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Wiccan #1
Wiccan
Where does evil live? Is it in the heart? Or in the blood?Nearly-nineteen year old Mercy Holloway has a gift. Long ago murders play out right before her eyes when she passes over a place of death, but Mercy never thought that her unusual ability would interfere with her having a normal college experience. Until today, that is. On her way to school, Mercy witnesses another murder--only this one's different. And Mercy's the only one who can do anything about it. Out of time and out of options, Mercy takes what little information she has to the police where she meets Detective Caleb Grayson. Grayson doesn't necessarily believe Mercy, he's just better at hiding his feelings than most. It's not long, however, before Grayson has no choice but to believe her. As the two embark on a mission to solve a murder, Mercy starts having more visions. Only these contain messages. And they're meant for her. This powerful, evil killer knows things about Mercy that she didn't even know herself, things she never wanted to find out. Body by body, Mercy discovers that her gift is not a gift at all, but a curse. And it's one she can't escape. It runs in her veins. Can Mercy and Grayson catch a killer and capture love? Or are they destined to fail...at both?Book 1- WiccanBook 2- Wiccan Born, Coming SoonAbout I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2011
6 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
M. Leighton
67 books9,430 followersNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding wild horses, skiing the slopes of Aspen or scuba diving with a hot rock star, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.
About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.
About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I'm convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 15, 2012
Most self-published YA books I’ve read, especially of the Kindle variety, have a tendency to sound unrealistic from the first sentence. It’s refreshing to find an author who knows exactly where they’re going with their prose and doesn’t dither on exaggerating details, going straight to the point.
The way Mercy is perceived by the readers is refreshing; so many heroines in young adult novels are depressed or sad, or self-conscious or constantly second-guessing themselves. Sure, Mercy might be those at some points in the story, but these traits don’t define who she is. She’s a strong character in her own right and knows her mind.
[minor spoilers below]
The first part of the book is interesting if somewhat unrealistic—it’s highly unlikely that in a real-life situation a member of the police force would enlist the help of a psychic to solve a murder. Since this is fantasy normally it wouldn’t be a problem for me, except it’s written in a way that doesn’t seem believable.
The second part focuses more on Mercy’s relationship with Grayson, which I actually think is the weaker part of the story; I felt that neither character is developed enough to the point that the reader can empathize with them, although this was more of the case for Grayson than Mercy.
The ending is an unexpected twist, but it closed suddenly like a door slamming in my face and left me thinking, “What? That’s it?” It’s an anticlimax that could have been written much, much better, considering the entire book is a build-up to Mercy having to eventually face-off with the bad guy.
Which doesn’t happen.
Even though it’s predictable, I would have preferred it in this book instead of the next in the series (at least I hope it’s in the second book—it’s not nice when things drag).
I’m definitely reading the second book, and hopefully every one thereafter. This book get’s a 3.5 star rating from me—if it hadn’t been for the underdeveloped relationship between the main characters and the anticlimactic ending, this would have gotten a 4 or 5-star review because it’s fantastic and has a lot of potential for future books.
The way Mercy is perceived by the readers is refreshing; so many heroines in young adult novels are depressed or sad, or self-conscious or constantly second-guessing themselves. Sure, Mercy might be those at some points in the story, but these traits don’t define who she is. She’s a strong character in her own right and knows her mind.
[minor spoilers below]
The first part of the book is interesting if somewhat unrealistic—it’s highly unlikely that in a real-life situation a member of the police force would enlist the help of a psychic to solve a murder. Since this is fantasy normally it wouldn’t be a problem for me, except it’s written in a way that doesn’t seem believable.
The second part focuses more on Mercy’s relationship with Grayson, which I actually think is the weaker part of the story; I felt that neither character is developed enough to the point that the reader can empathize with them, although this was more of the case for Grayson than Mercy.
The ending is an unexpected twist, but it closed suddenly like a door slamming in my face and left me thinking, “What? That’s it?” It’s an anticlimax that could have been written much, much better, considering the entire book is a build-up to Mercy having to eventually face-off with the bad guy.
Which doesn’t happen.
Even though it’s predictable, I would have preferred it in this book instead of the next in the series (at least I hope it’s in the second book—it’s not nice when things drag).
I’m definitely reading the second book, and hopefully every one thereafter. This book get’s a 3.5 star rating from me—if it hadn’t been for the underdeveloped relationship between the main characters and the anticlimactic ending, this would have gotten a 4 or 5-star review because it’s fantastic and has a lot of potential for future books.
