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How to Hang a Witch #1
How to Hang a Witch
It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls in a debut novel from one of the descendants of Cotton Mather, where the trials of high school start to feel like a modern day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem’s past.
Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.
Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with The Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.
358 pages, Library Binding
First published July 26, 2016
About the author
Adriana Mather
6 books2,368 followersAdriana Mather is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch, with family roots that go back to Sleepy Hollow, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Titanic. She's also an actor and producer best known for her role in the award-winning Honeyglue. She co-owns Zombot Pictures, a production company that makes feature films. Her first acting scene in a film ever was with Danny Glover, and she was terrified she would mess it up. In addition, her favorite food is pizza, she has too many cats, and a deep abiding love for all things autumnal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,059 reviews
April 19, 2017
He opens the basket and pulls out delicious-looking foods.This book is about witchcraft, and it is the silliest book I've ever read about the subject. I've read plenty of books with very young MCs (the one in this book is 15) that are likable, and the story well-written. This book isn't one of them. It is laughable, and the only reason I think anyone should read it is for pure amusement at how excruciatingly painful it is.
“Where’d you get all this?” I ask, still flustered.
“The tea and scones are from London. The finger sandwiches and pastries are from Paris. And the Devonshire cream is from Devonshire.”
He went all over Europe picking out food for me? How’s this happening right now?
This book was fluffy, contrived, full of stereotypes, without an ounce of originality in how it presents its characters. It is complete with mean girls, which, to be fair, is the (movie) concept with which is aspires to associates itself, brooding "bad boys", a love triangle, and a wicked, bitchy stepmother.
The MC is a tomboyish, pretty, and finds a way to indirectly humble-brag almost immediately after we meet her.
“Uh, Sam. Everyone calls me Sam.”Yawn.
“Nonsense. That’s a boy’s name. Now, aren’t you pretty. Too skinny, though.”
Her narrative is undoubtedly fifteen-year-old, for better or worse. For example, her internal monologue.
Don’t laugh at me. You probably never had an awkward moment in your life, with all your floppy blond hair and tanned skin. So shut it!Unfortunately, since it is first-person POV, the book definitely reads like a middle grade book. Some books find ways to make up for that fact; some middle-grade books can be truly poignant. This book is not one of them.
The adults are so mean. All of the authoritarian figures pick on her for no good reason, for speaking up a little bit, for being picked on. There is, hilariously, I might add, a clique of Salem descendants.
“Have you noticed a group of girls in my grade that wear all black—rich goth types?”Come on, you can't tell me that's fucking hilarious. Even the love triangle is clichéd, with a handsome, boy-next-door blond and a dark, brooding, mysterious dark, floppy-haired boy with a secret *howls with laughter*
“The Descendants?”
I venture a look at Jaxon. “What?”
“Like that?” He nods toward a guy and a girl entering the room. The guy wears an expensive-looking black button-down shirt, black pants, and black loafers. And she has on a floor-length black dress with a tailored black blazer. Her hair is a perfect bob.
I suddenly become very conscious that Jaxon’s arm is around me, and I break contact. I shouldn’t care if Elijah sees that. The thought tugs at me uncomfortably.I honestly have no idea how this book got a rating above 4.
July 26, 2016
I loved every minute of this twisty-turny book.
I wonder what Cotton Mather would think if he found out that his great great great great great (you get the picture) granddaughter wrote one of the best YA books I've ever read...and it happened to be about the Salem Witch Trials.
This book is absolute thrilling, spooky fun. It's not a short book, but it feels like it, such is the tightness and pace of the plotting. There's nary a wasted word. You'll find yourself, as I did, unable to put it down, pressing ever forward, hours be damned. This is truly a corn maze of a book. A corn maze on a blustery, chilly October night, that you stumble through while holding the hand of someone with whom you just fell in love, your heart pounding from suspense and infatuation.
The autumnal atmosphere is so lovingly crafted, so vivid, so creepily quaint. You'll feel the ghosts of Salem tugging at your sleeves while you read. You'll feel the leaves crunching under your feet. The only thing more well-drawn than the atmosphere is the characters. They leap from the page--vibrant, flawed, vulnerable, achingly real and honest. You'll have no trouble rooting for them.
This book contains the perfect amount of everything. Humor. Romance. Wit. The paranormal. Chills. Mystery. There's a twist in this book that will have you picking up your jaw. Oh, and the bonus? It's the most beautifully packaged YA book I've ever seen. The cover and typefaces are sublime. That may sound silly, but that's important to me.
I predict that with all of the things that work perfectly in this book, it's going to be very big indeed. In recent years, YA publishing has shied away from publishing books with paranormal elements. I predict this book will break that trend (even as it creates a very high bar). And I predict that you have not heard the last of Adriana Mather.
I wonder what Cotton Mather would think if he found out that his great great great great great (you get the picture) granddaughter wrote one of the best YA books I've ever read...and it happened to be about the Salem Witch Trials.
This book is absolute thrilling, spooky fun. It's not a short book, but it feels like it, such is the tightness and pace of the plotting. There's nary a wasted word. You'll find yourself, as I did, unable to put it down, pressing ever forward, hours be damned. This is truly a corn maze of a book. A corn maze on a blustery, chilly October night, that you stumble through while holding the hand of someone with whom you just fell in love, your heart pounding from suspense and infatuation.
The autumnal atmosphere is so lovingly crafted, so vivid, so creepily quaint. You'll feel the ghosts of Salem tugging at your sleeves while you read. You'll feel the leaves crunching under your feet. The only thing more well-drawn than the atmosphere is the characters. They leap from the page--vibrant, flawed, vulnerable, achingly real and honest. You'll have no trouble rooting for them.
This book contains the perfect amount of everything. Humor. Romance. Wit. The paranormal. Chills. Mystery. There's a twist in this book that will have you picking up your jaw. Oh, and the bonus? It's the most beautifully packaged YA book I've ever seen. The cover and typefaces are sublime. That may sound silly, but that's important to me.
I predict that with all of the things that work perfectly in this book, it's going to be very big indeed. In recent years, YA publishing has shied away from publishing books with paranormal elements. I predict this book will break that trend (even as it creates a very high bar). And I predict that you have not heard the last of Adriana Mather.
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 12, 2016This review is a magnet for trolls for some reason, which I find extremely interesting, especially since it was quietly shelved a long time ago. Love the book? Write your own fucking review and stay the hell off mine. You think you're actually helping a book you like by attacking people who didn't enjoy it? Think again. You're turning my disinterest for this book into despising it, and the next step is going to be my rating it one star whereas it's been left unrated until now.
I'm at the point where I've started deleting and blocking without a second thought. Mind. Your. Own. Space.
--------------------------------------
DNF at 25 pages. I had an uneasy feeling from literally the very first line, which boasts of the main character's self-proclaimed "affinity for sarcasm," and added to this are the jumble of:
-- an utterly cliche teen and authority figure/stepmom relationship
-- at least 3 instances of using "Seriously?" (Not to mention additional "really?" and "s/he's got to be kidding" type incredulity)
-- vague dad in coma references, moving, new house, new school, mean girls, and
-- two attractive boys
It's a lot in a short amount of time, and the writing is so awkward and not entirely organized/convincing and the MC such a stereotypical teen that I can't deal with any more.
This is written like it's the novelization of a TV show. And not a very good show at that.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
I'm at the point where I've started deleting and blocking without a second thought. Mind. Your. Own. Space.
--------------------------------------
DNF at 25 pages. I had an uneasy feeling from literally the very first line, which boasts of the main character's self-proclaimed "affinity for sarcasm," and added to this are the jumble of:
-- an utterly cliche teen and authority figure/stepmom relationship
-- at least 3 instances of using "Seriously?" (Not to mention additional "really?" and "s/he's got to be kidding" type incredulity)
-- vague dad in coma references, moving, new house, new school, mean girls, and
-- two attractive boys
It's a lot in a short amount of time, and the writing is so awkward and not entirely organized/convincing and the MC such a stereotypical teen that I can't deal with any more.
This is written like it's the novelization of a TV show. And not a very good show at that.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
September 27, 2016
While I do deeply respect the research and the personal link the author has with this particular bit of history (being related to the Mather family), I didn't enjoy this book.
The idea was cool, as it always is when it's about the famous Witch Hunt of the sixteen hundreds, and paralleling the events now and then could have been an exciting adventure but...it was not.
This tale is basic YA, meaning you get everything you're used to read about in the post-Twilight tsunami : an irritating and self-centered MC who's super special for no reason, a love triangle, mean girls, clichés everywhere, plot conveniences, illogical behaviour from adult characters, a wtf outcome (either plot or romance related).
Nothing is satisfying.
It reminded me of this short-lived TV series called The Secret Circle, which tried very hard to ride the wave of supernatural YA (but failed miserably because the plot was nonsense and mainly relied on romance, and the characters were dull and kept changing attitude without any explanation). I know this show was adapted from books, I haven't read said books, just watched the show some years ago because that's what unemployment make you do.
Anyway, How to Hang a Witch was supposed to be creepy and I never really felt scared and uncomfortable.
As I was saying, the only creepy part was the haunted house but this fact was explained pretty quickly and was therefore not creepy anymore
I guess the outcome could be labelled creepy but it was so absurd that it's surpassing the potential creepiness.
Also, the romance. Oh my god, how lame was that?! Not only we have to suffer another ridiculous love triangle with the usual Blondie and Brunette, but
This review is as messy as this book was. I'm pretty sure you didn't understand a word of my spoiler tags and I'm very sorry to give you a headache.
I could have tried to be more clear but I had a shitty monday and finishing this book on my metro ride home was the cherry on top.
I'm gonna drink a bottle of wine now.
Oh wait, no, I can't!
Well, it really is a shitty monday.
----------
Why, in the name of everything that's holy, do love interests always need to have dimples?! I can't stand dimples anymore! STOP WITH THE DIMPLES.
---------
(Is the following spoilery? I think not but if you'd rather know nothing at all, maybe stay away?)
Within the first 6%, the female MC managed to :
- claim she's so sarcastic (at line one, actually).
Okay, it's never a good omen to declare your own self a sarcastic person. Especially when you imply that the majority of the population is not and therefore not able to understand your outstanding sense of humor. It's called bragging, and having a high opinion of yourself.
Plus, usually, said-sarcastic character is not sarcastic at all and ends up being at best average funny.
- be the new girl in town everybody hates for no clear reason.
*sigh*
- be the new girl in town everybody hates for no clear reason except the super hot blond dude called Jaxon who's also her neighbour.
