Always a Witch - Carolyn MacCullough - Blog Tour Review

The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights.

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Always a Witch (Sequel to Once a Witch)

Author: Carolyn MacCullough

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Witches, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Clarion Books

Publication Date: August 1, 2011

Format: Hardcover

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Thomas Allen & Son for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Blog Tour: Teen Book Scene blog tour. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner located below the review.

Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository

My rating: 5/5

Tamsin Greene once believed she was an ordinary girl in an extraordinary family. Now, she alone has the power to change the future for her family as they are plagued by the evil and illustrious Knight family. With Tamsin's talent, she can do almost everything. Well, except for time travelling to the past and getting back to the present time; but she won't let a little thing like time travel stop her from fulfilling her destiny. 

I fell in love with Once A Witch when I read it last year, and Always a Witch lived up to my expectations completely. The loving familial bond between Tamsin and her family is still there, and a certain scene involving the fridge, poisoned sugary confections, and a well-known song all make an appearance which will have the reader laughing along at the crazy antics that happen in the Greene family. This of course, is before Tamsin realizes just what she has to do to save her family from certain destruction. But, as with the first novel, Tamsin doesn't let her fear stop her. She jumps at the chance to fix things, as she wants to take care of her family. Sure, she's impetuous. Especially when there's that pesky thing called time travel involved. Not knowing what will happen is part of the charm, and she will make it home somehow. At least she hopes she will. You have to commend her for her bravery there. She willingly puts her life on the line for her family, and she might not have thought through every aspect, but she is smart and decides that she will figure things out as they play out. 

Gabriel is her male counter-part and love interest. He is a lot fun, and he complements Tamsin perfectly. He is level-headed, has a good sense of humour, and cares for Tamsin deeply. He is perfect for her, especially since he has grown up with her family and has a talent or two of his own. He also has a penchant for looking out for Tamsin, which helps when she realizes she might not have thought through every aspect of her plans. 

With a plot full of twists and turns, and evil villains around every corner, you will be holding your breath, hoping that Tamsin will survive long enough to save her family. The added background from her last foray into time travel helps as well as she meets certain members from the Knight family for the second time, but really it's the first time for them. This leads to a few moments of panic on her part, until she realizes that their future selves know her, not their present selves. 

All in all, a worthy follow-up to Once A Witch. Always a Witch will keep you spell-bound while Tamsin tries to find her family, and the evil Knight family in the past. Will she succeed where her family has failed in the past? One won't know until the conclusion, and even then certain events come full circle from the first book to this one, leaving the reader with an "aha!" moment. I would definitely recommend Always a Witch. Love, laughter, and family will always be a drawing card for me. Mix in a notoriously evil, rival family and hi-jinks will ensue. 

Once Every Never - Lesley Livingston - Review & Author Interview

Clarinet Reid is a pretty typical teenager. On the surface. She’s smart, but a bit of slacker; outgoing, but just a little insecure; not exactly a mischief-maker… but trouble tends to find her wherever she goes. Also? She unwittingly carries a centuries-old Druid Blood Curse running through her veins.

Now, with a single thoughtless act, what started off as the Summer Vacation in Dullsville suddenly spirals into a deadly race to find a stolen artifact, avert an explosive catastrophe, save a Celtic warrior princess, right a dreadful wrong that happened centuries before Clare was even born, and if there’s still time—literally—maybe even get a date.

This is the kind of adventure that happens to a girl once every… never.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Once Every Never

Author: Lesley Livingston

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Paranormal, Time Travel

Publisher: Puffin Canada

Publication Date: June 14, 2011

Format: ARC

Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to Bronwyn from Penguin Canada for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: This review and author interview are part of the Penguin tour for Lesley Livingston's Once Every Never.

Look for it: Amazon.ca, Penguin

My rating: 4/5

Clare is unfortunately realizing that this might turn out to be the most boring summer vacation on record, ever. That is, until one tiny act changes her plans. Thrown into a turbulent time period, she has the chance to change history, and right a centuries-old wrong, but first she needs to find a stolen artifact. Maybe there are perks to being sent overseas to stay with her aunt, an archaeology professor. With her best friend Al in tow, and Al's gorgeous cousin, Milo, this might turn out to be the most exciting summer that Clare has ever experienced. 

