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While mourning the loss of a mother figure, Elizabeth Blake, a smart but socially introverted seventeen year old girl from Ann Arbor Michigan, thinks she's enrolling in an international school in the south of France to finish her final year of high school. Instead, she falls in love; finds out that she is a witch from an ancient family –– who weren’t thought to exist anymore; and discovers that her life is in danger, as the Elders believe that she is the heir to a legend they fear above all else.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2014
About the author
Christy Deveaux
1 book144 followersChristy Deveaux is the author of The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake series. Her highly anticipated first book in the series, Wicka, was just released this spring (2014). Inspired by traveling across Europe solo at a very young age, and many travel adventures since, the character and story line behind Elizabeth Blake was born.Christy majored in political science and earned a cross-disciplinary degree from the University of Western Ontario. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband, three children and a fish named Cow.
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May 13, 2015FREE ON KINDLE UNTIL MAY 14TH!!
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wicka-Chronic...
US - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KN9P43Q
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wicka-Chronic...
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May 2, 2015
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/05/b...
When I came to know of Wicka, I was instantly interested. I am very intrigued with the concept of witches and the heroine here was a witch! Yay! Then the blurb and the mysterious cover had me itching to start on the book.
Wicka : The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake by Christy Deveaux is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth. She is young and normal until the day that she realizes that she is a witch!
The thrill of first love, the uncertainty of teen years and the dilemmas of a life as a witch had me enjoying the book right till the end. There is danger, fantasy, betrayal, love and entertainment. I loved Christy's writing style which is simple and yet engaging. The settings are realistic and I could visualize the scenes in my mind.
Somewhere in the middle I did feel as if the book started slacking but then it caught on at the end so it was okay. The characters are people I would love to meet someday especially William who is sweet and made me relive my first love days.
The author uses the myths on witches expertly and gives them her own twist. I stayed interested right till the end and give Wicka : The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake 4 stars out of 5. Recommended to all readers because this book will be loved not only by young adult and teen readers but also by adult readers. I am so happy to meet Christy and will be checking out her future works.
I received the book from the author and Mother Daughter Book Reviews and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
When I came to know of Wicka, I was instantly interested. I am very intrigued with the concept of witches and the heroine here was a witch! Yay! Then the blurb and the mysterious cover had me itching to start on the book.
Wicka : The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake by Christy Deveaux is the first book by this author that I have read and I enjoyed reading about Elizabeth. She is young and normal until the day that she realizes that she is a witch!
The thrill of first love, the uncertainty of teen years and the dilemmas of a life as a witch had me enjoying the book right till the end. There is danger, fantasy, betrayal, love and entertainment. I loved Christy's writing style which is simple and yet engaging. The settings are realistic and I could visualize the scenes in my mind.
Somewhere in the middle I did feel as if the book started slacking but then it caught on at the end so it was okay. The characters are people I would love to meet someday especially William who is sweet and made me relive my first love days.
The author uses the myths on witches expertly and gives them her own twist. I stayed interested right till the end and give Wicka : The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake 4 stars out of 5. Recommended to all readers because this book will be loved not only by young adult and teen readers but also by adult readers. I am so happy to meet Christy and will be checking out her future works.
I received the book from the author and Mother Daughter Book Reviews and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
April 16, 2015
AN EXCELLENT STORY OF WITCHCRAFT, DANGER AND LOVE
We learn the story of 17 year old Elizabeth Blake who is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. After loosing her mother she goes to the South of France to finish her Senior Year Of High School. Once there she learns that she is a witch and from the powerful Harlow Family. She also learns that a very powerful Coven called the Elders believes she is the one that an ancient legend says will distroy them and they are trying to kill her.
Elizabeth makes new friends with a girl named Sophie and also with a boy named William Shaw. Of course Elizabeth falls in love with William and he with her. Things happen quickly in the book which makes you not want to put it down so that you can find out what happens next. Wicka is an excellent book for both young adults as well as older ones and very enjoyable.
I received a free copy of the book from Mother Daughter Book Review in exchange for an honest review.
We learn the story of 17 year old Elizabeth Blake who is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. After loosing her mother she goes to the South of France to finish her Senior Year Of High School. Once there she learns that she is a witch and from the powerful Harlow Family. She also learns that a very powerful Coven called the Elders believes she is the one that an ancient legend says will distroy them and they are trying to kill her.
Elizabeth makes new friends with a girl named Sophie and also with a boy named William Shaw. Of course Elizabeth falls in love with William and he with her. Things happen quickly in the book which makes you not want to put it down so that you can find out what happens next. Wicka is an excellent book for both young adults as well as older ones and very enjoyable.
I received a free copy of the book from Mother Daughter Book Review in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2015
Needs More Work
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the story idea when I read the synopsis. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the book itself. The author does a lot of telling without much showing. There is little dialogue especially in the first third of the book. As a high school English teacher for over 25 years, I can say from experience that this is not a book students would read after glancing through the first several pages, which is what they do when looking for a book to read.
