The Witchlands #1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: January 5th, 2016
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Purchase
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Summary (from Goodreads):
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.
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.
When I finally started blogging last year, this book was REALLY buzzed about. So obviously it was going to become one of my most anticipated books of 2016. I got my copy from my first-and-so-far-only book signing I've ever been to! But by the time that rolled around I couldn't bring myself to read this book because it was all I EVER saw on Twitter. I was just sick of hearing about it.
I finally picked this book up for one of the #ReadThemAllThon prompts. This was the book I chose to read for the thunderous hype prompt. I am super glad that I waited for the hype to die down before reading this book, but it was still in the back of my mind and definitely affected how I felt about this book, I think in a more negative way. I did really enjoy it, but I was just still expecting over the top amazing and it just wasn't as exciting as I was hoping.
Probably my favorite thing about this book was how the main focus was the friendship between Safi and Iseult. They really work well together, I love how they kind of even each other out. Iseult is calm and level-headed, she thinks things through. Safi is definitely more impulsive and wild. I love how they would give their lives for each other without a second thought. I really hope that this friendship remains the main focus of the series!
I also loved the relationship forming between Safi and Merik! I like how he makes her realize that her actions affect other people. He doesn't coddle her or treat her special or anything like that. I liked that about their relationship and I just like them.
I'm really excited to learn more about Aeduan. He's so mysterious, but he doesn't seem like he's really as bad as he acts like he is or makes himself out to be. I want him and Iseult to get together and go on double dates with Merik and Safi.
I think that what probably disappointed me most of all, is that I kind of thought that this book would be more... exciting? I mean, it WAS exciting, but like not to the level that I was expecting, going in. With all the hype, I was expecting to be totally blown away and I just wasn't and I'm disappointed about it. But that is definitely not to say that this book wasn't good. Because I really did like it. I just felt like it was kind of slow.
Overall, I liked this book. I would definitely recommend this book if you like fantasy and strong female friendships! I am looking forward to Windwitch in January, but if the street team starts up again for this book, I will probably have to wait to read it again.
Have you read this book? What did you think? Have you had hype kind of ruin any books before?