Review - Always a Witch (Witch, #2) by Carolyn MacCullough

Title: Always a Witch

Author: Carolyn MacCullough

Series: 2nd; Once A Witch

Pages: 288

Published: August 1, 2011 by Houghton

ISBN: 9780547224855

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Description: The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights. Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice .

I Give This ...
  

I think books involving magic might be one of my favorite types in the paranormal genre.  This series is no exception.  I really think the magic involved is subtle, which makes the storyline that much more intriguing.

I think Tamsin is one of my favorite female witches.  She's really had the best of both worlds (although I'm sure she would disagree).  She grow up surrounded by people who can do extraordinary things, while she can't.  She's tried to live a normal life in NYC, far enough away from her family.  And even after she learns that she really does have magic that has been kept hidden from her, she still tries to appear normal.  Much to the dismay of her family.  When she goes home for her sister's wedding, she discovers that Alistair aims to bring down her family in the past.  And she also knows that she's probably the only one who can save them.

 

Tamsin chooses to time travel alone.  But, she has no idea how to find her family or how to warn them about the dangers to come when she does.  How do you go about telling something that a spell they have no idea they are going to cast needs to be stronger?  Instead, she ends up an employee of the very family set to destroy her own.  I found it interesting that they were much more diabolical than the stories told made them seem.  They will stop at nothing to make sure their magic is as powerful as it can be.

When Tamsin realizes what the Knight family intends to do, she realizes that only she has the power to fully stop them in the tracks.  Blood magic is extremely powerful and will take something equally strong to bind it.  Tamsin makes the ultimate sacrifice, which I greatly admired her for.  I wondered if it was part of the reason her magic was kept hidden for so long.

The story has a great pace, with a dramatic ending.  I was really afraid something was going to happen to someone I really cared about in the story.  Which I hope doesn't make it sound like the life that was lost was unimportant.  But, I think he knew the sacrifice he was making at the time.  I enjoyed how the characters interacted.  I especially enjoyed how Tamsin has developed from a girl who that she had no powers, to someone is in fully control of what she can do.  I don't know if there will be another one or not.  But, if there is, I will read it. 

Review: Once a Witch (Witch #1) by Carolyn MacCullough

Title: Once A Witch

Author: Carolyn MacCullough

Series: 1st in Witch series

Pages: 262

Published: Available now from Clarion

ISBN: 9780547223995

Source: Purchased Copy 

Description: Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all. 

I Give This ...

 

I've had this sitting in my to read pile for awhile now.  I knew I need to read it before I picked up the sequel.    Now, I'm really looking forward to the next one because this one was excellent.

I liked that Tasmin is the outcast in her family.  Growing up in a family with Talents (as they call them) and being the only one without would be hard.  Since she doesn't fit in at home, she convinced her parents to let her go to boarding school in NYC.  There she feels normal and I think she likes her time away from her family.  But, no matter what, I think she still longs to fit in with her family.  Why else would she go back there so much to work in the family bookstore.  I think it's also the reason she accepted the task to find the lost family heirloom.  I wonder how she planned on doing that before Gabriel showed up?

Aww... Gabriel.  I think he might have been my favorite character.  Gabriel moved away when they were young and Tasmin stopped writing to him when she didn't develop her Talent.  When he moves back, you can bet she wasn't expecting to be so attracted to him.   Turns out he feels the same, and has the Talent for finding lost objects and time travel.  Together they must journey through time to find the object that the professor wants without giving him the power he also craves.  

Along the way Tasmin discovers that her family has been keeping secrets.  Tasmin is more than what she thinks she is.  But, the professor is tired of playing games and puts Tasmin's sister under a powerful love spell.  It was interesting to watch the character match whits and powers against each other.  This is no ordinary family and they have the power to stop you in your tracks.  They also possess the power that could possibly destroy the future by changing the past.

I really enjoyed this story even though I think the ending got a little muddled.  Sometimes, I think to many things have to happen at once and it's hard to comprehend what really happened.  I'm hoping the next book clears that up a little.  But, overall I really recommend this book!