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Charmed #23
Inherit the Witch
On this, a young girl's birthday hour,
we call upon her inner power.
An ancient calling has been switched—
now, bring back magic to this witch!
As the Charmed Ones know, it's difficult to adjust to the ideas of having powers and saving innocents—that's one of the reasons that their Grams bound their powers until the sisters were ready to receive them. In fact, many witch clans keep the powers of their young dormant until the recipient of the power reaches a certain age.
In Juliana O'Farrell's clan, that age is thirteen—the exact age of her daughter, Lily. By the day after her thirteenth birthday, though, Lily's powers haven't manifested, and Juliana's worried that a demon may have stripped her daughter's magic. Enter the Halliwell sisters. But Lily's too much of a typical teen to welcome witch chaperones. She'd much rather sneak out to hang with her rebellious friend, Drew. Could Drew's bad behavior be related to Lily's missing magic? It's going to take the Power of Three to get to the bottom of this adolescent angst!
we call upon her inner power.
An ancient calling has been switched—
now, bring back magic to this witch!
As the Charmed Ones know, it's difficult to adjust to the ideas of having powers and saving innocents—that's one of the reasons that their Grams bound their powers until the sisters were ready to receive them. In fact, many witch clans keep the powers of their young dormant until the recipient of the power reaches a certain age.
In Juliana O'Farrell's clan, that age is thirteen—the exact age of her daughter, Lily. By the day after her thirteenth birthday, though, Lily's powers haven't manifested, and Juliana's worried that a demon may have stripped her daughter's magic. Enter the Halliwell sisters. But Lily's too much of a typical teen to welcome witch chaperones. She'd much rather sneak out to hang with her rebellious friend, Drew. Could Drew's bad behavior be related to Lily's missing magic? It's going to take the Power of Three to get to the bottom of this adolescent angst!
208 pages
First published March 2, 2004
5 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Laura J. Burns
38 books262 followersLaura J. Burns has written more than thirty books for kids and teens, touching on topics from imaginary lake monsters to out-of-control Hollywood starlets. (Those two things have more in common than you'd think.)
With Melinda Metz, she has also written for the TV shows ROSWELL, 1-800-MISSING, and THE DEAD ZONE. Their next book is THE LOST MAP OF CHAOS, coming in 2018!
Laura lives in New York with her husband, her kids, and her exceptionally silly dogs.
With Melinda Metz, she has also written for the TV shows ROSWELL, 1-800-MISSING, and THE DEAD ZONE. Their next book is THE LOST MAP OF CHAOS, coming in 2018!
Laura lives in New York with her husband, her kids, and her exceptionally silly dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 1, 2024
One day, a woman comes knocking on the door of the charmed ones. The woman is a witch and her daughter Lily is one too. But Lily has just turned thirteen and she has not received her powers, so something must be very wrong. It’s up to the charmed ones to figure it out. And it quickly becomes clear there’s a demon targeting the family. Unfortunately, Lily isn’t exactly cooperating. She’s a teenager. And she’d much rather hang out with her best friend than deal with witchcraft.
Rereading this media tie-in book mostly for nostalgia reasons. Though I have to admit, it’s quite a solid story. It’s not the greatest book ever written but, the writing is good and the mystery plot is pretty solid. It’s got a fast pace, decent characters, and even a few solid but predictable twists. The demon of the week feels a bit weak. Though it’s clear this is done on purpose, to give the story more room for some character development and to keep the story going at a fast and steady pace. Overall, nothing must-read but nonetheless an enjoyable light nostalgia read.
Rereading this media tie-in book mostly for nostalgia reasons. Though I have to admit, it’s quite a solid story. It’s not the greatest book ever written but, the writing is good and the mystery plot is pretty solid. It’s got a fast pace, decent characters, and even a few solid but predictable twists. The demon of the week feels a bit weak. Though it’s clear this is done on purpose, to give the story more room for some character development and to keep the story going at a fast and steady pace. Overall, nothing must-read but nonetheless an enjoyable light nostalgia read.
June 4, 2017
Not my thing. And just at the last part they made the mistake of Phoebe looking up at Phoebe. Shame.
September 1, 2019
In think because this one involved a 13 year old girl and her missing powers it came across a little kiddy, but the story was still fun. It was sad that
October 6, 2013
Although the writing style is elementary at best and the books are considered to be spin-offs rather than canon additions to the story, this book was fast and entertaining. It's a story of friendship and family, and the struggle between coming of age and the choices one must make to fulfill (or not fulfill) their destiny.
Maybe it's because I've read too many books or have read so many Charmed books, but I will say it was quite easy to figure out most of the plot twists. The writing was pretty mediocre (I lost count how many variations I actually read of "Piper exploded him"), but it at least made for an easy read. If you do read this, I'd say read it for the fact that you (probably) like the Charmed series and the common themes that go along with it (family, self-acceptance, and the struggle between fate and personal choices).
Maybe it's because I've read too many books or have read so many Charmed books, but I will say it was quite easy to figure out most of the plot twists. The writing was pretty mediocre (I lost count how many variations I actually read of "Piper exploded him"), but it at least made for an easy read. If you do read this, I'd say read it for the fact that you (probably) like the Charmed series and the common themes that go along with it (family, self-acceptance, and the struggle between fate and personal choices).
July 22, 2025
Rounded up to four stars.
Kind of waffles between being a season four book because Paige is still a social worker but also has Phoebe working at the Bay Mirror but no mention of Cole. I know the books aren't canon, but it helps to try and visualize where we are at a story arc in the show.
A knock at the door early in the morning has Piper answering to find a dark-haired woman and a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl with strawberry-blonde hair on the doorstep of Halliwell Manor.
The woman flat out asks if Piper is a Charmed One who can help her daughter. Her name is Juliana O' Farrell and the girl is named Lily, but Piper is skeptic that they are both witches until Juliana sets a small twig in her hand on fire and blows it out.
In their family, witches receive their powers on their thirteenth birthdays and Lily had her birthday yesterday but...no powers. Juliana believes that a demon named Gortag that has been after her ancestors for over six hundred years may have stripped the powers from the young girl, but Lily is hoping to just be a late bloomer.
Piper is shocked to find out that Lily and Juliana are the last of their clan and that the only way to vanquish Gortag is if a mother and daughter can use their powers together. Paige tries to look in The Book of Shadows but can't get Lily to open up much until she mentions that yesterday her best friend, a girl named Drew, was at her house.
Drew has weird parents according to Lily, so she is always at their home instead, Juliana treating the girl like her own daughter. Paige is very suspicious of that bit of information and when asking if Drew knows Lily and her mother are witches, her vehement reaction seems both fitting for a teenager but someone not being honest.
Paige and Piper try a spell to locate Lily's powers, but it fails so they wait for Phoebe to come back from her morning jog to use The Power of Three. When that doesn't work, Phoebe takes silent offense at Juliana questioning the Charmed Ones powers and the harsh way she talks to her own daughter.
In a rut, Piper calls for Leo and all of them are surprised when Juliana treats their Whitelighter as well as Piper's husband with disdain. Leo goes to consult the Elders while Piper tells Phoebe and Paige to go with Juliana to where she and Lily have been living to try and find anything to help with Gortag while she keeps an eye on the teenage girl.
When Lily runs away and Piper calls Leo back to tell him, he has his own not so good news. The Elders won't help Juliana because she refused the help of the Whitelighter assigned to the O'Farrell family. A fire almost claimed the life of Juliana and Lily when the girl was a baby, but Juliana was able to save herself and her child without assistance believing the Elders responsible for her family being murdered.
Only if Juliana asks the Elders for help of her own free will but Piper knows better than anyone that may take some time. Leo says he will help find Lily and senses her downtown with another girl her age and orbs Piper to find Lily with her best friend, Drew. Both girls are obviously hiding something even though they tell Piper and Leo that Drew was planning to run away from home, but they end escorting Drew home with the witch and Whitelighter in tow.
Mrs. Elson is congenial at first but becomes angry with Drew and sends the girl to her room, saying she is a bad influence on Lily once Piper tells her the girls were not at school.
At Juliana's, Phoebe is able to find some crystals to try and cage Gortag after they summon him.
What appears is a five-foot demon who looks more like a kid dressed in a devil costume for Halloween, but Gortag's appearance is deceiving. Locking eyes with a person allows him to enter their thoughts and control them, as Phoebe finds out. Paige is able to release her sister once Juliana sets his tail on fire, causing him to fall into the crystal cage. He soon finds out that Juliana has a daughter and his psychic powers are strong enough to seek out to find the girl.
Piper blows up a similar looking devil demon at the manor after Leo orbs a screaming Lily out of harm's way. Piper thinks she bonded with Lily but when Leo is gone to help another charge and Piper lets her guard down to make some lunch, Lily tries to run away with The Book of Shadows.
Piper knows it can't leave the manor and that Lily must have been taking it to Drew.
You can already tell where the story is going with what happened to Lily's powers and how Drew is involved in all of this but there are a couple of interesting swerves. Inherit The Witch deals more with the themes of family in mother-daughter relationships and probes into how the mind of a teenager works. It isn't really important about the actual demons but those little inner turmoil demons of not being good enough and being judged and even being loved.
This could have been a great Charmed episode but here it makes a pretty good book.
Kind of waffles between being a season four book because Paige is still a social worker but also has Phoebe working at the Bay Mirror but no mention of Cole. I know the books aren't canon, but it helps to try and visualize where we are at a story arc in the show.
A knock at the door early in the morning has Piper answering to find a dark-haired woman and a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl with strawberry-blonde hair on the doorstep of Halliwell Manor.
The woman flat out asks if Piper is a Charmed One who can help her daughter. Her name is Juliana O' Farrell and the girl is named Lily, but Piper is skeptic that they are both witches until Juliana sets a small twig in her hand on fire and blows it out.
In their family, witches receive their powers on their thirteenth birthdays and Lily had her birthday yesterday but...no powers. Juliana believes that a demon named Gortag that has been after her ancestors for over six hundred years may have stripped the powers from the young girl, but Lily is hoping to just be a late bloomer.
Piper is shocked to find out that Lily and Juliana are the last of their clan and that the only way to vanquish Gortag is if a mother and daughter can use their powers together. Paige tries to look in The Book of Shadows but can't get Lily to open up much until she mentions that yesterday her best friend, a girl named Drew, was at her house.
Drew has weird parents according to Lily, so she is always at their home instead, Juliana treating the girl like her own daughter. Paige is very suspicious of that bit of information and when asking if Drew knows Lily and her mother are witches, her vehement reaction seems both fitting for a teenager but someone not being honest.
Paige and Piper try a spell to locate Lily's powers, but it fails so they wait for Phoebe to come back from her morning jog to use The Power of Three. When that doesn't work, Phoebe takes silent offense at Juliana questioning the Charmed Ones powers and the harsh way she talks to her own daughter.
In a rut, Piper calls for Leo and all of them are surprised when Juliana treats their Whitelighter as well as Piper's husband with disdain. Leo goes to consult the Elders while Piper tells Phoebe and Paige to go with Juliana to where she and Lily have been living to try and find anything to help with Gortag while she keeps an eye on the teenage girl.
When Lily runs away and Piper calls Leo back to tell him, he has his own not so good news. The Elders won't help Juliana because she refused the help of the Whitelighter assigned to the O'Farrell family. A fire almost claimed the life of Juliana and Lily when the girl was a baby, but Juliana was able to save herself and her child without assistance believing the Elders responsible for her family being murdered.
Only if Juliana asks the Elders for help of her own free will but Piper knows better than anyone that may take some time. Leo says he will help find Lily and senses her downtown with another girl her age and orbs Piper to find Lily with her best friend, Drew. Both girls are obviously hiding something even though they tell Piper and Leo that Drew was planning to run away from home, but they end escorting Drew home with the witch and Whitelighter in tow.
Mrs. Elson is congenial at first but becomes angry with Drew and sends the girl to her room, saying she is a bad influence on Lily once Piper tells her the girls were not at school.
At Juliana's, Phoebe is able to find some crystals to try and cage Gortag after they summon him.
What appears is a five-foot demon who looks more like a kid dressed in a devil costume for Halloween, but Gortag's appearance is deceiving. Locking eyes with a person allows him to enter their thoughts and control them, as Phoebe finds out. Paige is able to release her sister once Juliana sets his tail on fire, causing him to fall into the crystal cage. He soon finds out that Juliana has a daughter and his psychic powers are strong enough to seek out to find the girl.
Piper blows up a similar looking devil demon at the manor after Leo orbs a screaming Lily out of harm's way. Piper thinks she bonded with Lily but when Leo is gone to help another charge and Piper lets her guard down to make some lunch, Lily tries to run away with The Book of Shadows.
Piper knows it can't leave the manor and that Lily must have been taking it to Drew.
You can already tell where the story is going with what happened to Lily's powers and how Drew is involved in all of this but there are a couple of interesting swerves. Inherit The Witch deals more with the themes of family in mother-daughter relationships and probes into how the mind of a teenager works. It isn't really important about the actual demons but those little inner turmoil demons of not being good enough and being judged and even being loved.
This could have been a great Charmed episode but here it makes a pretty good book.
March 2, 2019
I was an avid fan of the TV series and these books are my little guilty pleasure! This one was clever and fast paced and I couldn’t wait to get back to it. They are not literary classics and have many authors so I just take them as what they were written to be-ENTERTAINMENT!
I don’t pay attention to mistakes, grammar or how often Piper blew someone up. I take them at face value, get lost in the Sisterhood and for just a little while I get to believe that MAGIC IS REAL!
I don’t pay attention to mistakes, grammar or how often Piper blew someone up. I take them at face value, get lost in the Sisterhood and for just a little while I get to believe that MAGIC IS REAL!
May 25, 2022
I really loved this one. Kept me hooked and a really good storyline, bringing in new characters that you take in just as much as the mains. Guessed the plot twist quite early on but just made me even happier when it was revealed! Great story.
April 16, 2020
Good story !
May 9, 2022
A fun and twisty read.
January 14, 2023
Loved it, easy read, couldn't put it down.
May 9, 2023
I love the Charmed series so this is ideal for any fans or anyone who likes witch based stories.
The characters are fun and the story flowed well.
The characters are fun and the story flowed well.
May 29, 2025
I’m as shocked as everyone. This was a lot of fun and interesting and GASP no love interests
March 30, 2012
I got this book off the bookshop as randomly as ever, I say randomly because I didn't plan to buy it in the first place. But I miss the old Charmed book that I had once before it was lost forever - don't ask me how I lose it, it just disappeared.
This book that I got - Inherit the Witch - is as awesome as the one I had before. The pace of the book is very thrilling - I can't seem to put it down at all and finished it the same day I started it.
I'll just add a blurb from the back of the book but in my own words.
Some birthdays are more magical than others....
In Juliana O'Farrell's clan, at the age of thirteen, her daughter is ready to receive her powers. By the day after her thirteenth birthday, though, Lily's powers aren't manifested. Of course, her mother is naturally worried about this abnormal phenomenon and decided to visit the Halliwells for help.
This book that I got - Inherit the Witch - is as awesome as the one I had before. The pace of the book is very thrilling - I can't seem to put it down at all and finished it the same day I started it.
I'll just add a blurb from the back of the book but in my own words.
Some birthdays are more magical than others....
In Juliana O'Farrell's clan, at the age of thirteen, her daughter is ready to receive her powers. By the day after her thirteenth birthday, though, Lily's powers aren't manifested. Of course, her mother is naturally worried about this abnormal phenomenon and decided to visit the Halliwells for help.
April 26, 2013
I remember reading this in middle school and wanting to do an English project on it because I enjoyed it so much. My teacher didn't let me because of the "suggestive" cover. Anyway, back to the actual review: I loved how it focused on teenagers discovering their magic powers and being vital in the plot rather than the adults for a change. Five stars!
January 14, 2013
I love the charmed books- they give you such a deeper insight to the characters and their relationships.
This book was great! I enjoyed all the twists and turns, and became so enthralled I coudln't put it down!
This book was great! I enjoyed all the twists and turns, and became so enthralled I coudln't put it down!
June 1, 2016
This was a complete guilty pleasure read. I loved Charmed when it was on, an avid watcher. This book read like a script for the show. I could picture exactly where they were in the house and the actions they were performing. Really fast, not difficult at all. But definitely fun!!
January 2, 2015
Like all the other Charmed novels, a great book, and just as good as the actual show.
Read
March 22, 2010F CHA
Fantasy
Fantasy
March 1, 2011
good plot
July 27, 2011
Good read Great message of friendship and sacrifice
August 10, 2018
I read it years ago and loved it like most Charmed novels
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews