House of Ivy & Sorrow

by Natalie Whipple

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches, Magic, Romance, Fiction

360 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

Natalie Whipple, sadly, does not have any cool mutations like her characters. Unless you count the ability to watch anime and Korean dramas for hours on end. Or her uncanny knack for sushi consumption.

She grew up in the Bay Area and relocated to Utah for high school, which was quite the culture shock for her anime-loving teen self. But the Rocky Mountains eventually won her over, and she stuck around to earn her degree in English linguistics at BYU. Natalie still lives in Utah with her husband and three kids, and keeps the local Asian market in business with all her attempts to cook Thai curry, Pho, and “real” ramen.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 1 out of 5]

"My little crush was a full-blown he-is-the-most-awesome-guy-ever-born obsession."



Oh, for fuck sake. What was this mess? With a gorgeous cover and an intriguingly gothic title, I was expecting great things from House of Ivy and Sorrow. I wanted evil witches, black magic and something dark and gritty. This book could have captivated me easily... if it was a bit nastier, a lot more mature, and a whole lot less stupid. Because I love stories about witches, especially ones where the good battle it out with the bad - I mean, I like everything from Harry Potter to the recently released Half Bad. This one should have been an easy sell.

But this book surely won't appeal to anyone over the age of 12. Giselle likened it to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which isn't a bad comparison, but I think it's a little too generous. Even Sabrina had a couple of brain cells floating around in her skull. Oh, how I wish I could say the same for Josephine. But, never mind, because she is a shining beacon of hotness and all the guys totally want to bone her so, like, who needs brains anyway?

I only finished this book because I received a review copy. I could tell immediately that Josephine was going to be treating us to more descriptions of Winn's perfection than a tale of magic and witch politics. There is a plot in there, I think, between Josephine just generally being the centre of the universe and getting attention from every guy who breathes. Though why we should care is completely lost on me. The main "conflict" of the novel is that Josephine's mother's killer now wants her dead. Well, that's funny, because a few chapters in and so did I!

And I don't even know what to say about all the ripping out of nails, hair and teeth with barely a blink. What is wrong with these crazy people? It's not even just the witches - or I could explain it away as part of their powers - but Josephine's best friend has to take an oath to keep quiet about their witchiness and she sacrifices a nail... just like that. I'd tell people to keep their goddamn secrets if they wanted to tear parts of me away for it.

This really is just immature and... unsophisticated. Maybe I would have enjoyed this a year or two into puberty when titillating descriptions of teenage boys and questionable storytelling made a good combination. But it's a book of cheap thrills that weren't even that thrilling after reading far more impressive works - just read Half Bad instead. If you're a seasoned reader of YA fantasy/paranormal books, you won't find anything new here.

[Giselle · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know those dogs that are so ugly they're cute? This book is kind of like that. It was so ridiculous, that it became entertaining in its absurdity. I went into this expecting a more Gothic kind of witch read, and what I got was more Sabrina the Teenage Witch kind of fantastical (except Sabrina did it well!). I mean, if you go into this with the right mindset maybe you'd like it better?

The witch lore starts out intriguing with some interesting aspects. I liked how there's no good vs evil or white vs dark, it's all black magic and the way you use it is what matters. That's how far my liking of this book went, unfortunately, as the more pages I turned, the more nonsensical it all got. To give you perspective, we have a talking cat with an attitude, spells that require items like bear-hearts and cub stomachs they just happen to have in their cellar, a grandma fighting evil with a lion-jaw dagger. At one point a ghost appears, the protagonist gives it a baggie with pig eyes and it happily goes back inside the book it popped out of. You're thinking it too, right? IT BROUGHT PIG EYEBALLS IN PLASTIC TO THE AFTERLIFE!!

When we learn more about spells and magic, we also learn how much it encourages self mutilation, and most annoyingly, how easy this is made out to be. These characters pull their own teeth (is this even possible?), fingernails, flesh, and hair, without much difficulty. This girl gets up and rips off a handful of her hair in one quick motion for a spell. Like it's just this everyday thing she does. Then another girl pulls out her own fingernail to prove she's the bestest BFF ever with nothing more than yelp and a couple of ice cubes. Uhuh. Though intelligence in general is not a prominent characteristic in these characters so maybe they were too dumb to feel pain.

Lets back up a bit though so I can tell you more about this protagonist of ours. Josephine used to be this awkward, bucktoothed ugly duckling kid, then from one day to the next (literally!) she looked into the mirror to realize she was pretty! Every day since, she's been getting prettier until she was the most beautiful girl in town! (Are you barfing yet?) Naturally, the hottest boy at school is now interested in her, causing all the girls to give her jealous eyes when they see her with him. Everybody either wants her or wants to be her. Obviously, the universe is her bitch!

"He doesn't have to say anything, because I can see it all over his face. There's no denying he wants me."

Clearly, she is the shiz! And who needs a brain when you've got beauty? My eyes were rolling so much I thought they would fall out! Like when she arrives at some guy's house and after he opens the door all sweaty, she asks herself if he's sweaty because he's been dancing… because that's the obvious conclusion! Or when she finds her teenage nemesis at this old witch's house and immediately assumes he's there to seduce her. Wait, what?

"And then I'm laughing, because "ridiculous" sounds hilarious. Which rhymes! I think."

About the ending… keep your eyes peeled because if you blink at the wrong time, you might miss the climax. Though it might save you from seeing how easy and illogical the solution is.

And what's with all of the freaking pudding?

Time to go remove a toenail so I can magically purge this book from my mind. I hope it doesn't tickle too much!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

My frustration with this book is too much to handle so I'm going to try and get straight to the point here.

House of Ivy and Sorrow's first fault is in the writing. Being someone who hasn't read Natalie Whipple before, I had no idea to expect, but I certainly had no idea how juvenile her tone is. As I fourteen year old, I feel pretty insulted that this is labelled Young Adult. THIS IS NOT YA. THIS IS MG. This being YA means this should also be suited for eighteen years olds; I seriously cannot imagine someone that age, reading this without barfing up the excessiveness of fluff that engulfed this book. Even I wanted to barf up a rainbow of stupidity that entered my brain as I consumed this. In addition, the author does not bother to make her witch lore intricate--it's the typical same old structure as every other witch book out in the world, yet the writing just makes it seem even worse.

Secondly, I'd like to mention how misleading this title is. I was talking to a fellow book bloggy friend (Jaz @ Fiction in Fiction in Fiction) and the conversation goes like this: 

This made me realise something. This book wasn't remotely sad, creepy, dark or any other word that comes to mind when you mention words like ivy or sorrow. I mean seriously, just have a think for a second, what do those words remind you of? If you didn't answer with words such as: overly fluffy, fairies and ponies, sparkly magic, you are correct. Because House of Ivy and Sorrows had not the slightest dark element that was intensifying or made me sit at the edge of my seat. Instead, like I aforementioned, I wanted to puke because it was TOO FLUFFY AND CHILDISH.

