Synopsis: 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 six months 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 stars 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. -Goodreads

Review: I’m used to the books I end up loving being the ones that suck me in right from the get go. This wasn’t the case with Born Wicked, but instead I found myself falling more and more in love with the story as I went along, which was really a lot of fun. Born Wicked started out feeling a little stuffy but intriguing and turned into a well crafted story about family loyalty and secrets.

Born Wicked merges (alternate) historical fiction, with a rigid dystopian society and adds a dash of forbidden magic… what’s not to love? What really hooked me though wasn’t the relationship between the main character and her two love interests (yes, something of a love triangle here… I know) but between her and her sisters. Cate has a unique relationship with both Maura and Tess and these relationships are what drives the story forward at the most pivotal moments.

Cate is a great character who is easy to like, even though you will continuously find yourself wishing that she would be willing to trust in some other characters from time to time. She’s strong, loyal and someone you can really root for.

There were a few elements of the story that probably could use a little tweaking. I’d like to see both of the sisters personalities fleshed out a little farther, and the ending of the book could have used a little extra oomph but overall, there is nothing stopping me from eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.

Born Wicked is some of the most fun I’ve had with a YA debut novel in awhile and definitely one I will be recommending as the combination of magic and history will make this a must read title of the year.

Buy the book @Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN)

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Second Opinions:
@Katie’s Book Blog
@Read Breathe Relax
@The Unread Reader