What do you think?
Rate this book
In Shadows of Magic
Mandy McKinney lives the charmed life. She is beautiful, athletic, popular, dating the hottest jock in school, and certainly doesn't have any time for her loser twin sister. But Mandy also has a secret. When the truth is unveiled, her world is twisted upside down, and her very life is at stake. Mandy's twin sister, Brianna, has never had any success in the dating department. When Brianna finally meets the guy of her dreams, it turns out that he has secrets of his own. Dangerous secrets. Just her luck. The twins are about to be swept away into a world of beauty and power beyond their wildest imaginations where nothing is what is seems, danger is lurking in the shadows, and their only chance of survival is finding themselves, and each other, once again.
292 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 2013
1 person is currently reading
585 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 15, 2015
I would like to say thank you to the author, Alison F. Prince, for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story revolves around the lives of two witch twins named Mandy and Brianna. The two are very different from one another when it comes to lifestyle. I have to say, the whole journey was pretty wicked and it contains a lot of ideas and concept which stormed my brain in a good way.
What I liked: The whole concept of supernatural is great, because I am so into books and films like that. The spells are a little bit creepy, but it's simply moving. I was a bit impatient in the first few chapters because I am really waiting for something to spring into action, but then when the action I was talking about finally happened, I was left stunned and wanting for more. Reading this was like entering a whole different dimension. As the plot thickens, the twists and turns never fail to surprise me.
What grinds my gears: Number one of this list is Valerie. She's a total brat and Brianna was so oblivious of this. I was internally screaming of frustration because of her pure evilness. From the start of the book I was thinking that the magic powers should be balanced between the twins and she has absolutely no part from any of it. I was also craving for deeper emotions regarding the two love pairings; Mandy & Logan and Brianna & Jared. I expected more of the romance and was a bit disappointed of the outcome of the storyline.
Overall: I really appreciated that the twins were not vulnerable and was represented as girls who can stand on their own. It was a great and quick read.
The story revolves around the lives of two witch twins named Mandy and Brianna. The two are very different from one another when it comes to lifestyle. I have to say, the whole journey was pretty wicked and it contains a lot of ideas and concept which stormed my brain in a good way.
What I liked: The whole concept of supernatural is great, because I am so into books and films like that. The spells are a little bit creepy, but it's simply moving. I was a bit impatient in the first few chapters because I am really waiting for something to spring into action, but then when the action I was talking about finally happened, I was left stunned and wanting for more. Reading this was like entering a whole different dimension. As the plot thickens, the twists and turns never fail to surprise me.
What grinds my gears: Number one of this list is Valerie. She's a total brat and Brianna was so oblivious of this. I was internally screaming of frustration because of her pure evilness. From the start of the book I was thinking that the magic powers should be balanced between the twins and she has absolutely no part from any of it. I was also craving for deeper emotions regarding the two love pairings; Mandy & Logan and Brianna & Jared. I expected more of the romance and was a bit disappointed of the outcome of the storyline.
Overall: I really appreciated that the twins were not vulnerable and was represented as girls who can stand on their own. It was a great and quick read.
October 28, 2014
I want to say thank you to the author Allison prince for giving me a copy of this book to read for review. I gave this book 5 stars because I fell in love with the characters right off the bat. I could not set this book down. I never wanted this book to end. I was wishing that it was longer. Other than that this book was fantastic. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
December 4, 2014
Firstly, I would like to say I received this book from the lovely author in return for an honest review.
What I liked about the book was that I just could not stop reading it, I was kept wanting to find out what happens next. In fact, I read this book in one evening, which shows just how much I wanted to continue to read.
I also enjoyed the storyline and the messages the author puts into the book via the characters, for example Mandy feeling lonely because she is surrounded by shallow people. I liked the concept of the witches also and the way that the magic is described, although I felt the first description of it when Mandy changes her appearance at the beginning felt a little clumsy.
I did also feel at some points that it was a little too predictable, such with who Mandy gets together with. Despite that, there were still some elements that I didn't really see coming, so that sort of balances out the predictability.
I did like the style of writing, but I did notice that there was one chapter where two separate groups of characters were talking about a club and said the exact same line merely a couple of sentences apart.
On the whole, I did enjoy this book and would read the sequel that the author has set herself up for, but I don’t think it will make the list of my all-time favourite books. A good read.
What I liked about the book was that I just could not stop reading it, I was kept wanting to find out what happens next. In fact, I read this book in one evening, which shows just how much I wanted to continue to read.
I also enjoyed the storyline and the messages the author puts into the book via the characters, for example Mandy feeling lonely because she is surrounded by shallow people. I liked the concept of the witches also and the way that the magic is described, although I felt the first description of it when Mandy changes her appearance at the beginning felt a little clumsy.
I did also feel at some points that it was a little too predictable, such with who Mandy gets together with. Despite that, there were still some elements that I didn't really see coming, so that sort of balances out the predictability.
I did like the style of writing, but I did notice that there was one chapter where two separate groups of characters were talking about a club and said the exact same line merely a couple of sentences apart.
On the whole, I did enjoy this book and would read the sequel that the author has set herself up for, but I don’t think it will make the list of my all-time favourite books. A good read.
July 27, 2013
This is an amazing novel!!! It included plenty of romance:) It was very well written, and I would defiantly recommend this book to anyone! In Shadows of Magic is getting 5 stars from this satisfied customer!!! Amazing job Alison Prince!!