And of course, we have a Mary freaking Sue main character. Meet Josephine: once ugly but now the prettiest bitch of the herd, smart, has loyal friends, hottest guy at school who dated an older girl was actually in love with her the whole time and is a witch with special powers. And later, another dude shows up and love triangle crap starts to hint it's way through. BUT BUT BUT the romance (thankfully) was not a main aspect in this book. BUT BUT BUT there wasn't much of a plot either. THEREFORE nothing happened in this book. MEANING that this book was pointless. ALSO MEANING that I am hugely disappointment and crying because I have once again read a mediocre crap novel.

Pretty much every person who has read a lot of books, gets sick of romance (since it's in almost every bloody novel these days). So it's always a relief to hear that there's a strong friendship aspect! All except for this one. The friendship in this book also contributed to why I wanted to puke my intestines and all other internal organs out. I love the fluff, but I hate it when the author goes overboard. This group of girls are full on all over each other, being absolutely melodramatic and not very 17 year oldery at all. If I wasn't told their ages, I would have easily passed these girls off as hormonal 10 year olds. No kidding.

And as a last quibble out of the serveral other ones that I can't even get bothered to mention now, the way things were handled. If there was a complication in this book, it took a blink for the solution to come. Talk about an easy cop out and cementing my reasoning that this is actually meant to be a MG novel.

And Happy 1st day of April everyone! Alas, this review was not an April fool so if you're going to read this, don't think that I didn't try so hard to convince you otherwise.

~Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy!~

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good witchy book with a very atmospheric house and nice focus on sisterhood, friendship, and found families. The climax felt really big for a standalone, which I mean as a good thing. It felt like a whole series was packed into one book, and that is hard to find!

Audiobook: 4 stars. Brittany Pressley read it and she is one of my favorite narrators.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*** This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

(after talking it through with Giselle I decided to lower my rating.)

Actual Rating 1.5

Before I say anything else, I should start off by mentioning that the shelving of this book is a lie. If you’re looking for a gothic book to read, turn around and leave. This is not gothic. This is chick lit mixed with some paranormal.

I went into this book with high expectations. Yes there were tons of mixed reviews but the cover, the synopsis, and the OPENING of this book all hinted towards something that I would love. Let’s not forget the witches though. This book promised us a different spin on witches. Something scary. Something gothic. But NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE. We did not get crazy old witches that lived in houses covered in ivy, we got friendly old grandmas that were overly protective.

Fear not though, that’s not why I didn’t like this book. That was just the synopsis, shelving, and cover telling me lies. It was a major disappointment to be reading a chick lit-ty book but that was not why I didn’t like this book. There were multiple other reasons why I couldn’t enjoy it.

For the most part though, this book isn’t awful, it misleads you but if you know what to expect you might like it more than I did.

The witches are original (perhaps overly so with the amount of time they spend ripping their body parts off), there are curses, and the teenagers aren’t all that annoying (this completely depends on perspective because rationally, I can see that they aren’t as bad as some but goddamn they rubbed me the wrong way).  The author puts a large amount of emphasis on healthy relationships between females and the love interest. Despite of its being a cliché, it's actually pretty sweet.

The old lady in this book is actually the grandma of our main character. She is an adorable old lady who puts curses on the guy - who our main character has had a crush on forever - any time he asks her out, smiles at her, or even tries to give her his number.

This book is jumpstarted when a guy, surrounded by darkness, arrives asking for her mother - the mother who died 10 years ago. Something is wrong here and she is right. The guy has been cursed in such a way that it allows the person on the other end to spy on them. The person who cursed the guy is super evil and could possibly be the same person who murdered her mother. It was intriguing enough and the book initially grasped my attention, but then it became the same ole thing where a good idea goes down the drain due to poor execution.

The premise for witches is original. I have to give the book that. Magic does not come from inside the witches but rather from earth/nature. Witches only have the ability to store the magic inside them which is what makes them different from everyone else. I actually enjoyed this spin on witches. I get the feeling I've seen this premise elsewhere but it's still rare enough that I deem it original.

This book reminds me of one I read back in middle school, Once Upon a Curse. The difference is that while both of them are very fluffy and full of curses, I had a lot more fun with Once Upon a Curse than I did with House of Ivy & Sorrow and if I were to re-read it, I’ll bet you, I’d still enjoy it. What House of Ivy & Sorrow fails to is provide us with a good plot. The solutions border on unrealistic and while I understand the conflict, I have no idea whether the characters do.

I think the first time I realized I wouldn’t have a good time was when I was introduced to the love interest, Winn. Now he isn’t a bad guy but then at this point I am too fed up of clichés to even care. He is the most popular guy in school, all girls have a crush on him, he was dating an older girl until they broke up. All that jazz. What makes him different however is the fact that he is a farmer boy. That’s right. Uh huh. Way to throw us off that cliché. Anyway, it’s GLARINGLY obvious that he is hiding something. Even if our female lead spends a huge chunk of time denying that.

The friendships went over the top. Can you believe that’s actually an issue? Aren’t strong/healthy relationships between females a good thing? YEAH BUT NOT IF THEY'RE SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT (keep in mind… IMO). I am not sure the fact that they have no sense of self-preservation is a good thing. Her friends readily agree to protect her in spite of the danger involved. They are almost adults, shouldn’t they think things through? Yes, they are best friends, but what they are being asked to do is no minor feat. What is wrong with them? And also, Kat. Kat, goddamn you, girl. Who do you think you are ordering Jo to let Gwen in on her secret? IT’S HER SECRET. YOU DON’T GET TO TELL HER TO SHARE IT. EVEN if the girl is her best friend. Nope nope nope.

With all that said, I realize I have said nothing about the star of our book, Jo. She is perhaps the most beautiful girl in her school and went from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. She is elated when the guy she has been crushing on forever shows some interest in her. I actually don’t have much to say about her. I just find her to be an annoying pain in the ass (some of the decisions she made later on in the book did not sit well with me), but at least she values her friends and family and that is a huge plus in my book.

The other relationships consist of the ones with her family and the one with Winn.

The relationship she shares with her grandma and then later with her dad are definitely the highlights of this book. Without a doubt, it’s absolutely adorable and I love how when she realizes her grandma is keeping a secret, her first response isn’t “OHMYGOD HOW DARE SHE”, she realizes her grandma is probably keeping a secret to protect her and so she doesn't poke and prod. She respects her grandmother's decision.  The appearance of her dad was quite obvious.. right off the bat so I wasn’t the least bit surprised by that revelation but I did enjoy watching the two become more comfortable in each other’s presence.