A lot of the back story, especially in the Preface, could be skillfully woven throughout the novel. Instead, I found myself skimming through a lot of it just to get to the dialogue. I would love to be able to read this after a thorough re-editing and rewrite. The basis for an exciting and riveting story is definitely here.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the story idea when I read the synopsis. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the book itself. The author does a lot of telling without much showing. There is little dialogue especially in the first third of the book. As a high school English teacher for over 25 years, I can say from experience that this is not a book students would read after glancing through the first several pages, which is what they do when looking for a book to read.
A lot of the back story, especially in the Preface, could be skillfully woven throughout the novel. Instead, I found myself skimming through a lot of it just to get to the dialogue. I would love to be able to read this after a thorough re-editing and rewrite. The basis for an exciting and riveting story is definitely here.
February 1, 2017
*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and couldn't wait to read it. I was quite disappointed however when most of the book was centered around Elizabeth and Will's romance and their undying love for each other. While I think the constant professions of undying love for each other, Will's over-protectiveness and the way he organised basically Elizabeth's whole life and future were supposed to be romantic, I found it quite creepy. This for me made the read quite unenjoyable. The parts of the book that focused on Elizabeth's discovery of her powers and heritage were quite interesting but compared to the focus on the romance they felt few and far between. Also, the book seemed to drag a bit but this could be alleviated by cutting some love scenes such as Elizabeth's and Will's trip to Nice which didn't really seem to advance the plot but just reinforce how in love with each other they are.
Overall, this was a disappointing read that held promise but was bogged down but an abundance of backstories, history and 'romance' (really it was creepiness).
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and couldn't wait to read it. I was quite disappointed however when most of the book was centered around Elizabeth and Will's romance and their undying love for each other. While I think the constant professions of undying love for each other, Will's over-protectiveness and the way he organised basically Elizabeth's whole life and future were supposed to be romantic, I found it quite creepy. This for me made the read quite unenjoyable. The parts of the book that focused on Elizabeth's discovery of her powers and heritage were quite interesting but compared to the focus on the romance they felt few and far between. Also, the book seemed to drag a bit but this could be alleviated by cutting some love scenes such as Elizabeth's and Will's trip to Nice which didn't really seem to advance the plot but just reinforce how in love with each other they are.
Overall, this was a disappointing read that held promise but was bogged down but an abundance of backstories, history and 'romance' (really it was creepiness).
May 2, 2015
I love a good witchcraft story, especially when the main character is from Michigan. While this book wasn't one of my favorites, it was a solid read that I think a lot of people will enjoy.
The story is one that is a quick read. There's a fairly complex plot, and the pacing is really well done. The writing is done well enough where it leaves you wanting to know more, making it a book that's easy to read in one go. I liked the main character well enough. I think that she was relatable, which is a little weird to say about a teen age witch, but there you go. She was a believable high school age girl, and her emotions and thoughts were well conveyed. I wish that at the beginning, however, more information was played out in "live time" instead of being filled in by background information by the main character. It felt almost like I was reading a book already in progress.
I liked the setting of the book as well. I enjoy a boarding school-esque setting. I have no idea why. Possibly because my parents always threatened me with one and it backfired when I asked them to send me, haha. Elizabeth moves from Ann Arbor, Michigan to finish her school in France, and I really enjoyed the change of scenery.
What set me off a bit from this book is that it ultimately felt familiar to me. The female lead with powers in a new school setting reminded me a lot of the House of Night books. The powerful coven/society of foreign beings keeping an eye on a special female character reminded me of the Vulturi in the Twilight series. That's not entirely a bad thing; I enjoyed both of those series well enough. But the comparisons definitely entered my mind while reading the book.
That said, I think those comparisons will help a lot of people to enjoy this book. It has a lot going for it over all. Witches, foreign travel, murder, romance, secret societies, magic, relatable female lead. I liked this book well enough, and if you are a fan of witchcraft, HON, Twilight, or young adult fantasy and romance, this might be a book that you would enjoy.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
The story is one that is a quick read. There's a fairly complex plot, and the pacing is really well done. The writing is done well enough where it leaves you wanting to know more, making it a book that's easy to read in one go. I liked the main character well enough. I think that she was relatable, which is a little weird to say about a teen age witch, but there you go. She was a believable high school age girl, and her emotions and thoughts were well conveyed. I wish that at the beginning, however, more information was played out in "live time" instead of being filled in by background information by the main character. It felt almost like I was reading a book already in progress.
I liked the setting of the book as well. I enjoy a boarding school-esque setting. I have no idea why. Possibly because my parents always threatened me with one and it backfired when I asked them to send me, haha. Elizabeth moves from Ann Arbor, Michigan to finish her school in France, and I really enjoyed the change of scenery.
