Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked
(The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)
by Jessica Spotswood

Publication Date: February 7th, 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 330
ISBN: 9780399257452

Where to Buy:
B&N | Amazon | The Book Depository

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. (Goodreads)

I decided to read Born Wicked at the insistence of a fellow blogger. I am SO glad I let her talk me into reading the book. I love novels about witches, and this one was just fantastic.

The story centers around a young girl named Cate, and her two sisters, who are witches. Witches are absolutely forbidden by the Brotherhood. When caught, most are either put to death, sentenced to a prison ship, or put into an institution. Because of this, Cate must keep herself and her sister’s safe at all cost, and from everyone.

Poor Cate; she had so many responsibilities and at such a young age. I definitely sympathized with the choices that she was forced to make, and with such heavy burdens heaped on her shoulders. But I found her to be a very strong character, and I really enjoyed reading about her. I found the sisters, Maura and Tess to be quite likeable as well, although Maura not quite as much as Tess. Tess was awesome!

Cate has two love interests in the story; Paul and Finn. I adore the relationship between Finn and Cate. Finn was such a very interesting character; I thought that he and Cate made such a great pair. I loved that he was willing to do whatever he had to do to keep Cate safe. I love Finn! Paul on the other hand, seemed a bit sneaky to me. I know he had to be up to something, but I couldn’t put my finger on what.

The Brotherhood sounds like an absolutely horrible association. Just reading about them gave me the creeps, and I held my breath hoping that they wouldn’t catch on to the girl’s secrets. The Sisterhood, which is an affiliation with the Brotherhood, didn’t sound much better either.

The storyline for the book was highly addictive, and the pacing was absolutely perfect. My attention was held throughout the book, and I finished most of it in a few hours time. I absolutely loved the historical setting for the story. The world building was wonderful, I could clearly imagine myself having tea parties and hanging out in Cate’s special garden.

Overall, this book is definitely worth the read. I am SO glad that my awesome blogger friend, Kathy, insisted that I read the book as soon as possible. I am officially hooked on this series, and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.

Happy Reading!

Don't forget to watch the book trailer! I Love it!