Surprisingly, in spite of the high school atmosphere, this book does not focus on the romance. The relationship between Winn and Jo was already in the works before the book started and it progressed nicely from there. Winn was a sweet guy (sometimes overly sweet) and was always there for Jo even though he could tell she was hiding something. His jealousy wasn't infuriating and was instead kind of adorable even if it made no sense.

Levi was one of the most interesting characters in this book, he is clearly a good guy but because of what he is, he borders on the edge of bad. He cannot help it, it’s part of who he is and he cannot change that. No matter how much he wants to. He cannot stop that craving.

The idea behind what Levi is is not as solid as it should be, something that happened later on in the book kind of shakes the basis for what he is and it makes no sense to me how one could be bad and the latter turned out to be good (if you've read the book you'll understand, it's so hard to express myself without being spoilery so I am sorry for the vagueness).

The plot becomes the biggest weakness of the novel. Yes, they were trying to save her grandmother; yes, they were trying to kill the guy. However, I didn’t think our characters understood why they were doing so. Were they doing this for revenge? Or were they trying to protect the rest of the witches from the evil? I don’t think it was clear to the characters either and ultimately that affected how I felt about how the book was wrapped up. The pacing wasn’t that great either. For the first half of the book, nothing really happened. Things speeded up in the second half, but again, the plot was not strong. The conflict was weak and there wasn't much depth to anything.

The book itself was very fluffy and the atmosphere was very ‘high-schooly’. This book, for me, was another case of wonderful potential but bad execution and really I just wish I would learn not to trust covers because pretty covers lie.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to read something about witches but wants something very light and fluffy.

[Heather myfriendsdontread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: so I tried re-reading it, and it’s not going well 😂 definitely reads very young and immature. The YA books I enjoy feel much more mature than this. This is way too preteen to me. And I find the FMC annoying for some reason. That’s a bummer. I’m DNFing.

First review: I read this book years ago in high school or college after I randomly stumbled upon it at the book store and I remember enjoying it. Especially the setting.

Apparently I rated it 4 stars so I left the rating as is. I still think about parts of it years later though. Particularly the magic system and how the FMC would have to sacrifice something (like rip her nail off) to do magic because all magic comes at a cost.

I’d love to reread it soon!

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book as much as I like its cover. Sadly, I didn't.


The good

I'll give it this: I really appreciate its take on witches.

I can't suffer this kind of Barbie-witches:


but I rather like the idea of witches like these:


Here I found something akin to the second kind, and that I've appreciated very much.

I've appreciated also the offhand way in which the author refers to a lesbian couple, especially in a YA book. As if that's something unarguably normal. It isn't, yet. But it should be.


The bad

Animal sacrifice for trivial purposes.
This is somewhat tied to my beliefs and, as such, someone may find it questionable:
- I'm ok with animal testing if that means finding a cure for leukemia;
- I'm NOT ok with animal testing if some animal has to suffer and die for a new hue of lipstick.
Frog's eyes to spy on people? Bat's ears to overhear conversations? I'm so not ok with that.
Admittedly, the witchcraft here is made also with one's own sacrifice (a pulled nail, a little bloodletting, and so on). That doesn't compensate for all the killing of small animals, usually for futile motives.

The characters don't sound their age.
People of seventeen years old are not so innocent and guileless as described here, and portraying them as such is just wishful thinking at best, and belittling of "real" teenagers at worst.
These girls sound like they are fresh out of a Disney movie (complete with "Love is forever!" catchphrase).
These guys can be that innocent only if they grew up in the Smurf village.

The heroine is a bit of a Mary Sue.
She used to be ugly, but now she's the prettiest of the pretty girls. And getting prettier and prettier. And she is brave, loyal and caring. She probably cries diamond tears and spits nuggets of gold early in the mornings.
The prettiest guy at school has been secretly in love with her forevah.
When an even prettier guy enters the scene, it's obvious that he has to fall in instalove (or almost there).
Do I need to go on?


I think that this is one of those YA books that's fine for teenagers but can't be fully appreciated by more mature readers.

[Alise · Rating 2 out of 5]

HOUSE OF IVY AND SORROW reminds me of TRANSPARENT in terms of what I liked and disliked. This is no surprise because they were written by the same author. However, this book is a notch below TRANSPARENT, and I have rated it so.

If you are looking for a novel about witches and magic with a dark undertone, this isn’t it. If you are looking for your average contemporary novel with spells and a random curse thrown in, this is it. There is more focus on the romance and pudding than anything else. Yes, you read that right, pudding.


These people are obsessed with it.

If you like constantly being reminded of the protagonist’s attractiveness, look no further. Her friends, family, boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s friends all remark on her absolute gorgeousness through lines like: “My friends keep telling me how hot you are” and “Better get used to it, she’s only getting prettier.” I couldn’t root for any of the characters, really. Much less the romance that was almost always in your face.

The one thing that kept me reading was the hope for a magnificent solution that would impress the socks off me. I genuinely hoped for one of those “Aha!” moments where some big twist would be revealed. So whenever a comment about the main character’s appearance would pop up or something would make me cringe, I kept at it.


Needless to say, I didn’t find that moment.

It’s a shame because the book had potential, there was so much that could have been done. It’s witches and magic, the possibilities are almost limitless. I wish the author focused more on that aspect rather than the main character’s amazing ability to gush over boys and complain.

[Isamlq · Rating 2 out of 5]

The House of Ivy and Sorrow has the same issues I had with the author’s Transparent.

The strength of this lies in the descriptions of what it takes to be what they are. Whipple’s take on witchy lore is not just ‘different name but same ole’ thing; there’s a whole new world here. It’s not good witch versus bad witch or light and dark. It’s all dark... but in degrees. She’s taken some commonly known things and tossed them out with the whole place of power, Consuming and Controlling.

If only the narrator (hell the entire cast) were equal to what was offered up. There’s a breezy and almost too easy/young feel to how the Main Character is presented (or presents things). Granted this is YA, but even for YA, her trio ‘read’ younger. Anyway, despite liking the witchy aspect, the witch herself? Uhm, nope.

Except perhaps it’s that young feel that had events in HOUSE progressing quickly because things went FROM girl-in-love TO girl-dealing-with-Curse in a blink. BUT! But, it’s also what made things feel… too simple. Need good girl? Need good family? Need hot boy? Need Curse? Need baddy? We have all those; they all fall into place in very short order one after another. I blame the cover (Oh pretty, beautiful gothic-looking scary book cover) which had me expecting something more. Sadly, I didn’t get that any of that because there’s a disconnect between what’s being described (fingers and nails and pounds of flesh even, curses and places and families of a certain type) AND the too easy-breezy voice that she’s got. And yeah I couldn’t quite make the connection.

Too bad.

Thank you, Edelweiss!

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
The House of Ivy and Sorrow is my second book by Natalie Whipple and like her debut Transparent, I found it entertaining, but far from impressive. It is a cute, but entirely forgettable story about a young witch and her small community.

By now, you’ve probably realized that this cover and title are awfully misleading. The House of Ivy and Sorrow is a far cry from the dark, gothic novel I’d been hoping to read. Deceptive advertizing doesn’t work in this book’s favor, and I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would do it.

On the other hand, I appreciate a decent sense of humor, and Natalie Whipple certainly has it. I’ve taken the time to read a few reviews right before starting this novel, so I knew to expect more silliness than anything else. If you take it as such, The House of Ivy and Sorrow can be quite entertaining. It’s only if you go into it expecting a serious novel that you’ll end up sorely disappointed.

Josephine Hemlock is strong, opinionated, likeable and unfortunately, unmemorable. She strikes me as a character written for readers, not for herself. She is exactly the type of girl everyone can like, without risky idiosyncrasies to make her stand out. I found her characterization to be sorely lacking, in nuance or in depth.

The story itself is interesting enough – with better characters and better background, it had the potential to become amazing. I liked this idea of a curse following Jo and her family, and I thought the witch lore was original and interesting. But without good characters to back it up, none of it is worth very much.

The House of Ivy and Sorrow might work for younger readers, just like Transparent, but as an adult, I don’t think Whipple is the right author for me. Her lack of attention to details and superficial characterizations are impossible to overlook.

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was really exciting, trying to find out who was trying to kill her entire family? That mystery just unraveled so quickly, so I was never ever bored. The beginning was good until it started going downhill. I just couldn't fathom some of her rash decisions. That's on me, not the character since she is a teen and is allowed to make all the mistakes but I just couldn't not unsee all the chaos that was shot at her at every turn. I liked the witchy world that was built and I was never bored but even though those aspects were strong, I still felt that everything was just so out of proportion. And the thing is, it felt like everything that happened was deliberate. It didn't flow as much as I wanted it to be, but that's just me being super duper picky.

There was one scene where Josephine has to do something to save her friend..I found it to be so ridiculous at one point that I had to laugh out loud. But there are also good things about it. I pretty much liked how tight Josephine, Gwen and Kat were. They're the best of friends that you could depend on and trust. The talking cat was a nice touch and I thought it was adorable.

Overall, pick this one up if you like your witches and magic woven within a romance and a strong friendship. I say it's still a good solid read to pick up!

[Ben Alderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story!
So interesting, suspenseful and dark.

I LOVE WITCHES!

[Mauoijenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected for a book about a witch. Shame. It has a beautiful cover. Wish the insides matched.

[Brend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just know 15 year old me would've enjoyed this so much.

[Octavia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating was 4.5 stars




I absolutely LOVED House of Ivy & Sorrow. LOVED. IT!. It's easily earned the "pre-order" worthy stamp of approval from me. It had strong characters a unique premise and a pretty good plot. And to top it off, I think it's a stand alone!!!!! ARGH YES!

Full review to come closer to release. But seriously.... PRE-ORDER IT!

[Annette (booknerderie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since I was a wee lass, I have loved movies about witches. It started when my older sister let 6-year-old me watch The Witches of Eastwick ...I was way to young to watch this film but I was intrigued. Then came Teen Witch , followed by Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic . Oh! and let's not forget about The Witches {which is based on the book by the same name by Roald Dahl}. My love for being entertained by witches runs deep...so it's no wonder that I loved this book.


I read this book in one sitting, y'all. I couldn't put it down. Was the writing off the charts amazeballs? Not exactly. But what it lacked in beauty, it made up for in awesome. The characters all of them were perfect! I especially loved the three best friends, which consists of Gwen {the hyper and happy-go-lucky one}, Kat {resident cynic} and Josephine {our witchy main character}. The story line is a good old-fashioned witches tale, full equipped with spells, history, curses and fingernail pulling. It's got all of the elements! AND I LOVED IT!!!! The crushy-mushy-lovey aspect of it is kinda eye roll worthy at times but let's face it, teenage girls go gaga over boys. So we cannot be surprised there.

So, if you're in the market for a funny book with a really cool story and some great characters, then this is your book!!!

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Jo lives in a house surrounded by ivy and sorrow, with her grandmother who is a powerful witch. Jo’s mother died 10 years previously due to a curse that was put on her family, and Jo’s Nana is determined that Jo will not die from the same curse.
Who cursed Jo’s mother? Will Jo’s fate be the same? And who is the strange man who seems to be following Jo around?


This was an interesting story about witches, and I liked the little twists.

Jo was a really interesting character. I loved how she stood by her grandmother and protected her, and I really admired the way she wasn’t squeamish when it came to spells, and didn’t get upset over having to collect spiders or bugs *ick*.

The storyline in this was good, and while it was utterly predictable in places, it was also really unpredictable in others. I really liked the story concerning the curse, and I also liked the way that Jo and her Nana opened their home to people who weren’t biologically family, but who they cared for anyway.
The little quirks to the witchy-magic side of things was also good – like the fact that witches can only have girl babies, and how prices can be paid for magic in somewhat unconventional means.
The romance in this was pretty light, and didn’t feature too heavily as part of the storyline. I did like the little romantic moments, but there just wasn’t that many of them.
I liked the ending, and I thought that it was done pretty well. It was again a little predictable, but I liked it all the same.
Overall; a good YA story about witches,
7 out of 10.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical, Heartwarming, Exciting, Mysterious, Humorous, and so much more. I couldn't stop reading it!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this book SOOO MUCH and I know you will too! It does seem like forever until it comes out. So, go ahead and put it on your TBR List because, in my opinion, it will be worth the wait!

[The Audiobookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★ Audiobook⎮House of Ivy & Sorrow and I started out on the wrong foot, but eventually became good friends. The rocky start was mainly due to the fact that I was expecting something very different from this story, something deeper and darker. In reality, House of Ivy & Sorrow was much more flowery than it’s synopsis and [beautiful] cover initially lead me to believe.

I was in the mood for something witchy and didn’t yet feel like sitting through 30 hours of Discovery of Witches, so I started House of Ivy & Sorrow, despite the mixed reviews. I also knew that it was narrated by Brittany Pressley, a solid narrator, in my eyes. What I wasn’t expecting was how incredibly (and almost painfully) YA parts of it would be.

Don’t get me wrong, I love YA, but House of Ivy & Sorrow is on the lower end of the YA maturity scale. It reads like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but with magic thrown in. From my point of view, the characters and relationships were far too trope-ish for the plot. We’re talking basic, run-of-the-mill character stuff, which is a real shame because the plot itself deserved so much better.

The matrilineal magical families and succubi-type villains kept me listening, despite the writing only being so-so. The back stories of these families were particularly intriguing and I wish they had been even further elaborated upon. By the 40% point, I thought I could probably finish the story and by the 50% point, I knew I had to finish it.

The ending was a bit anti-climactic, but I’m still glad I decided to finish it. The further I got into it, the more I begin to appreciate the way the story was turning out, despite not being as engrossing as I had originally hoped. However, the lack of complexity made the story extremely easy to follow without becoming confused. Since most stories of this nature are part of a series, House of Ivy & Sorrow was a relatively quick and self-contained novel. It’s perfect for someone who enjoys tales of witches, but doesn’t care for anything especially dark. With that said, there were some not-quite-gripping (but almost) moments that propelled the story forward. If you go into this with the right mentality and knowing what to expect, House of Ivy & Sorrow is perfectly enjoyable.

Narration review: Brittany Pressley, whom also narrated Kiera Cass’ The Selection series, provided beautiful narration for House of Ivy & Sorrow. Her vocal distinction has always been admirable, but what really brought these characters to life was the amount of emotion Pressley infused into her performance. Such an emotion-filled reading kept my attention and encouraged me to keep listening, even when the story lulled. ♣︎

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

What I Liked:

Well, I definitely did not expect to like this book as much as I did! I'm not a fan of witch-related books, to be honest, so I surprised myself by downloading this one in September. I can't say I regret it! I enjoyed this book, much to my surprise and pleasure.

This book involves what people typically think of witches - with the cauldrons, spells, creepy house, etc. Jo lives with her grandmother, so that doesn't hurt the illusion either. But things start to get weird when a man shows up at the house (mansion? castle?), looking for Carmina - Jo's dead mother. But Jo's mother didn't just die - she was killed by the Curse, which sucked away her witch powers and killed her. But even weirder things are uncovered, and Jo must race against time to figure out what exactly is going on.

One of the things that really impressed me was how "witchy" this story really was. There were spells and cauldrons and magical barriers and secrets and spiders and frog and eyes and all those typical things you think of when you think "witch"! I really liked that, because it's like going back to the "original" stuff, instead of dressing up the idea of a witch in the modern world. This is set in the modern-day, in case you weren't sure. One of the things that was horrible but fascinating was the way in which the witches bind someone to silence - if they allow a human to know about their existence and don't wipe their memories. I won't give it away, but it's gruesome.

Those quirky (and sometimes horrible) things that made this witch story a real witch story was probably what kept me interested the entire time. The story was also very intriguing. Jo is trying to figure out what really happened to her mother ten years ago, with the Curse and the shadows. She and some other witch relatives comb through histories of the Hemlock family for a clue about the Curse. But there is a twist and turn at every page. A boy shows up - Levi - and he wants them to trust him, but everything about him is wrong.

This book has a good amount of focus on friendship. One of Jo's friends, Kat, finds out about Jo and her grandmother being witches, and is allowed to keep her memories (but she has to go through the binding process). This makes Jo and Kat closer (naturally), but that makes their friend Gwen jealous. Yup, not only does Jo have to worry about staving off the Curse, shadows, and Levi, but she has to keep a social life going, keep up with her new boyfriend, and figure out what to do to help her family.

Oh yes, there is a new boyfriend in the picture. Winn and Jo have liked each other for quite some time, but Winn grows a pair in the beginning of this book and asks her out. So, this romance is a little different, because the feelings already exist. The relationship itself grows, and it's really cute. And a tiny bit heartbreaking. And the climax and end is sad, but has its merits. I like the romance in this book (even if it is a bit predictable).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The story was very good and the action was pretty nonstop. I'm happy with the character development, the romance, and the ending. It's a standalone novel, and Whipple definitely ended it that way. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance, despite usually disliking witch-related books!

What I Did Not Like:

There were definitely some parts of this book that were excessively predictable. Or, at least, for me, they seemed really predictable. I won't spoil anything, but I'll give you a few examples. The mystery man in the very beginning of the story? OF COURSE he is who we think he is. And Winn? OF COURSE he can't just be exactly who we want him to be. And Levi? OF COURSE he always has horribly crappy timing, and OF COURSE Winn always walks in on Levi and Jo. OF COURSE these things must happen that way, right? So utterly predictable.

But, despite the predictability of some things in this book, I like this book a lot.

Would I Recommend It:

If you're looking for a paranormal fiction novel with a cute romance, then this is definitely a good one for you! I didn't think I would like it, because I'm not the biggest fan of witch-related books, but I'm glad I gave this book a chance. It doesn't hurt that Whipple's writing style had me interested and engaged throughout the story. So, if this seems like your type of read, then definitely go for it!

Rating:

4 stars. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected! Which is always a good thing, in my opinion. Natalie Whipple's novels are alright by me!

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine and her Nana are witches and the last of the Hemlock bloodline. Witchcraft can only be passed down from female to female in every witching family. And while the Hemlocks have lived in Willow’s End all of there lives, it’s their land that makes them more of a target for the Curse for its potent magical value.
The Curse has been killing witches for generations and what killed Jo’s mother when she was a little girl, but no one knows who’s behind these attacks and the reason why Jo and her Nana have been hiding ever since. But when a strangely familiar man shows up asking about Jo’s mother, he unknowingly brings darkness and danger with him and could only mean one thing for the Hemlock family. The Curse has finally found them. Now is the time to fight as Jo and her Nana come together to try to unlock the secrets and solve the mystery of who could be hunting them and the witching community for hundreds of years and find a way to finally put an end to the Curse. But Jo must first try to find a way to protect everyone she loves from the shadows that could consume them and before she has no other choice but to suffer the same fate that killed her mother.

House of Ivy & Sorrow is such a cool book! I've always been such a sucker for witches and magic in my escape. There are just so much limitless possibilities that come with this lore and its fun and fascinating to see the imagination and creativity crafted for my favorite kind of genre. This would be my first book by Natalie Whipple, but it won’t be my last. You could tell that she put a lot of thought into her world twisting and turning it in unpredictable ways that was unique, clever and sharp. I really liked the way she writes, despite the pacing being a tad quick at times; the flow of the story was smooth and never had a dull or dragged out moment. This book is easily absorbing and I loved being able to sink into the plot and all the wonderful colorful characters. But my favorite part of this book was the old school magic, complete with secret portals, bubbling cauldrons, and nasty ingredients such as; spiders, eyeballs, bear hearts and crows awaiting disintegration for animated spells. I also liked that there isn't a good or a bad side to magic, there is only darkness but its how you control that darkness that defines you. Magic can be harnessed through the earth and payment must always be paid, whether from blood, nails, flesh, limbs or one of the five senses. Sure, it’s a bit disturbing at times, but still pretty wicked stuff.

I really loved the entire cast of characters. They all balanced and complimented each other quite nicely and I enjoyed the closeness and bonds between family and friendships.
First off, I adored Nana Dorothea! I’d be dead afraid to have a grandmother like this of course, but I’d also be mighty proud. Nana is a tough old witch that goes above and beyond for her family. I wanted to laugh and cringe for poor Jo at times just thinking about having a boyfriend and hoping against hope that Nana doesn't ruin the night with her meddling interference. But while Nana is strict, she’s also very kind and loving.
Jo is such a sweet character but she’s also full of spunk and fight. She wants what all teenage girls want, a normal life with friends and a boyfriend and the freedom to enjoy her youth without worrying about her Nana striking her boyfriend down with lightning just before she gets her first kiss. But Jo doesn't have a normal life and she’s actually quite wonderful about that. She’s fiercely loyal to her Nana and the magical bloodline she must preserve being the only Hemlock left, she’s accepted her fate and fights every step of the way to protect everyone she loves no matter the consequences.
Gwen and Kat are amazing examples of secondary characters that really affect the story in a positive and uplifting way. It was nice to see strong supportive friendships that didn't involve a lot of drama or angst and it was nice to see them united together especially since Jo could use all the help she could get to fight this battle.
Winn was such a cutiepie. I loved that he was so down to earth and content with who he is. I love that he’s a farm boy, hard working and knows the value of family. The way he was with Jo was just too adorable for words and I loved the subtle twist in his character.
Another character that I really loved was, Levi. I don’t want to spoil too much but I really enjoyed the complexity of the role he played in the story and how it ties in with Jo’s fate.
The romance between Jo and Winn was completely adorable, light but intense. The storyline was so busy that we didn't get a lot of screen time and I wish we got to see some more uninterrupted moments between the two, but they still managed to make a huge impact. We do have a little competition here, not exactly a love triangle but definitely some amusing conflict.
I also really loved the ending and while this reads like a standalone, I wouldn't mind seeing more books from this world since it has a lot of promise and potential for different plot directions for just about any of these characters.

All in all, I really enjoyed myself with this one. Natalie Whipple writes an intriguing and enchanting take on magic and witchcraft that really impressed me. The storyline is entertaining and unstoppable and the characters were all made of awesome. They’re warm, charming and full of fight. I look forward to discovering more books by Whipple, she’s got a new fan!

[Cecelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know about you kids, but I can’t be trusted in a bookstore. I mean, I love bookstores. I adore them. They’re full of books, and books = my jam. BUT. A bookstore is full of books for SALE, and that can pose a problem for my wallet. I went into a bookstore this past spring with my friend Lauren, and I made some stupid proclamation along the lines of, “I’m not going to buy anything unless they have the exact title I want!” Ha. Hahahahahahahahaha. I walked out with the prettiest book I saw in the Young Adult section, Natalie Whipple’s House of Ivy & Sorrow. And I thanked my lucky stars that I didn’t do more damage.

Josephine (or Jo, as everyone calls her) is a hereditary young witch living in the back-of-beyond Iowa with her Nana, a formidable (if nearly toothless) power, her two best friends, and her crush-turned-almost-boyfriend, Winn. When a mysterious man appears on their doorstep, Nana looks forbidding, and Jo starts worrying about the Curse, a Black family legacy that killed her mother. From there, things only get more dangerous, as the witchy mystery escalates and Jo tries to keep it together at school and at home.

I think this book wanted to be a lot of things. It wanted to be funny, with snappy dialogue. It wanted to pose deathly-serious consequences to magic-gone-wrong. It wanted to be a sweet, first love kind of romance with just enough tension and another boy on the horizon to keep things young-adult-fiction-interesting. What it managed, in the midst of all that striving, was to give me a headache.

The issue, as I see it, was tone + worldbuilding. While it is possible to do light-hearted plus dark (see: Sarah Rees Brennan’s Unspoken), House of Ivy & Sorrow didn’t hit that level. I felt like I had whiplash: first reading a scene of mild embarrassment over sitting next to a boy on the bus, and then an abrupt shift to tearing out teeth, gouging skin, or pulling hair out by the roots to make a powerful spell. The dialogue was frequently fresh and fun, but it didn’t match the magical system, where the ‘sacrifices’ practioners had to make were horrible (but never seemed to incapacitate) and the reasons for doing them either terrible or vague enough as to seem unnecessary. Long story short, it didn’t gel.

Main character Jo had strengths and weaknesses, and it was refreshing to read a book where a young magic-user gets things wrong and fumbles around a bit (as you’d expect anyone new to a skill would!). I also appreciated the small town setting, her healthy female friendships, and their realistic banter. That said, Jo’s reactions under pressure were… not mellow, exactly, but not urgent. And that didn’t match the sarcastic, smart, difficult girl she was supposed to be.

Let’s review: there was the matter of tone, discussed above, and various other inconsistencies (for example: these witches are always harming themselves… so how does no one notice that Jo isn’t completely covered in scars/bruises?!) that interrupted any flow before it could really get going. Additionally, what I would call the essential elements of a good fantasy/paranormal were the weakest bits. It was trying for spooky but not laying the groundwork for the proper atmosphere. In all, House of Ivy & Sorrow was a mixed bag of a book. It didn’t work for me, but I think it will appeal to those who aren’t regular readers of fantasy.

Recommended for: fans of Aprilynne Pike’s Wings or Kiersten White’s Paranormalcy, and those who like a mix of not-too-dark and light in their YA reading.

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

a copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

I was extremely excited when I got the eARC of this book. The cover was gorgeous, the premise was intriguing, and I love books about witches! Then I started to see all the negative reviews, and, it was hard not to let it affect my excitement. So By the time I started reading it I was totally apprehensive and was expecting more of a watered down witch book (since a few reviews said it was middle grade-y). Maybe that's why I enjoyed this book so much, because I was expecting something awful.

That's not the only reason, far from it. I just liked the story. Josephine (Jo for short) is a witch. Her and her Nana are the last of the Hemlock line of witches, after her mother Carmina died. Jo is 17, and she acts 17 (in a good way). She's smart and strong, resourceful and every bit a teenager. She's had to deal with a lot after her mothers death. And now her moms murderer may be coming after her and her Nana - inflicting them with the terrible Curse that killed her mom. Her two best friends, Kat and Gwen are there to help. Oh and her cutie boyfriend Winn, has some secrets but deep down he's a trustworthy guy (right?) But then, what about the. Mysterious dark haired boy Levi who is surrounded by shadows?

To those who said this book was too middle grade, I say this. We have a scene where a pliers pulls off a fingernail, Kat has to pull out hunks of her own hair as payment for spells, and the ending - well, let's just say those pliers came back to work with some teeth and flesh. Middle grade -- are you kidding me?! Jo goes pretty far withher love, Winn , which I liked because I found it more realistic (I'm getting annoyed with the surge of abstinence fueled young adult I've been reading lately).

I also really respected Jo for standing strong but still grieving for her mother at times too. In fact, I was surprised at times with how dark the book got. I liked that it wasn't all boys and secrets -- there was real pain, and real life too. Her dad was cool, and their family had more of a modern feel to it. Her aunt had a girlfriend, this was mentioned in. A totally natural way, not at all as a gimick to be a LGBT friendly book. More like hey...this is real life. The author mentions it in a way just as natural and unassuming as if it had been an ex-boyfriend. Major props!

For once we have a stand alone novel that had an ending that wrapped it all up. Maybe it was a little too neat for my liking, hence the 3.5 stars. Other than that, I loved the gritty scenes, the adolescent scenes, and witchy plot. I recommend it for those of you who are obsessed with witch books like I am.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Caffeinated Aspects:
• From the first paragraph, I was drawn into the story, and it rippled with possibilities. The premise is quite good from the Shadow elements to the witches. I loved the enchanted house and land. I was intrigued by the curse and the Hemlock history.
• Josephine Hemlock is a likable character. She was clever and smart with her craft. Her Nana was fierce and at times humorous with her love of pudding.
• The history of the witches was interesting, and I liked Whipple’s take on them. I found myself all excited by the possibilities that lay before us.
• We meet characters whose intentions we are unsure of. There is Winn; the boy Jo is crushing on and Levi, the dark boy who claims he wants to help Jo. There is no love triangle, and the romance was a nice, light and awkward (along the lines of a first crush).
• The spells and magic were fantastic and oddly weird. I loved their house, the attic wards and the spells they conjured. They travel through magic doors and had old enchanted books.
Decaffeinated Aspects:
• House of Ivy & Sorrow had the potential to be dark and intense. The opening paragraph made me tingle and the elements were exciting but instead it stayed very Disney. I would have liked a darker, intense and suspenseful tone to the story. The elements were all there but skimmed over like it had been dubbed for a PG audience. Not that I want to be grossed out or terrified, but you cannot be happy and joking when removing a fingernail. Seriously? No.
• Josephine was clever, but her behavior was along the lines of a 12 year old and not the junior she is supposed to be. Her friends were the same way. A little too giddy and boy crazy even in the midst of danger. Some of her thoughts regarding Winn and Levi had my eyes rolling in the back of my head.
• We don’t really get to know many of the secondary characters beyond their interactions.
• There are animal sacrifices..crows, frog eyes, spiders and the like. If this upsets you, this may not be the book for you.
• We build towards this climax and poof it’s over. I felt cheated.
• The tale was cute making it perfect for a MG audience but I fear its tone will disappoint those who enjoy the YA genre. Where was the Gothic vibe, the darkness and the depth?
Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Trista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine Hemlock is a witch who, along with her grandmother, has been hiding from the thing that killed her mother ten years ago. Just as things seem to be going perfectly for Jo, the magic barriers are strong, her grandmother agrees to stop interfering between her and her crush, said crush asks her out, a man shows up at her home looking for her mother. The Curse she's been hiding from is getting closer and Jo's not sure if she can protect everyone she loves.

This book caught my attention right away with the opening paragraph. The spin on witch lore is really interesting and I found it hard to put the book down. The biggest problem I had was at times it moved a little too fast. I could still follow the plot without a problem but a little slower pace and more details might have given a clearer picture.

I really liked the main character, Jo. She was a my life is what it is kind of girl. She had to keep secrets from her best friends, collect some pretty gross things for spells, and her grandmother liked to interfering when her crush got too close. Instead of being a brat and whining 'why me!', she just accepted it.

I also really liked the friendship between Jo, Kat, and Gwen. It was nice to see female friendship getting more focus than romance(though there is a romance). It was easy to tell how much they all cared for each other. The romance between her and Winn was sweet but I found it a little hard to get overly invested in it. There was just so much other stuff going on that it took a backseat to other things I cared about more.

The opening paragraph, as mentioned, was fantastic. It was something right out of a fairy tale. The world created was really interesting as well. It definitely showed the darker side of magic, how it isn't free and spells can't work without some sort of a sacrifice. This seems to be a stand-alone but if a companion was ever written following one of the other characters, I would definitely be interested.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun witch story to read in October! It was filled with many of the typical witch/Halloween items and totally set the mood for my October.

I really liked this story!

I loved the characters and their thoughts/feelings/actions/reactions. It felt so right-on for a teenager. Not too juvenile, not too grown up. I loved the way the characters developed and/or were revealed throughout the story. Some things I totally expected or guessed, but it wasn't a problem. It was more of a "if this was a real teenager, this is what I expect to happen next" and then it did.

The thing I loved most about this story was the magic! I loved how Jo knew how to use it. She wasn't bumbling around trying to figure it out, she wasn't being kept from using/knowing about it because she was "too young". She is a full-fledged practicing witch who only lacks the experience that comes from being older and using it more and thus learning more about it from that experience. But still, she has plenty of knowledge and experience to take care of pretty much anything that comes her way. I loved that aspect of the story! It freed up the characters and the story to move beyond the typical YA stories of teens who are restricted from doing something they could probably handle doing on their own.

I also loved that the magic came with a cost and Jo and the other witches were constantly evaluating whether the cost is worth the magic. It was a continual theme throughout the story and I loved it. I guess I feel like we do too little of that in real life. As individuals and as society. What is the cost of an action? Is it worth it? Do we we want to pay the cost? Maybe it is the right thing to do, but there is still a cost.

And finally, I loved that the characters all had decently good relationships with the adults in their life.

[Angel Lederhause · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about witches. different then the normal witch. really enjoyed this young adult story.

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Between My Lines

The book was a very slow starter for me!  Then it got better.  But then sadly, it faded fast again.  I didn't hate it and felt it had a lot of potential but needed to dig so much deeper than it did.


First Line of House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple:

"They say a witch lives in the old house under the interstate bridge."

My thoughts on House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple:
I'll admit before I started this book, I saw some negative reviews and it didn't inspire hope in me for this book.  I also saw other friends who enjoyed the book by lowering their expectations as to the depth of the magical elements.  So I did that but unfortunately I still had issues.

