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Pleasantwick
When her father begins restoring an enormous, ancient run-down house in the middle of the California woods, Melinda Richards is instantly captivated. Steeped in mystery, the grand old structure, dubbed Sotheby House, boasts a history — and power — that Melinda would never guess. She’s lured back time and again, especially after meeting a handsome stranger in the nearby woods. Strong, soothing, charming … Luke makes her feel calm and excited all at once, and it’s not long before Melinda is spending every spare moment with the mysterious young man.
Luke Sotheby is in trouble — in more ways than one. Not only is his magical world, Pleasantwick, under attack by dark witches, but his ancestral home, the very portal to that world, has been bought by a commoner. And worse … he’s falling for the commoner’s daughter. Melinda is smart, sweet, brave. She makes him feel things he’s never experienced — and for an empath, that’s really saying something. At a time when all his energy should be focused on the preservation of his home and the safety of his people, Luke is drawn to Melinda on a soul-deep level that’s impossible to ignore.
As the magical battle spills over into the common world, the young couple begins to face dangers the likes of which neither has ever known. Lives will be lost, secrets revealed, and if Pleasantwick falls, Melinda and Luke could be separated — forever.
Luke Sotheby is in trouble — in more ways than one. Not only is his magical world, Pleasantwick, under attack by dark witches, but his ancestral home, the very portal to that world, has been bought by a commoner. And worse … he’s falling for the commoner’s daughter. Melinda is smart, sweet, brave. She makes him feel things he’s never experienced — and for an empath, that’s really saying something. At a time when all his energy should be focused on the preservation of his home and the safety of his people, Luke is drawn to Melinda on a soul-deep level that’s impossible to ignore.
As the magical battle spills over into the common world, the young couple begins to face dangers the likes of which neither has ever known. Lives will be lost, secrets revealed, and if Pleasantwick falls, Melinda and Luke could be separated — forever.
316 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2015
11 people are currently reading
577 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Stoughton
4 books39 followersM.L. STOUGHTON has been an ice-cream scooper, a wedding DJ, a balloon-toting clown, a travel agent and a dental assistant. Married with two grown daughters, a super spoiled pup, and three kitty overlords, she lives in upstate New York and loves all things paranormal – especially when there’s kissing.
M.L. is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and its local chapter, STAR (Southern Tier Authors of Romance). Her first novel, Pleasantwick, won a gold medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards and was chosen as the “Official Selection” for Young Adult Fantasy in the 2017 New Apple Summer E-book Awards.
In 2019 she added a new genre to her list. Publishing as MICHELE LINDSEY, her first release, Yetta’s Yearning remained in Amazon’s top #100 for American Historical Romance for five months, launching her “Sunsets and Saddles” series.
M.L. is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and its local chapter, STAR (Southern Tier Authors of Romance). Her first novel, Pleasantwick, won a gold medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite Awards and was chosen as the “Official Selection” for Young Adult Fantasy in the 2017 New Apple Summer E-book Awards.
In 2019 she added a new genre to her list. Publishing as MICHELE LINDSEY, her first release, Yetta’s Yearning remained in Amazon’s top #100 for American Historical Romance for five months, launching her “Sunsets and Saddles” series.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 21, 2025
There is a secret world living just on the other side of the veil. It’s a refuge that hosts magical creatures who wanted to escape persecution. This place is called Pleasantwick.
Gateways have been created to keep the commoners, non-magical, out of Pleasantwick and let in the worthy magical users. These gateways allow the residents of Pleasantwick a way to tranverse both worlds. Tragic events have now let one of these gateways to fall into a commoner’s hands.
Melinda Richards’ father has just purchased an ancient home to restore in the woods of California. When Melinda visits her father’s work site, she gains the attention of Luke Sotheby, resident and guardian of Pleasantwick.
Compelled by an undeniable attraction Luke protects Melinda from afar until an evil that has threatened Pleasantwick turns its sights on Melinda and all she holds dear.
Pleasantwick provides a wonderfully suspense filled, paranormal plot that loosely draws on the history of Salem witch trials. Stoughton magically weaves a story of both historical and contemporary times that coalesce into Pleasantwick’s tale.
Romance, witches and a secret world, this enchanting tale will delight any young adult, paranormal, romance fan.
I received this copy of Pleasantwick from M. L. Stoughton in exchange for a honest review.
Gateways have been created to keep the commoners, non-magical, out of Pleasantwick and let in the worthy magical users. These gateways allow the residents of Pleasantwick a way to tranverse both worlds. Tragic events have now let one of these gateways to fall into a commoner’s hands.
Melinda Richards’ father has just purchased an ancient home to restore in the woods of California. When Melinda visits her father’s work site, she gains the attention of Luke Sotheby, resident and guardian of Pleasantwick.
Compelled by an undeniable attraction Luke protects Melinda from afar until an evil that has threatened Pleasantwick turns its sights on Melinda and all she holds dear.
Pleasantwick provides a wonderfully suspense filled, paranormal plot that loosely draws on the history of Salem witch trials. Stoughton magically weaves a story of both historical and contemporary times that coalesce into Pleasantwick’s tale.
Romance, witches and a secret world, this enchanting tale will delight any young adult, paranormal, romance fan.
I received this copy of Pleasantwick from M. L. Stoughton in exchange for a honest review.
February 4, 2015
Who doesn't like a nice romance intertwined with fantasy? This is an absolute must read. The characters Stoughton created along with the mystical world managed to pull me in. I found myself routing for the "good guys" while quickly flipping through pages because the suspense in the book kept a constant need for me to find out more! I enjoyed Melinda's character and watching her strength build as she had to overcome one obstacle after another, and fighting to receive answers to all the questions building inside of her. The end was also a pleasant surprise and one I never guessed was coming.
August 20, 2017
Pleasantwick, by: M. L. Stoughton is a Young Adult Fantasy novels with a budding romance and a touch of suspense.
When the main character Melinda Richards and her father begin restoring an ancient home, named Sotheby House, she finds herself in the charming and calming company of it's ancestral true owner, Luke Sotheby. Luke, torn by duty to his magical world, Pleasantwick, and his developing attraction for Melinda, makes a choice that could lead to danger.. As they are drawn to each other, an old evil attempts to take over, leaving the young couple, their budding romance and their worlds in peril.
As I've mentioned time and again, Fantasy novels are a love of mine. I enjoy the idea of magic, perilous realms and worlds created purely from imagination. The book helped to keep that love alive! I adore the creativeness of Pleasantwick! The characters are well-developed and made up of mostly everything they should be; my favorite being Luke, his but-kicking guy group and Cora. I liked Melissa, but, there was a part where I felt a tiny bit annoyed by her reactions; like her depression about Luke was a bit much and that her character could've shown and felt like she was in graver danger than she seemed. That, however, didn't take major points away from the whoel story.
