The Witches of the Glass Castle by Gabriella Lepore

Author: Gabriella Lepore
Publisher: Book Guild Publishing
Published: 2011
Pages: 255
Format: Paperback
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
Goodreads: Add It

Summary:

The only problem I had with this book is that it took me too long to actually pick it up and read it. This book had me well and truly captivated from the very first page until the very last one. It starts with a bang, quite literally, and I was just instantly pulled into the story, wanting to know more. It’s a magnificent story that will tug at your heart while you bite your tongue, just wishing you could jump into the world and help instead of just reading it all happen. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next instalment of this series. Gabriella Lepore has captured my heart.

Mia is your normal average teenager. Or, so she has been led to believe. But, when her curiosity gets the better of her and she mutters some words that are painted on the wall of her basement, her powers are awakened; along with her brother Dino’s too. They have been witches since the day they were born but their powers were lying dormant within them, just waiting for the right moment to become “activated”, so to speak. Her mother and aunt, who are also witches, are do happy that the day has finally come and then ship them both off to the Glass Castle; a school for witches. Thus begins the story.

I loved Mia. I loved her flare, her adventurous and curious side, as well as her unfortunate stubborn streak. But, more than just her personality, I loved her power. Without giving too much away, I just loved what she could do and how it connected to her and her personality and emotions. It was so amazing and I just would love to be able to harness a power like that. I also admired that, as the story progresses, she starts to learn about inner peace and tranquillity and that it sort of falls of the page. She’s loyal and protective and I love that she continues to fight the good fight, even when she’s not sure what the outcome will be. She trusted those she loved to guide her down the right path which generally meant them leaving her to work it out on her own! She was a joy to read and a brilliant protagonist that I am looking forward to reading more of.

And then there is Colt. Ohm. What to say about this guy? Well, he’s a Hunter witch, which means that he was raised as a warrior. He was trained to not let emotions affect him, he has, in that respect, no humanity – not in the way that we know of it. He does what he does for his coven and he protects the land but aside from that he is just a warrior, nothing more and nothing less. Yet, at the same time, he is so much more. I loved him, the way he was the bad guy and at the same time the good guy. I loved that I could feel the way Mia affected him as she continuously stayed arrogant of the dangers and I just cherished the moment when he realised that he couldn’t stop humanity from touching him. It was just so… brilliantly written and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Dino was, however, one of my favourite characters. He was moody and pulled like a tight string and yet you could still see that there was compassion within him. He was still protective and friendly and charming and I really enjoyed seeing that. You could see the internal struggle he had going on and it was just amazing. I wanted to comfort him, as did Mia, and knowing how that affected him just made it that much harder for them both and it was just, so cleverly written. I think the journey that his character took was the most progressive and I found it the most captivating. He was a brilliant secondary character, I definitely favoured him but I did still love Mia and Colt.

The storyline and the concept of this novel was so well-thought out and just intriguing that I couldn’t help hanging on to every word. I loved the different powers that all of the witches had, I loved the ideas of the covens, I loved the Arcana and the Hunters and the differences between them. I admired how the powers manifested themselves, how it was all linked to personalities and emotions and strengths. It was such a unique concept on witches and I just really loved it. I found it truly compelling and I simply cannot wait to read more about them. I also loved the way this story was told. The way the narrative was omni-present but also switched POVs throughout it without it being confusing or irritating. It flowed well and was just easy to get to grips with. The description was informative and not too overloaded. The secondary characters helped to pull the story along and the over-arching twist was so brilliant that I just did not see it coming at all.

All in all this book was one that I simply admired. It was a quick read because I found it hard to put it down, it was fun and heavy all at the same time and it had a really unique take on witches and magic. I would recommend it to anyone who likes witches, or to anyone who wants to read a YA that will pull on your heartstrings because the romance and the family ties in this novel were just outstanding. It is a read that everyone should pick up really because it is, as corny as this is going to sound, magical. It deserves to be read a thousand times over.

*I received this book from the publishers in return for an honest review. *

Faye