What set me off a bit from this book is that it ultimately felt familiar to me. The female lead with powers in a new school setting reminded me a lot of the House of Night books. The powerful coven/society of foreign beings keeping an eye on a special female character reminded me of the Vulturi in the Twilight series. That's not entirely a bad thing; I enjoyed both of those series well enough. But the comparisons definitely entered my mind while reading the book.
That said, I think those comparisons will help a lot of people to enjoy this book. It has a lot going for it over all. Witches, foreign travel, murder, romance, secret societies, magic, relatable female lead. I liked this book well enough, and if you are a fan of witchcraft, HON, Twilight, or young adult fantasy and romance, this might be a book that you would enjoy.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This review can also be found on my blog, Bitches n Prose.
September 6, 2015
A magic themed tale focusing on Elizabeth Banks, a young woman from Michigan.
The unexpected death of her best friend’s mother, a woman that she had an incredibly close bond with, turns her life upside down.
Unable to deal with the changes and in an effort to escape, she gets the chance to travel to France as an exchange student.
It's there that she discovers a secret. She's a witch and not just any witch but a direct decedent from one of the oldest and most powerful bloodlines.
If that revelation wasn't enough, she finds out that the Elders, a self-appointed government based on blood lines has been hunting her and her family for years. There's a prophecy believed to be tied to her blood line, that could destroy their power and they are willing to do anything to prevent the prophecy from coming true, including murder.
Elizabeth must convince them that she's not a threat and that she is not the one the prophecy refers to. Will they believe her? Does she believe herself? The world of magic may be at a cross roads.
I really enjoyed this book and read it through pretty quick. There were some familiar themes and a few instances where the author uses non-American phrases but the character is American. Over-all not really that bad.
If you like the young-adult, paranormal genre or love magic stories then you'll enjoy this tale.
The unexpected death of her best friend’s mother, a woman that she had an incredibly close bond with, turns her life upside down.
Unable to deal with the changes and in an effort to escape, she gets the chance to travel to France as an exchange student.
It's there that she discovers a secret. She's a witch and not just any witch but a direct decedent from one of the oldest and most powerful bloodlines.
If that revelation wasn't enough, she finds out that the Elders, a self-appointed government based on blood lines has been hunting her and her family for years. There's a prophecy believed to be tied to her blood line, that could destroy their power and they are willing to do anything to prevent the prophecy from coming true, including murder.
Elizabeth must convince them that she's not a threat and that she is not the one the prophecy refers to. Will they believe her? Does she believe herself? The world of magic may be at a cross roads.
I really enjoyed this book and read it through pretty quick. There were some familiar themes and a few instances where the author uses non-American phrases but the character is American. Over-all not really that bad.
If you like the young-adult, paranormal genre or love magic stories then you'll enjoy this tale.
April 27, 2015
Wicka is the story of Elizabeth Blake, a teenager who discovers the mysterious past of her family. She is thrown into a world of magic and prophecy. This book will appeal to those who love the super natural and romance stories.
While there are great moments of excitement and some compelling characters the book can be paralleled with the Twilight series. At times I had to remind myself I was reading about witches and not vampires. There were also long descriptive parts that took away from the flow of the story. However to those who love magic, witches and teenage love stories this would be a good read.
While there are great moments of excitement and some compelling characters the book can be paralleled with the Twilight series. At times I had to remind myself I was reading about witches and not vampires. There were also long descriptive parts that took away from the flow of the story. However to those who love magic, witches and teenage love stories this would be a good read.
March 14, 2015
Elizabeth is lost until she meets William, then her world gets turned upside down. Not because of William, but because who she is has been hidden from her. Elizabeth should be excited by her new life, but instead is so terrified that she is crippled with indecision. This is a good read for preteen to young teen readers. The writing gets overly descriptive of the characters surroundings in a few areas, which is just filler which slows the story down. Needs proofreading; lots of flow through words missing throughout. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2015
The book was an easy read. I like the premise and kept turning the page looking for more action but instead found more repeats of how much they loved each other and couldn't believe it. The fact that Beth continued to be surprised that William assumed she was going with him to a dance or club or dinner or whatever got tedious when they had clearly been a serious couple for months. I would like to know how it turns between the families and the elders so it was interesting enough to have me coming back. Thanks for the opportunity.
January 21, 2015
This is kind of a "knee-jerk" reaction I posted to one of the author's Facebook posts. I also should probably say I'm a great fan of YA stories about magic and witchcraft. Here's what I posted because I really can't think of a better way to put it!
"Just finished Wicka....was reading along and swiped to go to the next chaper and got to the about the author page....what?! I'm not done reading! Such a great read! Hurry, hurry, can't wait to see what happens next! LOL! Obviously loved it!"
