Blood Witch (2001)

The first 2-3 books in this series are addictive, a fresh "modern-teen" POV in the tired genre of witches/kids with supernatural powers finding themselves (and the wonder of Wicca) among families/communities who "don't get it".

After #3, it goes downhill. There is no psychological development of the main characters (and the secondary characters are quite shallowly described and hard to distinguish throughout the series; even the more promising and believable ones, BFFs Bree & Robbie are essentially dropped from the books by #4) a lot of the narrative suspenseful points are all "tell" and no "show", the conclusions are hurried and tied up nicely--except for a minimum of predictable suspense that the publisher made you have to draw people through the series. Also, each book is so short, (it's like a single chapter of a Harry Potter) that the narrative arc is predictable and hasty, and makes one wonder if these were paid by the book, or that the series was extended way beyond what should have been its natural life span by the publisher, or what.

It's no Harry Potter, that's for sure. Apart from the above flaws, here's no humor (unless you count Morgan's drinking Diet Coke all the time, which gets tired really fast) and no writing good enough to be enjoyed by adults as well (a sure sign of a good children's book).

Also there's way too much touchy-feely Wicca rituals and pseudo Gaelic chanting, which is not well enough written to be convincing and also gets tiresome.
( )

Morgan is caught in Selene's private study by Selene and Cal, a study that no one besides Selene herself could enter because of the enchantments and spells, but Morgan had found her way in- even if it was by accident. When Morgan confronts Selene about Mauve's Book of Shadows, Morgan's birth mother, she knows that the book was meant for her. As Mauve's daughter, it was rightfully Morgan's, and no one can disagree. Morgan was giddy with her discovery. She was actually going to get to read her birth mother's BOS! Finally, she could find out about the woman who had conceived her and who was murdered before Morgan was even one years old.

Two unexpected visitors put Morgan on edge, Hunter and Sky. From the second she met them, she disliked them, and she could feel Cal's anger at Hunter- even if she didn't understand why he hated him. Morgan felt a strong reaction to Hunter, stronger than what she felt with Sky, but she didn't know what it was. There was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way. Sky was the coven leader of Bree, Morgan's ex-best friend, and Raven's new coven. Morgan wishes that she knew what Sky was teaching them, she felt that it was dark and dangerous, but what could she do? Her distrust of the two only grows deeper when she find them enchanting her own house one night.

Morgan tries scrying with fire and it lead her to discovering her mother's tools at their old home. Morgan can not believe that she found the wonderful treasures that used to belong to her mother, her grandmother, and so on... Passed down generation after generation.

On the eve of Morgan's birthday, she felt happy as can be. She was with the love of her life and everything was perfect. Until, Hunter is found lurking outside of Cal's home. A fight breaks out and is carried into the forest and to the cliff edge. Hunter is about to harm Cal, so what choice did Morgan have? She did what impulse told her to do. She never meant for it to happen and the guilt gnaws at her. What a way to spend the first hour of her birthday.

Blood Witch is intoxicating and intriguing. The power, passion, danger, and sizzle of this novel are enchanting. Cate Tiernan has once again created a novel that has me eager to continue. The magic in this series is tantalizing as the secrets unfold, begging you to continue. ( )

Morgan is learning more about her birth mother and her own powers. She is also growing fonder and fonder of Cal. But this may not be such a good thing. A new guy named Hunter keeps warning Morgan to stay away from Cal. A new coven is forming and it is run by a mysterious girl named Sky and several of her old coven are joining with Sky. There is no doubt that some dark magic is brewing. The question is where is it coming from.?

I just love these books. They are great for lunch books. I am enjoying the characters and the story although it could move just a snitch faster. The diary entries that accompany each chapter tell parallel stories that eventually explain things that happen in the main story. Looking forward to the next in the series. ( )

In the last book we are left with young Morgan Rowlands stumbling into Selene's secret library. While there she finds a book that happens to be her birth mother's Book of Shadows. While flipping through the pages Cal and Selene walk in perplexed on how Morgan was not only able to find the secret study, but also how she was able to even get in there. Putting aside her feelings of guilt Morgan stands up to Selene and demands the right to take her mother's Book of Shadows and Selene concedes. As Morgan reads her mother's book she begins to learn more of herself, she learns she is a Woodbane (one of the Clans of Wicca that is looked down upon by others for its links to the darkside). We also learn that Hunter is a seeker, a sort of cop, sent by the International Witch's Counsel to investigate Cal and Selene's participation in the use of dark magic. While scrying with fire Morgan discovers the location of her mother's tools and retrieves them. Then on her birthday Cal and Hunter get into an argument that ends up with the two fighting on a cliff. Wanting to save Cal and panicking Morgan takes the athame that Cal had given her and threw it at hunter. The athame flew true and dug into Hunter's neck who stumbles off the cliff. Is Hunter dead? Is Morgan a murder? Is Cal all he seems cracked up to be? You will have to read to find out.

Not as much drama as in the other books of the series but we begin to learn more of the characters that will lead to understanding of events later on in the series. A quick and fabulous read. Mrs. Tiernan was able to write a book including Wicca and Witchcraft that I believe, whether you be Christian, Muslim, Jew, or Pagan, all can enjoy. ( )

This series is totally addictive!! ( )