Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Genre: fantasy
Series and Book #: Cahill Witch Chronicles #1
Pages: 330
Summary:

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 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 sisters aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

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I was hesitant of this book. I don't read a lot about witches because mostly what I see is the same: girls are witches, they need to keep it a secret, and usually they're evil. But this was different. Cate wasn't my favorite character, but the depth of the story was extremely intriguing. Spotswood shocked me with the plot twists!

Cate just couldn't let go. She couldn't marry Paul because he'd be too far away, she couldn't do anything new or exciting because it would risk revealing their magic, and she couldn't let go of the promise she made to her mother. Of course, she should have kept that promise, but letting it dominate her life was overkill. Tess was my favorite character because she was smart and she knew what to do. Cate worried too much and Maura was a hot-head who was self-involved.

Overall, not only were the characters complex, but the story itself was remarkable. Not only that there were more secrets than Cate (and I, the reader) expected but the prophecy wasn't what I expected. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel to see what Spotswood is going to do and what the Cahill girls are going to do. I hope there will be more Finn, and much more magic and mayhem!

The Cover: Gothic and lovely. The roses were an excellent add for Cate's love of her mother's garden. It's also dark, which gives the mood throughout the novel. One wrong step and you're dead.