*re-sigh*
- be the target of the Mean Goth Girls without even speaking to them once, who are the instigators of said hate, just because some ancestors hated each others.
How is it even logical? She's being bullied after 10 minutes and they didn't even speak! And the adults around them seem to find this perfectly normal and accuse MC instead of Obviously Mean Goth Girls!
- blush everytime she speaks with Hot Blond Jaxon. Because he's hot. And blond. And he's called Jaxon.
Whatever.
- state that Hot Blond Jaxon is so confident at least three time.
How surprising.
- meet Hot Dark Haired Elijah who's so hot, but also a bit creepy because we need a brooding male to make the cast more balanced, as "friendly" was already taken by Hot Blond Jaxon.
I didn't see that one coming... *rolls eyes a million times*
- have no logic at all, or be so self-centered that she becomes stupid? Can't decide yet.
The girl believes her daddy's sick because of her. I mean, she could believe that if it made sense with the basic facts she has, but IT DOESN'T. Her family's cursed, her father is in a coma and she starts to wonder if it's the curse. Okay, sure, setting up the plot. But how can she say "Maybe my dad really is sick because of me"?! HOW IS IT ABOUT YOU IF IT'S A CURSE DATING FROM THE MF WITCH HUNT?!
I can't DNF this book because it's the perfect book to rant about!
That said, I'm very disappointed so far, because I thought it would be creepy. It's not creepy. At all.
The only creepy element is "explained" around 20% and goes from Creepy to How Cool Is That + Giggles.
Where's the promised creepiness? Gimme some creepiness!
The idea was cool, as it always is when it's about the famous Witch Hunt of the sixteen hundreds, and paralleling the events now and then could have been an exciting adventure but...it was not.
This tale is basic YA, meaning you get everything you're used to read about in the post-Twilight tsunami : an irritating and self-centered MC who's super special for no reason, a love triangle, mean girls, clichés everywhere, plot conveniences, illogical behaviour from adult characters, a wtf outcome (either plot or romance related).
Nothing is satisfying.
It reminded me of this short-lived TV series called The Secret Circle, which tried very hard to ride the wave of supernatural YA (but failed miserably because the plot was nonsense and mainly relied on romance, and the characters were dull and kept changing attitude without any explanation). I know this show was adapted from books, I haven't read said books, just watched the show some years ago because that's what unemployment make you do.
Anyway, How to Hang a Witch was supposed to be creepy and I never really felt scared and uncomfortable.
As I was saying, the only creepy part was the haunted house but this fact was explained pretty quickly and was therefore not creepy anymore
I guess the outcome could be labelled creepy but it was so absurd that it's surpassing the potential creepiness.
Also, the romance. Oh my god, how lame was that?! Not only we have to suffer another ridiculous love triangle with the usual Blondie and Brunette, but
This review is as messy as this book was. I'm pretty sure you didn't understand a word of my spoiler tags and I'm very sorry to give you a headache.
I could have tried to be more clear but I had a shitty monday and finishing this book on my metro ride home was the cherry on top.
I'm gonna drink a bottle of wine now.
Oh wait, no, I can't!
Well, it really is a shitty monday.
----------
Why, in the name of everything that's holy, do love interests always need to have dimples?! I can't stand dimples anymore! STOP WITH THE DIMPLES.
---------
(Is the following spoilery? I think not but if you'd rather know nothing at all, maybe stay away?)
Within the first 6%, the female MC managed to :
- claim she's so sarcastic (at line one, actually).
Okay, it's never a good omen to declare your own self a sarcastic person. Especially when you imply that the majority of the population is not and therefore not able to understand your outstanding sense of humor. It's called bragging, and having a high opinion of yourself.
Plus, usually, said-sarcastic character is not sarcastic at all and ends up being at best average funny.
- be the new girl in town everybody hates for no clear reason.
*sigh*
- be the new girl in town everybody hates for no clear reason except the super hot blond dude called Jaxon who's also her neighbour.
*re-sigh*
- be the target of the Mean Goth Girls without even speaking to them once, who are the instigators of said hate, just because some ancestors hated each others.
How is it even logical? She's being bullied after 10 minutes and they didn't even speak! And the adults around them seem to find this perfectly normal and accuse MC instead of Obviously Mean Goth Girls!
- blush everytime she speaks with Hot Blond Jaxon. Because he's hot. And blond. And he's called Jaxon.
Whatever.
- state that Hot Blond Jaxon is so confident at least three time.
How surprising.
- meet Hot Dark Haired Elijah who's so hot, but also a bit creepy because we need a brooding male to make the cast more balanced, as "friendly" was already taken by Hot Blond Jaxon.
I didn't see that one coming... *rolls eyes a million times*
- have no logic at all, or be so self-centered that she becomes stupid? Can't decide yet.
The girl believes her daddy's sick because of her. I mean, she could believe that if it made sense with the basic facts she has, but IT DOESN'T. Her family's cursed, her father is in a coma and she starts to wonder if it's the curse. Okay, sure, setting up the plot. But how can she say "Maybe my dad really is sick because of me"?! HOW IS IT ABOUT YOU IF IT'S A CURSE DATING FROM THE MF WITCH HUNT?!
I can't DNF this book because it's the perfect book to rant about!
That said, I'm very disappointed so far, because I thought it would be creepy. It's not creepy. At all.
The only creepy element is "explained" around 20% and goes from Creepy to How Cool Is That + Giggles.
Where's the promised creepiness? Gimme some creepiness!
October 31, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
A REVIEW VIA GIFFERY (even more so than usual):
As soon as I saw “It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls” I was sold. I was also 100% positive I would love this. Not to brag or anything, but . . . .
With descendants of the original Salem witches as the girls who rule the school I immediately pictured . . . .
And was so excited I almost peed my pants . . . .
Bonus was the bitch squad were all super fab and also included hot boys so my brain went all . . . .
DON’T YOU JUDGE ME!
I was sure this would be the reading equivalent of one of the numerous programs on the CW to which I am addicted. (See above regarding not judging me.)
Where was I again? Oh yeah, then I started reading and, well . . . .
We’re talking straight up . . . .
It should NOT take me four days to read a book. ESPECIALLY not a 350 page YA book. But when the pacing is slower than me sucking a turtle, the person doing all of the superbadawful the most obvious cliché in all of obvious clichés and the love triangle (because duh OF COURSE there was a love triangle) featured a dead dude . . .
Yeah. Dead. Anyway, all of the above = a not-so-happy Kelly and Mitchell on this All Stabby’s Day . . . . .
A REVIEW VIA GIFFERY (even more so than usual):
As soon as I saw “It's the Salem Witch Trials meets Mean Girls” I was sold. I was also 100% positive I would love this. Not to brag or anything, but . . . .
With descendants of the original Salem witches as the girls who rule the school I immediately pictured . . . .
And was so excited I almost peed my pants . . . .
Bonus was the bitch squad were all super fab and also included hot boys so my brain went all . . . .
DON’T YOU JUDGE ME!
I was sure this would be the reading equivalent of one of the numerous programs on the CW to which I am addicted. (See above regarding not judging me.)
Where was I again? Oh yeah, then I started reading and, well . . . .
We’re talking straight up . . . .
It should NOT take me four days to read a book. ESPECIALLY not a 350 page YA book. But when the pacing is slower than me sucking a turtle, the person doing all of the superbadawful the most obvious cliché in all of obvious clichés and the love triangle (because duh OF COURSE there was a love triangle) featured a dead dude . . .
Yeah. Dead. Anyway, all of the above = a not-so-happy Kelly and Mitchell on this All Stabby’s Day . . . . .
June 28, 2016
FUN FACT: The author of this book is actually a descendant of Cotton Mather. COOL RIGHT!
This book isn't one that I could say "the best", I can't say that right from the very first start it will capture you. To be honest, I've managed to read almost 30 pages before deciding that this book is good.
Adriana brings us to the present-day Salem. Samantha Mather, together with her stepmother moved to Salem, specifically to her grandmother's house. Being a descendant of the man who's mention to be a great supporter to the Witch Trials- Cotton Mather, isn't easy. Sam became a leper in school, in town. The so-called Descendants of the Witches torments her, which makes her life in Salem, hell. To top it all, she's having troubles with a guy spirit at home.
The main character, Samantha Mather , is stubborn, she's ill-tempered. But she is brave, fearless, but she is determined to fight for the people around her, to save their lives even if it means risking hers.
Salem was completely ascertained. There were a lot of creepy and strange stuffs. Their beliefs are a bit unnerving. I haven't been to that place. And even if I'm creeped out, I wanted to visit Salem.
I was trying to figure out where the title fits in, not until I read a part (almost at 1/2 of the book). Finally, the title fell into its rightful place.
What freaked me out most is the paranormal love interest of the characters. I still can't stand the idea of a spirit falling in love with a living girl, and vice versa. Thank goodness, there's not much for a love triangle.
How to Hang a Witch gives us high school vibes, mainly its social hierarchy. The book also carries the angst of being a new student, someone who's new in town, an outsider.
The book's concept is distinct. It has this perfect blend of mystery, thriller, and suspense. Not to mention romance and humor. It has utmost factor of spook. It's packed with unearthly run-ins that will make your spine tremble in thrill.
Adriana Mather is impressive when it comes to misleading her readers. There were times when I'm positive that my predictions are true. Then she'll just bitchslap me in the face as if saying. "you think so? Ha!" This book is full of surprises and it pleased me. Warning: The book, and its author is deceiving! And that's truly awe-inspiring.
Readers will acknowledge the evocative locale of this book.
"Salem isn't like other places." -Adriana Mather
This book isn't one that I could say "the best", I can't say that right from the very first start it will capture you. To be honest, I've managed to read almost 30 pages before deciding that this book is good.
Adriana brings us to the present-day Salem. Samantha Mather, together with her stepmother moved to Salem, specifically to her grandmother's house. Being a descendant of the man who's mention to be a great supporter to the Witch Trials- Cotton Mather, isn't easy. Sam became a leper in school, in town. The so-called Descendants of the Witches torments her, which makes her life in Salem, hell. To top it all, she's having troubles with a guy spirit at home.
The main character, Samantha Mather , is stubborn, she's ill-tempered. But she is brave, fearless, but she is determined to fight for the people around her, to save their lives even if it means risking hers.
Salem was completely ascertained. There were a lot of creepy and strange stuffs. Their beliefs are a bit unnerving. I haven't been to that place. And even if I'm creeped out, I wanted to visit Salem.
I was trying to figure out where the title fits in, not until I read a part (almost at 1/2 of the book). Finally, the title fell into its rightful place.
