The Witches of Auburn Blog Tour

TITLE: The Witches of Auburn: The Gifts of Our Mothers 
AUTHOR: Hazel Black
PUBLISHER: Brunswick House
PUBLISHING DATE: October 2, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: In the dark woods I’m forbidden to go into, lying on top of the one person I swore I’d stay away from, and hiding from the men who chased him, I hold still as Ike Kennedy whispers in my ear, “Don’t leave me.”

The questions of why my mother packed up our lives and moved us to Auburn, New Jersey when she, herself, fled here twenty years ago, plague me every day. Her past and the people in this town loom over our family with a haunting understanding of the coven I was born into, but realize I know nothing about. The enemies I heard stories about as a child attack without warning or regard for human life, but I don’t know who they are.

I’m Ever Ayars. I can fly. I can disappear. I can move things with my mind, but my gifts are my only clarity. Lost within a new school, new friends, and a new life, there is only one thing I know for sure.

I’m not leaving Ike Kennedy.

MY THOUGHTS:  When I agreed to review "The Witches of Auburn: The Gifts of Our Mothers" I had no idea I would like the book as much as I do. I am automatically drawn to witchy books and knew I'd be reading it in October, so it seemed like a solid, safe pick. However, this book drew me in and kept me captivated so easily that upon finishing, I went to Amazon and picked up the next book in the series as well as a novella. 

"The Witches of Auburn" weaves two tales together uniting them in one final outcome. We have two covens - an adult one and then one which consists of their daughters. When Helene was 18, she was betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend, which broke the original coven and initiated a curse that would follow them for years. 17 years later, after suffering some severe losses, Helene's coven moves back to Auburn where the three ladies live with their three daughters - Ever, Maya and Ruby. These three also form a coven but they soon learn something is missing. Ever meets Ike at school and there is an immediate attraction. There is also some connection to his sister Gwen. Helene and Ike's mother Gisele forbid the two to date, which we all know in teenage-speak is the same as throwing them together on a deserted island where no one else exists.

I liked that this book tackled both the adult and teen sides of the spectrum. Several chapters were told through Helene's perspective and the author does a really good job at handling obvious teenage tropes yet not falling into some pitfalls I usually find when reading YA - specifically love triangles and insta-love. I really liked Ever, but enjoyed the adult characters even more and loved learning about their history and magical shenanigans.

This book is about family - those you are forced into and those you chose, friendships, loss and love. It's also about healing and creating your own fate with some paranormal aspects and some creepy individuals added in for extra intrigue. As I mentioned, I can't wait to continue the series and since the book left on a pretty good cliffhanger, I'm just thrilled I was able to get the next book so soon.

RATING: 4 PAWS