"Just finished Wicka....was reading along and swiped to go to the next chaper and got to the about the author page....what?! I'm not done reading! Such a great read! Hurry, hurry, can't wait to see what happens next! LOL! Obviously loved it!"
April 7, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of this book is good. I was attracted based on subject matter and the main character lives in Michigan. Unfortunately, it read like a long narrative. I wanted more dialogue.
I appreciated the characters. The characters need to deliver the story instead of one person telling us what happened.
The premise of this book is good. I was attracted based on subject matter and the main character lives in Michigan. Unfortunately, it read like a long narrative. I wanted more dialogue.
I appreciated the characters. The characters need to deliver the story instead of one person telling us what happened.
March 18, 2015
This is 4.5 of 5 stars. I enjoyed this story very much. The only complaint is that it was all past tense and so far I have not found another book to continue the story.
Meet Elizabeth Blake--teenager on the verge of womanhood who tells you the past year or so of her life. She starts off losing a woman who is like a mother to her and it changes so much in her life. Elizabeth has a loving family and a best friend but she runs away from all of them to spend her last year of high school in France--in hopes of putting to rest the overwhelming grief that she feels over the death of her best friend's mother, next door neighbor and her mom's best friend. Elizabeth meets a boy who she falls madly in love with as soon as she arrives in France. Never rating boys as a priority, this amazes even Elizabeth but William is everything she could ever want in a guy and he seems just as smitten with her. Seems like a love story, right? Well that is just a path opened to Elizabeth to discover she is a witch and that she comes from a long line of witches. More importantly, Elizabeth discovers about witches in general and the role she might be destined to play in the direction of witches as a whole and their interaction with regular humans.
As muddled as I put that, I am trying to say that the elders who govern witches all over the world have developed into tyrants. Witches, as race of people, have long foretold of a witch that will be more powerful than the Elders and has the ability to break the tryanny of their rule--something the Elders will go to any lengths to prevent. I loved the background of this story. Witches as another race of humans and how they have survived and developed over the centuries. They have their own history and legends that led to Elizabeth's story and made the story so acceptable. Even this deep true love story was an important detail of the overall story. I have to whine that she told this story after it has happened but I want to know what happened next. I am not even sure if there will be more to this story but I definitely hope so. I cannot complain that the story ended too abruptly but I want to know what happens next. So if there is another book or two or three to follow, I would be much happier. My rating might even improve to 5 of 5 stars.
Meet Elizabeth Blake--teenager on the verge of womanhood who tells you the past year or so of her life. She starts off losing a woman who is like a mother to her and it changes so much in her life. Elizabeth has a loving family and a best friend but she runs away from all of them to spend her last year of high school in France--in hopes of putting to rest the overwhelming grief that she feels over the death of her best friend's mother, next door neighbor and her mom's best friend. Elizabeth meets a boy who she falls madly in love with as soon as she arrives in France. Never rating boys as a priority, this amazes even Elizabeth but William is everything she could ever want in a guy and he seems just as smitten with her. Seems like a love story, right? Well that is just a path opened to Elizabeth to discover she is a witch and that she comes from a long line of witches. More importantly, Elizabeth discovers about witches in general and the role she might be destined to play in the direction of witches as a whole and their interaction with regular humans.
As muddled as I put that, I am trying to say that the elders who govern witches all over the world have developed into tyrants. Witches, as race of people, have long foretold of a witch that will be more powerful than the Elders and has the ability to break the tryanny of their rule--something the Elders will go to any lengths to prevent. I loved the background of this story. Witches as another race of humans and how they have survived and developed over the centuries. They have their own history and legends that led to Elizabeth's story and made the story so acceptable. Even this deep true love story was an important detail of the overall story. I have to whine that she told this story after it has happened but I want to know what happened next. I am not even sure if there will be more to this story but I definitely hope so. I cannot complain that the story ended too abruptly but I want to know what happens next. So if there is another book or two or three to follow, I would be much happier. My rating might even improve to 5 of 5 stars.
April 19, 2015
I truly enjoyed reading this book despite some cliches.
The story revolves around Elizabeth Blake of leaving home to study in France in order to runaway from the pain of losing someone close to her. In France she meets a boy whom she was instantly attracted to and he her. And her adventure starts from there especially after meeting William's family and when she finds out she's from a long linage of powerful witches and due to a certain prophecy she's monitored by the elders who ultimately wants to get rid of the heir of the legend.
At first I kind of doubted the feelings of love between Elizabeth and William but as the story goes on, well, let's just I don't doubt them anymore. They are so sweet together especially will William's romantic gestures. I also love how they don't rush their relationship even knowing that they are in it for the long haul. Aside from the romance, Elizabeth's life is not easy especially when she needed to face the others and knowing that they would find any faults on her that she will perish and put those people around her in danger.