This novel kind of reminded me of Narnia: Prince Caspian (because of the portal and war within the magical world) and Shadowhunters (because of the war between Wickers and Lythanons).
Overall, I enjoyed reading Pleasantwick, loved the creativeness in this book and will love to continue the series. I can't wait to find out what is happening with one of my favorite secondary characters, Cora. The author did a great job for this being the first book! I sincerely look forward to more from M.L. Stoughton.
When the main character Melinda Richards and her father begin restoring an ancient home, named Sotheby House, she finds herself in the charming and calming company of it's ancestral true owner, Luke Sotheby. Luke, torn by duty to his magical world, Pleasantwick, and his developing attraction for Melinda, makes a choice that could lead to danger.. As they are drawn to each other, an old evil attempts to take over, leaving the young couple, their budding romance and their worlds in peril.
As I've mentioned time and again, Fantasy novels are a love of mine. I enjoy the idea of magic, perilous realms and worlds created purely from imagination. The book helped to keep that love alive! I adore the creativeness of Pleasantwick! The characters are well-developed and made up of mostly everything they should be; my favorite being Luke, his but-kicking guy group and Cora. I liked Melissa, but, there was a part where I felt a tiny bit annoyed by her reactions; like her depression about Luke was a bit much and that her character could've shown and felt like she was in graver danger than she seemed. That, however, didn't take major points away from the whoel story.
This novel kind of reminded me of Narnia: Prince Caspian (because of the portal and war within the magical world) and Shadowhunters (because of the war between Wickers and Lythanons).
Overall, I enjoyed reading Pleasantwick, loved the creativeness in this book and will love to continue the series. I can't wait to find out what is happening with one of my favorite secondary characters, Cora. The author did a great job for this being the first book! I sincerely look forward to more from M.L. Stoughton.
October 4, 2015
Review from Tea & Titles
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Like almost every other book, I was drawn into Pleasantwick because of the cover. I’m not going to lie, it was totally the colours that drew me in—I love the sunset-y colours. Then I read the synopsis and I was totally sold. I mean, it had two of my favourite things—history and magic. Where could it go wrong?
The history aspect was awesome. I don’t know a lot about American history. In school, we only ever studied Australian or European history so I really like reading books that have that historical element. As you might expect with witches, this talked about Salem a little which is of course, really interesting but it also went over in a unique direction. We got to see two alternating stories—Melinda’s and the stories of the witches who created Pleasantwick. Pleasantwick is the witch world, basically, which isn’t something I’ve really seen in YA. The witches are in the real world as well, but they also have their own little town. Let me tell you, Pleasantwick sounds like an amazing place. When I was reading about it, I was just taken with how beautiful it sounded. I know this is totally cliche, but yes, it sounded magical. Do you think I could move there?
I loved the magic as well. Everyone sort of has their own special powers which I always like in books. They were good powers too—like telekinesis and those sorts of things. It was also wasn’t one of those ‘this character is the first witch is centuries to have this power’ kind of books, which I always appreciate. The characters were unique in different ways—they all had little quirks that made them stand out. I especially liked the fact that Melinda’s dad restores old houses, that just sounds like such a great job but maybe that’s just the history nerd in me. There was another great character named Cora who was an old lady (and a great cook), but for those of you who don’t know Cora is the main character of my novel so it just made me really happy to see that name in there.
The only thing that stopped this from being a five star book for me was the relationship between Melinda and Luke. I would have liked to see it develop a little slower. It wasn’t instalove, but it still moved a little fast for me.
All in all, I really, really enjoyed this. I have to say, I did not expect the ending to go that way. I thought I’d already worked it out, and then BAM twist! I would definitely recommend Pleasantwick to anyone that enjoys a good witch story.
Thanks to M.L. Stoughton and Mark Shaw of #IndieBooksBeSeen for organising this review copy for me.
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Like almost every other book, I was drawn into Pleasantwick because of the cover. I’m not going to lie, it was totally the colours that drew me in—I love the sunset-y colours. Then I read the synopsis and I was totally sold. I mean, it had two of my favourite things—history and magic. Where could it go wrong?
The history aspect was awesome. I don’t know a lot about American history. In school, we only ever studied Australian or European history so I really like reading books that have that historical element. As you might expect with witches, this talked about Salem a little which is of course, really interesting but it also went over in a unique direction. We got to see two alternating stories—Melinda’s and the stories of the witches who created Pleasantwick. Pleasantwick is the witch world, basically, which isn’t something I’ve really seen in YA. The witches are in the real world as well, but they also have their own little town. Let me tell you, Pleasantwick sounds like an amazing place. When I was reading about it, I was just taken with how beautiful it sounded. I know this is totally cliche, but yes, it sounded magical. Do you think I could move there?
I loved the magic as well. Everyone sort of has their own special powers which I always like in books. They were good powers too—like telekinesis and those sorts of things. It was also wasn’t one of those ‘this character is the first witch is centuries to have this power’ kind of books, which I always appreciate. The characters were unique in different ways—they all had little quirks that made them stand out. I especially liked the fact that Melinda’s dad restores old houses, that just sounds like such a great job but maybe that’s just the history nerd in me. There was another great character named Cora who was an old lady (and a great cook), but for those of you who don’t know Cora is the main character of my novel so it just made me really happy to see that name in there.
The only thing that stopped this from being a five star book for me was the relationship between Melinda and Luke. I would have liked to see it develop a little slower. It wasn’t instalove, but it still moved a little fast for me.
All in all, I really, really enjoyed this. I have to say, I did not expect the ending to go that way. I thought I’d already worked it out, and then BAM twist! I would definitely recommend Pleasantwick to anyone that enjoys a good witch story.
Thanks to M.L. Stoughton and Mark Shaw of #IndieBooksBeSeen for organising this review copy for me.
