This book was incredible. I love Susan's writing, and this story has soo many moving parts in it. So many questions are answered in this one.

This is probably the best book in the series. I will fight you on this.

All of the characters and the plots are in motion and becoming more and more real. Little things that were set up on TruthWitch are in your face now. Everything is so well woven and set up that to say I'm impressed is an understatement.

There are so many reveals in this book that are going to blow your mind. Trust me, you'll love it. Trust me, it's well executed.

Do yourself a favor and reread EVERYTHING before you start this. Including SightWitch, because it's wonderful and has some moments in this book that makes people who read SightWitch cry for joy.

This book was a work of art and I can't wait to continue their story in book 5!

Not going to lie, this was a slog to start. As in I tried to read it, got confused, read the previous 4 again, and then had to restart it at least 3 times. Once I got past the half way point, it turned into smooth sailing.

So, the good?
Aeduan is still a jerk but he's becoming slightly less so.
Iseult finally gets it together and realises she's so much better than she ever thought.
Safi is still whiny but a good egg on the inside 🤷‍♀️
The Threadstones (yes this is capitalised for a reason) actually have a purpose to fulfil, a fact that is both intriguing and confusing.
Corlant gets a comeuppance of epic proportions

The bad?
There's no Kullen or Malik
Vivia and Vaness feel like they've just been shoved in at random times and it could have been SO MUCH FASTER to get to the pointy end of the whole shebang.
That first half I talked about dragged.

Overall I enjoyed it but I feel like there was something missing in the mix. Definitely worth reading if you're a fan. But also, that ending made me want to steamroll through to the next one. But it's not done yet sooooo now im just gonna flail for a while while I wait

I have to tell you first of all that I'm glad I reread all the books before reading Witchshadow, I got back into the story and I discovered things I missed in my first and second reading.
This review will probably contain some spoilers from the previous books so if you haven't read them, stop right now.
At the end of Bloodwitch Iseult was reunited with Safiya unfortunately at the beginning of Witchshadow Iseult is alone. We discover through flashbacks everything that happened to get there.
Witchshadow is the penultimate book in the series and Susan gives us more and more revelations, some of which I was certain about and others less so.
I loved this book from start to finish, all the characters have changed, Iseult has grown stronger, she is still badass but she has new powers. Safiya's position is not the easiest but she will find help. Aeduan is no longer himself but Iseult is there to set him straight. Vivia and Vaness will get to know each other. We will also follow the adventure of Styx and Ryber.
My favorite characters are still Iseult and Aeduan even if I really like Safiya and Ryber, I also learned to like Vivia as the series went on.
Anyway I'm really looking forward to reading the last volume of the series even if I know I'll have to be patient.
This series is a real masterpiece, Susan Dennard managed to create a complex world with characters all more interesting than the others.
Quick word: An exhilarating adventure that reads very quickly.

Great installment! I love this series so I'm a bit biased, but this book is my new favorite! I thought the pacing was great and the characters are all so well developed. I loved the relationships between the characters and I thought the world really expanded!

Susan has LEVELED UP with this book. So many reveals dropped, but so cleverly. The tension throughout the book was delicious and seeing the storylines starting to come together was so satisfying!

I have been massively into The Witchlands for years, and my god Witchshadow did not disappoint.

This is book four in a series, so if you haven't read the other three, I suggest you get thee to a copy of Truthwitch if you like high fantasy, multi-POV stories that have a core relationship that is a friendship. Also, a prophesy, a slow-burn romance, a very in-depth magic system, and lots of queer characters.

I really loved that this book had a link to recap's of the previous books at the beginning of the book! I skimmed it as it has been over a year since Bloodwitch, but I do also think that Dennard does a good job of reminding the reader of important information from the previous books (and the very important novella) before the reader needs that information for Witchshadow.

This book is very cleverly structured; you are thrown into the book and immediately see that a lot has changed since the end of Bloodwitch. Not with the characters who are temporarily out of commission; side note: I missed Merik a lot throughout this book but am very excited for what happens with him in the last book. We see Safi is Empress of Cartorra and a Hell-Bard in the capital, Iseult is traveling with Owl, Vivia and Vaness are together still but are unable to garner any support for their quests to reclaim their thrones. The first half of the book moves forward from this precarious point, and you flashback to the time between Bloodwitch and the starting point of Witchshadow. It is really well done and makes the beginning of the book so engaging and mysterious. It is such a fantastic puzzle.

It is so hard to figure out how to talk about books in a series, especially as you get further into the series. I never feel like I have adequately talked about the book because I am worried about spoiling and partly because so much happens in the final books in a series that it is hard to figure out what to highlight in a review.

This is Iseult's book. So the main thrust of the story centers on Iseult's journey as a character, with everyone else's story coming into play, but Iseult has the most POV chapters. The storyline that made me know I was falling in love with Truthwitch was Iseult, Gretchya, and Alma. I loved so many things about Truthwitch, but I was particularly fascinated with that storyline. Iseult's relationship with her mother is so pertinent in this installment in the series. It is absolutely heartwrenching and does such an excellent job explaining Iseult while also handling generational trauma in a nuanced way. We see Iseult's relationship with Owl mirroring her relationship with Gretchy in such a clever and interesting way.

I was also so interested in the way Safi's character journey was going to go in this book. Her situation is so precarious and upsetting that I was on tenterhooks the entire book waiting to see what happened with her. I also just really enjoyed seeing how Safi has grown since Truthwitch and how she has stayed the same. I also really liked how Safi's story propped up Iseult's, especially when we got to see that Iseult loves Safi so much and is able to recognize that just because she is not like Safi does not mean she is not deserving of the boldness that Safi embraces.

The thing that I so wanted from Bloodwitch was more Stix; I adore Stix as a character. I was so excited that Stix has a much more prominent role in this book. I was a little sad about the direction of one of Stix's stories (right at the end and something to do with Vivia), but I totally don't think it was a bad decision on the part of Dennard, and it totally makes sense, and seems to be building to something really excellent in the last book. I also loved that Ryber was with Stix; I missed getting Ryber time.

Vivia. I, like everyone else, adore her. I loved getting to read her journey with Vaness, getting to see how their relationship shifts, and watching the way people react to these two incredibly powerful women who have had very different past experiences. I don't want to spoil anything, but I am so excited to see where their stories go in the last book in this series.

I loved this book. I am so excited for the last book, but I am also just excited to reread this series so that I can see all the building blocks that lead the story to this point. Dennard does an excellent job of building the plot to this place; she does a great job of laying the path while also making you think you are going in a totally different direction. I loved the plot reveals in this book; I am so sure that the final book in this series is going to blow my mind.

Susan Dennard has done it again! WITCHSHADOW is a tightly paced adventure, full of reveals that have been hinted at since the first book, TRUTHWITCH. Will this book hit you in the emotional jugular? Absolutely. Will you welcome the punches with open arms? Absolutely. After all, would you expect anything less from Iseult's book?

I've been looking forward to Iseult's book since I started reading the series in 2017. I've always related to her the most, and ever since finishing BLOODWITCH, I kept theorizing as to what her arc would look like. In all honesty, it's better than I could've imagined. At the heart of the story is a young woman who doubts herself, even though she possesses great power. Her rich inner life has always spoken to me, and I couldn't wait to see her grow into her power.

Without spoiling the story too much, I think my favorite scene was seeing Iseult finally showing her true strength, both physically and mentally. Really, her entire arc, especially with Gretchya, was fantastic. It shows that heroines can be quiet and introverted without downplaying their strength. Susan has done a great job at creating two equally powerful heroines, despite their polar opposite personalities.

In the end, WITCHSHADOW clearly sets up the stakes for the final battle in the next book. And while I adored every POV, (especially the Rook King's!) I can't wait to see all these characters interact again. Susan is so good at creating her characters' distinctive voices that I know that these interactions will be *chef's kiss* perfection.

tl;dr WITCHSHADOW is a masterpiece, the best entry in The Witchlands series thus far. I cannot wait to see how it all plays out in the next (and last) book!

Fraught with building tension, Witchshadow brings us the start to what is sure to be an epic finale in the Witchlands series. It’s finally Iseult’s story, and not only is it intense, each and every single character in the book is having to look deep within themselves to find out just how far they’re willing to go to save the things that they want to protect. Of course, if you’re a lover of slow blazing romance, you will not be disappointed. This story will leave you on the edge of your seat with an ending that will leave you wishing the final book were here already. This is absolutely one to have on your shelf if you’re a lover of fantasy series!

Before we continue, this is a review of the fifth book of the Witchlands series. You’ll definitely want to steer away if you haven’t caught up because there will definitely be spoilers in this review. In Bloodwitch, Iseult and Safi had just been reunited, but unfortunately their reunion was short-lived. Iseult is again on the run while Safi stays behind in Cartorra. In order to save her dearest friend, she’ll have to summon magic darker and more dangerous than she’s summoned before. Meanwhile, Aeduan is battling forces beyond his abilities, and Vivia has found herself a queen without a crown or home. As their enemies close in, the Cahr Awen will be needed to stop the inevitable war. Iseult will have to decide which side of destiny she’ll be on to either save the Witchlands, or be its doom.

