February 13, 2019

Review: Bloodwitch (Witchlands #3) by Susan Dennard

Bloodwitch (Witchlands #3)
Author: Susan Dennard
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: February 12, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen

Description:

Fans of Susan Dennard's New York Times bestselling Witchlands series have fallen in love with the Bloodwitch Aeduan. And now, finally, comes his story.

High in a snowy mountain range, a monastery that holds more than just faith clings to the side of a cliff. Below, thwarted by a lake, a bloodthirsty horde of raiders await the coming of winter and the frozen path to destroy the sanctuary and its secrets.

The Bloodwitch Aeduan has teamed up with the Threadwitch Iseult and the magical girl Owl to stop the destruction. But to do so, he must confront his own father, and his past.
  


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863277-bloodwitch

Bloodwitch is the third installment in an addictive young adult fantasy series that will leave readers breathless. First of all, I want to say that you really need to read the first two books in the series before this one. In some series, you can read books out of order or as stand-alones, but this isn't one of those. There's so much happening and so many characters with different alliances and relationships that you need to read the books in order.

That being said, this is one of those books that you adored so much that you don't even know where to begin a review. Or what to say, because you'll end up rambling on forever. I'll attempt to make my review coherent enough to understand (hopefully). Every single aspect of this book (and series) is downright amazing. The characters - both main and major - are all well rounded and complex as well as being realistic and easy to connect with. With each book in the series, we keep adding new characters to our cast - which sounds like it would be confusing, but it's just not. We get to know these people so deeply that I completely empathize with each and every one of them. I love getting to know everyone better as the series continues, as well as meeting and growing to love the new additions. We get to watch them as they grow and change, as their priorities and allegiances change, and especially how their relationships with others change as well. I think it's an amazing feat to have such a wide cast of characters that are each so unique and integral to the story, and that each of them grabs the reader's heart. I don't think I've come across anything quite like it before and it definitely sets it apart from everything else out there.

The world building is simply magnificent. The author creates an entire world full of different countries, cultures, groups of people, customs and beliefs, and politics. It's incredibly detailed and the descriptions are vivid with tons of imagery to bring everything to life in front of your eyes. I felt like I was actually there alongside each character as their adventures were happening. Since this is the third book in the series, we get to know these lands and their people even better - including secret agendas, hidden plots, and alliances that have been brewing behind the scenes. I found it complicated and wonderful, and I can't wait to go back to the Witchlands. The plot is crazy and I don't even think I can explain it without sounding ridiculous. There's the overarching plot of Iseult and Safi along with their role in a sacred prophecy. But the series is also full of subplots and stories concerning other characters that are all intertwined in some way. It's like reading several stories at once, except they're all wrapped up in one novel. Every character has their own journey and obstacles along the way. We get to see them tackle these along with the others in the group while everything is happening all at basically the same time. It's hard to explain, but if you read the books, you know what I mean. I'm usually not big into epic fantasies, but this book and series is nothing short of amazing. It has everything one can want and then some. There's something for every reader - adventure, action, thrills, mystery, history, fantasy, and romance. I can't recommend this book (and series) highly enough to any reader out there who wants something bold, breathtaking and breaks the mold.









 

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