Throwback Thursday Read This F@!%ing Book: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

One of the suggestions from our recent survey was that we should do Throwback Thursday. The idea was really for social media, but I thought it would also be a good way to refresh our memories before the next book in a series comes out.

Sightwitch releases on February 13 and I'm working on a blog tour post for the following week. Next week I'll be posting my review of Windwitch. But today, let's look back at how it all started with a Read This F-ing Book post I wrote in March of 2016. (See the original post here.)

This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention!

We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!

If you're interested email Goldilox3weres@gmail.com



Read This F@!%ing Book:
Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

I feel like I've been hearing a lot about Truthwitch, so maybe it doesn't really qualify as a book I want more people to know about. But then I realized that I'm only hearing it from YA bloggers. If you don't read YA or follow YA blogs, you might have missed it. And even if you're not a big fan of YA, you'll want to read this book.

From the very beginning I was fascinated with Truthwitch. I was reading along, just thinking, "this is so awesome!" It took me a while to figure out how to translate that into an argument for why you should read this book. Would you just trust me and read it because it's awesome? No?

Really Cool Magic

The first thing that really struck me is the magic system. Safiya is a Truthwitch. It's a very rare magic, and one that was thought to be extinct. She keeps her skills hidden to protect herself from those who would use her or kill her to keep others from doing so. What I thought was interesting about her skill, and a little bit different from other versions of it that I've read, is that she not only senses when people are lying, but she also senses illusions and abominations.

Iseult is a Threadwitch. Hers is the magic that kind of blew my mind. I haven't seen anything like it before. It's similar to the way some authors use auras - she sees colors that reflect people's emotions. But it's also much more complex. She sees threads, connections between people. Iseult and Safiya, for example, are Threadsisters - we would probably call them BFFs - and a Threadwitch can see their bond and use it to find them. This reminded me of Nalini Singh's Psy-net, except that Iseult sees it all the time and it has more applications.

Prince Merik is an Airwitch and he can fly! He also uses air magic to control his ship, but that's not as much fun. Those are just the three main characters. They're not the only ones with interesting magic, but I wouldn't want to spoil anyone.

 
Girl Power 

In addition to Iseult and Safiya, who demonstrate some serious fighting skills right from the beginning of the book, Truthwitch is full of powerful women. At first glance their country seems to be run by men, but the women are strong subversive forces.

Once they're out in the world, they find female leaders everywhere. There's a monk with healing powers and ties to both Merik and Iseult. There's Iseult's mother, also a Threadwitch, and her apprentice who are stronger than they seem and full of surprizes. There's a queen with another kind of really cool magic. Again, it would probably be spoilery to list them all. 

As much as love the girl power statement, the point is not that Safiya and Iseult must overthrow the tyranny of men, but that there are heroes of both genders in this world. There are also villains of both genders, and some characters in between. (I have some thoughts about race in Truthwitch as well - Iseult is vilified for being too pale - but I haven't dug into it much. I'd like to see more of the world and find other examples first.)*

I think that YA is the place to look for diversity right now. I'm seeing lots of young authors with fresh perspectives on the traditionally white male-dominated fantasy genre. I'm sure that eventually it will spill over into adult fantasy as well. (Those YA readers have to grow up, right?) But for now if you're looking for a new take on the old tropes, look to YA. And start with Trutchwitch. Trust me. It's awesome.

*Update: Susan Dennard recently posted about the race issue in Truthwitch, saying it was unintentional. She has an explanation in mind for why Iseult's people are hated, it just hasn't appeared in the books yet. She also has an explanation for their pale skin, which they haven't always had. See the full details in her Instagram story highlights.

Have you read this book?
 Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain?
 Let us know in the comments below!

Read This F@%!ing Book (56) and Giveaway

Welcome to a feature we're going to post on Mondays called:

Read This F@%!ing Book!

This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention! 

We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!

If you're interested email Goldilox3weres@gmail.com

or send us a message on Facebook.

  This week's post comes from our very own: 

Gretl!

Read This F@%!ing Book Post 56: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

I feel like I've been hearing a lot about Truthwitch, so maybe it doesn't really qualify as a book I want more people to know about. But then I realized that I'm only hearing it from YA bloggers. If you don't read YA or follow YA blogs, you might have missed it. And even if you're not a big fan of YA, you'll want to read this book.

