All Things Halloween Review - Kingdom of the Wicked

Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked, # 1)

By: Kerri Maniscalco

Publication: October 27, 2020 by Jimmy Patterson Books

372 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Witches

Source: Borrowed from the e-library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself...
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...

I'm going to start right off and say that I didn't like this book. I don't intend to read more of the series at this point. And I'm going to try to tell you why, but my thoughts are a bit jumbled.

Emelia and Vittoria are twins. They're witches. Supposedly good/light witches. To be honest, I haven't read many (any?) witch books that really worked for me. But I thought I would give it a try. Their grandmother has always told them stories about the princes of Hell in an attempt to warn them of their trickery and danger. But Emelia and Vittoria always thought their Nonna was telling them fairytales, fables, etc. Stories that wouldn't ever affect their lives. Until one day Vittoria is murdered. Emelia then seeks some dark methods in an attempt to discover who murdered her sister. She does a summoning spell for a demon that she found in Vittoria's hiding spot in their shared bedroom. Little did she know, she actually ended up binding the Prince of Wrath to her. They end up in an uneasy alliance as they both search for the murderer with different end goals.

As I said, I've never read a witch book that I actually ended up liking. The spells. The potions. The lore. All of it ends up bothering me. And there was a part of me that was just chilled when I started reading this book. I don't usually have problems with books that I can assign as completely fantasy, but when fantasy books use God or try to pull from real life religions I start to feel off about them. I don't even enjoy reading much Greek or Roman mythology based books. By the end of the book, I just felt like the author was trying to twist everything that might be expected to be good as bad and what might be expected to be bad is leading the reader and Emelia toward. It's hard to explain.

Perhaps my biggest frustration was Emelia as a character. She was so wishy washy. I pictured her running everywhere. Like a character on a video game. Like Link or Mario. They don't meander. When you play those characters, you make them run so you can get where you're going faster, but Emelia just seemed to be running everywhere. And she'd randomly change course in physical direction as well as emotional direction. It was jarring. And it felt like poor writing in my opinion. She'd be passionately pursuing one end goal and then randomly change course.

Also, Emelia was pretty blind. I like when authors can lead me to think I've figured out some secret plot point that I might actually be right about but also totally blindside me with something I didn't see coming. (I'm thinking about the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.) But this didn't feel like that at all. The big plot twists weren't a surprise. I think one of them or both were supposed to be. But I just ended up feeling like the character was a dolt for not figuring out at least one of them, but both of the main twists were pretty obvious. It's hard to root for a character that isn't very smart.

The relationship building between Wrath and Emelia was also a little bit painful to watch considering where it was obvious the author wanted to go with this direction. I don't plan to read the other two books in this series, but I feel like I can already tell you point by point what I expect to happen with these two characters. Which is one of the main reasons why I won't be continuing the series. Sure, he had some moments where he wasn't a total DB, but that doesn't mean the two built any kind of true relationship or connection that was worth any weight.

And then another complaint I had is that Wrath has so much knowledge that Emelia doesn't have. She knows basically nothing. And so she spent the entire book asking questions and not getting any real answers or anything. He flat didn't even respond to many of her questions. I know that the pacing of revealing information to a character can be important for the story to progress in a specific manner, but Emelia spent the entire book not really knowing anything yet continually making assumptions and judgement calls and then she'd make some ridiculous stance on something knowing zero information. Of course, it's easy to play a character like that.

Language was minimal. I think the s-word was used twice and the d-word as well. That being said, there was also on-page kissing, but that was about it. No on-page spice or sexual content.

I don't have any quotes I care enough to share with you.

