Book Review: Half Bad by Sally Green

Book #1 of The Half Bad Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Publication: January 2015 by Speak
Acquisition: received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and sixteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his seventeenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

(from Goodreads)

5 / 5 Stars

Such a great read.

It totally missed my radar and I should be shamed for that because OMG it's good - All the praise Half Bad has gotten is 100% deserved.

I love the way it starts. Part One with short chapters and a whole lot of unknowns.

I love how Part Two adds tons of explanation but there is still so much story to tell.

I love the switching back and fourth between 1st and 2nd person point of view. It made me feel like I was both being told what was happening to Nathan and at the same time experiencing it for myself.

I love how complex Nathan's life becomes and how much detail there is in his story.

I love how it takes place in England because it adds a layer of depth and history that the same story set in America just wouldn't have.

I love that it incorporates magic and life, love and family, loyalty and duty in fantastic ways.

I'd be hard pressed to find something I didn't love in Half Bad.

It's a gripping story that I couldn't put down. Nathan is a complex character whose story I needed to know. Everything about Half Bad pulled me in, wanting more!

I'm so excited that's it's only the first book in the series. Very, very much looking forward to devouring this trilogy.