I feel like of all of the Witchlands books, this one was the one that took me a little bit to get into until I went back and read the series recap on Susan Dennard’s website. There’s a bit of past and present perspective going on that can make the story a bit disorienting, but once things really get going, it feels like it all goes very quickly. While the story primarily focuses on Iseult, it also switches to a few other beloved characters. There’s just enough space between each storyline for them not to become confused with one another, and when the storylines start to overlap, it makes their perspectives even more important.

For most of the series, Iseult has been consistently portrayed as a young woman who struggles to keep her feelings under wraps. There’s always been a building undercurrent of something more, and Witchshadow doesn’t disappoint. Her character growth in this book is stellar, and I was so riveted by her journey. Readers will find a confidence and questioning that has been missing throughout the story, and it rounds her out as a character. Iseult has always been a badass, but in Safi’s shadow. As she stands on her own and her struggle to define herself becomes even more intense, Iseult makes some pretty tough decisions.

My favourite thing about this whole series is Iseult and Safi’s unwavering love for each other. It’s better than the romance to me, because while these two aren’t sisters by blood, their bond transcends much more than that. What’s more, despite the fact that they seem to always be spending more time apart than together, they always manage to find each other again somehow. Even in the darkest of moments, these two share an inherent trust of each other to do the right thing in the end. With this book focusing on Iseult, I also loved looking deeper into Owl’s relationship with her. From the last book we know that there was a lot of tension between them and this book further explores those threads and amplifies it into something more.

Of course, I’m also always waiting for the tantalising bits of romance that Dennard always manages to tease in between moments of tension. They’re the types of moments just before the kiss, the anticipation builds, and then blazes into something more. Iseult’s romance is my favourite, but Vivia’s is also a very strong second. I honestly cannot wait to see what will happen in the next book.

This is absolutely a series I think fantasy lovers should read. The worldbuilding is incredible and I love getting to know more of the Witchlands without sacrificing character or plot development. It’s such a well rounded series, and with the next book being the finale, I’m both excited and dreading what’s to come. For now I sit in anxious anticipation, and will rate this book a 9/10. It takes a little bit to start (make sure to read the recaps!), but once it gets going you’re in for a fantastic ride.

Buckle up Witchlander fans! The epic sequel you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived! Witchshadow by Susan Dennard (the fourth novel in the brilliant Witchlands saga) takes place about two months after the events of Bloodwitch, following the same cast of characters. In general, this fast-paced fantasy focuses on: Safiya, a girl with a power empires will kill to possess; Iseult, Safiya’s friend who teeters on the edge of morality; Vivia and Vaness, queens without thrones; and Stix, a fighter plagued by persistent voices. Together, these women spread across a continent will traverse a deadly world in hopes of preventing an ancient evil from awakening.

In general, the Witchlands saga has stunning worldbuilding and Witchshadow is certainly no exception. The world has complex politics, history, and a well developed magic system, yet the author does an excellent job of expanding the world slowly. At no point in the story does she shove unnecessary information down the reader’s throat, so the snippets of included history are appreciated instead of ignored. To truly understand the grand extent of the plot and setting, reading the earlier books in the Witchlands saga is a must.

The plot--despite its tendency to jump around--is fast and easy to follow, though the dual timeline was slightly confusing for the first hundred pages. The action scenes are well crafted, as are those that focus more heavily on strong character development. Speaking of which, each character in this universe is unique and dynamic; they could easily step off the page. Iseult, around which Witchshadow revolves, had a very interesting arc. Morality has been such an important aspect of this series, so delving into Iseult’s created a thread that could be followed all the way back to book one.

What really sets this novel apart from others in the genre is the strong friendship between Safiya and Iseult. These girls would go to the ends of the world for each other, and though their bond is tested, it does not break. It is rare to find such well-developed female friendships in YA High Fantasy, making this book even more unique.

As to critiques, it is clear Witchshadow is a turning point for the rest of the saga. The original storyline has been left behind as the series sets out for unchartered waters, meaning the earlier plot was lost in this book. This novel did a lot of setting up for what is yet to come, and though that is important, it also caused the plot to drag in places because of how much foreshadowing was being done.

The writing of Witchshadow was exceptional. The vivid descriptions easily capture the attention of the reader, whisking them away to settings that seem real enough to touch. The dialogue flowed naturally between characters and the relationships that developed were genuine and well thought out. Despite the substantial worldbuilding and foreshadowing, the characters remained the stars of the books.

Witchshadow is YA Fantasy near its best. Die-hard fans of Throne of Glass, The Grishaverse, and Falling Kingdoms will want to get their hands on the Witchlands saga immediately.

Iseult's story BLEW ME AWAY!! I loved this book so much! Susan writes in a way that each chapter leaves you on a mini cliffhanger, but also your heading back into a chapter that you've been longing to know more about! These characters learn so much about themselves and this world and I was shocked, brought to tears, and dying to know what is going to happen next!