I kept read Kingdom of the Wicked hoping that it would redeem itself. And then I'd come far enough to want to see it through. I did consider DNFing it in the beginning, but after I moved past that point, I didn't really think about it again until maybe the 80% mark when I realized that things probably weren't going to turn around, but I stuck with it and finished it out. Kingdom of the Wicked gets 2.5 Stars. Have you read Kingdom of the Wicked? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

All Things Halloween Review - Beguiled

Beguiled (Betwixt & Between, # 3)

By: Darynda Jones

Publication: February 15th 2021 by Feather & Leaf, LLC

372 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Newly indoctrinated witch, and a charmling to boot, Defiance Dayne discovers there’s more to life after forty than she'd ever imagined possible. Especially since one neighbor is trying to seduce her, another neighbor is trying to steal her house out from under her, and a third neighbor is trying to get her kicked off the planet. Oh for three, but things start to look up when a new witch moves to town, one who says she’s been sent to thwart an attempt on the charmling’s life.

Dephne decides she has three things to do before she can die. Find out who killed her beloved grandmother, teach her BFF, Annette, the finer points of spellcasting before she blows up the world, and figure out how serious her relationship with the Adonis living in her basement really is. If it’s heading in the direction she’s hoping for, she can die happy. Though, admittedly, she’d rather not.

None of that will matter, however, if she can’t figure out how to foil the supernatural assassin who’s been sent to kill her. Until then, it’s business—and hopefully romance—as usual. Now if she can only figure out how to tame a lacuna wolf.

I have this funny habit of reading books and ignoring characteristics about a character that I find unattractive. Like men with long hair aren't attractive to me for the most part. So if a book has a main male character with long hair, I mentally edit that out. Or in this case, if the main male character wears a leather kilt, I just kind of forget that detail as I'm reading. Does anyone else do that? I'm sure some people find leather kilts attractive. Me...not so much.

One thing Darynda Jones does well is writing quirky, funny heroines. Defiance might be her quirkiest character yet. Charley comes close, but Defiance has an air of ditziness that even Charley didn't have. And Sunshine is quite a bit more put together with her professionalism that neither Charley nor Defiance has. And Annette is right up there. The humor was on point in Beguiled.

I was slightly discouraged with the romantic relationship. Roane said a few things that made me feel like he had no emotional choice in his being drawn to Defiance. And the two progress in their relationship without actually sharing much back and forth conversation as far as delving into the essence of who each other is and how they've come to be these people...at least in this story. They seem to just share day-to-day experiences with each other, which is fine, but doesn't give me a really deep feeling about their relationship despite having some supernatural situations that tie them together in multiple ways.

Favorite quotes:

-"I want to be let past the gates. You can keep the wall up." He leaned back again. "I'm fine with that. I understand it better than most. I just want to be on the other side of it. With you."

-There were few things more disappointing than finding out you were nothing more than a means to an end.

-Clearly, I could not be trusted when it came to men with a penchant for saying exactly what a girl wanted to hear.

-"Sometimes the fiercest predators and the strongest allies come in the smallest packages."

-"How long can you wait?" "Until the stars burn out."

Perhaps the most telling thing for me was that after I finished Beguiled, I kept wanting to come back to it. I kept forgetting that I was finished and had this urge to pick it up to keep reading. Of course, I also want to continue the story and find out what happens next. I'm both dreading and excited to see things continue with Annette in the future. But I don't feel done with Defiance. (Obviously, she'll still be present, but I hope she continues to narrate in the future as well.) I'm hoping to see continued depth develop between Defiance and Roane and not just be two characters that were cosmically connected and now have no choice in the matter. Beguiled gets 4 Stars. Have you read Beguiled? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

All Things Halloween Review - Bewitched

Bewitched (Betwixt & Between, # 2)

By: Darynda Jones

Publication: September 15th 2020 by Feather & Leaf, LLC

247 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural, Witches

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Forty-something Defiance Dayne only recently discovered she comes from a long line of powerful witches. Added to that was the teensy, infinitesimal fact that she is what’s called a charmling. One of three on the entire planet. And there are other witches who will stop at nothing to steal her immense power, which would basically involve her unfortunate and untimely death.

