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    Born Wicked
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    Born Wicked
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    Born Wicked
    Audiobook8 hours

    Born Wicked

    Written by Jessica Spotswood

    Narrated by Nicole Suhaus

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Blessed with a gift...cursed with a secret.

    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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 7, 2012
    ISBN9781101539637
    Unavailable
    Born Wicked
    Author

    Jessica Spotswood

    Jessica Spotswood is the author of the historical fantasy trilogy The Cahill Witch Chronicles and the contemporary novels Wild Swans and The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls. She is the editor of the feminist anthologies A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers, & Other Badass Girls and The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes, & Other Dauntless Girls and co-editor of Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft. Jess lives in Washington, DC, where she works for the DC Public Library as a children's library associate. She is a feminist, a Hufflepuff, and an INFJ.

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    Reviews for Born Wicked

    4/5

    278 ratings73 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.I'd been looking forward to Born Wicked for quite some time, so when I finally got my hands on it, I was a bit disappointed. It was definitely interesting, at the least, and I liked reading about how different the three sisters were and how Cate, the oldest, dealt with being a stand-in mother for her siblings and how that affected their relationship. The rest of the plot seemed to move slow as molasses. I really couldn't have cared less for the weak love triangle, and none of the drama felt real because nothing felt like a threat the way Cate believed saw it. The writing could have been stronger. I think I'll probably pick up the rest of the series to see what happens, but it's not high on my want list.
    • 5/5
      Full review and others posted at Bunblebee Book blog!

      I fell in love immediately with Cate and her sisters. Cats is the oldest and the responsible one who has had to give up her own dreams in order to protect her sisters. Maura, the middle child, is wild as her red hair. She loves to lose herself in romance novels and wants nothing more than to get out of their stifling little town. Tess is the youngest and the scholar. She loves cooking and is fluent in three languages. All three sisters are witches and must hide their powers from the Brotherhood who runs the town. The girls’ mother died when they were young and her dying wish was for Cate to protect the younger two and to keep their magic a secret. Not even their father knows they are witches.

      This is my absolute favorite era to read about (late 1800s) because of the fascinating societal rules and the interesting dresses. Witches are also one of my favorite subjects, so this book was written for me.

      All of the characters are wonderful. We mostly get to know Cate, but I have a feeling in the other books in the series we will have a chance to learn more about the other two. I really felt so bad for Cate and how she has had to give up so much to protect her sisters. They resent her for mothering them, but she has done everything in her power (literally and figuratively) to protect them. Now that Cate is coming of age, she has to make a decision to either get married or join the Sisterhood. Her choice seems somewhat clear at first, but as the book goes on and we learn more about each character and all of their secrets, it isn’t as easy as Cate anticipated.

      The love triangle in the book is sweet. Cate loves her childhood best friend, Paul, but can she see herself moving away with him and leaving her sisters? Then there is Finn, her unexpected ally who gives her everything she didn’t know she needed. I’m very much Team Finn. He is so sweet and charming. Paul seems like an all right guy, but I feel like their relationship has no spark or desire.

      I was captivated and finished the book quickly. The ending broke my heart! Here I was being silly and thinking that Cate had come to a good resolution and BAM things get thrown for a loop. Now here I am desperately trying to find the second book at a local store because I CANNOT wait two business days for it to ship here. Luckily my library has it in stock. I will be there when the doors open to check it out.

      I can’t say enough good things about this book. If you are a fan of witches and books about magic, you need to check this out. I’m so excited to see where to series goes.
    • 3/5
      I really have mixed feelings about this book. I was hoping that it was going to have more magic and no romance, but that was not the case at all.

      Cate is the oldest of 3 witches in her family. In this world (alt timeline to our own) being a witch is a crime and she is given the burden of protecting her sisters. Which she does....but complains about it every chance she can get. Part of her problem is that she keeps so many damned secrets from them. She would have been more successful in protecting them if she gave them all the information that she knew instead of her allowing her sister Maura to fall in love with the governess.

      Then there was the love triangle that was unnecessarily added to the book. There was literally zero need to have her childhood friend come back with the intention to propose. It was wasted storyline bc she ended up falling for the gardener.....BUT by the end of the book she cant be with him either because she had to protect her sister Maura and had to sacrifice herself to "the sisterhood".

      The book was decent enough but I do not find myself wanting to read the next 2 in the collection.
    • 5/5
      Historical romance meets the supernatural in this tale of 3 witch sisters inhabiting a post inquisition world in which a fundamendalist "Brotherhood" has become the ruling entity. I love how this story captures the early struggles of feminist thinking versus fundamentalist ideas, while presenting a totally alternative past in which women had power.

      It makes this novel both a glimpse into our past and a warning not to be so sure that the work of feminism is done.

      Cate's romantic coming of age is pure delight. It may have been predictible to the reader, but was delightfully unexpected and unanticipated by Cate.

      I'm looking forward to the next installment in this fantastic new series!
    • 3/5
      This book moved very slowly... I think I would have rather had all books in the series in one spot as when the action finally takes place the book ends.
      I am new to young adult books and this one was very slow and gentle. I may pick up the sequal just to quench my curiosity but I hope to find it improves.
    • 4/5
      Cate Cahill is the eldest of three sisters who is trying very hard to protect her sisters and herself from the Brotherhood. Before the Brotherhood women ruled and many of them did magic. Now magic is forbidden and women's lives are circumscribed by rigid rules that make modern fundamentalists look positively liberal (there are some wonderful asides of envy of Arab women in this). It's set in a turn of the Century New England and things are about to change for the three sisters, not least of which is a change in Cate's world and future.I liked it, hated how little information Cate had, but hated it more for her than for me, the unfolding of this alternative world made me very curious about what's happening next in this story. I am looking forward to more in this series.
    • 4/5
      The Cahill sisters are witches in a time when being a witch, or even a strong woman, means life imprisonment or death. Their world is controlled by the Brotherhood, an all male religious order that imposes strict rules of conduct. Cate Cahill has been trying to supress her magic and that of her sisters for their own protection, but the girls are getting stronger. With their mother gone, and a new governess in the house, and only a few months before Cate must either announce her engagement or join the Sisterhood (the Brotherhood's female counterpart) the stage is set for some serious historical supernatural drama! Cate is an interesting character. She seems to want nothing more than to disappear into the world she lives in. She doesn't want anyone to notice her, or her sisters, but she can't help but stand out. She is strong, brave, and caring. I loved her instantly. Cate's journey throughout the novel is one that will keep readers turning pages and longing for the sequel to come out faster!Jessica Spotswood has created a compelling, interesting world. Her United States was colonized, but never pulled away from England. The big city is called New London, the overall feel of the place is very British, and magic permeates everything (whether the Brotherhood wants it to or not). This is a great book for teens who enjoy historical fantasy and who were fans of Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters.
    • 5/5
      I love this story and read it in a couple of sittings! You have 3 sisters, who are all witches. They are in the late 1800s, in a different style of 1800s, where things are a bit different from our own history. The ones in control of society are the Brothers. They are the men who work for the Lord and decide what is good and what is wrong and should be punished. They came about after witches were in control and the Brothers decided they were unholy, wicked, feral things that needed to be put down. But mostly it's about control. The Brothers want to control women, they think of women as lesser beings and think they should obey their father and then their husband. They control by causing fear. The Sisters are the nuns that aid the Brothers but are separate from them. The sisters Cate, Maura, and Tess are growing up in their beautiful New England home, without their mother as she died a few years back during child birth. Their father is very distant, and always away on business. Since the death of his wife, he is only a shadow of himself and the girls are lonely. The oldest, Cate is about to come of age and when that happens you must decide if you're to marry someone or join the Sisters and if you don't decide, the Brothers will choose a husband for you. Maura is bored to death and wants to live anywhere else, outside the country town they live in. Tess is still a child at age 12 and she's sweet and fun-loving and lives in her books. Cate has banned magic in the house because their father does not know and if anyone were to find out, they would be shipped to a prison or a prison ship where death would surely follow. Girls around their town start getting beaten and arrested as suspected witches and the pressure is on Cate to keep herself and her sisters safe and in secret.Their is great romance in this book too and a lot of suspense. I really loved this story and immediately bought the second book. In a week I have read both and am now waiting desperately for the 3rd book to come out! If you're into witches, check this one out!
    • 2/5
      This book ticks a lot of my pet-peeve boxes. Insta-love, lack of parental influence, poor world building... Not that it was all bad, there were just several things that bothered me. Particularly the world building. At the beginning of the book there are a couple of sentences about how the Arab girls have so much more freedom, and that the Spanish colonies to the south and the Indo-Chinese colonies to the west are impossible to get to because the borders are closed, but nothing is ever really explained. And it was difficult to get a feel for what time period it was in. It felt like a time back in the Salem Witch trials, but it kept mentioning 1780 being 180 years ago. All of those things were very confusing. One of the sentences the heroine says at the very end of the book is, "To protect the people I love, I would do it all over again." But when push came to shove, she just stood there and the little sister was the one who saved them. Hmmmm. Will middle schoolers like it? It starts pretty slowly, but there is a sweet romance and some nail biting incidents. I think there are some 8th grade girls who would like it. Areas of concern: Several uses of the *d* word. The "Brotherhood" are a group of men using religion to control women and the whole community, and they do some pretty disturbing things. There is a same-sex kiss
    • 5/5
      FIIIIIIIIIIIIIINN.... OMG ILY.

      I hate the Sisterhood!!!!!!
    • 3/5
      reviewI really wanted to love this book but I only liked it. The cover is absolutely beautiful and I love the idea of an alternate history where witches wer...more I really wanted to love this book but I only liked it. The cover is absolutely beautiful and I love the idea of an alternate history where witches were once the leaders of society and then persecuted. One of the issues with the book is that I was able to put it down so easily. I just wasn't into the story or the characters enough to want to keep reading until the very end. I won't spoil the ending but I didn't really get involved until the ending, now I want to know what happens next. I will probably read the other books in the series. Sometimes in a series the first book is so devoted to building the world and developing the characters that not a lot of action happens. I am hoping that is the case here since I really like the general story idea. I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
    • 4/5
      The Cahill sisters are witches in a time when being a witch, or even a strong woman, means life imprisonment or death. Their world is controlled by the Brotherhood, an all male religious order that imposes strict rules of conduct. Cate Cahill has been trying to supress her magic and that of her sisters for their own protection, but the girls are getting stronger. With their mother gone, and a new governess in the house, and only a few months before Cate must either announce her engagement or join the Sisterhood (the Brotherhood's female counterpart) the stage is set for some serious historical supernatural drama! Cate is an interesting character. She seems to want nothing more than to disappear into the world she lives in. She doesn't want anyone to notice her, or her sisters, but she can't help but stand out. She is strong, brave, and caring. I loved her instantly. Cate's journey throughout the novel is one that will keep readers turning pages and longing for the sequel to come out faster!Jessica Spotswood has created a compelling, interesting world. Her United States was colonized, but never pulled away from England. The big city is called New London, the overall feel of the place is very British, and magic permeates everything (whether the Brotherhood wants it to or not). This is a great book for teens who enjoy historical fantasy and who were fans of Michelle Zink's Prophecy of the Sisters.
    • 3/5
      It has been awhile since I have read a book featuring witches and I actually give this one 3.5 stars. It took me some time to get into it, but once it had me, I couldn't put it down. On to the 2nd book...
    • 3/5
      too heavy on the terrorizing of women
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book. I’m usually not a fan of period pieces as they tend to drag on and be boring but the way this book was written I was sucked in from the first page. The attention to detail and the way the author described each character really brought the book alive. This is a great coming of age/witchcraft novel and it’s part of a series that makes it even better!
    • 5/5
      So much better than I expected it to be! A historical (albeit, alternate universe) setting that includes a handful of characters of color AND queer characters? A YA series with a main likeable character, her love interest, and no sign of a love triangle anywhere? Perfection.
    • 2/5
      I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed it and want to read the next one, but at the same time it just didn’t pull me in. I’m not sure why that is. It has a good plot and is well written, so I’m thinking that it must have been the characters. I just didn’t find them that interesting.Hopefully the next book, Star Cursed, will be better.
    • 4/5
      Witches, sisters, secrets, a prophecy, and forbidden romance mingle in Jessica Spotswood’s debut Born Wicked. The historical alt reality description made me look twice at this book, even though I don’t normally gravitate to books about witches. I listened to the audiobook and ended up thoroughly entertained and swept up by the delicious scandals. The first book of The Cahill Witch Chronicles is a lot of fun.

      Born Wicked is the first book in a trilogy about three magically gifted sisters who have to hide their talents from the Brotherhood – priests who send suspected witches to insane asylums or prison. The oppressive Brothers long for the day of public hangings for witches, and in fact they have little regard for women in general.

      Cate Cahill is the oldest of three sisters, all of whom are witches. Now almost seventeen, Cate must declare her purpose to either marry or join the religious Sisterhood. But, she pledged to her dying mother that she would protect her sisters from capture by the Brothers. She has never thought too much about romance, preferring to tend her gardens instead. But love is now a bigger consideration that a marriage offer is on the table from childhood friend Paul, and even more so when she starts falling for the booksellers son / family gardener Finn. Now Cate has an impossible choice to make, along with a prophecy she desperately wants to prevent.

      The book started out pleasantly enough, and I enjoyed getting the feel of late 1800s New England. Though the pace was a bit lagging at first, the set-up pays off, and soon I was looking for ways to keep listening to the story. The writing style also is lovely and goes perfectly with the books historical time frame. It was easy to imagine the Cahill’s home and gardens, the tea parties, and dresses.

      Cate is a strong main character, and fiercely protective of her sisters. It’s clear that she means to honor her commitment to watch over them, even though she comes off as the bad guy a lot of the time. She closely monitors their witchcraft activities and has an especially turbulent relationship with middle sister Maura. The youngest, Tess, doesn’t have as many scenes, but she stands out among the sisters, and is one I would like to know more about. I’m also interested to see what the Cahill sisters can do with their magic once it gets unleashed.

      You may be shaking your head at the hint of a love triangle, but Cate knows where her heart lies and it’s really a non-issue. The kissing scenes are memorable and you can get a glimpse of one of the best scenes in the book trailer below.

      In addition to the witchery and romance, the story also matter-of-factly takes on feminist topics, as Cate and her sisters are discouraged from being anything other than a wife or a Sister. Their outside interests such as books label the sisters as eccentric and outcasts, and the Brothers even seek to close down the bookshop for selling books they deem inappropriate.

      Regarding the audio production, the book is read by Nicole Sudhaus. She reads with a pleasant no-nonsense voice for Cate and captures her feistiness and caring spirit well. Her reading suits the historical time frame and she reads with a nice clear tone and an even pace. She sounds like the appropriate age for Cate, and delivers the needed emotional intensity with her narration. She differentiates the character voices well, including male and female voices of varying age and dialects. In the beginning I had trouble keeping track of the voices of the sisters, but I think I was still getting acclimated to the story. When the story starts out slow in the beginning I had more patience with it because the audio kept me entertained, and as the story went on I went out of my way to do more household chores so I could keep listening. And the action packed conclusion had me clamoring for a sequel. I would be inclined to continue with audio for this series.
    • 4/5
      Oh wow I loved this book. The three sisters were such memorable characters and each had their own distinct personality. Of the three I’d have to love Maura because of her outspoken personality, her temperament made her explosive and exciting to read about. I felt sorry for her at the same time because of what she goes through, but I’d have to say she’s my favorite character of the three. The plot of the book was really good and interesting. World building was wonderful and I loved the setting. The pace of the plot was also steady and filled with mystery. I liked the concept of the Brotherhood and the Sisterhood, it’s interesting and different. The prophecy mentioned in this book was a little drawn out too much as I hoped, but perhaps that’s because I was eager to figure out what it was. I can’t say that I really like Cate. She’s a typical older sister but I found myself yelling every few 50 pages: ‘CATE. FFS. TELL YOUR SISTERS’. It’s her keeping all the information away from her sisters that makes the plot even more entangled than before (but more exciting!). Of the two possible romances, I’d prefer Paul, only because he just sounds much more romantic (but a bit of a cad) than Finn. Naturally with books like these, it leaves on a HUGE CLIFFHANGER that makes you want to pull your hair out because you’d have to wait a long time for the next book to come out. I’m telling you, it’s an ending that’s enough to make you want to scream. I’d say, fans of A Great and Terrible Beauty, and Prophecy of the Sisters would enjoy this book. Similar setting, but very different plots. Overall fabulous reading and most definitely recommended!
    • 3/5
      The Cahill sisters are typical sisters that squabble, love and defend each other to the end, with one exception, they are witches. Oldest sister Kate does her best to keep thier secret from the Brotherhood, who would send the girls off the labor camp or imprison them for life if found guilty of practicing witchcraft. Not only is it very rare that all the siblings have magical powers but are they the three witches of the prophecy that will bring witchcraft back in favor?
    • 3/5
      This took me a while to get into, partly because it was slow-moving, and partly because I was having a hard time acclimating myself into the time period. It takes place in the late 1800s, but you'd think it was the 1600s during the witch trials. (I kept thinking about The Crucible.) In fact, the characters could be the descendants of those witches. Once I got about 1/3 of the way through, it got more interesting, and I wanted to keep reading.I haven't read a lot of teen fiction involving witches, but teens who are interested in other witch stories might like this one.
    • 4/5
      That's it, I've had it. I'm over series. Because you read the first one and you get really involved and then you have to stop because its over and you have to wait for the second book and then when that finally comes out you tear through it and then you have to wait all over again for book #3. I can't do it anymore.
      PS - This book was really good. You should read it if you like really good books. But be warned, it's a series. Jerks.
    • 4/5
      Ever since the beautiful cover and premise caught my eye I have wanted to read this. And I honestly wasn't to disappointed. I enjoyed Cate's story. A lot was going wrong for her and for the most part she felt with it pretty well. But I'm going to point out that hs'es really indecisive. She seemed to keep coming to the realization that shed needed to so something, but she never did and it got worse. This happens a few times. That was one of the character flaws I found.I felt like the Historical Setting for this book was good and nice but I also felt like it took me a while to gauge where they were. I did figure it out, but maybe I was just slow. Jessica's writing was also good. I felt like it was smooth and well done but beside that point there were times that I felt were rushed and so I was confuzzled a bit.I would have liked more magic and more Tess but was happy with that I got. Though, speaking of the magic it wasn't as big as I thought it would be. Most of the book was dealing around not doing magic and the romance aspect. Speaking of Romance... Finn was fantastic. Cate did not deserve him. And she totally didn't realize what she had. That's why he's mine. I liked him even better than Cate herself. He had the most depth of everyone! He wasn't one of those cases where it's Love At First Hot Guy. Or whatever. I really wanted to get to know him better. So yes I approve of Finn. Yay Jessica! Good boy there. I'm not sure what else I can say with out spoiling a lot. The story was interesting I enjoyed it. THE COVER IS GORGEOUS. I dare you to say otherwise.I liked the tension. But the buildup didn't seem to be as big as could be. I didn't feel the tension of the problem was a serious. I want to know what happens to the sisters, but honestly I'm so shocked by the ending I have to find out more. I'll give you one hint: It's dealing with Finn. So yes. Finn is the driving power for me.Honestly though, it was good and I'd probably still recommend it. Despite all the itty-bitty plot points I pick out. It's just my writing side driving me nuts.
    • 2/5
      I’m not sure how I feel about this book. I enjoyed it and want to read the next one, but at the same time it just didn’t pull me in. I’m not sure why that is. It has a good plot and is well written, so I’m thinking that it must have been the characters. I just didn’t find them that interesting.Hopefully the next book, Star Cursed, will be better.
    • 3/5
      In an alternate-history New England at the end of the nineteenth century, Cate and her sisters are secretly witches. In their strictly controlled society, ruled by a group of men called the Brotherhood, terrible things will happen to them if they are discovered. Cate is determined not to let that happen. I had a hard time getting into this book -- it took me forever to read it, and I never connected with the characters. I thought it was a little heavy-handed in some aspects, though the romance was nicely done. I'll admit that I picked this book up because of the pretty cover, but I'd only recommend it if you are really intrigued by the premise.
    • 3/5
      This book was just okay to me. I couldn't really get into it. It seemed long and drawn out. I say don't waste your time on it.
    • 4/5
      Romance, magic, and an age-old prophecy - the first in a new YA series. Our mother was a witch too, but she hid it better. I miss her. To me, the magic feels like a curse. According to the Brothers, it's devil-sent. Women who can do magic-they're either mad or wicked. So I will do everything in my power to protect myself and my sisters. Even if it means giving up my life - and my true love. Because if the Brothers discover our secret, we're destined for the asylum, or prison . . . or death.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this book, but it took me a long time to become invested in the characters. The first half of the book progressed at a leisurely pace with a lot of set-up, and the conflict didn't quite feel immediate yet. Shortly after the mid-point, however, the book intensifies super fast. I love books where the main character has to make an impossible decision in which every choice is a sacrifice, and in this book the stakes are high for Cate. Her dilemma involves passion, sisterly devotion, fear for her safety, the dynamics of power, gender inequality...all very engaging. I'm eager to read the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      Born Wicked tells the story of an alternative nineteenth-century US where witches once ruled but were overthrown by the Brotherhood, who believe that witches are wicked and should be punished and eradicated. Cate Cahill is the eldest of three sisters, all of whom are witches. This makes them the focus of a prophecy which states that one of the three will be the most powerful witch in the world, who will either bring the witches back to power or drop them into another dark age.With a story and setting like that, I was hard-pressed to resist this book, and immediately suggested it as a purchase for my local library, so I could read it. I was expecting danger and magic and witchery and exciting happenings. But that's not exactly what this book provided. The truth is that this book focuses on Cate, who is determined to keep her sisters safe, per a promise she made her dying mother (who failed to prepare Cate for anything to do with the prophecy). Cate is a bit of a difficult character to like at first: she believes the Brotherhood that witchery is wicked, and that therefore she, too, is wicked. Her constant "but wicked girls don't deserve x" or "but I'm wicked, so deserve whatever I'm getting" mindset at the start of this story was maddening, and I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her. But she grew on me as the story progressed, particularly once she falls in love with Finn. I also absolutely loved her relationship with her sisters, particularly the youngest sister, Tess.Knowing that this book is the first in a planned trilogy, I wasn't expecting things to be fully resolved. But I was not expecting very little to actually happen. Cate and her sisters get a new governess, Elena, and Cate spends most of the book from that point on being distrustful of her, jealous of her sister Maura's friendship with her, and generally being disagreeable where Elena is concerned. These feelings are not entirely unwarranted, mind you, but when the majority of this book - which I'd thought would be dealing with magic and witches - is instead taken up with feelings of distrust and the back and forth of "can I trust her", it starts to get really tedious. There is also absolutely NO forward movement with the actual prophecy; we are just as in the dark about this at the end of the book as we were at the start.What saved this book for me - and accounts for much of this rating - is the romance between Cate and Finn. I found Finn to be utterly charming, and absolutely loved watching their relationship progress. I do want to mention that there is a second guy in this book, Paul, who is Cate's childhood friend (and the guy everyone thinks she'll marry), and there are some love-triangle-ish things happening, but it's pretty clear whom Cate has the deeper feelings for and which way she's going to go in that respect. That being said, the ending kind of broke my heart. I get why it happened; as I said, it's the first book in a trilogy and there's so much to do with the prophecy left to sort out, so it's too soon for happily-ever-afters. But I still wasn't quite expecting that particular ending, and am worried about how things are going to be resolved to my satisfaction (as if I'm the only one who matters, of course).This book is definitely not what I'd call "action-packed": there's a lot of going to teas, visiting bookshops, and weeding in gardens, but not so much in the way of magic. This had a very "historical fiction" feel to it with just little dabs of paranormal. But the romance, for me, was good enough to pull me through the book, and make me eager for the second installment. All in all, Born Wicked is a decent start to a new series, and I look forward to seeing what's going to happen next.
    • 5/5
      Cate Cahill was fourteen when her mother died, making her promise to take care of her two younger sisters, Tess and Maura. Which would be tough enough if they were ordinary, but the three Cahill girls are witches. With her father mostly away on business, Cate has kept a tight rein on Tess and Maura. But now that Cate is sixteen, Maura fifteen, and Tess twelve, their interfering neighbour Mrs. Corbett has talked their father into hiring a governess for them.To Cate this is horrendous. She has a hard time keeping her sisters from practicing magic where they can be seen. How will she manage with a governess around all the time? Yes, the Cahill girls are witches. In the alternate America of the book, the witches killed by the Puritans were really magical, and by the Nineteenth Century when this story takes place, witchcraft has been declared illegal. It's a male-dominated society where women are only allowed to be wives or "Sisters", the female equivalent (though subordinate) of the tyrannical "Brothers" who govern New England. Women who are discovered to be witches are either killed, or send away to an asylum from which they seldom return. When Cate learns that their new governess is a Sister, she's even more frightened. If Sister Elena catches any of them practicing magic, they'll be in real trouble. Worst of all, Cate is nearing the time when she must declare her Intention: to marry or enter the Sisterhood. But, having promised her mother she'd take care of Maura and Tess, how can she choose either of those options?Close enough to accepted history to be almost disturbing, but different enough that it's not, this fascinating story grabs the reader and pulls her into its World. Cate is a character most females can empathize with , especially if they have sisters (no matter where they fall in the birth order). None of the options open to her are agreeable, but she must choose one. Her decision, and the path she takes to get there, is complex, thrilling and surprising.Unfortunately, there has been no indication of when the next book in the series might be expected, but it won't be soon enough!