March 18, 2015
This debut novel for young adults really hits the mark. PLEASANTWICK is a juicy blend of suspense, romance and the paranormal, exactly what I love to read. Opening with a short angst-riddled passage dating back to the Salem witch trial period, the book continues to weave brief and relevant family historical events throughout the exciting contemporary narrative. I'm not usually a fan of historical writing, but M.L. Stoughton really captures long-ago voices and shares only necessary bits, each one adding to the story. The past and present are both compelling. Long-ago story elements introduce us to a family of witches, and while your understanding of them has likely been fashioned from many other sources, the author manages to find some fresh viewpoints that left me intrigued. In the present, we hear from teen characters Melinda and Luke in two distinct third-person voices, which is appropriate because they're from two different worlds. Melinda, sixteen, is totally relatable as she finishes her junior year of high school worrying about the status of her maybe-relationship and the upcoming summer. She has an excellent relationship with her parents, which I find refreshing. Her BFF Kelly is a riot! Luke, seventeen, watches Melinda from afar at first, as she visits the huge old house her dad is planning to flip in the country. Luke's not a creeper- he actually LIVES in that house, sort of...I don't want to give too much away! He's not supposed to let Melinda see him, but it gets harder and harder to help himself, especially when her maybe-boyfriend starts acting scary. When Melinda and Luke come face to face, it's magical...in more ways than one. That doesn't mean it's easy- far from it. They must fight to stay together despite tensions and true danger in both her world and his. We meet a cast of supporting characters that make us run the gamut of emotions, and it's a real roller coaster ride right until the end. The author understands human nature and the fallibility within us all while showing us why it's worth fighting for what's right- and for what we need most. I also want to mention that this is a rare teen book offering the sizzle of attraction and some real romance without being too explicit. Appropriate for everyone. Highly recommended- and I want a sequel now!
January 30, 2016
I got this in exchange for an honest review, I like this author work and this book was a joy to read this one made me think of the movie pleasentville since it was titled pleasantwick unlike the movie this one had a lot of paranormal to it it had a lot of magic surrounding it which was great not only that it had the good the bad the ugly love passion and those who try to destroy that beautiful purity the action is great in this one among other events that kept me reading till the end and I was so sad when I reached the end because I wanted more still wonderful work of art it has many elements all together which I recommend to everyone you will enjoy the rich difference in this one which will keep you addicted captivated and reading till the end amazing work and the characters are very unique charming and enchanting a lot I hope to read more for this author if the rest is like this I am hooked for life
June 24, 2015
I truly enjoyed this book. I've always had a penchant for magical doorways. Melinda finds a door in the dilapidated old house her father is restoring that leads to a hidden society, and what follows is a sweet love story with lots of action and peril. Melinda is an engaging heroine and I love the interaction between Melinda and her best friend, but I truly enjoyed Luke, her love interest. He just jumped out of the pages and became a real person for me. The author's descriptions and use of magic are well written and exciting. Pleasantwick treads that fine line between fantasy and magical realism chapter by chapter - from Melinda's point of view, it's startling and strange, but when we see from Luke's eyes, it's perfectly natural and expected. It's a story with an ending but plenty of room for more...can't wait to revisit these characters!
June 22, 2015
I love a unique and interesting take on witch stories and Pleasantwick has just that, along with interesting world building and suspense.Although I liked all the "likable" characters, my favorite may have been Luke's posse of boys. As a mom with a pack of males at home, their interactions with each other resonated with me. Plus they had some kick-butt paranormal skills. A fun and exciting read!
February 8, 2017
OMG!! I loved this story.! Pleasantwick was a very cool world. The story was interesting and unique. I loved the characters and the twists I didn't see coming. I really hope there is another story after this. I would love to read more. I couldn't put this story down. Very creative world. I loved it!
September 1, 2022
When her father begins restoring a large and mysterious old house in California, Melinda finds herself drawn to the property and the surrounding woods. There she meets Luke, an attractive boy who comes from a long line of witches who each possess unique powers. One day, Melinda stumbles upon a secret passageway to Pleasantwick, the hidden society of which Luke is a part. And while Melinda seems curious about the house and the magical mysteries is contains, Luke must keep Melinda at a distance and even erase her memories of magic to protect her. Unfortunately, the evil witches of Pleasantwick seem to have targeted Melinda, and so Luke must do everything he can to protect her.
I found this book to be quite charming, and while it was slow paced for most of the book, there was an impeccable understanding on how teenagers interact with each other. I especially enjoyed Melinda’s relationship with her best friend Kelly, to the point where it reminded me of my own relationships with best friends in my youth. Luke was a nice character as well, though much of Melinda and Luke’s relationship did feel like it was built on lust rather than love. But what teenager isn’t horny? Perhaps it’s fitting. And when compared to Melinda’s relationship with Jason, Luke is a refreshing change. Ultimately, Pleasantwick felt like a book that would be enjoyed by those who also enjoyed Twilight. It’s a teenage romance with elements of magic, and if that’s what you’re into then you’ll love this book. Plus, there’s a book two!
I found this book to be quite charming, and while it was slow paced for most of the book, there was an impeccable understanding on how teenagers interact with each other. I especially enjoyed Melinda’s relationship with her best friend Kelly, to the point where it reminded me of my own relationships with best friends in my youth. Luke was a nice character as well, though much of Melinda and Luke’s relationship did feel like it was built on lust rather than love. But what teenager isn’t horny? Perhaps it’s fitting. And when compared to Melinda’s relationship with Jason, Luke is a refreshing change. Ultimately, Pleasantwick felt like a book that would be enjoyed by those who also enjoyed Twilight. It’s a teenage romance with elements of magic, and if that’s what you’re into then you’ll love this book. Plus, there’s a book two!
May 11, 2017
Pleasantwick is a sweet story, full of creativity and delicious moments of love and friendship.
In the beginning, without the small parts where the four little witches ran from Salem, I would never see the book as paranormal.
Melinda and Kelly, the best friends, close ranks to face the challenges of her high school days.
The story's plot flows between the two girls and their boyfriends.
In the beginning, I thought strange the snippets of a past story, but as the book developed, I understood them.
It helped a lot to understand and follow Melinda and her discoveries in the old house her father bought.
The property, in the middle of acres of wood, brought the perfect ambiance for the plot.
Mystery sprinkled over the events makes the book a hard one to leave.
Until the most amazing boy-Luke-reveals himself and fights to protect Melinda; the book glued to my hands until the last line.
When Luke's enemy left behind a small burned mark on the ground, the event set the story pace-thrilling.
Pleasantwick is a nice creativity breeze.
Intelligent story, coherent characters that fit their position in the plot, and twists to keep the story pace.
The genre thanks Michaele Stoughton for the fresh creative eyes on the oldest of all paranormal topics-witches and witchcraft.
Well done.
In the beginning, without the small parts where the four little witches ran from Salem, I would never see the book as paranormal.
Melinda and Kelly, the best friends, close ranks to face the challenges of her high school days.
The story's plot flows between the two girls and their boyfriends.
In the beginning, I thought strange the snippets of a past story, but as the book developed, I understood them.
It helped a lot to understand and follow Melinda and her discoveries in the old house her father bought.
The property, in the middle of acres of wood, brought the perfect ambiance for the plot.
Mystery sprinkled over the events makes the book a hard one to leave.
Until the most amazing boy-Luke-reveals himself and fights to protect Melinda; the book glued to my hands until the last line.
