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The Noah sisters rule Titan High with their beauty, brains, and magical powers. Each year they play a secret game: Crushed. The girls pick their targets carefully and blow enchanted dust into the boy’s faces, charming them, but this year Kristen makes a grave mistake. She chooses the wrong boy and almost dies that same day. Coincidence? Maybe. But something isn’t quite right about Zach Bevian. He doesn’t behave like a boy who’s been Crushed. He goes from hot to cold, from looking at her with contempt to asking her out on a date. She doesn’t know what to think. Does he hate her or is he truly falling for her? Is he trying to kill her, or is he trying to save her?

260 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

148 people are currently reading
2445 people want to read

About the author

K.C. Blake

10 books114 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This author also writes under the name Kasi Blake.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
Profile Image for Sammi.
132 reviews97 followers
October 31, 2016
This book was such a fun, easy read. I love witch stories and this one was well written and fun.

The storyline was fast paced and enjoyable. Most of the ‘twists’ throughout the book are obvious and predictable. The combination of high school drama and magical issues reminded me of ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’.

The characters are cliché and rather horrible at the start, however I really enjoyed seeing them develop into decent people throughout the book.Especially the sisters, they really need to grow a conscience.
The sisters in the book are like any other sisters, although slightly more dangerous. There is jealousy and rivalry over who is the stronger witch, they constantly fight and bicker yet when shit hits the fan they still have each others backs.

Kristen’s and Zach’s hate / love relationship was obvious and predictable, yet still an enjoyable aspect of the book.The insta-love was a bit annoying. Zach goes from absolutely despising Kristen to thinking he has feeling for her in the blink of an eye, he attempts to fight the attraction but clearly not very hard. I would have enjoyed a more drawn out frenemyship between the two of them.

Overall this was a predictable yet enjoyable read. I will be reading the rest of this series and other work by Kasi Blake.

I voluntarily read a copy of this book, thanks to Clean Teen Publishing
Profile Image for Veronica Morfi.
Author 3 books406 followers
December 24, 2014
Kristen, Brittany and Cyndi are triplets and witches. Every year each of them picks a boy to crush with her colored dust. The boy is supposed to fall in love with them and do whatever his instructed to. But once Kristen crushes the schools bad boy, Zach, it seems that something has gone wrong. Little does she know that Zach is a warlock himself and he doesn't like beeing crushed, so he decides to have a little fun with the little witch while trying to make her uncrush him. But fate has something other in store for them. A new witch is in town and she obviously doen't like Kristen. The two of them will have to unite their powers to find out who she is and what she wants. And not everyone will like the answers.

The first half of the book was a little slow. I would like Zach to play around with Kristen more before the two of them started to fall for each other. All the characters where memorable and the story was solid but I didn't feel that drown to it. The one thing I adored about this book is Zach, he was the perfect boyfriend material. I also really enjoyd the dynamic between the three sisters.

I'm very curious about the next book, cause in this one the ending was very final. I wonder if it's going to be about the same characters.
Profile Image for Joood Hooligan.
518 reviews34 followers
August 8, 2015
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/c...

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There's a lot about this book that is interesting and kept me wanting to read more. The main character is a witch, a triplet, and there's a lot of paranormal stuff going on around her.

For the first half of the story, the characters were cliche and stereotypical. Kristin, the main character, wasn't very likable and was a bit two-dimensional and contradictory. Zach was definitely the character that kept me reading. Then there was the fight she was having with Brittney, I just couldn't buy in to it. She would act scared one second, angry another, but mostly ignored it and didn't do anything.

I do think the last half of the book was better than the first. I was able to understand the characters more and, although I still feel there was something missing, it did help pull everything together in the end.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
Author 20 books189 followers
April 18, 2013
Wow. This book was amazing. I was kept guessing until the end.

I very much enjoyed the characters. I liked the switching point of views from the main character, Kristen Noah, to her boyfriend, Zach Bevian. The role Kristen's sisters played was appropriate and excellent for the book. One sister in particular, Brittany, was written in such a way that her personality alone would keep you guessing at whether or not she would end up being the bad guy. And, of course, there's another person that could be equally as guilty and showed plenty of signs that they could also be the perpetrator.

The Noah sisters' game is one that, when played, could be funny and entertaining but that could also easily go wrong, which I think is a nice mixture to all of the elements of the book.

It was fun to watch Kristen and Zach grow closer as they inevitably do. They both fight their feelings for each other but it's obvious in the end that they won't win and will eventually cave in to them.

