Blood Magic (The Blood Journals, #1)

Jan 09, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: huge-disappointments, paranormal-general, read-2011, young-adult, skimmed-or-unfinished, too-many-povs, 2011-publication, cover-fraud

I can pinpoint the exact moment when I stopped trying to enjoy Blood Magic. As the book began, I was uneasy about the wordiness of the prose, but this is the point at which I gave up:

My heart beat faster, and I had to blink away the halo surrounding him. He was Mephistopheles, smiling and tempting me, his Dr. Faustus, to dance.

If this crazy talk had happened even after a lifetime of knowing each other or under the influence of recreational drugs or if they were both 600 years old, that sentence...more I can pinpoint the exact moment when I stopped trying to enjoy Blood Magic. As the book began, I was uneasy about the wordiness of the prose, but this is the point at which I gave up:

My heart beat faster, and I had to blink away the halo surrounding him. He was Mephistopheles, smiling and tempting me, his Dr. Faustus, to dance.

If this crazy talk had happened even after a lifetime of knowing each other or under the influence of recreational drugs or if they were both 600 years old, that sentence still would have made me giggle. But this was, I believe, Silla's third encounter with her new neighbor/instant boy crush Nick. She met him just a couple of days earlier when he witnessed her cutting her thumb in a cemetery and performing magic as if she'd been doing it all her life, although in fact it was the very first time she'd attempted it. This "magic" and its origins and its powers are rather odd, and I'm still not entirely sure I am convinced by the paranormal applications.

There are lots of crows flying around for dramatic effect. There are dual narratives that alternate far too quickly between Silla's and Nick's points of view. (In the space of the 8 pages in Chapter 6, for example, it switches three times!) Some of the phrasing such as "So many questions I had for him" and "I slept like ass, exhausted and sweating" is awkward. And there are incidents which seem designed primarily for shock value, including a violent death towards the end and an instance of Silla (look away, animal lovers) (view spoiler)

Overall, however, I just could not get past the overly-written, overly-purple, overly-dramatic nature of the prose. The author is a friend of Maggie Stiefvater's, and the attempt to come close to her style is fairly obvious in many of the aspects of the writing and the story. But whereas books such as Shiver offer gorgeous prose and pulse with deep emotion, Blood Magic rarely stirs genuine excitement or passion no matter how hard it tries. And it tries very, very hard.

It might have been interesting to see this story go through several more rounds of revisions to edit out some of the more excessive literary swooning, as well as more development in the plot and the characters. But as it is, I was only able to read the first 100 pages or so and skimmed the rest, as I just wasn't able to sit through more of the wordiness and the melodrama. Unfortunately, the striking cover and alluring concept were by far the most attractive parts of this novel for me.

This review also appears in The Midnight Garden.
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Mar 28, 2011 Tatiana rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Matched, Shiver

Shelves: series-dropped-lost-steam, romancelandia, ya

I can't finish it. My tolerance for YA PNR is very low, but I was looking forward to reading Blood Magic after seeing some really favorable early reviews of it. Can you blame for hoping this book will be another Unearthly?

The novel starts with Silla performing blood magic for the very first time at the cemetery where her parents are buried. Her mother and father recently died in a horrendous murder-suicide; and an enigmatic friend sent Silla her father's notebook of spells which each requires th...more

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May 01, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, bookers-tour, hocus-pocus, read-2011, young-adult, freezer-worthy-ish

4.5 stars

Blood Magic isn't like any of the hocus pocus books I've read before. This one had a very unique flavor racing throughout the book. Tessa Gratton writing is cunningly crafted in a way that makes this book standout in a mysterious lushish way.
The atmosphere has a life of it's very own. Thick, rich and intoxicating, while these characters have the most intriguing energy.
There is a lot of blood in this book. It's frequently talked about, thought about and basically dripped out of these pag...more 4.5 stars

Blood Magic isn't like any of the hocus pocus books I've read before. This one had a very unique flavor racing throughout the book. Tessa Gratton writing is cunningly crafted in a way that makes this book standout in a mysterious lushish way.
The atmosphere has a life of it's very own. Thick, rich and intoxicating, while these characters have the most intriguing energy.
There is a lot of blood in this book. It's frequently talked about, thought about and basically dripped out of these pages. It tended to get a little uncomfortable while reading, so needless to say it wasn't something I could read in one sitting. But despite the ick-factor, I couldn't get the story out of my head.

Silla is a disturbed character. Desperate for answers about what happened to her parents, she becomes very addicted to the blood magic coursing through her veins and eventually it tended to get weary and engrossing at the same time.
Nick on the other hand, I really enjoyed. He's such a guy, but I thought he was a perfect match for Silla. It wasn't an instant romance in the beginning. They meet and are attracted to one another which I found normal. The only scene that felt off is when they first kissed. It was very abrupt, wild and almost animalistic, I'm guessing it was meant to be sexy, but it had the opposite effect on me considering it was to soon for that kind of heat. The rest of there time together was more believable, sweet little kisses here and there and then later a few hot and heavy scenes but in an inappropriate setting, which for some reason I didn't mind. I thought they had good chemistry and I thought it was pretty cool how there past was linked.
But what I enjoyed the most about this story was I couldn't always predict it. I guessed one of the characters true identity, but that it. I was pretty shocked once the pieces started to come together about Silla's dad.
I also loved the journal entries and how it tied into the storyline.

All in all, I actually enjoyed this book more then I thought I would. It has it's flaws, sure, but I really loved the concept. It's dark and eerie and wonderfully creepy. The characters have a warped morbid curiosity kicking and I enjoyed how different the overall feel of this book reads.
I was going to give this book a three star, but when push comes to shove, it made a real impression on me, and so merits a four.
Blood Magic is a promising start and a fantastic debut. I'm really looking forward to seeing more from this world!

Thanks Crystal for sharing your copy. Your the best!

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Jun 07, 2011 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

It's just a little over four hundred pages and, honestly, there may have been one chapter (or fifteen) too many. From the get, the first thing that came to mind was that I'd read it before: a girl with a tragic past meets hot boy who doesn't get along with his stepmother. Then there's the alternating points of view between Silla and Nick as well as glimpses into someone's past. It was a chore! Normally, switching POVs is something I enjoy... What's not to love when you get the same story told by...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, arc, from-publishers, ya-paranormal-romance

Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/

I’ll admit I was a little bit hesitant before I started Blood Magic mainly because I’ve read quite a few magic/witch books and none of them have been as good as I would of hoped. But, wow, where to start with Blood Magic!

