Teen Book Review – Once a Witch
October 22, 2009 by
Filed under New, Tween BooK Reviews
My character Tamsin is part of a magically gifted family but is spectacularly ungifted herself – despite a prophecy from her grandmother that foretold a powerful future for her.
Tamsin rebels and longs for a normal family and world, escaping her family’s witchiness by going to boarding school in NYC where she can be her normal self – and escape the shadow of her “perfect” (and mind-controlling) sister.
However, when a mysterious stranger comes into the family crystal shop and mistakes her for her sister, Tamsin plays along and is soon helping the stranger find a hidden magical object. Of course, the stranger is not a good guy and in finding the object, Tamsin threatens to upset the balance of good and evil and re-open a old feud between two powerful and magical families.
The book is light and fairly quick tale with an engaging character facing a common problem – the ugly duckling syndrome. Tamsin rises to the occasion and finds her own special skill…and a bit of romance with a handsome helper. The characters are in high school and older so there are references to drinking alcohol and a rather tame first kiss, but on the whole it’s an enjoyable urban fantasy that hints at a sequel.