When Luke's enemy left behind a small burned mark on the ground, the event set the story pace-thrilling.
Pleasantwick is a nice creativity breeze.
Intelligent story, coherent characters that fit their position in the plot, and twists to keep the story pace.
The genre thanks Michaele Stoughton for the fresh creative eyes on the oldest of all paranormal topics-witches and witchcraft.
Well done.
March 1, 2018
Pleasantwick is a charming little story about a girl named Melinda who was living a seemingly normal high school life until a domino effect took place after her father purchased the Sotheby House. Her not-so but kind of boyfriend even had a drastic personality change the more they hung out in the area of the home. What could have happened to him? Why a bit of witchcraft, of course.
I enjoyed the bits of flashbacks we are given through the story, while following Melinda's story in the present. Luke's as well, though I do wish we had more of his view to help balance the characters a little bit more. There were also moments where Melinda's best friend, Kelly, seemed a bit too much for me, but in truth, there ARE high school girls like her so I cannot say that she isn't realistic.
I personally would have liked a bit more history of Pleasantwick too and more explanations as to why Melinda felt so connected to the place throughout the tale. I'm a huge fan of flashbacks and I would have been perfectly happy with some more. One reveal at the end was good though!
This was a fast read for me, so I did enjoy the start of this world. I do recommend this to people who enjoy the quick YA romances mixed with a bit of the supernatural.
I enjoyed the bits of flashbacks we are given through the story, while following Melinda's story in the present. Luke's as well, though I do wish we had more of his view to help balance the characters a little bit more. There were also moments where Melinda's best friend, Kelly, seemed a bit too much for me, but in truth, there ARE high school girls like her so I cannot say that she isn't realistic.
I personally would have liked a bit more history of Pleasantwick too and more explanations as to why Melinda felt so connected to the place throughout the tale. I'm a huge fan of flashbacks and I would have been perfectly happy with some more. One reveal at the end was good though!
This was a fast read for me, so I did enjoy the start of this world. I do recommend this to people who enjoy the quick YA romances mixed with a bit of the supernatural.
June 19, 2017
This story has plenty of action and intrigue with witches and secret doorways to hidden villages, even bad guys. This I think is part of the problem. While I do love the concept and those very same things about the book, there is just too much randomness inserted. I am hoping that is on purpose and something that will be dealt with in the second book of the series. While the characters are interesting I found the parents and friends more interesting than the two main characters. But as I said it isn't a bad book matter of fact it was quite an intriguing read which held my attention to the very end. This is my first read by this author and I have truly enjoyed the read and will be checking out the next book in the series.
February 7, 2017
This is a great clean YA fantasy-romance. The witches of Pleasantwick have been hidden for centuries until a small group decides to try and destroy the hidden town. The story begins with the renovation of Sotheby House, which we find out as the story goes on, is one of four portals between the "common" world and Pleasantwick. Anyone who likes the combination of a little fantasy, modern day, romance and mystery will enjoy this book.
January 14, 2018
Pleasantwick was well pleasant! I loved this book! For the Authors first novel I felt the book to be well written with interesting characters. Pleasantwick is a Paranormal YA Romance with lots of magic, mystery and young first love. This book kept me guessing up until the end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I give Pleasantwick 5 stars for its magical mystery.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
I give Pleasantwick 5 stars for its magical mystery.
I would recommend this book to everyone.
May 31, 2017
Pleasantwick is an incredible story and place. This world pulled me in and I could not stop reading until the end. The writing is engaging and Melinda and Luke's story is intriguing, suspenseful and amazing.
December 29, 2024
A bit of fantasy, romance, and action. This book is a bit slow paced for the majority of it and may have benefited from being combined with the next book. It's alright but seems to lack a bit of soul. This book gave me faint echoes of Twilight.
October 1, 2016
Book Synopsis:
Pleasantwick is a Young Adult/Coming of Age story that centers on 16-year old Melinda Richardson. Melinda's father has recently invested in a piece of land which holds the ancient Sotheby House, est 1710. Melinda is instantly drawn to the house and spends a lot of her time there, especially wandering the woods nearby and swimming in a water hole. It is there that she meets the mysterious yet charming Luke Sotheby, who she is instantly drawn to.
Luke Sotheby comes from a long line of witches, each with common and unique, magical gifts, who live in a secret world called Pleasantwick. One of the portals to this secret community exists right there in Sotheby House, which Melinda happens to find one day while exploring the seemingly empty and deserted home.
Luke comes to Melinda's rescue one day when her boyfriend, Jason, starts acting strange and begins threatening her in the woods. Melinda begins noticing a change in Jason since he's been hanging out with a questionable crowd of people. This group also happens to be residents of Pleasantwick, a group of witches called Lythanons, who feel that Pleasantwick is not a community made to keep them safe from the common world, but instead serves as a prison of sorts that they must escape from and destroy. They've set out to recruit people in the common world to aid them in their battle.
Luke finds himself torn between his growing feelings for Melinda and his family and home when the war begins between Wickers and Lythanons, which not only threatens to destroy Pleasantwick, but also spills out into the common world.
My Review
3.5 STARS (Rounded up to 4)
What worked:
This was a fun story with some interesting aspects. I liked that there was a lot of action scenes in this book that I could really picture as they were happening. The action was awesome! I also liked how, while the book was mostly focused around Melinda and Luke, we also got to follow the story line with some of the other characters from time to time. One scene, in particular, reminded me of a scene out of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (you know the scene, when the Shadow Hunters go into Pandemonium in pursuit of a demon, which Clary happens to witness as they kill). This scene followed a group of Wickers, including Luke, as they went undercover to track down and kill a group of Lythanons.
I also liked the back story we got of how Pleasantwick was created, following the story of the four witch sisters several hundred years ago. Switching back and forth between different timelines for a while was a good way to alternate the story, and I was able to clearly tell when it was about one time versus the other.
I appreciated the slow building of the relationship between Melinda and Luke. It wasn't "insta-love" which was much more realistic. It built in some conflict as Luke warred with his feelings and his sense of duty to his family and world.
I loved the part in the story about one of the characters in Pleasantwick, Cora, and her amethyst. I could see how the author could write another book with Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book. That would be a fascinating read, I think.
I also liked how we got a few little snippets here and there with the antagonist, Devaris, and his mother. It went a long way in building his credibility as a worthy opponent for the Wickers.
What could use some work:
What I would have really liked to see more of in this book was more character development. Now that I'm done reading it, I find that I still know very little about the characters themselves.
I would have also liked to see a little more info at the end of the book. I felt like there were some loose-ends that did not get tied up, for example the character of Cora. Where did she go during a certain point in the book, and what was her reasoning for Melinda coming into possession of the amethyst?
