Truthwitch
Series: The Witchlads #1
Genre: Fantasy
Original Publication date: January 2016
Book Description (from Good Reads): In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.
Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.
Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.
In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.
Thoughts:
*Characters: 9.5
Safi is a bit annoying, she is a very sef centered girl who does not realize her shortcomings. Iseult is a very strong girl, she has an unwavering devotion and trust to her friend and yet her self steen is so low its surprising.
Both have incredible growth on their own and on others.
Love them all, even the Bloodwitch who is hunting them is an amazingly whole person; he has a drive, yet doubts and an honor code.
*Plot: 8.5
The story feels it starts in the middle, but it makes sense. Safi is not very informed on what is happening around her, but the way she goes discovering everything on the go makes it a very good reading experience. It has a mix of slow-moving plot and character-driven story. It does take a while to get into the story because you don't know what's going on, you are barely getting the intro to the world and the dynamics. But after a fourth of the way in, I was immersed and enjoyed so much more.
This can be taken as a stand-alone with an open ending like you can see that there are a few things that were not fully closed but it did not use a cliffhanger and the main drive of the plot was somewhat closed. I liked the ending, it makes it ok for me to not read the next right away and yet it promises a good continuation.
Hard to explain really.
*Logic: 8.0
The magic is very logical in the way I understood it. Some people have the same base but their abilities do differ, it depends on each person. Some have way stronger abilities than others. The magical abilities are not fully explained you go figuring it out as Safi and the other characters encounter those who can control them.
On the other hand, the one thing that did not make sense to me was the romantic interest. It seems like instinct knows you better than you, the power they possess seems to be pulling people together. Safi and Iseult both have a bit of that going on, I do not hate the romance as it is not very prominent yet it was as usual with no explanation. I have not made up my mind about it, it's on the ok zone and it annoyed me a bit at the same time.
* Writing Style: 8.0
I really liked the way it was written. Initially, it was hard to get into it, not because it was complicated or dr but because the world is still not wholly understood.
Intrigue: 8.0
There is a bit of political intrigue going on, there are plots and plans happening in the background, again not Game of Thrones level but some intrigue is there.
Enjoyment: 9.5
Intention: 9.0
It is a good portrayal of a sheltered girl, trying to be independent who discovers that she has to grow up and learns to put other people before herself.
Total score: 60.5
Average: 8.64
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