There were a few typos but the story was so engaging that I pratically glanced over them. K. C. Blake is an amazing author! What excellent talent and skill. I'm looking forward to the next book in the Witch-Games series and am eager to see how exactly she will continue it. There are so many different things she can do with this type of idea.
Profile Image for Jeds.
156 reviews
August 1, 2012
Quick. Uncomplicated. Adorable.

I finished Crushed so quick because it was that enjoyable. The concept -- witches and warlocks -- was something that I liked and not to mention that it's also a love story. Crushed was uncomplicated in a sense that despite the twists and turns of the stories, I understood them immediately and easily. It wasn't hard to accept and adapt to all the changes and revelations in the story.

The Noah sisters are witches and they have an annual game called Crushed wherein they find a target and blow love dust into their faces to make them enchanted and charmed enough to follow the girls' whims. Kristen chose to to Crush Zachary Bevian but finds out something is off about him. He's supposed to be under her spell but Zach's unpredictable actions confuse her to no end. To add, she even has to deal with attempts at her life and things made her wonder if Zach was a simple boy with the ability to make her fall and believe in love or if he was someone who had the capabilities of harming her.


One of the major things I liked about this book was the alternating point of view. It was an incentive that Blake wrote it using both Kristen and Zach's point of view. I've always been partial to reading boy POVs and this one was no different. Next are the characters. Kristen and her sisters started a pointless game but soon realized the fault in it. I liked how their character changed and developed and turned out to be dynamic and vibrant. The characters weren't dull. Zach was adorable and I loved his thoughts especially when it came to Kristen. He's so smitten that I have to stop myself from flailing my arms whenever I read his POV.

I was satisfied with the pace of the story and how Blake did a good job at providing exciting touches on the story. Bottom line is, Crushed will catch your attention and interest and hold it until the end.

I definitely would love to read the next book.
Profile Image for Savannah (Books With Bite).
1,399 reviews183 followers
November 28, 2011
I really enjoyed this book cause of the mixture of witches and mean girls. I loved the idea of mean girls playing games and abusing their powers. The way thew gang up on the little sister and shut her down. This book lived up to my every expectation of it. I'm really excited to get into the next book!
The reader's attention is brought to these three sisters messing with magic that they shouldn't be messing with. They have rules, timing, and certain boys that can play. I like that these sisters are sisterly but very mean. They all want to be on top but stand tall for each other. It's a little weird but I can understand. I like that the plot was filled with dark parts and mysterious ones.

The love interest of the book plays out better than what I expected. There were many twist and surprises that I had not seen coming. I took delight in the taking of the boys unknowingly. And the things these girls made them do was funny and sometimes dangerous. I adored the way the love interest unfolded. Zach is a mysterious bad boy with some secrets up his selves as well. That made my mouth drop a little. Not to mention, he is HOT!

If you want a great book of magic, popularity, and magic read this book. You will adore the bad boy Zach, see the envy of the sisters and learn that dark magic just creeps around the corner.
Profile Image for Cortnie.
110 reviews3 followers
April 29, 2016
This was such a fun read! I thought the relationship that Kristen had with her sisters was cute and refreshing. It was cool how they had things they didn't like about each other, but in the end, worked through their differences. I can only really remember two complains I had. It seemed that the story lost its direction somewhere in the middle, but came back to it in the end- which was nice! The other thing was I felt like it transitioned a little too quickly from Zach the Jerk to Zach the Prince Charming, boyfriend, and love of Kristen's life. Like, all at once his feelings changed. Just a little unbelievable. A+ for unexpected villain, though! I DID NOT see that one coming.
Profile Image for Mills.
1,868 reviews171 followers
dnf
November 27, 2018
DNF@ 31%

What could've been a really fun concept, billed as "Pretty Little Liars meets The Craft" was ruined early on by clunky, faintly instalove-ish writing and extreme superficiality. The heroine evidently feels that it would be the end of the world if she were not able to afford a designer original dress for prom. Apparently, in fact, it would be so dire wearing something of the rack that it could be a career-breaker. Why, I have no idea. So let's do a poll - has anyone on here ever lost a job because they didn't have a fashionable enough prom photo?

The heroine and her sisters are so utterly Mean Girls and seriously? Fuck the mean girls.
Profile Image for Vivien.
451 reviews55 followers
June 29, 2015
This book didn't give me a good first impression. The author didn't really intrigue me when she described the sisters. When I read the description, I was horrified and roflmfao rolling on the floor laughing my fucking ass off!

Kristen had this idea that she was so important and popular, which she actually is, but she's dressed like a train wreck. I know I'm nit-picking. I shouldn't be judging someone's sense of fashion, but it was just so goddamn awful! Then, there was her twin sisters... They're heavy metal, punk twins... KMS... What made that even better was that one lives up to the rebel reputation and the other one was a doormat... KMS AGAIN!

But, first impressions are always-sometimes-misleading.

The first impression got me rolling in my grave. I really didn't want to continue with the ridiculousness, but I'm glad I stuck it out to the end. I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was pretty slow and boring until Zach-aka Tall, Dark, and Scary-was introduced.

That's where I have even more problems with this book. I think I read this book just to read about Zach. I feel really bad about that. I should be reading a book because of its writing and story, not because one of the characters is GORGEOUS.

This book however did have a really compelling story line and great writing. It was highly enjoyable.

I get that having powers is awesome af and you can use it for whatever you want, but making it a game to make people love you is really sick. I didn't consider the game to be the main plot (because it isn't, duh.) I thought of it as a helpful, but sick sub-plot. It really helped readers understand how being Crushed affects you. This sub-plot really helps tie in the main plot. The Main plot (Not a spoiler if you read the synopsis): a evil witch is trying to kill Kristen.

I already knew who the evil witch is, named very well if I must say , but the story still had me guessing. There was lots of twists and turns. There was cool magic, self-defense force shields (not really cool, it just had a really strong impact. It made go OH DAMN!!!!!!), but really cool advanced spells weren't included though. That made me really sad. It made me feel like the author didn't fully run with the whole urban fantasy vibe. She could've made it so much more epic and action packed with cool, advance spells.

I enjoyed the theme of family in this book. Kristen has a lot of support and love from her sisters, even if they go crazy every once in a while. I loved seeing the sibling bond. Most books I read don't really focus on the bond. It made me pretty happy.

I REALLY enjoyed Zach, maybe a little too much. He had this bad boy vibe going on...swoon...motorcycle...pregnant...black, luxury sports car....dead. In the words of my good friend Megan
He's my baby!
He was such a good guy. He was chivalrous, kind, and just...swoon... he reminded me of Daemon from Obsidian and every other hot fictional guy, but not arrogant.

I really liked this book, even though I focused on the negatives in this review.
Profile Image for diana.
921 reviews120 followers
July 9, 2014
I received a free copy of the ebook from the author through the We <3 YA Books! club in exchange for an honest review.

There I was just surfin’ through Goodreads looking for another good book to read when I came across We <3 YA Books! club’s ARR program. After reading the synopsis of Crushed, I just knew I had to read the book right there and then. And boy, was I glad that I did.

Crushed features Titan High’s three popular, rich, gorgeous twin sisters. But what makes them all the more wicked is that they are witches. Every year they have this so-called game “Crushed” and they are very competitive about it. They are to put a boy under “their spell” and command him to do anything – from humiliating to risky stuff.

Crushed is told from the POVs of Kristen Noah and Zach Bevian. I always love it whenever I read a book that features alternating POV between the characters. At least then, it gives us more feeling of “connection” with the characters and we get to see who they really are and what’s going on in their minds.
It was especially fun reading the book and seeing through Kristen Noah’s eyes. She may have seemed a bit self-centered and selfish in the beginning but then as I get to read further in the book, you’d see why she acts the way she does and that she’s just like any other teenager (with the exception of being a witch, that is) – with the same drama and problems. She’s the perfect daughter and the perfect student with the perfect grades. It is always expected of her to do great and big things – the exact opposite of her sisters. And after deciding that she’s tired of being a do-gooder she takes on a bet to “crush” Zach Bevian, one with a bad boy reputation. What Kristen didn’t know is that there’s something Zach is hiding and now she’ll get herself tangled in a mess/danger she never saw coming.

It was my first time reading a book with such a unique plot. It was a perfect world to be sucked into. Not to mention, the characters are all equally intriguing and very well-written. I especially adore Zach. He’s a gentleman and he’s really sweet and charming and awesome and gorgeous and incredible and hot and dashing (and I could name a few more but I’m afraid that would take up too much space). He’s got a lot going on in his life and all that mystery and danger surrounding him makes him all the more swoon-worthy. Oh Zach, why can’t all the guys be like you? The world would have been a better place to live in.

Crushed is one book nobody should miss. It’s a whole package of fun, romance, excitement, danger and humor that would keep you reading until that very last page.
I honestly would have wanted more of Kristen and Zach but I heard that even though this is a series the books are stand alone. I had a great time reading Crushed though that I’d give the second book a shot and see what Miss Blake has in store for us. I’m sure it would be as great as Crushed. I can’t wait!

I absolutely had a great time reading Crushed. Miss Blake’s writing style is one that would pull you all the way in but still keep you wanting for more.
Absolutely recommended!
Profile Image for Mandy Sickle.
1,463 reviews152 followers
January 1, 2014
The book is about three sisters who aren't your typical high school girls they are witches with special powers. Every year the girls play a game called Crushed, where the each pick out a boy to be their slave, and follow them around like a love sick puppy. This year Kristen is dead set on winning, and when her sister jokingly says that she should Crush Zach she does. Yet something is off, Zach doesn't act like the other crushed boy. As Kristen get's to know Zach she finds herself for the first time falling for him, he even saves her life once or twice.

Zach is hiding a deep dark secret that could change everything, and his growing feelings for Kristen could ruin what he's work so hard to protect. As if that's not enough because she Crushed Zach her sister Brittany is out for revenge, because she was interested in dating Zach herself. So now Kristen has to worry about a revenge seeking sister, and a strange witch out to kill her.

I really enjoyed the book, I always have a fond spot for witch books and this one is a great one. I love the characters the main character is Kristen, and she's totally has the shy girl next door thing going for her, or better yet the never been kissed thing. I like the whole good girl bad guy thing it really works for this pair, and they have great chemistry. I had a hard time putting this book down because I wanted to know more. There are a few twists I had no idea were coming and I love when a book surprises me and this one. I feel the characters are well developed and easy to relate too, which makes for an enjoyable read I really loved this book.
Profile Image for Adriana.
1,324 reviews148 followers
August 1, 2012
How to play Crushed!

Each witch needs to choose a boy.
Each witch needs to prepare her own potion using the usual components.
At the agreed upon time, each witch will blow the dust like substance into the face of the boy.

One of the rules are:
No crushing on a boy you have dated, are dating of want to date in the future.

This is the game that the Noah sisters play every year, the aim of the game is to get the boy to do everything the sister say. Then Kristen suddenly decides to pick the local bad boy Zach ( who she hates)and blows the dust in his face all before the game has even begun. She wants to humiliate him. But the unexpected happens once she blows the dust in his face he looks at her as though she is crazy not the expected reaction, you see Zach knows her secret that she is a witch but Zach has a few secrets of his own. As Zach and Kristen spend time together they learn that they are not that diffrent and they start falling for each other. But will his secrets tear them apart ??Well i suggest you read to find out !!

This was a great read i didnt think i would like it as much as i did. As i read a few witch books that were not for me but i loved this one. This books had spells, witches, wolfs,and romance it was action packed one minute Kirsten would be walking the next minute something dramatic would happen it, it kept you on your toes wanting to know what is going on and what is going to happen next.

K.C.Blake is definately a author to look out for ill definately be reading all her books. I cant wait to see what she writes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Alyssa.
308 reviews4 followers
August 7, 2012
*I received this ebook free from We <3 YA Books!'s ARR program in exchange for a honest review*

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book was a cute, enjoyable read. And overall I really enjoyed the book but a few aspects held the book back in my eyes.

The Good:

-The plot was completely unique (at least for me) and I love the intro with the rules of "Crushed". The author's world of witches was incredibly detailed and I enjoyed Zach's back story.

-Also the characters were easy to relate with especially Kristen. The love between Zach and his sister Morgan was adorable and completely realistic.

-Next, the ending was extremely well paced. At first I thought the ending was going to be incredibly anticlimactic but the end scenes were perfect for the book.

The Not So Good:

-The beginning was rather slow paced and I had an incredibly hard time getting into it. It wasn't until the half way point when Zach and Kristen became close, did the book really stole my attention.

-Throughout the book it seemed more and more like Cyndi and Brittany were actually twins and Kristen was just another sister instead of them being triplets. I think the author could have possibly written their relationship better, but the ending totally made up for it.

-There were a few grammar mistakes throughout that I noticed... but none of them hindered the story.

So overall this book was an adorable story but nothing about it was special enough to warrant five stars.
Profile Image for Vicki (The Wolf's Den).
437 reviews9 followers
February 13, 2022
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I had a hard time with Crushed. You know those made-for-TV movies that start out with a nasty girl as the main character, but after she's dared into spending time with this one guy she stops being nasty and becomes a better person? Well, Crushed was kinda like that.

Read my full review at The Wolf's Den

Overall, I was disappointed with Crushed. I thought the story concept was interesting, the mystery surrounding the villain was engaging, but the main characters and writing left me wanting to get it over with. Sex, language, and violence are negligible, so I'd say it's appropriate for the middle-school crowd as well as high-schoolers. While Crushed and I had our differences, I think it could make an enjoyable read for those who like YA Paranormal-Romance, but are tired of the vampires and werewolves ruling the scene.

Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours
Profile Image for Lucie Paris.
751 reviews34 followers
August 5, 2012
A contemporary witches story rather intended for teens.

The author addresses the issue of responsibility when you have some powers and the danger of abuse. Wanting to do things for yourself and not to please others. Face your fears and not flinch at the idea of taking risks and moving forward.

An honest and nice story but not transcendent. I was motivated after reading the synopsis on the idea of casting a ​​spell for fun by a trio of witches on boys to make them fall in love. A spell that will not work on the hot guy, of course!
But the result was less interesting than the one developed by my imagination. So, in the middle of my reading, I lost a little interest and I found the plot a too soft for my taste.

Well written. There's humor, some nice replicas and a duo-Kristen Zach quite endearing. But all lacked a bit of magic and fighting for my taste. Even if the end is pretty well put together.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
Profile Image for Jenny  Zimmerman.
1,663 reviews71 followers
December 4, 2015
There are two very important reasons why I wanted to read this book!! Reason number one, it is a Clean Teen Publishing book and I love anything CTP!! Reason number two, the book is FREE on Amazon and we all love free, right?

This book is one I have never read before. This book puts a whole new spin on the Paranormal. I was shocked yet intrigued with this author's style of writing. I must say that it was extremely hard to put down. It's mysterious and a bit creepy with an interesting twist that I sure didn't see coming. It's clean and right to the point, well, rather when the author was ready to give up the scenes in more detail. The characters were amazing and I loved the triplets and their magical ways. I fell in love with the love story between Kristen and Zack. It was an incredible love story of those two. I absolutely loved the plot and this made for an amazing and very enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Laura  Hernandez.
802 reviews85 followers
August 11, 2015
I received a free copy of this book via Clean Teen Publishing Elite Reviewers which I am a member of. I made no guarantee of a favorable review.

This is the story of three sisters who are beginning their senior year of high school. Brittany, Cyndi and Kristen are witches and apparently they don't care about the three fold law as they like casting spells on boys to get them to do whatever the sisters like. However, they are in for some surprises and heartache this school year and all hell is about to break lose.

This is the first book I'v read by this author and not only did I love the book I also loved her writing style. A story line that quickly pulls you in and holds your interest until the end and well developed characters. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the second book.
Profile Image for Keagan.
23 reviews1 follower
August 5, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this down. I'm such a sucker for witches and I was not disappointed with this book. The character development is amazing and I love how all the sisters have such strong and different personalities.

Zach is my new book boyfriend. So sorry to the last one. I don't even remember your name.

I'm torn between disappointment and excitement that the next book won't follow Kristen and her sisters. I'd love to see more of the girls, but the end was perfect for a standalone story. I can't wait to see what the next book has in store!

5/5 Platypires
Profile Image for ☆☆Hannah☆☆.
3,182 reviews46 followers
October 25, 2016
This was an okay book. I will admit that there were a few interesting things about this book. The characters overall weren't anything special. You have three sisters who are witches. Every year they play a game. Shocking that finally the game backfires in their faces. Kristen meets Zach and that 's who she crushes. Of course he is a witch too so it doesn't work out. Cyndi and Brittany were okay. Brittany was awful throughout but at the end you find out the truth. The truth about Morgan was something that I never saw coming. I was also surprised that both Zach and Kristen were able to give up their powers at the end. Although, if you truly love someone then anything is possible.
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,815 reviews632 followers
Want to read
November 30, 2015
Kasi Blake has a giveaway for her Spirit Realm Series! Enter to win an eCopy of Hunter!
http://tometender.blogspot.com/2015/11/kasi-blakes-order-of-spirit-realm.html
Click an Banner to enter = Ends December 14, 2015 - INTL where allowed!
Profile Image for Teal Nesmith.
96 reviews6 followers
July 21, 2016
Have you ever started a book and known immediately it was going to be the most mindlessly ridiculous thing ever but you were stuck in a car for three hours and had no other options so you either had to plow through it or count the lines on the freeway as you drove past them? I have. This only reason this book gets two stars is because I finished it - and it was slightly better than freeway billboards.
Profile Image for Chloe (Girl In The Woods Reviews).
119 reviews74 followers
July 28, 2012
Read it, loved it. I really loved this book, CRUSHED. It was unusual and fascinating and I can't seem to not get enough of Kristen. She was a wonderful and fun character to read about and Zach was equally as great. It really was a good read!
Profile Image for Millie Moo.
63 reviews17 followers
December 12, 2015
I enjoyed it but found the ending fell a little short, but all together a great free kindle book.
Profile Image for Tonja Drecker.
Author 3 books236 followers
October 11, 2016
Magic and teenage high school drama combine to form an intriguing adventure, where jealousy is almost as dangerous as love itself.

Kristen is one of three sisters, all of which are witches. Each year during high school, they have played a magical game, where each has enchanted a boy to crush on them. So far, Kristen has never been defeated. Now, in their Senior year, especially one of her sisters has sworn to make this change. When Kristen accidentally crushes on the wrong guy, more than the sister's silly game is at stake.

This story sets off into full motion right away and doesn't stop until the very end. The high school scene is well done, portraying the girls and their friends with normal teenage worries and problems. The dialogue is very natural and wonderfully snappy at times. The three girls aren't the most loving siblings, but rather a very tense rivalry exists between them. But the bonds of sisters is a great thing in these pages. Even when the girls get pretty nasty with each other, they still have each others backs.

The tension grows steadily, leading into an ever deepening and dangerous situation. Although some moments and twists are predictable, the layers of secrets are well laid, making it hard to put this book down. Especially Kristen starts out a little rough, but it doesn't take long before she's a true heroine to sympathize with and root for until the end. And her hero, Zach, is a gentleman pure. They have decisions to make, ones that aren't easy, and all the while, they have more than themselves at heart.

It's a world to fall into and feel at home in. The descriptions are kept to a minimum, leaving the exciting plot on center stage. Magic is kept fairly calm outside of a few exciting battles. A couple of the characters could have used a little more depth, but Kristen and Zach pull through, capturing and holding the attention as they should. The ending comes with many emotional moments, ones that make true heroes and heroines. The final result wasn't quite my thing and chopped off quicker, making me wish there was more of these two to come.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.
Profile Image for Jenifer.
1,079 reviews13 followers
January 29, 2022
Really liked!
Three high school sisters- triplets- just coming into their own in the magic world. They use their magic in small frivolous ways because they've never needed it for anything big. Their 'fun' game every year is to put a puppy love spell on some poor unsuspecting boy in school and make their own competition of it. Only this time they've picked the wrong boy...
There's always been a cheeky rivalry between the sisters but things take a seriously wrong turn.

Think 'Witches of Eastwick' or 'Charmed' high school style.
This was a fun read even though the material itself is increasingly suspenseful. I really liked it!
Profile Image for Ethan Gregory.
223 reviews8 followers
August 20, 2015
Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...

*****
My Thoughts:

Read after read, I find myself struggling to keep interest. Genres are becoming far too repetitive and unique spins and original ideas are few and far between. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of all things paranormal and that witchcraft is pretty much at the top of my interests. While the idea of a YA witchcraft novel is definitely not unheard of (I mean, they're everywhere), Kasi Blake stood up in the crowd and took a stand for originality and really blew it out of the ballpark.

Before I start raving, allow me to get my one negative aspect out of the way. I haven't read any of Kasi's works prior to this, though they've all been thrown at me with glowing recommendations. I don't know if her other stories are similar in style to Crushed, but I'll go ahead and say this anyway. This story was the near the cleanest YA witchcraft story I've read. This is by no means a bad thing, I have just come to expect more cursing and adult situations from my YA reads and this one really shocked me. There was a whole lot of potential to juice up the adult content, but it never came to fruition. The novel stand on its' own as an amazing read, but just a heads up to anyone looks for a mature YA novel, you wont find it here. This story is appropriate for all YA readers.

The plot for Crushed was pretty awesome. It's an extremely quick-paced and easy read that's sure to keep you interested page after page. Blake's unique spin on the YA witchcraft trope will definitely leave you satisfied. The idea of the Crushed game between the sisters was both well-written and intriguing. I would have loved to see more of this in the novel. The story was definitely suspenseful at points and I can honestly say there were several times that I didn't know who was good and who was evil. I wish more YA novels weren't so transparent. Blake clearly has a knack for leaving her readers reeling for more.

The characters in Crushed really gave me a lot to think about. On the negative end, they're very unrelatable for someone like me: a male reader born and bred in the Midwest. Surrounded by riches, more than a little spoiled, and slightly entitled, these characters were all tragically flawed in the greatest of ways. These characters weren't written in the sense to make them likable (for me), but the story Blake was able to craft from that was incredible. The character truly read like as though they were from in an MTV/CW series which will resonate great with audiences of those mediums. Specifically speaking, Zach was my favorite character. I don't know if it was the mysterious about him or just the fact that he didn't act like a teenager that made him stand out. I really appreciated his character. Now believablilty? I found some fault with the idea than an 18 year old in high school managing an estate, buying land, and caring for a mentally challenged sister, but Blake made it work. As for the Noah girls? They were all very different, much like teenage girls are, which was refreshing to read, but again, like Zach, I found some of their specifics to be a bit questionable as well. If you can take the story for what is was at surface level, you will have no problem enjoying the tale that Blake has elegantly crafted. While some of these specifics didn't sit extremely well with me, I still found the overall story to be immensely enjoyable!

The setting for Crushed was a rather interesting one that I didn't really understand for a while. The story takes place in California, where the rich live like kings and the regular peeps aren't given a second of attention. All of the characters in this story come from money and is evident in each home that's described and each sports car, motorcycle, or mode of transportation displayed. Blake does a phenomenal job with these descriptions, leading me to picture Crushed much like an MTV original series. It could happen people. The sprawling countrysides and beautiful sandy beaches were described as though I were there to witness them myself. The world of Crushed is one I definitely wish I could have entered.

The paranormal element in Crushed took an interesting turn. While witchcraft has been beaten over the head, Blake found a way to make hers definitely stand out. While our characters are witches, they don't come from a family of witches (just a grandmother) which really left me with more questions, but I digress. The idea of dark magic being the means by which a witch can acquire power was such a fun twist on the lore. I also loved the idea of accusing witches to make them lose their powers. That was one awesomely unique twist Blake caught me with! I can't say I necessarily liked how Blake ended the novel (in the magical sense), but I definitely see why it happened the way it did.

All-in-all, I am so excited to be granting Crushed by Kasi Blake a well-deserved 4-star review. While it wasn't quite everything I was looking for in a YA paranormal witchcraft story, it set the bar high for originality and plot which earns Kasi Blake major points in my book. I hear that book two is just as incredible as this one so I cannot wait to check it out. I highly recommend Crushed to any fans of YA, paranormal, or good a clean teenage romance. Tie in all those categories and you've got a story you'll be proud to have grace your shelves. Don't delay, add this one to your TBR today!

*****
Profile Image for Nellie.
1,363 reviews23 followers
December 25, 2018
Witch romance

This story stayed clean. I liked the characters. That storyline was good, but I feel it could have been better with stronger personalities. It felt like they had very little backbone. They allowed bad to happen. And in many situations, they just didn't respond, and act they way it really would have happened. It seemed like not enough follow through in the details, like recovery from life threatening fight never happened. Lots of holes, and unfinished situations. But it was interesting enough for me to finish
Profile Image for Jordan.
10 reviews
September 13, 2023
I gave this book 3 stars. It was a fun read.

The enemies to lovers was cute, and I loved the relationship. However, there were many clichés and the book was pretty predictable. The transitions between POV could have been done better as well.

I felt like the ending could have used some work. The big bad fight happened and then all of a sudden they were in front of the witches counsel with really no explanation, so that bothered me.

Overall, it was a nice read and quick, so not too bad for a free book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mary Winstead.
1,263 reviews16 followers
December 9, 2017
Kristen and her sisters are witches. They play a game among the three of them to see who can make a guy crush on them and win. When Kristen blows the dust on Zach the mean senior everyone is scared of. She doesn't know what she has gotten herself into. Zach is a deadlock out for revenge on the Noah girls. Except he's hiding a very dark secret. Can these two see through the magic to be one??? Need to read. Great book.
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