After Reading: HOUSEWITCH and WICKED

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

Former foster child, now a stay-at-home mom of three, Allison Darling desperately wants to fit in with the latte drinking and hundred-dollar-yoga-pants wearing moms that run Monrovia, her charming seaside town. Constantly feeling like an outsider, Allison dreams of more for her children.

When Allison's estranged mother passes away, her previously dormant special talents emerge. Soon she is reunited with the family that abandoned her and learns of their heartbreaking legacy.

At the same time, the Glamour Girls, a soap-selling company run by the most popular women in Monrovia, recruits Allison to join them. They have a monopoly on everything in town, from bake sales to businesses deals. But once you're a Glamour Girl, there's no going back.

Suddenly caught between the rag-tag, hippie relatives she once so desperately wanted and the rich, charismatic Glamour Girls—Allison is unsure where she fits in. Could she come to trust the strange outcast family that abandoned her, or really hang with the most powerful, glamorous women in town?

For Allison, it's like high school all over again, except this time, the mean girls have more than killer manicures and the nobodies aren't sulking in the band hall. They're adults. They've got husbands, children, and livelihoods on the line. And they also happen to be witches.

Allison's decision to lend her powerful magical talents to either group will change Monrovia—and Allison—forever. (Goodreads)

This was SUCH a fun read. I really, really loved it. The history, the characters, the way the whole thing was wound together. Allison was an interesting character in a situation that felt quite relatable (I mean, other than some magic, but who hasn't imagined getting back at the little annoying kid in the neighborhood at some point?). I did find myself wishing that the emotional context of Allison's experiences were better explored--at times it felt like she should of been having a richer internal life with basically everything falling apart around her. For example, upon meeting her long lost aunt, I wanted to see and feel her tortured mixed feelings more. There just felt like a wall was there, keeping the reader back from whatever she was going through. But, seriously, I did enjoy the book and had a blast ripping through it. Definitely one I'd recommend to anyone who loves a good female mystery coupled with a little twist of magic.

***

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul. (Goodreads)

I have always enjoyed Armentrout's books. They're fun, have some great characters (especially strong women), and a twist on reality that I enjoy. The only thing is that they do tend to have a bit of a formula--one that works, because I devoured this book--but it's not too hard to substitute, say, aliens, for fay in the book. Again, not to say that I didn't enjoy it. There were some very hot scenes in this one (which made me glad I was reading on the train on my phone so no one could see me blushing...and being unable to put down the book), so it falls solidly in the adult category, but the plot itself could easily be YA (or at least New Adult, which I think fits better here). Anyhow, an interesting world, a great cast, some yummy men, and great pacing. Definitely a fun one and I can't wait for the next one! Oh, and TINK! Hahahahaha, he made the book worth it for sure :)