I’ve always been drawn to books that feature witches, so as soon as I saw its alluring synopsis promising “Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic meets the Salem Witch trials,” Shea Ernshaw’s debut novel, The Wicked Deep, quickly became one of my most anticipated reads of 2018.  So, did it live up to expectations?  Well, yes and no.  The Wicked Deep is an atmospheric and engaging read — I read it easily in about a day.  That said, however, it was also the kind of read that had me yelling at the characters as I was reading because I just couldn’t believe some of the things I was reading.  I’ll try to elaborate on that without giving away any major spoilers…

Set in the cursed town of Sparrow, Oregon, The Wicked Deep is a story of revenge.  Two centuries ago, beautiful sisters Marguerite, Aurora, and Hazel Swan moved to Sparrow.  They were disliked immediately because of the way the townsmen fawned all over them and eventually they were accused of being witches and drowned in the town’s harbor.  Every summer since the drowning, on the anniversary of their deaths, the spirits of the three sisters wait for teenage girls to enter the water and then they inhabit their bodies until the summer solstice.  Their goal?  Revenge.  Like sirens, the sisters use the bodies they’ve stolen to then lure unsuspecting teenage boys into the harbor where they drown them.  No one ever knows whose bodies have been taken over and once the summer solstice comes, the spirits go back to the bottom of the sea and those who were inhabited have no recollection of what has happened. Everyone in Sparrow seems to just accept that this is their fate and they have even gone so far as to morbidly exploit the curse, even referring to it as “Swan Season.”  The curse has made Sparrow quite the tourist attraction and people come from miles around to see if what they have heard is true.  The town throws ‘Swan’ parties and then just passively waits for the ritual to play out each year, with no hope of ever stopping it.

Things change this year, however.  A young man named Bo arrives in town on the same night the Swan sisters are set to return.  Bo meets 17-year-old Penny Talbot, a local who like most others, has just accepted this as her way of life.  Penny fills him in on the curse and warns him that as a teen boy, he’s likely to be a potential target.  The two of them start to bond and, instead of passively riding out the ritual like she does every other year, Penny becomes determined to keep Bo from falling victim to the sisters.  While Penny is busy trying to keep Bo safe, seeds of discord are being sown in the town and some of the boys decide it’s time to end this curse once and for all.  Someone comes up with the idea that perhaps if they can figure out which girls are inhabited by the spirits, they can kill those girls and thus prevent the spirits from returning to the sea, thus breaking the curse.  This leads to a modern day witch hunt with the girls now in just as much danger as the boys.

Can the townspeople stop the curse?  Can they even justify taking the lives of three innocent girls to possibly stop the curse?  Can Penny protect Bo from the curse?  Why did Bo conveniently show up in town that night anyway?  So many questions….

I absolutely loved the atmosphere that Ernshaw creates in her novel.  It’s an enchanting recipe of quaint small town quirkiness combined with the haunting and creepy vibe that this two-hundred year old curse casts over everything.  Small details like the sisters using song to lure teen girls into the water to steal their bodies just added to the overall sensory experience of reading.  If I was rating on atmosphere only, this would be five stars for sure.

The legend of the Swan sisters was fascinating as well.  I really liked how Ernshaw allowed more and more details about their story to unfold as we’re watching the curse play out in real time.  The Swan sisters were actually interesting enough that I would have loved an entire book devoted just to them, but Ernshaw does a nice job of seamlessly weaving together the past and the present to show us how the curse began and why the sisters are so bent on seeking revenge against the people of Sparrow.

Out of all the characters, Bo was probably the character who intrigued me the most.  He was so mysterious and it felt like he was hiding something when he first arrived, especially the way he claimed to not be a tourist yet conveniently showed up on the first night of “Swan Season.”  I felt like I was watching him most closely while I was reading, trying to figure out if he had ulterior motives for arriving in Sparrow when he did.

Okay, so let me reiterate that I enjoyed reading The Wicked Deep.  As I’ve already mentioned, I read it in a day and literally could not put it down until I knew how it was going to end.  That said, there were some things about the story itself that just drove me crazy and had me yelling at the characters (a lot!) while I was reading…

I could not understand, for the life of me, how an entire town of people could continue living in a place where they know the same thing is going to happen every year. You know young men are going to drown and yet even if you are the parent of said young men, you’re cool with staying in this town?  I couldn’t get past this because I just can’t fathom staying in a place like this.  It should be a deserted ghost town.
 
