Book Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

***2012 Debut Author***

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publication Date: February 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 330
Series: 1st in a series
Acquisition: gift
Summary:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts:
Wonderful and heartbreaking! My heart is in my throat and I don't know if I want to cry or laugh or scream. Born Wicked is by far one of the best books I have read this year, or last year, and perhaps even the year before that.

I feel in love with every character. Some brought me pain, some complete joy, and a few I fantasied about stabbing in the eye. The wealth of emotion that this book brought me was fantastic. Born Wicked did exactly what a book should do.

I'm not sure what category to place this one in. It's historical in a sense but it isn't the history we all know. Alternative reality perhaps? We meet the Cahill sisters in the year 1896 in a small Maine town. New England was once a haven for women, for witches from around the world. They fled here in search of a new life and they found one. But of course, things didn’t' exactly work out the way they planned.

The world Cate lives in a fearful one. She knows her place, or at least, she should know it but it's hard. This is an unforgiving world and mistakes are not forgiven.

Final verdict:
Wow though! Really just wow! The overall experience of reading Born Wicked is one that has stayed with me. The ending really blew me away. I really wanted everything to fall into place. I really wanted Cate to have her happily ever after and I really wanted to see someone pay for what had been done. Did I get my wishes? You'll just have to find out for yourselves!

With so much more that could be told, I'm really curious as to what direction book 2 will go in. Same characters I've grown to love and hate? New ones to fall in love with or wish harm upon? I'm not sure but I do know that waiting until next year to find out will be a little torturous.

A fantastic debut - Jessica is an author I will be keeping my eye on!

Overall Rating:

5 / 5 Stars

Books in The Cahill Witch Chronicles:
#1 Born Wicked
#2 Star Cursed - February 2013

Author's website / Goodreads / IndieBound