From the very beginning I was fascinated with Truthwitch. I was reading along, just thinking, "this is so awesome!" It took me a while to figure out how to translate that into an argument for why you should read this book. Would you just trust me and read it because it's awesome? No?

Really Cool Magic
The first thing that really struck me is the magic system. Safiya is a Truthwitch. It's a very rare magic, and one that was thought to be extinct. She keeps her skills hidden to protect herself from those who would use her or kill her to keep others from doing so. What I thought was interesting about her skill, and a little bit different from other versions of it that I've read, is that she not only senses when people are lying, but she also senses illusions and abominations.

Iseult is a Threadwitch. Hers is the magic that kind of blew my mind. I haven't seen anything like it before. It's similar to the way some authors use auras - she sees colors that reflect people's emotions. But it's also much more complex. She sees threads, connections between people. Iseult and Safiya, for example, are Threadsisters - we would probably call them BFFs - and a Threadwitch can see their bond and use it to find them. This reminded me of Nalini Singh's Psy-net, except that Iseult sees it all the time and it has more applications.

Prince Merik is an Airwitch and he can fly! He also uses air magic to control his ship, but that's not as much fun. Those are just the three main characters. They're not the only ones with interesting magic, but I wouldn't want to spoil anyone.

    

Girl Power 
In addition to Iseult and Safiya, who demonstrate some serious fighting skills right from the beginning of the book, Truthwitch is full of powerful women. At first glance their country seems to be run by men, but the women are strong subversive forces.

Once they're out in the world, they find female leaders everywhere. There's a monk with healing powers and ties to both Merik and Iseult. There's Iseult's mother, also a Threadwitch, and her apprentice who are stronger than they seem and full of surprizes. There's a queen with another kind of really cool magic. Again, it would probably be spoilery to list them all. .

As much as love the girl power statement, the point is not that Safiya and Iseult must overthrow the tyranny of men, but that there are heroes of both genders in this world. There are also villains of both genders, and some characters in between. (I have some thoughts about race in Truthwitch as well - Iseult is vilified for being too pale - but I haven't dug into it much. I'd like to see more of the world and find other examples first.)

I think that YA is the place to look for diversity right now. I'm seeing lots of young authors with fresh perspectives on the traditionally white male-dominated fantasy genre. I'm sure that eventually it will spill over into adult fantasy as well. (Those YA readers have to grow up, right?) But for now if you're looking for a new take on the old tropes, look to YA. And start with Trutchwitch. Trust me. It's awesome.

Have you read this book? Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain? Let us know in the comments below!

We were very lucky to both win copies of Truthwitch earlier this year. And somehow we wound up with an extra. So I'm giving away my ARC, along with a lighthouse necklace inspired by the book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Review: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

Sightwitch
(The Witchlands #2.5)
Susan Dennard
Release: February 13, 2018
Goodreads Amazon B&N Book Depository

Before Safi and Iseult battled a Bloodwitch...
Before Merik returned from the dead…

Ryber Fortiza was a Sightwitch Sister at a secluded convent, waiting to be called by her goddess into the depths of the mountain. There she would receive the gift of foretelling. But when that call never comes, Ryber finds herself the only Sister without the Sight.

Years pass and Ryber’s misfit pain becomes a dull ache, until one day, Sisters who already possess the Sight are summoned into the mountain, never to return. Soon enough, Ryber is the only Sister left. Now, it is up to her to save her Sisters, though she does not have the Sight―and though she does not know what might await her inside the mountain.

On her journey underground, she encounters a young captain named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he got there. Together, the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, their road filled with horrors, and what they find at the end of that road will alter the fate of the Witchlands forever.

Review:

Going in, you should know that Sightwitch is a little different from the other books in the Witchlands series. In fact, I like to think of it as an actual artifact from that world. In Windwitch, Merik visits Kullen's apartment:

Merik's attention snagged on one spine now, a familiar title he'd seen Kullen reading on the Jana only hours before his death.
The True Tale of the Twelve Palladins
Merik's breath caught. He yanked it off the table in a rasp of leather, a puff of dust. He peeled back the cover. . .
Different copy. He exhaled - hard. This addition had a torn first page; the one on the Jana had been smooth.

