Book Sketch: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

TRUTHWITCH
By: Susan Dennard
Published By: Tor Teen
Release Date: January 5, 2016
Series: The Witchlands #1
Pages: 416
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

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.

First Thought After Finishing: I’m so glad there’s an epic fantasy series in YA!

I started reading Truthwitch almost by accident. I had brought it with me for a photoshoot in the mountains, but I was in the middle of another book on my Kindle. My Kindle died, so I started Truthwitch instead. Almost 100 pages later, I knew this series would become a favorite!

Safi and Iseult have been together for years, and that won’t change, if they have anything to say about it. But when they end up in the wrong place at the right time, they find themselves on the run from not only a Bloodwitch but also those who would use Safi’s Truthwitchery for nefarious purposes. Enter Prince Merik, who becomes tangled up with Safi as well. With political unrest among the kingdoms, can Safi and Iseult stay free from those who want them captured and maybe help right some wrongs along the way?

I love books that explore different types of magic or new magic systems. I think books with witches are some of the best (my first favorite book was The Chimney Witches). This book had me hooked very quickly with its world, magic system, and cast of characters. Safi is wild and impetuous, quick to scheme but fiercely loyal to Iseult. On the other hand, Iseult, has spent her life practicing controlling her emotions and staying calm. They are a wonderful balance, and it was so refreshing to read a story that focused on friendship.

Beyond Safi and Iseult, I also loved Merik and Aeduan. Merik has the wit and drive that I love reading about, and the fire between him and Safi nearly sizzles off the page. I can’t wait to see how things develop between them. And Aeduan is nothing if not intriguing. I wanted to hate him, and yet I wanted to know everything about him. He is clearly hiding something, and those secrets have to be revealed sometime, right? As all the characters move across land and water, there is never a dull moment. From the fighting to the banter hint of romance, this book kept me turning page after page to discover something more.

I have to admit that this book was confusing at time. The intricate politics and the organization of the magic system never seemed to be fully explained, and I found myself wondering how all of the guilds worked and how everyone in the land was tied together. Truthwitch was the beginning of a sweeping epic, and I am hoping to have more of the backstory in the second book. I don’t think I can get enough of this story!

Most Memorable Aspect: How Iseult sees all of peoples’ threads. I loved the inventive descriptions and the bond between Threadsisters!

Review: Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

ORIGINAL SIN
By: Lisa Desrochers
Published By: Tor Teeh
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Series: Personal Demons (#2)
Pages: 398
Genre: Paranormal
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: BEA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Note: Original Sin is the second book in the Personal Demons trilogy, and this summary may contain spoilers.

Goodreads Summary: Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.



I really enjoyed Personal Demons, so I was eager to continue the story with Original Sin. So many of the things I loved from the first book carried over here - Frannie's voice and the romantic chemistry to name a couple - and in this installment, all of the stakes get higher.

Frannie, Luc, and Gabe went through a lot in Personal Demons, but the story is far from over. Demons will be demons, and they are none too thrilled with the turn that Luc's mission took. Therefore, they have no intention of leaving him - or Frannie - alone. Frannie might have a new guardian angel, but it isn't enough to keep the demons away permanently. On top of that, Frannie's friend Taylor has been acting strange, and Frannie is determined to find out why. With so many evil forces at work, Frannie and Luc will have to figure out a way to stay off the demons' radar or send them back to Hell empty-handed - and quickly. But can they survive everything Hell has to throw at them?

Though Personal Demons often seemed cliche, Original Sin was not quite what I was expecting. Instead of simply following Frannie, Luc, and Gabe, new characters were introduced - a new guardian angel for Frannie and a new neighbor for Luc - and these two factor heavily into the story. Frannie's new guardian angel even has chapters from his point of view, further bringing this second storyline into play. Lili, the next door neighbor, is a powerful presence and an extremely interesting (if not always likable) character. Frannie's world seems to be crumbling in this book, and she definitely had her struggles with the demons. She is still trying to come into her own, and I look forward to seeing how much she grows in the last book.

I said that Original Sin was not quite what I expected, and that extends beyond the basics. There were a few twists and surprises toward the end of the book, but I liked that they further integrated the story. There was also the matter of Gabe. Gabe was, for various reasons, absent for much of this story, and I have to say that I missed him. Although I like Luc, I like Gabe as well and hope that he will be back in the third book.

If you've read Personal Demons, you will definitely want to keep going with the series. And if you haven't started it, pick up Personal Demons and get ready to dive into an edgy paranormal story. As for me, I can't wait to find out what happens in Last Rite!

Review: Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

PERSONAL DEMONS
By: Lisa Desrochers
Published By: Tor Teen
Release Date: Sept. 14, 2010
Series: Personal Demons (#1)
Pages: 365
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Bought
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She has spent years keeping everyone at a distance---even her closest friends---and it seems as if her senior year is going to be more of the same . . . until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him.

