Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

The Cahill sisters live just on the edge of society. Others snub them for being too reclusive, too educated, and too eccentric. But what they don’t know is the truth: they’re all witches. It’s a secret they keep closely guarded, lest they be discovered by the Brotherhood and meet a ghastly end. Cate, the eldest of the sisters, lives in constant fear of her and her sisters being found out. She’s determined to take care of her sisters at any cost, just as she promised her mother before her death, but with less than six months left to choose between marriage and joining the Sisterhood, she fears she won’t be able to. Things only get worse after Cate uncovers a shocking secret in her late mother’s diary, a secret that could mean the destruction of not only Cate’s family, but the entire world as they know it. Cate needs answers and she’s determined to find them, even amidst the dress fittings, tea parties, marriage proposals, and forbidden romances that make up her new life. But if what she finds out is true, then Cate and her sisters aren’t safe from anyone, including the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—even themselves.

Born Wicked is a phenomenal debut of dark magic and high society, all set in an alternate version of New England in the 1890s. If the combination of historical glamour, steampunk flair, and illegal magic isn’t enough to intrigue readers, then Spotswood’s brilliant characters, fantastic plotting, and beautiful writing are sure to do the trick. Born Wicked is so clearly a book that succeeds on so many levels. Cate is a likeable, strong, yet flawed heroine desperate to protect her sisters but unsure of how to do so. Spotswood’s lush descriptions and superb character development really bring Cate and her sisters to life and securely establish them within a slightly exotic version of New England. The plot is smart and unpredictable, from the beginning to the shocking end, and certainly had me on the edge of my seat. Add in a sexy, swoon-worthy romance and a prophecy of epic proportions, and you’ve got this perfect gem of a book. In Born Wicked, Spotswood gives readers a story that is simply irresistible, absolutely riveting, and impossible to forget. What’s not to love?

Born Wicked will be snatched by fans of dark urban fantasy, especially readers who also liked the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz, the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall.

Rating: 5.0

Review copy from publisher Penguin