8 young adult book releases to look for in February

Cover to Sightwitch by Susan Dennard. Image: Tor Teen.

Sightwitch — Susan Dennard

Sightwitch: A Tale of the Witchlands is a companion to Susan Dennard’s Witchlands series. Told from the perspective of fan favorite Ryber, it will further explore the world Dennard set up in Truthwitch and Windwitch. The promised epistolary format should add to the experience nicely — particularly when there are other kinds of in-universe material to deepen readers’ understanding of the world even further than a standard companion or spinoff novel.

This novella, which comes out Feb. 13, should be sufficient to hold fans over until Bloodwitch arrives in 2019. (And, if you’re looking to get the reader in your life a Valentine’s Day gift but don’t have much to spend, it might not make for a bad choice … provided they don’t have it pre-ordered themselves already!)

"Set a year before Truthwitch, Sightwitch follows Ryber Fortiza, the last Sightwitch Sister as she treks deep underground to rescue her missing best friend. While there, she encounters a young Nubrevnan named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he wound up inside the mountain. As the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, and as they brave one close call after another, a tentative friendship forms between them—one that might one day grow into something more. Sightwitch is told through Ryber’s journal entries and her sketches, as well as through supplementary materials (such as other journals, pieces of songs, clippings from history books, flashbacks, etc.). Though meant as a companion novella, this story serves as a set up to Bloodwitch as well as an expansion of the world. (via Goodreads)"