First off, I was wondering what ages the characters were.  It is mentioned early on what year Jo is in at school but as a non US reader, this often confuses me.  So I decided that characters were 14ish.  They sounded more like 12 but I knew they were older than that.  So when I later discovered that Jo and co were actually 17, I was flummoxed.  She sounds so immature and her words and thoughts do not match up to her age.

There were a few other things that felt off.  When Josephine met her long-lost father, she just knew in her bones that he was her father.  Why because he looked like her or because there was a connection between them?  No, because he had freckles. Sigh.  So do lots of men and they aren't all her father :O

At another time, Josephine is shown a memory that she is glad is in black and white:

"Nana takes hold of a goopy lavender blob I can only assume is me.  So relieved this is not in colour".

Wait, is lavender no longer a colour!

What I did like about the book was the power of the women and the sense of sisterhood between the witches.  I loved that element as it felt empowering.  I also liked the idea that magic is stored in places and that magic simmers in the air around these spots.  That captivated my imagination.  And the threatening shadows felt furtive and dangerous which added an element of evil that the book needed.

However I don't think the plot was complex enough or felt dark enough for a gothic witchy read.  The premise was there but then it wasn't developed enough.  The standards for magical themes have been set so high by Harry Potter, The Raven Boys and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and this book falls far short of those.  In reality this book is a cross between Bewitched and a Disney movie which would appeal more to younger readers and not the YA audience it is pitched at.
 
Who should read House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple?
If you like your books light on world-building and are looking for a very light book with witches in it, I MIGHT recommend this one.  It didn't work for me as this wasn't what I wanted.  A younger reader might appreciate it more than I did as it's a good introduction to the world of magic.  If you are a fan of The House of Night series by P C Cast and Kristin Cast, you might also like this one.

Thanks to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine Hemlock is a witch living in the modern world and with that comes responsibilities. She's not aloud to tell her two best friends anything about her magic, she's not allowed or shouldn't marry a man when she gets older, and biggest of all, she can't let the magic consume her. In Natalie Whipple's HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW, no magic is good magic and every spell comes with a price. After her mother was tragically killed by the Curse, Jo and her grandmother have been extra cautious about who they interact with. When a unknown man brings the Curse close to their doorstep, it's up to Jo, her grandmother, and some unlikely allies to figure out who started this Curse and how to stop it.

HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW could be described as a light paranormal witchy read. While some aspects of the book where very dark and contained some cringe worthy spells, the majority of the book took on a lighter feel. And I was completely okay with that. I've seen a lot of people commenting on how it could have been a lot darker, more sinister, more scary. And while I do agree, I didn't think this book suffered because it wasn't. I enjoyed reading this book! Was it the best thing I've ever read? No, but I thought it was really well-written and it had me glued to the page until the very end. I bought this book and finished it within two days. I'm a huge sucker for witch stories so I was eating this one up.

I liked the world Whipple created and her unique tastes on how witchcraft works. One of my favorite things about novels like this is seeing the author's interpretation of magic and spells and curses. I especially love when I see something done in a new and fresh way. When Jo is preparing a spell, she must not only include bizarre and rare items such as a mother-bear heart and golden eagle tears, but also must include something the witch has to sacrifice from herself. Sometimes it's losing the ability to see color for a week, giving up your voice for a few days, or even giving up a fingernail. I can't say that I've ever seen magic done this way and it was fun and worrisome to watch Jo and her grandma conjure these spells. The bigger the spell, the more the witch had to give up.

The mystery behind the Curse is kept a mystery for the majority of the book. It's not really the who started it but the why that matters and how to ultimately stop it from cursing the Hemlock clan. I really enjoyed getting to watch Jo and her friends dig deep into the archives of witch history to try and figure out what was happening with this Curse. Lots of questions are raised and solutions go unanswered until a pivotal moment towards the end of the book. This book is all about Jo and her finding herself and her abilities to be a good witch, despite thinking she doesn't have the power like her grandmother and others before her. It's up to her to solve the problem and to fix it, and I loved that it stayed true to this plotline. There is a bit of a romance thrown in but thankfully it didn't take center stage, it was just the right amount! If you go into HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW with no expectations, I really think you could enjoy this book like I did!

This review can be found at: The Bookish Daydreamer

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Natalie's Transparent last year, so when I saw her release was about witchcraft and curses I had to pick it up! I'm glad I did because I thought this was a fun read.

Pacing: I thought this was pretty well-paced. I was engaged and curious about the witchcraft, lore, and history that Whipple has created. I do feel the climax was a bit... anticlimactic and wish we had gotten a little bit more.

Storyline: I enjoyed the premise of this one. It was pretty linear and even though it didn't have a ton of twists and turns, there were a few thrown in I didn't see coming. I enjoyed the characters, even when they were acting a bit unrealistic, and while this wasn't an overly unique storyline, I did still like how Whipple incorporated witchcraft, the Curse, and the different bloodlines of witches. I did feel some of the characters' reactions to Jo's being a witch were a little understated. They were pretty accepting and it didn't even phase them as to some of the things they had to do to ensure their loyalty. There were a few points I felt overwhelmed by all of the information we were receiving particularly when it came to the histories.

Characters: I have to admit, while I liked the characters, I did feel they came across as a bit juvenile.

I enjoyed Jo overall. I thought she was sweet and I loved the lengths she would go to protect the ones she loved from the Curse. She is completely head over heels for Winn, who has recently broken up with his girlfriend. Their relationship starts off a bit humorous as they can never seem to quite get it together. Jo is constantly interrupted by her grandmother or having to run off to ensure her safety because of the Curse. They do finally get it together, but Winn knows more than he lets on about Jo's world- but to what extent, Jo does not know.

Winn was a pretty good love interest. I did think he was a bit possessive of Jo, for only having dated for a short amount of time, but I think he genuinely cares about her and wants to protect her from harm. That made him more endearing to me.

Jo's best friends Kat and Gwen were also important characters, due to the unfolding events in Jo's life. They are good friends to her and more than prove their worth to Jo and her family. Levi is one of those characters that I didn't know what to do with. You think about him one way, but then realize there's more there than what's at face value. He was definitely mysterious. While I feel like his character played an important role, I do think some of his feelings towards Jo felt a bit unnatural and forced to me.

There's not a whole lot to say about the characters, but I feel that is because of my lack of attachment to them. This is more of a plot-driven story, so I did feel the relationships between characters could have been more developed.

Final Thoughts: There's not a lot I can say without spoiling this book. At face value, it's a cute read. If you're looking for a darker spin on witchcraft you won't get that here. The plot, while predictable, didn't really offer very much depth, but again- I still enjoyed it for what it was. While I wasn't wowed by this one, I still felt it was an engaging read and I'm glad I picked it up.

*Received a copy of this book via Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*