Sightwitch (The Witchlands #0.5)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all are ready for the weekend I know I am.  One I’m off.  Two, Ready Player One is out and I am excited to see it later today and I have a gathering tomorrow I’m excited for.  So lots of fun.  Today I have a review for a novella that is said to set the stage to book three in the series and is a lot of fun all on its own too, Sightwitch (The Witchlands #0.5) by Susan Dennard.  I received a chapter sampler from NetGalley, for which I was thankful for, but I hadn’t realized at the time it was a sampler and I wanted more. 

Rating:  4 Stars

                A year prior to Truthwitch & Windwitch which I already reviewed we go back to Ryber Fortiza and her journal.  She is a Sightwitch Sister in the secluded and forgotten convent working and waiting to be called into the mountain by the goddess to receive the gift of Sight.  There is no rhyme or reason as to who is called to receive the gift but soon Ryber finds herself not only the only Sister without the Sight unchosen but those called have not returned.  And when those with the Sight are called back she is left alone.  Now it is up to Ryber to find a way inside without being called and find a way to save her Sisters even without the gift of Sight.  The road is filled with many obstacles and is not easy but the fate of the Witchlands could be on the line. 

                This story is told in both Ryber’s journal and that of another Sightwitch of days past.  While I read the first few chapters in the sampler and saw it was full of illustrations and photos that really brought it to life I did miss that in the audiobook when I finished up there.  I look forward to getting my physical copy and going back through to enjoy the illustrations soon though.  Still the story itself was a novella but it told a full and rich story.  I was intrigued by how different the world was in at the convent.  Through the journal we also got to see a time way before to the original start of the Witchlands and the way the power we know came to be.  I liked the way it went back and forth and how it all flowed so nicely. 

                Ryber is an interesting character.  She goes through a lot emotionally and I am excited to see where this unfolds in book three.  I also got quite a kick out of “The Rook” even though one scene when he didn’t agree I was flinching because birds (of any type) are not my friend and them clawing/pecking freaks me out.  I enjoyed the introduction to the Captain and the interactions they shared.  I liked all the characters really including the years past story that had me captivated and hopeful.  Overall I find this to be a very entertaining story and I can’t wait to see how it will play into the next release which I should say I want now…

                Until next time…

Windwitch (The Witchlands #2)

                Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a great weekend and  Happy Belated Fathers day to any fathers reading.  I'm currently waiting on my filling to cool before I finish up the cupcakes to take to my dad (I had to work the whole weekend) a bit late.  First order of business for today is to announce the winner of my Blacksouls (Blackhearts #2) giveaway is Sabrina!  Congrats!  And it's Monday so I have another review to share with you and today that would be Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard.  This was an anticipated release for me this year because I enjoyed the first book and the authors other series as well.  I got it when it first came out but then like so many things as of late I didn't get to it right away and it sat.  But I got the audiobook at some point as well and I was ready to dive in and give it a go.  Spoilers for book one…duh.

Rating:  5 Stars

                This is pretty much picking up where the previous book left off.  Now I admit it has been a while, since I read Truthwitch (review) about a year and a half.  That said I did forget some of the details but as the story started to play out it all came back to me.  I also read book one but was listening to this book, which I really enjoyed, but it took a little bit to figure out who was who.  The narrator was great, it was more that I had been way off on the names so I had to readjust the names in my head.  After that things got good and the book flew by. 

                In Truthwitch I loved the sisterly connection between Safi and Iseult.  I loved the other characters as well don't get me wrong but I loved their connection how they knew one another so well and balanced the other out.  I still love that, but in Windwitch our duo is separated.  Safi, our Truthwitch, is with the Empress of Marstok while Iseult is out on her own at the start.  Though she quickly finds herself in the surprising company of Aeduan, the Bloodwitch that hunted them earlier, as allies of a sort.  Seeing both Iseult and Safi working on their own but constantly thinking about the other and how they would react or get out of situations kept their connection strong and present.  While I wanted them to find one another I did enjoy seeing them on their own where they shone a bit brighter, unable to rely on the other. 

                Merik, who was a favorite last book.  He nearly died and instead is badly burned and disfigured.  People who see him think of him as the Fury, a justice seeking demigod, and as he is on a mission he rolls with it.  I understood why he was so upset and convinced about certain things, though as the story builds I loved seeing the parallel and how things were in fact different for every person.  It's a tale as old as time, one persons truth is another persons fiction.  You can't know the full story until you have all the sides not just one.  I also enjoyed getting to see things from his sisters POV.  So many different stories weaving into one another, all connected in the big scheme of things.

                This book was a bit slower and more building than book one and while I could find fault with it there I kind of enjoyed it.  I liked building up the world and the stories as a whole as we got to know more about Merik's sister and her foxes, Marstok's Empress, Hellbards, and of course Aeduan.  I felt like a lot was built up and will be important to future installments but I also enjoyed the story this book told.  Iseult really had her own journey, not just physical but she has come so far as a character.  Her connection with Aeduan is really special as well and I see I'm not the only one secretly shipping them in book one but fully opening shipping them in this one.  They both have a darkness to them but truly have a good heart.  Safi is trying to find her own ground and a way to live her life and not be imprisoned or killed because of her ability.  She has found an ally of sorts and watching her fight for her own way is empowering.  And I loved seeing the dark shadows coming into play both with Iseult and her dream visitor that cleaves and binds and just what is happening with Nubrevna court both from inside and out.  I liked how in depth this took me into the world and opened up so many more story lines.  It also have lots of different action and suspense throughout while again building up something much larger.

                I really enjoyed this book and it had plenty of twists and turns and such that have me on the edge of my seat and ready for book three.  I have some theories and such on some things but for the most part I'm just happy to be along for the ride and watch the story play out before me.

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Windwitch

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Windwitch (The Witchlands #2) by Susan Dennard

Out: 1/10

From Goodreads: 

                On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery,” a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

               

                In this follow-up to New York Times bestsettling Truthwitch, a shadow man haunts the Nubrevan streets, leaving corpses in his wake—and then raising those corpses from the dead.  Windwitch continues the tale of Merik—cunning privateer, prince, and windwitch.

               

Why I’m Waiting:

                 I really enjoyed book one (review) and that ending left me with lots of feels and things I needed to know more about.  Plus it looks like we get more focus on Merik in this one and I really enjoyed his parts in the last book so I’m looking forward to more of him. 

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.