And when you peel back the jacket on Sightwitch:

*gasp* And the first page tells us that "Sightwitch diaries have a way of changing, depending on who reads them." So while most of the book is Ryber's journal, we also have pieces of Erydice's, a Sightwitch who lived a thousand years earlier. The magic (or perhaps the goddess if you ask a Sightwitch) tells us everything we need to know, even though it's more than Ryber intended to tell. Within those journals are maps and sketches and other bits that Ryber collected that help tell the story.

 

My only real criticism is that I wish I could tell which parts Ryber added, like with whatever the Witchlands equivalent of tape or paperclips would be at the corners to give more of a scrapbook feel. I feel like the pages are too clean, though there instances where Ryber's made notes in the margins, which I love.

As readers we learn the history of the Witchlands along with Ryber and her friend Tanzi, including the origins of their magic and the story behind the construction of the underground city in Windwitch. I found those stories just as fascinating as Ryber and Erydice's own. It's so compelling, I read it more or less in one sitting. (It was a snow day, so I did have to pause for some kid-related trips to the kitchen.)

Sightwitch is set a year before Truthwitch, so it is technically a prequel, but I agree with the decision to call it book 2.5. Learning the world's mythology is so much more meaningful when you're already invested. I also think it would be frustrating to go from this story to Truthwitch where Ryber and Kullen play such small parts in the story. And I have so many theories about where the series is headed now that I know what the endgame is. At least, I think I do. I even have a (very spoilery) idea about the title of book four.

I've just been fascinated by the entire Witchlands series. I'm happy that I read Windwitch and Sightwitch together though, because I feel like there's so much going on in all of these books. If you want to refresh your memory but don't have time for a reread, Susan Dennard has done these really fun gif recaps of both of the previous books, Truthwitch and Windwitch. Even if you don't need a refresher, I highly recommend them.

    

4.5  stars

My posts about other books in this series:
Truthwitch

About the Author

I’ve come a long way from small-town Georgia. Working in marine biology, I got to travel the world—six out of seven continents, to be exact (I’ll get to you yet, Asia!)—before I settled down as a full-time novelist and writing instructor.

I’m the author of the Something Strange and Deadly series as well as the New York Times bestselling Witchlands books, Truthwitch and Windwitch, and if I’m not writing, then I’m busy slaying darkspawn or earning bruises at the dojo.

I live in the Midwestern US with my French husband, two spoiled dogs, and two grouchy cats. Learn more about me and my cookie-addiction on the blog, newsletter, twitter, instagram, or pinterest.

Waiting on Wednesday (56)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's this week's WOW pick:

 

Truthwitch is one of those titles that I feel like I've been hearing about forever. I was a little bit surprised at how far away the release is still. I've always loved stories about magic and witches, but what has me really curious about this one is the ship's captain. I'm guessing the prince isn't actually a pirate, but until the book comes out I'm going to imagine him as one anyway.

Truthwitch
(The Witchlands #1)
Susan Dennard
Release: January 5, 2016
Goodreads Amazon

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.

What book are you waiting on?

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (107)

For most of the day yesterday, I thought it was Tuesday. It happens to all of us occasionally, right? I guess that's why I completely forgot to schedule this WoW post. But there's nothing wrong with waiting on Thursday, other than the lack of alliteration.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. So here's this week's belated WOW pick:

I've been working on Best of 2016 lists lately. (It's just about that time!) Truthwitch was one of the first books I read this year, but it might wind up being the only one I gave 5 stars. I loved the characters and the world and the girl power vibes! To see me gush about it some more, check out my Read This F@!%ing Book post.

One good thing about looking back on how much I loved Truthwitch was realizing that the sequel is almost here. I can't wait for Windwitch! I loved Prince Merik and his magic! There's also an awesome preorder promo from Tor right now.

Windwitch
(The Witchlands #2)
Susan Dennard
Release: January 10, 2016
Goodreads Amazon

The follow-up to New York Times bestselling Truthwitch, next in a breathtaking YA fantasy series hailed by Alexandra Bracken as "a world you will want to inhabit forever."

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 bestselling Truthwitch, a shadow man haunts the Nubrevnan 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.

What book are you waiting on?

Most Anticipated Books of 2016

We wanted to try to feature newness in our Most Anticipated list, rather than just tell you how excited we are about the next Kate Daniels book (because DUH) so here are our favorite standalones and series debuts for 2016.

Truthwitch
(The Witchlands #1)
Susan Denard
Releases Jan. 5
Goodreads Amazon

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.  