November 1, 2014
I wanted to like this I really did. My trouble with this was the writing style the dialogue just didn't sound like teenagers. As I read it I thought who would talk like this? I wish I could have liked tjis better
August 9, 2013
This was a story of self worth and self esteem and team work, family and love. I loved the message of it all.
We start with twins. They are living totally separate lives with separate friends and clicks. Brianna dyed her hair black. She is part of a band. She plays guitar. Her main friends are from the band. She feels shunned from her twin, Mandy. Mandy is the popular girl. She has her popular friends and jock boyfriend. Mandy doesn’t have time for anyone not as popular as her. She is always perfect; perfect looking, dressed, athletic and popular. The twins couldn’t be any more different. Except they are very much alike. They both hate each other, or so they think. They are jealous of each other’s life. They think the other has it better and feel little self worth. Like neither of them is really good enough.
Normally, I don't like insta love, but somehow with both girls, it seemed to work and it didn't bother me.
The thing is that they are witches. Mandy has a lot of power. Brianna has very little and has difficulty getting it to come out. So she gives up. Mandy abuses her powers. They aren’t supposed to expose themselves to the world.
Valerie is in Mandy’s click. Valerie is verbally abused by her mother and wants nothing more than to kill Mandy. Literally! She figures out that Mandy has some sort of power especially after she tries to push her off the mountain and Mandy flies back up. They agree to leave each other alone or Mandy will do something to Valerie. But Valerie has an evil heart and desires her power. She makes a plan and is able to get Brianna to steal Mandy’s power. Brianna believes what Valerie feeds her that Mandy is selfish and Brianna deserves some of it. Brianna goes back and forth on what she is about to do and then what she did by taking her sisters powers.
Mandy is happy without them. She likes being normal and learns to like people who like her for her. Brianna learns that it is not so easy having powers. Both sisters learn from their mistakes but at a high price.
I love that the girls figure out that magic doesn't necessarily make life any better. You don't know if people like you because of magic or for who you are. I wouldn't like that at all. I used to think having magic would be cool growing up. But after reading this book, the only thing I would want if for is to clean the house! I am going to have my teenager read this book.
Valerie gets some of Brianna’s powers and goes crazy with it. Then add in some boyfriends who really care for the twins and an evil ex with major powers who wants Brianna’s boyfriend and Brianna dead. Well, that equals major disaster. With some new friends, the twins have to learn to work together to fight evil. But what will it cost them? What is worth fighting for?
That’s what I love about this book; learning one’s self worth. The end is a cliffhanger. I look forward to watch the twins continue to learn and grow and fight!
This is a clean read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little boost of self esteem and self worth. Ahh, that would be all of us, wouldn't it?!?
We start with twins. They are living totally separate lives with separate friends and clicks. Brianna dyed her hair black. She is part of a band. She plays guitar. Her main friends are from the band. She feels shunned from her twin, Mandy. Mandy is the popular girl. She has her popular friends and jock boyfriend. Mandy doesn’t have time for anyone not as popular as her. She is always perfect; perfect looking, dressed, athletic and popular. The twins couldn’t be any more different. Except they are very much alike. They both hate each other, or so they think. They are jealous of each other’s life. They think the other has it better and feel little self worth. Like neither of them is really good enough.
Normally, I don't like insta love, but somehow with both girls, it seemed to work and it didn't bother me.
The thing is that they are witches. Mandy has a lot of power. Brianna has very little and has difficulty getting it to come out. So she gives up. Mandy abuses her powers. They aren’t supposed to expose themselves to the world.
Valerie is in Mandy’s click. Valerie is verbally abused by her mother and wants nothing more than to kill Mandy. Literally! She figures out that Mandy has some sort of power especially after she tries to push her off the mountain and Mandy flies back up. They agree to leave each other alone or Mandy will do something to Valerie. But Valerie has an evil heart and desires her power. She makes a plan and is able to get Brianna to steal Mandy’s power. Brianna believes what Valerie feeds her that Mandy is selfish and Brianna deserves some of it. Brianna goes back and forth on what she is about to do and then what she did by taking her sisters powers.
Mandy is happy without them. She likes being normal and learns to like people who like her for her. Brianna learns that it is not so easy having powers. Both sisters learn from their mistakes but at a high price.
I love that the girls figure out that magic doesn't necessarily make life any better. You don't know if people like you because of magic or for who you are. I wouldn't like that at all. I used to think having magic would be cool growing up. But after reading this book, the only thing I would want if for is to clean the house! I am going to have my teenager read this book.
Valerie gets some of Brianna’s powers and goes crazy with it. Then add in some boyfriends who really care for the twins and an evil ex with major powers who wants Brianna’s boyfriend and Brianna dead. Well, that equals major disaster. With some new friends, the twins have to learn to work together to fight evil. But what will it cost them? What is worth fighting for?
That’s what I love about this book; learning one’s self worth. The end is a cliffhanger. I look forward to watch the twins continue to learn and grow and fight!
This is a clean read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little boost of self esteem and self worth. Ahh, that would be all of us, wouldn't it?!?
