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The Beauchamp Family #1
Witches of East End
From the author of the highly addictive and bestselling Blue Bloods series, with almost 3 million copies sold, comes a new novel, Melissa de la Cruz's first for adults, featuring a family of formidable and beguiling witches.
The three Beauchamp women-Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid-live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret-they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.
With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.
"A sexy, magical romp, sure to bring de la Cruz a legion of new fans." -- Kelley Armstrong, New York Times bestselling author of The Otherworld series
The three Beauchamp women-Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid-live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret-they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.
With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.
"A sexy, magical romp, sure to bring de la Cruz a legion of new fans." -- Kelley Armstrong, New York Times bestselling author of The Otherworld series
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2011
1069 people are currently reading
28580 people want to read
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
187 books15.8k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,554 reviews
August 5, 2011
Note: If I could give 2 1/2 stars, I would; but, only because I liked the beginning.
There are few things more disappointing to avid readers than when we discover the book we invested time in, suddenly loses its appeal at the closing of the story. Although I was intrigued with the characters and the plot for nearly three quarters of the book, the spell of the “Witches of East End” wore out, getting bogged down with last minute explanations that felt more misleading than clarifying.
Yes, the magic was enchanting. How could it not be? I was enchanted from the beginning. But, incorporating the background of Norse mythology became overwhelming in the end. As much as I am a mythology nerd, I do not appreciate a book that requires a pre-requisite reading from another book – “Witches 101.” Required reading and studying is for the classroom, not when I’m looking to relax on the couch with a good book.
I like being surprised as much as the next person, but I do not like when details are manipulated to make me feel kept in the dark. It was like an old-fashioned mystery where details were purposely withheld until the end, so the author could feel smart and the reader could feel ignorant.
What’s worse than a disappointing ending? How about the possibility of a sequel? Just as I felt things were wrapped up and I could force myself into finding closure, there’s an epilogue that discloses more trouble in the future that could ruin the near happy ending.
My feelings for the book ended up like a relationship that had me enamored in the beginning, but left me feeling disgusted with myself, wondering what I ever saw in it in the first place. Unfortunately, I do know what I saw in it in the first place. But, like so many bad relationships, the story changed and could no longer satisfy my needs.
Maybe those of you, who are less sensitive, can accept their sweetheart turning into a bad boy. I, for one, cannot handle that kind of relationship… err, book.
- EZRead Staffer, Amelia
Watch the review on a video: http://www.vimeo.com/26975100
Buy the book here: http://www.ezread.com/book.asp?EAN=97...
There are few things more disappointing to avid readers than when we discover the book we invested time in, suddenly loses its appeal at the closing of the story. Although I was intrigued with the characters and the plot for nearly three quarters of the book, the spell of the “Witches of East End” wore out, getting bogged down with last minute explanations that felt more misleading than clarifying.
Yes, the magic was enchanting. How could it not be? I was enchanted from the beginning. But, incorporating the background of Norse mythology became overwhelming in the end. As much as I am a mythology nerd, I do not appreciate a book that requires a pre-requisite reading from another book – “Witches 101.” Required reading and studying is for the classroom, not when I’m looking to relax on the couch with a good book.
I like being surprised as much as the next person, but I do not like when details are manipulated to make me feel kept in the dark. It was like an old-fashioned mystery where details were purposely withheld until the end, so the author could feel smart and the reader could feel ignorant.
What’s worse than a disappointing ending? How about the possibility of a sequel? Just as I felt things were wrapped up and I could force myself into finding closure, there’s an epilogue that discloses more trouble in the future that could ruin the near happy ending.
My feelings for the book ended up like a relationship that had me enamored in the beginning, but left me feeling disgusted with myself, wondering what I ever saw in it in the first place. Unfortunately, I do know what I saw in it in the first place. But, like so many bad relationships, the story changed and could no longer satisfy my needs.
Maybe those of you, who are less sensitive, can accept their sweetheart turning into a bad boy. I, for one, cannot handle that kind of relationship… err, book.
- EZRead Staffer, Amelia
Watch the review on a video: http://www.vimeo.com/26975100
Buy the book here: http://www.ezread.com/book.asp?EAN=97...
October 12, 2019
I adore witches and supernatural stories. This book did not disappoint. I enjoyed the plot and pace of the story and I enjoyed the characters immensely. Freya is smart but rules with her heart and emotion which can cause her to not see things clearly. Ingrid is intelligent and hard working and sometimes allows her heart to be closed off. She is my favorite character. I loved watching her grow and progress. Joanne feels deeply and loves fiercely but she let's her emotions make decisions that can have deep consequences. The only complaint I have is the book was a bit choppy which made for a read that didn't flow as well as I hoped. That being said the book was entertaining and I am glad I read it.
did-not-finish
May 16, 2011Apparently this is my day for cranky reviews. DNF, no rating.
It starts off with an overwritten, precious description of the mythical town of North Hampton, Long Island, then proceeds to describe one of the heroines, Freya, who has the cheekbones of a model without being gauche enough to be model-thin all over, as is demonstrated by her ample bosom. Shortly after that lovely introduction, we see Freya go into the closet for a quickie with her fiance's brother at their engagement party.
I'm sure that all gets explained in a way so that Freya still comes out a perfectly perfect princess, but I'm really not in the mood for that nonsense. On the plus side, the Norse mythology aspect has prompted me to re-read Shelly Laurenston's Hunting Season.
Review based on ARC received via LTER.
It starts off with an overwritten, precious description of the mythical town of North Hampton, Long Island, then proceeds to describe one of the heroines, Freya, who has the cheekbones of a model without being gauche enough to be model-thin all over, as is demonstrated by her ample bosom. Shortly after that lovely introduction, we see Freya go into the closet for a quickie with her fiance's brother at their engagement party.
I'm sure that all gets explained in a way so that Freya still comes out a perfectly perfect princess, but I'm really not in the mood for that nonsense. On the plus side, the Norse mythology aspect has prompted me to re-read Shelly Laurenston's Hunting Season.
Review based on ARC received via LTER.
March 22, 2016
Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !
Beware spoilers ahead!
Last year I read Triple Moon. And I was surprised that I enjoyed it! So I decided to read the previous series that featured some of the side characters. I am very happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
The book begins with a prologue. Bill and Maura Thatcher are walking along a beach. During their nightly walk they run into their neighbor Joanna Beauchamp. They say hello. But she merely replies coldly that there's nothing to see. Bill finds this very odd. But then again Joanna is odd. The prologue ends mentioning that there are immortals amongst them.
You are then taken to the first chapter. In which it is Freya's engagement party. Freya while happy about her engagement to Bran Gardiner is very nervous. Her sister Ingrid checks on her and Freya pretends to be fine. Apparently it is Killian Gardiner (Bran's brother) who is making her uncomfortable. He keeps on looking at her from across the room. Almost as if he excepts something. Against her own will Freya makes her way over to him. She tries to talk to him. But then the two enter the bathroom together.
I'm just going to stop right there. Just because I know what you all must be thinking. Why would Freya who is engaged to Bran start an affair with Killian? And why would you read a book about that? Well I already knew of the love triangle because I read Triple Moon and it was mentioned. And knowing how the love triangle ends it really doesn't bother me. I really wanted to read this series because I wanted to know more about Freya and Ingrid and their past.
The book is narrated in third person. It switches between Freya, Ingrid, and Joanna's point of view. It is also divided into parts and there are chapter titles. I find this surprisingly because most books don't use chapter titles anymore.
Like I mentioned in my review for Triple Moon I like how Norse mythology is infused in this series! I found that it was better than in this book then Triple Moon. Joanna, Ingrid, and Freya are all Norse Goddesses. They have been living on Earth for centuries. During the Salem Witch trials the counsel decreed that the Norse are allowed to live on Earth, so long as they don't use their magic.