Speaking of being a tourist haven – Even if you have accepted your fate as some kind of “collective guilt,” why would you exploit this tragedy by bringing more people to your town? Are they hoping to lure in other families so that maybe non-local kids drown instead of their own?

The teenagers’ cavalier attitude toward the entire curse. Again, you know as a teen girl in a small town, you have a very high chance of being one of the three who are “chosen” by the sisters and that if chosen, they, using your body, will murder young men.  And you know as a teenage boy, that you stand a pretty good chance of being lured out to a watery grave.  So why the heck do these idiots have a huge party down on the beach the first night of “Swan Season” every year and  dare each other to drunkenly wade out into the water to see what happens?
 
Aside from not understanding why the people of Sparrow do what they do, I also guessed what was supposed to be a huge plot twist very early on, so that was a little disappointing. I will say it’s a great twist though, a total game changer, so if you don’t guess it early on, it will blow your mind when you get there.

One other area where I felt things were a bit lacking was in the area of character development.  You’ll notice that aside from Bo, I didn’t really mention any other characters and that’s because I didn’t really feel all that invested in any of them.  It felt like they were just there to advance the plot regarding the curse.  Penny probably had the most development out of any of them but I still didn’t really feel any connection to her.  Since I’m one who likes to connect with the characters, I’m reading about, this was a little disappointing.

While in many ways The Wicked Deep lived up to expectations – it’s one of the most atmospheric books I’ve read in a while and I definitely enjoyed the unique premise of the cursed town and the three sisters’ quest for revenge, the book fell a bit flat for me in other ways just because I couldn’t get past the unrealistic behavior of the people in the town and didn’t feel much of a connection to the characters. I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a haunting and creepy witch-themed read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy of The Wicked Deep By: Shea Ernshaw in exchange for an honest review. 



I had a hard time getting into The Wicked Deep. The beginning is so slow, the characters are blah, and the atmosphere felt so forced. I decided to keep reading anyway because I was intrigued to find out what happened to Penny's dad, more about the witches, and what was going on with Bo. Things did get a bit better about halfway or so through the book. The story as a whole is entertaining and fun. However, it's way too predictable. I'm so torn on this book and I ended up feeling very in the middle about it. There is a lot I did like, but there are definitely a few issues. Overall The Wicked Deep was a fun read, but the issues I had kept me from really LOVING it. 

#EnjoyableButAFewIssues

Sparrow a cursed island on the west coast where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.
Since then every June 1st when summer starts the three sisters steal bodies from the local girls and take revenge, taking boys into the deep sea and drown them.

In this dreary, foggy gloomy town lives Penny Talbot whose commitment to her broken heart mother, avoid her to leave the island and start a fresh and secure life like all the other teenagers. She has accepted her fate, stay there forever, unaware of the danger he has just stumbled in.
Both of them have hidden secrets and death is just coming swiftly to those who cannot resist the three sisters’ enchantments.
Only Penny has the key to unravel the mystery and perhaps end the curse.

I adore the story, I could not put it down. The way the author combined the mystery, sadness, gloominess of the town, with the mystery and the curse. The plot well crafted, with an unexpected twist in the middle of the story, and a reasonable end.
Living on an island myself, which I do not know it has any curse, give me the desire to explore more about the story. Any small town has its myths and folklore. 
For those who believe in spirits, I might say the story is within magical realism, for those who do not, it is fantasy. 
Easy reading, I love the way the story goes, from the island in present time, and the story of the three sisters in the 19th century. The art in every beginning of the chapter super adorable. I think is pure magic and mysticism. 
Thank you to let me read this ARC and I am looking forward to having a hard copy to add to my library. Publish March 6th, 2018

After several attempts, I have been unable to load this title. No review will be forthcoming.

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow

Where two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchcraft. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the river.

Now for a small amount of time each summer, the sisters come back by stealing the bodies of weak hearted girls and lure boys to the harbor and pull them under.

Like all the locals, Penny has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, the eve of the sisters return a boy named Bo comes to town unaware of the danger. Mistrust spreads quickly and the town folk turn against each other.

Penny and Bo suspect the other is hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly from the sisters. But Penny can see what the others can't and she has to make a choice- save Bo or save herself.