November 29, 2014
The beginning caught my attention. I was interested immediately to know more about the main characters Brianna and Mandy. I wanted to know more about their life, their family and their problems. I found their feelings real and believable. I could understand Brianna's feelings and her wish for right, for being happy. And I could understand Mandy and her feelings, but I wanted her to get to know more how her own medicine tastes too. I've got easily and quickly interested in the story, in the characters, their lifes, feelings, thoughts, their view of the world. I was anxious about what could happen to them, what they can get hurt. There were more and more dangers and tension coming. I hurried through the pages eager to know more.
What I enjoyed the most that there was told about a lot of important things in this story. It describes how feels one, who has troubles in their life, who sees themselves not as good as others, as lacking of something. And at the same time, how actually fells one, who seems to have it all, whether they are as secure, confident and strong as they seem to be. It tells about insecurity, doubts about yourself, your life, your abilities, your status, your friends. About choices you make in life and what consequences does it have. Whether you make your choices because you want to or because you believe that is something you should want to. About what do you want and what others expect of you. About how far anger, resentment and hurt can take you, you can make choices you never thought you could, you can cross boundaries easily, no matter the cost, or what others would be harmed on a way. It tells what it feels like to have your life changing from popular one to ordinary one. And about the opposite, going from ordinary to popular, what price you have to pay. You see it's not what you thought it would be. It changes your view of things, makes you appreciate things you have and to see things you wished for weren't so good at all and things you feared were not that bad.
It was easy and interesting to read. For me it was story about feelings, wishes and fears, about actions you choose to make because of them and about finding your true self. I enjoyed it and I think there would be more interesting things to read in the next book.
I have received this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
What I enjoyed the most that there was told about a lot of important things in this story. It describes how feels one, who has troubles in their life, who sees themselves not as good as others, as lacking of something. And at the same time, how actually fells one, who seems to have it all, whether they are as secure, confident and strong as they seem to be. It tells about insecurity, doubts about yourself, your life, your abilities, your status, your friends. About choices you make in life and what consequences does it have. Whether you make your choices because you want to or because you believe that is something you should want to. About what do you want and what others expect of you. About how far anger, resentment and hurt can take you, you can make choices you never thought you could, you can cross boundaries easily, no matter the cost, or what others would be harmed on a way. It tells what it feels like to have your life changing from popular one to ordinary one. And about the opposite, going from ordinary to popular, what price you have to pay. You see it's not what you thought it would be. It changes your view of things, makes you appreciate things you have and to see things you wished for weren't so good at all and things you feared were not that bad.
It was easy and interesting to read. For me it was story about feelings, wishes and fears, about actions you choose to make because of them and about finding your true self. I enjoyed it and I think there would be more interesting things to read in the next book.
I have received this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
February 16, 2014
*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
In Shadows of Magic is a fast paced paranormal romance. I read it in just a few hours, refusing to put it down once I started. It conveys positive messages about growing up. Though others may appear to have it all, that isn't always the case. Even the most carefree on the outside can be suffering on the inside.
Mandy and Brianna McKinney are identical twins, though their outward appearances no longer reflect that. Mandy is perfect, athletic, and popular...Brianna is, well, not. Their mother is a powerful witch. Mandy inherited a great deal of power, while Brianna just has a spark of magic. Mandy uses her magic to appear beautiful, be great at everything, and to bewitch males everywhere. But she's beginning to wonder if anything she has is real. How can it be when everything she projects to the outside world is a lie?
Brianna is jealous of Mandy. Her sister is dating the boy she's been pining for since Kindergarten. Brianna feels that Mandy has everything handed to her on a silver platter. Though Brianna is happy in many aspects of her life, she still wants more. One night after Mandy steals another guy out from under her with nothing more than a toss of her hair, Brianna decides to take action.
The relationship between the sisters is complex and quite moving. I spent most of the novel hoping they'd be able to work out their differences and be a family again. The romance aspect is a two for one. We get to follow both Mandy and Brianna as they find the right guy and fall in love. Logan and Jared are both likeable characters and absolutely perfect for the two sisters.
I loved the ending. It left me with that 'I just finished a great book' glow. The last line made me laugh. Can anyone say sequel?
I recommend this book to everyone high school and up that enjoys well written, sweet paranormal romance. The plot is interesting and the characters are fun, a great combination. This is definitely one to add to your to-read list.
Disclaimer Update 2/15/14 - I received and reviewed this book prior to sending a submission and entering a contract as a writer with Astraea Press, the publisher of this novel. At the time of the review and post, I was in no way affiliated with Astraea Press.
In Shadows of Magic is a fast paced paranormal romance. I read it in just a few hours, refusing to put it down once I started. It conveys positive messages about growing up. Though others may appear to have it all, that isn't always the case. Even the most carefree on the outside can be suffering on the inside.
Mandy and Brianna McKinney are identical twins, though their outward appearances no longer reflect that. Mandy is perfect, athletic, and popular...Brianna is, well, not. Their mother is a powerful witch. Mandy inherited a great deal of power, while Brianna just has a spark of magic. Mandy uses her magic to appear beautiful, be great at everything, and to bewitch males everywhere. But she's beginning to wonder if anything she has is real. How can it be when everything she projects to the outside world is a lie?
Brianna is jealous of Mandy. Her sister is dating the boy she's been pining for since Kindergarten. Brianna feels that Mandy has everything handed to her on a silver platter. Though Brianna is happy in many aspects of her life, she still wants more. One night after Mandy steals another guy out from under her with nothing more than a toss of her hair, Brianna decides to take action.