What freaked me out most is the paranormal love interest of the characters. I still can't stand the idea of a spirit falling in love with a living girl, and vice versa. Thank goodness, there's not much for a love triangle.
How to Hang a Witch gives us high school vibes, mainly its social hierarchy. The book also carries the angst of being a new student, someone who's new in town, an outsider.
The book's concept is distinct. It has this perfect blend of mystery, thriller, and suspense. Not to mention romance and humor. It has utmost factor of spook. It's packed with unearthly run-ins that will make your spine tremble in thrill.
Adriana Mather is impressive when it comes to misleading her readers. There were times when I'm positive that my predictions are true. Then she'll just bitchslap me in the face as if saying. "you think so? Ha!" This book is full of surprises and it pleased me. Warning: The book, and its author is deceiving! And that's truly awe-inspiring.
Readers will acknowledge the evocative locale of this book.
"Salem isn't like other places." -Adriana Mather
January 26, 2018
Book Review by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Teenager Samantha (Sam) Mather’s father is in a coma, her Step Mum Vivian has had to sell their apartment in New York to pay for his medical bills and move them to the house that her Grandmother owned before she died, located in Salem.
Being a Mather in Salem isn’t easy though, as one of her relations, Cotton Mather, was one of the people behind the famous witch hanging in 1692.
Also living in Salem, and attending the local high school, are the descendants of the witches that were hung. They are not impressed with the arrival of Sam, especially when people start dying, leaving Sam to take the blame. They believe that she is cursed and want her to leave.
Is Samantha really cursed, or are there far greater evil forces in Salem?
I love a good story about witches, and How to Hang a Witch was definitely good. In fact, it was more than that, it was amazing. It was so good that I ordered the sequel, Haunting the Deep, and I am already half way through.
Whilst the story might be fictional, the Salem Witch hangings are certainly true, and being a Mather herself, the author is actually the real descendant of Cotton Mather. The book combines a great story with factual events, leaving you with subtly embedded factual knowledge.
The plot contains a whole host of characters that YA readers will love.
-The school gang who everyone is afraid of and take an instant dislike to the new girl. (Think Mean Girls)
-Two hot young men, though one is a ghost and a few hundred years old.
-A feisty protagonist with a smart mouth, who is determined to find out the truth at any cost. One who has confident outer strength, while her inner is less so sure about herself.
I read the book in two sittings, one in to the early hours of the morning. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested and a fantastic showdown near the end. Believe me, I did not envisage a certain person being the evil force at play.
This is a book that you can fully immerse yourself within. One you can forget the outside world and go and take a walk in Salem, where the houses are painted black, the police cars have a witch logo on them and everyone knows a descendant.
Teenager Samantha (Sam) Mather’s father is in a coma, her Step Mum Vivian has had to sell their apartment in New York to pay for his medical bills and move them to the house that her Grandmother owned before she died, located in Salem.
Being a Mather in Salem isn’t easy though, as one of her relations, Cotton Mather, was one of the people behind the famous witch hanging in 1692.
Also living in Salem, and attending the local high school, are the descendants of the witches that were hung. They are not impressed with the arrival of Sam, especially when people start dying, leaving Sam to take the blame. They believe that she is cursed and want her to leave.
Is Samantha really cursed, or are there far greater evil forces in Salem?
I love a good story about witches, and How to Hang a Witch was definitely good. In fact, it was more than that, it was amazing. It was so good that I ordered the sequel, Haunting the Deep, and I am already half way through.
Whilst the story might be fictional, the Salem Witch hangings are certainly true, and being a Mather herself, the author is actually the real descendant of Cotton Mather. The book combines a great story with factual events, leaving you with subtly embedded factual knowledge.
The plot contains a whole host of characters that YA readers will love.
-The school gang who everyone is afraid of and take an instant dislike to the new girl. (Think Mean Girls)
-Two hot young men, though one is a ghost and a few hundred years old.
-A feisty protagonist with a smart mouth, who is determined to find out the truth at any cost. One who has confident outer strength, while her inner is less so sure about herself.
I read the book in two sittings, one in to the early hours of the morning. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested and a fantastic showdown near the end. Believe me, I did not envisage a certain person being the evil force at play.
This is a book that you can fully immerse yourself within. One you can forget the outside world and go and take a walk in Salem, where the houses are painted black, the police cars have a witch logo on them and everyone knows a descendant.
February 9, 2017
Reading this book was like eating plain low fat oatmeal... blah. The characters had no personality, the story was rushed and predictable, I enjoyed the beginning but found myself annoyed by the end. I do feel that this would make a good made for TV Disney channel Halloween movie, but as a book I just wasn't a fan. Whomp whomp.
November 14, 2017
4.5/Realmente me ha encantado! No soy mucho de novela juvenil, perooooooo vamos, ¡ya quiero leer el segundo libro!
April 10, 2018
Samantha Mather lived in New York with her dad and step-mother Vivian until her father suddenly fell into a coma. With medical bills mounting, Vivian sells their NYC apartment and moves them to Salem, Massachusetts. Samantha's grandmother owned a house there before she died, and they can live there while Samantha's father is hospitalized. Immediately, things do not go as planned. As a relative of Cotton Mather, a proponent of the Salem witch trials, local descendants of those killed in the trials take a disliking to her. Strange things begin happening....accidents, injuries, deaths. Samantha has felt cursed all of her life. Maybe it's more than a feeling. Maybe she is actually cursed. With the help of a friendly spirit that only she can see, Samantha works to unravel the mystery causing harm to descendants on both sides of the infamous witch trials.
This book is an enjoyable read. The mystery is engaging and the plot moves along at a nice speed. The suspense kept me reading until the very last page. While definitely a YA book dealing with teen social issues alongside the witch trial, history of Salem, etc., the plot is not juvenile. As an adult, I still enjoyed the story. There is no sex, graphic violence or anything that would make this book inappropriate for middle grade aged students through adults. It does have a witchcraft theme...if that isn't your bag, then I'd pass this one by.
How to Hang a Witch is the first book in Adriana Mather's series about Samantha Mather. Luckily I have the second book, Haunting the Deep, on my TBR shelf waiting for me! Interestingly enough, Adriana Mather is actually a descendant of Cotton Mather just like the main character in her series.
This book is an enjoyable read. The mystery is engaging and the plot moves along at a nice speed. The suspense kept me reading until the very last page. While definitely a YA book dealing with teen social issues alongside the witch trial, history of Salem, etc., the plot is not juvenile. As an adult, I still enjoyed the story. There is no sex, graphic violence or anything that would make this book inappropriate for middle grade aged students through adults. It does have a witchcraft theme...if that isn't your bag, then I'd pass this one by.
How to Hang a Witch is the first book in Adriana Mather's series about Samantha Mather. Luckily I have the second book, Haunting the Deep, on my TBR shelf waiting for me! Interestingly enough, Adriana Mather is actually a descendant of Cotton Mather just like the main character in her series.
February 5, 2020
Is there a book about witches I ever resist? Not usually. And while some let me down in one way or another, I am happy to report that I really enjoyed this, so much so that I already have book two ready and downloaded for the next moment I have to read something from my TBR pile. Definitely fun and mysterious and full of all the good witchy stuff I love and crave.
June 6, 2021
khoảng 1.5 hay 2 sao gì đấy :(
nhà xuất bản gửi tôi cuốn sách này, tôi rất biết ơn. ấy vậy không phải vì thế mà tôi tâng bốc cuốn sách một cách mù quáng. các bạn theo dõi tôi đều biết tôi cảm nhận ra sao nói ra vậy, không thể đổi trắng thay đen chỉ để làm vừa lòng một số người.
văn học là nghệ thuật. nghệ thuật là cảm nhận. cảm nhận là của mỗi người. nếu mỗi người không có cảm nhận riêng thì văn học sẽ chẳng còn là văn học. nếu một cuốn sách "hay không tì vết" thì nó sẽ không phải là một cuốn sách.
và cuốn sách này, theo tôi thấy, là không hay đối với tôi. các bạn hoàn toàn có quyền tự đọc và đưa ra nhận xét cả nhân, các bạn hoàn toàn có quyền phản bác lại tôi. nhưng đừng đưa ra mấy cái lý lẽ như kiểu: "[với] vị trí bạn đọc đã đọc truyện như mình, mình thực sự rất bất ngờ và thấy buồn ấy". Tôi không chê sách để làm tổn thương các bạn fan của sách, tôi chê sách để các bạn có một cái nhìn đa chiều và đưa ra quyết định phù hợp.
[KHEN]
lúc nào tôi cũng cố gắng nhìn nhận điểm tốt của một cuốn sách, nhưng cuốn này thì hầu như không có. tôi đã phải cố gắng rất nhiều để "nặn" ra vài điểm cộng sau đây:
- giấy đẹp, dàn trang chuẩn. cầm thích tay đọc hay mắt.
- thật ra ban đầu không có quá nhiều kì vọng, vì luôn nghĩ rằng bản thân đã hết tuổi đọc fantasy, đặc biệt là YA fantasy. tôi cũng đã đọc nhiều review nhận xét NGAY TRÊN GOODREADS rằng cuốn sách có phần hơi trẻ con và nông cạn, ý tưởng có triển vọng nhưng cách thực hiện thì chưa tốt. chính vì đã chuẩn bị tâm thế “không kì vọng” nên lúc đọc thì thấy hay hơn tưởng tượng khá nhiều.
- đúng là tôi cũng quá cái tuổi đam mê fantasy rồi nên đọc chỉ để đổi gió, nhưng các bạn còn trẻ, tầm từ 13-17 mà đọc cuốn này chắc sẽ thích hơn tôi nhiều. nó có đầy đủ những yếu tố huyền bí, ghê rợn và đáng sợ. đây cũng là câu chuyện điển hình (typical, cliché if you want) kể về một cô bé tuổi mới lớn đang chật vật tìm kiếm con đường riêng của mình và sa vào mối tình tay ba.
- mạch truyện nhanh dần sau từng chương để rồi dẫn đến một cái kết cao trào, kịch tích (dù dễ đoán cực kì)
- là truyện dành cho thanh thiếu niên, cuốn sách vẫn để lại những bài học cho người đọc. trong đó có bài học về sự khác biệt, về sự đồng cảm và lòng thương người. ngoài ra câu chuyện cũng ngầm chỉ ra vấn nạn bắt nạt học đường, kẻ xấu chèn ép kẻ y���u, một vấn đề vẫn luôn bị làm ngơ.quan trọng nhất là bài học về lịch sử đau thương, cách con người đã từng ngu muội mà đi hãm hại lẫn nhau. khiến tôi phải wikipedia để học lại về phù thủy ("witch").
