Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough: Review Posted by Tiffany at 9:16 AM

Title: Always A Witch

Author: Carolyn MacCullough (site)

Published: August 1st, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 

Pages: 288

Price: Amazon / Book Depository

Series: Witch #2

Rating: 5/5

Source: NetGalley

Synopsis: The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights. 

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

Initial Thoughts: If you've read my review of Once A Witch, you know that I loved the first book in this series. I was really excited to see the sequel on NetGalley and I snapped it right up. I went into this one with high expectations.

Review: I loved this book! Tamsin is such a wonderful character. She feels like a real person. The romance between her and Gabriel is put on hold for most of the book, as she doesn't tell him that she's going into the past to try and stop the villain from the first book. I thought that this might make the book a bit more dull than the first, but I didn't even notice the lack. I thought I had a pretty good idea of where this one was going, how she would fix things, but I was very much surprised by the actual events. I loved getting a glimpse into the lives of the Knight family. Going by the blurb, I expected there to be a bit of romance between Tamsin and Liam, but there weren't really any "advances" made, at least not romantic ones. Everything is wrapped up nicely at the end. No word yet on whether or not there will be a third book, but I'm happy either way. There are no burning questions left in my mind, but I wouldn't mind spending more time with these characters. 

Quick Review: I loved this series, MacCullough is definitely going on my list of Authors to Watch. The characters are realistic and engaging, the story was fast-paced and surprising. I loved Tamsin and her world and I think you will too. I would recommend this to anyone who likes YA.

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough: Review Posted by Tiffany at 1:50 PM

Title: Once A Witch
Author: Carolyn MacCullough (site)
Published: September 14th, 2009 by Clarion 
Pages: 292
Price: $8.99 Amazon $7.99 Book Depository
Series: Witch #1
Rating: 5/5
Source: Bought
Synopsis: Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. This is a spellbinding display of storytelling that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.


Initial Thoughts: I liked the idea of a girl who belongs to a family of witches, but doesn't have any power of her own. This is a fresh take on the witch story (which there haven't been too many of lately anyway.)


Review: Carolyn MacCullough is now one of my favorite authors. I loved this book! Tamsin was a great character. I realized about five pages in that I was going to love reading about her. Her family is a bit crazy, but in a very realistic, not too over-the-top way. She's just a normal girl trying to escape a family that never really accepted her. Her love interest was perfect. I love the way they interact. Everything was fairly slow-paced in the romance department, no jumping in the sack immediately (which was nice). While some plot twists were a bit predictable, others blindsided me. The development with her sister was scary and seemingly hopeless. I don't want to give anything away, but it was a YIKES! kind of situation.

This book was fairly short, made shorter by the fast pace and engrossing story. I went through this one in one and a half days (fell asleep reading!). There are definitely situations left unresolved at the end, but overall I was satisfied with where the book ended. Could not wait to get the next one! (Thank god for NetGalley!)


Quick Review: This was a fantastic book with great characters and a fresh take on the YA Witch genre. I would recommend it to fans of YA supernatural.

Torment T-Shirts for $8! (Plus Acquisitions) Posted by Tiffany at 11:00 AM

I stopped at Borders yesterday and saw these beautiful shirts for $7.99 The picture's small, so it doesn't do it justice. The front has the picture from the cover of Torment with "Love Never Dies" in big print down the side, and the back has "Torment/ A Fallen Novel/ Lauren Kate" in that gorgeous font that's used on the books. Really cute, if a bit thin, shirts! The site says Not In Store, but I think it's more that they can't guarantee that you'll find it in store. Mine had plenty, although they were in the romance section. Happy hunting!

Also- picked up a few new books!