I would also like to know what Melinda eventually did with the knowledge of her past that came to light at the end of the book, and how that will affect her future. An epilogue set maybe a couple of years in the future could have really sealed things up nicely, I think, and as I mentioned, maybe another book focusing on Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book.
Overall, it was a good read. The action and the feelings between Melinda and Luke are what made this book work for me.
Pleasantwick is a Young Adult/Coming of Age story that centers on 16-year old Melinda Richardson. Melinda's father has recently invested in a piece of land which holds the ancient Sotheby House, est 1710. Melinda is instantly drawn to the house and spends a lot of her time there, especially wandering the woods nearby and swimming in a water hole. It is there that she meets the mysterious yet charming Luke Sotheby, who she is instantly drawn to.
Luke Sotheby comes from a long line of witches, each with common and unique, magical gifts, who live in a secret world called Pleasantwick. One of the portals to this secret community exists right there in Sotheby House, which Melinda happens to find one day while exploring the seemingly empty and deserted home.
Luke comes to Melinda's rescue one day when her boyfriend, Jason, starts acting strange and begins threatening her in the woods. Melinda begins noticing a change in Jason since he's been hanging out with a questionable crowd of people. This group also happens to be residents of Pleasantwick, a group of witches called Lythanons, who feel that Pleasantwick is not a community made to keep them safe from the common world, but instead serves as a prison of sorts that they must escape from and destroy. They've set out to recruit people in the common world to aid them in their battle.
Luke finds himself torn between his growing feelings for Melinda and his family and home when the war begins between Wickers and Lythanons, which not only threatens to destroy Pleasantwick, but also spills out into the common world.
My Review
3.5 STARS (Rounded up to 4)
What worked:
This was a fun story with some interesting aspects. I liked that there was a lot of action scenes in this book that I could really picture as they were happening. The action was awesome! I also liked how, while the book was mostly focused around Melinda and Luke, we also got to follow the story line with some of the other characters from time to time. One scene, in particular, reminded me of a scene out of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (you know the scene, when the Shadow Hunters go into Pandemonium in pursuit of a demon, which Clary happens to witness as they kill). This scene followed a group of Wickers, including Luke, as they went undercover to track down and kill a group of Lythanons.
I also liked the back story we got of how Pleasantwick was created, following the story of the four witch sisters several hundred years ago. Switching back and forth between different timelines for a while was a good way to alternate the story, and I was able to clearly tell when it was about one time versus the other.
I appreciated the slow building of the relationship between Melinda and Luke. It wasn't "insta-love" which was much more realistic. It built in some conflict as Luke warred with his feelings and his sense of duty to his family and world.
I loved the part in the story about one of the characters in Pleasantwick, Cora, and her amethyst. I could see how the author could write another book with Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book. That would be a fascinating read, I think.
I also liked how we got a few little snippets here and there with the antagonist, Devaris, and his mother. It went a long way in building his credibility as a worthy opponent for the Wickers.
What could use some work:
What I would have really liked to see more of in this book was more character development. Now that I'm done reading it, I find that I still know very little about the characters themselves.
I would have also liked to see a little more info at the end of the book. I felt like there were some loose-ends that did not get tied up, for example the character of Cora. Where did she go during a certain point in the book, and what was her reasoning for Melinda coming into possession of the amethyst?
I would also like to know what Melinda eventually did with the knowledge of her past that came to light at the end of the book, and how that will affect her future. An epilogue set maybe a couple of years in the future could have really sealed things up nicely, I think, and as I mentioned, maybe another book focusing on Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book.
Overall, it was a good read. The action and the feelings between Melinda and Luke are what made this book work for me.
January 30, 2017
I first want to start off that I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. That being said I personally love books that have flashback scenes or any sense of history. Two stories intertwining has always intrigued me. While Pleasantwick does have a bit of this I don't feel like it was done as seamlessly as it could have been.
Melinda is a young woman whose father buys a house and wants to flip it but it's later discovered that this home has a portal inside that allows those with magical gifts to travel between the common world and Pleasantwick. Melinda is a high school junior she, of course, discovers the hidden passage and after time passes in the story with the help of Luke travels to Pleasantwick. There is a war going on and for an unknown reason, the opposing side keeps going after Melinda. The reason is given/alluded to at the very end of the book and because of that I kind of want to know more but I think more out of a sense of curiosity than anything.
Personally, I would have liked to know earlier in the book or at least been given maybe a false impression as to why. I know the author was either trying to build tension or pull off a cliffhanger of some sort. Unfortunately, since I had no connection or reasoning why Melinda was a target and needed to be kept safe I didn't really get emotionally invested in her character. There were scenes where Melinda was showing real emotion and an honest reaction to what was happening around her. I wanted so much more from those scenes to get a sense of what she was like as a person her inner struggles and instead I got a girl who just melts and loses all sense of herself because of a look or a glance from a boy. I never really got a sense of who Melinda was except for a young girl who is close to her family and fell head over heels for a guy....she doesn't really do anything in this story except be the damsel in distress. Now there are some very sweet scenes with her and a little old lady (more of who she is will be in the book) and her interactions with Lukes best friend made me smile so she has potential and if there is a book two I hope to see her character grow.
Luke is the love interest and he's a protector of his family and a warrior in the war that is taking place in Pleasantwick. He just happens to see Melinda one day and is instantly attracted to her. The author doesn't really go into detail as for why except that he is an empath and he likes the way she made him feel when he first met her. Throw into that he "saves" her over and over from her high school boyfriend who has been mind controlled/manipulated by the enemy you have a guy with a hero complex and the damsel in distress. Luke is a bit more developed as a character but there are times where I want to smack him such as when he gets so wrapped up in his need to be around/help Melinda he actually considers abandoning his friends/family in the middle of a fight.
I found myself liking some of the side characters a lot more such as Lukes childhood friend who is just funny and willing to do what needs to be done and then the little old lady who makes amazing food and can talk Lukes father down when he gets upset. I also enjoyed the bits that were flashbacks/journal entries.....I'm not sure which they were it wasn't clear and in some of it, the characters were talking in the first person than in the third person so it was a bit confusing. I loved learning the history of how Pleasantwick came to be and the girl's journey. In all honesty, I wouldn't mind a whole book just about them or maybe a novella or something like that.
There are certain parts of the storyline that don't really get explained such as why when Melinda gets her memory erased a 2nd time she goes into a depression like state and instead of playing into that storyline it's just boom she has her memory back and the story goes on. The vision-like dreams are never really explained. Oh, one thing I really thought was weird was how certain things are overly described such as food and room decor and how a jewelry box unfolds.