With quirky comments, and humour-infused dialogue, Once Every Never is a genuine pleasure to read. Throw in time travel, Celtic warriors, history, and a race against time and you have a phenomenal and highly original read on your hands. Jumping from present day into the past, and back again could make this read a confusing one, but it actually made it all the more intense and intriguing. As an avid history fan, I inhaled the history being doled out in the read. Though I don't know how much is actual fact, I loved Livingston's interpretation and creative license with regards to the history incorporated in Once Every Never. 

Clare is a hilariously fun main character. Quips fly back and forth when she's at the helm; and her relationship with her friends, and aunt add humour to the read. Clare believes she is just your average girl. Sure, she has an IQ that lands her in the gifted range, but she doesn't really use her talents for anything. She's more interested in hot guys, and shopping, so it comes as a surprise to her aunt that she's invested in learning about the history behind the "bog bodies" that are on display at the museum. Their interactions over Clare's lack of interest in history had me grinning as I could see the conversation unfolding in my mind's eye. Actually, Once Ever Never has many scenes that come to life vividly as they are read. I would love to see the movie adaptation, as I think this would be a great movie. 

All in all, memorable characters, history, and humour make this a compelling and all too fun read. I'll definitely be checking out more of Livingston's work. If her other books are anything like Once Every Never, I'm sold. Highly recommended, this is a book that I think you should get your hands on as soon as you can.

---------------

What is your favourite line from Once Every Never?

Ack! That’s a tough one. I really had a lot of fun—especially with some of the dialogue in this book—and there are some lines that are favorites that are kind of spoilery… two brief non-spoilery faves, then, one from Allie and one from Clare would be:

“Wow,” Al said. “Choice ride, Evil-doer.”

and

Time monkeys. Angry, angry time monkeys.

Neither of which, of course, makes a whole heap of sense unless you’ve read the book! =)

If you spent a day in Clare's world, what would you do?

In her regular world? Probably hang out the mall. In the world she finds herself in this book? Maybe something similar to what Clare does: spend most of the time trying really hard not to get impaled on swords or spears or barbequed on flaming arrows. Plus, I think I would find it just as irresistible as Clare does to go poking around in the lives of the legendary individuals she comes into contact with. I am, pretty obviously, a massive history geek—much more so than Clare—and I would do everything I could to learn about the lives and lifestyles of a people largely lost to the mists of time. Also, y’know, if there’s time… maybe a romantic, river-side stroll with a handsome Druid prince might work it’s way in there...

Would you make the same decisions Clare makes, or would you do anything differently?

That’s hard to say. In some respects, I think Clare is possibly a lot braver than I am. And a lot less… mindful, shall we say, of consequences. In that way, the things she does—while, ultimately, they might well have been the right choices to make under those circumstances (or not!)—they aren’t necessarily the same solutions I might have come up with under the same kind of duress.

Which character would you most like to meet from any book ever written?

King Arthur. Specifically from a book called FIRELORD, by Parke Godwin.

If you made the front page headline of a newspaper, what would it say? What would you not want it to say?

It would probably say something like: Actor/Writer Falls Down Stairs Lost In Thought, Fails to Notice

I think I’d like it not to say Actor/Writer Falls Down Stairs, Just Too Clumsy To Live

If Clare ever met Kelley, what would they say to each other? Would they be friends?

I think they would! They’re both pretty cool and plucky and have both experienced some pretty incredible things. I think an initial conversation would go something like… this:

“Uh… wow! So. Wings, huh?”

“Um. Yeah. And—hey—you… with the, uh, time travel? Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Shimmery.”

“Sparkly.”

“Is the really cute blonde guy with you?”

*blush* “I was going to ask you the same thing about the dark-haired guy with the… is that a sword?”

*blush* “Yeah.”

“Nice.”

“You, too.”

“D’you wanna grab some quality shopping time?”

“I’d love too! I’m so sick of having to borrow my roommate’s stuff! I keep wrecking her couture.”

“Yeah… I totalled my best friend’s favorite jacket. Scorch marks and blue war-paint.”

“Really. We should totally hang.”