October 18, 2012
WOW!! I think my mind just exploded...
4.5 STARS and I take half a star back just for the sake of it!!
It was long time ago that I enjoyed a story with no S-E-X so much.
Hey Mom why does the Prince touch his lips to Princess' lips... DISGUSTING!!
M.Leighton just proved that you can write a HOT and sexy story without basing it on heavy bedrooms scenes.
Because trust me this no FAIRYTALE. It's a mystery and thriller and romance all wrapped up. It kept me on my toes and had me guessing and swooning over Grayson all at the same time...
Nothing is resolved in this book, which ended with a blast!! Really looking forward to the next book!
WHEN IS THE RELEASE DATE????????
4.5 STARS and I take half a star back just for the sake of it!!
It was long time ago that I enjoyed a story with no S-E-X so much.
Hey Mom why does the Prince touch his lips to Princess' lips... DISGUSTING!!
M.Leighton just proved that you can write a HOT and sexy story without basing it on heavy bedrooms scenes.
Because trust me this no FAIRYTALE. It's a mystery and thriller and romance all wrapped up. It kept me on my toes and had me guessing and swooning over Grayson all at the same time...
Nothing is resolved in this book, which ended with a blast!! Really looking forward to the next book!
WHEN IS THE RELEASE DATE????????
June 14, 2011
Great read!
The plot was very original and the main
character wasn't terribly annoying, but the
romance aspect did develop a little too suddenly.
Sure, it was predictable, but I like it when it's
a little more drawn out (they were together before
the middle of the story!).
Here's the basic plot:
Mercy, an adopted child with a mysterious
past, is prone to psychic visions. When she
starts seeing murders occurring in her town,
she tries to help out the incredibly handsome
detective Grayson (who also happens to be very
young!) in hopes of solving the murders.
She soon discovers that she may also possess
the ability to influence other people with her
thoughts, and tries to delve deeper into her past
by looking for her birth mother.
The local murders thing sort of wraps up kind of
fast toward the end, and I found myself forgetting
it was the original basis for the entire story (erm.
plotholes!). The author then focuses on Mercy's past
and the developing romance between her and Grayson,
before revealing a shocking twist at the end (and yes,
it was a surprise).
I really can't wait for the second!
I have so many questions.
The plot was very original and the main
character wasn't terribly annoying, but the
romance aspect did develop a little too suddenly.
Sure, it was predictable, but I like it when it's
a little more drawn out (they were together before
the middle of the story!).
Here's the basic plot:
Mercy, an adopted child with a mysterious
past, is prone to psychic visions. When she
starts seeing murders occurring in her town,
she tries to help out the incredibly handsome
detective Grayson (who also happens to be very
young!) in hopes of solving the murders.
She soon discovers that she may also possess
the ability to influence other people with her
thoughts, and tries to delve deeper into her past
by looking for her birth mother.
The local murders thing sort of wraps up kind of
fast toward the end, and I found myself forgetting
it was the original basis for the entire story (erm.
plotholes!). The author then focuses on Mercy's past
and the developing romance between her and Grayson,
before revealing a shocking twist at the end (and yes,
it was a surprise).
I really can't wait for the second!
I have so many questions.
July 1, 2011
I was truly amazed at how easy this was to read. I stayed interested through Mercy's story and became enthralled with her ability to have what she thought were visions of death or impending death. Her worst nightmare was that when it was happening, she was actually enjoying it more than she should.
Detective Caleb Grayson is lead detective on the case thanks to Mercy's help and they build a relationship. He is more drawn to her than anything else and he can't explain why. As the case progresses Mercy discovers that the killer is a relative and she is somewhat grateful that she is adopted so that the parents that she call Mom & Dad stay safe and sound.
Hot on the trail of the killer and each other, Mercy and Grayson are in for an adventure. This book left me speechless. Not many do that, but they way the author twisted the ending of this book, I am definitely looking forward to reading more.
This book appeals to more of an adult audience for paranormal.
Detective Caleb Grayson is lead detective on the case thanks to Mercy's help and they build a relationship. He is more drawn to her than anything else and he can't explain why. As the case progresses Mercy discovers that the killer is a relative and she is somewhat grateful that she is adopted so that the parents that she call Mom & Dad stay safe and sound.
Hot on the trail of the killer and each other, Mercy and Grayson are in for an adventure. This book left me speechless. Not many do that, but they way the author twisted the ending of this book, I am definitely looking forward to reading more.
This book appeals to more of an adult audience for paranormal.
