Truthwitch cover

Romantasy

Truthwitch

Susan Dennard · The Witchlands #1 · 2016

Two witch best friends on the run from empires and assassins are pursued by a Bloodwitch who can never stop hunting them.

Score
75.9
Spice
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Sweet
POV
multi
Ending
HEA / HFN

Tropes

Content warnings

ViolenceDeathBloodWar

Curated signals, not an exhaustive guarantee.

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What readers think

Readers consistently praise the central friendship between Safi and Iseult — widely described as the emotional core and strongest element of the book — and the inventive elemental magic system. The fast pacing, multi-POV structure, and vibrant world-building also earn frequent acclaim. The most common criticism is that the book throws readers into a dense world with little guidance, leaving many confused about the magic rules and political geography until well into the story. Some also find the consequences feel low-stakes and the supporting characters underdeveloped. Those who click with the friendship dynamic tend to rate it four or five stars; those looking for romance or tighter worldbuilding exposition are often disappointed.

Read it if

  • · Readers who prioritise a fierce female friendship over romance as the emotional engine of the story
  • · Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender-style elemental magic and action-adventure pacing
  • · YA high fantasy readers wanting a series starter with political intrigue and a large, explorable world

Skip it if

  • · You need romance as a primary thread — it is a very minor subplot here
  • · You find dense world-building without heavy exposition frustrating or disorienting
  • · You are looking for standalone resolution — book 1 ends on open threads and rewards series commitment

If you liked this

  • · For fans of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas who want the adventure energy without the romance focus
  • · For fans of An Ember in the Ashes — two POVs navigating a politically volatile world with elemental-adjacent magic
  • · Like Graceling but with the friendship between women at the centre rather than a solo heroine arc
  • · For fans of Six of Crows who want a found-family action ensemble in a richly built secondary world

Which dark romantasy heroine are you? Five choices in a forest that wants you dead.

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