I was saddened by the history of the Harlow family especially when the elders did everything to ensure that they don't have any heirs left. I wonder in what point of the elders did they start to change their beliefs into something more sinister? I pity the other witches who doesn't share their beliefs since when the elders retaliate it mostly leads to death at the same time a lot of those ancient families believe in their beliefs.
I can't wait to see how Elizabeth will grow up especially honing her abilities. I really love the legend of that pewter. It sounds very romantic. I just hope that Elizabeth and William won't do anything idiotic like being noble in order to save one another. Well, that sort of happened. Luckily, it did not follow through. I'm also curious to find out what powers her Oma has and what powers will Elizabeth develop.
I'm also happy that her parents fully support her decisions and of course her relationship with William. She's very lucky about that.
The ending is a temporary okay ending but it's a cliffhanger as well. I'm just glad it's that kind of ending and not the kind of ending that makes want to cry. I can't wait to read the next book and hopefully will find out more secrets about those elders.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story revolves around Elizabeth Blake of leaving home to study in France in order to runaway from the pain of losing someone close to her. In France she meets a boy whom she was instantly attracted to and he her. And her adventure starts from there especially after meeting William's family and when she finds out she's from a long linage of powerful witches and due to a certain prophecy she's monitored by the elders who ultimately wants to get rid of the heir of the legend.
At first I kind of doubted the feelings of love between Elizabeth and William but as the story goes on, well, let's just I don't doubt them anymore. They are so sweet together especially will William's romantic gestures. I also love how they don't rush their relationship even knowing that they are in it for the long haul. Aside from the romance, Elizabeth's life is not easy especially when she needed to face the others and knowing that they would find any faults on her that she will perish and put those people around her in danger.
I was saddened by the history of the Harlow family especially when the elders did everything to ensure that they don't have any heirs left. I wonder in what point of the elders did they start to change their beliefs into something more sinister? I pity the other witches who doesn't share their beliefs since when the elders retaliate it mostly leads to death at the same time a lot of those ancient families believe in their beliefs.
I can't wait to see how Elizabeth will grow up especially honing her abilities. I really love the legend of that pewter. It sounds very romantic. I just hope that Elizabeth and William won't do anything idiotic like being noble in order to save one another. Well, that sort of happened. Luckily, it did not follow through. I'm also curious to find out what powers her Oma has and what powers will Elizabeth develop.
I'm also happy that her parents fully support her decisions and of course her relationship with William. She's very lucky about that.
The ending is a temporary okay ending but it's a cliffhanger as well. I'm just glad it's that kind of ending and not the kind of ending that makes want to cry. I can't wait to read the next book and hopefully will find out more secrets about those elders.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2015
I received a copy of this book from MDBR in exchange for an honest review. Thank you MDBR!
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars! I cannot wait for more in this series!
I normally do not read books about witches, but I thought I would give this one a shot. I am glad I did because I was hooked from the first chapter. The whole plot about the elders reminded me of the Volturi from Twilight and I loved it. Although it reminded me of the Volturi, it was completely different at the same time. Instead of power hungry vampires, it was power hungry witches. There is just something about people who end up power hungry that captivates my attention!
There is plenty of action in this book. The anticipation Elizabeth feels about having to meet the elders, you also feel. You might want to be prepared to stay up all night with this one because you will not want to put it down.
I loved the romance between Elizabeth and William. Parents: Don’t worry, its strictly PG rated (just kissing). I liked that this book kept the romance simple, and Elizabeth becomes involved with William’s family pretty early on. There was definitely a great family feel to this book. William is charming and a sweetheart. Even though they remain virgins after spending the night together with a chance of something intimate happening, William loves Elizabeth. I think this would be a good book for young girls to read, so they feel like they can abstain without the guy changing their minds about them.
Although this book is great for young adults, it still captivates the older reader (like me!). This is definitely a great book you could share with your preteen or teenager to talk about serious issues.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars! I cannot wait for more in this series!
I normally do not read books about witches, but I thought I would give this one a shot. I am glad I did because I was hooked from the first chapter. The whole plot about the elders reminded me of the Volturi from Twilight and I loved it. Although it reminded me of the Volturi, it was completely different at the same time. Instead of power hungry vampires, it was power hungry witches. There is just something about people who end up power hungry that captivates my attention!
There is plenty of action in this book. The anticipation Elizabeth feels about having to meet the elders, you also feel. You might want to be prepared to stay up all night with this one because you will not want to put it down.
I loved the romance between Elizabeth and William. Parents: Don’t worry, its strictly PG rated (just kissing). I liked that this book kept the romance simple, and Elizabeth becomes involved with William’s family pretty early on. There was definitely a great family feel to this book. William is charming and a sweetheart. Even though they remain virgins after spending the night together with a chance of something intimate happening, William loves Elizabeth. I think this would be a good book for young girls to read, so they feel like they can abstain without the guy changing their minds about them.