---
[CHÊ]
- không thể nuốt nổi. muốn bỏ từ những chương đầu vì cái lỗi viết chậm lề rề và lê thê ĐIỂN HÌNH của YA. các bạn mà ưa chuyện kể lể vớ vẩn về cuộc sống thường nhật thì cứ việc đọc, tôi ổn. còn tệ hơn truyện John Green, vốn là những thứ siêu phẩm tệ.
- các nhân vật có tính cách và ứng xử khá trẻ con hơn so với độ tuổi. đến tôi hồi đấy còn chững chạc hơn. unbearably unbearable. cách khắc họa nhân vật, đặc biệt là nhân vật chính, còn thiếu chiều sâu và vô lý. không thể cảm nhận được sự thay đổi dần dần của nhân vật qua từng chương sách. ngược lại, những sự thay đổi về diễn biến tâm lý thường diễn ra quá đường đột. nhân vật nào cũng điển hình: typical good boy, typical nổi loạn girl, typical bà mẹ xấu tính . các nhân vật phụ cũng khó lòng ưa được, do được xây dựng theo mô-típ mean girls hay ra vẻ ta đây và hay mạt sát nhân vật chính. đọc bị mệt, và bị nhàm.
- không biết các bạn có thích chuyện tình tay ba không, nhưng tôi thì... tôi chưa bao giờ và sẽ không bao giờ thích điều này, ngoài đời thật hay trong phim ảnh.
- ngoài ra, mặc dù đã rất kì vọng được biết thêm nhiều thông tin về phù thủy, tác giả lại có vẻ không cài quá nhiều chi tiết về vấn đề này trong truyện. chủ yếu là drama, người nọ chết, người kia bị thương, nhân vật chính cố gắng giải quyết vấn đề nhưng lại càng bị hiểu lầm lớn hơn. thế mà bên NXB lại nói "khi truyền thông, bên mình thường đưa thông tin khá đầy đủ về bối cảnh lịch sử năm xưa, để bạn đọc hiểu rõ hơn trước khi đọc." làm tôi tưởng trong sách có rất nhiều điều về lịch sử nên mới có hứng thú đọc. nếu biết rằng đó chỉ là một cách PR thì tôi nghỉ luôn rồi.
hôm qua mới nói chuyện với bạn tôi thì mới phát hiện, hóa ra tôi không phải là người duy nhất bị "lừa". bạn tôi nói không hề biết cuốn sách này là tiểu thuyết, mà tưởng nó là sách tư liệu lịch sử, tất cả do cách PR hơi lệch sóng của bên NXB. sợ rằng cách PR như vậy sẽ khiến nhiều người hiểu nhầm mà bỏ qua tác phẩm.
---
tôi đã nói gần như xong rồi. vẫn còn nhiều điều lấn cấn nhưng nói thật là không đủ rảnh và cũng chẳng đủ quan tâm để ngồi đây mà phân tích. quả thật do không hợp, chứ không phải do tôi cố tình "dìm hàng" cuốn sách. rất hoan nghênh các bạn để lại bình luận văn mình để chúng ta cùng bàn bạc.
nhà xuất bản gửi tôi cuốn sách này, tôi rất biết ơn. ấy vậy không phải vì thế mà tôi tâng bốc cuốn sách một cách mù quáng. các bạn theo dõi tôi đều biết tôi cảm nhận ra sao nói ra vậy, không thể đổi trắng thay đen chỉ để làm vừa lòng một số người.
văn học là nghệ thuật. nghệ thuật là cảm nhận. cảm nhận là của mỗi người. nếu mỗi người không có cảm nhận riêng thì văn học sẽ chẳng còn là văn học. nếu một cuốn sách "hay không tì vết" thì nó sẽ không phải là một cuốn sách.
và cuốn sách này, theo tôi thấy, là không hay đối với tôi. các bạn hoàn toàn có quyền tự đọc và đưa ra nhận xét cả nhân, các bạn hoàn toàn có quyền phản bác lại tôi. nhưng đừng đưa ra mấy cái lý lẽ như kiểu: "[với] vị trí bạn đọc đã đọc truyện như mình, mình thực sự rất bất ngờ và thấy buồn ấy". Tôi không chê sách để làm tổn thương các bạn fan của sách, tôi chê sách để các bạn có một cái nhìn đa chiều và đưa ra quyết định phù hợp.
[KHEN]
lúc nào tôi cũng cố gắng nhìn nhận điểm tốt của một cuốn sách, nhưng cuốn này thì hầu như không có. tôi đã phải cố gắng rất nhiều để "nặn" ra vài điểm cộng sau đây:
- giấy đẹp, dàn trang chuẩn. cầm thích tay đọc hay mắt.
- thật ra ban đầu không có quá nhiều kì vọng, vì luôn nghĩ rằng bản thân đã hết tuổi đọc fantasy, đặc biệt là YA fantasy. tôi cũng đã đọc nhiều review nhận xét NGAY TRÊN GOODREADS rằng cuốn sách có phần hơi trẻ con và nông cạn, ý tưởng có triển vọng nhưng cách thực hiện thì chưa tốt. chính vì đã chuẩn bị tâm thế “không kì vọng” nên lúc đọc thì thấy hay hơn tưởng tượng khá nhiều.
- đúng là tôi cũng quá cái tuổi đam mê fantasy rồi nên đọc chỉ để đổi gió, nhưng các bạn còn trẻ, tầm từ 13-17 mà đọc cuốn này chắc sẽ thích hơn tôi nhiều. nó có đầy đủ những yếu tố huyền bí, ghê rợn và đáng sợ. đây cũng là câu chuyện điển hình (typical, cliché if you want) kể về một cô bé tuổi mới lớn đang chật vật tìm kiếm con đường riêng của mình và sa vào mối tình tay ba.
- mạch truyện nhanh dần sau từng chương để rồi dẫn đến một cái kết cao trào, kịch tích (dù dễ đoán cực kì)
- là truyện dành cho thanh thiếu niên, cuốn sách vẫn để lại những bài học cho người đọc. trong đó có bài học về sự khác biệt, về sự đồng cảm và lòng thương người. ngoài ra câu chuyện cũng ngầm chỉ ra vấn nạn bắt nạt học đường, kẻ xấu chèn ép kẻ y���u, một vấn đề vẫn luôn bị làm ngơ.quan trọng nhất là bài học về lịch sử đau thương, cách con người đã từng ngu muội mà đi hãm hại lẫn nhau. khiến tôi phải wikipedia để học lại về phù thủy ("witch").
---
[CHÊ]
- không thể nuốt nổi. muốn bỏ từ những chương đầu vì cái lỗi viết chậm lề rề và lê thê ĐIỂN HÌNH của YA. các bạn mà ưa chuyện kể lể vớ vẩn về cuộc sống thường nhật thì cứ việc đọc, tôi ổn. còn tệ hơn truyện John Green, vốn là những thứ siêu phẩm tệ.
- các nhân vật có tính cách và ứng xử khá trẻ con hơn so với độ tuổi. đến tôi hồi đấy còn chững chạc hơn. unbearably unbearable. cách khắc họa nhân vật, đặc biệt là nhân vật chính, còn thiếu chiều sâu và vô lý. không thể cảm nhận được sự thay đổi dần dần của nhân vật qua từng chương sách. ngược lại, những sự thay đổi về diễn biến tâm lý thường diễn ra quá đường đột. nhân vật nào cũng điển hình: typical good boy, typical nổi loạn girl, typical bà mẹ xấu tính . các nhân vật phụ cũng khó lòng ưa được, do được xây dựng theo mô-típ mean girls hay ra vẻ ta đây và hay mạt sát nhân vật chính. đọc bị mệt, và bị nhàm.
- không biết các bạn có thích chuyện tình tay ba không, nhưng tôi thì... tôi chưa bao giờ và sẽ không bao giờ thích điều này, ngoài đời thật hay trong phim ảnh.
- ngoài ra, mặc dù đã rất kì vọng được biết thêm nhiều thông tin về phù thủy, tác giả lại có vẻ không cài quá nhiều chi tiết về vấn đề này trong truyện. chủ yếu là drama, người nọ chết, người kia bị thương, nhân vật chính cố gắng giải quyết vấn đề nhưng lại càng bị hiểu lầm lớn hơn. thế mà bên NXB lại nói "khi truyền thông, bên mình thường đưa thông tin khá đầy đủ về bối cảnh lịch sử năm xưa, để bạn đọc hiểu rõ hơn trước khi đọc." làm tôi tưởng trong sách có rất nhiều điều về lịch sử nên mới có hứng thú đọc. nếu biết rằng đó chỉ là một cách PR thì tôi nghỉ luôn rồi.
hôm qua mới nói chuyện với bạn tôi thì mới phát hiện, hóa ra tôi không phải là người duy nhất bị "lừa". bạn tôi nói không hề biết cuốn sách này là tiểu thuyết, mà tưởng nó là sách tư liệu lịch sử, tất cả do cách PR hơi lệch sóng của bên NXB. sợ rằng cách PR như vậy sẽ khiến nhiều người hiểu nhầm mà bỏ qua tác phẩm.
---
tôi đã nói gần như xong rồi. vẫn còn nhiều điều lấn cấn nhưng nói thật là không đủ rảnh và cũng chẳng đủ quan tâm để ngồi đây mà phân tích. quả thật do không hợp, chứ không phải do tôi cố tình "dìm hàng" cuốn sách. rất hoan nghênh các bạn để lại bình luận văn mình để chúng ta cùng bàn bạc.
July 27, 2016
3.5/5 stars
Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gp2h...
This was one of the books I picked up during my BEA/Bookcon trip. I was looking forward to this book ever since I read the synopsis earlier this year and have to say I really enjoyed what I read. It flew by for me since I finished it in a matter of two days even though I am crazy busy.
I loved how the author took her family history and twisted it into this YA book. Now, I didn't exactly feel too connected with the characters (y'all know characters are a huge thing for me) they were sorta flat for me and I didn't honestly love the romance (could've done without it to be honest since I felt it developed way too fast) but I really enjoyed the mysterious aspect the novel had.
With this being Adriana Mather's debut novel I'm intrigued to see what else she will bring out.Maybe she will take other aspects from her family history to use as a backbone for other books, I would surely enjoy that since I think that part of the story at least in this book really stood out to me.
Overall, if you are interested in a YA supernatural book involving witches, ghosts, and a whole lot of mystery definitely check this one out!!
Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gp2h...
This was one of the books I picked up during my BEA/Bookcon trip. I was looking forward to this book ever since I read the synopsis earlier this year and have to say I really enjoyed what I read. It flew by for me since I finished it in a matter of two days even though I am crazy busy.
I loved how the author took her family history and twisted it into this YA book. Now, I didn't exactly feel too connected with the characters (y'all know characters are a huge thing for me) they were sorta flat for me and I didn't honestly love the romance (could've done without it to be honest since I felt it developed way too fast) but I really enjoyed the mysterious aspect the novel had.
With this being Adriana Mather's debut novel I'm intrigued to see what else she will bring out.Maybe she will take other aspects from her family history to use as a backbone for other books, I would surely enjoy that since I think that part of the story at least in this book really stood out to me.
Overall, if you are interested in a YA supernatural book involving witches, ghosts, and a whole lot of mystery definitely check this one out!!
October 24, 2016
This book was fun, but also kind of silly. If you're looking for a book to read around Halloween it's perfect though! I enjoyed it quite a bit.
November 23, 2016
I gave this book half a star and rounded it up to 1 star on Goodreads. I also did not finish this book and quit at the 50 percent mark.
The only cool thing about this book is that a descendant of the Mathers (see Salem Witch trials) wrote a book book Salem and what happens when a descendant of Cotton Mather moves to Salem. There appears to be a curse at work on Sam and the Descendants (the book titles them that way, not me) of the supposed witches that were hanged. Other than that, there is not really anything to see here.
The world building in this book is not great, we have a love triangle (of course) and the development of the main character and others is non-existent. It does not help that crucial details are being left out of things everywhere you turn and you are just supposed to figure out what is going on. I read to the 50 percent mark due to the chapters being so short. But at that point (Chapter 30 to be exact) I pulled the plug and said forget this noise. There are better books out there and I rather be reading them.
The main character of Samantha (prefers Sam) Mather really needs to be worked on. he is not really solid as a character. She is either fighting with her stepmother Vivian, or getting into fights/arguments with teachers or other kids at her school. We keep hearing about terrible things that happened to Sam at schools, but the things described (a hair cutting incident) is assault plain and simple and I have to wonder at Sam's father and stepmother trying to gloss over the whole thing. Of course the book tries to tie in Sam's problems with a "curse" and all, but that didn't really work for me since one incident involved a childhood friend and we don't know what happened there, and the second incident was her having her hair cut and once again I don't know what led up to it.
The secondary characters are written terribly too. Sam's stepmother Vivian has apparently been in her life since she was a child and up until Sam's father had his accident they were really close. But Sam keeps fighting with Vivian and will not tell her what is going on. So there's just a lot of scenes with Sam acting like a jerk (my words) and then saying I should tell Vivian what's going on. Yeah girl, you should.
Other characters such as Jaxon are there to just be a love interest to Sam. I have no idea what this guy really looks like besides the color of his eyes. In fact every guy in this book gets the color of his eyes described. I don't know why Jaxon likes Sam besides the story is making it so. Once again she's not interesting at all, they just live next door to each other.
We also get the Descendants of those accused of witchcraft. Why Mather actually decided to make these Descendants actual witches baffles me. Frankly I wonder why the character of Sam has not said to at least one of them, well so my great great great whatever was right? Still a terrible person to have people be hanged, but you all were witches? That whole thing drove me buggy while reading. Also these Descendants all wear black (yes cause witches wear black...always) and they go off into the woods, they have a circle (but the last time I checked I don't think there are 13 of them, but they all started to blur together so don't quote me on that), and they all wear hooded capes or capes when going out into the woods. I just could not stop laughing. These were stereotypical witches that made me roll my eyes a lot. They were also bullies and acted like asses to Sam. I also don't get why any of these kids would bully someone just because their last name was Mather and no one in the school picked up on it at all. Ugh. I will be here all day if I get into this anymore so moving on.
The other townspeople are a bit much too. Everytime Sam tells someone their name they freak out. There is an incident when she goes to get coffee and the cashier requests her last name (please) and she says Mather and gets the stink eye from the cashier and others. I mean the incidents like this in the book were ridiculous.
The writing was not good. I really don't know what else to say. The sentence structures were all over the place and depending on who was talking it got even more messed up. For example, the character of Elijah should not be speaking in modern speech at all since we know what era he was born in. And having the character speak as if he just learned English was not working for me either. Having the chapter headings started wearing on my nerves while reading too. I don't know why some authors need to set the mood so to speak, but readers are smart, you don't have to have a chapter that says "Under All that Bravado" and then have a character say that later on in the chapter.
The flow of the book was really bad too. The chapters kept ending at weird places and nothing really synced up.
The world building for this book should have been easy. Salem is a real place. I have no understanding at all of how the town looks besides almost all of the houses are black, witches symbols are all over the place, and the school has a witch as their mascot. I also got that same information from Wikipedia. I need to actually be able to envision it. How does the town look, is it a straight route from Sam's house to downtown. How do the trees look? Do the houses have gables? Widows walk? Salem is a huge tourist attraction, this book takes place during September/October, are you telling me there are no tourists anywhere? I have a friend that lives in Boston and she always goes to Salem for Halloween and based on the pictures there are a ton of things to do there. The Salem Sam inhabits seems kind of desolate.
I can't speak to the ending because I stopped reading this at 50 percent. I would definitely recommend skipping this.
The only cool thing about this book is that a descendant of the Mathers (see Salem Witch trials) wrote a book book Salem and what happens when a descendant of Cotton Mather moves to Salem. There appears to be a curse at work on Sam and the Descendants (the book titles them that way, not me) of the supposed witches that were hanged. Other than that, there is not really anything to see here.
The world building in this book is not great, we have a love triangle (of course) and the development of the main character and others is non-existent. It does not help that crucial details are being left out of things everywhere you turn and you are just supposed to figure out what is going on. I read to the 50 percent mark due to the chapters being so short. But at that point (Chapter 30 to be exact) I pulled the plug and said forget this noise. There are better books out there and I rather be reading them.
The main character of Samantha (prefers Sam) Mather really needs to be worked on. he is not really solid as a character. She is either fighting with her stepmother Vivian, or getting into fights/arguments with teachers or other kids at her school. We keep hearing about terrible things that happened to Sam at schools, but the things described (a hair cutting incident) is assault plain and simple and I have to wonder at Sam's father and stepmother trying to gloss over the whole thing. Of course the book tries to tie in Sam's problems with a "curse" and all, but that didn't really work for me since one incident involved a childhood friend and we don't know what happened there, and the second incident was her having her hair cut and once again I don't know what led up to it.
The secondary characters are written terribly too. Sam's stepmother Vivian has apparently been in her life since she was a child and up until Sam's father had his accident they were really close. But Sam keeps fighting with Vivian and will not tell her what is going on. So there's just a lot of scenes with Sam acting like a jerk (my words) and then saying I should tell Vivian what's going on. Yeah girl, you should.
Other characters such as Jaxon are there to just be a love interest to Sam. I have no idea what this guy really looks like besides the color of his eyes. In fact every guy in this book gets the color of his eyes described. I don't know why Jaxon likes Sam besides the story is making it so. Once again she's not interesting at all, they just live next door to each other.
We also get the Descendants of those accused of witchcraft. Why Mather actually decided to make these Descendants actual witches baffles me. Frankly I wonder why the character of Sam has not said to at least one of them, well so my great great great whatever was right? Still a terrible person to have people be hanged, but you all were witches? That whole thing drove me buggy while reading. Also these Descendants all wear black (yes cause witches wear black...always) and they go off into the woods, they have a circle (but the last time I checked I don't think there are 13 of them, but they all started to blur together so don't quote me on that), and they all wear hooded capes or capes when going out into the woods. I just could not stop laughing. These were stereotypical witches that made me roll my eyes a lot. They were also bullies and acted like asses to Sam. I also don't get why any of these kids would bully someone just because their last name was Mather and no one in the school picked up on it at all. Ugh. I will be here all day if I get into this anymore so moving on.
The other townspeople are a bit much too. Everytime Sam tells someone their name they freak out. There is an incident when she goes to get coffee and the cashier requests her last name (please) and she says Mather and gets the stink eye from the cashier and others. I mean the incidents like this in the book were ridiculous.
The writing was not good. I really don't know what else to say. The sentence structures were all over the place and depending on who was talking it got even more messed up. For example, the character of Elijah should not be speaking in modern speech at all since we know what era he was born in. And having the character speak as if he just learned English was not working for me either. Having the chapter headings started wearing on my nerves while reading too. I don't know why some authors need to set the mood so to speak, but readers are smart, you don't have to have a chapter that says "Under All that Bravado" and then have a character say that later on in the chapter.
The flow of the book was really bad too. The chapters kept ending at weird places and nothing really synced up.
The world building for this book should have been easy. Salem is a real place. I have no understanding at all of how the town looks besides almost all of the houses are black, witches symbols are all over the place, and the school has a witch as their mascot. I also got that same information from Wikipedia. I need to actually be able to envision it. How does the town look, is it a straight route from Sam's house to downtown. How do the trees look? Do the houses have gables? Widows walk? Salem is a huge tourist attraction, this book takes place during September/October, are you telling me there are no tourists anywhere? I have a friend that lives in Boston and she always goes to Salem for Halloween and based on the pictures there are a ton of things to do there. The Salem Sam inhabits seems kind of desolate.
I can't speak to the ending because I stopped reading this at 50 percent. I would definitely recommend skipping this.
November 26, 2017
2.5/5
Well, that was downright too predictable, which is a shame, because it started off strong(ish) - only for the story to dull and come to a complete stop. Honestly, after 3/4 of the book I just wanted to finish it and put it away.
Part of me wants to say that this was unique, because I have never read a YA book about the Salem Witch Trials (at least not like this one); however, aside from the idea, the rest of the story was completely unoriginal. I felt like the characters were borrowed from other YA novels (you know, those stereotypical personalities), that most of the "snarky comments" have already been said, and that the whole love-triangle was too forced. Normally, I don't mind love-triangles - if they're done well - but this one, I hated. I really did. Because I knew exactly who Samantha was going to end up with, and I felt like the author was trying too hard to "trick" the reader from thinking that. Unfortunately, she did a bad job, and it just annoyed me that she was trying so hard, when it was painfully obvious.
You might be asking how I rated this over 2 stars if it seems like I didn't enjoy it; however, there were a few things I did enjoy. For one, I meant it when I said the book started off well. The first few chapters held my attention, and I was curious to see where the author would take her idea. Sadly, her idea was good, but her execution was poor.
Honestly, overall, this was boring and unoriginal. It disheartens me to say that since I was looking forward to reading this. Plus, I already bought the second book in this series...which I'm wondering if I should read it or not. Perhaps another time, since I've heard it's better than this novel.