The relationship between the sisters is complex and quite moving. I spent most of the novel hoping they'd be able to work out their differences and be a family again. The romance aspect is a two for one. We get to follow both Mandy and Brianna as they find the right guy and fall in love. Logan and Jared are both likeable characters and absolutely perfect for the two sisters.
I loved the ending. It left me with that 'I just finished a great book' glow. The last line made me laugh. Can anyone say sequel?
I recommend this book to everyone high school and up that enjoys well written, sweet paranormal romance. The plot is interesting and the characters are fun, a great combination. This is definitely one to add to your to-read list.
Disclaimer Update 2/15/14 - I received and reviewed this book prior to sending a submission and entering a contract as a writer with Astraea Press, the publisher of this novel. At the time of the review and post, I was in no way affiliated with Astraea Press.
November 22, 2013
My first thought when i seen the cover was ” She looks like Natalie Portman” when reading the book later on i couldn’t stop picturing her as Young Natalie Portman, and then i read the summery and thought the book sounded interesting and really want to read it, so i was happy to accept.
The story mainly surrounds the life of Two sisters who are twins. Mandy stronger then Brianna’s. Mandy uses her powers to look beautiful and fit in School. Bri on the other hand powers on very slim, She never uses her powers. She Hangs with the outcasts in there band.
In the beginning story you already start to dislike Mandy, and feel sorry for Bri. The more you read the story Mandy grows on you and you kinda start to understand her a little more. Mandy takes most of the spot light in the book. The whole plot pretty much surrounds Mandy. Her ” Who she thought ” Best friend is set on revenge and tricks Brianna to take Mandy’s powers away. Brianna has Mandy’s powers and starts to abuse them. Honestly the More the story got i really started to dislike Brianna. She believes pretty much anything someone tells her. She is very Gullible and then becomes the person she hates.
The more the story goes i would find myself annoyed with some characters and the story would drag on in some parts. The story in a way reminded me of Mean Girls. The unpopular set on ravage becomes the Popular and then loses control and everything become a huge Jungle of wild animals.
Now don’t get me wrong the book does have it’s good moments were you are sucked in and wanting more. More toward the end you get into a wider plot of other supernatural beings like: Vampires, Reborn’s and Etc. That had my attention. The story does get better. I really wish the ending wasn’t cut so short. I wanted more to the plot.
I was disappointing in the fact there wasn’t much of action as much as i would like. I really wanted less school drama and more of the supernatural life. I needed more fire in the story. I really tried to love the story but it just didn’t have a spark with me. Now the story wasn’t bad. The writing was really good. I really liked the ending. I do overall recommend the story. I can see a lot of people liking the story.
Overall: I didn’t dislike the story and did grab my attention but i didn’t love the story.
The story mainly surrounds the life of Two sisters who are twins. Mandy stronger then Brianna’s. Mandy uses her powers to look beautiful and fit in School. Bri on the other hand powers on very slim, She never uses her powers. She Hangs with the outcasts in there band.
In the beginning story you already start to dislike Mandy, and feel sorry for Bri. The more you read the story Mandy grows on you and you kinda start to understand her a little more. Mandy takes most of the spot light in the book. The whole plot pretty much surrounds Mandy. Her ” Who she thought ” Best friend is set on revenge and tricks Brianna to take Mandy’s powers away. Brianna has Mandy’s powers and starts to abuse them. Honestly the More the story got i really started to dislike Brianna. She believes pretty much anything someone tells her. She is very Gullible and then becomes the person she hates.
The more the story goes i would find myself annoyed with some characters and the story would drag on in some parts. The story in a way reminded me of Mean Girls. The unpopular set on ravage becomes the Popular and then loses control and everything become a huge Jungle of wild animals.
Now don’t get me wrong the book does have it’s good moments were you are sucked in and wanting more. More toward the end you get into a wider plot of other supernatural beings like: Vampires, Reborn’s and Etc. That had my attention. The story does get better. I really wish the ending wasn’t cut so short. I wanted more to the plot.
I was disappointing in the fact there wasn’t much of action as much as i would like. I really wanted less school drama and more of the supernatural life. I needed more fire in the story. I really tried to love the story but it just didn’t have a spark with me. Now the story wasn’t bad. The writing was really good. I really liked the ending. I do overall recommend the story. I can see a lot of people liking the story.
Overall: I didn’t dislike the story and did grab my attention but i didn’t love the story.
November 12, 2014
I received this book from the lovely author in exchange for a review. I'll try to make this review as honest and unbiased as possible.
Summary: First, I'll start with a brief summary. In Shadows of Magic is a novel about two young witch sisters. Mandy is the more powerful witch and uses her magic for popularity and flawless hair. Brianna doesn't seem to be as powerful, but she's fine with hanging out with her friends and being the "unpopular" twin. Although, they were both close, the twins haven't been seeing eye to eye and they each crave something the other has.
I can't really say I enjoyed this book. However, I think the reason is because the novel reads as a book for more juvenile young adults.The more I read, I found myself rolling my eyes because I felt the characters problems were so petty, but I think young teens might find these lessons useful. I couldn't believe some of the things and conversations the characters had.I think another thing that made the story seem childish was the flow of the writing. Some sentences were very short and simplistic. However, random words that I felt teens wouldn't be using were just through it so it made the flow very nonrhythmic.