April 3, 2011
This was a really interesting book. It was fast paced, and the murders in the book where very descriptive. As far as the murderer went you wont be able to tell who it is right from the beginning like a lot of other books, there aren't really any clues about that until nearly the end which makes the book a lot more interesting.
The only problem i had was that i still feel like i don't know all that much about the main character mercy or the leading man Grayson. So it was hard for me to think that were in love when they hardly know anything about each other. The attraction was there but it just didn't know why they liked each other past the physical stuff. But it was a good book, and anxious to read about what will happen with Mercy and Grayson. And also to see what happens when she finds out the truth about her family.
The only problem i had was that i still feel like i don't know all that much about the main character mercy or the leading man Grayson. So it was hard for me to think that were in love when they hardly know anything about each other. The attraction was there but it just didn't know why they liked each other past the physical stuff. But it was a good book, and anxious to read about what will happen with Mercy and Grayson. And also to see what happens when she finds out the truth about her family.
February 11, 2018
Good Book!
August 12, 2011
I really liked this quick fast past story by M. Leighton. Fromt he very beginning we had action. Mercy is a young woman that can see prior murdrers/deaths. She normally sees the past death in a area she crosses by or over where it happened. So when she has one of these episodes on the way to class it's nothing new for Mercy. Except wait something is different. The girl she saw murdered in her vision walks into her class. So mercy did not see a past murder but instead saw a future murder.
She struggles with whether she should go to the police or not. Afterall everyone looks at people with these capabilities as crazy people, no one ever believes them. Even though she struggles with the decision she decides to go and tell the police. Of coarse none of them believe her. So her case is given to the rookie detective, Grayson (Caleb Grayson). By the way Detective Grayson is yummy. Of coarse he believes once the victim's body is discovered.
Grayson must find a way to solve this murder and Mercy is the only one that can truly help him. Unfortunately that's not the only murder Mercy sees. She starts dreaming of other murders, a serial killer. Yet when she dreams these murders it's not from her watching the crime take place, she is in the killer's mind so it is as if she is doing the killing.
As they work together to discover the killer Mercy starts to develop for Grayson. Grayson plays hot and cold. Afterall it's not very professional of a detective to get involved with his key witness and possibly jeapordize the whole case. As they both learn feelings are not something they can control. They have to work through their feelings and admit what they feel so that they might have a chance of catching this killer. Afterall Mercy's life may depend it.
This book never stopped with the action from the very beginning. There was never a dull moment from the moment I started reading this book. The attraction and tension between Mercy and Grayson was fantastic. Throughout the entire story you can't help but wonder who the killer is and what is he after. The ending is definitely a cliff hanger. So now I have to wait until the next book in order to find out what happens. We at least get to find out how the killer is and who Mercy is.
She struggles with whether she should go to the police or not. Afterall everyone looks at people with these capabilities as crazy people, no one ever believes them. Even though she struggles with the decision she decides to go and tell the police. Of coarse none of them believe her. So her case is given to the rookie detective, Grayson (Caleb Grayson). By the way Detective Grayson is yummy. Of coarse he believes once the victim's body is discovered.
Grayson must find a way to solve this murder and Mercy is the only one that can truly help him. Unfortunately that's not the only murder Mercy sees. She starts dreaming of other murders, a serial killer. Yet when she dreams these murders it's not from her watching the crime take place, she is in the killer's mind so it is as if she is doing the killing.
As they work together to discover the killer Mercy starts to develop for Grayson. Grayson plays hot and cold. Afterall it's not very professional of a detective to get involved with his key witness and possibly jeapordize the whole case. As they both learn feelings are not something they can control. They have to work through their feelings and admit what they feel so that they might have a chance of catching this killer. Afterall Mercy's life may depend it.
This book never stopped with the action from the very beginning. There was never a dull moment from the moment I started reading this book. The attraction and tension between Mercy and Grayson was fantastic. Throughout the entire story you can't help but wonder who the killer is and what is he after. The ending is definitely a cliff hanger. So now I have to wait until the next book in order to find out what happens. We at least get to find out how the killer is and who Mercy is.
March 1, 2012
Wiccan is about a young girl Mercy Holloway who has just graduated high school and is a freshman in college. Mercy has been having vision of people dying when she walks over the spot where they were killed for as long as she can remember. As she is walking to school on her first day as a college student she has one of her visions no big deal right? Wrong, this time there is a big difference because the girl she sees die this time is not dead but very much alive. Mercy sees the girl walk into her first class.
Mercy wants to help this girl stay alive but she doesn't know what to do to help her. The only thing she can do is go to the police. But she knows they will not believe her. They will think she is crazy. They won't believe that she has visions. But she decides to go anyway. Let them think she is crazy she is going do everything she can to save this girl. The first officer that she speaks to thinks just that and sends her to Detective Grayson. Although he does not believe her either he still takes her statement.
And then everything changes not only is she having visions of people dying. But now she is having dreams about people dying. In the dreams that she is having Mercy wittiness the murders through the eyes of the killer. The body count just keeps adding up. Mercy feels as if she is the killer. When Mercy starts having dreams about people dying Detective Grayson has no choice but to believe her then because he has no leads or anything else to go on. While trying to solve these murders Mercy and Detective Grayson fall in love.
Wiccan is a religion and this book has nothing to do with wicca only that Mercy is a witch. I like the way the writer keeps you hanging on and doesn't give everything away all at once. She keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very end. This was a very good read. Give it a try you might like it. I can't wait until the second book in this series comes out on the market.
Mercy wants to help this girl stay alive but she doesn't know what to do to help her. The only thing she can do is go to the police. But she knows they will not believe her. They will think she is crazy. They won't believe that she has visions. But she decides to go anyway. Let them think she is crazy she is going do everything she can to save this girl. The first officer that she speaks to thinks just that and sends her to Detective Grayson. Although he does not believe her either he still takes her statement.
And then everything changes not only is she having visions of people dying. But now she is having dreams about people dying. In the dreams that she is having Mercy wittiness the murders through the eyes of the killer. The body count just keeps adding up. Mercy feels as if she is the killer. When Mercy starts having dreams about people dying Detective Grayson has no choice but to believe her then because he has no leads or anything else to go on. While trying to solve these murders Mercy and Detective Grayson fall in love.
Wiccan is a religion and this book has nothing to do with wicca only that Mercy is a witch. I like the way the writer keeps you hanging on and doesn't give everything away all at once. She keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very end. This was a very good read. Give it a try you might like it. I can't wait until the second book in this series comes out on the market.
August 22, 2011
Three stars: I recommend this book with reservations.
Things I liked:
*I love M. Leighton's beautiul descriptions. She paints vivid pictures for the reader with her words.
*The warm relationship Mercy has with her adoptive mom.
*The concept of the psychic visions. The main character,Mercy has the ability to see murders that have occured when she walks across the spot of the trauma. Then she begins having visions of murders as they happen. These visions are haunting!
*The shocking twist at the end. I was absolutely blown away by Mercy's final discovery! It was a fun dramatic turn of events!
*Price point, this book is listed currently on Amazon for $.99. An Amazon bargain book!
And the not so much:
*This book in my opinion, was too dark to be classified as young adult due to the chilling murder scenes. They may be a little much for the YA audience.
*The cliffhanger ending....I enjoy series but I absolutely hate it when there is an ending with absolutely no resolution. This unfortunately is the case in Wiccan as I got to the dramatic climax and was excited to see how the events would all tie together the book abruptly ends. The ending felt rushed and incomplete.
*The title Wiccan is misleading. There is very little mention of wiccan in the story. This book is mainly about a college girl who has psychic visions of murders.
All in all I liked the book Wiccan and I give it a 3 star rating. If you are interested in reading about psychic visions then this book is a fun, thrilling roller coaster ride. However, if you don't want to be left hanging I would recommend reading this book closer to the release of the second book. The second book's listed publication date is 2012.
Things I liked:
*I love M. Leighton's beautiul descriptions. She paints vivid pictures for the reader with her words.
*The warm relationship Mercy has with her adoptive mom.
*The concept of the psychic visions. The main character,Mercy has the ability to see murders that have occured when she walks across the spot of the trauma. Then she begins having visions of murders as they happen. These visions are haunting!
*The shocking twist at the end. I was absolutely blown away by Mercy's final discovery! It was a fun dramatic turn of events!
*Price point, this book is listed currently on Amazon for $.99. An Amazon bargain book!
And the not so much:
*This book in my opinion, was too dark to be classified as young adult due to the chilling murder scenes. They may be a little much for the YA audience.
*The cliffhanger ending....I enjoy series but I absolutely hate it when there is an ending with absolutely no resolution. This unfortunately is the case in Wiccan as I got to the dramatic climax and was excited to see how the events would all tie together the book abruptly ends. The ending felt rushed and incomplete.
*The title Wiccan is misleading. There is very little mention of wiccan in the story. This book is mainly about a college girl who has psychic visions of murders.