The Glittering Court
(The Glittering Court #1)
Richelle Mead
Releases April 5
Goodreads Amazon

A dazzling new fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds that’s dripping with romance from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . .

The Voodoo Killings
(Kinkaid Strange #1)
Kristi Charish
Releases May 10
Goodreads Amazon

For the first time since we launched Bitten by Kelley Armstrong, Random House Canada is thrilled to announce the debut of a new urban fantasy series. Kristi Charish's The Voodoo Killings introduces Kincaid Strange, not your average voodoo practitioner...

For starters, she's only 27. Then there's the fact that she lives in rain-soaked Seattle, which is not exactly Haiti. And she's broke. With raising zombies outlawed throughout the continental USA, Kincaid has to eke out a living running seances for university students with more money than brains who are desperate for guitar lessons with the ghost of a Seattle grunge rocker--who happens to be Kincaid's on-again, off-again roommate.

Then a stray zombie turns up outside her neighbourhood bar: Cameron Wight, an up-and-coming visual artist with no recollection of how he died or who raised him. Not only is it dangerous for Kincaid to be caught with an unauthorized zombie, she soon realizes he's tied to a spate of murders: someone is targeting the zombies and voodoo practitioners in Seattle's infamous Underground City, a paranormal hub. When the police refuse to investigate, the City's oldest and foremost zombie asks Kincaid to help. Raising ghosts and zombies is one thing, but finding a murderer? She's broke, but she's not stupid.

And then she becomes the target...As the saying goes, when it rains it pours, especially in Seattle.

This Savage Song
(Monsters of Verity #1)
Victoria Schwab
Releases June 7
Goodreads Amazon

The city of Verity has been overrun with monsters, born from the worst of human evil. In North Verity, the Corsai and the Malchai run free. Under the rule of Callum Harker, the monsters kill any human who has not paid for protection. In the South, Henry Flynn hunts the monsters who cross the border into his territory, aided by the most dangerous and darkest monsters of them all—the Sunai, dark creatures who use music to steal their victim’s souls.

As one of only three Sunai in existence, August Flynn has always wanted to play a bigger role in the war between the north and the south. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate Harker, daughter of the leader of North Verity, August jumps on it.
When Kate discovers August’s secret, the pair find themselves running for their lives and battling monsters from both sides of the wall. As the city dissolves into chaos, it’s up to them to foster a peace between monsters and humans.

A unique, fast-paced adventure that looks at the monsters we face every day—including the monster within.

Blood of the Earth
(Soulwood #1)
Faith Hunter
Release: Aug. 2
Goodreads Amazon

Set in the same world as the New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, an all-new series starring Nell Ingram, who wields powers as old as the earth.

When Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she was almost alone in the world, exiled by both choice and fear from the cult she was raised in, defending herself with the magic she drew from her deep connection to the forest that surrounds her.

Now, Jane has referred Nell to PsyLED, a Homeland Security agency policing paranormals, and agent Rick LaFleur has shown up at Nell’s doorstep. His appearance forces her out of her isolated life into an investigation that leads to the vampire Blood Master of Nashville.

Nell has a team—and a mission. But to find the Master’s kidnapped vassal, Nell and the PsyLED team will be forced to go deep into the heart of the very cult Nell fears, infiltrating the cult and a humans-only terrorist group before time runs out…

But we also had to mention a few series releases that we're especially excited about.

The Bands of Mourning
(Mistborn #6)
Brandon Sanderson
Releases January 26
Goodreads Amazon

The #1 New York Times bestselling author returns to the world of Mistborn with the follow-up to Shadows of Self.

With The Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self, Brandon Sanderson surprised readers with a New York Times bestselling spinoff of his Mistborn books, set after the action of the trilogy, in a period corresponding to late 19th-century America.

Now, with The Bands of Mourning, Sanderson continues the story. The Bands of Mourning are the mythical metalminds owned by the Lord Ruler, said to grant anyone who wears them the powers that the Lord Ruler had at his command. Hardly anyone thinks they really exist. A kandra researcher has returned to Elendel with images that seem to depict the Bands, as well as writings in a language that no one can read. Waxillium Ladrian is recruited to travel south to the city of New Seran to investigate. Along the way he discovers hints that point to the true goals of his uncle Edwarn and the shadowy organization known as The Set.