I didn't like the ghost parents either. Occasionally Mr. and Mrs. McKinney appeared, but for the most part they were gone. It seemed weird because these young girls were out all hours of the night with supernatural creatures.I wish the girls' mom would have been more involved considering she's also a witch. I feel like she could have given them needed insight.
I didn't like Mandy, but I respected her. She stood up for herself and I also want that in characters. So I loved that part. I felt like the charters were blank slates that needed more filling in. There were really strong messages about friendship (which were great) and trusting people.
Overall, I didn't hate this, but as I said before I don't think this was meant for me. I'd rate this about a 2.3.
Summary: First, I'll start with a brief summary. In Shadows of Magic is a novel about two young witch sisters. Mandy is the more powerful witch and uses her magic for popularity and flawless hair. Brianna doesn't seem to be as powerful, but she's fine with hanging out with her friends and being the "unpopular" twin. Although, they were both close, the twins haven't been seeing eye to eye and they each crave something the other has.
I can't really say I enjoyed this book. However, I think the reason is because the novel reads as a book for more juvenile young adults.The more I read, I found myself rolling my eyes because I felt the characters problems were so petty, but I think young teens might find these lessons useful. I couldn't believe some of the things and conversations the characters had.I think another thing that made the story seem childish was the flow of the writing. Some sentences were very short and simplistic. However, random words that I felt teens wouldn't be using were just through it so it made the flow very nonrhythmic.
I didn't like the ghost parents either. Occasionally Mr. and Mrs. McKinney appeared, but for the most part they were gone. It seemed weird because these young girls were out all hours of the night with supernatural creatures.I wish the girls' mom would have been more involved considering she's also a witch. I feel like she could have given them needed insight.
I didn't like Mandy, but I respected her. She stood up for herself and I also want that in characters. So I loved that part. I felt like the charters were blank slates that needed more filling in. There were really strong messages about friendship (which were great) and trusting people.
Overall, I didn't hate this, but as I said before I don't think this was meant for me. I'd rate this about a 2.3.
December 1, 2014
*I was given a free copy of this book for my honest opinion*
2.5 out of 5 stars
This is what I thought of the book while and after reading it and even tho of me not liking it, you can go and give it a try, you might actually love it and we can discuss it.
I repeat: This is just my opinion and you might think differently of the book so GO GIVE IT A TRY!
That being stated I may begin.
As a general review I must say this book was ok, not actually what I was expecting it to be, the promise of fantasy and all that was too much for what the real book could give.
I would like to pretend this book is divided in 2 parts, the Mandy part and the Brianna part. The plot was poor with weird twists and too convenient changes that affected the characters don't really letting them develop.
The Mandy part was kind of a chic lit kind of book, school queen, lots of boys, popularity and perfection plus magic. I must say that the author left a lot of doubts and as I said everything was too convenient for us to really appreciate the plot and the world building wasn't good. We knew she had magic and she could heal and transform herself and stuff but we didn't really knew anything at all, just that her mother was also a witch.
Then on the Brianna part they try to build the world a little bit but is still confusing. They are a few kind of magic creatures and stuff but don't really know how stuff works.
And then this thing called the "Supertopia" were every magical creature can go and be happy and stuff if it has a good heart (Oh and our character turned out to have one of the purest hearts Arthur has seen! what a surprise!).
If this is the first book on a series of books the world building was way too poor and leave the reader confused to continue the series (at least in my case).
The love was cheap, I love this boy and suddenly I love this other one, I meet this guy and not even a week after I'm sleeping in his house. What even?!
I didn't enjoy this book at all, I don't mean to be rude or nothing and you should give it a try cuz it might be just me. but I felt like if I've wasted my time, I expected high magic as described on the review but all I got wasn't really pleasant.
2.5 out of 5 stars
This is what I thought of the book while and after reading it and even tho of me not liking it, you can go and give it a try, you might actually love it and we can discuss it.
I repeat: This is just my opinion and you might think differently of the book so GO GIVE IT A TRY!
That being stated I may begin.
As a general review I must say this book was ok, not actually what I was expecting it to be, the promise of fantasy and all that was too much for what the real book could give.
I would like to pretend this book is divided in 2 parts, the Mandy part and the Brianna part. The plot was poor with weird twists and too convenient changes that affected the characters don't really letting them develop.
The Mandy part was kind of a chic lit kind of book, school queen, lots of boys, popularity and perfection plus magic. I must say that the author left a lot of doubts and as I said everything was too convenient for us to really appreciate the plot and the world building wasn't good. We knew she had magic and she could heal and transform herself and stuff but we didn't really knew anything at all, just that her mother was also a witch.
Then on the Brianna part they try to build the world a little bit but is still confusing. They are a few kind of magic creatures and stuff but don't really know how stuff works.
And then this thing called the "Supertopia" were every magical creature can go and be happy and stuff if it has a good heart (Oh and our character turned out to have one of the purest hearts Arthur has seen! what a surprise!).
If this is the first book on a series of books the world building was way too poor and leave the reader confused to continue the series (at least in my case).
The love was cheap, I love this boy and suddenly I love this other one, I meet this guy and not even a week after I'm sleeping in his house. What even?!