Either way, I'm sure younger audiences would love this! I, on the other hand, have read too many books that follow this exact plot-line and could not enjoy it.
Well, that was downright too predictable, which is a shame, because it started off strong(ish) - only for the story to dull and come to a complete stop. Honestly, after 3/4 of the book I just wanted to finish it and put it away.
Part of me wants to say that this was unique, because I have never read a YA book about the Salem Witch Trials (at least not like this one); however, aside from the idea, the rest of the story was completely unoriginal. I felt like the characters were borrowed from other YA novels (you know, those stereotypical personalities), that most of the "snarky comments" have already been said, and that the whole love-triangle was too forced. Normally, I don't mind love-triangles - if they're done well - but this one, I hated. I really did. Because I knew exactly who Samantha was going to end up with, and I felt like the author was trying too hard to "trick" the reader from thinking that. Unfortunately, she did a bad job, and it just annoyed me that she was trying so hard, when it was painfully obvious.
You might be asking how I rated this over 2 stars if it seems like I didn't enjoy it; however, there were a few things I did enjoy. For one, I meant it when I said the book started off well. The first few chapters held my attention, and I was curious to see where the author would take her idea. Sadly, her idea was good, but her execution was poor.
Honestly, overall, this was boring and unoriginal. It disheartens me to say that since I was looking forward to reading this. Plus, I already bought the second book in this series...which I'm wondering if I should read it or not. Perhaps another time, since I've heard it's better than this novel.
Either way, I'm sure younger audiences would love this! I, on the other hand, have read too many books that follow this exact plot-line and could not enjoy it.
August 24, 2016
Initial Impressions 8/2/16: This book was totally Hocus Pocus meets The Craft (with some actual history in there too)! I got vibes at the beginning and it maintained that vibe throughout. Now someone get Fall here NOW so I can splash in leaves and put up Halloween decorations and drink PSLs watch the best seasonal movies.
HOW TO HANG A WITCH was a lot of fun! So many witchy books are quite fantastical (a full fantasy world with school and society like Harry Potter) or historical fiction or full on fantasy with no real world crossover. I really loved that HOW TO HANG A WITCH was contemporary, involved some witchy happenings, and also contained a lot of history. I actually had no idea that this was (mostly) real history until I heard the author's note at the end of the audiobook. Adriana Mather is actually related to Cotton Mather (who was a prominent part of the book) and her family was truly a big part of history. I loved that she told the story of her family's history and also created a really cool fictional novel based on historical events.
The book was great overall! I had fun with it throughout and I really enjoyed the complex relationships of all of the characters. The mysteries were plentiful, curses needed to be broken, spells happened, I got a little scared, and the ending was surprising! I totally had a theory and then SURPRISES HAPPENED.
There were just a couple of spots that I found a little silly or strange. Like the whole thing... But I just loved the feel of this book, the narration was great (it was the author herself!), and the story was awesome. I hope there's more to come from Adriana Mather and I'd love more books like this!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/24/16: I first heard of HOW TO HANG A WITCH at ALA this past January and was instantly attracted to the “Mean Girls meets Salem Witch Trials” pitch. When I saw an audio review copy from Listening Library, I knew I wanted to read it soon and I quickly dove into the audiobook. I was surprised to find out that the author, Adriana Mather, narrates it herself! It was such a fun experience overall and I really enjoyed the entire vibe of the book.
The “Mean Girls meets Salem Witch Trials” pitch is pretty spot on. I was actually reminded a lot of The Craft as far as the Mean Girls aspect went with Sam having several conflicts with The Descendants, a group of classmates who are actual descendants of the families involved in the Salem Witch trials and who may or may not dabble in actual witchcraft. They dress in all black and are generally surly bunch and this totally reminded me of the movie The Craft! (And I loved it.) I also totally picked up a Hocus Pocus vibe with Sam moving to Salem from the city and being the new kid in school. She meets a boy, has a crush, communicates with spirits, and gets involved with witches. Not to mention the whole thing takes place during the fall and I was just totally pining for autumn and Halloweentime! My only regret about reading this book when I did is that it wasn’t fall already! I absolutely loved the overall feel of the book — movie vibes included — and really enjoyed how it was a contemporary take on the witches without being historical fiction or total fantasy world. It had that perfect modern feel that fit so well with the book’s overall tone.
The plot kept me hooked and entertained from start to finish. There were a lot of interesting twists and like your average book, some were predictable and some totally weren’t. I liked that the past played a really strong part in the present and there are so many ways that Sam’s current situation is intertwined with the actual history of the Salem Witch trials. Some twists really surprised me and I had a long-standing theory for a couple things that were happening that turned out to be incorrect, which I actually love because I think it’s great when an author can surprise or mislead me to keep a big reveal for the ending! There were a couple spots that got a little confusing or convoluted with some extra details that didn’t end up playing a part in the book but those details also kept me on the trail of something that turned out to be a red herring and maintained the element of surprise, so I guess that was good in one way!
The really, really neat thing about HOW TO HANG A WITCH is Adriana Mather’s actual, real-life relation to the Mather family of the Salem Witch Trials. She really is a direct descendant and there’s a neat author’s note that I listened to at the end explaining a long and rather important family history in which her ancestors played big roles in some major historical events. I thought it was really neat how she used her own family connection to create this story! Obviously some historical elements were changed to tweaked to accommodate a young adult novel as well as creating into a modern work of fiction, but there are a lot of general concepts and even some specific facts relating to the Salem Witch Trials and the Mather family specifically that are totally true! With Adriana Mather’s narration of the audiobook as well, it was just really neat to see so many specific elements of involvement in the production of her book and it felt like such a personal touch and connection.
(Possible spoiler paragraph) The one thing about the book that I really had a hang-up with was the romance. I was really accepting of everything — witches, ghosts, paranormal activity, a gang of descendants — up until this romance thing took a turn. It started out sweet with Sam and neighbor boy Jaxon slowly starting to develop a little bit of a romance but then Sam’s involvement with Elijah, the ghost that follows her around, starts to become romantic. And then you lost me. I can handle fond feelings for the ghost-boy but Sam wanted to actually start like… dating him. Sweetie. You realize he’s a ghost, right? Sam has the ability to physically interact with him and it’s pretty consistent but things get weird when you start kissing ghosts of boys who have been dead for hundreds of years. Thankfully, that resolved itself but why throw in a love triangle angle with a ghost? That was my one big turn-off.
HOW TO HANG A WITCH was an overall fun and enjoyable read! I just really dug the whole vibe of the book, from The Craft and Hocus Pocus feel to the contemporary take to the sarcasm and snark, the book really just fit with me! Some readers will probably be anticipating a little more depth because for all of its history, it did still feel on the lighter side but I personally really liked that about it. I really enjoyed the levity while still digging into actual history (with a little bit of creative licensing) and having a book that was easy to breeze through and kept me entertained! I think this is a really fun fall read and should definitely be on your reading lists this autumn if you love reading spooky or seasonal reads before/around Halloween!
HOW TO HANG A WITCH was a lot of fun! So many witchy books are quite fantastical (a full fantasy world with school and society like Harry Potter) or historical fiction or full on fantasy with no real world crossover. I really loved that HOW TO HANG A WITCH was contemporary, involved some witchy happenings, and also contained a lot of history. I actually had no idea that this was (mostly) real history until I heard the author's note at the end of the audiobook. Adriana Mather is actually related to Cotton Mather (who was a prominent part of the book) and her family was truly a big part of history. I loved that she told the story of her family's history and also created a really cool fictional novel based on historical events.
The book was great overall! I had fun with it throughout and I really enjoyed the complex relationships of all of the characters. The mysteries were plentiful, curses needed to be broken, spells happened, I got a little scared, and the ending was surprising! I totally had a theory and then SURPRISES HAPPENED.
There were just a couple of spots that I found a little silly or strange. Like the whole thing... But I just loved the feel of this book, the narration was great (it was the author herself!), and the story was awesome. I hope there's more to come from Adriana Mather and I'd love more books like this!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 8/24/16: I first heard of HOW TO HANG A WITCH at ALA this past January and was instantly attracted to the “Mean Girls meets Salem Witch Trials” pitch. When I saw an audio review copy from Listening Library, I knew I wanted to read it soon and I quickly dove into the audiobook. I was surprised to find out that the author, Adriana Mather, narrates it herself! It was such a fun experience overall and I really enjoyed the entire vibe of the book.
The “Mean Girls meets Salem Witch Trials” pitch is pretty spot on. I was actually reminded a lot of The Craft as far as the Mean Girls aspect went with Sam having several conflicts with The Descendants, a group of classmates who are actual descendants of the families involved in the Salem Witch trials and who may or may not dabble in actual witchcraft. They dress in all black and are generally surly bunch and this totally reminded me of the movie The Craft! (And I loved it.) I also totally picked up a Hocus Pocus vibe with Sam moving to Salem from the city and being the new kid in school. She meets a boy, has a crush, communicates with spirits, and gets involved with witches. Not to mention the whole thing takes place during the fall and I was just totally pining for autumn and Halloweentime! My only regret about reading this book when I did is that it wasn’t fall already! I absolutely loved the overall feel of the book — movie vibes included — and really enjoyed how it was a contemporary take on the witches without being historical fiction or total fantasy world. It had that perfect modern feel that fit so well with the book’s overall tone.
The plot kept me hooked and entertained from start to finish. There were a lot of interesting twists and like your average book, some were predictable and some totally weren’t. I liked that the past played a really strong part in the present and there are so many ways that Sam’s current situation is intertwined with the actual history of the Salem Witch trials. Some twists really surprised me and I had a long-standing theory for a couple things that were happening that turned out to be incorrect, which I actually love because I think it’s great when an author can surprise or mislead me to keep a big reveal for the ending! There were a couple spots that got a little confusing or convoluted with some extra details that didn’t end up playing a part in the book but those details also kept me on the trail of something that turned out to be a red herring and maintained the element of surprise, so I guess that was good in one way!
The really, really neat thing about HOW TO HANG A WITCH is Adriana Mather’s actual, real-life relation to the Mather family of the Salem Witch Trials. She really is a direct descendant and there’s a neat author’s note that I listened to at the end explaining a long and rather important family history in which her ancestors played big roles in some major historical events. I thought it was really neat how she used her own family connection to create this story! Obviously some historical elements were changed to tweaked to accommodate a young adult novel as well as creating into a modern work of fiction, but there are a lot of general concepts and even some specific facts relating to the Salem Witch Trials and the Mather family specifically that are totally true! With Adriana Mather’s narration of the audiobook as well, it was just really neat to see so many specific elements of involvement in the production of her book and it felt like such a personal touch and connection.