Although this book is great for young adults, it still captivates the older reader (like me!). This is definitely a great book you could share with your preteen or teenager to talk about serious issues.
May 1, 2015
I was immediately drawn to the concept this novel. However, I grew more and more concerned as I started reading. The first chunk of the book feels more like a book report type summary. (This this and this happened...) I stuck with it since I had agreed to share a review upon completion.. and, ok, I was curious as to where the story would end up. I am very glad that I continued. Somewhere around chapter 10 or 11, the writing became much better. We had more dialog and a story developing as we read vs a summary. YAY! At this point, I couldn't put it down and had to stay up all night to complete it! I just wish it hadn't taken so long for it to latch onto me and yank me in. I chalk this up to it being Christy Deveaux's debut novel - and that we were along for the ride to witness her growth as a writer.
Once I got into the story, it was wonderful! I cared about the characters. I laughed and cried with them. The secondary characters were beautifully incorporated. So many times we find that a when a writer is developing a trilogy or series that the first book will flood us with info on the future characters that had no real substance to the current story. I was delighted to see that this did NOT happen in Wicka! Every character and every interaction drove not only THIS story, but our emotional attachment to their future as well.
I can't wait to get my hands on the next novel in this series and look forward to more from Christy Deveaux.
I received a free copy of the book from Mother Daughter Book Review in exchange for an honest review.
Once I got into the story, it was wonderful! I cared about the characters. I laughed and cried with them. The secondary characters were beautifully incorporated. So many times we find that a when a writer is developing a trilogy or series that the first book will flood us with info on the future characters that had no real substance to the current story. I was delighted to see that this did NOT happen in Wicka! Every character and every interaction drove not only THIS story, but our emotional attachment to their future as well.
I can't wait to get my hands on the next novel in this series and look forward to more from Christy Deveaux.
I received a free copy of the book from Mother Daughter Book Review in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2015
Elizabeth Banks, a 17year old from Ann Arbor Michigan, jumps at the opportunity complete her Senior Year of High School in France when her life is turned upside down at the death of her Best Friend's Mother. Once in Europe things take an interesting twist when she discovers that she is a descendant of the Harlow Family, one of the oldest and most powerful Witch bloodlines. She also learns that The Elders (a very powerful Coven) believe that she is described in an ancient legend about a battle led by “One barely born existing to lead” would cause the downfall of the Elders. Needless to say, they have been keeping an eye on her since she was born. As if being a teenager witch wasn't tough enough, Elizabeth struggles with school work, her new found powers, and a love triangle involving her friend (and fellow Witch) William and her friend Sophie who is also in love with William. This makes her vulnerable to the Elders, and as time runs out, Elizabeth must learn to use the powers she possesses to protect herself and the people she loves most.
A lot happens very quickly in this book, I never found myself bored while reading the story. It was a real page turner. Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy jam packed with family, friendship, love triangles, betrayal and magic.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for review purposes. My opinions are 100% my own.
A lot happens very quickly in this book, I never found myself bored while reading the story. It was a real page turner. Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy jam packed with family, friendship, love triangles, betrayal and magic.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for review purposes. My opinions are 100% my own.
May 2, 2015
Wicka: The Chronicles of Elizabeth Blake is a paranormal romance by Christy Deveaux.
Elizabeth is a normal high school girl from Michigan who, like Harry Potter, is surprised to discover she comes from a very old magical family. Blend together a new boyfriend, a jealous ex-girlfriend, a school term in Europe, a vacation in Nice, a trip to Greece, a shadowy threat, a grand council of magic, and a prophesy to fulfill and this book has a lot to intrigue fans of this genre.
I love the cover of this book and the overall themes and ideas presented here. There are times I think the book is a little slow and I would personally like to see the dramatic and emotional stakes higher for both the romantic and magical parts of the story. There are places I would have enjoyed more showing and less telling. I wanted to be drawn deeper into the heart of the scene, not just told what happened. However, I know many people who will love this story just the way it is.
I always enjoy discovering new authors and I look forward to seeing what Christy Deveaux brings to us in the future. Christy Deveaux and Elizabeth Blake are of to a great start.
A copy was provided in exchange for an fair review.
Elizabeth is a normal high school girl from Michigan who, like Harry Potter, is surprised to discover she comes from a very old magical family. Blend together a new boyfriend, a jealous ex-girlfriend, a school term in Europe, a vacation in Nice, a trip to Greece, a shadowy threat, a grand council of magic, and a prophesy to fulfill and this book has a lot to intrigue fans of this genre.
I love the cover of this book and the overall themes and ideas presented here. There are times I think the book is a little slow and I would personally like to see the dramatic and emotional stakes higher for both the romantic and magical parts of the story. There are places I would have enjoyed more showing and less telling. I wanted to be drawn deeper into the heart of the scene, not just told what happened. However, I know many people who will love this story just the way it is.
I always enjoy discovering new authors and I look forward to seeing what Christy Deveaux brings to us in the future. Christy Deveaux and Elizabeth Blake are of to a great start.
A copy was provided in exchange for an fair review.
May 2, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in order to write an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed reading this novel! The characters are clearly written and likeable. And the main character, Elizabeth, doesn't whine like many female YA characters do. This story was refreshing after my small reading slump! However, I would love to reread this book after a professional editing. The novel is heavily narrated and includes very little dialog, which caused me to skip through some paragraphs just so I could get to the actual conversation. In addition to this, the story was written entirely in the past tense from Elizabeth's POV. Elizabeth is from Michigan, but many of the words and phrases in the book were British (ruck/practised). This was just a minor detail, but as an American reading the book, it was definitely something I noticed. This being said, none of these things caused me to dislike the book. I'm definitely looking forward to future sequels to Wicka!
I really enjoyed reading this novel! The characters are clearly written and likeable. And the main character, Elizabeth, doesn't whine like many female YA characters do. This story was refreshing after my small reading slump! However, I would love to reread this book after a professional editing. The novel is heavily narrated and includes very little dialog, which caused me to skip through some paragraphs just so I could get to the actual conversation. In addition to this, the story was written entirely in the past tense from Elizabeth's POV. Elizabeth is from Michigan, but many of the words and phrases in the book were British (ruck/practised). This was just a minor detail, but as an American reading the book, it was definitely something I noticed. This being said, none of these things caused me to dislike the book. I'm definitely looking forward to future sequels to Wicka!
October 24, 2016
I received a copy of this book from netgalley for review.
There were some parts of Wicka that I really liked a lot. Mostly the history of the families and the legends. But there was way too much whining from Elizabeth that took away from the book. I remember and understand first love, but I felt like every few pages had Elizabeth only worried about being apart from William and nothing else. If the author could have toned that down a bit, I would have liked the book so much more. If I get a chance, I will probably read the next book hoping that it will have more magic and less of the insecure first love.
There were some parts of Wicka that I really liked a lot. Mostly the history of the families and the legends. But there was way too much whining from Elizabeth that took away from the book. I remember and understand first love, but I felt like every few pages had Elizabeth only worried about being apart from William and nothing else. If the author could have toned that down a bit, I would have liked the book so much more. If I get a chance, I will probably read the next book hoping that it will have more magic and less of the insecure first love.
April 21, 2015
This story was very interesting i did feel that it look a long time to get to some of the more exciting parts of the story. I love the danger scences when the elders attack, i wanted more action. I also felt that i was left hanging with a lot of unanswered question which i guess is the point so i read the next one right. I want to know more about the bookmarks, how things play out for wiliam and elisabeth, how the year goes at oxford, what is her oma hiding ugh so much i need answers to. This was a great first book just lacked a little in the action department.
December 27, 2015
Imagine all in the space of a few weeks, falling in love with someone, finding out you're a witch AND that you may be part of a prophecy that terrifies the witch elders. That's exactly what happened to Elizabeth. When she meets William it's instant love but neither understand just how much danger Elizabeth has been put in by meeting him.
Well written, great characters, even Sophie, who seemed overly immature
Well written, great characters, even Sophie, who seemed overly immature
April 29, 2015
I loved this book. Great characters. Elizabeth and William are destined to be together. I enjoyed watching them fall in love and feeling Elizabeth's insecurities. When they first meet Elizabeth had no idea she was a witch. As she learned about herself and the history of her witch family, she also discovered the danger she was in.
October 31, 2016
I adored this book!
When i chose this book, i had no idea i wouldn't be able to put it down. I have not read anything so engrossing in years! I fell in love with all the characters in the story! I will recommend this book to everyone!
When i chose this book, i had no idea i wouldn't be able to put it down. I have not read anything so engrossing in years! I fell in love with all the characters in the story! I will recommend this book to everyone!
October 17, 2016
Excellent book
Excellent book! I loved every page. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to read the next one, I'm sure it will be just as great.
Excellent book! I loved every page. I highly recommend this book. I can't wait to read the next one, I'm sure it will be just as great.
August 23, 2017
Title received from netgalley for an honest review.
I don't know if it's the fact that YA has seen a huge boom, particularly in the Fantasy/Adventure sector, but it has. I've read a lot in this genre as I love Fantasy/Adventure to begin with. Like many people I liked the synopsis of the story, but I couldn't get behind the writing style. Something about young readers and teen stories, I get they're supposed to sound like the age of the character, but that on top of the story being told in first person I really think created a disconnect in how I experienced Elizabeth as a character. Some of her actions a reactions were so overly dramatic - i.e. the bit with Mrs. Hill.
