­

[eARC Review] The House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

Thursday, April 17, 2014


Title: House of Ivy & Sorrow
Author: Natalie Whipple
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Paranormal, Witches
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Release Date: April 15th 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: eARC received from publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Purchase
Amazon | Indigo | TBD | Goodreads







Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.


Witches. Honestly that was all that needed to be said about this book for me to want to dig in. I love everything to do with this subject, I have been obsessed with the Salem witch trials for years, so this book was high on my list of books to read in 2014.

What I think i liked the most about this book was the family aspect. Family was a very large part of the culture of this book, and that is something that is not addressed in many YA novels, especially ones that have a paranormal edge. And it was not only blood family that is the highlight, it is also friends as well. Friendships have always been very popular in YA, in any genre, but I felt that in this book Natalie Whipple did something different, she made them a part of the family (when you read you will get why) and that inclusion just made the friendships stronger and more fun to read.

The more I read of this book the more I loved it, and once I finished the story I realized that this could be a series of books, it has that potential and I loved this because at this point I have no idea whats in store for this book, but I also loved that this book could stand om its own. That is something that you do not normally see in YA paranormal. They are usually trilogies, or series in general and it was refreshing to read a book that was complete in itself and could be read on its own.

There were a few things that were not my favorite, and one of those things was the romance. I am a sucker for a good boyfriend, but I found that the one in this book was very intense very fast and to me that was not the most believable relationship. I honestly would have preferred if the story focused solely on the female friendships and the family relationships more than the romantic one.

I also found that the end of the story was very fast and the conflict was resolved too quickly. I wanted more ramifications to all the characters, and I didn't get that. I found that it was tied in a neat little bow at the end and to me that didn't seem plausible after all the things that happened throughout the book.

This book was gory and downright gross at times and I loved that, but I do wish that there was more of it because I found that fascinating. It could have been a bit darker at times but overall I loved it! Cannot what to see what Natalie writes next!

You Might Also Like

0 comments