Book Spotlight: Witch World by Christopher Pike

Heading off for a weekend in Las Vegas with her friends, Jessie Ralle has only one worry—how to make it through the road trip in the same car with her Ex, Jimmy Kelter. The guy who broke her heart five months ago when he dumped her for no reason. The guy who’s finally ready to tell her why he did it, because he wants her back.

But what Jessie doesn’t realize is that Jimmy is the least of her problems.In Las Vegas she meets Russ, a mesmerizing stranger who shows her how to gamble, and who never seems to lose. Curious, Jessie wants to know his secret, and in response, alone in his hotel room, he teaches her a game that opens a door to another reality.To Witch World.Suddenly Jessie discovers that she’s stumbled into a world where some people can do the impossible, and others may not even be human. For a time she fears she’s lost her mind. Are there really witches? Is she one of them?

From goodreads.com

Jessie and her senior class set off to their last high school adventure, traveling to Las Vegas together. She ends up in the car with her ex, Jimmy, the guy who broke her heart a few months back and is now trying to find his way back to her. In Las Vegas, Jessie meets Russ at a blackjack table, a stranger who has more secrets than she can imagine. He teaches her a game that changes all the rules Jessie has ever know and opens her eyes to the Witch World. That’s where the adventure begins. 

I have been a fan of Christopher Pike for years. His stories always fascinated me and his writing is excellent. So when I got an opportunity to read Witch World, I jumped on it. Now, I don’t even know how to write this review without spoilers. 

The whole book was one giant surprise. Seriously, every page was like a new discovery. Once again, Christopher Pike created a story full of twists and turns and nail bitting suspense. Jessie was an interesting character. The contrast between her “real world self” and her “witch world self” were fascinating. The same goes for the rest of the characters. I liked how complex everything was, even when I was confused about what was going on. 

There is nothing simple about this book, and I think that’s partially why I liked it. It was definitely a lot more racy than I expected. People keep talking about that “new adult” genre or something and if I was to categorize Witch World, I’d probably use that as the category. Seriously, you need to read this book and tell me what you think. There is so much I wish I could say and I just can’t without giving something away. It was a long twisted read, but it was worth it. Any fan of Christopher Pike will enjoy this new installment in his writing.

Witch World hits the shelves November 13th! Let me know what you think!

Happy reading, 

Valia  

Book Spotlight: Conjure (The Hoodoo Apprentice #1) By Lea Nolan

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

From goodreads.com

Emma, Jack and Cooper are spending their summer in the South Carolinas. She has big plans for the summer. After half a year away at a boarding school with her brother Jack, Emma is finally back with Cooper (her secret crush). But things don’t work out exactly as she plans. The three discover a message in the bottle that leads them on a treasure hunt. But this is no fairy tale adventure. Soon, Jack is cursed with the Creep, a flesh eating curse and Emma must do everything in her power to save her brother and the boy she loves. 

So the characters, let’s talk about the characters. Emma was a interesting enough character. I like how she constantly tried to do something in order to help her brother and Cooper. She had a lot to deal with, and while discouraged, she still tried to push through that. I have to give her serious props for that. Jack pretty much annoyed me the whole book. Instead of being the older brother, he seemed like a little kid and I, personally, didn’t care about him being plagued by the Creep. I know, that sounds awful, but seriously, this guy needed to grow up a little. 

I think out of all the characters, I like Cooper the best. I just felt like there was more to his character than the others. He actually seemed like a typical teenage boy. His interactions with Emma were sweet, and his friendship with Jack was what kept me rooting for Jack to survive. 

Overall, this is an interesting premise. The whole hoodoo is not something I’ve ever read before and I enjoyed finding out more about the culture. The world Lea created was believable and a little scary, which I give huge thumbs up for. 

The book was a quick read for me, but it read a little more like a middle grade story. I don’t know if it was just me, but it didn’t read quite like young adult. However, I am interested to see what happens next with the characters and where Lea takes this new world. If you like a little bit of adventure, magic, and romance, this book is the one for you! Conjure comes out October 16th, 2012. 

Happy reading, 

Valia 

P.S. Thank you Entangled Publishing for the ARC!!!