I didn't enjoy this book at all, I don't mean to be rude or nothing and you should give it a try cuz it might be just me. but I felt like if I've wasted my time, I expected high magic as described on the review but all I got wasn't really pleasant.
August 14, 2013
This review is also on
Brianna and Mandy are twins with magic (their mom's a witch, duh!) but Mandy inherited a great deal of power while Brianna just got a spark. The twins are the complete opposite of each other; Mandy has it all: looks, popularity, athleticism, and boys, while Brianna is just your ordinary typical girl. Jealousy is bound to happen, and it does.
The girls may be polar opposites of each other, but in reality they're not that different. Brianna may be jealous of Mandy, but she is quite content with her life and yet she can't help but want a little of what Mandy has and Mandy, knowing she uses her magic to appear beautiful and obtain everything she has, starts to question if everything in her life is actually real or a product of her magic.
The relationship between the two sisters was strained and most of the time I was hoping to see them reconnect and forgive each other but at the same time I wanted to smack both girls on the head as well. But as the story progressed, I enjoyed how both sister realize that magic doesn't make life better (Yay!). From here on they try to learn to work together,with a little help of some friends, and it's a blast! I loved watching both girls find the right guy and fall in love, it was sweet and romantic! I felt like both girls deserved happiness and I was glad they found it.
This book conveys the message that just because something is perfect, doesn't mean it isn't broken. It is a novel of finding your strength, learning to love yourself and finding love and it's a book that I think everybody, especially those in highs cool and college, should read!
Brianna and Mandy are twins with magic (their mom's a witch, duh!) but Mandy inherited a great deal of power while Brianna just got a spark. The twins are the complete opposite of each other; Mandy has it all: looks, popularity, athleticism, and boys, while Brianna is just your ordinary typical girl. Jealousy is bound to happen, and it does.
The girls may be polar opposites of each other, but in reality they're not that different. Brianna may be jealous of Mandy, but she is quite content with her life and yet she can't help but want a little of what Mandy has and Mandy, knowing she uses her magic to appear beautiful and obtain everything she has, starts to question if everything in her life is actually real or a product of her magic.
The relationship between the two sisters was strained and most of the time I was hoping to see them reconnect and forgive each other but at the same time I wanted to smack both girls on the head as well. But as the story progressed, I enjoyed how both sister realize that magic doesn't make life better (Yay!). From here on they try to learn to work together,with a little help of some friends, and it's a blast! I loved watching both girls find the right guy and fall in love, it was sweet and romantic! I felt like both girls deserved happiness and I was glad they found it.
This book conveys the message that just because something is perfect, doesn't mean it isn't broken. It is a novel of finding your strength, learning to love yourself and finding love and it's a book that I think everybody, especially those in highs cool and college, should read!
February 15, 2014
It has been a long time since I have read a YA witch book and I’m glad I got the chance to read this one. But there is more to this story than just witchcraft. It’s about family, love, friendship, and self esteem.
We start off meeting Mandy and Brianna who are twins but each live their separately. Where Mandy is beautiful, popular, dating the football player, and exceeds at everything, Brianna plays guitar in a band with her friends. They couldn’t be any different except they both feel jealous of one another and feel each one has it better than the other. Both girls have power but Mandy has more and abuses hers while Brianna only has a spark but everything changes when Brianna’s jealousy gets worse and she steals her sister’s power to make her life better. But both girls find out that life is not always greener on the other side.
The relationship between the girls was strained through most of the book but I was glad when they finally came together and figured out magic doesn’t always make things better. I loved how they came together and helped one another out with the help of some friends. The romance was sweet and I enjoyed watching the girls find the right guys and get the happiness they deserved.
But what I loved most was that it showed the girls learning to find their own strength and learning to love themselves. 4/5 Bloody Fangs
We start off meeting Mandy and Brianna who are twins but each live their separately. Where Mandy is beautiful, popular, dating the football player, and exceeds at everything, Brianna plays guitar in a band with her friends. They couldn’t be any different except they both feel jealous of one another and feel each one has it better than the other. Both girls have power but Mandy has more and abuses hers while Brianna only has a spark but everything changes when Brianna’s jealousy gets worse and she steals her sister’s power to make her life better. But both girls find out that life is not always greener on the other side.
The relationship between the girls was strained through most of the book but I was glad when they finally came together and figured out magic doesn’t always make things better. I loved how they came together and helped one another out with the help of some friends. The romance was sweet and I enjoyed watching the girls find the right guys and get the happiness they deserved.
But what I loved most was that it showed the girls learning to find their own strength and learning to love themselves. 4/5 Bloody Fangs
February 25, 2014
Wicked, wicked magic!
After reading this book I'm kind of having a hard time to find a place to start. It left me with one of those book hangovers that makes you question your take on the book...."Did I hate that character so much that I loved them? Or was I just secretly hoping their demise would come quicker than usual??"
That's what I found myself saying a lot in this book!
At one point after a major turn happened in this book, I found that I was a little at odds with my emotions. My head was screaming, DON'T YOU DARE FEEL SORRY FOR HER, while my heart was all rainbows and unicorns for that bond you could see buried between these two characters. Sometimes you just can't deny how you're going to feel about a character in a book.....
