Review: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 01/05/2016 by Tor Teen
Series: The Witchlands #1
Pages: 416 Pages
Format: Library Hardback
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary:
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.

My Thoughts: 
This was a ride, a long ride. A lot happened from where we began to where this book ended, this series is really going to be an awesome journey. There was a lot that I liked about this book but I also found that there were certain parts that dragged. It took me a really long time to read this book, but there was a lot to learn about this new world and it took me some time to get into it. The world was built slowly as you read and this world has a lot of elements that it took me some time to get used to. 

In general, I had a lot of fun reading this book. I see a lot of potential in this series and there is a lot of stuff to still learn. We were left with a lot of unanswered questions and you just know that many more things are going to happen before we get any resolution. What I like the most about this book is the characters. All of the characters have a lot of depth and are well developed. They are all very different and you can form connections with them. Safi and Iseult have an awesome friendship and they both have extremely strong powers which they still need to harness. There is so much power between them which is going to cause a lot of explosive events. 

This was a strong beginning to an new series. I felt that it dragged a bit in the middle and that's where the story lost me for awhile but the rest of the book was strong. I am predicting that this series is going to get very intense along the way and I am excited to continue reading on when the next book comes out. High recommend this book if you are a fan of fantasy. 

Review: Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication: 01/05/2016 by Algonquin Books
Pages: 320 Pages
Source: eARC
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Welcome to Spencerville, Virginia, 1977. Eight-year-old Rocky worships his older brother, Paul. Sixteen and full of rebel cool, Paul spends his days cruising in his Chevy Nova blasting Neil Young, cigarette dangling from his lips, arm slung around his beautiful, troubled girlfriend. Paul is happy to have his younger brother as his sidekick. Then one day, in an act of vengeance against their father, Paul picks up Rocky from school and nearly abandons him in the woods. Afterward, Paul disappears.

Seven years later, Rocky is a teenager himself. He hasn’t forgotten being abandoned by his boyhood hero, but he’s getting over it, with the help of the wealthy neighbours’ daughter, ten years his senior, who has taken him as her lover. Unbeknownst to both of them, their affair will set in motion a course of events that rains catastrophe on both their families. After a mysterious double murder brings terror and suspicion to their small town, Rocky and his family must reckon with the past and find out how much forgiveness their hearts can hold.

My Thoughts:
I had a VERY hard time rating this book. I enjoyed my time in this story but I found it slow going. The story follows Rocky as he grows up from the age of 8 until he is in late teens and adulthood. His life took some interesting turns which gives you a new persecutive on how you see our life and your family. 

The biggest reason that I couldn't rate this book higher was that I had trouble connecting to the characters. Most of them just felt distant and I didn't have the feelings that I feel like I should have when bad things were happening to them. I felt like I was looking into the story rather than being immersed in it. However, I got more invested in the story when it took on more of a mystery tone in the second half. I went into this story not knowing a whole lot about the plot and I think I was more enjoyable that way. I feel like the synopsis gives a lot away instead of allowing you to discover it for yourself. 

This is a good book, and it does make you think about many things. I really do think the title suits the book very well and I am adding it to some of my favourite quotes. The big thing for was was that the story just didn't wow me or hit me as emotionally as I thought it should have. If the story intrigues you I definitely recommend it. It's well written and touches on a lot of important topics. It is a good story about family and growing up, and if that's up your alley check it out.