Review: Witch Fire by Laura Powell

Witch Fire (Burn Mark #2) by Laura Powell
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: June 4, 2013
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Lucas and Glory are hard at work in WICA (Witchkind Intelligence and Covert Affairs). As part of their training, they learn more about the witch-terrorist organization Endor. It is believed that Endor has infiltrated a boarding school for young witches in Switzerland, so WICA sends their two youngest agents—Lucas and Glory—to the school undercover. There, they learn more about an experimental brain implant that blocks the power of the fae. It’s a dangerous procedure . . . more so than they could ever have imagined

 
 My Thoughts:
These books just keep getting better and better!  I love a good mob story and Witch Fire manages to have this plus it adds the addition of witches, really what more could a girl ask for??

Witch Fire picks up with Gloria and Lucas both working for WICA and trying to find their place in this new world as registered witches. They both still aren't quite sure what their future holds, but they know that whatever it is they will be ready for it.  So when their next assignment shows up and it sends them to boarding school they realize that they may not be as ready as they thought. With many plot twists, interesting mob politics, and dynamic characters Witch Fire brings us another wonderful addition to what is becoming one of my favorite series'.

The one thing I will say is that if you haven't read the first book in the series you will need a refresher.  Laura Powell has created a very indepth world and I admit I had forgotten a lot of what happened in the first book.  You really need to know the characters and world that was created to truly appreciate what Powell has written in this one.  This story is very deep with secrets and there are so many people that will slip by that pop up later and you will go "oh wait wasn't that.." So make sure to have a notebook handy because you will want to keep notes.

I really loved Gloria and Lucas in this one.  I enjoyed them both in the previous books, but they were so much more in this one and I am beyond thrilled at how they end up. It was a very sweet romance that I have been wanting from the beginning.  We also get to see the resolution of something Gloria has wanted from the get go and even though I did wish for something a little different I can happily move on with what was written.

This story was so much fun and exactly what I was in the mood for.  I have a feeling I will be rereading these in the months to come!

4 snowflakes

Blog Tour & Interview: Burn Mark by Laura Powell

Burn Mark by Laura Powell
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Release Date June 19, 2012 
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Glory is from a family of witches and lives beyond the law. She is desperate to develop her powers and become a witch herself. Lucas is the son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition—the witches’ mortal enemy—and his privileged life is very different to the forbidden world that he lives alongside.

And then on the same day, it hits them both. Glory and Lucas develop the Fae—the mark of the witch. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .

Laura was awesome enough to answer a few of our questions!!  Check it out!!!

1. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
   I change my mind on this a lot, but my number one is probably Viola, the cross-dressing heroine of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”. She’s witty, brave, romantic, generous … and gets to live life as a boy, which I’ve always thought would be fun (for a day or two, anyway.)

2. If you could pick 5 fictional people to have dinner with, who would they be?
Viola, Jay Gatsby, Sherlock Homes, Captain Hook, Scheherazade

3.If you could travel to anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I’d go to the Oracle in Delphi and ask the god Apollo for a prophecy. I studied Classics at university but I’ve never been to Greece to see the historical sites.

4. What's your most favorite thing to do?
I love to walk on the wild Welsh hillside where I spent my childhood. It’s the most beautiful landscape in the world. Ruined castles, ravens, wild ponies and waterfalls!

5. What is your guilty pleasure?

Trash TV – any drama with beautiful people in glamorous clothes behaving badly.  “Gossip Girl” has got me through many patches of writers’ block.

We love all her answers!  Thanks so much Laura for being so awesome!!

My review: 
This book is part Harry Potter and part Godfather!  I have definitely had an awesome year with my book selections and this one is no exception!

The story is about Lucas and Glory, two teenagers who live in a world filled with witches.  Witches are liked by some, hated by others and there are some who would do anything to become one.  Glory and Lucas each have their secrets and these secrets take them into the heart of the Inquisition, a police like organization that tries to keep all bad witches off the street, and also into the lions den of one of the toughest covens on the street.  What happens throughout is an exciting tale and I honestly never knew what would happen next.  This one is definitely a story for fans of mob stories and magic lovers.

I have to give Ms.Powell major credit for her world building.  This book is filled with loads of history and so many intricate details.  I really appreciated the time and effort spent on building everything up.  I found that I could just get lost in the story because even though their was a lot of details Ms. Powell has a gift for storytelling that makes it all flow like water.

I loved loved loved the whole mob witch coven organizations.  They were so much fun!  I would love to learn more about each one of them.  They really added a whole new level to your typical witch story.  Glory and Lucas were also awesome additions. I have to say that I didn’t miss the romance and I am actually glad that the author chose not to have it as a major plot line.  Lucas and Glory are so young and they each had so much on their plate that it would have felt forced to have any type of romance in this book.  I liked that  the story focused more on the plot and mystery, it was a very nice change of pace.

This was an awesome book that I think most everyone will like and find interesting.  I really hope that there will be a sequel because there were quite a few loose ends and I am dying to see them all play out.

                                                              4 snowflakes!
                                                 

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