Born Wicked

February 13, 2012 Uncategorized 1

Born Wicked

Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam Juvenille
Publication Date: Feb. 7, 2012
Pages: 326
Series: The Cahill Witch Chronicles, book one
Source: ARC from NCTE


About the Book: “Blessed with a gift…”cursed” with a secret.” 
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship – or an early grave. 
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. 
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood – not even from each other.



My Thoughts: Oh how I love books set in an alternate history! I just love finding all the nuances that make the fictional world different. Born Wicked is set in an alternate New England circa the 1890s. This is a time period and setting I love to read about. Add Jessica Spotswood’s fabulous world building to the already rich history and you have a book I cannot resist! (Think my reaction to The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell!) I mean, there are witches and this crazy strict “Brotherhood” that seemingly has all the power but of course there is resistance and a prophecy and oh my stars I just loved it. The author did a wonderful job of weaving the history and her changes together in a way that appears natural. The details that make the setting “alternate” do not jar the reader from the flow of the story but rather enhance it. 


I was immediately caught up in Cate’s world. Due to her promise to her mother Cate feels responsible for her sisters and their safety. She is always worried about them and does all she can to curb there use of magic. Still, at heart she seems to be a bit of a wild girl herself. She was so young to take that responsibility. She loves her sisters so deeply but her actions (born of both her love of and her fear for them) often seem to push them away. It was heart breaking to watch play out.


Two aspects of the story that I really enjoyed were the magic and the romance. Both were so well done. They just swept me up in the story and made it so I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the way new information was revealed as Cate breaks out of the confines she has assigned herself. I wanted more and more and more! 


Born Wicked is a delightful mix of historical fiction, magic, mystery, and romance. It’s a tale that manages to be lush and beautiful yet chilling. I loved everything about it. 

One Response to “Born Wicked”

  1. A Tyranny of Petticoats - YA BibliophileYA Bibliophile

    […] I heard that Jessica Spotswood was editing an anthology I knew I wanted to read it. I love her Cahill Witch Chronicles books. Then I heard all the stories would be about fierce ladies and take place throughout […]

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