Fantasy is not a typical genre for me, as I don’t like having to figure out the pronunciation of made-up words or struggle to bring the book to life. Having the narrator made all the difference! I also liked how Lisa was able to make the male voices sound authentic and not just like a woman trying to sound like a man. She is a favorite narrator because of that!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions are my own.
The Lightness of Water by Toni Cabell (Author), Lisa Lynn Sandlin (Narrator)
Series: Water Witch – Book 1
Publisher: Endwood Press LLC
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Genres: Young Adult | Fantasy
Length: 8 hours and 14 minutes
Format: audiobook – received from narrator
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Solace is beautiful, strong-willed, and called the water witch by her neighbors. She divines for water in the arid hills of her home—a dangerous pastime across the border, where the king controls access to all the water.
Rhees is brooding, bitter, and hiding a deadly secret. But he’s determined to find a way to help the thirsty people of his land—even if it means kidnapping the last living water diviner.
But divining for water is against the law, punishable by death. Should Solace risk everything—including her heart—in a daring race to find water, or flee across the hills at her first chance of escape?
My Review and Reflections
Solace’s gift as a water diviner seemed almost like a skill she had learned. Her mother did teach her to use her gift, so I suspect it was a mix of both. She is the type of person who focuses on others and ensures they feel included, needed, and loved—no matter who they are. Rhees is gruff and single-minded in his desire to help the kingdom, so much so that his plans cause harm to others, particularly Solace. The book had me on the edge of my seat with the action. While the entire book was good, once I hit Chapter 13, I couldn’t stop reading and stayed up late to finish. There was just so much going on; I was anxious for Solace and Rhees and had to keep reading, even though it meant staying up late.
If I had one complaint about this book, it’s that Solace is 17. While I appreciate that this is a young adult book, I would have preferred Solace to be in the 18–20 range, given the things she has to deal with. Not that anyone should have to go through them, but for the sake of young minds, having her be older would have felt more appropriate.
Note: My daughter did not see any issue with Solace being 17 and my teenage granddaughters are reading this. So maybe I am being overally cautious.
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