All in all I liked the book Wiccan and I give it a 3 star rating. If you are interested in reading about psychic visions then this book is a fun, thrilling roller coaster ride. However, if you don't want to be left hanging I would recommend reading this book closer to the release of the second book. The second book's listed publication date is 2012.
July 19, 2011
"The premise of Wiccan will make your heart stop. Mercy, who from the time she is an eight-years-old, can sense and see murders. Murders that have take...moreThe premise of Wiccan will make your heart stop. Mercy, who from the time she is an eight-years-old, can sense and see murders. Murders that have taken place. Only now, well, she sees them before they happen. Can she stop them? Can she allow herself to fall in love in the process? You will not be able to put this book down. The only serious problem with Wiccan is that it ends. And, honestly, I wanted more. No spoilers here. But read it and you'll understand what I mean!(less)"
August 6, 2011
M. Leighton has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Not only does she have a great talent for story telling and her style of writing is easy to read, but she is humble and enjoys talking to her fans.
Wiccan was an enjoyable, fast paced read that kept me on my toes! I hope she is working on a sequel because this left me wanting more!
I just wanted to disclose that I won a contest and recieved this kindle ebook for free but would have gotten around to buying it anyway as I was already becoming a fan!
Wiccan was an enjoyable, fast paced read that kept me on my toes! I hope she is working on a sequel because this left me wanting more!
I just wanted to disclose that I won a contest and recieved this kindle ebook for free but would have gotten around to buying it anyway as I was already becoming a fan!
Read
December 30, 2011Oh, Mercy! I love her because she's definitely not perfect and I want another book! I want to see what happens next because the first book ends with one of my least favorite things-the cliffhanger. I suppose I'm reading too many books that are parts of series but I can't help it. I'm just impatient and want to see how it's resolved now. :) Anyway, it's definitely a bit of twisty book. It's more mystery than I usually read, but I didn't stop reading once I'd started. Happy reading, everyone!
January 18, 2012
they say don't judge a book by its cover , i would say dont judge a book by its first 10 chapters , i was amazed of how much i liked this book when i finished it , the romance in this book is quite different , but i loved it . the special marking in this book the mystry that was surrounding Mercy's life , n how it was revealed in the end in a way ibet no one expected , again im falling in love with M.Leighton's books
January 4, 2012
I really liked this book. It makes you think about who you are and what you are capable of doing. Are we born good or evil...or are we taught to be one or the other? Is it in our blood and we really don't have a choice or can we rise above it. I can't wait to see what choices Mercy will make and if in the end she can have a happy life and use her ability for good and help people.
I am also so happy that this will end with the next book :)
I am also so happy that this will end with the next book :)
May 17, 2011
I liked the concept of this book, it had a neat twist, I felt like Mercy was a well developed character, but Grayson was lacking, tho he's still a hot character. Wish he had more depth, the potential for him was there it just wasn't achieved. All in all when the sequel comes out I'd like to read it, see where the story line goes because like I said it was good.
May 16, 2011
AMAZING!! Suspenseful, thrilling, passionate...I fell in love with the characters! I love how there was paranormal. There was romance...REALLY good romance! And there was murder/mystery! A great combination! I do feel like there should be a sequel...but if not, I'll just have to read Wiccan again! Loved it!
June 10, 2011
This was completely different than I expected. While there was something paranormal going on throughout the book, there was nothing wiccan oriented that I could see. The wiccan came out in the last few chapters. We were lrft with a great ending and no doubt that there will be a follow-up book. Can't wait!
March 12, 2011
Really, this book is probably a 4.5, but there's no option for that. It's more of a thriller and murder/mystery with a hint of paranormal with the "witchy" stuff, but I loved it! The Reaping is still my favorite, though.
June 4, 2011
i loved this book! ive never read anything like it before. i hope there is another book.
September 21, 2011
Oh, book 2! Where art thou?
December 22, 2011
Great book. I loved Grayson and Mercy together. I'm excited to read book 2 when it comes out.
April 1, 2013
Review Posted on Reading Lark 9/22/11:
http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...
You never know what you are going to get when you try out a self published author. Many of these Indie writers have great ideas, but the writing is often lacking or littered with typos. However, I am all about supporting writers in various forms of publishing and I find witch novels to be intriguing so I figured I would give this one a try. I had never read anything else written by Leighton, but I figured at 99 cents even if I didn't enjoy the read it wasn't that big of a loss.
I have to admit that Wiccan took me completely by surprise. I was expecting a book about witches, but this is so much more than that. In all honesty, the paranormal aspects don't really rise to the surface until the end. The book is more mystery/cop drama than anything else. However, I enjoyed that this book was a hybrid genre. It provided flexibility and kept me guessing. There is also a wicked twist at the end that I never saw coming. I'm in shock still - days after I finished the book. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, which Leighton mentioned would hopefully be out by winter.
I really enjoyed the characters, plot, and writing style of this one. Wiccan is a little bit CSI mixed with a dose of Charmed. It has elements that kept me wanting more - romance, murder, intrigue. The plot also felt fresh in spite of the witchcraft elements. The directions that Leighton chooses to go make this a world that is truly her own. She keeps a solid pace while keeping her writing simple yet effective. I found that I couldn't put this one down until I knew what was going on with the murders and Mercy's visions.
The major problem I had with this read was the relationship between Mercy and Grayson. It just seemed to happen too quickly and I couldn't believe how accepting her parents were of the relationship considering the age difference. The pairing seemed odd when one character was just beginning college and entering adulthood while the other character was firmly entrenched in a career and wholly adult existence. There are also a few typos, but not many, and they often don't distract from the reading flow.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and am looking forward to trying out other books by M. Leighton. She is certainly an Indie author to keep an eye on; Leighton is by far one of the best self published writers I have read.
One Last Gripe: I am still wondering if Lisa's murder is in anyway connected to the other murders or if these events have no connections. I don't feel like this was fully addressed and its bugging me.
My Favorite Thing About The Book: The twist at the end
First Sentence: "Tonight I'm not Lisa."
Favorite Character: Mercy
Least Favorite Character: Jake
http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...
You never know what you are going to get when you try out a self published author. Many of these Indie writers have great ideas, but the writing is often lacking or littered with typos. However, I am all about supporting writers in various forms of publishing and I find witch novels to be intriguing so I figured I would give this one a try. I had never read anything else written by Leighton, but I figured at 99 cents even if I didn't enjoy the read it wasn't that big of a loss.
I have to admit that Wiccan took me completely by surprise. I was expecting a book about witches, but this is so much more than that. In all honesty, the paranormal aspects don't really rise to the surface until the end. The book is more mystery/cop drama than anything else. However, I enjoyed that this book was a hybrid genre. It provided flexibility and kept me guessing. There is also a wicked twist at the end that I never saw coming. I'm in shock still - days after I finished the book. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, which Leighton mentioned would hopefully be out by winter.
I really enjoyed the characters, plot, and writing style of this one. Wiccan is a little bit CSI mixed with a dose of Charmed. It has elements that kept me wanting more - romance, murder, intrigue. The plot also felt fresh in spite of the witchcraft elements. The directions that Leighton chooses to go make this a world that is truly her own. She keeps a solid pace while keeping her writing simple yet effective. I found that I couldn't put this one down until I knew what was going on with the murders and Mercy's visions.
The major problem I had with this read was the relationship between Mercy and Grayson. It just seemed to happen too quickly and I couldn't believe how accepting her parents were of the relationship considering the age difference. The pairing seemed odd when one character was just beginning college and entering adulthood while the other character was firmly entrenched in a career and wholly adult existence. There are also a few typos, but not many, and they often don't distract from the reading flow.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and am looking forward to trying out other books by M. Leighton. She is certainly an Indie author to keep an eye on; Leighton is by far one of the best self published writers I have read.
One Last Gripe: I am still wondering if Lisa's murder is in anyway connected to the other murders or if these events have no connections. I don't feel like this was fully addressed and its bugging me.
My Favorite Thing About The Book: The twist at the end
First Sentence: "Tonight I'm not Lisa."
Favorite Character: Mercy
Least Favorite Character: Jake
August 13, 2016
While there are definitely paranormal aspects to this book, at the heart of it is a thriller. There is romance and magic, but it is the mystery that grabbed my attention. The story is dark with more than one disturbing moment that really added to the suspense and anticipation of the mystery. There are a ton of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages from start to finish.
The paranormal aspect was more psychic than magic. Mercy is gifted with the ability to "see" murders when she passes over places of death. Her ability evolves until they start to be premonitions, not that most people would believe her. Fortunately for her, she becomes close to a detective who is at least open-minded about it.
She is a great character because she is real, flaws and all. She is not created to be the perfect YA/NA character, all fluff and no substance. She struggles with her "gift," wondering if it is more of a curse. Grayson, too, as a great main character. He is kind and willing to consider those things that most would dismiss without a thought.
My only complaint was the ending. It was a massive cliffhanger. According to Goodreads, there is another
book coming, but it has been more than 2 years. I hope it comes out, because the ending left me wondering!
Things to love about Wiccan...
--The mystery. This really was the focus of the book and had a ton of unexpected twists and turns.
--The characters. They were easy to identify with and I liked that they were imperfect people.
Some quotastic goodness...
--Now the earthy brown orbs were nothing more than windows into the hollow darkness of death (Loc. 80)..
--My visions, while terrifying, were always like that—pretty much useless (Loc. 85).
--“Are you one of those fruitcakes that invent crimes so you can get attention? You’re not gonna claim to be a psychic, are you (Loc. 560-561)?”
My recommendation: A fast-paced read with good bones! I recommend it!
The paranormal aspect was more psychic than magic. Mercy is gifted with the ability to "see" murders when she passes over places of death. Her ability evolves until they start to be premonitions, not that most people would believe her. Fortunately for her, she becomes close to a detective who is at least open-minded about it.
She is a great character because she is real, flaws and all. She is not created to be the perfect YA/NA character, all fluff and no substance. She struggles with her "gift," wondering if it is more of a curse. Grayson, too, as a great main character. He is kind and willing to consider those things that most would dismiss without a thought.
My only complaint was the ending. It was a massive cliffhanger. According to Goodreads, there is another
book coming, but it has been more than 2 years. I hope it comes out, because the ending left me wondering!
Things to love about Wiccan...
--The mystery. This really was the focus of the book and had a ton of unexpected twists and turns.
--The characters. They were easy to identify with and I liked that they were imperfect people.
Some quotastic goodness...
--Now the earthy brown orbs were nothing more than windows into the hollow darkness of death (Loc. 80)..
--My visions, while terrifying, were always like that—pretty much useless (Loc. 85).
--“Are you one of those fruitcakes that invent crimes so you can get attention? You’re not gonna claim to be a psychic, are you (Loc. 560-561)?”
My recommendation: A fast-paced read with good bones! I recommend it!
September 25, 2011
Today's review is on Wiccan, A Witchie Young Adult Paranormal Romance by Michelle Leighton
Wiccan is the first installment in Leighton's Wiccan series and is off to a fantastic start. An exceptional suspense thriller thrown in with love and a paranormal twist.
Mercy Holloway is an 18, almost 19 year-old college student with a peculiar "gift". She can see murders that have happened in the past if she walks over the place that they happened. Though this "gift" has been difficult to live with she try's to live her life as normally as she can. One day, on her way to school she has a vision of a woman being strangled. She accepts this as par for the course of her life until she sees the girl who was murdered sitting in front of her very much alive.
Wanting to do something to prevent her classmate from being murdered Mercy goes to the police. While the first officer brushes her off as a freak he hands her over to the young Detective Caleb Grayson. Though at first he too doesn't believe her.
Now something has changed. Mercy is now having dreams about women being murdered. With no one else to turn to she contacts Grayson. As time goes on and other murders happen, he can no longer dismiss the fact that she is right. He also can not dismiss his growing feelings for her.
Though there were some errors that were not caught by the editor, the book was extremely well written and had me guessing up until the end.
4 of 5 stars
Wiccan is the first installment in Leighton's Wiccan series and is off to a fantastic start. An exceptional suspense thriller thrown in with love and a paranormal twist.
Mercy Holloway is an 18, almost 19 year-old college student with a peculiar "gift". She can see murders that have happened in the past if she walks over the place that they happened. Though this "gift" has been difficult to live with she try's to live her life as normally as she can. One day, on her way to school she has a vision of a woman being strangled. She accepts this as par for the course of her life until she sees the girl who was murdered sitting in front of her very much alive.
Wanting to do something to prevent her classmate from being murdered Mercy goes to the police. While the first officer brushes her off as a freak he hands her over to the young Detective Caleb Grayson. Though at first he too doesn't believe her.
Now something has changed. Mercy is now having dreams about women being murdered. With no one else to turn to she contacts Grayson. As time goes on and other murders happen, he can no longer dismiss the fact that she is right. He also can not dismiss his growing feelings for her.
Though there were some errors that were not caught by the editor, the book was extremely well written and had me guessing up until the end.
4 of 5 stars
January 1, 2014
This started off slowly and built very nicely to the climatic end leaving the reader eager for the next installment.
The main character Mercy is out of high school and in college which is nice for a change as you don't have all the mean girls etc (well OK maybe a little but not so much as other YA novels)
This was very good value for the money but I don't think i would have rated it as highly if I'd had to pay paperback price for it.