After the horrific deaths of her parents, Silla has never felt right. She doesn’t fit in at school anymore and only has a few close friends. While trying to make sense of her parent’s death and believing there is something else g...more Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/

I’ll admit I was a little bit hesitant before I started Blood Magic mainly because I’ve read quite a few magic/witch books and none of them have been as good as I would of hoped. But, wow, where to start with Blood Magic!

After the horrific deaths of her parents, Silla has never felt right. She doesn’t fit in at school anymore and only has a few close friends. While trying to make sense of her parent’s death and believing there is something else going on, she tries to uncover the truth about what really happened…even if that means trying a few spells from a book that her father wrote and even spilling some of her on blood to attempt some magic.

As Silla is thrown into the life of magic, she also meets new boy Nick who also has his own connection to magic. When their brought together by an undeniable attraction and start uncover secrets that were never told, Nick and Silla realise a dark present is lurking nearby and one that could cost them their lives.

I think I was pretty spot on when I said wow! Blood Magic is completely compelling, mysterious and dark that will have you captivated all the way through. From the very first page you’re thrown into the magic of this book and it’s completely fascinating that Tessa Gratton has done a fantastic job.

The story itself is told from different points of view. Firstly we see Silla and then Nick but we also see an unknown character who writes in a journal over a span of a few centuries. I’ve always been a fan of alternate points of view and this one was just as great. I found the more I read about the unknown character, the more I was compelled to finding out who it really was…and yes! I did figure out but it was still quite exciting when the person was finally revealed. The magic in the story was absolutely wow! You’re drawn into the spells and oh it really makes you want to try some spells of your own. Lol, if I weren’t scared of it, I probably would try it.

Silla & Nick were great characters. They are so similar with their troubles that their parents bring but the magic ties them together. It was interesting to watch their story unfold and I loved how their relationship developed. It was fast paced but I honestly don’t think it was rushed and was believable enough.

Overall, this is a fantastic debut novel. Tessa Gratton has managed to knock out the best magic story I’ve ever read. I’m only a little disappointed that this was a stand-alone novel with a companion novel coming soon. I would love to read more on Silla & Nick and I think the author has so many different avenue’s that she could take. My fingers are crossed. Amazing read. Read it!(less)

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Jul 17, 2011 Silent Writer rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm warning you, it's long. When i picked this book up, the plot reminded me of Gillian Shields' "Immortal," which i like; I'd probably lower the rating if i read it again, because back then i was a very lenient reader. Now on to "Blood Magic." There are choppy sentences, unneeded and unwanted details, and it's repetitive. I think Tessa hates the word "that," or doesn't know its use. Tessa likes to compare things to stone.Why is this book so long and slow? Their first kiss bothered me; it was to...more

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Oct 21, 2011 The Romantic Cynic rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had many problems with this book, but one overall trumped the list. I. Was. So. BOOOOOREEEDDD!!!!

Usually, I never not finish a book. I usually find some reason to plow through.But this... I just--. I don't even know.

The summary on the jacket basically explains the first hundred pages. Silla (Drusilla) heroine of mysterious dead parents gets magic book written by father, figures out it works, proceeds to make stupid choice after stupid choice all the while swooning over her love interest who i...more I had many problems with this book, but one overall trumped the list. I. Was. So. BOOOOOREEEDDD!!!!

Usually, I never not finish a book. I usually find some reason to plow through.But this... I just--. I don't even know.

The summary on the jacket basically explains the first hundred pages. Silla (Drusilla) heroine of mysterious dead parents gets magic book written by father, figures out it works, proceeds to make stupid choice after stupid choice all the while swooning over her love interest who is not all that interesting: Nick.

This book drags. I read about 200 pages and I could summarize everything that happened in one paragraph. One of the biggest things that bugged me was the characters' denseness. It takes them several chapters to figure out something we've already put together from page one and it's frustrating to have to sit there and read them putting every thought together to comne to 1+1=2. We know from the start that there's something odd about Silla's parent's deaths, but it isn't until about mid one hundreds that Silla finally goes, "Maybe, there's something here."

And the characters! The characters were just vapid. At first, I thought Silla was interesting, but, over time, her apathy around everyone but Nick proved to be grating. I get that it's tramatic to find one's parents dead and it's made even worse by the rumor going around that her dad killed her mom and then shot himself. But, as a reader, I don't want to read hundres of pages of her listlessly drifting from scene to scene, bemoaning about everything until Nick appear and hangs the moon in her sky and puts the spark back in life with one look. Now, I wouldn't mind this so much if Nick was the least bit interesting, but he's not. He's an asshole (he states this himself) and thinks hes too good for this small town he's ended up in. He also keeps complaining about his step mother and, from what I read, despite the creepy vibe, she never does anything that's OMFG-terrible-kill-the-bitch. He justs comes off as whiny and annoying.The sad thing is Silla had potential, but it was never realized. Maybe in the next 200 pages or so she blossoms, but nothing I read ever hinted at that.

The romance was just MEH. It wasn't good, it wasn't horrible enough to send me throwing the book across the room. It was typical love at first sight, drown in each other's eyes, the sun does not rise until I see your smile stuff without one hint of actual reasons for such devotion. I'm used to it by now, sadly.

Second, and this was my major problem with the book: the dual perspectives. The book alternates between Silla and Nick. There are two things wrong this. 1) the author can not write for a guy's persepective. Nick sounds like Silla. Silla sounds like Nick--they both sound like teenage girls. Dont' wrtie from a guy's point of view if you can't; just don't. Some people have it (see Gena Showalter who I think does this fabulously) and some people don't. Men and woman sound different, notice different things, and have different thoughts. As an author, you need to show that, otherwise it sounds weird and awkward. 2) the perspectives change at the most awkward times. Right in the middle of the scene, Silla's part will end and the same scene will pick up with Nick narrating it from a few moments before where Silla ended. This leads to some awkward backtracking and needless sentences and it's just all very BLAH and uninteresting.

Let me tell you what scene I came to right before putting this book down and giving up. The rabbit scene. Other reviewers have already talked about this and now let me add my two cents.

