Review: Born Wicked

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publication Date: February 7th 2012 
Pages: 330
Source: Library
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Paranormal
Challenge: Debut Author Challenge
Goodreads

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 only six months left 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 girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

When I first grabbed this book off of the stacks at the library I knew very little about the story other than what the title and the cover give the impression of, until right before I began it I didn't realize that it was Historical fiction. I don't usually read historical fiction and the beginning of the story was very slow for me.Up until I reached about the middle of the book I wasn't very hooked to the story, but I am very glad that I continued.

The book is about three sisters who were all born witches in a Historical society in which the government figures hunt down and lock up young girls for witchery. Cate is the main character in the story. She is the oldest of the sisters and since her mother died she has had to watch over her younger sisters and make sure they are not discovered. Cate is of the age where she is expected to marry, join the sisterhood, or be arranged a marriage. Cate is a  very strong main character who has to deal with a lot, and seeing life through her eyes is very interesting with her very complicated life. Paul, Cate's childhood friend arrives back in town for the first time in years hoping to marry Cate. Paul is not in the story very much. Finn, the neighborhood bookseller's son and Cate's new gardener is a smart, quiet boy of a lower class than Cate but throughout the story she finds herself more and more attracted to him.

Before I read this book I had not read a Historical Fiction on my own in quite a long time and I had no idea what to expect. The plot is very complex and engaging with all of the issues that Cate runs into and all of the boundaries that the Brotherhood has put up for woman. I fell in love with the story about half way though when things began to heat up and a romance aspect was introduced. By the end of the story I ready for more and I can't wait until I can get my hands on the sequel.

Overall this is one of my favorite reads of the year and I highly recommend it, especially if you don't usually read much Historical Fiction.