Witch Hunt

Hayle Coven #2

by Patti Larsen

Teen witch Sydlynn Hayle finally did it. Despite the fact she's a social outcast, Syd finally made friends. Even the captain of the football team wants to be her boyfriend. When an ancient power is freed to ravage her new town, Syd does her best to help her family fight. Too bad the mysterious Chosen of the Light don't see things her way. Their interference could lead to her family's destruction.

Genres: Paranormal, Witches, Young Adult, Fantasy, Demons, Urban Fantasy, Magic

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2011

About the author

I write a lot of paranormal books for someone who is afraid of the dark. And I wonder why I have to sleep with the lights on. Sometimes life is a teenaged B horror movie and I'm the one who investigates when the scary music is playing. But the voices are calling and resistance is… Yes. I am a Star Trek geek, too. And a fan of RPG’s. With a slight coolness factor since I've been told I'm allowed to join the pops.

Naw. I like being a nerdy girl :)

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I thought the first book in this series was an absolute must read, then “Witch Hunt” must be something like a double must read!

Six months along and Sydlynn Hayle is still in the same town and the same school but now has a circle of friends and even a boyfriend. She is learning to use her magical powers, enjoying her life with her friends and going to parties like any normal teenage girl.

One of the parties turns into a disaster when an ancient power arises to start feeding on kids with latent magical powers. When the mean cheerleader Suzanne are possessed, and town folk and coven members start disappearing, Syd’s coven has to step in and do something about it. That is when things get out of hand.

Syd's crazy grandmother, who can only be subdued by a constant supply of chocolates and tequila, continues with her antics in this book, entertaining the reader to no end. And let's not forget another contributor who adds to the magic of this story - the silver Persian cat, Sassafras, who is really something else imprisoned in the body of a cat.

Once I started reading Witch Hunt, I simply couldn't put it down. The nonstop excitement, action and drama kept me sitting on the edge of my seat. As I had become very fond of many of the characters when reading the first book in the series, “Family Magic”, I was really concerned that something bad may befall one of them during this story.

The dialogue is extremely well written but most enjoyable, and often hilarious, is the inner dialogue and thoughts of the main character, Syd. When she thinks of the bad guy as somebody with two god-complexes and a serious multiple personality disorder, I was shouting with laughter.

Patti Larsen brilliantly combines just the right amount of action, warmth and humor in this book - something which I always admire greatly in authors. I would strongly recommend this young adult novel to readers of all ages. Once again this gifted writer has given her readers a beautiful, warm-hearted and very suspenseful 5 star read to enjoy. (Ellen Fritz)

[Kimberly Kinrade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say WOW! This is fast become my most favorite series, and Patti Larsen is definitely one of the best new finds of this year. In Witch Hunt, Syd is finally fitting in and making friends. But that doesn't mean she's human. And a scary group of witch hunters knows exactly what she is... and how to kill her!

To make matters more complicated, she finally has a guy who really likes her. A sexy football player even! But what about the even sexier witch-boy who stole this readers' heart in book 1? Yeah, it's not so simple for Syd. Hey Syd, I can make this real easy for you hon, PICK THE SEXY WITCH!

Can she fight the evil forces trying to destroy her family AND juggle two sexy guys with complicated relationships? You just have to read this next installment to find out. Can't wait for the next book! Good thing Ms. Larsen writes faster than most people read! This is a MUST READ for anyone who loves paranormal books about witches, magic and romance.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Syd's story continues in book two with her having progressed from the weird kid to a girl with her own "posse" of friends and not one but two boys in the wings. However when Syd thought she had problems because she had no friends, she finds popularity breeds another kind of problem. Syd is still fighting who she really is but the battle has become more external this time. For the first time Syd is offered a way to be "normal" by turning her back on who she is. But Syd's strong family loyalty puts her at odds with her own need for normalcy. She realises being just like the other kids comes with a price and also does not mean your own problems disappear. Throw in the problem of finding two boys interested in her and her life becomes a series of twists and turns.
This is the second book in a series but is a book on its own. Syd's voice is the strong thread that binds the whole story. Her views on life shade the story and her own personal battles are spun out into a family battle. Syd really starts coming into her own in this book. She is becoming the independent individual she fights to be. But Syd is also realising that the people we choose to love and fight for can shape one as much as your own identity does. The story bolts into a climax that will have your heart racing as everything is thrown at Syd and her family in an age old battle between good and evil. Patti Larsen pulls you into the story of The Hayle Coven that is as multi-layered as her characters are. In this book you start finding out more of who the Hayles really are. The story is now no longer just Syd's story but the story of her family, the Hayles. Blend this in with a romantic triangle and a constant battle of wills in each of the characters and you have the batter for a delicious story of magical intrigue.
Will Syd choose her own need for normalcy over family loyalty? Will Syd choose the normal boyfriend over the magical one? Read this second book in The Hayle Coven Novels to find out.

[Krazybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Syd has started accepting her powers and learning how to use them. She also finally has friends and even a boyfriend. So what can go wrong now? Well, everything when you are a half witch/half demon like Syd. Not only is there an ancient power feeding on people with magical powers that has her family stumped on how to find it and fight it, there is also a group of witch hunters who know what Syd is. How is Syd going to maintain any hint of normalcy with all of that going on?

The Hayle Coven novels are probably my current favorite series. Each one blends together but is also a complete story on its own, which is a great find in YA. Syd is amazing. I also love Syd's crazy grandmother, who needs chocolate and tequila to keep her from getting out of hand. Syd is complex, funny, snarky, and has a fierce love for her family. Syd would love to be normal, and she has an internal struggle between that desire, her powers and her loyalty to her family. To top it off, while worrying about the possible death of her family, her coven and herself, she can't deny that she has an attraction to the sexy Quaid (who we met in the first book), even if she does have a boyfriend. Patti Larsen gives her readers the perfect combination of action, adventure, comedy, and love. (Age appropriate love, I might add.)

I really enjoyed reading Witch Hunt and can't wait to read the next installment of Syd's adventures. Thankfully, I won't have to wait long because Patti knocks them out with surprising speed and several more of the Hayle Coven novels are already available. I would recommend Witch Hunt, as well as the rest of the Hayle Coven novels, to anyone who enjoys paranormal YA.

[Alexia Purdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing Syd Hayle adventure! I can’t get enough of this girl. She’s snarky, loving and has a knack for not following directions. The snafu’s she gets into this round really had me gripping my chair in absolute terror for her.

The Chosen of the Light are after her, especially the creepy Demetrius, who wants to recruit Syd for his demented faction that cleanses the earth of evil. He considers Syd’s family as tainted, but since there is something more malevolent going on that distracts the coven from dealing with him, he gets widely ignored, which is a huge mistake.

Syd seems to find herself in tons of situations where her magic, still not under complete control, seems to attract trouble and fantastical things out nowhere. The school bully isn’t even immune and she, Susanne, gets possessed by some unknown entity that wants to do nothing more than drain everyone dry around them--magic, blood and all. It really had everyone on their toes because no one knows what’s going on for most of the book, which sort of freaks everyone out, including me. Definitely spine tingling.

Absolutely loved this installment of the Hayle Coven Series. It shows Syd growing more and more in tune with her magic, teases us with the handsome Quaid’s subtle affections, pulls Syd’s friends into the thick of the mess plaguing the coven and keeps you rooting for Syd the whole way through. Excellent series.

[Nereid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series, it gets better every book I read and the characters are more engaging and each each of them have their demons to deal with so to speak. Syd grows and matures with Witch Hunt and realizes that with great power comes great responsibility and sometimes having options is over-rated. An overall sense of family is felt by the coven yet there is always one wanting to challenge for control. So many twists that come up and having friends at school helps Syd deal with her problems. Alliances are forged and help comes from the unexpected. Still two men on the scene and there are issues with both but I am looking forward to finding out who is her final choice.

[Krystal Marlein · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH. MY. SWEARWORD!!!! I cannot get enough!! Seriously this series is amazing! Sometimes I find myself wanting to reach inside and shake some sense into Sydlynn but then I remember that while yes she is a wickedly powerful half witch half demon she's still a 16 year old girl learning to find her way in the world.
Book 1 hooked me, book 2 has reeled me in!

[Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing peek into Syd's life, as she battles her demon, tries to figure out which of the two hotties she likes best, not to mention dodging witch-hunting fanatics!
Witch Hunt will keep you on the edge of you seat and leave you wanting more...

[Ingrid Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read by Patti Larsen, author of the Hayle Coven series. My only complaint, the fantastic ride these stories present goes too quickly, leaving me wanting more.

I love these books!

[Book Worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real page turner! It seems no matter what, trouble follows Syd no matter what.!! I love Syd, she's very entertaining!! Can't wait to
See what lies in store for her in the next book :P

[Donna Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving this series so far. I really like all the characters. I do wonder how a demon that can't stay on this plane for very long fell in love with a witch and fathered 2 children.

[Kim Watters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt

Great book couldn't put it down can't wait to get the next book in this series . the next book should be just as good.

[Michael Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sucked into another series... but it's worth it.

[Melanie Ann Domeracki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good...

I have Witch hunt the full 5 out of 5 because I enjoyed reading it, just as much as I enjoyed reading the book before this. I can see it doing well for young readers , though I am 45.
I enjoyed the plot and the characters, and had no problem seeing them as real people in my head. The author has done a really common with this series. I ha just bought the 3rd book on kindle now.

[Gail Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite Good

Usually I’m bored with stories about teenage angst, but this one is proving to be quite entertaining. The author has so far avoided the cliche of the evil demon and casting the vampires as the bad guys as well. This is a 20 volume series (even at$2.99 that is quite a large bite out of my Christmas budget) so I hope I’ll be able to manage it.

[Lynn Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book just as much, save one thing: I didn't care for the summary ending. I understand why she did it but at the same time, I like to live it. Her and Quaid need to get their stuff together...just saying.

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been a while I had read the first book in this series, but it was really easy to slip back into this world. I really enjoyed reading more about our half demon/ witch and I'm already looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Malissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun series

As I continue to read about the Hayles and in particular Syd, it's great seeing how this all comes together. A fun read, great characters, exciting times. Cannot wait to read the next book. A great YA paranormal series.

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off slow, but really picked up halfway through.

[stephanie chappell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

Tons of Fun reading Patti Larsen
The entire series keeps me wanting to read more. Looking forward to the rest of the stories.

[Tiffany Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are enough twists and intriguing plot twists to make you wish you were at the end of the series so you could get answers, while the writing makes you want to get to know the characters better.

[Lorna Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, mayhem and murder in this truly epic read! Larsen has created a wonderful series with strong, heroic and interesting characters. Fantastic fantasy that was an absolute pleasure to read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

When an author writes a series, and the second book takes me on such a ride that I can't wait to jump right into the next book, I know I have a new series to add to my favorites list. In Witch Hunt, six months have passed since the ending of book one, Family Magic. Syd has still has new new group of friends, things have been pretty calm, and she is actually getting along with her mother. After being drug to a field party, where everyone from school will be partying it up, an ancient evil is released. People start going missing, coven members are taken, and an unexpected alliance with the DeWinter vampire clan is formed. As the evil entity becomes stronger, it's a race against time to search it out, find it's origins, and destroy it. And Syd must face the fact that she needs help from her inner demon now, more than ever. Even worse, she has love sick, football playing Brad wanting to be her boyfriend, a possessed cheerleader to deal with, and of course Quaid, who is struggling with his own issues. Can she handle anything else? Oh yeah, how about the strange Demetrius Strong, of the Chosen of Life, who is trying to get her to join them and leave her evil witchy ways of life.

I think I enjoyed Witch Hunt even more than Family Magic because Patti Larsen just has a way of bringing her characters to life. You feel like in some ways you know them and can relate, they are a part of you. Enough back story is given so that Witch Hunt could be a stand alone read, but you are really missing out if you don't read Family Magic first. With non-stop action, suspense, laughter, and a bit of chill factor thrown in I had a hard time walking away from this story when "real life" called! Five stars all the way around!

[n🫶🏽 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well Sydlynn wasn't as insufferable as she was in the last book. But the book is still eh. It mostly focuses on family coven stuff, and while that's a huge part of the book, all other subplots suffer. See, Syd suddenly has five new friends and a boyfriend and a maybe friendship with Quiad but it seems fake because we hardly see these friends around so there's no place for them to be properly developed. It's annoying because when they're mentioned, it seems like Syd doesn't have any real feelings for any of them, so how is anyone supposed to buy her friendships? Also, she's the worst girlfriend ever. As she casually states a number of times. Brad thinks he's in love with her, when really he has some dormant magic that draws him to Sydlynn. She knows this and still dates him even though she's just leading him on since she has no actual feelings for the guy. She barely even thinks about him. And she sees his father with his pot belly and receeding hairline, and all she can think about is how she has to break up with Brad because when he gets old, he's going to be unattractive. This girl is unbelievable.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Hayle Coven novels and the third book I have read from the series.
I will be one of those readers who reads them all and can't wait to find out what happens next.

For the first time Syd and her family have set down roots that feel as if they will be staying put for a while. Syd has made normal friends and even has some flirtations and a chance at a boyfriend.
As long as the dark forces of evil magic can leave the family alone... well we all know how well that works out.

In this novel we learn more about other types of magic, mainly vampires who must work alongside the witches to bring peace and balance back to their existance. People go missing and power gets siphoned and various factors have to lay aside suspicions and form a trust, no matter how difficult or uneasy it feels.

Quaid plays a major role in this novel and it is interesting to get to know him better.

[Linda Hamonou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was better than the first one. Everything I didn't like in the first book was fixed in this one.
Seriously, that was awesome.
I really enjoyed finding the same characters again.
I just wonder how Brad can have so much power to give to Syd.
I prefer Quaid as a boyfriend for Syd even though their first meeting in book one was really creepy... Not his fault though.
The villain this time was also a lot creepier, even if I missed a bit the clues there was in book one.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

2nd in the series. I read the first book and enjoyed it but wasn't sure I liked the ending battle that much. This book was also pretty good.
Syd is the typical teen in many ways. She is anxious about her family, friends, boyfriend...or lack thereof. But there is also the worry about the coven, the vampires, the dark thing that is threatening to destroy them. And did I mention her demon side is getting stronger. All of this makes for a very good read.
On to book 3!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Hayle witch coven and I loved it! Syd was less whiny as she grows up a little bit, but I didn't mind they whining considering what she was going through. She was 16. That's a tough age if you're a normal girl. She being a witch did provide some added challenges. And she handled it so well in this book. She became more of a hero. Book 3 is now on my TBR list.

[Stephanie Garza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigh

Another great book. Always love reading Syd's adventures. I love this series. Great YA. A young Witch who isn't just a witch. Once again Syd must save the ones she loves from destruction.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one even more then the first. It had some surprises, and a good story line. You come away feeling good after reading these stories, and she's pretty realistic about the mother daughter relationship, and doesn't make either one the bad guy.