No one told her life after forty would mean having to learn new lifeskills—such as how to dodge supernatural assassins while casting from a moving vehicle—or that the sexiest man alive would be living in her basement.

Whoever said life begins at forty was clearly a master of the underappreciated and oft maligned understatement.

This is another book when I let too much time go by between finishing the book and writing my review. Sigh. And I truly can't remember much that I wanted to say about Bewitched.

I really couldn't remember Defiance bringing Ruthie back from the veil at the end of Betwixt. So it took me a little while to settle in to the start of Bewitched. I also felt like overall Defiance was facing a lot of the same challenges in Bewitched that she already faced in Betwixt. She doubts her abilities in Betwixt, but now she's trying to deny they exist. She doesn't expect to be able to stay in the house and in Salem in the first book and now she's looking for a way to escape. I just don't want the stories to repeat themselves too much.

I also found it slightly discouraging how much doubt Defiance has in Roane or at least in the possibility of him being interested in her. To me it seemed quite obvious that he feels connected and even desires her. And well by the end of the book it should definitely be obvious to her.

Defiance does hint about some big evil that should be coming based upon what she witnessed in her coma at the beginning of the book. I'm curious as to how many books Darynda Jones intends for this series. It seems similar to the Charley Davidson series in that not much happens in the overall plot per book. Enough to keep you interested and wanting to know more, but a slow trickle of information for the overall plot.

I'll be honest, this review sucks. *I'm pregnant and dealing with a sinus infection and so my brain is just not working like I'd like. I finished Bewitched 14 days before writing this review which I'm beating myself up about not reviewing sooner. I enjoyed it. I really did. I'm happy to give Bewitched 4 Stars. Have you read Bewitched? What did you think? Let me know!

*Original review written in October 2020 but saved for "All Things Halloween" 2021.

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Can't Wait for Moonlight & Magic

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Moonlight & Magic (Betwixt & Between, # 4)

By: Darynda Jones

Expected Publication: November 17th 2021

? pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Forty-something Annette Osmund always knew she was psychic. She’s not, but that didn’t stop her from giving those non-existent abilities her all. What she is, however, is a very powerful witch who has just inherited magics she never dreamed possible.

Starting over in a new town with her BFF has been an adventure. Defiance’s status as a powerful type of witch called a charmling has kept Annette busy. But while Deph, a seeker, is still learning to use her magics, to control the power at her fingertips, Annette is overcome with powers of her own. Turns out, her being besties with Deph was not an accident. They were drawn to each other even before their powers emerged, and Annette learns she is also a charmling, a healer, and an alchemist. But what does that even mean?

Fortunately, there’s one way to find out. She consults the house they’re living in. Or, more to the point, the delicious entity haunting the house. Because, like her, he was once an alchemist. Maybe he will have the answers she so desperately seeks before she kills someone. The fact that he was once a stunning specimen of masculinity has nothing whatsoever to do with her desire to learn from a man who may or may not have been a powerful warlock.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Bewitched

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Bewitched (Betwixt & Between, # 2)

By: Darynda Jones

Expected Publication: September 15th 2020 by Feather & Leaf, LLC

? pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Supernatural, Witches

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Forty-something Defiance Dayne only recently discovered she comes from a long line of powerful witches. Added to that was the teensy, infinitesimal fact that she is what’s called a charmling. One of three on the entire planet. And there are other witches who will stop at nothing to steal her immense power, which would basically involve her unfortunate and untimely death.

No one told her life after forty would mean having to learn new lifeskills—such as how to dodge supernatural assassins while casting from a moving vehicle—or that the sexiest man alive would be living in her basement.

