit the official Truthwitch website for all the details (and submit your receipt to claim your pre-order goodies).

Also, be sure to follow Susan on Twitter, check out her website, and add Truthwitch to your Goodreads!

A huge thank you to both Susan and Raincoast Books for this amazing opportunity! Be sure to check out Truthwitch in 2016!