(Possible spoiler paragraph) The one thing about the book that I really had a hang-up with was the romance. I was really accepting of everything — witches, ghosts, paranormal activity, a gang of descendants — up until this romance thing took a turn. It started out sweet with Sam and neighbor boy Jaxon slowly starting to develop a little bit of a romance but then Sam’s involvement with Elijah, the ghost that follows her around, starts to become romantic. And then you lost me. I can handle fond feelings for the ghost-boy but Sam wanted to actually start like… dating him. Sweetie. You realize he’s a ghost, right? Sam has the ability to physically interact with him and it’s pretty consistent but things get weird when you start kissing ghosts of boys who have been dead for hundreds of years. Thankfully, that resolved itself but why throw in a love triangle angle with a ghost? That was my one big turn-off.
HOW TO HANG A WITCH was an overall fun and enjoyable read! I just really dug the whole vibe of the book, from The Craft and Hocus Pocus feel to the contemporary take to the sarcasm and snark, the book really just fit with me! Some readers will probably be anticipating a little more depth because for all of its history, it did still feel on the lighter side but I personally really liked that about it. I really enjoyed the levity while still digging into actual history (with a little bit of creative licensing) and having a book that was easy to breeze through and kept me entertained! I think this is a really fun fall read and should definitely be on your reading lists this autumn if you love reading spooky or seasonal reads before/around Halloween!
November 24, 2017
I love books of any kind on the Salem Witch trials so I ate this one right up! It was interesting and fast paced with characters that you could love and some you could love to hate! Got dinner plans so can't wait too long of a review but loved this one for sure!
Overall, a fun quick read!
Overall, a fun quick read!
May 6, 2016
4.5/5 Stars
For ages, I have been looking for that perfect Halloweeny read, and I've finally found it! It's witchy without being too creepy, and being the big scaredy-cat that I am, the latter is extremely important. I'm fascinated and horrified by the history of the Salem witch trials, and How to Hang a Witch uses that history and turns it into a spooky and romantic story. I really identified with the main character's voice, and I now have a new book boyfriend in Elijah—a swoony ghost with a sad and dark past. In a lot of ways, this book reminded me of the movie The Craft, which I loooooved growing up, but a cuter version!
Once I got to the middle of the story, I was tearing through the pages! I couldn't get enough of the story and all the romantic scenes were amazing. The book ends in a way that makes you want to rip your hair out—but in a good way haha. When I reached the end, I couldn't believe it. It left me with so many questions and hopes, but I have no idea what's going to happen in the sequel. I needed more, and now I have to wait over a year for the next book!
Alas, I will eagerly await the sequel... until I get it, I'll just have to push this book on everyone I know haha.
Read my full ARC review of How to Hang a Witch!
For ages, I have been looking for that perfect Halloweeny read, and I've finally found it! It's witchy without being too creepy, and being the big scaredy-cat that I am, the latter is extremely important. I'm fascinated and horrified by the history of the Salem witch trials, and How to Hang a Witch uses that history and turns it into a spooky and romantic story. I really identified with the main character's voice, and I now have a new book boyfriend in Elijah—a swoony ghost with a sad and dark past. In a lot of ways, this book reminded me of the movie The Craft, which I loooooved growing up, but a cuter version!
Once I got to the middle of the story, I was tearing through the pages! I couldn't get enough of the story and all the romantic scenes were amazing. The book ends in a way that makes you want to rip your hair out—but in a good way haha. When I reached the end, I couldn't believe it. It left me with so many questions and hopes, but I have no idea what's going to happen in the sequel. I needed more, and now I have to wait over a year for the next book!
Alas, I will eagerly await the sequel... until I get it, I'll just have to push this book on everyone I know haha.
Read my full ARC review of How to Hang a Witch!
June 22, 2016
[3.75 Stars] This isn't the best thing I've ever read, and it does start off in a way that if I wasn't really wanting to review it, I might have put it down. It begins super tropey with a young self-proclaimed sarcastic teen moving to a new city where she meets two incredibly handsome boys and some mean girls. Chaos ensues. BUT it was actually so much fun once I got into the story. It's super plot-driven in my opinion so people should be aware of that. But the mystery and the magic were so cool to read about. I read this in about a day because I was having such a good time. I also like the amount of research the author did going in and how she used her own family history to weave the story around. I recommend it for people who love Salem and witches as well was people just wanting an enjoyable light pleasure read!
October 11, 2016
Очередной дебют, уже успевший за пару месяцев собрать небольшую толпу пищащих от восторга поклонниц.
Надо сказать, что аннотация и биография автора действительно привлекают внимание. Как и героиня книги, автор происходит из семьи, засветившейся во многих исторических событиях, в том числе в Салемской охоте на ведьм. И данный роман - некая фантазия на тему современного противостояния потомков инквизиторов и ведьм.
В итоге мы имеем очень интересную задумку, неплохой слог и структуру и... совершенно бездарное наслоение штампов.
Наверное, мне стоило насторожиться еще на первом предложении, когда героиня объявила о своей склонности к сарказму.Я вся такая саркастичная и загадочная. Или чуть позже, когда выяснилось, что они с мачехой переезжают в новый дом, в Салем, полный слухов о сверхъестественном, в которое наша саркастичная дева (кто бы мог подумать) не верит ну вот ни капельки. Или потом, когда с каждым новым словом нетаковость и исключительность (читай, шаблонность и эгоцентричность) Саманты становились все очевиднее. Ну а уж когда потенциально жуткий призрак оказался томным красавцем, нарисовался любовный треугольник, на горизонте появились местные стервы, гнобящие несчастную героиню "а просто так", а взрослые стали вести себя как вышедшие на прогулку обитатели Кащенко - надо было бросать это гиблое дело.
Но я догрызла, сама не знаю зачем.
Видимо, чтобы с чистой совестью назвать сие творение очередным пшиком.
Начинаю подозревать, что где-то есть книжка "Как написать шаблонный YA-роман и заработать много денег" с подробным картонным скелетом, на который гениям пера полагается нарастить какое-никакое мясцо.
И да, это могла бы быть чистая двойка, но благодаря концовке книжечка получает заслуженную единицу и отправляется на полочку "wtf", ибо нефиг.
Надо сказать, что аннотация и биография автора действительно привлекают внимание. Как и героиня книги, автор происходит из семьи, засветившейся во многих исторических событиях, в том числе в Салемской охоте на ведьм. И данный роман - некая фантазия на тему современного противостояния потомков инквизиторов и ведьм.
В итоге мы имеем очень интересную задумку, неплохой слог и структуру и... совершенно бездарное наслоение штампов.
Наверное, мне стоило насторожиться еще на первом предложении, когда героиня объявила о своей склонности к сарказму.
Но я догрызла, сама не знаю зачем.
Видимо, чтобы с чистой совестью назвать сие творение очередным пшиком.
Начинаю подозревать, что где-то есть книжка "Как написать шаблонный YA-роман и заработать много денег" с подробным картонным скелетом, на который гениям пера полагается нарастить какое-никакое мясцо.
И да, это могла бы быть чистая двойка, но благодаря концовке книжечка получает заслуженную единицу и отправляется на полочку "wtf", ибо нефиг.
November 26, 2016
Spooky. Paranormal. Angsty. I should have read this around Halloween but still read in 2 days (probably would have read in one if not Thanksgiving/family time). Samantha Mather moves to Salem from NYC due to her family's financial situation after her father goes into a mysterious coma. Weird, slightly sinister things seem to have been happening to people around Sam for as long as she remembers and just get worse in Salem. The mystery of the Mathers and the Descendants curse kept me turning the pages. There was the perfect mix of witches, ghosts, premonition, and history/folklore. I loved all the history and back stories that seemed to tie in at the end. I liked that an actual descendant of Cotton Mather actually wrote this book and I felt that she captured the feel of Salem perfectly. I felt like the love triangle didn't need to be there and Sam should have not shut people out/kept quiet about all the weird things happening to her especially at the beginning. Overall, I liked that the moral of the story for the witch trials and modern day bullying were connected at the end and made me think about causes of each and how to prevent both.
I gave this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
I gave this 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
April 6, 2020
I wasn't expecting to like this book, let alone it become one of my favorite books. This was definitely binge worthy and I recommend to anyone who wants to learn about the Salem Witch Trials all the while enjoying the action and love story that comes along with it.
March 5, 2016
I absolutely adore this book. I read it as a manuscript, and I read it as an ARC, and I am going to buy the finished version when it comes out, and I love it more every time. It's so charming and spooky and witchy and twist, and also it features my grumpy ghost boyfriend, who I shall not share with anybody else, even though I understand if everybody comes away from this wanting a ghost boyfriend of their very own. Go find your own. This one is mine.
But seriously, more to the point, what a fun ride this is! Witches and ghosts and--well, not so much a haunted house as an entire haunted town--plus creeeeeeeeeeeeeepy magic and a big dose of history that never feels heavy-handed, all wrapped up in the story about the thoroughly wonderful and believable teenage Sam who just wants her beloved father to be well and her new life in a new town not to not suck so much, what with its bullies and mean girls and unhelpful teachers and difficult parents and, oh, also the ghosts.
It's a wonderfully fresh take on witchcraft and the legacy of Salem. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel to see what other folklore and history Adriana Mather decides to explore!
But seriously, more to the point, what a fun ride this is! Witches and ghosts and--well, not so much a haunted house as an entire haunted town--plus creeeeeeeeeeeeeepy magic and a big dose of history that never feels heavy-handed, all wrapped up in the story about the thoroughly wonderful and believable teenage Sam who just wants her beloved father to be well and her new life in a new town not to not suck so much, what with its bullies and mean girls and unhelpful teachers and difficult parents and, oh, also the ghosts.
It's a wonderfully fresh take on witchcraft and the legacy of Salem. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel to see what other folklore and history Adriana Mather decides to explore!
March 15, 2018
I really feel like this was more of a three star book in that I enjoyed it but wasn’t wowed by it, but I loved the author’s message, though presented in a cheesy manner, that kindness is one of the most important choices we can make. The book was predictable but still fun, and overall, the kindness message made me bump it up half a star and thus, 3.5 stars rounded up.
December 29, 2015
I knew, going into this book, that I would probably like it. I've been forever fascinated by the Salem witch trials, and knowing the book was written by a descendant of Cotton Mather added an extra bit of depth and definitely peaked my curiosity.
But I more than liked it.
I LOVED this story.
It's smart and funny, sweet and sad, scary and tense. I kept turning the pages because I needed to know what was going to happen next.