After about 30-40% through is when everything went into full-blast mode! The characters, plot and chemistry sky-rocketed. It was like to book was on steroids, and in a non-roid-rage way! Though you know that it usually does happen when a hot, mysterious dude with a luggage rack full of secrets enters the scene. This is probably one of the points in the book where I wanted to high-five Brianna, though the reasoning behind her confidence isn't all that right, the fact that she acts on it makes me smile a little bit.
Overall this was a solid read & I would love to see all these characters again....soon!
4/5
After reading this book I'm kind of having a hard time to find a place to start. It left me with one of those book hangovers that makes you question your take on the book...."Did I hate that character so much that I loved them? Or was I just secretly hoping their demise would come quicker than usual??"
That's what I found myself saying a lot in this book!
At one point after a major turn happened in this book, I found that I was a little at odds with my emotions. My head was screaming, DON'T YOU DARE FEEL SORRY FOR HER, while my heart was all rainbows and unicorns for that bond you could see buried between these two characters. Sometimes you just can't deny how you're going to feel about a character in a book.....
After about 30-40% through is when everything went into full-blast mode! The characters, plot and chemistry sky-rocketed. It was like to book was on steroids, and in a non-roid-rage way! Though you know that it usually does happen when a hot, mysterious dude with a luggage rack full of secrets enters the scene. This is probably one of the points in the book where I wanted to high-five Brianna, though the reasoning behind her confidence isn't all that right, the fact that she acts on it makes me smile a little bit.
Overall this was a solid read & I would love to see all these characters again....soon!
4/5
September 9, 2013
Alison F. Prince
In Shadows of Magic
I haven't read any teenage witchy magic lately so was looking forward to reading this, and thankfully I wasn't disappointed. There was so much more to this book than just teenage witchcraft, including family, love, jealousy, self-esteem and friendship. I'm sure when I re-read it again I'll pick up more that I didn't notice, on different levels. Despite being twins, Mandy and Brianna really couldn't be any more different. Both have some magic in them but neither has any idea of the darker side of the magical / supernatural world, and the dangers in store for them as their secret is uncovered. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, from start to finish, and loved the unexpected nature of it. The author did a great job with the character development and descriptive nature, making it easy to picture the whole story as it unfolds and left parts open for it to continue.
I received an e-copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In Shadows of Magic
I haven't read any teenage witchy magic lately so was looking forward to reading this, and thankfully I wasn't disappointed. There was so much more to this book than just teenage witchcraft, including family, love, jealousy, self-esteem and friendship. I'm sure when I re-read it again I'll pick up more that I didn't notice, on different levels. Despite being twins, Mandy and Brianna really couldn't be any more different. Both have some magic in them but neither has any idea of the darker side of the magical / supernatural world, and the dangers in store for them as their secret is uncovered. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, from start to finish, and loved the unexpected nature of it. The author did a great job with the character development and descriptive nature, making it easy to picture the whole story as it unfolds and left parts open for it to continue.
I received an e-copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2014
Okay ,Of course the plot is full of actions and dialogs , this is the main plus . ‘Cause I can’t stand long boring descriptions. And as for Bri and Jared , they became close to quickly. But tne book is still rather good . Little teenager in my body was very satisfied with this book .So it's your choice to read it or not , but I recommend you to try this book and you will be content like me . I’ll give 5 stars , but in my opinion the end was too perfect . Both girls heard “I love you ”, no one died everything is so cool , that book becomes a fairytale. But such advantages as supernatural , thought-out characters , interesting story and breathtaking love line make this book unforgettable .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2021
Okay, so I would definitely recommend this book if you are into magic *the magic spells were a little bit creepy, but I like creepy stuff*
It is a very quick read and fun but this book could have gotten a five stars.
I expected more romance
I hated Valerie and Brianna was so oblivious to this
so u guys can go ahead and read it.....
It is a very quick read and fun but this book could have gotten a five stars.
I expected more romance
I hated Valerie and Brianna was so oblivious to this
so u guys can go ahead and read it.....
October 31, 2014
A good book on magic stuff. If you are really into such stuff, this is kind of a must read. The book seems to go at a fast pace and so you are hooked onto every word that comes your way. Thanks to the author for letting me read it and post my honest review. :)
July 11, 2013
If you are a Twilight fan, this is another good YA magical book to read.
July 23, 2013
Great book! Quick read!
August 14, 2014
I truly enjoyed this, for a YA book it's well written, good character representations and a great plot. It's on Amazon for a few dollars.
Enjoy, I did!
Enjoy, I did!
January 7, 2015
REVIEW TO TO
April 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! What a fun, fast-paced story. I loved how magical is was...it had a little bit of everything! So...when does the next book come out? I need it!!!
October 30, 2014
Review coming later today.
October 26, 2014
**I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I'm a YA fanatic - so when I was offered the chance to read a new YA book by a first time author in exchange for a review, I jumped at the opportunity.
This was a good first go at writing a book - there was a lot of content in the book that held my attention and pulled me in to the story. There was a lot of potential for a great story - unfortunately, it fell a little short. It was hard to become invested in any of the characters - they were all so self-centered, with little real personality to make them appealing. Mandy started off as a witch (in both senses of the word), and quickly morphed into a sensitive, confused character who falls in love with her childhood friend, a nerdy kid that all of a sudden (after she starts paying attention to him) turns into this hot, buff character (all because he started wearing tighter fitting shirts and contacts). Bri was the nerdy, not very accomplished twin sister to Mandy, who ended up with all of her sister's power and no control over it. She spent a lot of time bemoaning the fact that her old nerdy friends didn't want to be friends with her anymore, and wishing she had more control over her new irresistible persona; but it didn't seem to bother her when she was going to parties and playing with all of these guys who were unable to resist her.