Stars Above
(The Lunar Chronicles #0.5, 0.6, 1.5, 3.5, 3.6)
Marissa Meyer
Releases February 2
Goodreads Amazon

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

A Gathering of Shadows
(A Darker Shade of Magic #2)
V.E. Schwab
Releases February 23
Goodreads Amazon

Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

Time Siege
(Time Salvager #2)
Wesley Chu
Releases July 12
Goodreads Amazon

Having been haunted by the past and enslaved by the present, James Griffin-Mars is taking control of the future.

Earth is a toxic, sparsely inhabited wasteland­­the perfect hiding place for a fugitive ex­chronman to hide from the authorities.

James has allies, scientists he rescued from previous centuries: Elise Kim, who believes she can renew Earth, given time; Grace Priestly, the venerated inventor of time travel herself; Levin, James's mentor and former pursuer, now disgraced; and the Elfreth, a population of downtrodden humans who want desperately to believe that James and his friends will heal their ailing home world.

James also has enemies. They include the full military might of benighted solar system ruled by corporate greed and a desperate fear of what James will do next. At the forefront of their efforts to stop him is Kuo, the ruthless security head, who wants James's head on a pike and will stop at nothing to obtain it.

Of course, we're also eagerly awaiting the latest releases in our favorite series:

The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson #9) by Darynda Jones
Releases January 12 Goodreads Amazon

Staked (Iron Druid #8) by Kevin Hearne
Releases January 26 Goodreads Amazon

Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin #14) by Jennifer Estep
Releases February 23 Goodreads Amazon

Midnight Marked (Chicagoland Vampires #12) by Chloe Neill
Releases March 1 Goodreads Amazon

Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson #9) by Patricia Briggs
Releases March 8 Goodreads Amazon

Marked in Flesh (The Others #4) by Anne Bishop
Releases March 8 Goodreads Amazon

Shadow Rites (Jane Yellowrock #10) by Faith Hunter
Releases April 5 Goodreads Amazon

Ride the Storm (Cassandra Palmer #8) by Karen Chance
Releases April 5 Goodreads Amazon

Bright Blaze of Magic (Black Blade #3) by Jennifer Estep
Releases April 26 Goodreads Amazon

Allegiance of Honor (Psy-Changeling #15) by Nalini Singh
Releases June 14 Goodreads Amazon

The Curse of Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson #10) by Darynda Jones
Releases June 28 Goodreads Amazon

Forevermore (Darkest London #7) by Kristen Callihan
Releases June 28 Goodreads Amazon

The Sight (Devil's Isle #2) by Chloe Neill
Releases August 16 Goodreads Amazon

Wild Embrace (Psy-Changeling Novella Anthology) by Nalini Singh
Releases August 23 Goodreads Amazon

Which 2016 releases are you most excited for?

Try a Chapter #1

I have been in a huge reading slump since I finished Obsidio back in March. It's so bad that I don't even want to read manga and fanfiction. I have been watching a ton of anime and it's been great! I miss reading though. And all of my typical slump busters aren't working. So I decided to try a method that I've heard nothing but good things about how it works.

Today, I'm going to be using the Try a Chapter method. It's pretty simple. I choose a certain number of books off my TBR pile and read the first chapter of each. After reading each one, I'll decide whether or not I want to continue with the book.

 For this post, I'm going to read the first chapter of three books and I'll write my thoughts on each one. Then I'll rank the books from the one I want to read the most to the most meh of the bunch. Let's get started shall we! 

The Books

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

I found the first chapter of Truthwitch interesting with the holdup gone wrong plot but it's not the story I'm in the mood for right now. Hopefully, I'll feel more in the mood for it when I decide to revisit Safi and Isuelt's story later this summer for my TBR Bingo Card.

Kindling the Moon by Jenn Bennett

 I've been a huge fan of Jenn Bennett since I read her Roaring Twenties series and I've read everything she's published since. Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten around to her Arcadia Bell series until I picked the first book up for this. All I can say is that I am all in after that first chapter. I'm interested in the magic and the world where demons watch paranormal hunter shows in bars. Also, I want to know more about Arcadia after the bombshell that was dropped at the end of chapter one. I can't wait to continue on with this one.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

One of my favorite movies of all time is Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle but I have never read the book. The first chapter was fun and full of backstory about Ingary and Sophie and her sisters that you don't get in the movie. I feel so sorry for Sophie but I like how it's building up. I actually ended up reading two chapters because I got so into it. I definitely want to continue this one soon!