Silla's sitting there, wondering if other blood will work for the spell. So she does what any sane teenage girl would do: she goes and chops a rabbits head off and lets it bleed out into a tubberware container. Now, let me start this off by saying that I have no problem with books taking it to dark places, dealing with unnerving, sometimes disturbing topics. BUT IT HAS TO HAVE A POINT!!! Silla, right after killing the rabbit, waits too long to use the blood and ends up throwing it out. But not before her brother finds her with it and doesn't even state the obvious like: "YOU NEED SOME SERIOUS HELP!!!!" Silla just goes about as usual. In real life, this girl would be a psyche ward by now, her sanity being evaluated. (This probably would've made for a more decent story line.) But in this world, all she gets is therapy sessions as she listlessly drifts about until Nick comes along again. THERE HAS TO BE CONSQUENCES FOR THIS AND YET THERE AREN'T. IT'S ALL VERY FRUSTRATING.

Silla is the heroine. We're supposed to root for her. How can we root for a character who obviously has problems and yet is excused beacuse her parents died. Silla has issues, she needs help, yet this is never acknowledged outside the few comments from her classmates and they're usually brushed off because, 'They don't understand. They're shallow and stupid compared to the ocean of depthness that is Silla. And they're rude and obnoxious for stating the obvious.'

So overall, I found Blood Magic to be a dull, listless (word of the day) read. I could see why people might like it though. The writing's decent, stuff happens at least, and there's this omninous tone present. Unfortunately, I didn't have the patience to trudge through all the crap to find that something alluring. (less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, paranormal

Blood Magic is about witches: Finally something other than Vampires and Werewolves! I liked it, I thought it was fun and fresh, but it wasn't enough to really compel me to say "you know, this is a very good book". It was missing something though I cant quite put my finger on it. Regardless, I still almost gave it a 4 star.

The plot is part magical lore, part mystery. Silla's parents died tragically, and although everyone is convinced it was a murder suicide, Silla is not. After receiving a spell...more Blood Magic is about witches: Finally something other than Vampires and Werewolves! I liked it, I thought it was fun and fresh, but it wasn't enough to really compel me to say "you know, this is a very good book". It was missing something though I cant quite put my finger on it. Regardless, I still almost gave it a 4 star.

The plot is part magical lore, part mystery. Silla's parents died tragically, and although everyone is convinced it was a murder suicide, Silla is not. After receiving a spell book from Deacon, whoever that is - and to her amazement they're actually working- she's even more convinced that someone was involved in her parent's death.

The mystery part is what intrigued me the most. Everyone is made a suspect and even if I wanted to guess there were too many choices to even bother, so I just enjoyed it and kept reading. It was intriguing, and I was excited to see how it would all play out. A bit more than half way through though it was made obvious (to me anyways) who it was. (view spoiler) I still enjoyed how it ended, the climax was fun and there were a few other little unforeseeable twists in there.

The narration went back and forth between the two protagonists, Silla and Nicholas, which is always fun. We get deeper into the characters' development that way. The romance between them was much better than I expected and played a big part in the story. They had a lot of chemistry and the "romantic" scenes were pretty intense. It was a nice change from the "we want to but we can't" themes we often see nowadays. As for the supporting characters, I didn't really care for them much. They weren't boring, but they didn't stand out either. Except for Lillith - what happened there, anyways? She was this mysterious character who I thought was going to be part of the twist or at least have some role in it, but then the author seemed to just forget about her; we never got any explanation about what part she was really playing in all of this - it can't be nothing. So I don't know? Maybe she has plans for her in the following books? Or maybe she's really just a mundane step mom (boring)? There was no hint of anything. It seems like a waste to not give her a cool twist. A reason to be. Anything. I guess I will read and see.

In addition to the two narrators, there were flashbacks of an old witch writing a journal of her life after learning about the magic. Those were really interesting until the very end where it got confusing. Maybe I just don't retain information well, but I wasn't completely following it all. I still got the twist and what happened to Silla's parents, I just wasn't sure about who the Deacon was. Maybe we didn't even find out yet? (view spoiler) Either way it didn't feel very important so I didn't bother going back to reread it.

So it's nothing especially special (yes I said it!). If you want a change from the many vampire and werewolf (and lately - angel) books coming out, this is a nice change of pace. It's not perfect but it's still a good and refreshing story.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-ya, young-adult

Guest reviewed by Vicki for Book Chick City. 9/10 on the blog.

Wow, wow, and wow I LOVED this book. I’d had it sitting on my to read pile a while and although I was looking forward to it, I wasn’t desperately excited about it. So when I turned to the first page I wasn’t expecting to be anywhere near as gripped as I was. Combining two of my favourite styles - duel narrative and flashback diary entries, along with a dark tale and passionate romance, this book was pretty near perfect for me.

And boy...more Guest reviewed by Vicki for Book Chick City. 9/10 on the blog.

Wow, wow, and wow I LOVED this book. I’d had it sitting on my to read pile a while and although I was looking forward to it, I wasn’t desperately excited about it. So when I turned to the first page I wasn’t expecting to be anywhere near as gripped as I was. Combining two of my favourite styles - duel narrative and flashback diary entries, along with a dark tale and passionate romance, this book was pretty near perfect for me.

And boy is this one dark, possibly one of the darkest YA PNR books I’ve read. Warning: if blood makes you squeamish in the slightest this book may not be for you. As the title suggests it features pretty often in the book, with some gruesome scenes and descriptions of blood letting it’s definitely not for the faint hearted.

I loved the duel narrative between main characters Silla and Nick and found the frequent switch, sometimes a few times per chapter, kept me hooked to the story. The romance between the pair does come quick and is immediately intense and passionate, but in this instance it really worked. Not only because they have a common trait to bond over but because we see the relationship develop from both sides. Silla is genuinely messed up, not just angsty, with the tragic and violent death of her parents haunting her…yet she’s still feisty, brave and determined. I found her believable and sympathised with her easily. Nick is prickly, moody, and passionate with a penchant for poetry, which didn’t come across as contrived… and hot! Yup I could totally see why they fell for each other so hard and quickly.

My favourite parts however where the frequent diary entries from the past, courtesy of Josephine Darley. At first they seem harmless, a way to inform the reader of the ritual of Blood Magic, but as the book moves on Josephine’s story clearly becomes integral to the present day plot…only how remains a mystery right up until the end. As much care is given to this character’s development as it is to Silla and Nick, and with each entry grows more and more dangerous and sinister. I loved it!

VERDICT:

"Blood Magic" was certainly a fresh and exciting read, with beautiful prose, a sinister dark plot and fantastic character development throughout…not to mention the intense romance! I devoured this book over two sittings… I couldn’t tear myself away and quickly that ‘little bit more’ turned into over a hundred pages. If you like your paranormal dark and addicting, then I can’t recommend "Blood Magic" enough although would caution younger readers as in my opinion it sits firmly at the upper age of YA fiction with a definite adult crossover appeal.(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, 5-stars, arc, fantasy, paranormal, read-in-2011, witches, young-adult

Review Posted on Reading Lark 6/10/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I have been craving a good magic book since the Harry Potter series came to a conclusion. Blood Magic sated my hunger and is a triumphant debut novel for Tessa Gratton. She brings a dark new voice to YA literature that will send shivers up your spine and make you take a closer look at the world around you for everything is not always as it appears.

Blood Magic is the story of Silla and Reese Kennicott, a sister and bro...more Review Posted on Reading Lark 6/10/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I have been craving a good magic book since the Harry Potter series came to a conclusion. Blood Magic sated my hunger and is a triumphant debut novel for Tessa Gratton. She brings a dark new voice to YA literature that will send shivers up your spine and make you take a closer look at the world around you for everything is not always as it appears.

Blood Magic is the story of Silla and Reese Kennicott, a sister and brother, who are struggling in the days following their parents' gruesome deaths to make sense of the violence that entered their home. Silla has lost the shiny, happy luster she wore before her parents died and has withdrawn further into her self - hiding behind masks and acting ability to get through the day, keeping her true emotions buried beneath the surface, away from prying eyes. However, the arrival of Chicago transplant, Nicholas Pardee, might just be her undoing.

Blood Magic is a novel that is so vividly written that the story played itself out in my head like a movie. The prose flows along the page like a river, lapping at the edge of my consciousness even when I was not reading. I loved Tessa Gratton's writing style and her ability to use sensory detail in such a poetic way while setting up a cruel and creepy world for her characters to frolic within. As a fan of old cemeteries, I loved that so much of the novel took place within the cemetery between Silla and Nick's houses. The atmosphere is perfect for the blood magic spells and possessions that occur throughout the novel. I also found it refreshing to see blood used in such a different way; it always makes me think of vampire tales, but this one proves that you don't have to be a vampire to feel the allure of blood pumping in veins.

This book also appealed to me because I loved the characters. Silla is a great character and her strength in spite of all the tragedy she must endure is inspiring. I also loved the protective nature of Reese, the quirkiness of Judy, and the lovestruck awe of Nick. I was also wrapped up in watching the past unravel to explain the events of the future. I also think it's easy to get to know these characters due to the first person, alternating narrators. Readers can climb inside Silla and Nick's minds to watch the story unfold through their eyes.

One Last Gripe: I was annoyed by Silla's constant reference to her masks. I understood the reasoning for it, but it often disrupted the flow of the story for me.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: I loved the dark feel to the book and the magic

First Sentence: I am Josephine Darly, and I intend to live forever.

Favorite Character: Silla

Least Favorite Character: Eric(less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Jeanbooknerd rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews

The chilling mystery within Tessa Gratton’s Blood Magic (The Blood Journals) is remarkably amazing. Made of magic, romance, suspense, murder, and the pursuit of immortality, it provided the perfect ingredients to create an unforgettable story. Equip it with Tessa’s stunning writing style, readers will get full dosage of emotions from her finely tuned characters.

Tessa tells the story from the points of view of Silla, Nick, and from journal entries by other characters. They live in an incredible w...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Jen at Reading Lark rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is dark, passionate, bloody and creepy - and I really enjoyed it.

Silla discovered her parents dead in a pool of their own blood, her mother apparently murdered by her father, who then killed himself. This has left deep scars on her psyche, and it continues to play on her mind through the novel. As you can imagine, this is a pretty bloody start to the story, and the blood continues to flow right until the end as all magic requires a blood sacrifice. This might be the most bloody book I have...more This is dark, passionate, bloody and creepy - and I really enjoyed it.

Silla discovered her parents dead in a pool of their own blood, her mother apparently murdered by her father, who then killed himself. This has left deep scars on her psyche, and it continues to play on her mind through the novel. As you can imagine, this is a pretty bloody start to the story, and the blood continues to flow right until the end as all magic requires a blood sacrifice. This might be the most bloody book I have ever read, and it did disturb me a little bit. I love tales of magic, but I never found myself wishing I could do this magic, as I have with Hogwarts magic in the past. It isn't aspirational, this magic is just a little bit sick... there were too many mentions of cutting, blood smearing and dead carcasses for it to be anything other than dark and gritty.

The story is told through split perspectives... there's Silla and also Nick, the new boy in town with a faint recollection of a disturbing childhood exposure to magic. So when he stumbles across Silla experimenting with her father's old notebook in the nearby cemetery one evening, he is drawn right in. The relationship between Silla and Nick develops into a very hot teen romance very quickly, but it is written well and is believable. There's plenty of kissing, yearning and so on!

There is also a third narrative voice which is delivered through excerpts of an old diary. Initially this meant the story was a little slow to get going, but I loved how the diary excerpts moved through to the present day and illuminated the current goings on more and more... it really built the pace up until I couldn't put this book down. I also enjoyed how the POVs from Nick and Silla frequently picked up immediately from one to the other seamlessly within a scene; this also helped the flow of the book.

The one thing that I found myself not enjoying so much was all Silla's talk of the masks she made herself wear to cope with the world. I understand the idea, but it frequently jarred me out of the text to try and visualize the particular mask. It wasn't necessary and I could have done without it really. I did like the tiny nod to Maggie Stiefvater in there though. That was a lovely touch.

I really can't give this five stars, even though I read it very quickly. It is very well written - the plot is intricate and surprising - but I just can't *love* something so bloody. I wouldn't let anyone under 14 near this. (less)

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Feb 13, 2011 Kirsten Hubbard added it

Because Blood Magic isn't out until May, I don't want to give too much away. Really, here's all you need to know: this book is fantastic.

