Review: CONVERSION by Katherine Howe

Title: Conversion
Author: Katherine Howe (@katherinebhowe)
Published: July 1st 2014
Series: N/A
Genre: YA thriller, mystery, historical
POV: 1st person
Pages: 402
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Format: Print ARC
Source: Vine Program
Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf

It’s senior year at St. Joan’s Academy, and school is a pressure cooker. College applications, the battle for valedictorian, deciphering boys’ texts: Through it all, Colleen Rowley and her friends are expected to keep it together. Until they can’t.

First it’s the school’s queen bee, Clara Rutherford, who suddenly falls into uncontrollable tics in the middle of class. Her mystery illness quickly spreads to her closest clique of friends, then more students and symptoms follow: seizures, hair loss, violent coughing fits. St. Joan’s buzzes with rumor; rumor blossoms into full-blown panic.

Soon the media descends on Danvers, Massachusetts, as everyone scrambles to find something, or someone, to blame. Pollution? Stress? Or are the girls faking? Only Colleen—who’s been reading The Crucible for extra credit—comes to realize what nobody else has: Danvers was once Salem Village, where another group of girls suffered from a similarly bizarre epidemic three centuries ago . . .

Inspired by true events—from seventeenth-century colonial life to the halls of a modern-day high school—Conversion casts a spell. With her signature wit and passion, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe delivers an exciting and suspenseful novel, a chilling mystery that raises the question, what’s really happening to the girls at St. Joan’s?

Switching between Colleen Rowley's narration in 2012 Danvers, MA and Ann Putnam's recounting of her past experiences in Salem, Conversion is strange and spellbinding. In Colleen's chapters, her world quickly turns to chaots when the most popular senior girl in her class comes down with a mystery illness that soon spreads from girl to girl with varying symptoms. Colleen tries to deal the fiasco as best as she can, focusing on her goal of becoming valedictorian, attempting to gain admission to Harvard, and ignoring the strange text messages that urge her to read The Crucible. Ann, meanwhile, lives in 1706 and is confessing her past sins, portraying an incredibly familiar story in a slightly different light.

Howe skillfully builds the tension and mystery of Conversion. With each new girl who falls ill in Colleen's story and each new revelation Ann provides in her own tale, the the novel as a whole only continues to grow more intriguing and captivating. The parallels between both stories are fascinating, and Colleen's tale forced me to think differently about the Salem witch trials. I'm going to keep quiet on plot details and leave it at this –  Conversion is a story of friendship, family, secrets, and the lengths people are willing to go to in order to be seen. It's a fascinating story to watch unfold, and one that shouldn't be missed.

Highlights: Neither narrator is overwhelmingly likable, and I enjoyed that realism. Colleen is very focused on herself and her future, while Ann made incredibly foolish and deadly mistakes for selfish reasons. Howe builds each girl with flaws and attributes that make them seem even more realistic. Family is present, and Colleen's parents were extremely realistic and caring (which is surprisingly rare in YA novels). I especially loved the ending, and how it seems both final yet ambiguous. It's up to the reader, as to what really happened, and who to believe.

Lowlights: The beginning seemed a bit slow. It took a bit of time to get used to the switching between narrators, but soon enough, Conversion became a difficult book to set aside.

Rating: The Royal Library, Middle Shelf (4 out of 5). Conversion is fantastic, and has earned a spot in the royal library. I enjoyed this story very much, despite a few small issues, and would recommend this book to other readers.

Review: HALF BAD by Sally Green

Title: Half Bad
Author: Sally Green
Published: March 4th, 2014
Series Half Life #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
POV: 1st person, 2nd person
Pages: 416
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Format: ARC
Source: Vine Program
Rating: The Great Hall

A stunning, magical debut. An international sensation.

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-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 sixteenth 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?

Half Bad raises of the question of what makes a person truly evil or good, which makes for a fascinating story overall. There is quite a bit of buzz surrounding this story, and I'm sure this story will entertain many readers. I knew, from the first chapter, that Half Bad would be an intriguing survival story. And, despite a few issues, it truly was just that. Nathan's voice is easy enough to relate with, and I felt all the more sympathy for him during some of the cringeworthy events he is put through. He's genuinely struggling - despite his moody moments, Nathan isn't a bad guy. The novel starts with a bang, then backtracks to earlier years, until the POV catches up to the beginning again. I'm still uncertain as to whether or not this structure hurts or helps the story, but those beginning chapters do serve a purpose in making Nathan someone readers can (and will want to) root for. Half Bad is an interesting story with a fascinating protagonist, but it also has a few flaws.

Highlights: The writing flows nicely, making Half Bad an easy novel to read. The very beginning chapters had me hooked (that 2nd person POV was fascinating), and I like how the writing mimicked Nathan's chaotic state of mind during those chapters. The ideas presented are interesting, and I liked Green's approach to witches. 

Lowlights: I felt like not enough actually happened. In the beginning, I was hooked. But halfway through, I barely managed to force myself to read until the end. I never felt like I had a strong sense of the characters. The romance felt weak, mostly because it ended before it ever really began (it might have been better to drop the romance aspect entirely). The writing style was a bit odd - I loved the 2nd person POV beginning, but then it quickly switches POV's and style to an average 1st person POV for a majority of the novel. 