The Final Ranking

I'm definitely going to be continuing on with Kindling the Moon as soon as I get this post scheduled. I'll probably binge read the whole series but after that I'll probably pick up Howl's because in terms of interest it was a really close second to the Arcadia Bell book. I'm not feeling Truthwitch but hopefully I'll want to read it when I pick it up later this summer. I think it's safe to say that the Try a Chapter method works! I can't wait to be reading again!

A Dead Battery, Nine Authors, and Epic Amounts of Fangirling

I'm very luck to live in an area that gets some pretty awesome author events. The thing is that a lot of the book tours that come through are for young adult books. And I love that I get to meet so many YA authors but some days I wish that more adult authors would come on tour near me. Well, my wish was granted this last month!

This signing was announced a couple months ago and as soon as I saw who was going to be there I wanted to go! Victoria Schwab! Wesley Chu! Susan Dennard! Max Gladstone! Cherie Priest! Greg van Eekhout! And John freaking Scalzi! So many amazing Tor authors that I love. The only problem I had foreseen was the threat of snow. Winter is not usually a forgiving time in the Midwest. Thankfully, the weather decided to cooperate so I could drive up to Livonia from Chicago. Unfortunately, my car didn't get the same memo and decided that it needed a new battery the day of the signing. It was a close call but I was able to make it to the event before it started even with my car trouble and having a four hour drive. Big thanks to my friend, Sarah from The YA Book Traveler, who saved me a seat because I was running late!

Hello, Michigan! pic.twitter.com/Vc47glkJVS

— Victoria Schwab (@veschwab) January 22, 2016

I'm the one in the purple next to Sarah who was taking a picture of Victoria while she was taking a picture. :)

Credit for this photo goes to Sarah.

The event featured nine of Tor's science fiction and fantasy authors and ended being standing room only because so many people came. It was such an awesome event! I'm a big fan of seven of the nine authors so it was amazing hearing about how everyone made their way to publishing and the reasons why they write. There was also quite a bit of talk about worldbuilding which was fascinating to me because worldbuilding is one of my favorite parts of the books I read. The authors also answered several questions for people who want to be authors.

After the Q&A session, the signing started! Okay. I'm going to be honest here. I was that person in the line with a million books to be signed. Alright, it was only sixteen but that's still a lot of books.

The first author I got to meet was Wesley Chu! I've been a fan of his science fiction books since his first book in the Tao series! Funny story. Chu actually lives in Chicago and has had several events since I've moved here. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make any of them because of work and traveling. It was exciting to finally meet him in person! I already have signed copies of his Tao books thanks to a friend so I had him sign my copy of his most recent release, Time Salvager. You can read my review of it here.
 

I kind of embarrassed myself talking to him about how much I loved his books and how refreshing it was that his time travel book actually incorporated consequences for time traveling other than the normal paradoxes we see. I then embarrassed myself calling him Mr. Chu when asking him if he'd take a picture with me. And I'm pretty sure he overheard me fangirling to Sarah about his books while I was pumping myself up to ask for the picture. Have I ever mentioned that when it comes to my favorite authors all of my ability to speak like the almost 30 year old I am goes out the window? He was very gracious and took my awkward fangirling in stride and was super nice about it.

The next author I met was Greg van Eeekhout. I've only read the first two books in his Daniel Blackland series but I really like them! I also embarrassed myself talking to him when I totally butchered pronouncing his last name. He was really nice about it though and totally drew a picture in my book when he signed it! He was also nice enough to duck down for a picture. He's really tall and I'm really short. It was so fun meeting him! I really need to get my hands on his new book!

The next author I met was John Scalzi!!! And with what has been the pattern for this signing so far, I was a complete fangirl. Thankfully, I didn't embarrass myself this time.

I haven't read a lot Scalzi's books but I have loved everything of his I've read so far! Fuzzy Nation is my favorite! Funny story: Scalzi serialized his book, Old Man's War, on his website back in 2002 before it was published because he didn't want to jump through all of the hoops to get traditionally published. I haven't read the final published version, but I totally read the serialized version and really liked it! It was something my best friend stumbled upon and we would read each new entry in our keyboarding class in high school. Thank you, Mr. Scalzi, for saving us from one of the most boring classes I took as a teen.