I love literary books, and I love a good paranormal story -- the darker, the better. However, I haven't found that many books that combine both: literary, layered writing in a ultra-dark paranormal that's super-commercial in concept. Blood Magic is all that, and more.

From the first page, Tessa's prose blew me away. It's absolutely gorgeous. She's one of those w...more

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Oct 21, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: coulda-been-worse, young-adult, paranormal, romance

Blood Magic is the story of Silla, whose parents had just tragically died, and her discovery of magic through the use of blood. She develops a relationship with new-guy-on-the-block, Nicholas. Fortunately, however, this novel does not revolve around their "romance", but the mysteries behind Silla's parents' death.

I found the story itself engaging. Nothing new, I admit, but interesting nonetheless. It had enough twists, and one thing I appreciate is the fact that Tessa Gratton is not an author wh...more Blood Magic is the story of Silla, whose parents had just tragically died, and her discovery of magic through the use of blood. She develops a relationship with new-guy-on-the-block, Nicholas. Fortunately, however, this novel does not revolve around their "romance", but the mysteries behind Silla's parents' death.

I found the story itself engaging. Nothing new, I admit, but interesting nonetheless. It had enough twists, and one thing I appreciate is the fact that Tessa Gratton is not an author who's afraid to kill off her characters.

However there were things that threw me off. The writing style for one; now, some authors can pull off multiple POVs, but in Blood Magic, which was told through Silla and Nicholas' narratives (also interspersed occasionally between chapters with pages from an ancient diary), I found that this technique did not work. We had an overlapping of information - scenes told and retold from two different POVs. It grew tiresome after a while. Not to mention there was no distinctive voice that differentiated the two narrators.

My second quibble would be the suspense. The early parts of the book was indeed clouded in mystery, somewhat. We had a character who was made to look like a villain - very typical technique to throw readers off completely. But approaching the first climax, it was (to me, at least) kind of obvious who we should be wary of. Yet it took quite some time (which could have saved them an unfortunate death!) before the characters finally caught on.

Third issue I have with this book was the romance. I'm not a firm believer of the whole "love-at-first-sight" thing. Here's a broken girl, there's a new boy. She used to be all sorts of popular, he's going to be popular. They meet at a cemetary, and surprise, surprise, he's the lucky guy who gets to save her. It was clear from the beginning that they were all hot for each other; kind of odd for a girl who was in the throes of depression to suddenly notice the immense attractiveness of some random stranger. Like there weren't other hot guys in her school.
It was of course insinuated that their share of magic was basically the building block of their "love". There was no build-up. Not even three sentences exchanged before they were all hot for each other. They literally knew nothing about the other, other than what he may or may not have thought he had seen her do in the cemetery. Heck, they didn't even know they shared any kind of magic before they were all over each other.
This sort of "chemistry" does not answer anything for me. It may provide a nice back story for a porno or a one-night stand, but a complete "He-is-the-love-of-my-life" romance? I just don't buy it.

The fourth problem I had was the self-proclaimed asshole, Nicholas. He acted like a jerk in the first few scenes just to testify to this, but it soon dropped.
His nature is only apparent in his relationship with his stepmother - who of course, he hates because she is younger than her father by thirteen (?) years, and because his father is so enamoured with her.
To me, this doesn't justify his hatred. It just makes him seem like a bratty kid with birth-mother issues. Or, maybe he does have birth-mother issues.
We see none of that asshole-ness, some people would argue he was much too "in love" with Silla to act like a dick to her, but I've been around my share of guys, and there are moments when their inherent dickheadedness would peek up at the surface. They just can't help it.
So, character consistency. It's a very important issue for me because it determines whether a character is believable or not.

On the positive - I did like Silla. And her brother. Silla's actions seemed believable (considering her recent tragedy), except... well, the falling in love bit. She was consistent, if in a depressed way, but I see a lot of potential for development as this series progress.(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Casey (The Bookish Type) rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Blood Magic, Tessa Gratton weaves together fantasy and sorcery to create an utterly original story -- a mythology of magic and sacrifice, betrayal and death. One of the most bewitching aspects of the novel was its lore, the history and the mysteries of blood magic, the double-edged sword of sacrifice and the seduction and destruction of power. Just when readers think they've got it all figured out, Gratton sweeps them away on a tide of uncertainty. The world Gratton creates isn't black or whi...more In Blood Magic, Tessa Gratton weaves together fantasy and sorcery to create an utterly original story -- a mythology of magic and sacrifice, betrayal and death. One of the most bewitching aspects of the novel was its lore, the history and the mysteries of blood magic, the double-edged sword of sacrifice and the seduction and destruction of power. Just when readers think they've got it all figured out, Gratton sweeps them away on a tide of uncertainty. The world Gratton creates isn't black or white, the magic neither good nor evil. There's darkness inside them all -- be it sadness or madness -- and the intoxicating allure of the magic has the potential to go horribly awry, but ultimately it's all about choice. There's a beautiful symmetry to this world, a terrible price for power.

Silla is an unusual heroine, a faded, bereaved version of someone once bursting with life. In the wake of the terrible tragedy that cost both her parents' lives, Silla lives behind masks and roles, slipping into another skin on stage to escape her own tattered life. It's a relief to see a heroine with a passion (theatre), and more to her life than a boyfriend. Silla doesn't obsess over Nick when he's gone -- in fact, he seems to be the more enamored one.

Unlike many orphaned heroines, Silla's pain feels raw and authentic, coloring her whole world. Fortunately, she has family to lean on. Her brother Reese seems solid even on paper, stoic in the face of pain. It is clear that he loves his sister, even if he takes the big brother attitude a little too far at times. Their sibling bond is portrayed with strength and subtlety, an anchoring presence at the heart of the novel. Then there's fluttering Aunt Judy, who took on two troubled teens in their time of need. Though she flits in and out of the house like a social butterfly, she's an important fountain of advice for her niece, who's still trying to find her way back from the brink.

The only character who isn't entirely winning is Nick. From the outside he seems self-satisfied and entitled, almost a melodrama hero with all his slick suavity. He is more sympathetic once the reader gets inside his head, revealing the scars that made him who he is. His snarkiness is even amusing when he's not cruelly lashing out. Yet, his hypocrisy makes him rather unsavory at times -- I was outraged when he attacked Silla for behavior identical to his own. Nick has a lot of maturing to do, but his chemistry with Silla is undeniable. Their attraction is sexy and sweet, if lightning fast. Gratton knows how to write a kiss -- instead of seeming like hormone-driven lust, their unabashed awe of one another strikes a romantic chord.

