Book Review: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Katsyxo, who is a good friend IRL, is always posting reviews for some of the latest YA releases on her website (which you should definitely check out~). One of the books she reviewed, was Truthwitch. After I read her review, I immediately tried to locate a copy at the library where I work. To my surprise, it hadn't been bought - or even ordered for that matter. So, I submitted a "Suggest a Title" form and within a few weeks, two copies of Truthwitch were added to the collection and I started my journey into the world of the Witchlands.

Truthwitch follows the story and friendship of Safiya von Hasstrel and Iseult det Midenzi who start out the book running away from guards and facing off against the Bloodwitch Aeduan, who would hunt them throughout the duration of the book. Wait, wait, hold up - Bloodwitch? Yep, you read it right, this book has a unique system of magic in which certain individuals are born with magical powers. The Bloodwitch Aeduan, is able to smell a person's blood and use it to track down anyone. Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to determine if a person is saying the truth or lying. And Iseult is a threadwitch, able to see see the invisible ties that bind individuals, although she is not able to see her own.

Book Review: The Clockwork Three

Back when I reviewed Time Snatchers and The Forbidden Library, I mentioned that there were a few titles on the jfiction shelf of the library where I work that had caught my attention. The Clockwork Three is the third and last book that I checked out after a quick glance through the jfiction shelf.

The Clockwork Three takes place in the late 19th century, in a fictional coastal town in America. The story follows three young kids, each facing their own difficult situations. The first person you meet is Giuseppe, a young Italian kid who was sold off by his uncle to a patron in America after the death of his parents. He works on the corners of the city, playing an old fiddle in order to make enough to eat for the day. On one fateful day, he finds a green violin and it changes his luck forever.

Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker who was bought by his master from an orphanage where he was abandoned by his mother. Frederick has always had a knack for fixing things and he really wants to earn the title of journeyman, which will mean that he will be recognized as a clockmaker by the guild and he can open his own shop. In his ambition, he has decided to start making a clockwork man and it's as he is making this that he meets Giuseppe and Hannah. Hannah of course, is the third main character in the book. She is a maid in a hotel and serves as the main provider for her family after her father had a stroke leaving him unable to speak or walk. Hannah is a very smart girl and loves to learn but must work at the hotel to make sure her family has enough to buy food and pay rent. One day, she overhears her boss and the head maid speaking about a treasure hidden in the hotel. When her father takes a turn for the worse, Hannah determines that she must find the treasure to help pay for the medical costs no matter what.

Book Review: The Iron Trial

Look at that cover - isn't it pretty cool?! I picked The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare off a shelf in the new jfiction area at one of the libraries where I work. I've read many YA books by Clare and liked them so I decided to go ahead and read the start to this new series. The Iron Trail follows Callum "Call" Hunt who is determined to fail the exam that will allow him to enter the Magisterium and become an apprentice of a mage. However, things don't go as he planned. This book was overall a quick read and definitely brought forth an entire new fantasy universe.  Now, let's get to it, shall we?