I loved the bits and pieces about magic, but once she met William I started to not like Elizabeth and her story any more. A lot of female heroins always have a love interest, but William was really obsessive and an overbearing character in relation to Elizabeth. I like my female characters to have a lot more spine and independence. I can appreciate the romantic feelings, but romantic feelings in teens are so complicated because they don't really know love and they feel things to extremes and get wrapped up in that love. It was almost too much for the kind of journey Elizabeth goes through in revelation of her familial history. And again, all this was only enhanced by how much "tell" is in the writing. Elizabeth tells a lot of her feelings in the story instead of showing and feeling.
Overall, really good concept, but weak character development and writing, even for the intended audience with a lot of unrealistic elements in the humanity and realness of the characters.
I don't know if it's the fact that YA has seen a huge boom, particularly in the Fantasy/Adventure sector, but it has. I've read a lot in this genre as I love Fantasy/Adventure to begin with. Like many people I liked the synopsis of the story, but I couldn't get behind the writing style. Something about young readers and teen stories, I get they're supposed to sound like the age of the character, but that on top of the story being told in first person I really think created a disconnect in how I experienced Elizabeth as a character. Some of her actions a reactions were so overly dramatic - i.e. the bit with Mrs. Hill.
I loved the bits and pieces about magic, but once she met William I started to not like Elizabeth and her story any more. A lot of female heroins always have a love interest, but William was really obsessive and an overbearing character in relation to Elizabeth. I like my female characters to have a lot more spine and independence. I can appreciate the romantic feelings, but romantic feelings in teens are so complicated because they don't really know love and they feel things to extremes and get wrapped up in that love. It was almost too much for the kind of journey Elizabeth goes through in revelation of her familial history. And again, all this was only enhanced by how much "tell" is in the writing. Elizabeth tells a lot of her feelings in the story instead of showing and feeling.
Overall, really good concept, but weak character development and writing, even for the intended audience with a lot of unrealistic elements in the humanity and realness of the characters.
November 30, 2018
I was gifted an ecopy via Netgalley.
This isn't a really strong story. It definitely has potential, but lacks in the storytelling department. The writing is very choppy. I'm trying to figure out how to best describe it, but it's very much "I did this." "I saw that." "I felt this way." and very little world or character or plot building. There was some mega instalove that made me cringe extremely hard and I felt that there was a very infamous awful YA quote that was slightly changed here: "The only thing that I couldn't second guess was that I was entirely and irreversibly in love with William" - Mind you this is in the same chapter the MC meets him, which is chapter two. I didn't like the first four chapters. They felt like chapters from entirely different stories and that was a confusing way to start a story. Unfortunately, I am DNF-ing at 15%.
This isn't a really strong story. It definitely has potential, but lacks in the storytelling department. The writing is very choppy. I'm trying to figure out how to best describe it, but it's very much "I did this." "I saw that." "I felt this way." and very little world or character or plot building. There was some mega instalove that made me cringe extremely hard and I felt that there was a very infamous awful YA quote that was slightly changed here: "The only thing that I couldn't second guess was that I was entirely and irreversibly in love with William" - Mind you this is in the same chapter the MC meets him, which is chapter two. I didn't like the first four chapters. They felt like chapters from entirely different stories and that was a confusing way to start a story. Unfortunately, I am DNF-ing at 15%.
August 19, 2021
i really wanted to like this story, which had an intriguing premise. however, the story could have used an editor willing to cut perhaps 1/3rd of the total word count, which mostly consisted of "undying love"/"we were meant for each other"/"teenage angst"/"perfect families", ad nauseum, without losing any part of the actual plot. i probably read the last 40-50 pages in just a few minutes, catching the basics of each page without losing any of the plot.
October 28, 2018
The story was very good, the writing was a bit immature. I love like to see what happens next with Elizabeth and William but I can’t find book 2.
March 7, 2017
I picked this book up one evening while on vacation at my daughters. Probably wasn't a good idea. I read well into the night and didn't want to stop when I finally did. This was a very interesting read. I really enjoyed it. I personally think this book is good for YA and adults both.
The book is about 17 year old Elizabeth Blake from Michigan. She has recently lost her mom and decides to finish her last year of high school in the South of France. She finds her 1st love, finds out she is a witch, and also finds out she is danger.
At time the story began to drag a bit with the back story and description taking over in parts, especially at the first of the book. I did like that this book did have actual witch lore sprinkled throughout though. I will be looking for the next book in this series though, to see where Christy Deveaux takes it.
The book is about 17 year old Elizabeth Blake from Michigan. She has recently lost her mom and decides to finish her last year of high school in the South of France. She finds her 1st love, finds out she is a witch, and also finds out she is danger.
At time the story began to drag a bit with the back story and description taking over in parts, especially at the first of the book. I did like that this book did have actual witch lore sprinkled throughout though. I will be looking for the next book in this series though, to see where Christy Deveaux takes it.
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