All in all this book is a toss up for me. I wouldn't mind reading the next installment to see what happens but I'm not chomping at the bit to do so like I am after others. I wish there were more character depth and development and that when actions happen there is a motivation behind that the reader is actually clued in about.
Melinda is a young woman whose father buys a house and wants to flip it but it's later discovered that this home has a portal inside that allows those with magical gifts to travel between the common world and Pleasantwick. Melinda is a high school junior she, of course, discovers the hidden passage and after time passes in the story with the help of Luke travels to Pleasantwick. There is a war going on and for an unknown reason, the opposing side keeps going after Melinda. The reason is given/alluded to at the very end of the book and because of that I kind of want to know more but I think more out of a sense of curiosity than anything.
Personally, I would have liked to know earlier in the book or at least been given maybe a false impression as to why. I know the author was either trying to build tension or pull off a cliffhanger of some sort. Unfortunately, since I had no connection or reasoning why Melinda was a target and needed to be kept safe I didn't really get emotionally invested in her character. There were scenes where Melinda was showing real emotion and an honest reaction to what was happening around her. I wanted so much more from those scenes to get a sense of what she was like as a person her inner struggles and instead I got a girl who just melts and loses all sense of herself because of a look or a glance from a boy. I never really got a sense of who Melinda was except for a young girl who is close to her family and fell head over heels for a guy....she doesn't really do anything in this story except be the damsel in distress. Now there are some very sweet scenes with her and a little old lady (more of who she is will be in the book) and her interactions with Lukes best friend made me smile so she has potential and if there is a book two I hope to see her character grow.
Luke is the love interest and he's a protector of his family and a warrior in the war that is taking place in Pleasantwick. He just happens to see Melinda one day and is instantly attracted to her. The author doesn't really go into detail as for why except that he is an empath and he likes the way she made him feel when he first met her. Throw into that he "saves" her over and over from her high school boyfriend who has been mind controlled/manipulated by the enemy you have a guy with a hero complex and the damsel in distress. Luke is a bit more developed as a character but there are times where I want to smack him such as when he gets so wrapped up in his need to be around/help Melinda he actually considers abandoning his friends/family in the middle of a fight.
I found myself liking some of the side characters a lot more such as Lukes childhood friend who is just funny and willing to do what needs to be done and then the little old lady who makes amazing food and can talk Lukes father down when he gets upset. I also enjoyed the bits that were flashbacks/journal entries.....I'm not sure which they were it wasn't clear and in some of it, the characters were talking in the first person than in the third person so it was a bit confusing. I loved learning the history of how Pleasantwick came to be and the girl's journey. In all honesty, I wouldn't mind a whole book just about them or maybe a novella or something like that.
There are certain parts of the storyline that don't really get explained such as why when Melinda gets her memory erased a 2nd time she goes into a depression like state and instead of playing into that storyline it's just boom she has her memory back and the story goes on. The vision-like dreams are never really explained. Oh, one thing I really thought was weird was how certain things are overly described such as food and room decor and how a jewelry box unfolds.
All in all this book is a toss up for me. I wouldn't mind reading the next installment to see what happens but I'm not chomping at the bit to do so like I am after others. I wish there were more character depth and development and that when actions happen there is a motivation behind that the reader is actually clued in about.
May 21, 2015
To begin with Ms. Stoughton's book was very well edited. I found few if any technical concerns regarding grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Consequently, a reader can, without much difficultly or irritation, easily read the book.
Unfortunately, the immaculate editing was the highlight of the book. To begin with all of the characters, including the protagonists (Melinda and Luke), had personalities that were so superficial they appeared to be puppets on a string. Whichever way the wind blew was the direction they headed. In other words, they acted, not upon any kind of conscience or intelligence, but strictly by instinct including their lustful passions. As I read this novel, I assumed it was intended for young adults, but, in my opinion, some of the language used was inappropriate and unnecessary, particularly for youth. In addition, the romance scenes between the two main characters are not artistic, but almost lascivious. Although they talk about love, they obviously confuse it with lust. Frankly the main female character is nothing short of a brainless, foul-mouthed, unconscionable bimbo who was as depthless as some lower animal life, and her love interest wasn't much better. As examples she feels a Steinbeck novel is a "stupid thing," and God is "kind of like aliens, or ghosts," because "she'd never felt the need to believe one way or another." Obviously she hasn't learned much from her parents and unfortunately, she learns little, if anything, from her experiences throughout the novel except to follow her passions through screaming, moaning, pouting, or a myriad of other objectionable actions up until the conclusion of the book.
Furthermore, the novel simply tells a story without any depth. The author is more concerned with an individual taking a bite of something like egg, strudel, pudding etc (who cares) in multiple kitchen settings or, in the case of the primary girl, picking her nails, rather than the reasons or thoughts or conflicts that develop or create each character. In short, the book is nothing more than a narrative explaining what the characters did, but not why they did it.
In addition, without being specific, let me simply say the conclusion of the novel leaves too many unanswered questions. The writer also appears to have realized it was time to wrap up, and, thus, added information at the end of the book the reader should have known throughout but isn't apprised of until the last chapters in order to conveniently come to a closing.
Finally, and most importantly, this young adult novel fails to teach anything. In fact, although it may only be regarded as a work of entertainment, it unfortunately advocates, in some cases, inappropriate behavior. Furthermore, throughout the work, characters fail to learn from their mistakes, and, in fact, wrongful actions, particularly those performed by the protagonists, are rewarded. Consequently, I cannot recommend this book, particularly as a parent.
Unfortunately, the immaculate editing was the highlight of the book. To begin with all of the characters, including the protagonists (Melinda and Luke), had personalities that were so superficial they appeared to be puppets on a string. Whichever way the wind blew was the direction they headed. In other words, they acted, not upon any kind of conscience or intelligence, but strictly by instinct including their lustful passions. As I read this novel, I assumed it was intended for young adults, but, in my opinion, some of the language used was inappropriate and unnecessary, particularly for youth. In addition, the romance scenes between the two main characters are not artistic, but almost lascivious. Although they talk about love, they obviously confuse it with lust. Frankly the main female character is nothing short of a brainless, foul-mouthed, unconscionable bimbo who was as depthless as some lower animal life, and her love interest wasn't much better. As examples she feels a Steinbeck novel is a "stupid thing," and God is "kind of like aliens, or ghosts," because "she'd never felt the need to believe one way or another." Obviously she hasn't learned much from her parents and unfortunately, she learns little, if anything, from her experiences throughout the novel except to follow her passions through screaming, moaning, pouting, or a myriad of other objectionable actions up until the conclusion of the book.