This book was incredibly interesting. I liked the idea of a book being Supernatural-esque (OMG Sam and Dean,guys! *drool*). I love how dark and magical it is. I love how well the author writes and is able to keep a fresh take on witches. Plus the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Do yourself a favor and pick this book up!

I've been researching the paranormal quite a bit lately, especially folk tales and legends around witchcraft. Because of this recent interest, the premise of The Wicked Deep, by Shea Ernshaw sounded incredibly promising. I have always been fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials and societal panic that led to the senseless persecution of women. 

Note: I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sparrow is a small town cursed by three sisters seeking revenge. Every summer, the sisters return to claim the bodies of three girls. In these new bodies, the sisters seduce young men and drown in the harbor, collecting their souls in revenge for the injustices they faced centuries ago.

There is a lot to unpack here. The Wicked Deep is told in the present tense from Penny's point of view as she watches the events of this summer's Swan Season take place. The prose keeps the story moving rather quickly and I never found myself getting bored. While the book has elements of the paranormal genre, it's also a bit of a mystery/thriller, since no one truly knows who is murdering these young men and which girls are the Swan sisters this summer. Well, one person knows, but that's a plot twist for another day. *wink*

Interspersed between the present are scenes from the past. We read about the Swan sisters' arrival to Sparrow and what their lives were like. Were they truly witches, or were they simply alluring women that men could not resist? These scenes from the past gives the readers clues to the present and asks us to figure out the motivations behind the killings. There is a social commentary here about women's sexuality and shame, and that was a thrill to unpack as I was reading what seemed to be just another Young Adult book. There's a nuance to the conflict of this book that makes it multi-dimensional and more complicated that it seems at first.

The Wicked Deep contains some amazing plot twists that will cause readers to reread the book again and again. It is like a nicely-wrapped present, with a compelling story from start to finish. As a standalone novel, I must say that I was also very satisfied by the ending, which is difficult for a book of only 320 pages. 

I rate The Wicked Deep 4/5 stars!

If you are a fan of Paranormal Young Adult or Urban Fantasy, I'd recommend picking up The Wicked Deep. It releases on March 6th, 2018 and you can pre-order it now!

"'This town was built on revenge,' I say. 'And it's never made anything better or right.'" 

Sparrow is cursed. Two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death and drowned for alleged witchcraft (but really for being too friendly with the townsmen (married and single both). Now, for a few weeks every summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three local girls and using them to lure boys out into the sea to meet the same fate they once met. 

Penny Talbot has a secret. She knows that the legends are true. She knows that there is plenty to be afraid of each summer during "Swan Season" as the locals call it. She knows that it's not a game. But when Bo Carter shows up, unaware of the dangers of being an outsider boy during this tumultuous time, the stakes suddenly become a whole lot realer for her. Now, she has a boy to keep safe. And the Swan Sisters do not like her meddling in their affairs. 

This book is so freaking beautiful and creepy and lush. I loved the alternating timelines - the glimpses of the past were some of my favorite parts of the whole book. They reminded me of the past flashbacks in Holes by Lois Satcher. They have this mystical vibe even though they're historical as well. It's easy to lose yourself in them as the tragic story of the Swan Sisters unfolds. 

"We would not be spared. My sisters and I were finally being punished: adultery, lust, and even true love would find atonement at the bottom of the sea." 

The Swan Sisters' story is interwoven with Penny and Bo's story in the present and I wa actually very surprised by exactly how the pieces all fit together. There are some unexpected twists and it made the journey that much more succulent. I'm not much for books about witchcraft, but this one is phenomenal - one of a kind - exactly the sort of book we need more of it. It's unputdownable and irresistable and I hope to see so much more of Shea  Ernshaw's writing in the future. 

Rating: 5+/5 stars

The Wicked Deep was my first 5-star read of 2018. I was drawn in by the beautiful writing and Shea Ernshaw’s ability to create mystery and magic. 

The coastal town of Sparrow is covered in darkness and fog as it hides the spirits of three witches who take hosts every June. To the town, June brings folklore and booming business as tourists appear in droves. But to Penny, the folklore is not only true but a threat. When she warily allows an outsider named Bo to come help her manage the lighthouse, she wasn’t expecting romance, nor was she expecting her role in freeing the witches from their curse.

Again, I loved this novel. I purposefully read it slowly because I didn’t want it to end. In my opinion, the cover doesn't truly embody the tone of the story. The cover (especially the random pentagram) makes the story seem a little darker than it really is. The witchy element is done very tastefully and very little witchcraft is used in the story.  

