"Why did no one tell me about this book? I mean seriously, I was about a hundred pages in and I wanted to go find my freshman high school English teacher and inflict terrible, intricate revenge on her for depriving me of a great book. I figured first I could assume a new identity, perhaps insinuating myself into her life. I'd make her trust me and put all her faith in me, and then I would UTTERLY CRUSH HER!!! MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!!

Seriously, this was an awesome book. I am not a big fan of the Classics, really - I usually get very bored very quickly with them, especially the Russians. I don't know if it's the characters I can't relate to, or the writing that puts me off, but I try to get through them and my interest drops off abruptly. Especially the Russians. God save me from the Russians.

But this? This was 1200 pages of concentrated awesome. A grand, intricate story of vengeance - and I do love my revenge stories - that I will definitely read again. And watching V For Vendetta is a lot more fun...."

"I am utterly speechless��"

"CAPOLAVORO �� Divorato in 11 giorni!"

"Best way to start this review is with this regular quote: Karen Marie Moning releases a new fantasy series and her devoted readers just read and review! No questions! Not even reading the blurb! Having no clue what the story is about or what kind of paranormal beings we’ll be introduced to!

As for me, witches are my soft spot (I consider myself one without the magical ability or witchcraft knowledge. Mostly, people change the 'w' word to 'b' when they call me, but I hear what I want to understand, no worries!).

I couldn’t resist the charm of this book because it feels like a combination of "Discovery of the Witches" meets "True Blood" and "Haunting of Hill House." Southern occult blends with gothic vibes, and let’s not forget we are also introduced to vampires. I’m sure in the following books we’ll meet more paranormal entities like werewolves and shapeshifters—I can’t wait!

I enjoyed the plot and the slow burn introduction to the secrets of Divinity: a town that not everyone can see or reach without being invited or having enough power to be accepted by its residents.

The story revolves around 24-year-old Zo Grey, living in debt, working multiple jobs to keep a roof over her head, and taking care of her mother, who is battling cancer. One day, while begging for another job at the diner, she gets a call from the fire department informing her that the house she shares with her mother has burned down, with her mother inside. Without having time to process the shock, she’s summoned to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit from an estranged relative, Juniper Cameron, a pillar of the town she never met. When she arrives at the grandiose "Watch Hill House" with its amenities (including a waterfall, pool, botanic garden, acres of woodland, countless rooms, and secret passages), she cannot believe her luck.

But the house is not the only thing left for her. She’s also paid monthly for her expenses, and for each year she spends in the house, she will be paid 1 million dollars. At the end of three years, she’ll inherit 140 million dollars and Juniper Cameron’s unliquidated assets.

However, there are strange rules she must obey, including that nobody can live with her for three years, and her guests cannot stay more than two days, meaning her best friend Este can only visit her briefly.

After spending seven days and nights on the premises, she is directed to open a letter from Juniper explaining her new responsibilities. Zo is enchanted by the power of the house, still thinking about a one-night stand with a charismatic stranger named Kellan, and she’s also charmed by her new groundskeeper. She’s repeatedly warned to stay away from him, especially by Juniper’s centuries-old consultant, James Baufolt, who becomes her right-hand man and savior from nosy townsfolk who don’t accept her as an outsider.

These are the least of Zo's concerns as she starts discovering her powers and realizes she’s a witch. She learns she’s been lied to about her identity, and this isn’t the only secret her mother kept from her as they kept moving towns, running from something unknown.

What if she isn’t the rightful heir? What if her powers serve darker purposes? What was her mother running from if she’s Juniper’s rightful relative? Could she reign in Juniper’s place and govern Divinity while her enemies plot her demise?

By the end of the book, we are still in the dark. Many questions are left unanswered for the sequels. Despite some eye-rolling and disappointments in certain chapters, I was hooked and eager to learn more.

Zo Grey/Cameron’s tragic story intrigues me, but I still have questions about her. She hasn’t evolved into the person she should be. She’s an orphan, lost, and has no idea who she really is or what she’s capable of. She acts like a bewildered girl with high libido, torn between the men around her. First, there’s mysterious Kellan, then she meets her charming Scottish groundskeeper, Devlin, who has his own secrets. She even lusts after bodyguards hired to protect her!

Don’t get me wrong. At a young age, she’s been through a lot, working multiple jobs to care for her sick mother, only to find out her entire life was a lie. Of course, she’s shocked and not strong enough to take the throne of Kovan (a 13-witch family with 169 members), inherit a vast wealth, and play power games with her enemies without enough experience and training.

I hope she matures, learns from her mistakes, and digs through the secrets to find out who she really is. And, of course, she must make a choice between two charming men. But we have to wait for the sequel to see what happens. I screamed at the cliffhanger and am hopeful I will love the second book even more.

Overall, I consider this book a prequel, and I think the real fun will start in the next books of the series. After reading the delicious and frustrating cliffhanger, I’m looking forward to the sequel. I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 for the high potential and my love for witches!

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this year’s most anticipated fantasy read’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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