Rating: The Great Hall (3 to 3.5ish). This is a challenging novel to rate, because I did enjoy some moments while I hated others. I loved the first half, but by the time I reached the end, I didn't believe the plot had enough going for it. It was almost incredible, but not quite there for me. 

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

(Mini-Review)

Born Wicked 
Jessica Spotswood
Released: February 7th, 2012Pages: 330 (hardcover)Publisher: Putnam JuvenileSource: Unsolicited - Publisher

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 six months 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 stars 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.

The three Cahill sisters are witches, and only one mistake away from revealing themselves as such to society and the Brotherhood. Cate, our narrator, tries to keep her sisters safe and out of the public eye, but it can be tricky when her younger siblings seem to enjoy flaunting their magic for fun. Spotswood's writing excels with the Cahill sisters and their relationships with one another, and with the mysteries in the story. Each scene springs to life, and intriguing characters make this story all the more fascinating. Born Wicked is a wonderful debut with a surprising conclusion that will undoubtedly leave readers breathless and curious about the sequel. 
Highlights: One very intriguing twist at the end. The world Cate lives in seemed wonderfully developed alternate setting. Many characters (the Cahill sisters, Finn, Elena, Sachi, and Rory) in this story were intriguing enough to keep me invested in the story. The tension in the story - romantic tension, fearful tension - also made it difficult to stop reading. 
Lowlights: Slow start. Almost entirely predictable¹, and the romance seemed a bit rushed (but I did like the guy, so it didn't bother me too much). 
Rating: 

1 I tend to unravel how a book will end very early on. So, other people might find certain aspects more surprising than I did. 


Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes and Nobles / The Book Depository 
Image + Summary from Goodreads

Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié

Damned (Crusade #2)
Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguié
August 30th, 2011
544 pages (hardcover/paperback)
Publisher - Simon Pulse
Source - Publicist

There is a fine line between love and sacrifice...

Antonio would do anything for his beloved fighting partner Jenn. He protects her, even suppresses his vampire cravings to be with her. Together, they defend humanity against the Cursed Ones. But tensions threaten to fracture their hunting team and his loyalty—his love—is called into question. 

With an even more sinister power on the rise, Jenn must overcome her personal vendettas. Antonio and Jenn need each other to survive, but evil lurks at every turn. With humanity’s fate hanging in the balance, they must face down the darkness…or die trying.

With an action-packed storyline and a few heartbreaking twists, Damned is simply thrilling.

Jenn¹ is officially the leader of the Salamanca team of hunters, but everyone in the resistance may be in over their heads as the risks grow higher. Vampiric control over the world is strengthening, the resistance is growing difficult to continue, allies are running low, and one of vampires has even begun manufacturing a surprise that could bring the downfall to humans everywhere. But even as Jenn and her team attempt to save humankind, they have to face their own personal demons. The more they try to fight and defend humanity, the closer they come to winning – or losing – everything.

Damned grows more intense and gripping by the page. Even though it's the second novel, Holder and Viguié recapped the events of the previous story while simultaneously moving forward with the sequel. Many characters are faced with new and old struggles to overcome. The 3rd person narrative gives great insight into each character, and some of the things you'll learn about them will surprise you. Damned is fast-paced, shocking, and filled with vicious vampires – can you ask for anything better?

Highlights: Damned surprised me, with both character growth, and even with who became a casualty of war. Internal/personal struggles with each character became more important to the story. Insight given to certain characters – like Aurora², Eriko, Heather, Holger – was interesting, and it gave many of them more depth to their personalities. And as always, Holder and Viguié deliver when it comes to epic battle scenes, as well as touching (maybe even heartbreaking) moments between characters.

Lowlights: Two new characters needed a bit more development, because by the end, I felt like they just blended into the background. I'm also not a fan of whenever Jenn and the gang split up, because it's more difficult to keep track of what's going on when they're separated.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

My other reviews in this series:
Crusade

1 Jenn really surprised me with her growth, she's stronger and assertive for most of the book...go Jenn!
2 I loved all the parts focusing on Aurora - she's one badass vampire.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl Review

Book: Beautiful Creatures

Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Release date: December 1st, 2009

Pages: 576

Source: Bought

Summary:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Review: Beautiful Creatures is a lovely debut, and a great example of two authors working together almost seamlessly.

Ethan's voice is very impressive, and I'm in shock at how well Stohl and Garcia write together. At times I almost forgot that two authors even wrote BC.  

The story all starts when Lena moves to town, but it doesn't really get going until Lena and Ethan start hanging out and slowly become friends. Everything gets interesting when the town is gunning for her, and when Lena's relatives come to pay her a visit (like the fabulously devilish cousin Ridley, who creates quite the chaos). The characters were fresh, vivid, and memorable, even the side characters. 

Nothing is given away too early, the pacing kept me eager to read more, curious enough to want to read all day. Beautiful Creatures is one of those books that will suck you in and keep you turning the pages hour after hour, wanting to just get one more chapter in.