Avoiding using their powers hasn't been working with them lately. While working Freya looked at an ex-married couple and saw signs of violence. Freya couldn't really make out what she saw. She couldn't tell who it was that got hurt or who inflicted the pain. Terrified Freya created a love potion and got the couple back together. Ingrid's friend Tabetha has been trying to get pregnant for months now. Ingrid feeling bad for her friend decides to help her get pregnant. Her magic specializes in that. Once she does that many women of the town come to Ingrid for help. While babysitting their house cleaners son Joanna, accidentally burnt the pie they were supposed to have. To make Tyler happy Joanna fixed the pie and they ate it.
I really liked the relationship between Ingrid and Freya! It was nice to read about how close they were compared to Molly and Mardi. I like how this book put a very large focus on the women of the family. For most of the book you don't know what's become of their father and what happened between their family. I loved reading about all the characters! Especially Tyler! He was so adorable!
The book was quite slow. But there is a plot. It sort of sneaks up on you. And it was well done! I was really surprised when it was revealed who was behind all the weird stuff in their town.
I only had a few problems with this. Ingrid and Matt's romance was pretty odd. For the majority of the book Ingrid is annoyed by Matt. But only when he starts dating her co-worker does she start to like him. Their romance felt rushed. The ending felt very rushed. And the one possible fight scene was pretty lame. I found that there were some plot holes here-and-there. And that ending line of the book was really cheesy and overdone. But I still enjoyed this!
Overall this was a great book! Much better than Triple Moon. I recommend to anyone looking for some light mythology, fans of the author, anyone who would like some background knowledge on Triple Moon, and fantasy fans. I'm so excited to read the sequel!
Beware spoilers ahead!
Last year I read Triple Moon. And I was surprised that I enjoyed it! So I decided to read the previous series that featured some of the side characters. I am very happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
The book begins with a prologue. Bill and Maura Thatcher are walking along a beach. During their nightly walk they run into their neighbor Joanna Beauchamp. They say hello. But she merely replies coldly that there's nothing to see. Bill finds this very odd. But then again Joanna is odd. The prologue ends mentioning that there are immortals amongst them.
You are then taken to the first chapter. In which it is Freya's engagement party. Freya while happy about her engagement to Bran Gardiner is very nervous. Her sister Ingrid checks on her and Freya pretends to be fine. Apparently it is Killian Gardiner (Bran's brother) who is making her uncomfortable. He keeps on looking at her from across the room. Almost as if he excepts something. Against her own will Freya makes her way over to him. She tries to talk to him. But then the two enter the bathroom together.
I'm just going to stop right there. Just because I know what you all must be thinking. Why would Freya who is engaged to Bran start an affair with Killian? And why would you read a book about that? Well I already knew of the love triangle because I read Triple Moon and it was mentioned. And knowing how the love triangle ends it really doesn't bother me. I really wanted to read this series because I wanted to know more about Freya and Ingrid and their past.
The book is narrated in third person. It switches between Freya, Ingrid, and Joanna's point of view. It is also divided into parts and there are chapter titles. I find this surprisingly because most books don't use chapter titles anymore.
Like I mentioned in my review for Triple Moon I like how Norse mythology is infused in this series! I found that it was better than in this book then Triple Moon. Joanna, Ingrid, and Freya are all Norse Goddesses. They have been living on Earth for centuries. During the Salem Witch trials the counsel decreed that the Norse are allowed to live on Earth, so long as they don't use their magic.
Avoiding using their powers hasn't been working with them lately. While working Freya looked at an ex-married couple and saw signs of violence. Freya couldn't really make out what she saw. She couldn't tell who it was that got hurt or who inflicted the pain. Terrified Freya created a love potion and got the couple back together. Ingrid's friend Tabetha has been trying to get pregnant for months now. Ingrid feeling bad for her friend decides to help her get pregnant. Her magic specializes in that. Once she does that many women of the town come to Ingrid for help. While babysitting their house cleaners son Joanna, accidentally burnt the pie they were supposed to have. To make Tyler happy Joanna fixed the pie and they ate it.
I really liked the relationship between Ingrid and Freya! It was nice to read about how close they were compared to Molly and Mardi. I like how this book put a very large focus on the women of the family. For most of the book you don't know what's become of their father and what happened between their family. I loved reading about all the characters! Especially Tyler! He was so adorable!
The book was quite slow. But there is a plot. It sort of sneaks up on you. And it was well done! I was really surprised when it was revealed who was behind all the weird stuff in their town.
I only had a few problems with this. Ingrid and Matt's romance was pretty odd. For the majority of the book Ingrid is annoyed by Matt. But only when he starts dating her co-worker does she start to like him. Their romance felt rushed. The ending felt very rushed. And the one possible fight scene was pretty lame. I found that there were some plot holes here-and-there. And that ending line of the book was really cheesy and overdone. But I still enjoyed this!
Overall this was a great book! Much better than Triple Moon. I recommend to anyone looking for some light mythology, fans of the author, anyone who would like some background knowledge on Triple Moon, and fantasy fans. I'm so excited to read the sequel!
May 3, 2011
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
Let me start off by admitting that I’ve never read anything else by Melissa de la Cruz, except her short story in The Eternal Kiss anthology, which I remember being decent enough. I expected to like this adult debut more than I did, especially when I see the good reviews it’s getting elsewhere. I wonder, was I just really cranky when I read this? Why was I hyper-aware of every time de la Cruz used the phrase “for lack of a better word”, or dismissive of the entire paragraph she spends floridly describing Freya’s breasts, or critical of the fact that she chooses to use words like “lugubrious” and “pulchritude” in the early pages of a narrative that’s otherwise written at a median YA level?
Why was I so critical of her writing in general? Is it because I expected more out of an adult novel? Wait, I just answered my own question. As you can tell, this review is mostly going to be cranky.
The premise is a good one, and overall, the twisty way it plays out is the best thing about this novel. The Beauchamp family witches (mother Joanna; sisters Ingrid and Freya) have been hiding in the tiny coastal village of North Hampton for centuries, unable to practice magic by order of the Council. Eventually, they fall off the wagon, giving in to the temptation to improve the lives of their friends and neighbors with their magic. I’ll get to how creepy I often find their meddling in a bit, but suffice to say, pretty soon they are doing it old school and out in the open. This goes poorly for them when North Hampton is beset by a multitude of problems: dead animals turn up, people start getting inexplicably ill, other people go missing or are found murdered, and the Atlantic coast is suddenly coated in a toxic sludge that isn’t from an oil spill. Naturally, some of the townspeople blame the Beauchamps, causing the women to agonize about their Salem Witch Trial days, but they realize that the Evil-with-a-capital-E is actually connected to the Gardiner brothers, Bran and Killian, and their ancestral manor on nearby Gardiner Island. Anything else I can say would be a big spoiler, so I’ll stop there.
This story has an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to paranormal fiction: witches, vampires, zombies, several mysteries, and a romantic triangle, all thrown in haphazardly but then, by the end, fairly neatly tied up with Norse mythology: the tree of life, Yggdrasil; Midgard and Asgard; and several gods/goddesses. The Norse mythology stuff came as a surprise for me (I kept wondering if I was supposed to work that out earlier from the millions of hints dropped about the Beauchamp family’s past that are not revealed until, like, the last twenty pages) but I think it worked well as an overall framework for the story. Basically, this book is a set-up for the rest of the series, and all the important stuff happens at the end.
I had troubles with the timeline of the Beauchamp family, again because all these hints are dropped (mostly having to do with the Council decree to not use magic and the Salem Witch Trials, but also about the difference places they’ve lived and jobs they’ve had over the years) but never explained until past the point where I was ready to quit trying to figure it out. Sometimes, I felt like I was reading a middle book in a series without having read the others, like I was expected to know all the important pieces of backstory already. Mostly, my confusion came from references to Joanna’s, Freya’s and Ingrid’s immortality right next to references about their current lifespan age that make it seem like they’re really that age (Freya, for example, is 19, but she has a totally prosaic fake ID saying she’s 22 years old so that she can work in the bar). This eventually gets explained, .
Most of what I didn’t like in this book have to do with the characters. No amount of good plotting can save a book for me if I don’t care about any of the characters. Their lives revolve around men, and they use magic (not always, but enough) to manipulate people in order to “fix” relationships.
Ingrid, the older daughter, is a buttoned-up librarian who wears a bun and harangues her patrons over late fees. (Her nickname is even “Frigid Ingrid”.) She has a secret crush on the stable, dependable police detective (whose last name is Noble, and that says all about his minimal character) but doesn’t have time for silliness like love. She has a stereotypical gay best friend who is dilettantish and loves reality television, fashion, gossiping, and speaks in a pseudo-elevated Britishy manner. While some of her magic isn’t creepy, like she helps a friend who desperately wants to conceive, she also does things like create “fidelity knots” which are designed to keep married men from roaming. It’s not that I’m saying married men should be allowed to cheat on their wives, just that if you’re that sure your husband is cheating, maybe a magical knot tying him to you is not that empowering.
Freya, the youngest daughter, is the wild one who is marrying Bran but having an affair with his brother Killian. She has sex a lot and she’s very pretty. That’s about it for her. Oh, she also makes magical cocktails – her “love potions” – that can make shy girls take off their bras and dance on the table and make out with random male bar patrons (yeah, also called roofies in the non-magic community), make people fall in love regardless of suitability, and can make a man reawaken to romance with his wife that he might be cheating on (which is kind of ironic considering Freya’s philandering). Her potions are all about saving or creating romantic relationships, and as far as I remember, only women ask for them, because apparently only women care about this kind of stuff.
Joanna, the mother, spends her time stuck at home being “domestic” and is obsessed with Tyler, the young son of their housekeeper, because she misses her son (who is apparently in magical jail for eternity) and husband, who she kicked to the curb at some point in the past. She creeps me out even more than the “secret ingredients” in Freya’s cocktails, because the way she behaves with Tyler reminds me strongly of those child-snatching psycho-mommies from too many Criminal Minds episodes, or The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. (Even more disturbing, Tyler’s parents don’t seem to mind that Joanna spends all day playing with him, feeding him, picking him up at school, and basically being his mommy while they are off cleaning the house and grounds. Does this kid even know who his real mother is?) Most of the book, she does magic to impress Tyler –like making toys come alive – but she does bring a man back to life at the tearful request of his female partner, who is being kicked out of her home by his family because they don’t approve of their relationship. (Spoiler: ) Joanna is the first to realize that all the wrong things in town are connected (and promptly flies off to look for her husband).
As for Bran and Killian, for most of the book they seem to exist only to give Freya a love triangle: one is hot but boringly dependable; one is hot but excitingly mysterious. There is a cool twist to the brothers that is foreshadowed nicely in retrospect, and a cool moment for Freya at the end, which leads me to hope that the next book will have more for them all to do than have sex.
Overall, the story itself – how all the mysteries intertwine – is intriguing, and I think I would have liked this more if I hadn’t disliked or been bored by all the characters, their creepy-helpful magic, and the weird sense I got that, despite being powerful witches, the women are all defined by the men who are present or absent in their lives.
Let me start off by admitting that I’ve never read anything else by Melissa de la Cruz, except her short story in The Eternal Kiss anthology, which I remember being decent enough. I expected to like this adult debut more than I did, especially when I see the good reviews it’s getting elsewhere. I wonder, was I just really cranky when I read this? Why was I hyper-aware of every time de la Cruz used the phrase “for lack of a better word”, or dismissive of the entire paragraph she spends floridly describing Freya’s breasts, or critical of the fact that she chooses to use words like “lugubrious” and “pulchritude” in the early pages of a narrative that’s otherwise written at a median YA level?
Why was I so critical of her writing in general? Is it because I expected more out of an adult novel? Wait, I just answered my own question. As you can tell, this review is mostly going to be cranky.
The premise is a good one, and overall, the twisty way it plays out is the best thing about this novel. The Beauchamp family witches (mother Joanna; sisters Ingrid and Freya) have been hiding in the tiny coastal village of North Hampton for centuries, unable to practice magic by order of the Council. Eventually, they fall off the wagon, giving in to the temptation to improve the lives of their friends and neighbors with their magic. I’ll get to how creepy I often find their meddling in a bit, but suffice to say, pretty soon they are doing it old school and out in the open. This goes poorly for them when North Hampton is beset by a multitude of problems: dead animals turn up, people start getting inexplicably ill, other people go missing or are found murdered, and the Atlantic coast is suddenly coated in a toxic sludge that isn’t from an oil spill. Naturally, some of the townspeople blame the Beauchamps, causing the women to agonize about their Salem Witch Trial days, but they realize that the Evil-with-a-capital-E is actually connected to the Gardiner brothers, Bran and Killian, and their ancestral manor on nearby Gardiner Island. Anything else I can say would be a big spoiler, so I’ll stop there.
This story has an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach to paranormal fiction: witches, vampires, zombies, several mysteries, and a romantic triangle, all thrown in haphazardly but then, by the end, fairly neatly tied up with Norse mythology: the tree of life, Yggdrasil; Midgard and Asgard; and several gods/goddesses. The Norse mythology stuff came as a surprise for me (I kept wondering if I was supposed to work that out earlier from the millions of hints dropped about the Beauchamp family’s past that are not revealed until, like, the last twenty pages) but I think it worked well as an overall framework for the story. Basically, this book is a set-up for the rest of the series, and all the important stuff happens at the end.
I had troubles with the timeline of the Beauchamp family, again because all these hints are dropped (mostly having to do with the Council decree to not use magic and the Salem Witch Trials, but also about the difference places they’ve lived and jobs they’ve had over the years) but never explained until past the point where I was ready to quit trying to figure it out. Sometimes, I felt like I was reading a middle book in a series without having read the others, like I was expected to know all the important pieces of backstory already. Mostly, my confusion came from references to Joanna’s, Freya’s and Ingrid’s immortality right next to references about their current lifespan age that make it seem like they’re really that age (Freya, for example, is 19, but she has a totally prosaic fake ID saying she’s 22 years old so that she can work in the bar). This eventually gets explained, .
Most of what I didn’t like in this book have to do with the characters. No amount of good plotting can save a book for me if I don’t care about any of the characters. Their lives revolve around men, and they use magic (not always, but enough) to manipulate people in order to “fix” relationships.
Ingrid, the older daughter, is a buttoned-up librarian who wears a bun and harangues her patrons over late fees. (Her nickname is even “Frigid Ingrid”.) She has a secret crush on the stable, dependable police detective (whose last name is Noble, and that says all about his minimal character) but doesn’t have time for silliness like love. She has a stereotypical gay best friend who is dilettantish and loves reality television, fashion, gossiping, and speaks in a pseudo-elevated Britishy manner. While some of her magic isn’t creepy, like she helps a friend who desperately wants to conceive, she also does things like create “fidelity knots” which are designed to keep married men from roaming. It’s not that I’m saying married men should be allowed to cheat on their wives, just that if you’re that sure your husband is cheating, maybe a magical knot tying him to you is not that empowering.
Freya, the youngest daughter, is the wild one who is marrying Bran but having an affair with his brother Killian. She has sex a lot and she’s very pretty. That’s about it for her. Oh, she also makes magical cocktails – her “love potions” – that can make shy girls take off their bras and dance on the table and make out with random male bar patrons (yeah, also called roofies in the non-magic community), make people fall in love regardless of suitability, and can make a man reawaken to romance with his wife that he might be cheating on (which is kind of ironic considering Freya’s philandering). Her potions are all about saving or creating romantic relationships, and as far as I remember, only women ask for them, because apparently only women care about this kind of stuff.
Joanna, the mother, spends her time stuck at home being “domestic” and is obsessed with Tyler, the young son of their housekeeper, because she misses her son (who is apparently in magical jail for eternity) and husband, who she kicked to the curb at some point in the past. She creeps me out even more than the “secret ingredients” in Freya’s cocktails, because the way she behaves with Tyler reminds me strongly of those child-snatching psycho-mommies from too many Criminal Minds episodes, or The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. (Even more disturbing, Tyler’s parents don’t seem to mind that Joanna spends all day playing with him, feeding him, picking him up at school, and basically being his mommy while they are off cleaning the house and grounds. Does this kid even know who his real mother is?) Most of the book, she does magic to impress Tyler –like making toys come alive – but she does bring a man back to life at the tearful request of his female partner, who is being kicked out of her home by his family because they don’t approve of their relationship. (Spoiler: ) Joanna is the first to realize that all the wrong things in town are connected (and promptly flies off to look for her husband).
As for Bran and Killian, for most of the book they seem to exist only to give Freya a love triangle: one is hot but boringly dependable; one is hot but excitingly mysterious. There is a cool twist to the brothers that is foreshadowed nicely in retrospect, and a cool moment for Freya at the end, which leads me to hope that the next book will have more for them all to do than have sex.
Overall, the story itself – how all the mysteries intertwine – is intriguing, and I think I would have liked this more if I hadn’t disliked or been bored by all the characters, their creepy-helpful magic, and the weird sense I got that, despite being powerful witches, the women are all defined by the men who are present or absent in their lives.
November 23, 2018
Joanna lives in North Hampton with her two daughters, Ingrid and Freya. Everything is good except that Joanna and her daughters are witches. Freya is engaged to Bran Gardiner. Ingrid has no man but she does have her eyes on the sexy, detective, Matt Noble.
The women have been banned from using their powers. Of course, there is only so long that a witch can go without using her powers. Slowly the three women start using their powers. Strange things start happening around town. When all signs point to Joanna and her daughters, they will have to band together or there could be another witch burning.
I tried Mrs. de La Cruz's Blue Blood series before. Of course, I jumped into the middle of the series, which I should not have. I was not feeling this series. This probably had something to do with me not starting at the beginning. This is why I was a little unsure of trying this new series but I thought, this is the best time to try this author out again. So glad I did check this series out. I loved Joanna and her two daughters, Ingrid and Freya. Each one had their own personalities that I liked. Ingrid may be the bookish one but she is very smart. There always had to be a Freya to keep things entertaining. Then there is Joanna, who is the glue that holds them all together. I like the bond that she is forming with Tyler.
This book instantly made me think of the movie, Practical Magic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. They were sisters and witches. I can not wait to read book two, Serpent's Kiss. This series is just getting really good and exciting.
The women have been banned from using their powers. Of course, there is only so long that a witch can go without using her powers. Slowly the three women start using their powers. Strange things start happening around town. When all signs point to Joanna and her daughters, they will have to band together or there could be another witch burning.
I tried Mrs. de La Cruz's Blue Blood series before. Of course, I jumped into the middle of the series, which I should not have. I was not feeling this series. This probably had something to do with me not starting at the beginning. This is why I was a little unsure of trying this new series but I thought, this is the best time to try this author out again. So glad I did check this series out. I loved Joanna and her two daughters, Ingrid and Freya. Each one had their own personalities that I liked. Ingrid may be the bookish one but she is very smart. There always had to be a Freya to keep things entertaining. Then there is Joanna, who is the glue that holds them all together. I like the bond that she is forming with Tyler.
This book instantly made me think of the movie, Practical Magic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. They were sisters and witches. I can not wait to read book two, Serpent's Kiss. This series is just getting really good and exciting.
March 21, 2019
Well, my expectations were not very high for this book but it was thoroughly enjoyable! This is the first book on the Beauchamp family and focuses on two witch sisters, Ingrid and Freya and their witch mother, Joannna. I consider it a nice light read and a nice change from dystopian YA fiction. If your up on your Norse mythology, it will also come in handy in the last section of the book. So glad that I also purchased the second book because we are left with quite the cliff hanger in the epilogue.
I will say that things happen very fast in the book especially in the latter half and I did find myself occasionally having to re-read a paragraph or an entire chapter to keep track of what was going on. I did find it a little humorous that these ladies had gone many centuries without practicing their magic and then all of a sudden BAM!, they start doling out all kinds of witch spells and love knots/potions. Was it predictable? Yes, in certain parts of the book it was. However, I still enjoyed it!
I will say that things happen very fast in the book especially in the latter half and I did find myself occasionally having to re-read a paragraph or an entire chapter to keep track of what was going on. I did find it a little humorous that these ladies had gone many centuries without practicing their magic and then all of a sudden BAM!, they start doling out all kinds of witch spells and love knots/potions. Was it predictable? Yes, in certain parts of the book it was. However, I still enjoyed it!
May 10, 2018
Melissa de la Cruz knows how to write a good series especially for TV; I LOVED Witches of East End series and I was pretty upset when they cancelled the series. I love all the Beauchamp women but I got to say Freya was my favorite. I really wanted her to end up with Killian Gardiner!
I bought this book way before the TV series aired, but I decided to start reading it now. Because I keep wondering what happened with uptight Ingrid, with caty Wendy, with the bittersweet life of Joanna.
I read the novella first and now I'll dive in with the story! Let's see how it goes!
I LOVED this book so much though it's a bit different from the TV series, aunt Wendy does not exist!
I bought this book way before the TV series aired, but I decided to start reading it now. Because I keep wondering what happened with uptight Ingrid, with caty Wendy, with the bittersweet life of Joanna.
I read the novella first and now I'll dive in with the story! Let's see how it goes!
I LOVED this book so much though it's a bit different from the TV series, aunt Wendy does not exist!
July 21, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5
Witches of East End is a cliched witch story. It has the same formulation with other witch novels out there wherein the sexy witches are banned to use magic and forced to live with people as mundane as possible (yet didn't happen at all, as usual).
But, the thing is, it has a good storyline and well-written pace. It has the kind of enticing mystery and compelling vibe that will definitely urge you to turn the pages and read more. And those are enough to compromise to the cliche-ness of the book.
Actually, this is my first time I've read a Melissa de la Cruz's. I am not interested with her vampire novels but this one is what I am eyeing in bookstores for a long time. When I saw this book is on sale for only 30Php, almost $1, I didn't hesitate to grab the freaking book. And that moment didn't turn into dust since as you can see, I ended up liking the book. And I'm so happy about it.
Witches of East End is a cliched witch story. It has the same formulation with other witch novels out there wherein the sexy witches are banned to use magic and forced to live with people as mundane as possible (yet didn't happen at all, as usual).
But, the thing is, it has a good storyline and well-written pace. It has the kind of enticing mystery and compelling vibe that will definitely urge you to turn the pages and read more. And those are enough to compromise to the cliche-ness of the book.
Actually, this is my first time I've read a Melissa de la Cruz's. I am not interested with her vampire novels but this one is what I am eyeing in bookstores for a long time. When I saw this book is on sale for only 30Php, almost $1, I didn't hesitate to grab the freaking book. And that moment didn't turn into dust since as you can see, I ended up liking the book. And I'm so happy about it.
July 12, 2011
I had to write a review for this book based primarily on the fact that there are so many bad reviews out there on it and it almost dissuaded me from reading it. This book is great please give it a try dont be dissusaded by the bad reviews because they are completely unfounded. If you enjoy this type of genre (witches,magic, paranormal) then you will love this book. As all new series are it takes a little time to get the background story but once you get into it you wont want to stop. My personal favorite was Freya becuase I love the romance and love triangle type aspects that are a part of so many books these days. Its my guilty pleasure and the chapters from Freyas point of few are full of all of that and more. Each chapter alternates from the three different perspectives of the three Beauchamp witches. The whole time you are reading it there are references to a big event that happened in which they are very vague and it keeps you wondering what happend. Keep going though they reveal it all in the end and once they do believe me you will be begging for the next book. Melissa de la Cruz has successfully created another world of paranormal that is so different from all the other books that are out there right now. She has a way of taking a popular genre and putting her own unique twist to it which makes her books captivating and keeps her readers begging for more.
June 2, 2011
Another disappointment. WITCHES OF EAST END cinched that I am officially in a book slump. Packed full of aloof and unrealistic characters along with a hazy and murky plot attempt, I trudged through WITCHES OF EAST END, nearly forcing myself to turn each page. The author’s tone was snooty and the characters behavior was childlike and paired with the young adult writing style it made the “adult” actions of the characters almost indecent, even though in a well-written adult novel it would be normal. Melissa de la Cruz should have stuck to young adult since it seemed almost painful to drop the young adult tone.
WITCHES OF EAST END is the tale of the Beauchamp women, the mother Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid. The women live in a town call North Hampton, which is some how hidden from the world, yet a vacation spot. The women tend to keep to themselves but something has changed recently. They are witches, but have been forbidden to use their powers. Yet, those constraints seem to have become too much lately. All three women begin using their magic in different “harmless” ways until eventually they give up all pretenses of hiding out and “come out of the closet” with their powers.
Their spells and innocent magic might cause more harm then good though, especially when some odd occurrences and attacks begin happening around town and all of it seems to be magic related.
I think this novel might have been interesting if de la Cruz’s tone wouldn’t have thrown me through loops. I just got this very snooty and young adult tone through the entirety – and to have the tone describe Freya’s sexual encounters just seemed lewd. I also don’t blame it on the fact that I’m used to her tone in the BLUE BLOOD books because I’ve only read one of them and that was nearly two years ago. I just think this is the way she writes and has gotten used to it in her young adult series. This, combined with the oddity that was the Beauchamp women just sealed the dislike for me. I think if you are a big fan of the BLUE BLOOD series you could probably really like this book. But, as an outsider looking in, this didn’t sit well with me.
I also had a problem with the murky plot and I felt “reveal” points were kept hidden for too long. The timing of this book just wore on me and any kind of intensity was lost in the mind-numbing descriptors and abstract scene establishing. I will not be reading further in the series.
Recommended for fans of de la Cruz’s BLUE BLOOD series. This is an adult novel and there are descriptive sex scenes.
WITCHES OF EAST END is the tale of the Beauchamp women, the mother Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid. The women live in a town call North Hampton, which is some how hidden from the world, yet a vacation spot. The women tend to keep to themselves but something has changed recently. They are witches, but have been forbidden to use their powers. Yet, those constraints seem to have become too much lately. All three women begin using their magic in different “harmless” ways until eventually they give up all pretenses of hiding out and “come out of the closet” with their powers.
Their spells and innocent magic might cause more harm then good though, especially when some odd occurrences and attacks begin happening around town and all of it seems to be magic related.
I think this novel might have been interesting if de la Cruz’s tone wouldn’t have thrown me through loops. I just got this very snooty and young adult tone through the entirety – and to have the tone describe Freya’s sexual encounters just seemed lewd. I also don’t blame it on the fact that I’m used to her tone in the BLUE BLOOD books because I’ve only read one of them and that was nearly two years ago. I just think this is the way she writes and has gotten used to it in her young adult series. This, combined with the oddity that was the Beauchamp women just sealed the dislike for me. I think if you are a big fan of the BLUE BLOOD series you could probably really like this book. But, as an outsider looking in, this didn’t sit well with me.
I also had a problem with the murky plot and I felt “reveal” points were kept hidden for too long. The timing of this book just wore on me and any kind of intensity was lost in the mind-numbing descriptors and abstract scene establishing. I will not be reading further in the series.
Recommended for fans of de la Cruz’s BLUE BLOOD series. This is an adult novel and there are descriptive sex scenes.
Want to read
November 5, 2014I had no idea this was a book until I saw Mellissa de la Cuz's name in the credits of the TV show ;-;
May 11, 2020
I was almost discouraged from reading this book because of negative reviews. However, I was a fan of the show until its cancellation after 2 seasons so I wanted to give this a chance.
I actually really love this book. I think the reason people are confused about this series is because Melissa de la Cruz never flat out states in the beginning of the story that these women are NOT your small-town human witches, they are not even "witches" in the classical sense. The women of this series are Norse goddesses, who are trapped on earth ("Midgard") after being expelled from their homeland ("Asgard") and forced to live as humans who can practice magic. Totally different concept in my opinion. I happen to be a huge fan of mythology, and had a basic knowledge of Norse mythology, which may have been the reason why I picked up on this theme. If you go into the story with this knowledge, it's actually great. I saw several people complaining about not liking any of the characters. I actually don't think the characters are supposed to be "likeable" as they are goddesses in all of their extremes and faults. Anyone familiar with mythology knows the gods are reckless and the most extreme archetypes. This is mostly why I enjoyed reading about these women being forced to live as normal townspeople.
Although there were some bits that I felt like were loose ends, I'm still waiting to see if they will tie up in the rest of the books in the series. Overall, this book was fun, exciting and not what I thought it was going to be.
I actually really love this book. I think the reason people are confused about this series is because Melissa de la Cruz never flat out states in the beginning of the story that these women are NOT your small-town human witches, they are not even "witches" in the classical sense. The women of this series are Norse goddesses, who are trapped on earth ("Midgard") after being expelled from their homeland ("Asgard") and forced to live as humans who can practice magic. Totally different concept in my opinion. I happen to be a huge fan of mythology, and had a basic knowledge of Norse mythology, which may have been the reason why I picked up on this theme. If you go into the story with this knowledge, it's actually great. I saw several people complaining about not liking any of the characters. I actually don't think the characters are supposed to be "likeable" as they are goddesses in all of their extremes and faults. Anyone familiar with mythology knows the gods are reckless and the most extreme archetypes. This is mostly why I enjoyed reading about these women being forced to live as normal townspeople.
Although there were some bits that I felt like were loose ends, I'm still waiting to see if they will tie up in the rest of the books in the series. Overall, this book was fun, exciting and not what I thought it was going to be.
September 1, 2012
I was fascinated by this book until about half way through it when there were so many references to mythical characters and events that took place before this story started that I found myself totally lost. I loved the three main characters. But I felt as if I'd wandered into the middle of a series that everyone else had been reading from the beginning, instead of reading the first book in an up-coming series.
May 9, 2022
Hmmmmmmm.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I was all in for most of this. It was mysterious, it was sexy, it had cool witchy stuff happening. There were references to her Blue Bloods series, which I haven't read, but that's fine, I could keep up. And it wasn't very far into the book before I was like, Yeah, they're the Norns! That's great! Mother, Maiden, Crone . . . unusual choice for the Crone to be the stereotypical librarian, bur whatever, sure. And the Maiden to be a nymphomaniac. Unusual, yes, very. But still, I'm with you.
BUT THEN IT WENT TOO FAR. I'm not going to go into detail, but just let me say, to paraphrase the immortal wisdom of Eve6: she put my tender heart* in a blender and watched it spin through to a beautiful oblivion.**
*Norse mythology
**Absolute nonsense
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.
I was all in for most of this. It was mysterious, it was sexy, it had cool witchy stuff happening. There were references to her Blue Bloods series, which I haven't read, but that's fine, I could keep up. And it wasn't very far into the book before I was like, Yeah, they're the Norns! That's great! Mother, Maiden, Crone . . . unusual choice for the Crone to be the stereotypical librarian, bur whatever, sure. And the Maiden to be a nymphomaniac. Unusual, yes, very. But still, I'm with you.
BUT THEN IT WENT TOO FAR. I'm not going to go into detail, but just let me say, to paraphrase the immortal wisdom of Eve6: she put my tender heart* in a blender and watched it spin through to a beautiful oblivion.**
*Norse mythology
**Absolute nonsense
February 15, 2023
3-ish stars, methinks.
On one hand it was a really entertaining read, but with rather a silly mess for a plot.
I don't regret reading it, but am no way tempted to read the next book in the series.
On one hand it was a really entertaining read, but with rather a silly mess for a plot.
I don't regret reading it, but am no way tempted to read the next book in the series.
August 2, 2012
I enjoyed this story overall. I liked it better at the end than I thought I was going to at the beginning. This is one of those stories that you really need to finish to fully appreciate how well-crafted the plot actually was.
Mother Joanna, and her two grown daughters Freya and Ingrid live quiet lives in sleepy North Hampton, New York. Ingrid works at the library, and Freya is a bartender at the local inn, while Joanna redecorates their house and bakes. It all sounds rather dull.
Except, the three women turn out to be immortal witches. Witches who were caught up in the Salem madness, and censured by their overseeing Council banned from ever using their powers again and not drawing any attention to themselves. And everything stays quiet . . .
Until bad things suddenly start happening to the good people of North Hampton. Both Freya and Ingrid are coaxed into using their powers to help our their friends and neighbours with small spells that couldn't do any harm - or could they.
As the odd occurrences pile up, and things the sisters have done that seemed harmless come back to haunt them, it becomes clear that something much more sinister is going on, and that the Beauchamp women will need to band together and fight to save their town and maybe even their own lives!
The story does start off a bit slowly, and initially the Beauchamp women are not likeable people - AT ALL! In fact, at first I was considering not sticking with it because I really found both Freya and Ingrid irritating and unpleasant. But the hints of the story to come was interesting and I was curious where the author was going with it.
At the end, I was very glad I stuck with the story, because clearly the author had a very detailed and well-thought-out plot that the early part of the story absolutely lived up to. I liked the world she created, and I enjoyed the Norse flavour she gave the witches, which is a unique and unusual twist that most paranormal fiction doesn't use.
I also liked that there are multiple hints in the rest of the story that tie everything together quite cleverly in terms of the ending, even though there is a set-up for a next book, if you pay attention and look back over the entire book once you've finished. It's a thing with me that authors finish each book, even if it is a series. I don't mind a continuing storyline, but I dislike authors who leave a reader hanging on the edge of a cliff and making them wait a year or more to find out what happens, so I like it when the author gives a proper ending to the current story and THEN sets up the sequel. To me that's the mark of a really good writer and this book delivered that.
I enjoyed this, and will definitely read the next book in the series to see what happens to the Beauchamps next.
Mother Joanna, and her two grown daughters Freya and Ingrid live quiet lives in sleepy North Hampton, New York. Ingrid works at the library, and Freya is a bartender at the local inn, while Joanna redecorates their house and bakes. It all sounds rather dull.
Except, the three women turn out to be immortal witches. Witches who were caught up in the Salem madness, and censured by their overseeing Council banned from ever using their powers again and not drawing any attention to themselves. And everything stays quiet . . .
Until bad things suddenly start happening to the good people of North Hampton. Both Freya and Ingrid are coaxed into using their powers to help our their friends and neighbours with small spells that couldn't do any harm - or could they.
As the odd occurrences pile up, and things the sisters have done that seemed harmless come back to haunt them, it becomes clear that something much more sinister is going on, and that the Beauchamp women will need to band together and fight to save their town and maybe even their own lives!
The story does start off a bit slowly, and initially the Beauchamp women are not likeable people - AT ALL! In fact, at first I was considering not sticking with it because I really found both Freya and Ingrid irritating and unpleasant. But the hints of the story to come was interesting and I was curious where the author was going with it.
At the end, I was very glad I stuck with the story, because clearly the author had a very detailed and well-thought-out plot that the early part of the story absolutely lived up to. I liked the world she created, and I enjoyed the Norse flavour she gave the witches, which is a unique and unusual twist that most paranormal fiction doesn't use.
I also liked that there are multiple hints in the rest of the story that tie everything together quite cleverly in terms of the ending, even though there is a set-up for a next book, if you pay attention and look back over the entire book once you've finished. It's a thing with me that authors finish each book, even if it is a series. I don't mind a continuing storyline, but I dislike authors who leave a reader hanging on the edge of a cliff and making them wait a year or more to find out what happens, so I like it when the author gives a proper ending to the current story and THEN sets up the sequel. To me that's the mark of a really good writer and this book delivered that.
I enjoyed this, and will definitely read the next book in the series to see what happens to the Beauchamps next.
May 15, 2017
I wanted to read something witchy for Halloween and since I enjoyed the TV series I decided to try the books.
This is not good. All tell and no show, it reads like it was written by committee. I can't help wondering of de la Cruz is a pen name for several writers, one of them a man obsessed with breasts who's job it was to write ridiculous sex scenes. There are so many small mistakes in narrative, description of the environment and time flow that it doesn't seem possible for there to have been any editorial input. The TV show was far superior, although I'm left confused as to how this got a TV deal at all.
This is not good. All tell and no show, it reads like it was written by committee. I can't help wondering of de la Cruz is a pen name for several writers, one of them a man obsessed with breasts who's job it was to write ridiculous sex scenes. There are so many small mistakes in narrative, description of the environment and time flow that it doesn't seem possible for there to have been any editorial input. The TV show was far superior, although I'm left confused as to how this got a TV deal at all.
April 15, 2017
You had me at Norse mythology.
March 2, 2012
Got your attention didn't I? But don't worry, I am not trapping you into reading this review with some random sexy picture. It is actually relevant... the pic and the word Succulent.... More on that later.
Witches of East End... oh how you had such promise when I started reading you. And then you fell flat.
It was definitely an interesting story. The writer gets you interested right from the start. And the array of drama keeps you wanting to read. In fact, there are so many story lines happening in this book surrounding its main characters, it's pretty hard to keep it all straight. They are packed in there like sardines in a can. But you hope, as a reader, that it's all wrapped up nicely in the end. It wasn't.
It lost all credibility once
I read another review recently where someone stated that when you write a series, but you don't hold each single book as its own, it can cause some readers be a little unhappy. The end of this book definitely requires you to pick up Book 2.. otherwise all those story lines crammed into this book won't have resolution. Well...some did. In a very quick, wrap it quick and with bow, sort of way.
Now... for my giggle of the day.
Succulent
Yes, breasts can be very succulent. And Freya's breasts are. They are indeed so succulent, about half a page is devoted solely to tell you just how succulent they are. The texture, the smell, the feel. Not sure how many male readers would love to pick up this book, but I encourage it, just for this page. You may want to stay on this page, and this page only... because Freya's breasts are very very succulent. Not yet sure how relevant it is to the story, but rest assured... they are incredible.
And Succulent.
July 16, 2011
Very pleasantly surprised with this one!
I was nervous at first, because it started off a little slow. I don't like slow. The story seemed to meander around any and all useful information, and sort of seemed to focus on chick-lit stuff...like feelings. None of it seemed very important, and I was starting to get kind of antsy 'cause I was hoping for a cool story about witches.
However, what I first thought was going to be a plain old vanilla story about some witches trying to lead a normal life started to turn into something...more.
I feel like I should throw out a warning to those of you out there who hate the L-triangles. Yes, there's a pretty big one in this book. I have to give Cruz credit, though. She added a nice twist in there that I didn't see coming, and since the love triangle actually plays a part in the mystery, it doesn't seem as hokey and contrived as they usually do.
If you're a fan of her Blue Bloods series, you'll be happy to know that one of them shows up for a small cameo (I'm sure it will mean more to you than it did to me). It didn't have much of an impact on the plot, so even if you have never read the series it won't matter. I read the first book a few years ago, but never continued with rest. Although, after reading this, I may give it another shot.
At the end (in the epilogue), you do get hit with a cliffhanger, but, like the love triangle, it's more interesting than annoying.
The only thing that kept this from moving into the 5 star category for me, was that the mystery was a little too all over the place for my taste. If I remember correctly, that was one of the reasons I dropped the series after reading Blue Bloods. Still, since this is the first book in a new series, I'm willing give her a free pass on that. I think some of it was due to the world building, and (hopefully) by the next book everything will have a more streamlined feel to it.
I was nervous at first, because it started off a little slow. I don't like slow. The story seemed to meander around any and all useful information, and sort of seemed to focus on chick-lit stuff...like feelings. None of it seemed very important, and I was starting to get kind of antsy 'cause I was hoping for a cool story about witches.
However, what I first thought was going to be a plain old vanilla story about some witches trying to lead a normal life started to turn into something...more.
I feel like I should throw out a warning to those of you out there who hate the L-triangles. Yes, there's a pretty big one in this book. I have to give Cruz credit, though. She added a nice twist in there that I didn't see coming, and since the love triangle actually plays a part in the mystery, it doesn't seem as hokey and contrived as they usually do.
If you're a fan of her Blue Bloods series, you'll be happy to know that one of them shows up for a small cameo (I'm sure it will mean more to you than it did to me). It didn't have much of an impact on the plot, so even if you have never read the series it won't matter. I read the first book a few years ago, but never continued with rest. Although, after reading this, I may give it another shot.
At the end (in the epilogue), you do get hit with a cliffhanger, but, like the love triangle, it's more interesting than annoying.
The only thing that kept this from moving into the 5 star category for me, was that the mystery was a little too all over the place for my taste. If I remember correctly, that was one of the reasons I dropped the series after reading Blue Bloods. Still, since this is the first book in a new series, I'm willing give her a free pass on that. I think some of it was due to the world building, and (hopefully) by the next book everything will have a more streamlined feel to it.
May 4, 2011
Having liked this authors previous series I thought for sure I would love this new adult one, but unfortunately not. The story centers around Joanna and her two daughters Freya and Ingrid. These women are witches and not only have they lived for hundreds of years but they were there in Salem during the witch trials. The witch trials ended up being their downfall, as they were convicted and hung. Being immortal though they were reborn unto their mother and the council decided that because of Salem these women and the other magical people of the world were no longer allowed to use their magic. Well you can guess that after several hundred years the witches were itching to use their magic and so this story begins with what happens after they start using it and the consequences of their actions.
Again the plot sounds good but the author took way too long to get to anything important in the story. The prologue was even great but we don't get to revisit the problem created until the very end. Even the whole will the council strike us down problem ended rather abruptly with very little action. Like her previous Blood Blue series the author focused more on trivial materialistic descriptions instead of expanding her main plot. I know her Blue Blood series is full fashion and Gossip Girl scenarios but I can take it for what it is worth it being Young Adult and all, but I really had high hopes for this series. I still think she has a unique idea and I am hopeful that maybe the next in the series will be more climatic especially with the way this one ended and the introduction of a new character. Two of her Blue Blood characters make a cameo but it really wasn't a big deal which I am glad for as the story had enough characters without throwing in anymore from previous books. I would say that if you like her Blue Blood series you might like this one, but don't expect it to be any deeper than her Young Adult series.
Again the plot sounds good but the author took way too long to get to anything important in the story. The prologue was even great but we don't get to revisit the problem created until the very end. Even the whole will the council strike us down problem ended rather abruptly with very little action. Like her previous Blood Blue series the author focused more on trivial materialistic descriptions instead of expanding her main plot. I know her Blue Blood series is full fashion and Gossip Girl scenarios but I can take it for what it is worth it being Young Adult and all, but I really had high hopes for this series. I still think she has a unique idea and I am hopeful that maybe the next in the series will be more climatic especially with the way this one ended and the introduction of a new character. Two of her Blue Blood characters make a cameo but it really wasn't a big deal which I am glad for as the story had enough characters without throwing in anymore from previous books. I would say that if you like her Blue Blood series you might like this one, but don't expect it to be any deeper than her Young Adult series.
July 6, 2011
At 200 pages into this, I was trying to figure out why I was wasting my time. It seemed like a cross between light fiction and light porn. The writing seemed cliched and fast; the characters are one-dimensional; and the only thing that distinguished it from a young adult novel was how graphic some of the sex scenes are.
The last sixty pages held some substance however, and I've half a mind to read the next one. I kind of get the feeling the author wrote the end of the story first, or maybe she combined two separate stories.
I appreciate the author's use of Norse mythology to build her storyline, instead of building it around the more common Greek gods, the traditional faries/demons/magic, or the severely overused vampiric storyline. I haven't read the Blue Bloods novels. Perhaps if I had it would seem like the Norse mythology was more central to the overall storyline. As it was, that was the only part that interested me, and as alluded to in the previous paragraph, it didn't really appear heavily until the last 60 pages.
For light reading, it is okay. I'd never categorize it as fantasy--although they probably are not marketing it as such--and I would never recommend it to a teen. For a work of comparable lightness with a hint of magic, I would instead recommend the works of Sarah Addison Allen.
The last sixty pages held some substance however, and I've half a mind to read the next one. I kind of get the feeling the author wrote the end of the story first, or maybe she combined two separate stories.
I appreciate the author's use of Norse mythology to build her storyline, instead of building it around the more common Greek gods, the traditional faries/demons/magic, or the severely overused vampiric storyline. I haven't read the Blue Bloods novels. Perhaps if I had it would seem like the Norse mythology was more central to the overall storyline. As it was, that was the only part that interested me, and as alluded to in the previous paragraph, it didn't really appear heavily until the last 60 pages.
For light reading, it is okay. I'd never categorize it as fantasy--although they probably are not marketing it as such--and I would never recommend it to a teen. For a work of comparable lightness with a hint of magic, I would instead recommend the works of Sarah Addison Allen.
October 29, 2023
The first half is so good and so is the end. I just the middle part is stretched. I can see why it was made into a TV series. I'll read the next book in the series soon!
May 30, 2012
Man, I hate to be mean, but this book was severely lame (I'm being really generous with the 2 stars.) It started out decently enough; the first hundred pages were fairly intriguing. But then it started to go downhill, fast, until I pretty much had to force myself to finish the last 50 pages.
She couldn't keep a consistent timeline. Or, maybe in her head it's consistent, but she's referring to random events that we just don't know about (which is just as bad.) She varies between saying the women haven't been with their father and/or haven't had their powers for centuries, to other references that just say "a century." The Salem Witch trials are vaguely referred to as the turning point in their history (and is finally explicitly stated), so you'd think that would be an easy enough time reference to prevent any inconsistencies.
There are enough references early on to imply that the women are Norse goddesses trapped here on earth, which again, is explicitly confirmed in the last few chapters. (I'm not flagging that as a spoiler because it was pretty obvious that's where she was going from the first couple of chapters.) But they miss flying around on broomsticks??? Seriously?? She attempted a two sentence rationale behind the broomstick ridiculousness, but I just don't buy any self-respecting goddess shooting around on a Nimbus 2000.
And this is supposed to be an "adult" novel, but it reads like a YA novel and not a good one, at that. Yes, the characters have sex, but it's written about in such a juvenile fashion that I wish she'd taken the Stephenie Meyer route and just vaguely alluded to the act without making any attempt at detail. (even here she's inconsistent--I suppose in theory all the things Freya recollects about her time with Killian in the bathroom could have happened, but how long were they in there??? No one else needed to go? In all that time, no one heard strange sounds coming out and wondered where the bride-to-be and her fiancee's brother were??)
I haven't read de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series (and after this, I won't be in any hurry), but we appear to have been "treated" to a Blue Bloods cameo. I can only assume it was there to inspire fan-girl squeals, because it certainly did nothing for this book. I don't really approve of cross-pollination between a YA series and an adult series, but for all I know, there could be plenty of lame sex scenes in the Blue Bloods books as well. (yes, "lame" seems to be my word of choice--I do generally try for a little variety of vocabulary, but it just keeps coming out!)
She couldn't keep a consistent timeline. Or, maybe in her head it's consistent, but she's referring to random events that we just don't know about (which is just as bad.) She varies between saying the women haven't been with their father and/or haven't had their powers for centuries, to other references that just say "a century." The Salem Witch trials are vaguely referred to as the turning point in their history (and is finally explicitly stated), so you'd think that would be an easy enough time reference to prevent any inconsistencies.
There are enough references early on to imply that the women are Norse goddesses trapped here on earth, which again, is explicitly confirmed in the last few chapters. (I'm not flagging that as a spoiler because it was pretty obvious that's where she was going from the first couple of chapters.) But they miss flying around on broomsticks??? Seriously?? She attempted a two sentence rationale behind the broomstick ridiculousness, but I just don't buy any self-respecting goddess shooting around on a Nimbus 2000.
And this is supposed to be an "adult" novel, but it reads like a YA novel and not a good one, at that. Yes, the characters have sex, but it's written about in such a juvenile fashion that I wish she'd taken the Stephenie Meyer route and just vaguely alluded to the act without making any attempt at detail. (even here she's inconsistent--I suppose in theory all the things Freya recollects about her time with Killian in the bathroom could have happened, but how long were they in there??? No one else needed to go? In all that time, no one heard strange sounds coming out and wondered where the bride-to-be and her fiancee's brother were??)
I haven't read de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series (and after this, I won't be in any hurry), but we appear to have been "treated" to a Blue Bloods cameo. I can only assume it was there to inspire fan-girl squeals, because it certainly did nothing for this book. I don't really approve of cross-pollination between a YA series and an adult series, but for all I know, there could be plenty of lame sex scenes in the Blue Bloods books as well. (yes, "lame" seems to be my word of choice--I do generally try for a little variety of vocabulary, but it just keeps coming out!)
January 23, 2016
[January 22nd, 2016] RAGE REVIEW
1 star.
Oh boy, it's been a while since I've had a one star read. And this honestly baffled and enraged me. Maybe I'm biased because I've watched the show, and they did a good job although it had its cheesy cliched moments, it was still better than what I read for various reasons.
Three spanning storylines, featuring through the sisters Ingrid and Freya and their mother Joanna --eventually got me confused. All began to blur together and I found myself waiting for it to end. bran was painfully bland and almost non-existent (he was more prominent inn the tv series) and his brother Killian, goodness, felt like a creep perv on an entire different level. And other characters just blended together. Painful sex scenes and everything in writing just felt rather juvenile. And flat. There was no emotional connection for me to grab onto, or anything to make me care about the main cast. And there being so many names thrown around and nothing to separate them from each other. Nearly no descriptions, or at least much of one to help. Or if there was I didn't even register it.
Then oh my goodness, when they suddenly reveal the climax of explaination that had me staring blankly in attempting to register what had happened the book had ended. And that epilogue... Talk about moving along with the story only to remember there had to be an explaination for everything and it is thrown at you, causing a whiplash of epic headaches. I'm still trying to register what happened.
The tv series is entirely different but at least it gave better context then the book did. And less headaches too.
I think I'll go back to wishing for a 3rd season to wrap up all the loose ends of the tv series then continue this series.
Sorry, I tried.
1 star.
Oh boy, it's been a while since I've had a one star read. And this honestly baffled and enraged me. Maybe I'm biased because I've watched the show, and they did a good job although it had its cheesy cliched moments, it was still better than what I read for various reasons.
Three spanning storylines, featuring through the sisters Ingrid and Freya and their mother Joanna --eventually got me confused. All began to blur together and I found myself waiting for it to end. bran was painfully bland and almost non-existent (he was more prominent inn the tv series) and his brother Killian, goodness, felt like a creep perv on an entire different level. And other characters just blended together. Painful sex scenes and everything in writing just felt rather juvenile. And flat. There was no emotional connection for me to grab onto, or anything to make me care about the main cast. And there being so many names thrown around and nothing to separate them from each other. Nearly no descriptions, or at least much of one to help. Or if there was I didn't even register it.
Then oh my goodness, when they suddenly reveal the climax of explaination that had me staring blankly in attempting to register what had happened the book had ended. And that epilogue... Talk about moving along with the story only to remember there had to be an explaination for everything and it is thrown at you, causing a whiplash of epic headaches. I'm still trying to register what happened.
The tv series is entirely different but at least it gave better context then the book did. And less headaches too.
I think I'll go back to wishing for a 3rd season to wrap up all the loose ends of the tv series then continue this series.
Sorry, I tried.
July 6, 2013
The Beauchamp woman, Mother Joanna and daughters Freya and Ingrid, live on the tip of Long Island, New York. They seem to be regular family, but they are actually a family of witches who cannot use their powers. Ingrid, the youngest daughter, is getting married to the wealthy Bran Gardiner, but things do not go as they should at their engagement party. The Beauchamp women all end up using their powers to help the people around them, but their helping hands seem to have negative consequences.
de la Cruz’s attempt at writing adult fiction falls flat. As with her Blue Bloods series, she writes about two different types of mythologies together. Not only are these women “witches” they are actually goddesses from Norse mythology. However, if you are looking for a book with actual characters (besides names) from Norse mythology this is not it. The characters are flat and rather irritating and do not act as adults, but rather a group of adolescents. It is as if she just looked up the various gods and goddesses from the Norse mythology pantheon and wrote aspects of their characters from some list. Not much actually happens in this story until the end when the reader is slammed with numerous references to Norse mythology where we discover this really isn’t a book about witches. There are even characters from the Blue Bloods series that pop in for no reason whatsoever which detracts from the narrative (what there is of narrative). This is nothing more than another Blue Bloods novel with more explicit sex scenes in it. Definitely a novel to skip and no need to continue reading the series.
de la Cruz’s attempt at writing adult fiction falls flat. As with her Blue Bloods series, she writes about two different types of mythologies together. Not only are these women “witches” they are actually goddesses from Norse mythology. However, if you are looking for a book with actual characters (besides names) from Norse mythology this is not it. The characters are flat and rather irritating and do not act as adults, but rather a group of adolescents. It is as if she just looked up the various gods and goddesses from the Norse mythology pantheon and wrote aspects of their characters from some list. Not much actually happens in this story until the end when the reader is slammed with numerous references to Norse mythology where we discover this really isn’t a book about witches. There are even characters from the Blue Bloods series that pop in for no reason whatsoever which detracts from the narrative (what there is of narrative). This is nothing more than another Blue Bloods novel with more explicit sex scenes in it. Definitely a novel to skip and no need to continue reading the series.
July 17, 2017
Maybe I am just in the mood for fantasy stories starring awesome ladies. This one is about three ladies living in the Hamptons who are witches but are banned from using their powers. No surprise--they can’t resist the temptation for long and end up casting spells all over the dang place, with mixed (but decidedly juicy!) results.
Freya is a sexy redheaded bartender who makes love potions for her patrons. Her sister Ingrid is a tightly wound, buttoned-up spinster librarian who specializes in old blueprints and can work magic by tying knots. Their mother Joanna mostly chills at home baking sweet treats for her housekeeper’s son, but eventually all three are enmeshed in an ancient struggle that began centuries before.
If it's good enough for Lifetime, it's good enough for me!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
Freya is a sexy redheaded bartender who makes love potions for her patrons. Her sister Ingrid is a tightly wound, buttoned-up spinster librarian who specializes in old blueprints and can work magic by tying knots. Their mother Joanna mostly chills at home baking sweet treats for her housekeeper’s son, but eventually all three are enmeshed in an ancient struggle that began centuries before.
If it's good enough for Lifetime, it's good enough for me!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
July 1, 2011
I loved this book!!! I can't wait for the second installment! It kept my interest throughout the entire book. If you have read any Blue Blood novels, you will enjoy this new seies without a doubt!
November 21, 2016
I'm still not over how the bloody show got cancelled ??
IT WAS ACTUALLY FUCKING GOOD LIKE WHY YOU GOTTA DISCONTINUE IT???
IT WAS ACTUALLY FUCKING GOOD LIKE WHY YOU GOTTA DISCONTINUE IT???
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