The worst part of this book is the fact that friendship seems to be a flighty, fragile thing - friendships that had lasted for years and years fell apart at the slightest breath. No one seems to understand the simple concept of loyalty. The reasoning behind Valerie's sudden psychopathic spree is based on jealousy of her best friend, Mandy - and just doesn't make much sense. Usually, when a teenage girl is feeling jealous of one of her friends, she does petty little things to undercut said friend - she doesn't try to push her off the side of a cliff, or plot her murder in several different ways. As for Bri's friend, Eva - one small issue that she realized was out of Bri's control was enough for her to turn her back on her best friend and walk away. I hope friendship in high school isn't really this superficial these days - it certainly wasn't when I was in High School.
I did enjoy the supernatural aspects of this book - and I like that the author took her own twists on existing supernaturals, while creating a supernatural category of her own (I'm assuming she created Reborns, as I've never come across them in the hundreds of similar category books I've read). I also enjoyed her creation of Supertopia, a safe space for all supernaturals that's outside of this world.
I did enjoy a lot of the book and I hope that the author takes the time to refine the characters and the writing (which was somewhat choppy) for the second book.
I'm a YA fanatic - so when I was offered the chance to read a new YA book by a first time author in exchange for a review, I jumped at the opportunity.
This was a good first go at writing a book - there was a lot of content in the book that held my attention and pulled me in to the story. There was a lot of potential for a great story - unfortunately, it fell a little short. It was hard to become invested in any of the characters - they were all so self-centered, with little real personality to make them appealing. Mandy started off as a witch (in both senses of the word), and quickly morphed into a sensitive, confused character who falls in love with her childhood friend, a nerdy kid that all of a sudden (after she starts paying attention to him) turns into this hot, buff character (all because he started wearing tighter fitting shirts and contacts). Bri was the nerdy, not very accomplished twin sister to Mandy, who ended up with all of her sister's power and no control over it. She spent a lot of time bemoaning the fact that her old nerdy friends didn't want to be friends with her anymore, and wishing she had more control over her new irresistible persona; but it didn't seem to bother her when she was going to parties and playing with all of these guys who were unable to resist her.
The worst part of this book is the fact that friendship seems to be a flighty, fragile thing - friendships that had lasted for years and years fell apart at the slightest breath. No one seems to understand the simple concept of loyalty. The reasoning behind Valerie's sudden psychopathic spree is based on jealousy of her best friend, Mandy - and just doesn't make much sense. Usually, when a teenage girl is feeling jealous of one of her friends, she does petty little things to undercut said friend - she doesn't try to push her off the side of a cliff, or plot her murder in several different ways. As for Bri's friend, Eva - one small issue that she realized was out of Bri's control was enough for her to turn her back on her best friend and walk away. I hope friendship in high school isn't really this superficial these days - it certainly wasn't when I was in High School.
I did enjoy the supernatural aspects of this book - and I like that the author took her own twists on existing supernaturals, while creating a supernatural category of her own (I'm assuming she created Reborns, as I've never come across them in the hundreds of similar category books I've read). I also enjoyed her creation of Supertopia, a safe space for all supernaturals that's outside of this world.
I did enjoy a lot of the book and I hope that the author takes the time to refine the characters and the writing (which was somewhat choppy) for the second book.
January 6, 2021
**I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I wish I would have liked it more, the characters weren't very well developed and sometimes did things that didn't make any sense.
I also felt there was a lot going on, which just made everything a bit confusing and tiresome, we had a magical place, a super rich dude who paid everything, vampires, wampires, reborns, witches, shapeshifters, etc.
I have to say I really liked the way the author wrote some scenes, she was really detailed and gave a really good perspective.
Overall I think it could have been better, you can tell the author knows how to write a good book, I just think she wanted to include so many things in the story that it became too much
I wish I would have liked it more, the characters weren't very well developed and sometimes did things that didn't make any sense.
I also felt there was a lot going on, which just made everything a bit confusing and tiresome, we had a magical place, a super rich dude who paid everything, vampires, wampires, reborns, witches, shapeshifters, etc.
I have to say I really liked the way the author wrote some scenes, she was really detailed and gave a really good perspective.
Overall I think it could have been better, you can tell the author knows how to write a good book, I just think she wanted to include so many things in the story that it became too much
August 17, 2013
3.5/4 stars. Nice book, I liked it. But it wasn't a 'WOW-book' for me. The story didn't grab me like as much as I hoped it would after reading what it was about.
Maybe it was the way it has been written. I don't know, because I do like the story and the "hidden" messages in it.... Be who you want to be and who you really are, that's better than trying to be who you think you have to be.... You are good enough the way you are....be around the people who love you for you and accept them for who they are....
Maybe it was the way it has been written. I don't know, because I do like the story and the "hidden" messages in it.... Be who you want to be and who you really are, that's better than trying to be who you think you have to be.... You are good enough the way you are....be around the people who love you for you and accept them for who they are....
August 1, 2013
Review up on 8/18 due to a blog tour.
Read
August 14, 2013Review to come with book tour later this month!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews