The Truth Tellers Tale by Sharon Shinn

The Blurb:

Innkeeper’s daughters Adele and Eleda are "mirror twins"—identical twins whose looks are reflections of each other’s—and their special talents are like mirrors, too. Adele is a Safe-Keeper, entrusted with hearing and never revealing others’ secrets; Eleda is a Truth-Teller, who cannot tell a lie when asked a direct question. The town of Merendon relies on the twins, no one more than their best friend, Roelynn Karro, whose strict, wealthy father is determined to marry her off to the prince. When the girls are seventeen, a handsome dancing-master and his apprentice come to stay at the inn, and thus begins a chain of romance, mistaken identity, and some very surprising truths and falsehoods.

The Afterglow:

"The Truthteller's Tale" and its prequel, "The Safekeeper's Secret" are both wonderful books and, although they are targeted to a young adult audience, I hope that doesn't stop adults from picking up these gems. Elada and Adele are twins and mirror images of each other in both personality and appearance. Elada is a truth-teller, unable to speak an untruth and compelled to always tell the truth. Adele, on the other hand, is a secret-keeper, as closed-lipped and good-naturedly duplicitous as her sister is outspoken. As the twins grow up and into their roles, their abilities help them provide the functions of confidant and advice-giver for the entire town. Occasionally the townsfolk mix up the twins, to sometimes humorous, embarrassing, or disastrous results, accidentally telling secrets to Elada and expecting honest advice from Adele. The secrets they learn unravel over a backdrop of the sisters discovering love, loss, betrayal, and friendship as they first blossom into adolescence and then adulthood.

I loved this book and when asked what my favorite novel is that I've ever read I would definitely share this tale by Sharon Shinn. Her world and words are truly magical.