Review: Born Wicked

I picked up this book because of the cover - it is gorgeous! I bought it after reading the summary and first chapter while standing at the table. I couldn't put it down.

This was worth the purchase!

Summary (from book jacket):

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.

My Thoughts:

First off – WOW! I loved every single page of this novel. There have been so many witchy series written that it is hard to impress me, but Spotswood did just that.

I applaud the author for making me feel involved in every element of this novel. This is neither a plot-driven novel nor a character-driven novel, it is reader driven (if that makes sense).

The plot of this novel is quite engaging. The world the author has created is a perfect storm brewing. Tensions are high as the reader anxiously waits to see who will be accused of witchery next – after all, there is a lot at stake for the Brotherhood. They are fighting to hold on to the power they currently have, and if the prophecy is true, it will tumble down. This is the reason the Cahill sisters are in danger at every moment, the reason they must keep their secret. They must be careful; they must trust no one but themselves. But how can they live life this way? This is what Spotswood explores in the novel – how to live a life without trust.

Readers will find themselves swept away in sisterhood, brotherhood, friendship, love, lust, and the list keeps going. There are elements of the plot that will engage readers more than others, but as a whole work, bravo!  

The characters themselves are well-developed. Readers will be left with questions, but those answers must wait. The author gives us just enough to feel satisfied at the end but anxiously awaiting more. By the novel’s end I could not believe it was the end.

Cate was my favorite character, and seeing as she is the heroine, this is not a surprise. But lately with series novels I’ve been finding myself enjoying the minor characters more than the heroine. I am pleased that this is not the case with this novel. I invested in her the most because I trusted her to keep my own secret, not just the secret of her sisters. I’m not sure what my secret is, but if I had one that could cost me my life, I would trust Cate to keep it.

The dynamic between Cate and her two sisters, Maura and Tess, is one of protection. The two youngers want to practice their magic, and they’re not as careful as they should be. It is Cate’s job to protect them, to remind them that they are in danger at every moment, but especially if anyone were to catch them practicing their magic. At no time is Cate bitter about assuming this role, but her middle sister, Maura is. Of the three, she is the one who does not want to live in the necessary constraints. She is the one is seems to be the most likely responsible for their downfall. But will this be the case? Sometimes the most obvious is not the answer.

The minor characters in the novel add just enough “flavor” to enhance Cate’s character. They are front and center, but with Cate on the page that take a back seat. They do not steal the spotlight from her – they make it glow brighter. While Finn is her true love interest, I did not find myself rooting for him. I was rooting for her childhood friend, Paul. They seemed to have more on-page chemistry for me, so I will be curious to see where Spotswood takes us with that particular path.

I loved every element of this novel. I do not have a single complaint, except that I have to wait for the second novel.

If you love a good witchy read, if you love series novels, you should add this to your list. If you have not ever delved into the world of witchy reads, let Born Wicked be your first.