Whoever said life begins at forty was clearly a master of the underappreciated and oft maligned understatement.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

The Fiery Heart - Review

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, # 4)

By: Richelle Mead

Published: November 19th 2013 by Razorbill

438 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

I just love Richelle Mead. I loved Vampire Academy. I love Adrian, Sydney, them together, Eddie, all the characters really. I love this spin-off series. And well The Fiery Heart just makes it all that much better. The Fiery Heart is definitely the best in the series so far. And I can’t wait to see how it fits into the entire series as a whole. Richelle Mead likened The Fiery Heart for Bloodlines to Shadow Kiss for Vampire Academy. She said that what Shadow Kiss did for the Vampire Academy series, The Fiery Heart will do for the Bloodlines series, and I can totally see what she means. Obviously, the books aren’t mirror images, as a matter of fact, they’re quite different. But I think what she meant by that was that Shadow Kiss took Vampire Academy to the next level with the storyline and the characters, and that’s exactly what The Fiery Heart has done for the Bloodlines series. Where things have been a little slower paced for the series up until this point, I can totally see how everything from here on out will be faster paced and more intense.

Without getting into too much detail, The Fiery Heart was a really sweet book. Sydney’s made her choice in The Indigo Spell. She’s overcome her Alchemist hangups, and she and Adrian are officially a couple. And well, just witnessing that was beautiful. It was fun. And it was sigh-worthy. Though Richelle Mead avoids any graphic detail in The Fiery Heart, there are several physical scenes—to the point where I’m not sure what age group I would feel comfortable recommending this book. But don’t be confused, everything’s not perfect for Sydney and Adrian because, now more than ever, they have to go through so much effort to keep their relationship a secret. And as any reader would suspect, this is made more difficult by the addition of Sydney’s younger sister, Zoe, joining the Palm Springs team. Zoe has something to prove—that she can be just as good, if not better, of an Alchemist as Sydney has been.

Sydney is every bit the leading female that Rose was from Vampire Academy. Where Rose is all brute force and smart mouth, Sydney is cunning, smart, and all finesse. Sydney takes care of business. She takes care of everyone else. But she’s being pulled in too many directions these days. She has the Alchemists mission. She has her witchcraft. She has a new and rapidly developing relationship with Adrian. She has found friends in the other Moroi and dhampirs in the group. She has the resistance to the Alchemist mission with Marcus Finch. She has her parents upcoming divorce and custody battle of her younger sister. And she of course is trying to balance a dangerous line with being a sister and being free to pursue all of her side interests that Zoe can’t know about. It’s inevitable that Sydney will become overwhelmed with all of her responsibilities.

Adrian finally gets everything that his fans have been hoping for throughout both Vampire Academy and Bloodlines. People hated the way Rose treated him. While I do NOT approve of Rose’s treatment of Adrian, I was always a Rose and Dimitri fan. And I firmly believe that Adrian needed to go through that experience with Rose in order for him to be in the right place and frame of mind to be ready for Sydney and his relationship with her. Adrian really comes into his own. He struggles with battling his persona of bad boy, slacker with who he wants to be for Sydney. He wants Sydney to have the world. And of course, he wants to be the one to give it to her. Adrian shows how essential he is to the Moroi as a whole, to Sydney as a partner, and just in general. He makes some difficult choices, and he grows more in this book than probably any other. Yet he’s the same old Adrian that we all fell in love with way back when he showed up on a porch in the middle of Strigoi crisis back in book 2, Frostbite, of Vampire Academy.

The secondary characters continue to grow on me. I’d absolutely LOVE for Richelle Mead to write from Eddie’s POV! Give Eddie his own spin off series! PLEASE! He’s been such a staple throughout both Vampire Academy and Bloodlines. I just love him! He’s so loyal. He’s intense. He’s just trying to be the best guardian he possibly can. And we of course have Jill, who I’ve grown to like more. She still makes some decisions that I think are indicative of her young age, but overall she’s growing on me. Angelina is still as whacky as ever—though she has a much smaller role. Trey. Jackie. The addition of Neil to the group. He was okay. A bit intense. He has a purpose to serve and he does so willingly and with conviction. And then we even see almost all of our favorites from Vampire Academy. Rose, Dimitri, Christian, Lissa, and even Sonya make appearances. I hated the way that Rose sees Adrian—how she can’t see his growth and seems like she’ll always see him as some slacker, but it makes sense that she does see him that way. I loved seeing Lissa’s interaction with Adrian as they were always close but in a completely different way than the others. They bond over Spirit, which totally makes sense. but you can tell how much Lissa cares for him.

