Waiting on Wednesday: Truthwitch

Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Let me start off by saying, sorry for being MIA the past few months.  Another state-to-state move and job change means very little time to actually sit down and blog...however I have not forgotten you and I have certainly NOT stopped reading!  So stay tuned becuase when I get some free time, there will be some massive book review love coming your way! 

So on to our WoW (Waiting on Wednesday)...Being a blogger has it's benefits of sometimes getting ARCs early to read - I love it! However, sometimes I admit that I get massive book/ARC envy from those who have particularly killer reads that I just am dying to get my hands on and this my friends is one of those instances!  Let me introduce you to the lovely and highly anticipated read of 2016 - Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1) by Susan Dennard!  I mean come on!!! Look at this cover?  Does it not convey some serious bad-ass-ness?! I don't think that's a word but i mean, wow!  What a stunning cover and we all know I judge my books by their covers.   Clearly there will be magic ("witch" in the title and mystical wateryness surrounding her...duh), and fighting (did you see the sword AND dagger?) and of course love/romance/friendships (I mean she is GORG, someone's bound to fall in love or have a hardcore ship here)...and this is just the cover!  Let's dive into the synopsis (courtesy of Goodreads):

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

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

So all in all, yes, I'm figuratively drooling over this book.  If the book gods love me I'll hope to get it before the January 5th release but if they love others before me (and it happens) then I will gladly wait my turn and get my pre-order when the rest of the world does...how many days?  Let the countdown begin!!!

Review: Midnight Thieif

Since I now travel for 50% of my job I sometimes feel like I live in airports and hotels.  That being said, I found myself the other day browsing the shelves of an unnamed airport bookstore and found myself buying Midnight Thief (Midnight Thief #1) by Livia Blackburne.  Now, I will preface this review by saying that I typically do not trust books purchased without research (either word of mouth, recommendation, Goodreads or Amazon or even Barnes & Noble reviews to rely on), but this cover did look interesting and I vaguely remembered seeing some hype around this when it released back in 2014.  So all that being said, let me tell you, this book did not disappoint!  My 4 hour flight went by in a flash and at the end all I could think about was getting my hands on the next installment! 

Blackburne does a great job with Midnight Thief by having all of the cornerstones I personally feel I need, first, a strong hero/heroine - Kyra definitely fits this bill as leading lady.  Kyra is full of strength and wit that helps her survive but she is not without flaws which helps her character feel genuine throughout.  She grows up a street thief to get by and provide for those in need (think Robin Hood) and is fairly decent at her craft.  She has a small group of urchins (the only family she knows) that she watches over and helps to mentor.  All in all her heart is in the right place, she has drive and is talented but she is fairly naive.  

Second key, a personal journey/great story-line - Kyra starts off in the streets of the Forge and is content there until there is a promise of more that will help her protect and care for those she loves, but it comes with a price. She takes this leap of faith and trains to help the Assassins Guild that starts off great until she gets in too deep... 

Third key, a love interest - now this can be changed out with a key second point of view or a intense friendship, but come on, we all need a little tug at the heartstrings and our "knight in shining armor" Tristam does not let us down. He is everything Kyra is not and they fit each-other perfectly in every way - except technically they are fighting on the opposite sides.  I mean if that didn't spell out star crossed then i don't know what would...

There's a fantastic twist at the end that will leave readers aching for the next installment but trust me when I say this book has it all! 

Overall, Midnight Thief has an amazing cast (a heroine you want to root for and bad guys you want to fail), magical creatures, epic fights, and a romantic pairing that is a slow build to perfection!  Definitely pick this one up for your trip, even if that trip only takes you to your favorite reading chair.