Born Wicked, by Jessica Spotswood

Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: February 7, 2012
Hardcover: 330 pages
Genre: Young Adult - Historical Paranormal Romance 
Read it in: 2 days
Source: Library 
Challenges: Debut Author, YA Fantasy 
Rating: ★★★★★

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.

If you saw the genre part of the book info at the top, you may have noticed I put Historical Paranormal Romance. I did not know which one to put it in, Historical Romance or Paranormal Romance, ha! So I mashed them together.  When I first read the summary of this book, I fell in love, but I did NOT know it was  historical! I wish I would of known because I would of tried to get this even sooner. Though my library doesn't get books in very fast after release dates.

When I snagged this from the library, I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to read it. Once I started reading it, I was hooked from the first couple of pages! I kept picking it up throughout the night and reading it and then throughout the day and I just couldn't stop. I was sneaking pages of it in between chores and even letting my 17 month old jump around on my back and head as long as I was able to read.

I can't really describe how amazing this book is. There are no words, and I definitely don't want to give anything away.

I love the plot and I love the suspense you feel whenever the Brotherhood are brought up and/or are around Cate. I noticed myself holding my breath each time, especially if they showed up at her house out of the blue, because I was scared she'd be next! That she was caught!

The writing flows SO well, it was so beautiful and you would fly through the pages without even noticing! I am VERY impressed with Mrs. Spotswood. VERY! She's definitely on my author watch list now and I am DYING to read Star Cursed. Why can't it be February now?! I NEED that book. NEED IT!

Oh, gosh, and the characters! Cate drove me crazy sometimes, though she was loyal and she knew her responsibility and kept watch over her sisters. But sometimes I wanted her to be selfish ever once in a while. Just a little bit. But that's not how Cate is. I liked her sisters, though Maura was definitely my least favorite. She just got so annoying sometimes. GAH!

I liked Paul at first, he seemed pretty nice. But then Finn came into the picture and Paul was history in my eyes!

Overall, this was an amazing debut. I am seriously kicking my own self in the butt for not reading this sooner. I loooved it! I loved its time period, and its magic, and its writing, and just EVERYTHING. If you haven't read it yet, DO SO NOW! This definitely got me out of my reading rut, but now I hope that I don't dive back into it after this amazing book.
                                                                                                                                        
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The second book in this series is called Star Cursed, it will be released on February 7, 2013.