Witch Song (Witch Song, #1)

by Amber Argyle

A witch. Her guardian. A stolen magic . . .

When the witch hunters penetrate Brusenna's warded forest, she learns an impossible truth.

She is the last witch.

Now on the run, Brusenna finds an ally in her newly appointed guardian, Joshen, whose confidence and kindness threatens to break down the carefully constructed barriers around her heart. Together, they scramble to learn enough magic to defeat the evil the witch hunters serve.

Because if that evil captures Brusenna, it will become unstoppable.

Can Brusenna and Joshen evade the witch hunters long enough to find and free the other witches? Or will their stolen magic enslave the world?

• ISBN10: 1936850168
• ISBN13: 9781936850167
• Publish Date: 1 February 2012 (first published 1 July 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Rhemalda Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[tweetybugshouse]

I rec'd an audible code from the author in exchange for my honest review. This book is a magical journey that keeps you reading from one page to the next. Amber describes each character with a flair that has you feel like your walking hand in hand with the characters. Since i got to listen to it as audio book i felt i was more entranced into the story. I felt for Brusenna and the long journey she has to take to destroy the evil that has captured all the other witches. I felt how much she has to strive to conquer this evil. This great book one and has me ready for the next one.

[sstaley]

Fabulous first book in this series. I loved this unique storyline and the story that Amber has created.

I reviewed the whole series here at my blog.

http://whynotbecauseisaidso.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-of-witch-song-series-witch-song.html

[inlibrisveritas]

This is one of those books that really captivate your imagination right from the beginning. The writing is detailed and rich and Argyle’s skill weaves a really interesting and fantastic world. The settings are very easy to picture and even the roughest terrain sounds kind of beautiful in a way, though I think I am partial to her jungle settings. I could practically feel the humidity. There is also fairly unique lore when it comes to magic, which really adds to the story since I haven’t read very many books like this. The witches are some of the most fascinating that I’ve read about. Their power lies in their voices and their songs, and when they sing they can control the elements of their world. Witchlanders by Lena Coakley is the only other novel with magical song that I’ve read, but it has a very different feel to it. The books opens up fairly strong and sets the pace for the entire novel and it turned out to be a real page turner, especially towards the end.

The main character Brusenna (Senna) starts off a rather sheltered young girl who barely uses her song and knows practically nothing of her world, but as the story progresses she blossoms into a strong young woman with the ability to lead others. She did have a tendency to beat herself up over a lot of things, like not being strong enough or deserving, but she does grow out of some of it over time. I just wanted her to find peace within herself. Joshen is a wonderfully loyal and sweet companion of Senna. He puts her safety above everything else, but he’s also willing to let go when it’s needed. Their relationship is very sweet and it grows naturally on it’s own, though one instance of emotional outpouring is a little awkward but it’s fairly cute. I think the most important thing about their relationship is the fact that it’s not the center of the story, Senna has her priorities in order and doesn’t drop everything for romance. The other side characters are just as interesting and add quite a bit of variety to the story, everything from unique recluses to daring sailors.

The actual journey is just as unique and Senna encounters a wide array of settings, creatures, and people. The one thing that bothered me were the time skips. It’s nothing terrible but there are moments where the actual progress of time isn’t mentioned, so it was a bit difficult to guess how much time had passed until it’s mentioned again later. Towards the end there are a ton of high points that really keep you reading, and when you think the story might be coming to a close you realize they still have more to do. The conclusion really has me curious as to what happens in the next one.

So if you are looking for a different kind of witch book this one might be for you.

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Witch Song was a rich and compelling fairytale of magic and dark controling forces, that gives a unique twist to witchcraft and witches, in general. It was powerful and interesting. Argyle's ability to create a world in which the power of song is used to create magic, is not only masterful but brilliantly clever.

In a world where Brusenna's kind are becoming more and more scarce and opposing darker forces seem to be growing stronger with the shifting of the seasons and the winds, Senna must somehow find the strength within herself to stop the Dark Witch from destroying the rest of her kind. No one else, not even her gaurdian Joshen, has the strength to do this. It lies only with her and she must summon every ounce of bravery that she has tucked away deep inside of her in order to defeat the Dark Witch and keep her from succeeding in destroying, the very essence of Witch Song.

The attention to detail in the world building, the memorable character's, and in the genius behind the origins of the magical world, Argyle has managed to write the perfect debut that is sure to keep reader's on the edge of their seats. She seems to write with a hint of innocence attached, co-mingling with the perfect chemistry of drama, bravery, and adventure taking the reader's on an epic journey of heroism unlike any other. It is simply powerful when an author is able to write with this much conviction and heart, making it easy for her audience to connect with the story and the character's within.

The beauty in Witch Song doesn't just lie in the bravery of Senna or the beautiful subtle romance depicted between Senna and Joshen, but in the simple words used to describe the world in which Argyle has penned so flawlessly. Her scenery takes on sort of a medevil feel to it, that possesses the ability to transport the reader back to another time and place, that almost seems a world away. This is exactly the type of novel that one would find themselves getting lost in and aching for more, once the last page has been turned.

[Kim Deister]

Witch Song is an amazing read that I couldn't put down! I was swept into Brusenna's world and lived her story right along with her. The author created a world filled with action, characters to love and to hate, and a story line that is intriguing. It is truly the tale of the battle between good and evil, with all the gray areas in between that make the story so interesting. There was very much an "epic saga" feel to this book, the quest to thwart evil and save the world.
There was so much for me to love about this book! The author did an amazing job building a world that I could see in my mind's eye, a great foundation for an engaging story. In a lot of ways, Brusenna's coming into her own was a bit of a coming of age story. Her life had been sheltered and reclusive and watching her blossom throughout the story was heart warming. I loved so many of the characters, some human and some who were not. Joshen is a fabulous counterpart to Brusenna, and Pogg was hilarious and sweet! I loved the unusual names; they truly fit the story and the theme of it. I also appreciated the author's writing style, blending the "telling" of the story with the "showing" of it. I also loved all the magical, "earthy" themes and references that added an air of authenticity to the story while using those things in creative ways. For example, the nature aspect of the witches was shown in the use of seed belts for fighting and defense.

Fabulous book, fabulous way to escape reality! I am looking forward to the next book, Witch Born!