The alternating perspectives, both past and present, give this novel a rich, layered texture. Gratton carefully controls the flow of information, tantalizing the reader without giving the game away. The author slips effortlessly between the widely diverse narrative voices, from Silla and Nick to Josephine -- the third perspective, portrayed through old diary entries. Josephine is a testament to the dangers of blood magic's siren call, yet her mania is perversely entrancing and her passages are some of the most striking in the novel.

This is a dark tale, full of mystery and horror and heart-pounding danger that will sweep readers off their feet and straight into its rich Gothic atmosphere. Blood Magic will keep readers guessing until its grisly end.

http://thebookishtype.blogspot.com/20...(less)

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Jun 09, 2011 Izabela C rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

TEN STARS!! :D

Minions and Minionettes of Awesome, I'm here to tell you that there's *way* more to this novel than a B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. cover ... which, incidentally, has everything to do with the story and is about ten times MORE gorgeous in person ... matte, lumpy, shiny, *SQUEE* ... :D Blood Magic is one of the most W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L. books I've ever read. Take my word for it: Paranormal Young Adult doesn't get a whole lot better than this.

"I am Josephine Darly, and I intend to live forever."

A...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Katherine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magic-powers, paranormal, shared-pov

"slowly, I crouched down and touched my palms to the ground. They tingled, especially my left palm where the scar was. It pulsed, as though the blood just under my skin wanted out."

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

This book was surprisingly good and unique. I loved that the book was told from two different characters: Silla and Nick but along with that was also diary entries from a woman named Josephine Darly who we aren’t sure for most of the novel what she has to do with the story, but when you find out it...more "slowly, I crouched down and touched my palms to the ground. They tingled, especially my left palm where the scar was. It pulsed, as though the blood just under my skin wanted out."

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

This book was surprisingly good and unique. I loved that the book was told from two different characters: Silla and Nick but along with that was also diary entries from a woman named Josephine Darly who we aren’t sure for most of the novel what she has to do with the story, but when you find out it will surprise you. There is a huge twist to this story that will defiantly shock readers. I couldn’t see it coming, that’s for sure. This novel is about magic, magic that revolves around the use of blood to make the magic work, to make the magic real. We learn about the science of the magic and how it started out through Josephine's entries and we learn about it through Silla and Nick.

Silla is sent a book from someone we never met known as The Deacon. The book is a spell book that was her fathers; it’s from there that Silla tries to connect with the man that was her father, to connect with this side of him that she never knew, never knew existed. Nick is the opposite he isn’t knew to the magic, he grew up on the magic - through his mother. His mother taught him how to use it, but ever since his mother was sent off to a mental home he never touched it again, he tried to push it away, forgot about it. Until he stumbles upon a graveyard near his house and he witness's a girl doing a magic, this girl is Silla. From there the two of them, along with her brother Reese learn more about the magic and what it can do. But what they think is fun and interesting, actually is very dangerous and they soon learn that it has serious repercussions when someone turns up using the same magic that they are but for all the wrong reasons. They want the spell book and they will do anything to get it.

Tessa Gratton's debut novel, is an interesting one and will have readers hooked and wanting more. I loved the scenes between Silla and Nick, they will defiantly get your blood pumping :) I really liked Silla, she was defiantly a different female protagonist from those who we are used to, she was punky and cool and everyone thinks she is crazy but these aspects about her I liked. It made her different and unique. I really liked this novel.(less)

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Aug 25, 2011 Brandi ;) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fairies-witches-vampires-and-were, i-dont-wanna-grow-up-ya-read-as-ad, kindle-kindle-love-my-kindle, paranormal, stupid-stupid-stupid

I can not write my review or even give this book a rating right now. If I do, it will NOT be pretty and I will ramble on and on in anger. So, I will get back to this one later, once time has helped me partially forget some (please God most) of this book. Time....I need time.

Time has passed so here goes ...

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

I just can't give 1 STAR anymore unless the story is so horrid (think Fallen) I want to hurl objects and hurt others. So 2 STARS it is since no objects were thrown a...more I can not write my review or even give this book a rating right now. If I do, it will NOT be pretty and I will ramble on and on in anger. So, I will get back to this one later, once time has helped me partially forget some (please God most) of this book. Time....I need time.

Time has passed so here goes ...

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

I just can't give 1 STAR anymore unless the story is so horrid (think Fallen) I want to hurl objects and hurt others. So 2 STARS it is since no objects were thrown and no bodily harm done to anyone, expcept my brain.

I was feeling quite bold when I picked up this book. I've been having an unbelievably great run with the Paranormal YA books this year (Unearthly, Intrinsical, She Smells the Dead, Clarity, ect.), so I allowed the cover and synopsis to whoo me & draw me in. Afterall, my second best favorite kind of stories are witch books and this one sounded like a good witch-ish book, so I dove right in. I must also mention here, what I didn't want to think about while picking up the book, is regardless of my 'good run' of YA, I have also had a few here and there that quite literally sucked hard. I dismissed this and went for the gold in hopes the book would fall into my 'good run'catagory and add on to my YA winning streak. Unfortunately, I was not to be a winner this time and this book fell into the 'sucked hard' catagory. sigh

Silla goes through a tramatic ordeal, she finds her parents dead in what appears to be a murder/suicide. This leaves her and her brother, Reese, to be raised by a ex-stepgrandmother, Judy. Nicholas moves into town and into his grandfathers old house, which happens to be down the road from Silla's house. Silla finds a book that was her fathers and is full of spells for all kinds of magic. Through this book she discovers she can do magic herself by using her blood. Nick was raised by his mother for the 1st half of his life and she taught him all kinds of blood magic as well, she is afterall from this town, as was Silla's father. So when Nick witnesses Silla in the graveyard cutting herself and performing a spell, he is hooked. Of course there is the inevitable romance between them and it is one of those love at first sight/we were meant to be together things. I can get over this, it wasn't so overly done that I wanted to throw up, it was just annoyingly there. Not too big of a deal. What I couldn't stand was Nick. His smart ass attitude got on my nerves at every turn. I really don't understand what Silla saw in him. I tried and tried to like him, but he continued to piss me off till I just gave up and started wishing him gone. But Silla just kept falling more and more for him, her soulmate.