What she doesn’t know is that Luc is on a mission. He’s been sent from Hell itself to claim Frannie’s soul. It should be easy---all he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance. But he has to work fast, because if the infernals are after her, the celestials can’t be far behind. And sure enough, it’s not long before the angel Gabriel shows up, willing to do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for. It isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie’s soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.



Personal Demons is a book that I might not have picked up had I not met Lisa Desrochers at BEA and then heard her read at another signing. Lisa's reading convinced me that I had to read these books, but it still took me way too long to start. Once I finally did, however, I didn't want to put the book down.

In the constant battle to win souls for Hell, Luc Cain is one of the best soldiers...and so he is sent to tag Frannie Cavanaugh. Until Luc showed up, Frannie had been an average girl - perhaps a bit wild and closed-off, but she has her reasons. After Luc's arrival, however, Frannie realizes that the average ship has sailed. Not only is Luc competing for her attention, but also Gabriel, who is sent from - you guessed it - heaven - comes to keep Frannie's soul from being tagged. However, nobody anticipated what a difficult job that would be. Frannie might be drawn to Luc, but that doesn't mean that she is completely unaffected by Gabriel. She knows this is more than simply a choice between two boys, but what will she ultimately decide?

I mentioned earlier that I might not have picked up this book on my own. The reason why: Personal Demons seems to have almost every trope/cliche in YA books. There are two hot guys who come to town to fight for a girl who doesn't realize that she's special, a stage set for an epic battle between good an evil, etc. etc. However, after hearing Lisa read (and reading a few chapters myself), I knew that I wouldn't care because the writing was that good. I loved Frannie's voice and character. She is authentic and real, complete with hilarious snark, and even though she is "special," she also has her secrets, which gave her even more depth. In addition, Luc and Gabe might be stereotypical, but I certainly didn't mind reading about them. Luc is the perfect bad boy, and Gabe is the perfect good guy. How can anyone choose only one? And with that, there are definitely some steamy (YA) scenes...smoke may start from the flames of Hell, but it also rises toward heaven...

In addition to Frannie and the guys, there are other aspects of the novel that I really enjoyed. Frannie's grandfather was another favorite character. Even though he didn't play a huge role, I liked the part he did have. There are also vivid depictions of Hell - I'm curious to see if we get such a clear picture of heaven in the next novel. Even though the story might seem predictable at first, Frannie's choice isn't actually so clear. I kept turning pages because I had to know what she would decide. And although the book is somewhat wrapped up at the end, I can't wait to see what happens next.

If you have been debating about whether you should read this book, debate no longer. If you enjoy paranormal romance, this is one angel and demon book you will not want to miss. I can't wait to read Original Sin!

Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD
By: Kendare Blake
Published By: Tor Teen
Release Date: Aug. 30, 2011
Series: Anna Dressed in Blood (#1)
Pages: 320
Genre: Paranormal / Horror
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: ALA
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.



I've been on a bit of a ghost story kick lately, and from friends who had already read this book, I knew that Anna Dressed in Blood had to be good. And it was. This is not your typical mysterious ghost story. Anna Dressed in Blood is a paranormal thriller with secrets and surprises lurking around every corner.

Cas Lowood has one mission in life: track down ghosts and kill them. Armed with his athame like his father before him, Cas and his mother travel around the country in search of ghosts that need to be banished from the world of the living. When Cas receives a tip for a ghost called Anna Dressed in Blood, he can't wait to start the new mission. Yet from the very beginning, something is different. Cas somehow feels drawn to Anna, and when he finds her, it turns out that she is unlike any ghost he's ever met. When she spares his life, something that has never happened before, Cas knows that he has to learn her entire story. Together with his friends and some help from a few witches, Cas sets about uncovering the secrets of Anna's past. But he isn't prepared for what he finds. And once he knows, what will he do?

Anna Dressed in Blood is one of those books that draws you in from the very first page and keeps you eagerly reading for more. I loved knowing both Cas and Anna, uncovering their motivations and their secrets. Cas is an all-around good guy, committed to his mission and still coming to terms with his past. He is excellent at what he does and as a result has been isolated for many years; it was nice to see him opening up to others over the course of the book. The same is true of Anna. She might have been a murderous ghost, but I could not help but feel bad for her, especially once her entire story was revealed. And speaking of murderous. There are several harrowing scenes in this book, and while there is some gore, it is never overly graphic. Instead, it adds to the chilling nature of the story.

I do have to say that I wish we had seen more of the relationship developing between Cas and Anna. It was clearly there, but I would have liked more scenes with them getting to know each other. Also, I know that some people have mentioned having nightmares after reading this book, but I didn't find any of the scenes to be too scary or disturbing.

Kendare Blake has crafted a fabulous debut novel with just the right amounts of spookiness, action, emotions, and romance. I cannot wait to read more from her!