Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Book Description via Goodreads:

ARC, 326 pages

February 7, 2012, Putnam Juvenile

A Great and Terrible Beauty meets Cassandra Clare in this spellbinding fantasy

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Source: Jennifer Spotswood (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

Cate, Maura and Tess were beautiful, educated by their father and intentionally isolated from the other girls. Cate had always thought that keeping away from the other girls, not drawing attention to herself and to her sisters was the safe thing to do. But with her 17^th birthday and her intention ceremony just a few months away, she started having doubts, especially when more and more girls labeled as bluestockings were being accused as witches and arrested. I admired Cate's dedication and love for her sisters despite the constant tension between them. I loved how I was able to see the complicated happenings at the Cahill household.

In Cate’s world, girls were supposed to talk, act and dress properly. Women were naturally wicked according to the Brothers who preach in church. They were the source of temptation and they were the ones who ended up in an asylum after being accused of witchery. I find the norms of society difficult to bear with and terrifyingly strict. Since the death of Cate’s mother, Cate tried to stand as the protector of her sisters, caring for them, teaching them and warning them against the dangers of magic. But her task was hard to do especially when Maura never listened to her and Tess was too enthusiastic to use magic.

Paul was Cate’s childhood friend. He just came back from New London and he asked her hand for marriage. He was the sweet, fun and handsome boy-next-door type who knew Cate well. Although he was a bit too proud and overconfident, he definitely worked his charm on women. In the beginning, I wanted Paul for Cate. But that changed when Cate’s gardener, Finn Belastra entered the picture. Finn was the intelligent, eccentric, quiet and mysterious type. He was a keen observer with smart ideas, sharp thoughts and funny remarks. He could read and get Cate. But what I really liked about him was that he was a true gentleman and a passionate lover.

Enter the Brotherhood and Sisterhood. The Brotherhood was composed of men serving God who made sure that they kept everyone in line, by line I meant the ‘moral line.’ They preached, walked in that self-righteous way of theirs. They had the right to accuse and arrest girls for witchery. The brothers were scary. If I lived in that time, they would be on the top of my hate list. Their counterpart, the Sisterhood was composed of girls serving God and girls who were forced to join the Sisterhood, either because they didn’t want to marry or no one asked for their hand. But the Sisterhood also became a refuge for girls.

Born Wicked was generally filled with surprises. I kept gasping, staring wide-eyed at the pages every now and then. The novel grabbed me by the hand and led me deeper and deeper into its alternative historical setting. I loved reading about the dresses, corsets, tea parties, strict social norms, scandals and of course, witchery. The author’s attention to detail paid off. Nothing felt off. I think that the novel was backed up with enough research and this made everything even more believable and realistic. The pace was just right for me. It was just right for me to absorb all the details and establish the setting and allow me to get to know the characters.

Born Wicked is the enchanting, romantic, tragic story of Cate Cahill, one of the bravest heroines I’ve ever encountered. Witchery, romance, scandals and history packed in an engrossing YA novel. I highly recommend this to paranormal romance readers, historical readers, romance readers and witch enthusiasts!

Rating:

Review: The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

Book Description from the ARC:

ARC, 272 pages

November 2011, Zondervan

An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice.

Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf le Wyse, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of the lord’s bailiff – a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past.

Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff’s vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord le Wyse. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf’s future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

Source: Melanie Dickerson (Thank you!!)

My Thoughts:

After the death of Annabel’s father three years ago, her family didn’t have money to pay the censum – to keep them from working like the rest of the villagers. Her family managed to bribe the old lord’s steward, shirking their duty. But things were about to change when a new lord came to Glynval. Her family needed to pay an expensive fine or work with the people during harvest time while one of them served Lord le Wyse as a servant. There was one other option: Annabel could marry Bailiff Tom who would pay the family’s censum. But for Annabel, that was an option she wasn’t willing to consider. She volunteered to be Lord le Wyse’s servant instead of marrying the bailiff.

Annabel’s character was gentle, kind, compassionate, loyal, understanding and loving. She’s the kind of girl who was beautiful inside and out. From being a free woman she became a servant, bound to doing heavy household chores and running errands for her lord. She never complained but instead worked hard to fulfill her duties. As she stayed at the manor, she turned out to be a better servant than the ones who have served Lord le Wyse for a longer time. She really cared about her job and her lord. But staying at the manor meant being close to Bailiff Tom and that made her uneasy and scared.

Ranulf, the new lord, was physically beastly according to the people of Glynval. Worse, he had a temper. But his imperfection and temper were the results of his past. He had melancholy and painful experiences that made him who he was. But deep inside, he was a perfect gentleman who looked out for other people and always came to the rescue – mostly to Annabel’s rescue. I’ve encountered characters in other novels that had a hero complex. Ranulf was not one of them. I liked that he acted out of concern and not for attention. Another thing that I liked about him was his concern for the welfare of his servants. He wanted make sure they were fed, safe and didn’t have problems.

Annabel and Ranulf’s relationship as servant and lord bloomed into something more. Although it was filled with tension and uneasiness, they’ve seen past their physical appearance and knew one another in a deeper way through their encounters. The connection between the two was undeniable. Soon tension gave way to understanding, concern and love. I loved how the romance developed between the two: from full-blown awkwardness to sweetness.

The characters in the novel were diverse and realistic. Most of them – the ones who really mattered – were well-developed. I enjoyed reading about them. The plot was interesting and well-thought. Even though I knew how the story of Beauty and the Beast goes, I was never bored with The Merchant’s Daughter. The ambiance and culture of Medieval Glynval, England were refreshing. The author gave attention to detail, especially with the parts of the novel related to the judicial system, and I admire her for that.

Captivating, dramatic and moving, The Merchant’s Daughter offers a darker, sadder and more romantic version of Beauty and the Beast. I highly recommend this to historical readers, romance readers and retelling fans!

Rating:

YA Historical Fiction Challenge 2012

And because I’m starting to like Historical Fiction again, I’m signing up for YA Historical Fiction Challenge 2012 hosted by YA Bliss!

I’ll start with Level 1: 5 books, just to be sure. ;)

Here are the books I plan to read:

1.      Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

2.      Wood Angel by Erin Bow

3.      Cascade by Lisa Bergren

4.      Torrent by Lisa Bergren

5.      Fateful by Claudia Gray

6.      Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer

7.      Entwined by Heather Dixon

8.      Legacy by Cayla Kluver

If you’re interested, here are the rules:

• All Historical Fiction books must be YA or MG
• Books don't have to be 2012 releases.
• Anyone can join. Please link to a public (web) place the host can find you.
• You can join at anytime. The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012

You can join here.

This is my second challenge for 2012!