The Wicked Deep is a beautiful novel, and I highly recommend it!

It has been far too long since I’ve read something with witches! With comparison to some of my favorite witch-y movies, Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic, I had high hopes heading in and I must say, the book delivered! I absolutely felt vibes from both of those movies throughout and had the best time reading The Wicked Deep!

The town of Sparrow is known for its curse. Centuries ago, three sisters were accused of witchcraftery for seemingly making themselves irresistible to the men in town and were drowned for their ‘crimes’. Now every year on June 1st, the sisters return to inhabit the bodies of young girls and seek revenge by luring men to their watery deaths.

The town of Sparrow was quite a dynamic. The town is very superstitious and has that slight element of magic about it. I loved the idea of the forgetful cakes and the mentions of reading tea leaves. Instead of running for the hills during the few weeks the sisters return like one would expect, the curse is exploited, drawing in tourists wanting to witness firsthand if the curse is true. Even the locals hold parties, daring each other to enter the water when it is time for the sisters to return. I found it all together creepy and equal parts fascinating!

This is very much a revenge story. These three sisters are very angry about the circumstances surrounding their deaths and we do get to learn the details of which piece by piece throughout the story, intertwined as the current events unfold. The atmosphere was quite haunting and the story unfolded beautifully. I loved how it was laid out like a puzzle with pieces fitting together at precisely the right moments, leaving some mysteries and secrets to be solved from beginning to end. I also enjoyed the characters and all the uncertainties surrounding them. You don’t know who to trust or believe. Penny and Bo are right at the forefront of solving the mystery of the sisters and how to stop them and I liked the love story that emerged and how it transformed the dynamic of the story.

I’ m so excited about this debut author and what she has in the future. Definitely grab this one up for a quick, bewitching read!

My review will go live on my blog on 2/26!

I really loved the majority of this book. I loved the backstory for the Swan sisters and the dark acceptance the town had for the yearly drownings. I was even surprised by some of the twists and turns the plot took, which isn't always the case.

Do yourself a favour and add this to your TBR!

This Debut novel by Shea Ernshaw is described as Hocus Pocus meets the Salem witch trials, COULD IT GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!? Oh, yes it can!

Being as basic as I can be because I truly think you should go into this book without knowing much of anything. We follow a trio of witches who continue their reign and exact revenge upon the town of Sparrow. I found this book to be surprisingly refreshing. I was genuinely excited for the build up when it came to the huge plot twist! The atmosphere is so magical and lush. It's full of in depth and Interesting characters, beautiful writing. The Wicked Deep is a spooky gem and thankfully March 6th is just around the corner so get to pre-ordering!

Hocus Pocus, Pratical Magic, and the Salem Witch trials?! I was sold before I even finished the first sentence of the synopsis. As the glowing reviews poured in and the gorgeous cover was revealed, my anticipation and excitement reached record levels, making The Wicked Deep one of most anticipated debuts of 2018. 

So did it live up to the hype? Darn right it did! The anticipation, the excitement, the giddiness over being approved for an eARC? So. Worth. It.  Because The Wicked Deep is an UNFORGETTABLE debut! It's gorgeously written as well as beautifully crafted, and if you can read this book in more than one sitting, I give you major props - I couldn't even begin to have that kind of control.  

One of the aspects I loved the most about The Wicked Deep was the setting. I love small, close-knit towns, especially towns that are hiding secrets as deadly as Sparrow's. Shea did such a fantastic job of developing the atmosphere here - it was lush as well as idyllic, but it had a hint of imperfection, a hint of something being terribly wrong. I also like that the town included Penny's family's island. The island was the same as Sparrow, and I appreciated the level of detail Shea put into it. It was easy to picture the main house, the light house, the guest houses, and the orchards, and I loved that it added even more of a mysterious vibe to the novel. 

The plot was also incredibly rich and unique. I enjoyed the way Shea brought together the sister's past, the Sparrow folklore involving them, and current times.  The past scenes involving the Sparrow sisters were some of my favorites, and while the end game was obvious, it was still incredibly interesting to see what lead up to their execution. It wasn't at all what I had expected to say the least, and it blew my mind to see how confusion over the unknown could lead to so much hate. The sisters were something different; however, they didn't deserve what they were given by a long shot. The scenes involving current times provided an air of suspense, mystery, and romance. There's so much at at play. Boys are drowning at a record speed, the witches seem to be throwing their rules to the wayside, and Penny - sensible, independent Penny -  is finding herself enamored with a boy she barely knows. I loved it all, and the twist towards the end? Didn't see it coming one bit! It blew my mind, and had me re-thinking everything I thought I knew. 

