Title and
Author: Born Wicked (The Cahill
Witch Chronicles 01) by Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: January 25th, 2012
Paperback/Hardcover:
330
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
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.
Review:
I’ll go ahead and start this
review by saying I’m not a big fan of witches but I still loved Born Wicked.
The story had me hooked from the start and I couldn’t stop reading until the
end.
Born Wicked is the story of
the Cahill sisters, 3 girls who area anything but ordinary. In a time a society
where girls were expected to be proper girls and witches were haunted down and
killed, Cate Cahill and her sisters are considered to be eccentric. No one
knows just how eccentric they really are, though. All three sisters are withes
and much to Cate’s dismay and worry she finds out they are the center of a
prophecy that could change everything. If that wasn’t enough Cate finds herself
torn between two boys she cares about while having to learn how to juggle tea
parties and the attention of the Brotherhood.
Cate is a wonderful main
character and it was easy to like and relate to her. She is very protective of
her sisters and is willing to do anything to keep them safe, including giving
up her chance to be happy. She’s strong and determined and very intelligent.
Cate’s sisters are very
different from her. While Tess, the younger sister, is sweet, intelligent and
mature, Maura is extremely rebellious and stubborn.
Even though I liked Paul and
though he was an interesting character, Finn was the one that won my heart.
He’s sweet, intelligent, accepting and protective.
The romance in this book was
amazing. Finn works in a bookstore but he also becomes the Cahill’s gardener
for some extra cash. Cate loves her flowers and as she hovers around Finn to
make sure he doesn’t do anything wrong they slowly fall in love. There are
several sweet moments between them and I loved the fact Finn was so accepting
of Cate and didn’t care if she ever acted in some less than ladylike way.
Even though she clearly has
feeling for Finn, Cate finds herself divided between him and Paul, her
childhood friend, who has become a charming man and asks her to marry him.
Love triangles bother me
sometimes but this one didn’t. It is very well-written and the romance develops
in such a way the reader is able to understand why Cate is torn between the two
boys, even though it is obvious who she’s truly in love with.
I really enjoyed the way the
story developed and how Cate was forced to make several important decisions
that might change everything for her family and all the society. There are a
few twists and turns that made the story even more interesting and gripping. As
we learn more about the prophecy, the brotherhood and the sisterhood, the pace
of the story picks up, making the reader want to keep turn pages right until
the end.
As you can tell, I really
enjoyed this book. Born Wicked is a very well-written and fast-paced story with
wonderful characters and an even better love story. There’s a little something
for everyone in this book: action, mystery, romance, intrigue and a little bit
of history and mythology.
The book ends in a cliffhanger
that left me wishing for more. I can’t wait for the next book in the series
now.
If you’re a Young Adult,
Paranormal fan you should definitely pick this book up.
Rating: Somewhere Between Worth Your Time and Must Read (4 ½ Stars)