And then there’s Zoe, of course. She deserves her own paragraph because she has a much bigger role within the book as a whole. On the one hand, I feel really sorry for Zoe. She’s trying so hard to find her father’s approval. Unfortunately he’s one of those that doesn’t hand it out easily—if ever really. So she’s fighting an almost impossible battle. And because she craves that so much, she’s driven to make bad decisions in order to please him. She feels so lonely, and that’s an aspect that I can relate to. Her sister is there, right beside her, but yet so far away at the same time. Sydney doesn’t agree with Zoe on almost anything at this point—whether Zoe intellectually knows it or not, she can definitely feel the divide between them. She’s surrounded by people she’s afraid of and trying her best not to get close to. And then her parents are getting a divorce, which is enough to tear at the heart of any child, much less one who is thrust so specifically in the middle and used against one parent. I hated what all she was going through—I felt sorry for her. Yet at the same time, I despised her weakness. Truly Zoe just needs to come into her own as a person. Hopefully we’ll see some growth out of her in the coming books.

I almost feel like I can’t fully rate The Fiery Heart until I see how the rest of the series plays out. I need to know how crucial it is to the evolution of the series as whole. Yet, because I can’t know that yet, I’m going to go with a very merry 4.5 Stars. I loved the romance between Sydney and Adrian. I thought the conflict of trying to balance it all was well done. And in true Richelle Mead style, we’re left at a semi-cliffhanger, and I’m dying to know what happens next.

Have you read The Fiery Heart? What did you think? Let me know!

Hex Hall - Review

Hex Hall (Hex Hall, # 1)

By: Rachel Hawkins

Published: March 2nd 2010 by Hyperion Book CH

323 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy

Source: Borrowed from my local library

( Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, The Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Ugh this is another one that I just didn't love. It might be my own fault on this one though. I went into it not expecting to love it. I didn't quite understand why Sophie would cast the original love spell that got her thrown into Hex Hall. It felt pretty obvious to me that there was a need for Sophie to get sentenced to Hex Hall and this spell gone wrong just seemed to fit the bill--yet didn't. While the spell going wrong fit into the rest of the book, the reasons behind why Sophie decided to perform the spell in the first place just didn't make sense to me with the rest of her character throughout the book.

The most disappointing part to me was how cliche Hex Hall was. We've got the supermodel mean girls, the hot guy who's off limits, the gay best friend who the rest of the school hates (thankfully not because she's gay because that would be too cliche, but because she's "different" in another way--being a vampire), the MC who happens to be utterly plain and horrible at magic, but miraculously saves the day in the end all the while developing a relationship with the super hot guy. (I really wish you guys could see my face right now...Ooo I know...I'll insert a picture.) Here you go...

Even the idea of Archer being able to raise his one eyebrow and then Sophie remarks how jealous she is because she's always wanted to do that. I know I've read this exact same sentence in at least ten other books. Also....if a character proves time and time again that they don't seem to have much information about what's going on, there is no need to repeatedly ask them "you seriously don't know?" UM...I think that should be obvious at this point. Why is the MC's lack of information still a surprise to you?

I didn't quite connect with Sophie or Archer or Jenna or...well any of the characters really.

This review is coming off really harsh. I didn't hate it. I just didn't think there was anything different about it from most of the other YA paranormal books out there. Perhaps had I read this book a couple of years ago, I would have LOVED it. But not so much at this point in my reading life.