The next two authors I met were Cherie Priest and Max Gladstone!

Cherie's Boneshaker series was my introduction into the wonderful world of steampunk and I really enjoyed her Lizzie Borden books! I own most of her books as ebooks so I bought her debut YA book, I Am Princess X, at the event. I'm really excited to read it! It was really fun to meet her and she was super nice!

I've been reading Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence series since Two Serpents Rise came out and it is wonderful! I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. I've had blogging friends who have described it as weird urban fantasy which is a good but it doesn't do it as accurately as I'd like. The best description I've ever heard is that the series is a set of legal thrillers set in a post-war fantasyland where black magic abounds and goods are traded for using pieces of your soul. It really is an amazing series! I completely fangirled. And then I ended up having a conversation with him about gamma ray bursts and nuclear astrophysics! It was awesome being able to talk to one of my favorite authors about the topics I'm studying for my PhD.

The next author I got to see was Susan Dennard. I fall into what she calls the Hipster Sooz Club because I've been a fan since I read her first book, Something Strange and Deadly, shortly after it came out. I actually got to see Susan the week before this event while she was on tour for Truthwitch. Susan is the nicest person ever and she's so sweet online and offline. I've loved all of her books! I'm about halfway through Truthwitch and I adore it so much! I'm reading it slowly to savor it because I don't want it to be over. Since I had seen her the previous week, I had her sign a copy of Truthwitch I had won in a trivia contest so I could send it to a friend. The signed copy below is from that previous event because I've put the other copy in the mail.

I'm going to admit that even though I was excited to meet most of these authors, the main reason I came to this event was to meet Victoria Schwab.

I've been a fan of Victoria's books ever since 2013 when I discovered The Archived on the new book shelf in my Barnes and Noble. How could I not pick it up when the first sentence describes The Archive as a library that contains all the bodies of the dead? That same trip I found her first book, The Near Witch, in the bargain section. It sounded fascinating so I bought them both the same day. I flew through them over the next two days; grad school and homework be damned. I adored them so much! Since then, I've read every book of hers that has come out. And I've loved them all! Fun fact for you: several of Victoria's books have a minor character that has the same last name as I do in them. Now every book I read of hers I watch carefully to see if I can find a character with my last name. It's become a weird sort of scavenger hunt for me and my best friend when we read each of her books for the first time. The first one to find it immediately texts it to the other. I'm dying to get my hands on The Savage Song in May because 1) it's a YA monster book with absolutely no romance in it and 2) one of the MAIN characters has my last name! It's all so exciting!

 
I love all of Victoria's books but her adult books, Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic, speak to my soul on a whole other level than her YA books. It's like they were written just for me. It won't surprise you to find out that both of them are on my list of my most favorite books ever. I've written a review for Vicious on this blog so you all know how much I love it. So let's just say that I was fangirling so hard when I met her! Seriously. I was trying not to cry when she was signing my books because I was so excited and happy! We also fangirled a bit about the awesomeness of Neil Gaiman who had a huge influence on both of our lives in different ways. And Victoria had brought along the super shiny, tour-exclusive Rhy card with her! I was ecstatic to get one! I was hoping they'd be there but I was resigned to them not because they're an exclusive card for those who make it to her tour stops this month. I'm dying to get my hands on A Gathering of Shadows this month! I need more Kell and Lila in my life!

She talked about how she wanted to be an interrogator, a writer, or an astrophysicist but the math requirements to be an astrophysicist ended that pretty fast. I find it funny that I was the opposite. I wanted to be an librarian or a scientist and all of the writing to get a degree in English killed my dream of being a librarian. I now do astrophysical research and I think it's amazing that we both ended up being the opposites of each other in our careers. Personally, I'm really glad she ended up becoming an author. My long wait to meet Victoria in real life was totally worth it. If you have a chance to go see her on her tour this month, go! I would 10 out of 10 recommend doing so.

I probably didn't do this event justice with this wrap-up and this post ended up being a squee-fest about the authors I met but it was truly a wonderful experience. The authors were amazing and it was great to meet several of my blogging friends in real life. I was good about getting pictures with the authors but I was terrible about getting photos with the other bloggers. Next time. I'll do better next time.

Overall, I had a lot of fun and my little fangirl heart is still extremely happy! It was definitely worth the stress of getting a new battery for my car to get there!