Furthermore, the novel simply tells a story without any depth. The author is more concerned with an individual taking a bite of something like egg, strudel, pudding etc (who cares) in multiple kitchen settings or, in the case of the primary girl, picking her nails, rather than the reasons or thoughts or conflicts that develop or create each character. In short, the book is nothing more than a narrative explaining what the characters did, but not why they did it.
In addition, without being specific, let me simply say the conclusion of the novel leaves too many unanswered questions. The writer also appears to have realized it was time to wrap up, and, thus, added information at the end of the book the reader should have known throughout but isn't apprised of until the last chapters in order to conveniently come to a closing.
Finally, and most importantly, this young adult novel fails to teach anything. In fact, although it may only be regarded as a work of entertainment, it unfortunately advocates, in some cases, inappropriate behavior. Furthermore, throughout the work, characters fail to learn from their mistakes, and, in fact, wrongful actions, particularly those performed by the protagonists, are rewarded. Consequently, I cannot recommend this book, particularly as a parent.
Want to read
May 16, 2015When her
father begins restoring an enormous, ancient rundown house in the middle of the
California woods, Melinda Richards is instantly captivated. Steeped in mystery,
the grand old structure, dubbed Sotheby House, boasts a history—and power—that
Melinda would never guess. She’s lured back time and again, especially after
meeting a handsome stranger in the nearby woods. Strong, soothing,
charming…Luke makes her feel calm and excited all at once, and it’s not long
before Melinda is spending every spare moment with the enigmatic young man.
Luke
Sotheby is in trouble—in more ways than one. Not only is his magical world,
Pleasantwick, under attack by dark witches, but his ancestral home, the very
portal to that world, has been bought by a commoner! And worse—he’s falling for
the commoner’s daughter. Melinda is smart, sweet, brave…she makes him feel
things he’s never experienced (and for an empath, that’s really saying something). At a time when all his energy should be
focused on the preservation of his home and the safety of his people, Luke is
drawn to Melinda on a soul-deep level that’s impossible to ignore.
As the magical
battle spills over into the common world, the young couple begins to face
dangers the likes of which neither has ever known. Lives will be lost, secrets
revealed, and if Pleasantwick falls, Melinda and Luke could be
separated—forever.
July 13, 2016
I'm always drawn to a good magic story and I have to admit that the cover is what caught me first. It made me stop to look at the blurb and reviews. It is well done and some great color contrasts. Everything a good cover should do.
I get nervous when I'm faced with a YA story as too often they either tend to be poorly written with authors writing the teens as they remember their teenage years instead of a current version. This usually manifests when they add in slang. It mostly fails. The other end of the spectrum is the dreaded love triangle which is like candy to authors of this genre and they sure do love to throw out as mush as possible. Note to authors: It gives us readers the same kind of pain that you get with brain freeze from eating something cold too fast.
Given my hesitations I was very pleasantly surprised by this book and especially as it is the first book from a new author. Kudos to you M.L. Stoughton.
I loved the imagery that the story creates and at times it will transport you right there with the characters, watching the events unfold like a voyeur.
The story line is tight and the plot flows smoothly with a cast of characters that feel genuine and current with flaws and all.
I'm still on the fence about the magical/non-magical character mix but I will say that I really enjoyed the ride and can recommend this, even for us older readers, with a clear conscious :-)
I get nervous when I'm faced with a YA story as too often they either tend to be poorly written with authors writing the teens as they remember their teenage years instead of a current version. This usually manifests when they add in slang. It mostly fails. The other end of the spectrum is the dreaded love triangle which is like candy to authors of this genre and they sure do love to throw out as mush as possible. Note to authors: It gives us readers the same kind of pain that you get with brain freeze from eating something cold too fast.
Given my hesitations I was very pleasantly surprised by this book and especially as it is the first book from a new author. Kudos to you M.L. Stoughton.
I loved the imagery that the story creates and at times it will transport you right there with the characters, watching the events unfold like a voyeur.
The story line is tight and the plot flows smoothly with a cast of characters that feel genuine and current with flaws and all.
I'm still on the fence about the magical/non-magical character mix but I will say that I really enjoyed the ride and can recommend this, even for us older readers, with a clear conscious :-)
October 24, 2015
So while I was a little skeptical about reading this book; witches are not at all something I want to read about...evil doesn't work for me. I loved this story!!!
Melinda and Luke had a instant connection that the author helped you to feel a part of. I couldn't wait to finish to see what the outcome would be.
Melinda's father bought a home and some property where he was planning to flip and resell. Melinda spent time there exploring while he worked. It's there that she met Luke and found out about the portal and Pleasantwick. Will Melinda be the reason Pleasantwick falls? Or will her connection with Luke help to make them come out of this victorious? Will the two be able to explore this relationship or is this the beginning of the end?
Melinda and Luke had a instant connection that the author helped you to feel a part of. I couldn't wait to finish to see what the outcome would be.
Melinda's father bought a home and some property where he was planning to flip and resell. Melinda spent time there exploring while he worked. It's there that she met Luke and found out about the portal and Pleasantwick. Will Melinda be the reason Pleasantwick falls? Or will her connection with Luke help to make them come out of this victorious? Will the two be able to explore this relationship or is this the beginning of the end?
July 23, 2015
What happens in Salem...
...doesn't stay in Salem. Some of it moves to California and creates a community, Pleasantwick, which is magically hidden from the outside world. 16 year-old Melinda uncovers one of the portals into the clandestine society. Her fate intertwines with the best and worst people Pleasantwick has to offer, including teen heartthrob Luke. Let the paranormal romance ensue! This was a fun read which blended fantasy and suspense and threw in a few twists along the way. Paranormal romance fans will enjoy this one!
...doesn't stay in Salem. Some of it moves to California and creates a community, Pleasantwick, which is magically hidden from the outside world. 16 year-old Melinda uncovers one of the portals into the clandestine society. Her fate intertwines with the best and worst people Pleasantwick has to offer, including teen heartthrob Luke. Let the paranormal romance ensue! This was a fun read which blended fantasy and suspense and threw in a few twists along the way. Paranormal romance fans will enjoy this one!
September 12, 2015
*I received a copy of this book free for an honest review*
This was a great paranormal read. I couldn't put this book down and rooted for Melinda the whole story. I was impressed that I wasn't annoyed with the high school aged characters. Really great, fast moving story that I can't wait for the next installment of!
This was a great paranormal read. I couldn't put this book down and rooted for Melinda the whole story. I was impressed that I wasn't annoyed with the high school aged characters. Really great, fast moving story that I can't wait for the next installment of!
October 5, 2015
I enjoyed this book. It was very well written. The characters were interesting and realistic. I liked the magical doorway. I hope the author writes another book with the characters because I am not ready to let them go.