“Totally.”

*The girls smile and wander off towards a mall, arm in arm, exchanging ‘war stories’*

Can you give us a description of Once Every Never in haiku?

Space-time shimmers—ZOT!

Duck when flaming arrows fly…

Blue stuff on Clare’s lips.

You find out you've been accepted to Hogwarts. Which house would you want to be sorted into?

Well, Gryffindor is pretty high on the list, but I think I might be happy if I wound up in Ravenclaw… they’re the thinkers, which would come in handy with the book-writing thing, and it would also correspond nicely with a lot of the imagery in ONCE EVERY NEVER—Clare certainly has an affinity for ravens and I’ve always found them fascinating creatures so having them as my house symbol would be cool! Of course… it’s really all up to the Hat, isn’t?

Thanks, Corrine for being part of the ONCE EVERY NEVER blog tour! And for the fun questions!

Thank you, Lesley, for being here today and answering these questions for me! I got a kick out of your answers and am definitely in agreement with you about history, and Ravenclaw. ;)

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier Giveaway

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Macmillan page about Kerstin Gier, including excerpts, book cover, reviews and audio:

http://us.macmillan.com/rubyred

Link to trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgNSS79CR2Y

Giveaway Details

Many thanks goes to Tara from Zeitghost Media for generously providing a copy of this book to give away. 

Giveaway is open to US/Canada only. 

Giveaway ends June 15, 2011 at Midnight EST.

Please leave your mailing address with your entry.

All information will be deleted after the giveaway ends. 

Please fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries. 

Thank you! 

Cursebusters! - Julie Smith - Blog Tour Review

Budding-psychic Reeno is the most accomplished teenage burglar in California, but one tiny screw-up and poof!—she's sentenced to Bad Girl School. And that isn’t even her worst problem. Her sister Haley’s dying of an illness no one can diagnose, and now she can’t even help.

But wait, maybe she can! The school psychics have found each other and formed their own club. With the help of her gay friend Carlos and the other Ozone Rangers, Reeno finds out Haley’s disease is the result of an ancient Mayan curse. And A.B., the group's sinister non-faculty adviser, claims he knows how to break it.

All Reeno has to do is time-travel to an ancient Mayan city and steal a little item A.B. needs to save the world. Since she’s an ace thief, he has complete confidence she can execute the task before the outraged Mayans can execute her.

But can she trust A.B.? Despite his cuddly appearance, she knows he’s a merciless predator and ruthless assassin.

And he's not even human.

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Title: Cursebusters!

Author: Julie Smith

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Time Travel

Publisher: Bold Strokes Books

Publication Date: May 17, 2011

Format: Softcover

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Julie for sending me a copy of her book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Teen Book Scene. You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner located below the review.

Look for it: Amazon

My rating: 3.5/5

Reeno is a crackerjack at burgling houses, until one day she is foiled in her tracks by a cat. She is shipped off to Bad Girl School, and from there she needs to work towards redeeming herself. Her sister, Haley, is suffering from an unknown disease, and Reeno wants to be by her side. When she is shipped off to her new school, she realizes that the fastest way to get home will include being a perfectly good student. Things don't go according to plan when she finds out that she needs to travel back in time to a Mayan city to lift a certain item to save the world. Maybe she will find a cure for her sister's disease at the same time. She will need to rely on both her new psychic friends, and her sidekick, A.B. the immortal being masquerading as a cat. 

Reeno is a hilarious, main character. Her impetuousness will have you grinning in no time as you realize what she's got up her sleeve. Infused with humour, her plans go awry, and you'll enjoy finding out how she reacts in certain scenarios. Another character that got quite a bit of face time is the "cat" A.B. He is the epitome of all cats everywhere, deigning to come over when he wants to, not when you call him. He is a being that can eviscerate or maim someone without the slightest provocation. However, Reeno's field goal comment, and the context within will have readers laughing or at least, cracking a smile. 

Cursebusters! is a cute read, one that might make your brain hurt what with all of the time travel to different dimensions, and the rules and regulations for said time travel. Reeno's psychic friends add a colourful dynamic to the book and it was interesting to see some of them showcased at different points during the read. 

All in all, Cursebusters! is a laugh out loud, outrageously fun read. I quite enjoyed it even though I wasn't fully invested in it, though that may be due to circumstances outside of the book. I find it similar in style to the Stephanie Plum series, as they both have a lot of humour infused throughout. A.B. will win you over, especially with his attitude towards certain elements within Cursebusters!

Blog Tour: Cursebusters! - Julie Smith - Guest Post & Giveaway

Today, Julie Smith is here with a behind the scenes look at the making of Cursebusters! courtesy of the Teen Book Scene. Thank you for being here, Julie! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking through the banner. Enjoy!

A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE MAKING OF CURSEBUSTERS!

The world is definitely coming to an end next year. Have you heard? Well, six years ago, I had, but I didn’t know everybody was going to make such a big deal about it. Back in 2005, when I started writing a YA book, then called BAD GIRL SCHOOL (now CURSEBUSTERS!), I wanted to use an ancient Mayan city as a setting and I knew that thing about the Mayan calendar stopping in 2012. Great idea, I thought, to have my protagonist time-travel back to a Mayan site and prevent the end of days.

But the first eighteen or so versions didn’t work out. I based the story on something that happened to someone close to me—a kid who ended up in a “school for troubled teens”, a place so strict you couldn’t even talk to the other kids. And where you were watched every second and there were walls to keep you from running away. How on earth was Reeno, my teen-age burglar protagonist, ever going to have an adventure under those conditions? Well, there was the time-travel thing. That was a perfect fit--you can do time-travel without going anywhere. (Well, except backwards or forwards.) But who was Reeno going to talk to? Enter the Alpha Beast (aka A.B.), her “handler” for the adventure, a telepathic….um…cat. See, a cat wouldn’t be noticed by anyone at the school, I reasoned. Kind of like a fly on the wall. I didn’t actually realize he was going to take over the book. All good ideas, right? Bad girl, time travel, talking cat. But there were more—Reeno’s mom was trying to kill her, for one thing. Aaargh. Too much, said a kind editor who wanted to publish the book.

Multiple rewrites ensued! First I made Mom nice, but harassed because Grandma had Alzheimer’s and lived with the family, all of whom were pretty much full-time babysitters. That helped, but there was more.

The original beginning was harrowing: Reeno got kidnapped and dragged off to school by detectives hired for the job. But that didn’t fit with the humor. So I made the first part kind of slapstick—the burglary that goes wrong and lands the kid in Bad Girl School. That was better, but still, Reeno couldn’t talk, except in Group, which was basically a psychotherapy sharing kind of thing—very stiff and unnatural.

It still read kind of like two different books—one about the school and the other about the time-travel adventure. Said the kind editor. I was about to go back to the drawing board when she quit her job and moved back to the Midwest. Waaaah!

So I put the book away. Until one day I woke up and realized it was almost the end of the world! Or at least 2012. My agent suggested I run it by a new kid in the office, a young man named Cooper. Well, Cooper was chock full of great ideas, one of which was a conclusion I’d come to as well—I just had to relax that rule about talking! Reeno needed some real friends she could talk to. And maybe a boy friend.

Make them psychic, he said—that could be a lot of fun. Well, yeah. So I did.

And let’s have a curse, said Cooper. If she has to break the curse on her family, she’s got a lot more reason to do the stupid cat’s bidding. Great idea, I said! I love curses. And I love that time-travel thing where you caused something in another time period and now you have to go back and undo what you did—which wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t gone, so you’d think all you have to do is not go. But time travel just doesn’t work that way. Which is great! It’s a lot more mind-bending when it’s all tangled up.

I had a lot of fun rewriting with the curse and the friends and the psychic shenanigans. And of course the love interest. Guess what I named him? Only one choice there.

And then I had even more fun finding a girl with pink hair and some kids who could levitate and making the CURSEBUSTERS! Trailer. My characters came to life before my eyes! Want to see? Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7FmSPElyak

Thank you for this "behind the scenes" look at the making of Cursebusters!, Julie! 

It does sound incredibly mind-bending! 

You can find Julie on her website, her blog, or twitter. 

Giveaway

Julie has graciously provided Lost For Words with a copy of Cursebusters! for giveaway. 

I ended up getting two copies of the book sent to me, so this is a giveaway for one of those copies. 

Many thanks, Julie! 

Giveaway is open to US/Canada only. (Sorry to those of you who are international.) 

Giveaway will end on June 16, 2011. 

Please fill out this FORM to enter. Comments, while appreciated, will not be counted as entries. 

Thank you!!

Dreamwalk - Sarah MacManus - Blog Tour Review

DREAMWALK is a romantic mixed beat of time travel and mythology for both teens and adults. After the death of her mother, Chloe Hawthorn is haunted by terrifying nighttime hallucinations. Determined to take control of her dreams, she uses them to find Shane Anderson, a charming and troubled musician whose online videos have been holding her in thrall. She finds him in the Dreamtime, sweating out heroin detox in a run-down rehab center.

Chloe sets out to find Shane in the waking world and discovers her dreams have been taking her into the past. Horrified, Chloe realizes Shane doesn't survive his addictions. In order to save him, Chloe must master her Australian mother's legacy — the secret of walking the Dreaming through time. But what price will Chloe pay for this Dreamwalk and will she save Shane only to lose him forever?

Synopsis taken from goodreads. 

Title: Dreamwalk

Author: Sarah MacManus

Genre: Young Adult, Time Travel, 

Publisher: Young Rebel Publications

Publication Date: March 14, 2011

Format: E-book

Source: Received from author courtesy of Teen Book Scene. Many thanks goes to Sarah MacManus, and Kelsey at Teen Book Scene for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review. 

Tour: Teen Book Scene blog tour review. If you would like you follow along with the tour, you can do so here, or by clicking the banner located at the bottom of the review. 

My rating: 3.5/5


Dreamwalk is a book that mixes mythology with time travel, and love with addiction. Chloe has always had night terrors. When her mother died, Chloe and her father were left on their own, and have since moved halfway across the country. When her friend sends her a link to a video, she doesn't realize how much this video is going to change everything for her. She is enthralled by it, and by all of the videos featuring this unknown man, Shane. Her fascination increases when she begins meeting Shane in the dreaming. Things become even more complex when she realizes that he's from a different time, and that he might not make it alive to hers. Will she be able to alter the past, and will the consequences be more than she bargained for? 
Chloe's story unfolds with her in the midst of a night terror. She is falling. Again. She keeps to herself and since the move, has not even attempted to make any friends at her new school. Her night terrors threaten to consume her life as she tries to find ways to stop the nightmares. She is a relatable character, yet is very cold and distant. She keeps to herself, and won't let anyone in. She's got a lot going for her, but you can see the strain the night terrors have had on her. She makes a couple of decisions that some may not agree with. 
Dreamwalk has some strong themes and dark subject matter running through it, especially when we see how heroin detox and the struggle to overcome an addiction affects everyone involved. The story is told exceptionally well, but I had a hard time accepting some of the decisions that Chloe made.  The tone and subject matter make this a dark read, but there is also the time travel aspect, which I found really unique. I thought it played well with the characters, and I enjoyed seeing Chloe interact with Shane and the people that come with his world. 
All in all, an intense look into the dark side of addiction, but also allows us a glimpse of hope, to see that things can change. Chloe and Shane's story is an intriguing one, especially coupled with time travel. Though there are some parts where you will be going "Oh, Chloe" you will also be invested in the story until the very end to see what ultimately happens to them.

Blog Tour: Dreamwalk - Sarah MacManus - Music Playlist

Today, Sarah MacManus is here courtesy of the Teen Book Scene blog tour for her book, Dreamwalk. Thank you for being here, Sarah! You can follow along with the tour here, or by clicking the banner. Enjoy!

Hi Corrine – thanks for having me by. You know, I’m big on music. WAY big on music. I grew up with a rock band in my basement and even DJ’d at a tiny radio station back in college. Music is one of the most important parts of my life, both artistically and socially, so it seemed natural to me to make one of the main characters in Dreamwalk a musician.

Some songs – maybe it’s the pitch, maybe it’s the chord progression, I don’t know – just unlock my brain and let words loose. And then there are others that just make my brain go blank and all I can do is let it inside to block out the rest of the world. Even the one inside my head.

When I was working on the first draft of Dreamwalk, I was really into Peter Doherty’s solo album, and while I was finishing up the last revisions, I was into the Younghearts (who haven’t been signed yet) and I still am. I was also studying belly dancing, so I was listening to some Middle Eastern rhythms that I think influenced the tone of the Dreamtime sequences.

Just for fun, I put together a playlist on YouTube for songs and videos that I was listening to while writing it. I haven’t heard many of these in months, so putting it together has been a blast that I couldn’t resist:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F232812435FC2DCE

Evanescence - My Immortal

Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Roses Kings Castles - Inner Love In Outer Space

Peter Doherty - Broken Love Song

Younghearts - The Boy Is Trouble

Peter Doherty - For Lovers

The Libertines - What Katie Did

The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Younghearts - This Love

I Blame Coco - Bohemian Love.

Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Lady, Don't Fall Backwards – Peter Doherty

The Strokes - Life Is A Gas

Shakira - Whenever, Wherever (Sahara Mix)

Younghearts -Young Love

There are a lot of great songs listed here! What an awesome playlist!! 

Thank you so much for being here today, Sarah! 

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DREAMWALK is a romantic mixed beat of time travel and mythology for both teens and adults. After the death of her mother, Chloe Hawthorn is haunted by terrifying nighttime hallucinations. Determined to take control of her dreams, she uses them to find Shane Anderson, a charming and troubled musician whose online videos have been holding her in thrall. She finds him in the Dreamtime, sweating out heroin detox in a run-down rehab center.

Chloe sets out to find Shane in the waking world and discovers her dreams have been taking her into the past. Horrified, Chloe realizes Shane doesn't survive his addictions. In order to save him, Chloe must master her Australian mother's legacy — the secret of walking the Dreaming through time. But what price will Chloe pay for this Dreamwalk and will she save Shane only to lose him forever?

Synopsis taken from goodreads.

Once A Witch - Carolyn MacCullough

"Your daughter will be one of the most powerful we have ever seen in this family. She will be a beacon for us all."

Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and on the day that she was born, her grandmother proclaimed she would be one of the most Talented among them.
But Tamsin's magic never showed up.
Now, seventeen years later, she spends most of her time at boarding school in Manhattan, where she can at least pretend to be normal. But during the summers, she's forced to return home and work at her family's bookstore/magic shop.
One night a handsome young professor from New York University arrives in the shop and mistakes Tamsin for her extremely Talented older sister. For once, it's Tamsin who's being looked at with awe and admiration, and before she can stop herself, she agrees to find a family heirloom for him that was lost more than a century ago. But the search--and the stranger--prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the past sins of her family, and unleash a power so strong and so vengeful that it could destroy them all.
In a spellbinding display of storytelling, Carolyn MacCullough interweaves witchcraft, romance, and time travel in a fantasy that will exhilarate, enthrall, and thoroughly enchant.

Title: Once A Witch
Author: Carolyn MacCullough
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Time Travel
Publisher: Clarion Books
My Rating: 5/5

This was a really interesting read. I say "interesting" tongue in cheek because I really love the following sentences from the book.

"He adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose and says, "Interesting is one of the most banal words in the English language. What does it mean, really?"
My smile freezes in place. "It means I don't have anything better to say so interesting comes in handy."" pg. 9

I loved Tamsin's character. She is not an outcast, but she feels like she's the odd one out in her family. They all have Talents and she doesn't have any. She doesn't want to be surrounded by people that she'll never be like (she doesn't want their pity), so she manages to convince her parents to send her to boarding school in Manhattan, hoping that at least there she will "fit in".
I love her love interest/friend Gabriel. His character complements hers beautifully. The whole book just flows so well together. I really didn't want it to end, and I found that the ending leaves it open for another book. I hope that there is a sequel because I really love this cast of characters. I love how family oriented she really is at heart, and how she interacts with her aunts, uncles, grandmother, cousins, (and relatives from the past). This book kept me interested throughout and it really kept me riveted to the pages. I hated the fact that it had to end. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is such a good read! The cover is also really beautiful too! I loved it!


This book counts toward the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge over at J. Kaye's book blog.