Lisa Collicutt
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Release Date: September 22, 2012
Source: Publisher
Goodreads | Purchase
They say "third time's the charm", and for sixteen-year-old Brooke Day, they had better be right. She’s been here before, twice in fact, and an evil demon-witch wants her dead a third time.
When Brooke is forced to leave Boston for the small town of Deadwich, she thinks her life is over. Before long, her new friends start acting strange—downright evil. But worse than that, nightmares she’s had her whole life become reality.
Enter Marcus Knight; popular, hot, and the only person Brooke can trust. Not to mention, they’ve shared the same nightmares.
With the discovery of an ancient Celtic amulet, Brooke and Marcus unravel the secrets of her past, which reveals the key to her future.
As the equinox approaches:
Darkness and light merge for the first time in a century.
Soul-mates reunite.
Magic awakens.
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CATCHALL
I received this as an ARC a little while ago, and it may have sat in my TBR stack indefinitely if not for the recommendation of one of my wonderful friends. I'm so glad she pointed it out to me, because I absolutely loved it! I don't read many books about witches and witchcraft, mostly because there just aren't that many out there. But this one…well, this one was wonderful. The characters came to life, the plot was full of both action and romance, all wrapped up in gorgeous writing.
THE HEROINE
BROOKE
Okay, so the name Brooke is not my favorite, but I still loved her. She's very real without being overly dramatic or ridiculous. I also like the way she goes about things. When her friends turn on her, she's hurt and confused—but she doesn't crawl into a corner and feel sorry for herself. No, she's proactive. And I absolutely admire that about her. I also think that although, yes, she does complain, she doesn't do it too much and it only serves to make her more real.
THE LOVE INTEREST
MARCUS
Marcus is absolutely wonderful. He's introduced as this very dark and brooding character, but we quickly see that that's not all he is at all. Actually, he's absolutely marvelously sweet. He cares deeply for Brooke and also his brother, but he'll still do what needs to be done. Marcus also isn't afraid of what other people think of him. He's confident, but not annoyingly overconfident, and he never abandons Brooke or fails to make her smile. Basically, I adore him.
THE PLOT
Witchcraft and reincarnation. Together, these two topics have made something truly unique and fabulous. Reincarnation is fairly common to see in books, but witchcraft is not. However, in this book it was done so spectacularly that I wish it was in more.
Brooke, Marcus, and their friends are all reincarnated, but none of them know it yet. Turns out that Marcus and Brooke have fallen in love in past lives and it's always ended badly due to the interference of someone who wishes them harm.
And the reincarnation was handled so well. It was believable. There were just enough flashbacks without them taking over the whole story. I could see the connection of the characters to their former selves. They were alike and not alike, just as you'd expect.
I really liked the way the magic was handled, too. It's there, but at the same time, it isn't. I can't say more without getting spoilery, but it really is fabulous. There's a witch who wishes them harm, and she's more powerful than them in many ways. But not in the important ones.
I also think that despite the fantastical elements, it's very realistic. Brooke goes through some really difficult things. Her friends seem to have abandoned her. She doesn't know where to turn to, and she's terrified. But she does have Marcus.
It is surprisingly full of action. I didn't expect that but I like it. It kept me very full of anticipation. There's really not a boring moment at all, and everything that happens is super important. It was a very quick read for me, and I loved every single moment of it.
Okay, actually, I don't want to, but I do think I should mention it: there is one scene that really, really, disturbed me. It's near the end, and it only lasted for one longish paragraph, but it was just…really disturbing. I understand why it was added, but there are totally other ways to get the same point across. Okay. I get it, but I don't like it.
Still, overall, this was spectacular. Wonderful.
THE ROMANCE
I love romance. You guys know that. And this romance was so so so…sweet. Wonderful. Perfect. I have seen reincarnation used a crutch for instalove before, and I'm happy to say that that was not the case here. No, Lisa took the time to develop the romance between Marcus and Brooke. They're definitely attracted to each other at first sight, but she doesn't call it love. And as they get to know each other better, then it does transmute into love. And the entire process is rife with chemistry and sparks flying without being too flashy.
THE WRITING
I most definitely love Lisa' writing! It's told from first person, from Brooke's point of view, and I really like that, especially the firsthand look we get at the reincarnation and how she comes to accept that. We really get an intimate view into Brooke's mind, and somehow it really makes her easier to connect to. I also really like the way she writes the differences between the characters, like when they're under enchantment versus being themselves, and the dialogue and how everything changes.
THE ENDING
The ending was perfection. It's been so long since I've read a book with a straight ending and not a cliffhanger, and I loved it. Everything wrapped up so perfectly and prettily that I practically sighed with happiness. I love a good happy ending. And of course, no, it wasn't all happiness. There's definitely sacrifice. But at the same time, the sacrifice was so that there could be happiness. And they realize that, and they don't let it bring them down.