April 22, 2019
Book Synopsis:
Pleasantwick is a Young Adult/Coming of Age story that centers on 16-year old Melinda Richardson. Melinda's father has recently invested in a piece of land which holds the ancient Sotheby House, est 1710. Melinda is instantly drawn to the house and spends a lot of her time there, especially wandering the woods nearby and swimming in a water hole. It is there that she meets the mysterious yet charming Luke Sotheby, who she is instantly drawn to.
Luke Sotheby comes from a long line of witches, each with common and unique, magical gifts, who live in a secret world called Pleasantwick. One of the portals to this secret community exists right there in Sotheby House, which Melinda happens to find one day while exploring the seemingly empty and deserted home.
Luke comes to Melinda's rescue one day when her boyfriend, Jason, starts acting strange and begins threatening her in the woods. Melinda begins noticing a change in Jason since he's been hanging out with a questionable crowd of people. This group also happens to be residents of Pleasantwick, a group of witches called Lythanons, who feel that Pleasantwick is not a community made to keep them safe from the common world, but instead serves as a prison of sorts that they must escape from and destroy. They've set out to recruit people in the common world to aid them in their battle.
Luke finds himself torn between his growing feelings for Melinda and his family and home when the war begins between Wickers and Lythanons, which not only threatens to destroy Pleasantwick, but also spills out into the common world.
My Review
3.5 STARS (Rounded up to 4)
What worked:
This was a fun story with some interesting aspects. I liked that there was a lot of action scenes in this book that I could really picture as they were happening. The action was awesome! I also liked how, while the book was mostly focused around Melinda and Luke, we also got to follow the story line with some of the other characters from time to time. One scene, in particular, reminded me of a scene out of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (you know the scene, when the Shadow Hunters go into Pandemonium in pursuit of a demon, which Clary happens to witness as they kill). This scene followed a group of Wickers, including Luke, as they went undercover to track down and kill a group of Lythanons.
I also liked the back story we got of how Pleasantwick was created, following the story of the four witch sisters several hundred years ago. Switching back and forth between different timelines for a while was a good way to alternate the story, and I was able to clearly tell when it was about one time versus the other.
I appreciated the slow building of the relationship between Melinda and Luke. It wasn't "insta-love" which was much more realistic. It built in some conflict as Luke warred with his feelings and his sense of duty to his family and world.
I loved the part in the story about one of the characters in Pleasantwick, Cora, and her amethyst. I could see how the author could write another book with Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book. That would be a fascinating read, I think.
I also liked how we got a few little snippets here and there with the antagonist, Devaris, and his mother. It went a long way in building his credibility as a worthy opponent for the Wickers.
What could use some work:
What I would have really liked to see more of in this book was more character development. Now that I'm done reading it, I find that I still know very little about the characters themselves.
I would have also liked to see a little more info at the end of the book. I felt like there were some loose-ends that did not get tied up, for example the character of Cora. Where did she go during a certain point in the book, and what was her reasoning for Melinda coming into possession of the amethyst?
I would also like to know what Melinda eventually did with the knowledge of her past that came to light at the end of the book, and how that will affect her future. An epilogue set maybe a couple of years in the future could have really sealed things up nicely, I think, and as I mentioned, maybe another book focusing on Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book.
Overall, it was a good read. The action and the feelings between Melinda and Luke are what made this book work for me.
Pleasantwick is a Young Adult/Coming of Age story that centers on 16-year old Melinda Richardson. Melinda's father has recently invested in a piece of land which holds the ancient Sotheby House, est 1710. Melinda is instantly drawn to the house and spends a lot of her time there, especially wandering the woods nearby and swimming in a water hole. It is there that she meets the mysterious yet charming Luke Sotheby, who she is instantly drawn to.
Luke Sotheby comes from a long line of witches, each with common and unique, magical gifts, who live in a secret world called Pleasantwick. One of the portals to this secret community exists right there in Sotheby House, which Melinda happens to find one day while exploring the seemingly empty and deserted home.
Luke comes to Melinda's rescue one day when her boyfriend, Jason, starts acting strange and begins threatening her in the woods. Melinda begins noticing a change in Jason since he's been hanging out with a questionable crowd of people. This group also happens to be residents of Pleasantwick, a group of witches called Lythanons, who feel that Pleasantwick is not a community made to keep them safe from the common world, but instead serves as a prison of sorts that they must escape from and destroy. They've set out to recruit people in the common world to aid them in their battle.
Luke finds himself torn between his growing feelings for Melinda and his family and home when the war begins between Wickers and Lythanons, which not only threatens to destroy Pleasantwick, but also spills out into the common world.
My Review
3.5 STARS (Rounded up to 4)
What worked:
This was a fun story with some interesting aspects. I liked that there was a lot of action scenes in this book that I could really picture as they were happening. The action was awesome! I also liked how, while the book was mostly focused around Melinda and Luke, we also got to follow the story line with some of the other characters from time to time. One scene, in particular, reminded me of a scene out of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones (you know the scene, when the Shadow Hunters go into Pandemonium in pursuit of a demon, which Clary happens to witness as they kill). This scene followed a group of Wickers, including Luke, as they went undercover to track down and kill a group of Lythanons.
I also liked the back story we got of how Pleasantwick was created, following the story of the four witch sisters several hundred years ago. Switching back and forth between different timelines for a while was a good way to alternate the story, and I was able to clearly tell when it was about one time versus the other.
I appreciated the slow building of the relationship between Melinda and Luke. It wasn't "insta-love" which was much more realistic. It built in some conflict as Luke warred with his feelings and his sense of duty to his family and world.
I loved the part in the story about one of the characters in Pleasantwick, Cora, and her amethyst. I could see how the author could write another book with Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book. That would be a fascinating read, I think.
I also liked how we got a few little snippets here and there with the antagonist, Devaris, and his mother. It went a long way in building his credibility as a worthy opponent for the Wickers.
What could use some work:
What I would have really liked to see more of in this book was more character development. Now that I'm done reading it, I find that I still know very little about the characters themselves.
I would have also liked to see a little more info at the end of the book. I felt like there were some loose-ends that did not get tied up, for example the character of Cora. Where did she go during a certain point in the book, and what was her reasoning for Melinda coming into possession of the amethyst?
I would also like to know what Melinda eventually did with the knowledge of her past that came to light at the end of the book, and how that will affect her future. An epilogue set maybe a couple of years in the future could have really sealed things up nicely, I think, and as I mentioned, maybe another book focusing on Cora and the elders who made appearances in this book.
Overall, it was a good read. The action and the feelings between Melinda and Luke are what made this book work for me.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews