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Wicca #1
Book of Shadows
Something is happening to me that I don't understand. I see things, feel things in a new way. I can do things normal people can't do. Powerful things. Magickal things. It scares me. I never chose to learn witchcraft. But now witchcraft is choosing me.
Sixteen-year-old Morgan is not who she thought she was. But in that case, who is she?
Sixteen-year-old Morgan is not who she thought she was. But in that case, who is she?
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2001
About the author
Cate Tiernan
86 books3,751 followers"was born in New Orleans, LA, in 1961. New Orleans is one of the most interesting American cities, and it has an incredibly rich and exotic culture that had a profound influence on me. Kids in other cities have lemonade stands; we sold voodoo gris-gris and made wax dolls in the likenesses of our enemies. It's a very beautiful city, and the constant heat and humidity make gardens grow out of control. There's an air of lassitude there, a general acceptance of eccentic or flamboyant behavior--the heat simply makes people do crazy things.
I went to school in New York, and after school went back to New Orleans. Then I went back to New York (Manhattan) and got a job in publishing and started writing. My first book, a young, middle-grade chapter book, was published in 1990.
Living in Manhattan was incredible, even though I didn't have a lot of money. There was so much to do and see, and so many interesting people to watch. There was a lot of frenetic energy there, and sometimes that felt very wearing and hard to live with. After eight years I was ready for a change, and my husband and I moved back to New Orleans. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)
(While I was in NY, I helped edit "The Secret Circle" by L.J. Smith. I thought it was great.)
We stayed in New Orleans five years. By the time we had two small children we knew we had to find someplace safer to live. I was glad my children were born in New Orleans--I had been born there, and my father had, and his father had, and his father had and so on. There was something about the connection of generations of blood coming from one place that I found very primal and important.
Now I live in a cohousing community in Durham, NC. This is the most suburban place I've ever lived, and it's very different from living right in the middle of a city. For one thing, there aren't enough coffee shops. However, it's incredibly safe, and the community is very important to me. There are a lot of strong women here, and I find them inspiring.
Am I a witch? Well, no. Even Wicca is too organized a religion for me. I'm much more idiosyncratic and just need to do my own thing, which is kind of new-agey and pantheistic. It's not that I don't work or play well with others, but I need to decide for myself when I do a certain thing, and how I do it. However, I can really relate to Wicca, and I so appreciate its woman-centeredness and its essentially female identity. I love those aspects, among others.
I have several favorite writers. Barbara Hambly has been the biggest influence on how I describe magic. She's an incredibly imaginative and empathetic writer with a gift for creating a rich, sensual world. I love Barbara Pym, an English writer whose books came out mostly in the fifties. She was a master at describing the thousand tiny moments that make up a woman's day; how the seemingly small and inconsequential thing can suddenly take on a huge emotional importance. I greatly admire P.D. James. She's one of the very few writers who makes me actually look up words in the dictionary. She has a beautiful, precise, educated command of the language that leaves me in awe. I love Philip Larkin's poetry. I read a lot of nonfiction and also have some favorite romance writers. Before anyone groans, let me say that these women write really well about women trying to achieve emotional fulfillment, and that's kind of what we're all doing, right? I also just like reading about sex. Anyway, Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and early Linda Howard are my faves.
And then of course there's my dark side, but more on that later.
" -Source
Cate Tiernan is a pseudonym for Gabrielle Charbonnet
I went to school in New York, and after school went back to New Orleans. Then I went back to New York (Manhattan) and got a job in publishing and started writing. My first book, a young, middle-grade chapter book, was published in 1990.
Living in Manhattan was incredible, even though I didn't have a lot of money. There was so much to do and see, and so many interesting people to watch. There was a lot of frenetic energy there, and sometimes that felt very wearing and hard to live with. After eight years I was ready for a change, and my husband and I moved back to New Orleans. (Are you seeing a pattern here?)
(While I was in NY, I helped edit "The Secret Circle" by L.J. Smith. I thought it was great.)
We stayed in New Orleans five years. By the time we had two small children we knew we had to find someplace safer to live. I was glad my children were born in New Orleans--I had been born there, and my father had, and his father had, and his father had and so on. There was something about the connection of generations of blood coming from one place that I found very primal and important.
Now I live in a cohousing community in Durham, NC. This is the most suburban place I've ever lived, and it's very different from living right in the middle of a city. For one thing, there aren't enough coffee shops. However, it's incredibly safe, and the community is very important to me. There are a lot of strong women here, and I find them inspiring.
Am I a witch? Well, no. Even Wicca is too organized a religion for me. I'm much more idiosyncratic and just need to do my own thing, which is kind of new-agey and pantheistic. It's not that I don't work or play well with others, but I need to decide for myself when I do a certain thing, and how I do it. However, I can really relate to Wicca, and I so appreciate its woman-centeredness and its essentially female identity. I love those aspects, among others.
I have several favorite writers. Barbara Hambly has been the biggest influence on how I describe magic. She's an incredibly imaginative and empathetic writer with a gift for creating a rich, sensual world. I love Barbara Pym, an English writer whose books came out mostly in the fifties. She was a master at describing the thousand tiny moments that make up a woman's day; how the seemingly small and inconsequential thing can suddenly take on a huge emotional importance. I greatly admire P.D. James. She's one of the very few writers who makes me actually look up words in the dictionary. She has a beautiful, precise, educated command of the language that leaves me in awe. I love Philip Larkin's poetry. I read a lot of nonfiction and also have some favorite romance writers. Before anyone groans, let me say that these women write really well about women trying to achieve emotional fulfillment, and that's kind of what we're all doing, right? I also just like reading about sex. Anyway, Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and early Linda Howard are my faves.
And then of course there's my dark side, but more on that later.
" -Source
Cate Tiernan is a pseudonym for Gabrielle Charbonnet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,637 reviews
January 29, 2011
This review is really about the whole Sweep series, but I'm putting it with Book One because that's where people will go to find out whether all of them are worth reading. I started out really enjoying the series, then HATED WITH A PASSION what seemed to be going on, and then am left now feeling really sad and cheated. I've never started out liking a series and then turned around and felt so angry and disappointed and sad after it ended.
Firstly, I have to say that I really enjoyed books 1 - 6. Some are stronger than others, but overall they are well-written and packed with action, plus the whole wicca thing is well-researched and really interesting to read about. Morgan is also an interesting character who goes through a lot of personal growth and development, and her attraction to the new boy in town and her feelings about her friend Bree and her parents and her sister (et al) are completely relatable. I also liked books 8, 9, and 12, and would give these nine books 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
Spoiler-free things I never cared for, right from the very beginning:
* the books are too short. They're literally half the size of a typical YA novel (way to drag out a series) and nearly every one ended on an abrupt cliffhanger. I kept clicking forward on my Kindle, thinking there was something glitchy going on with my e-reader, but it turns out the writing just...stopped. Annoying and unnecessary, since there is a way to both give closure to a volume and whet an appetite for the next novel without making your readers feel as if you've yanked the covers off them.
* the stories that did not relate directly to Morgan's narrative diluted the books. Some detail is enjoyable, but when so few characters really have anything to do at all (back to this later) and there is so much time spent re-hashing everyone's mundane dating details in every single book when it doesn't affect anything else, it gets really boring really fast. As such, I never really cared for the bit at the beginning of each chapter that was an "excerpt" from a journal entry or book on magick. The only time I felt it really added to the book were when you got a glimpse of what Hunter was feeling in towards the earlier part of the series. And yes, this means Alisa too--one of the least interesting secondary characters who shows up late and then suddenly got POV narrative and her own book. The more the series went on, the more time was spent with other characters, and the series was less strong as a result.
I did think narrating a book from Hunter's point of view was interesting, until his story went way far away from Morgan's. This might've been okay if the book had been longer and their relationship more fleshed out after he returns AND....
**SPOILER ALERT for the rest of this review*
* ....if he didn't freaking cheat on her while he's gone. (for just two weeks! in Canada!) This was such a slap in the face after everything that happened with Cal and drawing out their will they-won't they relationship for more than 10 books. I don't understand why this was put in at all, because there is nearly no time devoted to resolving how Morgan would really feel about this happening afterwards. There are literally maybe 5 short paragraphs contained over two books to deal with this, which is completely unrealistic for any girl, no matter what else was going on. And for someone like Morgan, who was already betrayed by his brother? Completely impossible that she would have gotten over it so quickly.
* By the time I finished Book 13, I was so ready for Morgan and Hunter to get things resolved already. Since I was already pretty much skimming through anything that wasn't Morgan or Hunter's narrative, I skipped Book 14 entirely and then I read about the HUGE thing that happens in the beginning of Book 15. After reading the sample chapter (read it, read it, it's linked on Amazon), I couldn't believe an author would invest so much of her readers' time and emotion only to kill off a main character like that for no apparent reason. I felt so angry and so cheated, and I swore I would never read anything by this author again. It was only after I read the spoiler-y reviews on Good Reads that I decided to read the rest of the book--and even after things were resolved, I still have very mixed emotions about the whole thing.
You barely spend any time with Morgan and Hunter in the beginning before things end (literally, maybe 15 pages in) and the whole thing just goes off-kilter from there. Morgan doesn't learn anything from Hunter's death and we have no time at all to mourn him ourselves until all the sudden she's married, had a child, and had her husband die on her. Everyone whose lives you heard so much about in the series is also pretty much dumped here, with just a couple mentions of what happened to Bree and Mary K. This is because they don't matter in the big scheme of things, and apparently they never did.
Like many of the other readers here, I was fine with Moira but I really could have done without her and mostly just skimmed the book impatiently until Hunter shows up again. And while I'm happy they got a happy ending, I still feel drained and sad and upset over the whole thing. Poor Hunter is hugely diminished in this book, and you never really get a sense of how awful his island imprisonment was. You also don't get much emotional satisfaction once he comes back--so little time is spent on his homecoming and recovery, and as another reader pointed out, is he really going to stay in the guest bedroom once he (soul mate and father) comes home? There is no anguish, no comforting, no healing, no real emotional truth or connection. It all just felt completely unrealistic and sad.
I've never been so disappointed in a series that I liked. Because of the way everything was dragged on and on (these would have been better condensed into maybe 5 - 6 books, with a lot of things edited out) and because of the huge emotional battering that did NOT make me feel fulfilled and happy at the end, I would not recommend this series to anyone. I started out giving this series a 3 out of 5 stars, but as I wrote this review I realized a more accurate rating would be a 2. Because no matter how much I enjoyed some of the books, the others were not worth the time and money and emotional investment.
Firstly, I have to say that I really enjoyed books 1 - 6. Some are stronger than others, but overall they are well-written and packed with action, plus the whole wicca thing is well-researched and really interesting to read about. Morgan is also an interesting character who goes through a lot of personal growth and development, and her attraction to the new boy in town and her feelings about her friend Bree and her parents and her sister (et al) are completely relatable. I also liked books 8, 9, and 12, and would give these nine books 3.5-4 out of 5 stars.
Spoiler-free things I never cared for, right from the very beginning:
* the books are too short. They're literally half the size of a typical YA novel (way to drag out a series) and nearly every one ended on an abrupt cliffhanger. I kept clicking forward on my Kindle, thinking there was something glitchy going on with my e-reader, but it turns out the writing just...stopped. Annoying and unnecessary, since there is a way to both give closure to a volume and whet an appetite for the next novel without making your readers feel as if you've yanked the covers off them.
* the stories that did not relate directly to Morgan's narrative diluted the books. Some detail is enjoyable, but when so few characters really have anything to do at all (back to this later) and there is so much time spent re-hashing everyone's mundane dating details in every single book when it doesn't affect anything else, it gets really boring really fast. As such, I never really cared for the bit at the beginning of each chapter that was an "excerpt" from a journal entry or book on magick. The only time I felt it really added to the book were when you got a glimpse of what Hunter was feeling in towards the earlier part of the series. And yes, this means Alisa too--one of the least interesting secondary characters who shows up late and then suddenly got POV narrative and her own book. The more the series went on, the more time was spent with other characters, and the series was less strong as a result.
I did think narrating a book from Hunter's point of view was interesting, until his story went way far away from Morgan's. This might've been okay if the book had been longer and their relationship more fleshed out after he returns AND....
**SPOILER ALERT for the rest of this review*
* ....if he didn't freaking cheat on her while he's gone. (for just two weeks! in Canada!) This was such a slap in the face after everything that happened with Cal and drawing out their will they-won't they relationship for more than 10 books. I don't understand why this was put in at all, because there is nearly no time devoted to resolving how Morgan would really feel about this happening afterwards. There are literally maybe 5 short paragraphs contained over two books to deal with this, which is completely unrealistic for any girl, no matter what else was going on. And for someone like Morgan, who was already betrayed by his brother? Completely impossible that she would have gotten over it so quickly.
* By the time I finished Book 13, I was so ready for Morgan and Hunter to get things resolved already. Since I was already pretty much skimming through anything that wasn't Morgan or Hunter's narrative, I skipped Book 14 entirely and then I read about the HUGE thing that happens in the beginning of Book 15. After reading the sample chapter (read it, read it, it's linked on Amazon), I couldn't believe an author would invest so much of her readers' time and emotion only to kill off a main character like that for no apparent reason. I felt so angry and so cheated, and I swore I would never read anything by this author again. It was only after I read the spoiler-y reviews on Good Reads that I decided to read the rest of the book--and even after things were resolved, I still have very mixed emotions about the whole thing.
You barely spend any time with Morgan and Hunter in the beginning before things end (literally, maybe 15 pages in) and the whole thing just goes off-kilter from there. Morgan doesn't learn anything from Hunter's death and we have no time at all to mourn him ourselves until all the sudden she's married, had a child, and had her husband die on her. Everyone whose lives you heard so much about in the series is also pretty much dumped here, with just a couple mentions of what happened to Bree and Mary K. This is because they don't matter in the big scheme of things, and apparently they never did.
Like many of the other readers here, I was fine with Moira but I really could have done without her and mostly just skimmed the book impatiently until Hunter shows up again. And while I'm happy they got a happy ending, I still feel drained and sad and upset over the whole thing. Poor Hunter is hugely diminished in this book, and you never really get a sense of how awful his island imprisonment was. You also don't get much emotional satisfaction once he comes back--so little time is spent on his homecoming and recovery, and as another reader pointed out, is he really going to stay in the guest bedroom once he (soul mate and father) comes home? There is no anguish, no comforting, no healing, no real emotional truth or connection. It all just felt completely unrealistic and sad.
I've never been so disappointed in a series that I liked. Because of the way everything was dragged on and on (these would have been better condensed into maybe 5 - 6 books, with a lot of things edited out) and because of the huge emotional battering that did NOT make me feel fulfilled and happy at the end, I would not recommend this series to anyone. I started out giving this series a 3 out of 5 stars, but as I wrote this review I realized a more accurate rating would be a 2. Because no matter how much I enjoyed some of the books, the others were not worth the time and money and emotional investment.
September 11, 2015
Why did I love this???
Objectively this book is so so bad. Insta-love, very juvenile writing, crappy character development, infinite etc. But, I. JUST. COULDN'T. STOP.
Objectively this book is so so bad. Insta-love, very juvenile writing, crappy character development, infinite etc. But, I. JUST. COULDN'T. STOP.
May 13, 2012
I have nothing bad to say about these books. These are the books that started it all for me, this is the series that made me want to be a reader. When I discovered this series, I was about 12 at the time and I was so fascinated by Wicca and Paganism and Spellcraft that it amazed me to read so much about it. I was so intrigued and bewildered by these books and the knowledge they held and the impeccable storyline. I read every single one and it has been a good 8 years since I discovered these books and I went back to buy them all. I still read through them from time to time as I'm still in love with the story and how they've shaped my life. I went on to truly discover Wicca and become immersed in the Occult because of these books. I loved them then, and I love them now. :)
January 6, 2016
This was an okay story about teenage witches, and it reminded me a bit of The Secret Circle. I was shocked at the way Morgan’s best friend Bree treated her, and the love triangle was fairly predictable. It was an okay story overall though, which left us with a bit of a cliff-hanger.
6.5 out of 10
6.5 out of 10
October 26, 2017
This was a re-read for my October TBT video but life got in the fucking way last week and I got literally nothing productive done. There won’t be a video on this because life is hard and I dropped the ball but just know: I still LOVED this. Will definitely carry on and re-read more of the series over the next few months.
October 13, 2016
3 stars - It was good.
The writing is only so-so, average at best with shallow cardboard characters. However, the plot moves along nicely and is engaging enough that I am interested in seeing what happens next. It does seem to be well researched and it is interesting to see many of the myths about Wicca confronted.
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First Sentence: Years from now I’ll look back and remember today as the day I met him.
The writing is only so-so, average at best with shallow cardboard characters. However, the plot moves along nicely and is engaging enough that I am interested in seeing what happens next. It does seem to be well researched and it is interesting to see many of the myths about Wicca confronted.
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First Sentence: Years from now I’ll look back and remember today as the day I met him.
December 15, 2019
“I saw something last night-a flash of power from an unexpected source. I can't jump to conclusions - I've been looking and waiting and watching for too long to make a mistake. But in my gut I feel she's here. She's here and she has power. I need to get closer to her.”
― Cate Tiernan, Book of Shadows
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler free way. If you feel anything in my review is a spoiler and is not already hidden in spoiler brackets please let me know. Thank you.
― Cate Tiernan, Book of Shadows
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler free way. If you feel anything in my review is a spoiler and is not already hidden in spoiler brackets please let me know. Thank you.
Morgan is a typical teenage girl. Her best friend is Bree, who is popular and pretty. When she meets Cal, he introduces Morgan, Bree, and others of there group to wicca. Soon Morgan realizes that might be more to it then just a different religion. She realizes she wants to be a witch. And she finds herself drawn to Cal and possible him to her as well.
First off I want to say sorry for my crappy blurb. I read this book a few weeks ago already and just now getting around to reviewing it. I really loved this book. I was actually a bit surprised how much considering how short it is, but the characters where well written and had distinct personalities. Morgan's so called best friend Bree is just a horrible friend though, and I hope that as the series continues Morgan realizes this and stays away from the overly toxic relationship. It follows a similar YA pattern. There is a bit of a love triangle and of course everyone is apparently SOOO attractive and then the main character being SPECIAL in some way. This is normal for its genre and I don't hold it against it. I will definitely be finishing this series. I can't wait to see how the story and characters develop from here on out.
How I choose my rating:
1* Did not finish, or hated it but forced myself to finish.
2** Didn't really like it. Didn't hate it but not sure why I finished it other then for some closure.
3*** I liked it. I had some issues with it, but as a whole it was good. I probably won't reread again ever, but there is a chance I might finish the series. (If part of one) But if not it's not a huge loss.
4**** I really liked this book. Maybe not a work of genius, but highly entertaining. I might reread this again, and I will finish the series. (If part of one) I would recommend to those I know hold interest in this books content.
5***** I loved this book. I found little to no issues with it at all. I will definitely be rereading this and probably more than once. I will finish the series and reread it multiple times. (If part of one) I will recommend this book to EVERYONE!!!!
August 26, 2018
I'm so late to this series but very excited to continue on with the next books!
3.5 out of 5 stars
Book of Shadows follows a young girl called Morgan, who lives in a strong Catholic family and attends church every Sunday. Her school life changes with the arrival of a new boy called Cal, who is a practising Wiccan. Morgan and her school friends start becoming interested in all of the beliefs surrounding Wicca but has to keep this a secret from her family. She then discovers something about herself that she never even knew, she is part of the witches! It was interesting as the reader learning more about Catholicism (I did go to a Catholic High School) and Wicca. What let the story down for me a little was a dislike towards Morgan's friend Bree as a character. Halfway through, she acts quite snarky and bitchy towards Morgan but this change does tie back to Cal's character. The pacing was quite fast and story length short however, did get to the point.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Book of Shadows follows a young girl called Morgan, who lives in a strong Catholic family and attends church every Sunday. Her school life changes with the arrival of a new boy called Cal, who is a practising Wiccan. Morgan and her school friends start becoming interested in all of the beliefs surrounding Wicca but has to keep this a secret from her family. She then discovers something about herself that she never even knew, she is part of the witches! It was interesting as the reader learning more about Catholicism (I did go to a Catholic High School) and Wicca. What let the story down for me a little was a dislike towards Morgan's friend Bree as a character. Halfway through, she acts quite snarky and bitchy towards Morgan but this change does tie back to Cal's character. The pacing was quite fast and story length short however, did get to the point.
May 4, 2008
Reviewed by Michaela Pallante aka "Mickey" for TeensReadToo.com
Morgan Rowlands is a normal teenage girl. She gets good grades, hangs out with her friends, and goes to church with her family on Sundays. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happens to her... until she meets Cal Blaire.
Cal is the new cute senior who has just transferred to Widow's Vale High. His looks aren't the only thing that sets him apart from other boys. He's Wiccan, a different religion than Morgan and one that she has never come into contact with before.
Something about Cal and his religion interests Morgan and her best friends, Bree and Robbie. The more they hang out with Cal, the more they like him. While with Cal, Morgan learns something about herself that completely blows her mind -- and may change her life forever.
This book was fun to read. The story was great and you learn a thing or two about Wicca as you read it (it's not scary!). BOOK OF SHADOWS is the first of 14 books, plus a super edition novel, so this is only the start of Morgan and Cal's adventures.
Morgan Rowlands is a normal teenage girl. She gets good grades, hangs out with her friends, and goes to church with her family on Sundays. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happens to her... until she meets Cal Blaire.
Cal is the new cute senior who has just transferred to Widow's Vale High. His looks aren't the only thing that sets him apart from other boys. He's Wiccan, a different religion than Morgan and one that she has never come into contact with before.
Something about Cal and his religion interests Morgan and her best friends, Bree and Robbie. The more they hang out with Cal, the more they like him. While with Cal, Morgan learns something about herself that completely blows her mind -- and may change her life forever.
This book was fun to read. The story was great and you learn a thing or two about Wicca as you read it (it's not scary!). BOOK OF SHADOWS is the first of 14 books, plus a super edition novel, so this is only the start of Morgan and Cal's adventures.
January 27, 2023
This was just painful. I hear this series gets better, but within 5-10 pages, I wanted to throw it away. The immaturity is so immense it hurts my brain.
There are so many characters in so little space. The maturity level is closer to middle school than high school.
The world and magical rules are ok, which is why I give it a 2 star instead of a 1. I don't know if I have ever been immature enough to relate to this kind of dialogue and narration.
Just not for me.
2 Stars.
There are so many characters in so little space. The maturity level is closer to middle school than high school.
The world and magical rules are ok, which is why I give it a 2 star instead of a 1. I don't know if I have ever been immature enough to relate to this kind of dialogue and narration.
Just not for me.
2 Stars.
January 21, 2024
Scale of 1-10: 4
Pros: Tiernan's writing does not suck, and she might be able to get decent mileage out of her story, as the books are short and quick reads.
Cons: Struck me as a Harry Potter retread with an older, female heroine.
Synopsis: Morgan Rowlands finds out she's got a talent for witchcraft after superhot, supernatural Cal Blaire moves to her small, upstate NY town and starts slingin' the magic mojo around...not that anyone seems to notice or think it's weird.
My take: In a nutshell? Tiernan is lazy. She tells us how her characters feel, rather than describing their reactions and letting us see it; shrugs details off as supernatural magic mojo instead of giving any real reason for events to occur; and tends to bludgeon her readers with the Big Bat of Foreshadowing instead of dropping a subtle trail of bread crumbs leading up to the big revelation(s). Basically, the story goes a gorgeous new guy moves to town and all the girls are drawn to him. Magick, jealousy, and chick fights ensue...sort of like an episode of Dark Shadows - if Barnabus Collins were a magic-slinging high school senior. Or maybe more like The Wiccan Bachelor meets My So-Called Life.
Pros: Tiernan's writing does not suck, and she might be able to get decent mileage out of her story, as the books are short and quick reads.
Cons: Struck me as a Harry Potter retread with an older, female heroine.
Synopsis: Morgan Rowlands finds out she's got a talent for witchcraft after superhot, supernatural Cal Blaire moves to her small, upstate NY town and starts slingin' the magic mojo around...not that anyone seems to notice or think it's weird.
My take: In a nutshell? Tiernan is lazy. She tells us how her characters feel, rather than describing their reactions and letting us see it; shrugs details off as supernatural magic mojo instead of giving any real reason for events to occur; and tends to bludgeon her readers with the Big Bat of Foreshadowing instead of dropping a subtle trail of bread crumbs leading up to the big revelation(s). Basically, the story goes a gorgeous new guy moves to town and all the girls are drawn to him. Magick, jealousy, and chick fights ensue...sort of like an episode of Dark Shadows - if Barnabus Collins were a magic-slinging high school senior. Or maybe more like The Wiccan Bachelor meets My So-Called Life.
June 7, 2012
Ok so I start reading book #1 and read straight through. I couldn't stop. I did't think that all 15 books were going to be all soo good. I loved, loved, loved them all! They kept you on the edge of your seat through the whole series and I didn't want them to end but what a great ending to a great series.
March 24, 2011
Wow! What can I say without completely ruining this book?
In previous reviews; I have complained about books with way too much page filler but not this book! It is a small, quick, easy and entertaining read!
Unlike a lot of the other Urban Fantasy books I have been reading lately, this book seemed really lifelike! I could see how this would make someone curious about Wicca. I don't believe in "Wicca" or White Magic but I could see how this book could make someone really want to study into it.
Morgan is just an average shy girl with a very popular best friend Bree! Morgan and Bree have been best friends since they were young kids. Even with Morgan and Bree hanging out in two completely different crowds, it never dampens their close relationship.
There is a new boy in their school. Cal Blaire. The moment he walks up to the school, everyone's head turns in his direction. All the girls immediately salivate over his olive skin and gold colored eyes. To make it even worse, Morgan isn’t immune to the crazy obsession! Morgan has never been fully in to a guy before now; she has never had a boyfriend or even her first kiss. She is automatically drawn to Cal but she knows that he is way out of her league.
Once everyone starts getting to know Cal; just about everyone either wants to be his friend or just “wants him period”. The exception is all the guys that are jealous that their girlfriend gawk at Cal right in front of them. Cal doesn’t fall into a click to “hang” with, he just accepts each person the same as the next. Morgan admires this about Cal; he even goes out of his way to start multiple conversations with her! Her one concern is that she thinks he is a player. He goes on dates with girls but just goes from one to the next.
One day, Cal goes around the school to all the Junior and Senior students to invite them to a party. The directions he gives them leads the partygoers to a large field and this is when Cal introduces Wicca. This meeting wakes up something in Morgan.
I am going to immediately start the second book to the series and I this is a book that I would highly recommend!
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In previous reviews; I have complained about books with way too much page filler but not this book! It is a small, quick, easy and entertaining read!
Unlike a lot of the other Urban Fantasy books I have been reading lately, this book seemed really lifelike! I could see how this would make someone curious about Wicca. I don't believe in "Wicca" or White Magic but I could see how this book could make someone really want to study into it.
Morgan is just an average shy girl with a very popular best friend Bree! Morgan and Bree have been best friends since they were young kids. Even with Morgan and Bree hanging out in two completely different crowds, it never dampens their close relationship.
There is a new boy in their school. Cal Blaire. The moment he walks up to the school, everyone's head turns in his direction. All the girls immediately salivate over his olive skin and gold colored eyes. To make it even worse, Morgan isn’t immune to the crazy obsession! Morgan has never been fully in to a guy before now; she has never had a boyfriend or even her first kiss. She is automatically drawn to Cal but she knows that he is way out of her league.
Once everyone starts getting to know Cal; just about everyone either wants to be his friend or just “wants him period”. The exception is all the guys that are jealous that their girlfriend gawk at Cal right in front of them. Cal doesn’t fall into a click to “hang” with, he just accepts each person the same as the next. Morgan admires this about Cal; he even goes out of his way to start multiple conversations with her! Her one concern is that she thinks he is a player. He goes on dates with girls but just goes from one to the next.
One day, Cal goes around the school to all the Junior and Senior students to invite them to a party. The directions he gives them leads the partygoers to a large field and this is when Cal introduces Wicca. This meeting wakes up something in Morgan.
I am going to immediately start the second book to the series and I this is a book that I would highly recommend!
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May 21, 2023
3.5 Good start to a series. There were a few times I wanted to strangle the main characters' best friend , but it was good.
I will be reading book 2.
I will be reading book 2.
November 22, 2020
Star Rating: —> 3.5 Stars [rounded^]
Some exciting; some meh. Protagonist is luke warm.
Advice: RAYOR (Read At Your Own Risk)
I feel as if this wasn't by any means BAD, but it wasn't fantastic.
Some exciting; some meh. Protagonist is luke warm.
Advice: RAYOR (Read At Your Own Risk)
I feel as if this wasn't by any means BAD, but it wasn't fantastic.
September 21, 2022
3.5 Stars ★ ★ ★
I understand why there are 15 books in this series now. This first book was way too short!
I'm on the edge of my seat right next to Morgan as she is slowly discovering her witchy self and it's pretty darn cool. ❤
I'm learning more about Wicca and Green Witch practices in general so I thought this book would be a cute fiction read alongside my studies. It's very easy to read and easy to get into mindset of Morgan thanks to Cate Tiernan's great use of tone and voice. I may have just turned 28, but reading this and I'm right back in the hallways of my high school.
This is a great fun witchy series for Autumn. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
I understand why there are 15 books in this series now. This first book was way too short!
I'm on the edge of my seat right next to Morgan as she is slowly discovering her witchy self and it's pretty darn cool. ❤
I'm learning more about Wicca and Green Witch practices in general so I thought this book would be a cute fiction read alongside my studies. It's very easy to read and easy to get into mindset of Morgan thanks to Cate Tiernan's great use of tone and voice. I may have just turned 28, but reading this and I'm right back in the hallways of my high school.
This is a great fun witchy series for Autumn. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
April 26, 2023
This was a delightful surprise.
I picked this because I needed a YA book that started with B for a book bingo on Instagram.
This series was free on Audible, sure why not.
Little did I know it would be completely engrossing.
Magic, private school setting (one of my faves) and a cast of interesting characters trying to become witches.
I devoured this book.
Excited to check out the other books in the series.
I picked this because I needed a YA book that started with B for a book bingo on Instagram.
This series was free on Audible, sure why not.
Little did I know it would be completely engrossing.
Magic, private school setting (one of my faves) and a cast of interesting characters trying to become witches.
I devoured this book.
Excited to check out the other books in the series.
May 6, 2020
This was all around disappointing. :/ The writing and characters were extremely juvenile (even for a high school target audience) and the plot was lack luster. The writing was very dry and some of the characters really got on my nerves. Speaking of, for 176 page book, 15+ characters are way too many! 10 of which are part of the main plot and only 2 of them have a story arch. None of them are properly developed and their pasts are never really discussed. So you never get to know very much about any of them. Because of this, all of the characters felt very similar and it was difficult to know who was what character.
I also felt like the whole story was a lot of build up just to have something big happen in the last 5 pages. I have the bind up of if the first 3 books and honestly, I think it should have been one book to begin with. Because of the way they were published, it basically feels like a 600 paged book chopped up into 3 little sections. It doesn’t feel wrapped up. At least not in a satisfactory way. I think someone a little closer to the target audience might like it a little better and I do feel this series has potential. So...
Since I have the bind up and I do think the series has potential, I’ll be giving the next two books a chance. If I’m still struggling by the end of the 3rd book, I’ll probably give up on the series. Here’s to hoping the next two are a lot better and not a hot mess. :/
I also felt like the whole story was a lot of build up just to have something big happen in the last 5 pages. I have the bind up of if the first 3 books and honestly, I think it should have been one book to begin with. Because of the way they were published, it basically feels like a 600 paged book chopped up into 3 little sections. It doesn’t feel wrapped up. At least not in a satisfactory way. I think someone a little closer to the target audience might like it a little better and I do feel this series has potential. So...
Since I have the bind up and I do think the series has potential, I’ll be giving the next two books a chance. If I’m still struggling by the end of the 3rd book, I’ll probably give up on the series. Here’s to hoping the next two are a lot better and not a hot mess. :/
February 21, 2021
Morgan isn't a special girl or so she thought; she is loved by her friends and family, her life is basic and normal until a new guy enrolls in their school in the beginning of their school year named Cal. He is every girls' crush including Morgan. He befriends every clique in high school and invites them to a party where he introduces them to wicca and magick!
Morgan is more than intrigued and it's not only about Cal for her, magick calls to her. She buys books, learns more and even does a spell that works, her obsession send her into a revelation that she is not who she thinks she is.
Morgan is more than intrigued and it's not only about Cal for her, magick calls to her. She buys books, learns more and even does a spell that works, her obsession send her into a revelation that she is not who she thinks she is.
August 6, 2024
**Re-read 8/6/2024**
I'm trying to finish this series FINALLY this year which means I need to re-read the first five books. This was basically how I remember it from 2018. Very campy, very 2000's, but interesting.
3.5 Stars
Oh boy this definitely filled the witchy void I've been feeling in reading lately!
I enjoyed the set up of this novel, though it did fall into some typical early 2000's traps. For instance, describing three characters physical appearances down to a T in the first few paragraphs. But that can be forgiven because of how much FUN this was.
There could have been more plot and I'm not completely happy with how it ended, but I did enjoy it. Which is good because I bought all of the bind-ups of this series recently. I guess I've got a lot of reading ahead of me.
I'm trying to finish this series FINALLY this year which means I need to re-read the first five books. This was basically how I remember it from 2018. Very campy, very 2000's, but interesting.
3.5 Stars
Oh boy this definitely filled the witchy void I've been feeling in reading lately!
I enjoyed the set up of this novel, though it did fall into some typical early 2000's traps. For instance, describing three characters physical appearances down to a T in the first few paragraphs. But that can be forgiven because of how much FUN this was.
There could have been more plot and I'm not completely happy with how it ended, but I did enjoy it. Which is good because I bought all of the bind-ups of this series recently. I guess I've got a lot of reading ahead of me.
February 19, 2020
Read in 2017
Read in 2014
Read in 2009
Read in 2003
2017- This marks my 4th time reading this book. For the new reader I must emphasize that these books mature as you read. They start off seeming like cheesy teenage fiction on a cringe worthy level, but they evolve into a truly grand, wonderful and epic story of the coming of age, and the realization of remarkable heritage.
A plain unassuming wallflower finds she is anything but ordinary. In fact, she is extraordinary! As she follows a path seeming destined, her heart follows that of one she thinks beyond its reach. Lying within this likewise unassuming YA novel is a true gem, wrought with heartache and heartbreak. Will a straining friendship collapse amid the pressure of it all, leaving a bitterness in its wake. For Morgan Rowlands, she must suffer trials of family and friend alike to reach a crossroads long destined for and to choose a path which seems contrary to her upbringing.
Ignore the awful reviews. This series is a gem among the vast heaps of horrid YA novels out there. Once you've devoured book one, and begun the second, there'll be no stopping you!!
Read in 2014
Read in 2009
Read in 2003
2017- This marks my 4th time reading this book. For the new reader I must emphasize that these books mature as you read. They start off seeming like cheesy teenage fiction on a cringe worthy level, but they evolve into a truly grand, wonderful and epic story of the coming of age, and the realization of remarkable heritage.
A plain unassuming wallflower finds she is anything but ordinary. In fact, she is extraordinary! As she follows a path seeming destined, her heart follows that of one she thinks beyond its reach. Lying within this likewise unassuming YA novel is a true gem, wrought with heartache and heartbreak. Will a straining friendship collapse amid the pressure of it all, leaving a bitterness in its wake. For Morgan Rowlands, she must suffer trials of family and friend alike to reach a crossroads long destined for and to choose a path which seems contrary to her upbringing.
Ignore the awful reviews. This series is a gem among the vast heaps of horrid YA novels out there. Once you've devoured book one, and begun the second, there'll be no stopping you!!
February 1, 2019
This was a fun story about witches, magic, and wicca! I loved Morgan and how she was fascinated by wicca. I wasn't so much of a fan about the focus on Cal and how attractive he was. I think it didn't really bring the story anything. Plus, it only caused problems between Morgan and her supposed best friend, Bree. It was so petty and ridiculous! Fighting over a guy: come on ugh *rolls eyes*
I really liked that Morgan still kept her Catholicism. There was a line in the book that went something like "Religion is only what you bring to it" and I really liked that. It was nice to see that you don't have to use a religion to bash another. I liked that the arts of Wicca only enhanced Morgan's faith in the supernatural.
I really liked that Morgan still kept her Catholicism. There was a line in the book that went something like "Religion is only what you bring to it" and I really liked that. It was nice to see that you don't have to use a religion to bash another. I liked that the arts of Wicca only enhanced Morgan's faith in the supernatural.
August 28, 2017
I just breezed through this. It reminded me of The Secret Circle. Annoying romance but it was fun and interesting.
November 13, 2022
4,5/5 Zoveel liede voor deze serie, zelfs na honderd keer lezen. Dit eerste deel is één van mijn favoriete en het leest heerlijk weg. Tijd om te binge readen?
September 10, 2016
The writing is solid and the story is interesting. I am not a fan of clogs so I try to ignore the authors descriptions of the heroines attire. I subtracted one star for that.
March 31, 2019
My review in video format you can find here --> Witchy Reviews: BOOK OF SHADOWS by Cate Tiernan
July 5, 2014
This review was originally published on Blogs of a Bookaholic.
A fantastic first book full of magic, mystery and discovery.
This is around the 4/5 time I've read this book now and it never disappoints! I first discovered this series aged 14, and in a weird way, I almost feel like the books chose me. They came to me in a point in my life where I really needed them, and held for me some key advice and life lessons that helped me deal with several big changes going on at that time. These books are incredibly underrated and in my opinion deserve a much bigger spotlight.
Now, the writing in this book is not what you would consider ‘good’ technical writing. Character descriptions aren't integrated in a subtle way, they are laid out pure and simple from the first moment we meet each character. There are a few instances of awkward phrasing, and there are no super fancy words. But the beauty of Tiernan’s writing lies in its simplicity. For every standard description there is also a unique or interesting passage from a narrative voice that is yet to reach its peak. It always amazes me how Tiernan packs so much into such a small amount of pages, and there is not one dull moment.
The plot is consistently fast paced and there is no unneeded meandering or boring chapters. It brings together a lot of typical YA story-lines, two best friends in an unequal relationship feuding over the same guy, teenage insecurities and family fights, yet I feel like it is dealt with in a much less superficial way. It’s realistic and believable. What I also love about this book is that although romance and lusting after a guy is a key plot point, (and is pretty over-dramatic) it is not the main focus. Instead it centers more on Morgan’s involvement with the religion Wicca, and through it her own self discovery. I would be lying if I didn't say the biggest reason I love these books is my genuine fascination with the religion.
Tiernan also has a knack for creating great vivid characters; simple little things such as Morgan's addiction to Diet Coke make her feel all the more realistic. She’s got spunk, but not in a typically cliched over the top YA way, and her integrity and the way she sticks to her convictions make her stand out from the crowd.
Bree, who at first seems like the stereotypical sassy boy obsessed best friend found in so many YA books, is quickly given much more depth and complexity. Robbie is sweet and loyal, Cal is mysterious and yet instantly likable. They are all interesting, and remarkably fleshed out for such a small book.
One of my all time favourite series, and I would recommend it to everyone! xD
You can check out my full, unabridged review and others like it Blogs of a Bookaholic. :)
April 26, 2022
Reread review- Upon rereading 10 years later, I am changing my rating to 3 stars.
The reason I am lowering the rating I gave it is because I feel like the book would’ve been better without the romance/love/crush/teen love obsession aspect (also it was really short). ((I mean really Morgan, pull yourself together))
Original review- 5 stars
The reason I am lowering the rating I gave it is because I feel like the book would’ve been better without the romance/love/crush/teen love obsession aspect (also it was really short). ((I mean really Morgan, pull yourself together))
Original review- 5 stars
April 11, 2015
4/5
I really liked this book, I love stories about witches so I am biased though haha. The only downside to it was that it was pretty short and involved quite a bit of world building but I love the premise and romance and I am so hooked
I really liked this book, I love stories about witches so I am biased though haha. The only downside to it was that it was pretty short and involved quite a bit of world building but I love the premise and romance and I am so hooked
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