You have the usual grammatical errors you get with kindle novels but if you get over that and not let it bog you down too much you'll be fine.
There are some good twist and turns one of which I totally did not see coming which was nice because usually they are blindingly obvious.
Will definitely look out for the sequel and other novels by this author.
The main character Mercy is out of high school and in college which is nice for a change as you don't have all the mean girls etc (well OK maybe a little but not so much as other YA novels)
This was very good value for the money but I don't think i would have rated it as highly if I'd had to pay paperback price for it.
You have the usual grammatical errors you get with kindle novels but if you get over that and not let it bog you down too much you'll be fine.
There are some good twist and turns one of which I totally did not see coming which was nice because usually they are blindingly obvious.
Will definitely look out for the sequel and other novels by this author.
February 24, 2012
" we faced each other, like enemies ready to duel, and then I turned and walked out the door without another word or glance in her direction."
"He was only inches from me now. I could feel the heat radiating from his body and smell the cinnamon on his breath."
"His stra flickered down to my lips then back up to mine and I lost the ability to breathe. That's what was in his eyes. He was hungry. For me."
Holy crow what an awesome read!!! I am really looking forward to the next one. Amazing characters and very unpredictable. I love love loved it!!!! Way to go!!!! Well written, easy read, and also had me on the edge all they way through. It's a must read. I'm soo keeping. Grayson is a total hOtie. Hee hee. Until next time readers
XOXO
~S~
"He was only inches from me now. I could feel the heat radiating from his body and smell the cinnamon on his breath."
"His stra flickered down to my lips then back up to mine and I lost the ability to breathe. That's what was in his eyes. He was hungry. For me."
Holy crow what an awesome read!!! I am really looking forward to the next one. Amazing characters and very unpredictable. I love love loved it!!!! Way to go!!!! Well written, easy read, and also had me on the edge all they way through. It's a must read. I'm soo keeping. Grayson is a total hOtie. Hee hee. Until next time readers
XOXO
~S~
January 1, 2016
Honestly, my 3 star rating is not indicative of how good of a read this was. I gave it 3 stars since I found it a bit hard to get into the book - it was very much an on and off read for me, but the story was very easy to read. It wasn't bogged down by a bunch of extraneous details. So once you get into the story, it's easy to breeze through.
Despite the easy read, there were still a bunch of loose ends toward the ending. Leaving the story feeling incomplete.
Mercy was a so-so character for me. I didn't love or hate her. It was just an okay main character. Personally, I prefer my characters to be a more sarcastic and playful, but that's just me.
The plot was interesting and the twist ending was excellent.
Despite the easy read, there were still a bunch of loose ends toward the ending. Leaving the story feeling incomplete.
Mercy was a so-so character for me. I didn't love or hate her. It was just an okay main character. Personally, I prefer my characters to be a more sarcastic and playful, but that's just me.
The plot was interesting and the twist ending was excellent.
December 19, 2011
I thought this book was very good, but I did not really like the idea that Wiccan's were a bit portrayed as being a little on the bad side, other than that, the book was really good.
I mean yeah I guess some Wiccan's may go on the wrong path just like Mercy's father, but then they would no longer be known as Wiccan's because Wiccan's practice to be sort of a neutral power and follow the rule "If it harm none then do as though wilt" something along those lines.
Leighton did a great job in entertaining me and its fine with the way M. Leighton told the story of Mercy Holloway. Enjoyed it!
I mean yeah I guess some Wiccan's may go on the wrong path just like Mercy's father, but then they would no longer be known as Wiccan's because Wiccan's practice to be sort of a neutral power and follow the rule "If it harm none then do as though wilt" something along those lines.
Leighton did a great job in entertaining me and its fine with the way M. Leighton told the story of Mercy Holloway. Enjoyed it!
August 20, 2012
Hmmm I don't know what to think about this. This is the only 2nd book of Leighton's book I've read. Although the plot was fairly original Mercy started rubbing me the wrong way. A lot of what bothered me was we were told how Mercy felt not really shown. And I'm not really sure that the overnight stay with Grayson would have remained PG-13, if he was actually 24. The cliffhanger left me wanted to read the next book to find out what happens but I'm not dying to read it. Hopefully the next book will get better?
June 22, 2012
When I first started to read this novel, I was like 'huh? this has nothing to do with Wiccans', then as the story moved forward, everything began to fall into place. The ending was a bit of a kicker but I suspected as much, there was just something overall creepy about it. I really can't wait for novel installment number two.
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