Hex Hall gets 3 stars from me. Have you read Hex Hall? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Things Halloween" October review event.

Witchstruck - Review

Witchstruck (The Tudor Witch Trilogy, # 1)

By: Victoria Lamb

Published: September 24th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

320 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Witches

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different;that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practice witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice. The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck ,the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy.

Witchstruck had a slightly slow start for me. And by that I mean I wasn't pulled in immediately, but truthfully I wasn't long into the book before I felt compelled to keep reading.

I've always been fascinated by Tudor history and to include that with my Witches and Witchcraft challenge for this year, Witchstruck felt like the perfect read for me. Plus I just loved the pretty cover.

In reading Witchstruck, I found myself equal parts frustrated with and enjoying Meg. She's a strong character, willing to put herself at risk for the betterment of others--Lady Elizabeth, her aunt Jane, Alejandro, etc. But I found myself also annoyed with her. She makes some rash decisions that once thought through weren't at all wise and for which she has to put herself into danger in order to rectify. She's both aware of her power and not at the same time. Plus her determination to show no feelings toward Alejandro left me irritated.

Alejandro...I'm also torn by his character. Alejandro is essentially a catholic priest in training. He's sent to both minister to Lady Elizabeth and probably spy on her as well. Alejandro learns of Meg's secret, and while he doesn't agree with her path, he doesn't condemn her either. This would probably be the part where I discuss how he doesn't condemn Meg based off an experience he had as a boy in his past, but said experience felt forced to me--perhaps a little too convenient. Overall I liked Alejandro. He follows his heart from moment to moment, acting as his morals allow, yet bending to what each moment needs of him.

I felt that Meg's secrets were discovered too quickly and too publicly for the first book in the series, but having not read the other books, I can't really say that for sure.

Witchstruck was a fast read for me, and I kept coming back for more. While I did enjoy this first installment to the series, the potential conflicts that lie ahead for these characters indicate a bumpy and frustrating ride ahead. I do plan to check out the next book in the series, and I would recommend Witchstruck to others--especially fans of the witches and witchcraft area of the paranormal genre.

Witchstruck gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read Witchstruck? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Things Halloween" event.

Spellbinding - Review

Spellbinding

By: Maya Gold

Published: April 1st 2013 by Scholastic Point

272 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Witches

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

Since I initially started branching out into the paranormal genre (years ago), I've slacked off on reading about witches. I mean I didn't really do it on purpose, but I just noticed that witches don't tend to make my top paranormal beings to read about anymore. So I decided to enter the Witches and Witchcraft challenge this year hosted by Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf. I didn't set a high goal (1-5 books) and since I've already read more than 1 "witch" book this year I guess I've met my goal, but I picked up Spellbinding from NetGalley to add to my challenge this year and because of the addition of the Salem witches aspect.

Spellbinding is one that I think younger readers will enjoy. The cliches abound to an extent that I find unforgiving--even the author says something about a "pathetic cliche." And I just kept finding myself asking "why write about a giant cliche if you know that's exactly what it is???" Along with this, Spellbinding was just a bit too "pretty" for me. Everything was easy. Pieces fell into place too perfectly. The MC, Abby, accepts her abilities and magic way too readily for me to find believable. Nothing was difficult for her and she really didn't have any real challenges to overcome or conflict to resolve. Rem and his feelings for Abby were too easy and too fast as well. It was just all a bit "cookie-cutter" for my tastes.

I really don't have much else to say about Spellbinding. It was a quick read, but Spellbinding doesn't appeal to me. I like books--even paranormal--to feel as realistic as possible. Spellbinding just didn't. As I said earlier, I do think Spellbinding might appeal to a younger audience--specifically readers new to the paranormal genre or just readers not overexposed to the overused themes, concepts, and plot points of this book.

Spellbinding gets 2.5 stars from me. Have you read Spellbinding? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Thing Halloween" 2013 series.