Adriana Mather brings us to modern day Salem with Sam (never Samantha) and her stepmom as they're forced to move into Sam's grandmother's house while her dad lies in a coma in a nearby hospital. Being a descendant of Cotton Mather--the man who is often cited for his support of the Salem witch trials--makes Sam an instant outcast at school. She's plagued by a group of girls calling themselves the Descendants (who happen to be descendants of the so-called witches from the infamous trials), and they decide it's their task to make Sam's life at school hell. To top it off, Sam has a pesky ghost boy problem back at home.
This story is woven together so well, I barely stopped to take a breath. But when I did, I was taken by how the author managed to parallel modern day high school bullying with the Salem trials themselves. We still hang people without justifiable cause today, even if it doesn't appear to take the same shape or form. We are quick to judge and ostracize, just like they did in the 1690s, and we hang others through vicious words, social media, and by making them outcasts. The fact that the story reverses the roles--a Mather now being "hanged" by the witches--just highlights this fact even more. Even the victims can become the villains, given enough time and hatred. That's what makes this book so relevant. Not only is it entertaining, it's important.
And all of this is just the meat of the story. Within it all, we have gorgeous scenery, adorable boys, and gut-wrenching heartache. I laughed, I cried. I read it twice because I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. And I forecast at least another reading or two in my future. Definitely one of my favorite recent reads.
This is a fantastic debut, and it solidifies Adriana Mather as a YA author worthy of watching.
But I more than liked it.
I LOVED this story.
It's smart and funny, sweet and sad, scary and tense. I kept turning the pages because I needed to know what was going to happen next.
Adriana Mather brings us to modern day Salem with Sam (never Samantha) and her stepmom as they're forced to move into Sam's grandmother's house while her dad lies in a coma in a nearby hospital. Being a descendant of Cotton Mather--the man who is often cited for his support of the Salem witch trials--makes Sam an instant outcast at school. She's plagued by a group of girls calling themselves the Descendants (who happen to be descendants of the so-called witches from the infamous trials), and they decide it's their task to make Sam's life at school hell. To top it off, Sam has a pesky ghost boy problem back at home.
This story is woven together so well, I barely stopped to take a breath. But when I did, I was taken by how the author managed to parallel modern day high school bullying with the Salem trials themselves. We still hang people without justifiable cause today, even if it doesn't appear to take the same shape or form. We are quick to judge and ostracize, just like they did in the 1690s, and we hang others through vicious words, social media, and by making them outcasts. The fact that the story reverses the roles--a Mather now being "hanged" by the witches--just highlights this fact even more. Even the victims can become the villains, given enough time and hatred. That's what makes this book so relevant. Not only is it entertaining, it's important.
And all of this is just the meat of the story. Within it all, we have gorgeous scenery, adorable boys, and gut-wrenching heartache. I laughed, I cried. I read it twice because I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. And I forecast at least another reading or two in my future. Definitely one of my favorite recent reads.
This is a fantastic debut, and it solidifies Adriana Mather as a YA author worthy of watching.
Read
November 3, 2017I loved this take on the Salem witch trials and comparing it with modern day bullying. Umm and can I say I have a major crush on Elijah? Hope to see him again in book two. Loved the setting and discovering the answers to all the secrets.
October 7, 2017
I don't reread many books. For one, I don't really have the time. Two, if I really loved a book I'm afraid rereading it will make me not like it as much. I reread How to Hang a Witch because I wanted the characters and the world fresh in my mind as I went into the second installment. I think this is the first time I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book more the second time I read it.
Our main chatacter is Sam. She just moved to her parents home town, Salem, Mass., with her step-mother because her father is in a coma and his medical bills made it impossible for them to keep their apartment in New York. Sam and her step-mother move in to a house that was left to her dad by his mother, the grandmother Sam never got to meet. Aside from finding out that her grandmother left the house for her dad, sam also finds out that her last name is something that could get her killed.
Sam starts school and that is when everything starts to unravel. There is a group of mean girls, The Decendents, that start torturing Sam instantly. And, of course her being the new girl, the teachers blame her for everything. This part of the book disgusted me. Telling Sam to watch her temper when she is literally being BEYOND bullied just set me off. I hate when there are unfair circumstances the main character has to get through with a smile.
There is one reprieve for Sam and that comes in the form of Jaxon. Sam is very suspicious of Jaxon because everyone else treats her like a disease and he is all up in her business. This causes her to push him away every chance she gets. But he isn't so easily swayed. It helps that he is her neighbor and his mother is always inviting Sam over for random things. And his mother happens to be her dads childhood best friend.
Oh, and Elijah. But you will meet him yourself. I don't want to spoil him for you!
It turns out that there might be a curse on the families of the first Salem Witch Trials decendents and as soon as Sam arrives people start dropping like flies. Trying to solve this curse is where the reader gets a lot more of the historical stand-point of the book. I loved the historical parts and I would really love to read more about it. I don't considering myself someone who really likes history but certain things I can really get sucked in to.
This book had a much deeper meaning subject than just the Salem Witch Trials. It also took on the task of showing the reader how bullying is a vicious cycle and it isn't just something that happens among school-age kids. The book shows us that we have to end the cycle of bullying in order for us to have peace. If we just keep our heads down or ignore it, it will no go away and you are just as guilty as the bully if you don't say something. Silence is killer. I adore how the author fit that into the book and I hope people actually notice it.
In the end, I was both sad and happy for Sam. She might have lost someone she was close to but she got someone else back. I know she will have a lot of stuff to work through given the amount of information that was thrown at her about her mother and father and step-mother and just everything that happened at the end. I really enjoyed Sam as a character. She was put under so much stress and had to handle so many insane situations but she was still very mature about it all. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes me.
Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.
Our main chatacter is Sam. She just moved to her parents home town, Salem, Mass., with her step-mother because her father is in a coma and his medical bills made it impossible for them to keep their apartment in New York. Sam and her step-mother move in to a house that was left to her dad by his mother, the grandmother Sam never got to meet. Aside from finding out that her grandmother left the house for her dad, sam also finds out that her last name is something that could get her killed.
Sam starts school and that is when everything starts to unravel. There is a group of mean girls, The Decendents, that start torturing Sam instantly. And, of course her being the new girl, the teachers blame her for everything. This part of the book disgusted me. Telling Sam to watch her temper when she is literally being BEYOND bullied just set me off. I hate when there are unfair circumstances the main character has to get through with a smile.
There is one reprieve for Sam and that comes in the form of Jaxon. Sam is very suspicious of Jaxon because everyone else treats her like a disease and he is all up in her business. This causes her to push him away every chance she gets. But he isn't so easily swayed. It helps that he is her neighbor and his mother is always inviting Sam over for random things. And his mother happens to be her dads childhood best friend.
Oh, and Elijah. But you will meet him yourself. I don't want to spoil him for you!
It turns out that there might be a curse on the families of the first Salem Witch Trials decendents and as soon as Sam arrives people start dropping like flies. Trying to solve this curse is where the reader gets a lot more of the historical stand-point of the book. I loved the historical parts and I would really love to read more about it. I don't considering myself someone who really likes history but certain things I can really get sucked in to.
This book had a much deeper meaning subject than just the Salem Witch Trials. It also took on the task of showing the reader how bullying is a vicious cycle and it isn't just something that happens among school-age kids. The book shows us that we have to end the cycle of bullying in order for us to have peace. If we just keep our heads down or ignore it, it will no go away and you are just as guilty as the bully if you don't say something. Silence is killer. I adore how the author fit that into the book and I hope people actually notice it.
In the end, I was both sad and happy for Sam. She might have lost someone she was close to but she got someone else back. I know she will have a lot of stuff to work through given the amount of information that was thrown at her about her mother and father and step-mother and just everything that happened at the end. I really enjoyed Sam as a character. She was put under so much stress and had to handle so many insane situations but she was still very mature about it all. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes me.
Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.
June 2, 2016
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book at ALA Midwinter. I'd heard amazing things about it, and as a huge fan of all stories involving witches or witchcraft, it was definitely a debut that piqued my curiosity. Not only that, but Adriana Mather is a descendant of Cotton Mather of Salem witch trial infamy!
I was invested in Sam, the main character, from page one-- she's exactly my type of heroine. She's snarky and smart and guarded, and her emotions feel very realistic as she grapples with being uprooted from New York to Salem, moving into a new home (that may or may not be haunted), starting at a new school (that may or may not be pretty much run by the descendants of the Salem witch trial witches), her relationship with her stepmother, and her father being in a coma. Oh, and let's not forget meeting two new boys-- both very cute, one alive, one not so much. And a curse hundreds of years old that just might be coming back with a vengeance.
Are you intrigued yet? Yup, I thought so. This book is the perfect fusion of so many elements. Mystery and romance and humor and snark and a pinch of supernatural. That's not an easy balance to pull off, but Adriana Mather does it masterfully. I was furiously turning pages, waiting to find out every secret. Mather's handle on suspense is brilliant. She manages to keep you guessing, trickling out little bits of information in ways that feel genuine and authentic. Her attention to detail is incredible.
A twisty, smart, funny debut that's all about how history can repeat itself-- and what needs to be done to break the cycle.
I was invested in Sam, the main character, from page one-- she's exactly my type of heroine. She's snarky and smart and guarded, and her emotions feel very realistic as she grapples with being uprooted from New York to Salem, moving into a new home (that may or may not be haunted), starting at a new school (that may or may not be pretty much run by the descendants of the Salem witch trial witches), her relationship with her stepmother, and her father being in a coma. Oh, and let's not forget meeting two new boys-- both very cute, one alive, one not so much. And a curse hundreds of years old that just might be coming back with a vengeance.
Are you intrigued yet? Yup, I thought so. This book is the perfect fusion of so many elements. Mystery and romance and humor and snark and a pinch of supernatural. That's not an easy balance to pull off, but Adriana Mather does it masterfully. I was furiously turning pages, waiting to find out every secret. Mather's handle on suspense is brilliant. She manages to keep you guessing, trickling out little bits of information in ways that feel genuine and authentic. Her attention to detail is incredible.
A twisty, smart, funny debut that's all about how history can repeat itself-- and what needs to be done to break the cycle.
January 27, 2016
Mather’s debut novel is suspenseful, funny, intelligent, and informative. The fact that Mather is related to Cotton Mather, he of Salem Witch Trials fame, gives this novel real weight. I’ve read a lot of novels that will be out in 2015, and Mather’s is one of the best. She has an ear for dialogue, an ability to educate while being incredibly entertaining, and has written one hell of a supernatural thriller. I loved every minute of it.
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