You know, if kids really did find their soulmates at 16 as much as these writers like to have you think, then there should be a HUGE drop in the divorce rates. I don't mind romance in a book, hell, I love it and I welcome it. But that's it, just romance, not soulmates as teenagers. It just does not happen as often as all these books say it does. It's dilusional and misguiding. Most boys at this age are not waxing poetry and thinking of true love forever. They are helplessly overrun with hormones and have no clue how to control them, yet, if ever. There are usually only 2 things on their minds, some sort of competition (sports, gaming, or what ever) and sex.

But whatever, in this book Silla and Nick are meant to be forever, so what can I do but roll with it. I don't care so much for how the story was told, with one minute it's Silla telling a story and then the next it is Nick and so on and so on, back and forth. I prefer to stick with just one person's point of view, keeps things neater, but again I rolled with it. Why? Well, as much as Nickypoo pissed me off and as much as the jumping stories annoyed me, I still was drawn in by the storyline. The whole scheme of things, so to say. I was intrigued by the magic, by the small snippets thrown in here and there of some other blood magic witch, and most of all for some reason, Silla. I attached to her pretty quickly and I felt for her. She had been through so much and she was dealing with it the best she could, hiding behind her make believe masks. But through it all she still held on to some sort of strength and was determined to prove her father didn't do what everyone said he did. She jumped into the spells and magic and began to feel alive again because of it. I don't know, I just liked her.

As I neared the end, the author decided to throw in a needless death, more for shock value than for any real reason. She did this also closer to the beginning, but it was small and pointless, but small, something to just swallow and move through. The second time was bigger with more 'WTF!?' and 'You've GOT to be kidding me'. Plus, I really, really liked the character that got offed.
I can't say I like it when a fairly major character is killed off, but I am willing to understand an authors motive for said killing if there is a substantial reason that follows for this death. Like it or not, I will work it out and go with it. But when a death is simply thrown in as a 'ha-ha, never know who I'm gonna kill do ya!' or just as a 'gotcha!' then it is just stupid shock value and I do not appreciate it nor do I care to understand it, since there is nothing to understand. This death was pointless, cruel and unneeded. If I hadn't been so far along and so invested already I would have put the damn book down and walked away without regret.

I honestly went into this book with a blank slate. I had no expectations other than wanting to read something good. In my current state, (I am very preggo, therefore I have no memory and I've apparently lost my brain to my uterus) I forgot about a review a friend made and a promise I made to myself to remove this book from my TBR closet. With the factors of SO MANY FRIGGIN' BOOKs in my TBR closet and my lack of gray matter, I picked this up and jumped in, clueless as can be. My memory didn't begin to tickle until certian annoyances started to pop up and I decided to check a couple of reviews, wondering if it was just me. I quickly saw my error, but since the book didn't appear that bad just yet and seemed to be quite interesting, I plunged ahead and stuck with it. It saddens me that this book could have been great. It had so much potential and I really did like it at the beginning, it sucked me in quick. I liked the whole blood magic thing & I did enjoy following along as the back story developed. But there was just too much done for simple shock value and 'just because' without any valid reasoning for me to stay interested. I hated the end. I hated the 'shocks' that were literally thrown in. I will not be reading the next book, I just don't see how anything that follows this could interest me in the least. As always peeps, what does/does not work for me might/might not work for you, so read it yourself and see. This is just how the book made me feel, or didn't make me feel, whichever. Enjoy (if you can) ....(less)

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Jun 30, 2011 Rachel Loke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: apr-may-2011-releases

Another stunning 2011 debut, rich with magic, secrets, romance and death. Silla has just lost both of her parents in a freak incident, which the town rules as a murder cum suicide (her father shooting her mother and then killing himself). She knows better. When a spell book is sent to her by someone called the Deacon, she realizes her father is keeping secrets of a type of magic- blood magic, secrets which took his life. Together with Nick, a new boy who has just moved to the small town, they di...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Amaryliss White rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book might've been good . . . if it was half its size. I kid you not, so much of this book was wasted — completely dull dronings that no one really cares about fill way too many pages. A simple paragraph could summarize chapters and chapters and do a much better job of it. (Also, half of the book is also spent kissing. I'm really not joking here, people: if you were to count the number of times Silla and Nicholas kiss I can bet it's over a hundred (or a thousand).)

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Jun 27, 2011 E. Jayne rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but it's the truth: I hate going to book signings. And this is exactly why. I'll love the author--not to mention Gratton is from my town!-and automatically want to support all books that he/she writes. And while I will still support Gratton and look forward to seeing her grow, this book just didn't work for me. I'm going to sound a bit mean for a second, forgive me. But it felt as though she went to the Overdone Paranormal Romance Store, picked up a...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Tamara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Une histoire de sang sans vampire...

Blood Magic. Voilà un bon bout de temps que je l'avais repéré. Je voulais connaître son histoire, ce qu'il contenait. Et maintenant c'est fait. Maintenant, je sais comme il est incroyablement sombre, ténébreux et terrifiant.
Blood Magic est l'histoire d'une jeune fille nommée Drusilla Kennicot - Silla - et qui a perdu ses parents. Ou plus exactement, elle a découvert ses parents dans une marre de sang et en subit les séquelles. Là où elle vit, tout le monde pen...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Liyana rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't like this book, and I really wanted to.

The problem was that the message I got completely contradicted the events and conclusion of the story: that blood magic was bad. No matter how Gratton worded it, the characters were fascinated with blood magic, and their actions and inner thoughts showed more of a revulsion with the magic, despite the complete turnaround of mindset they had in the last few pages of the book.

Perhaps the lessons that were taught to Silla and Nick had been ingrained...more

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Apr 14, 2011 ♫♥✿LovLivLife Reviews✿♥♫ (Chasity) added it · review of another edition

I'm a fan of switch POV. Mostly, I prefer Third Person narrations but I'm not picky as long as I can read the wider spectrum as oppose to being stuck with one person. Blood Magic not only switches between Silla and Nick but also includes journal entries from the antagonist.

The blood element I found fascinating in a twisted way. I couldn't help but think of all the scars that would be left after making blood offerings- I may be a loner on this but I'm pretty selfish with my blood except a few pl...more

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Jan 10, 2013 The_book_b!tch rated it 1 of 5 stars

Okay.

This book was HORRIBLE. So horrible that I refuse to dedicate a lot of time to the review.

The word-y-ness of it, the way Gratton used phrasing, was utterly unbelievable even for an apathetic teenager that is immersed in all things literary. Gratton "over-wrote", simple as that.

Even without any of this I was uncomfortable with the descriptions Gratton used when detailing the "blood magic/spells" Silla used. It's not that I'm particularly squeamish, I just didn't want the smell, texture, E...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Estibaliz79 rated it 3 of 5 stars

3 1/2

Empezamos con una aclaración, para los que también les parece raro que la protagonista de esta historia se llame como un mueble: Silla. En realidad, no es así, si no que Silla es diminutivo de Drusilla y, por lo mismo, debe leerse 'Sila', no como el ya mencionado mueble... ¡En fin! A lo que vamos...

La verdad es que me ha gustado esta historia, bastante sencilla en su planteamiento (magia de sangre), sin exceso de personajes ni giros argumentales, pero no obstante de lectura más que agradabl...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Lara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Primo volume autoconclusivo di una serie, Blood magic racconta l’incontro tra Silla e Nicholas, ma soprattutto il loro incontro con la Magia del Sangue. In realtà il vero protagonista del romanzo è proprio il sangue, fonte di vita e di inesauribile potere. Ambientato in un paesino sperduto del Missouri, la gran parte della vicenda si svolge nel cimitero, uno di quelli con le lapidi ricoperte di muschio e sommerse di vegetazione, i cui nomi sono ormai andati dimenticati, nell’ora più buia che sep...more Primo volume autoconclusivo di una serie, Blood magic racconta l’incontro tra Silla e Nicholas, ma soprattutto il loro incontro con la Magia del Sangue. In realtà il vero protagonista del romanzo è proprio il sangue, fonte di vita e di inesauribile potere. Ambientato in un paesino sperduto del Missouri, la gran parte della vicenda si svolge nel cimitero, uno di quelli con le lapidi ricoperte di muschio e sommerse di vegetazione, i cui nomi sono ormai andati dimenticati, nell’ora più buia che separa il giorno dalla notte, il crepuscolo. L’atmosfera che si respira è cupa, con termini moderni potremmo definirla gotica e dark, ma non rendono bene l’idea, è più come una sensazione di qualcosa di oscuro che circonda i personaggi e impregna le loro esistenze, portandoli a dubitare di chiunque gli si avvicina, a dubitare di se stessi. L’amore, il dolore, la passione, la pazzia descritti e vissuti dai protagonisti è totale, profonda, eccessiva, portata all’estremo, non conosce mezze misure. Questa esasperazione dei sentimenti e dell’emozioni ti coinvolge appieno, anche grazie al fatto che la voce narrante è quella di entrambi i protagonisti. Viviamo intensamente, quasi in prima persona, il legame che unisce Nick e Silla e, così come loro non possono fare a meno l’uno dell’altra, non possiamo fare a meno di attendere e sognare il momento in sui saranno insieme. Così come veniamo travolti, attraverso il suo diario di cui sono riportate solo poche pagine ma dense di significati, dal turbine di follia di Josephine. Attraverso le parole e i ricordi di Nick riusciamo a cogliere appieno la singolarità della sua infanzia e il suo smarrimento davanti ad una madre incapace di convivere con la magia che le scorre nelle vene, straziata da un amore perduto ed impossibile da recuperare. Sentimento che sembra avvolgere Silla, devastata dalla morte dei genitori, e spingerla sull’orlo dello stesso abisso. La storia mi ha coinvolta pienamente fin dalle prime pagine, dalla scoperta della magia all’incontro e scontro con Josephine, un susseguirsi di avvenimenti da lasciare il fiato e tenermi incollata al libro, soprattutto sul finale.
Una critica che mi sento di muovere però è la nebulosità in cui sono stati lasciati i personaggi secondari. Chi è il Diacono? E la matrigna di Nick, Lilith, cosa nasconde dietro tutta quella perfezione? E Judy, la nonna acquisita che non vuole essere chiamata nonna, nasconde qualcosa o è veramente così ingenua? Essendo il primo volume di una serie voglio sperare che quello che lo legherà agli altri sia anche la presenza dei personaggi che abbiamo imparato ad amare e non solo la Magia del Sangue. Comunque questo libro ha stuzzicato la mia fantasia, sono curiosa di scoprire cosa ci aspetterà nei prossimi volumi.
Chi sono? Silla Kennicot, l’autolesionista senza più energie, timorosa del suo stesso sangue, sempre in lacrime, sempre sola? O Silla Kennicot, la maga: un’amica forte, nel pieno controllo del proprio potere?(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Nobonita rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of paranormal and fantasy

Recommended to Nobonita by: Random House India

Shelves: hardback-review-copy, random-house-india

Originally posted at my blog: http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydream...

**Thank you Random House India for providing a review copy of this book.**

I really didn't know what to make of Blood Magic.It had a lot of highs and lows.While I was quite impressed by the fact that the author was able to come up with something unique in the paranormal area other than vampires and werewolves,I felt that the entire story could have been a whole lot better.The ins ta-love wasn't very realistic and the story wasn...more

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Jul 11, 2012 A. Rose rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm still on the lookout for a good, dark young adult novel. I've already consumed Beautiful Creatures, Tithe, Wicked Lovely, and She Lies Twisted. This wasn't nearly at that level. The hardcover's image drew me in (I really detest the paperback and Kindle cover - very misleading) and the first chapter was very enticing with its single line. The rest of the book falls flat. It wasn't the kind of bad that makes me detest P.R. Frost books, but it was so boring, so uninspiring that I'm having troub...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Kat Heckenbach rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really, really wanted to love this book. I know from reading Maggie Stiefvater's blog that she and Tessa Gratton are critique partners and I love Maggie's writing, and hoped that since Maggie loved this book, well...

There were *parts* of this book I loved, parts that made me think, "Wicked!" But I spent just as much time thinking, "Whatever..."

The concept is very cool. Two families that have "the magic"--magic that comes from the blood, which is why it is passed down through families and why t...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
CALLING ALL CHICAGO KIDS (have not finished-plz no spoilers)	1	5	Nov 17, 2012 05:42pm
NARKOTIKA	7	44	Oct 29, 2012 11:38pm

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