Consume - Review

Consume (The Clann, # 3)

By: Melissa Darnell

Published: August 27th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

384 pages

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!)

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Goodreads description--These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which, as they kiss, consume.

—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Tristan Coleman has survived the change from Clann magic user to vampire, much to Savannah Colbert's joy—and despair. By changing the Clann's golden boy and newly elected leader, even to save him from death, she has unleashed a fury of hatred and fear that they cannot escape.

As the Clann and the vampire council go to war, Tristan and Sav face a new threat—a fracturing of the all-consuming bond they share. To fight for peace, they must forge a new trust and risk everything to take down their deadliest enemy, even as they must run for their lives. Soon they will learn that some bonds are stronger than love—and some battles cannot be won without sacrifice.

Before writing this review for Consume, I went back and re-read my reviews for both Crave, book 1, and Covet, book 2. Obviously I stuck to my word in my review of Covet and did request Consume when it became available on NetGalley, but as with my feelings after reading Crave, I just really wasn't all that excited about picking up Consume to begin reading it. I think I requested it more out of my compulsive need to finish what I've started rather than from a real desire to know what happens next. But I did pick it up. And I did read it. And it was a mediocre read for me, making the series overall just that--mediocre.

In the beginning of Consume we have Tristan as a newly turned vampire. And there was a lot of frustration that came from the beginning of the book for me. But luckily, Tristan got his memory back fairly early on in the beginning and that helped move the story along for me.

I said in one of my reviews for the two previous books (I can't remember which one and too lazy to look again) that there were several Twilight-esque moments, and well there was more of the same in Consume. Particularly having to do with a newly turned vampire and an almost unfortunate hunter in the woods.

One of my biggest frustrations with this series, though I haven't mentioned it in the other reviews, is the language/terminology used. Ex: "gaze daze," "Sav," "sis," & "vamp blur." I think "gaze daze" and "vamp blur" are self-explanatory. As for "sis," do people really talk that way--calling each other "sis" and "bro?" No one I know talks that way. And "Sav" short for Savannah, just sounds like "salve" in my head. Maybe it's the Southern in me that's pronouncing one or both of those wrong, but that's all I could think about anytime someone (usually Tristian) said "Sav." I just found this type of dialogue/terminology too cheesy.

Another frustration was that this series seemed to be too "pretty" or too "sculpted." Like the events took place just to move the story along even when actions were out of character. Like Savannah's mom being against a plan of action because it would put Savannah in danger, but then she's all like "well I'm coming along just to make sure Savannah is safe." *Spoiler alert* And how about when Tristan wants to kill a particular character in the book who murders his mom, and Savannah's all like "Now Tristan, that would be murder. You couldn't possibly want to murder this person because that would make you a monster. You've got to be the bigger person and forgive and forget." Tristan sees the light and backs off. Then said character decides to kidnap Savannah's friends and all of a sudden Savannah jumps on the "Tristan you were right! That character must die because he kidnapped my friends." I mean kidnapping and murder aren't exactly in the same league, though both are horrible. How about let's take a little of our own advice, huh? *Spoiler Over* In the same way, because the characters are on the run for the majority of this book, they're all like "We must flee to somewhere safe." Then they get ten miles down the road and say "Well crap we must go back!" This happened multiple times. And finally, while I'm ranting on and on about my frustrations, how about when they go looking for a certain thing that they need, it's just coincidentally right where the second place they think to look? (Trying to be vague here since I already had one spoiler.) But it would have been more believable to me had the thing been in the first place they looked. You really just have to read the book to get what I'm talking about.

As you can see, I had some frustrations with Consume (and with this series as a whole). But I will say that Consume was a fast and easy read for me. Though I was rolling my eyes a lot, it wasn't hard to keep reading.

Consume gets 3 stars from me. It was a little too "pretty." The Clann series as a whole also gets 3 stars. That's the best I can do. Have you read Consume? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my "All Things Halloween" October review event.