WRAPUP
So, I absolutely loved this one. However, it is nice that it's a standalone! While I'd love to see more, knowing that the author didn't try to drag this out is really, really awesome. I'll definitely keep an eye out for Lisa's books in the future. As to would I recommend this? Um, yes! If you like romance, definitely grab yourself a copy of this one. Same goes for if you like magic. In general, I actually do think that most people will enjoy this book, so go! Buy a copy!
FINE.
I received this as an ARC a little while ago, and it may have sat in my TBR stack indefinitely if not for the recommendation of one of my wonderful friends. I'm so glad she pointed it out to me, because I absolutely loved it! I don't read many books about witches and witchcraft, mostly because there just aren't that many out there. But this one…well, this one was wonderful. The characters came to life, the plot was full of both action and romance, all wrapped up in gorgeous writing.
THE HEROINE
BROOKE
Okay, so the name Brooke is not my favorite, but I still loved her. She's very real without being overly dramatic or ridiculous. I also like the way she goes about things. When her friends turn on her, she's hurt and confused—but she doesn't crawl into a corner and feel sorry for herself. No, she's proactive. And I absolutely admire that about her. I also think that although, yes, she does complain, she doesn't do it too much and it only serves to make her more real.
THE LOVE INTEREST
MARCUS
Marcus is absolutely wonderful. He's introduced as this very dark and brooding character, but we quickly see that that's not all he is at all. Actually, he's absolutely marvelously sweet. He cares deeply for Brooke and also his brother, but he'll still do what needs to be done. Marcus also isn't afraid of what other people think of him. He's confident, but not annoyingly overconfident, and he never abandons Brooke or fails to make her smile. Basically, I adore him.
THE PLOT
Witchcraft and reincarnation. Together, these two topics have made something truly unique and fabulous. Reincarnation is fairly common to see in books, but witchcraft is not. However, in this book it was done so spectacularly that I wish it was in more.
Brooke, Marcus, and their friends are all reincarnated, but none of them know it yet. Turns out that Marcus and Brooke have fallen in love in past lives and it's always ended badly due to the interference of someone who wishes them harm.
And the reincarnation was handled so well. It was believable. There were just enough flashbacks without them taking over the whole story. I could see the connection of the characters to their former selves. They were alike and not alike, just as you'd expect.
I really liked the way the magic was handled, too. It's there, but at the same time, it isn't. I can't say more without getting spoilery, but it really is fabulous. There's a witch who wishes them harm, and she's more powerful than them in many ways. But not in the important ones.
I also think that despite the fantastical elements, it's very realistic. Brooke goes through some really difficult things. Her friends seem to have abandoned her. She doesn't know where to turn to, and she's terrified. But she does have Marcus.
It is surprisingly full of action. I didn't expect that but I like it. It kept me very full of anticipation. There's really not a boring moment at all, and everything that happens is super important. It was a very quick read for me, and I loved every single moment of it.
Okay, actually, I don't want to, but I do think I should mention it: there is one scene that really, really, disturbed me. It's near the end, and it only lasted for one longish paragraph, but it was just…really disturbing. I understand why it was added, but there are totally other ways to get the same point across. Okay. I get it, but I don't like it.
Still, overall, this was spectacular. Wonderful.
THE ROMANCE
I love romance. You guys know that. And this romance was so so so…sweet. Wonderful. Perfect. I have seen reincarnation used a crutch for instalove before, and I'm happy to say that that was not the case here. No, Lisa took the time to develop the romance between Marcus and Brooke. They're definitely attracted to each other at first sight, but she doesn't call it love. And as they get to know each other better, then it does transmute into love. And the entire process is rife with chemistry and sparks flying without being too flashy.
THE WRITING
I most definitely love Lisa' writing! It's told from first person, from Brooke's point of view, and I really like that, especially the firsthand look we get at the reincarnation and how she comes to accept that. We really get an intimate view into Brooke's mind, and somehow it really makes her easier to connect to. I also really like the way she writes the differences between the characters, like when they're under enchantment versus being themselves, and the dialogue and how everything changes.
THE ENDING
The ending was perfection. It's been so long since I've read a book with a straight ending and not a cliffhanger, and I loved it. Everything wrapped up so perfectly and prettily that I practically sighed with happiness. I love a good happy ending. And of course, no, it wasn't all happiness. There's definitely sacrifice. But at the same time, the sacrifice was so that there could be happiness. And they realize that, and they don't let it bring them down.
WRAPUP
So, I absolutely loved this one. However, it is nice that it's a standalone! While I'd love to see more, knowing that the author didn't try to drag this out is really, really awesome. I'll definitely keep an eye out for Lisa's books in the future. As to would I recommend this? Um, yes! If you like romance, definitely grab yourself a copy of this one. Same goes for if you like magic. In general, I actually do think that most people will enjoy this book, so go! Buy a copy!
FINE.
*****FINAL RATING: 4.60 RED ROSES*****