Highlights: The events leading up to the ending were incredible. The twists and turns, I loved being surprised. I also really enjoyed all of the moments at Ravenwood, with Macon (the town shut-in and Lena's uncle).

Lowlights: It has a bit of a slow start. At times I really felt the book's length and my thoughts would wander. I love a big book (I consider the Harry Potter books to be absolute heaven), but this one felt so long to me. The ending wasn't entirely satisfying, but thankfully, there is a sequel to look forward to. 

Rating:  

Wicked: Witch and Curse by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie Review

Book: Witch and Curse 

Authors: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

From: Author

Summary:

Holly Cathers's world shatters when her parents are killed in a terrible accident. Wrenched from her home in San Francisco, she is sent to Seattle to live with her relatives, Aunt Marie-Claire and her twin cousins, Amanda and Nicole.

In her new home, Holly's sorrow and grief soon gave way to bewilderment at the strange incidents going on around her. Such as how any wish she whispers to her cat seems to come true. Or the way a friend is injured after a freak attack from a vicious falcon. And there's the undeniable, magnetic attraction to a boy Holly barely knows.

Holly, Amanda, and Nicole are about to be launched into a dark legacy of witches, secrets, and alliances, where ancient magics yield dangerous results. The girls will assume their roles in an intergenerational feud beyond their wildest imaginations...and in doing so, will attempt to fulfill their shared destiny.

Review: The first Wicked book is made up of Witch, the first novel, and Curse, the second. It is told in third person, with changing views in order to keep the story flowing.

In Witch, I found myself surprised just how dark this novel got, and loved every second. Holly starts out as a normal girl, who suffers through a terrible ordeal in the beginning, and has to now live with her aunt and uncle in Seattle. This is when the story really started for me. Amanda comes off as sweet, if a little bit of a pushover. Nicole is pure attitude, and I wasn't really sure just how I felt about her in Witch.

The Deveraux men are out for blood, and Holly is the one they want to see die. Things get complicated when Holly and Jer Deveraux fall for each other, just as two of their ancestors did many years before...

In Curse, all of the characters grow into themselves, and their strengths. Holly is not as sweet and nice, becoming a little darker but I still found myself rooting for her, because at the end she's trying to save everyone. Amanda grew a backbone, but I found myself beginning to dislike her a bit. Nicole became my favorite character to follow in Curse, and I couldn't get enough of her adventures. I noticed in some other reviews, Curse was were some people felt the book go downhill, but I actually enjoyed Curse a bit more because of how much stronger the characters were.

Forbidden romance and past secrets fill this story in perfectly, and kept me curious. At times, the flashbacks were a bit confusing, though. I don't think I even have enough words to explain this story, but I would definitely recommend it to readers who would love to see the darker side of witches (and warlocks!).

Highlights: The characters seemed to really develop more as the pages turned, especially by the time I got to Curse. I also loved how dark this novel got, and I could tell that Nancy and Debbie really did their homework regarding the magic. I was completely captivated whenever anything magical, dark or light, was happening. Plus, this story is just full of action.

Lowlights: At first, it was all a little confusing. Switching from one character to another had my head spinning, but once I got them straight, it was easier to keep going. The many POV switches was the biggest deal with the story that I disliked.

Also, I really hated one particular scene with Holly and a cat (if you read it, you'll know), but then I just let it go. It's part of the story, and nothing more. At times, the story felt like it was dragging on, but then something would happen to suck me back in.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Lea ;)

Interview: Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

1. What happens in your novel ONCE A WITCH?

Once a Witch centers on a 17 year old girl, Tamsin Greene, who comes from a long line of witches. But she herself has no magical Talent--what makes matters worse is that when she was born her grandmother predicted that she would be the most powerful witch of all. However, all that changes when one rainy August evening, a mysterious stranger approaches her in her grandmother's bookshop and asks for her help. Suddenly, she finds herself on a quest through time and in a whole lot of danger!

2. What is your main character Tamsin like?

She's prickly! She loves her family, but feels like a complete outsider and so she holds them at arm's length.

3. What are some of the characters "Talents"? Are they all different?

Tamsin's older sister Rowena can compel anyone to do anything she wants just with the power of her voice. Tamsin's grandmother can see the future. Tamsin's mother can move at warp speed and Tamsin's father controls the weather.

4. How much research did you do for Once a Witch?

A fair amount. There are two episodes of time travel in the story so I wanted to get the period details right.

5. Was there any inspiration behind writing Once a Witch?

All of my books start with the main character talking to me, telling me their story. This book was no different.

6. How long did it take you to write Once a Witch, and did it turn out the way you expected it to?

It took about a year and a half to get it where I wanted it before my editor took it on. After she acquired it, it went through many more rounds of revision! And I think books never quite turn out the way you expect them to--maybe they just turn out the way they need to.

7. Were there any favorite bits to write in this novel?

Oh, the banter between Tamsin and Gabriel (her childhood friend/love interest) was so fun to write!

8. Anything else you'd like to add?

Come visit me at www.onceawitch.com to learn more about the book!

Thanks so much Carolyn!

-YABQ