Last but not least: the characters. I liked Penny the minute she was introduced. She was quiet and wise, focusing on her mother as well as keeping their island intact; however, there was something fiery about Penny brewing below the surface. It was interesting to see how Penny developed as the novel progressed, and it was interesting to see just how essential she was to the entirety of the plot - both past as well as present. The witches, on the other hand, were enchanting, scandalous, and, most surprisingly, lovable. Some were more spitfire than the others; however, I loved what each brought to the table. I can't even say that they were evil, because in some ways, they had every right to give Sparrow back the pain it gave them. 

I could go on about The Wicked Deep all day, but I'll stop here and leave you with the following: If you love witches and curses and stories of love as well as loss, you're going to adore The Wicked Deep! 

*This review will be published on Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf on Thursday, March 8, 2018. At that time the link provided will go live. My review has already been added to Goodreads, and will be added to Barnes and Noble/Amazon on the release date.*

This book was so beautifully written. There is a melancholy tone to the writing that really meshes well with the content of the book. Piper has been closed off from her life since her father went missing three years ago and her mother shut herself off from the world. Then she meets Bo and she starts to open up to him. Piper and Bo are such sad characters both with quite a few secrets. Even though both characters are sad, they bring out the best in each other. 

There were lots of surprises throughout this book which I really enjoyed. The ending was super bittersweet and left me with mixed feelings. It's a good ending, but I still felt a little saddened by it. Another aspect of the book I really appreciated were the page flashbacks before each chapter. These pages focus on the Swan sisters, and various other characters that have passed. Overall, I thought this book was hauntingly beautiful and I really enjoyed it.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review from Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing via NetGalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I only gave it four stars because it was as expected. I figured out what was going to happen before it happened. I figured there was no way it was that obvious, but it was. So, to me that was unfortunate. It lacked the element of surprise.

It is very similar to Hocus Pocus as stated in the synopsis description. We've got three sisters who were tried and murdered for practicing witchcraft, except they were not actually witches. So wrongful death, revenge, coming back every summer to take that revenge, you get it. Essentially, we are in that time frame of the sisters coming back in this novel. There's lots of murder mystery going on.

There is not really a lot one can say without giving away too much and spoiling the story line. Just know this is a dark and twisty mystery. It is magnificent for a debut novel, but it is one that really lacks the unknown.

I really loved this book. It was full of the magical atmosphere that I wanted from it. I just enjoyed reading it and getting swept up in the story of these poor girls who turned to vengeance after being drowned after a witch hunt 200 years ago. There was mystery throughout that was fun to unravel and even though I guessed what the twist was, it was still fun to read. The ending was kind of rushed and odd for me but overall it was a great story. I’m always a sucker for magical stories.

Title: The Wicked Deep
Author: Shea Ernshaw
My Rating: 4.5 stars

What it's about:

Sparrow Oregon is a town with a curse. 2 centuries ago the people of Sparrow drowned three accused witched in the harbor, and every summer since then, they've come back from revenge, taking over the bodies of young girls and luring boys out into the water to meet their depths. Penny Talbot is the only one who know just how true the rumors are. She knows that it really is the Sparrow sisters taking revenge on the town, because she can see them. The question is, will she do anything about it?

What I didn't like:

Like many young adult books, everyone gets paired off pretty quickly.
It also has a bit on Insta-love happening.
The thing that really bothered me about the story though is something toward the end, that I obviously can't talk about...because spoilers. Just know that it wasn't enough to detract from the story. 

What I did like:

I love nearly everything about this book. It was sold to me as Practical Magic meets Hocus Pocus, and it wasn't wrong. I devoured this book. I finished it in less than a day. I enjoyed the characters and their stories. I felt real emotions for these people. Penny who'd lost her father, and her mom, who'd lost her husband. Bo, who..well.. I can't say because spoilers.

I loved the atmosphere and the magic in this story. A tiny little town, plagued by a curse it brought upon it's self years and years ago. 

My favorite part of the book though, was the story of Hazel and Owen. I could read a full length novel just about the two of them.


Overall:

I loved this book. I was so excited when I received an advance ecopy from NetGalley. I'll definitely be picking this book up when it comes out in March!

The Wicked Deep was as wonderfully enchanting as I had anticipated, and the story drew me in so swiftly that before I knew it I was on the last chapter. The flow of the book made it seem like a quick, but pleasant read, and my curiousity was constantly piqued just as I thought I was approaching a lull in the story - bringing me back over and over again.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A GOOD WITCH STORY. And when I heard the pitch for The Wicked Deep, that it’s like Hocus Pocus meets the Salem witch trials? Umm, YAS. In a lot of ways, this book does not disappoint.

Can we please be real about how gorgeous the cover is? Come on.

The Premise of The Wicked Deep is what drew me in immediately. I LOVED the idea of more modern witch trials, especially because it has so many modern implications. And those implications are definitely explored in this book. With boys dying, the people of Sparrow go on literal witch hunts. But how important is it to get the right girl? Has that ever been the point? I hoped these ideas would be tested, and they are!

The writing is. Absolutely. Stunning.

The world-building? Insane. I feel Sparrow. I know it. I could draw it. And Lumiere Island, where our narrator lives. I don’t like boats and water creeps me out, but with these descriptions I can smell the sea, I can feel the boat rocking. I can hear the sisters singing, luring people into the water.

The Wicked Deep is eerie as hell. And given the subject matter? It absolutely should be. Teens drowning. Witches come back to life. I love feeling genuinely creeped out, and this book does it for me.

The pacing is on point. The book grabbed my attention from page one, and I read the whole thing in one sitting, other than a short break for dinner.

There are moments where I could not catch my breath, and others where I gasped aloud. One of the best compliments I can give!

The characters are the one area of The Wicked Deep that fell a little short for me, and the only area I’m not giving 100% love to.

The Swan sisters are awesome. We see them in action both in third person past tense, and through the eyes of our narrator in the current story line. For me, they’re amazing. Ultra believable. Their rage feels real, their quest for revenge makes sense to me.

Sadly I don’t love our two main characters. Their love story is, for me, a little too much, bordering on nonsensical. I don’t love it in theory or practice, and given that they’re our mc’s, they (rightfully) get a lot of page time.

I would, and will, read more from Shea Ernshaw.

The Wicked Deep is an amazing read. Stellar pacing, stunning world-building, and some really kick ass witches make for a quick, excellent read!

When I first heard about this book, all I could think about was how much I loved Practical Magic and I was so excited. It didn’t disappoint at all and definitely had the feel of it while at the same time telling it’s own original story. We have a town, we have a curse and we have it being made into a tourist attraction. Now while Penny and Bo did both have their mysterious, I was entirely focused on the Swan Sisters. I wanted to know everything about them and where their story was going to go. 

As the novel started off, there were moments when the author was trying to write in a very poetic type of way but it didn’t quite stick until further in. Then the words started flowing better. While I did pick up hints about the truth on who the Swan sisters were possessing, it was still fun seeing that twist and how other characters reacted to that knowledge. I didn’t completely love the ending however, I felt like the book finally hit its stride and was turning into something really great but ended in a bit of a weak note.

The romance between the two main characters was great but Bo completely concerned me with his anger and thoughts towards killing innocents in order to achieve his vengeance. I feel like if maybe the story was a little different then maybe it would have been justified, but all I kept thinking was how he was 18 years old and ready to kill. Though it took the ending for me to understand why Penny wasn’t as freaked out as I was about it, but still. 

Overall it was a good read and I flew through the pages. The Swans Sisters definitely deserved more in the end and I would love to read a book centered on just them.

Richly atmospheric, the legend of the Swan sisters underlies this dark romance. Years earlier three sisters were tried and drowned as witches for seducing the men in town. Yearly they return, possess three young girls and lure young men to their deaths. The townspeople have turned this curse into a morbid celebration complete with tourists and their cameras. When a new boy comes to town, Penny questions his reasons for coming, but gives him a job on the island where she and her grief stricken mother live. There an insta-love forms despite overwhelming odds. The ending left an awkward hole with the love, as well, with the boy still in love with an impossibility, but the reality in love with him. While the legend behind the novel is fascinating, the focus on the characters secretive nature makes it difficult to ever know them as three dimensional characters. A story of revenge, murder, betrayal and ultimately forgiveness, this is a tragic romance that will appeal to many.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review