publisher: Random House BFYR
date published: May 24, 2011
format: hardcover
pages: 405
source: won in a giveaway
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N
From Goodreads:
It starts off simply.
Draw a circle ... place a dead leaf in the center ... sprinkle some salt ... recite a little Latin ... add a drop of blood ...
Maybe that last part isn't exactly simple. Yet somehow it feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents' horrific deaths. She's willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family—even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep ... and spill some blood.
The book isn't the only recent arrival in Silla's life. There's Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She's not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes this may not be Nick's first encounter with Blood Magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can't deny their attraction. And they can't ignore the dark presence lurking nearby—waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.
Tessa Gratton's intoxicating first novel will keep pulses racing, minds reeling, and pages turning right up to the very last drop of blood.
What I Thought
I wasn't entirely sure about what I should expect from Blood Magic. Upon hearing the title for the first time, my thoughts immediately ran toward, "I'll bet it's a vampire novel." Thankfully, this simply isn't the case. Instead, it is an interesting twist on the standard type of magic books that are typically encountered. Through the implementation of themes such as blood and possession, Blood Magic builds upon what one would usually find in a book about magical individuals and takes it to a whole new level.
I really enjoyed the characters that this book centered around. The story is told from dual points of view, which is rapidly becoming a favored structure for me. Silla and Nick are two teens with lives full of secrets. Little do they know, they have more in common than they might think. Though Silla is just beginning to explore blood magic and Nick has all but forgotten his capabilities, the two quickly become entangled in the practice and grow ever more attached to each other. The relationship isn't too easy, however. There are roadblocks in the form of Silla's trauma-induced fragile state of mind and Nick's suppressed childhood memories. These hurdles make for an excellent common ground between the two, however, and make the development of their relationship more believable. Throw in a villain who puts the "bad" in "bad guy," and you have a well-rounded cast of characters. Just wait until you see what this villain can do. It will knock your socks off.
The setting for this book was perfect. The idea of these events going down in a wood-enshrouded cemetery at the onset of autumn is a very appealing one. In my opinion, autumn is the optimal season for books such as this to take place in. It definitely added to the creepiness factor and made for a better backdrop. The cemetery itself was the cherry on the sundae. Gratton's descriptions of this setting were very well executed and I had no trouble whatsoever in picturing it for myself.
There was only one thing that I found to be less appealing. I tried to maintain an open mind throughout the book, but I found myself becoming very uncomfortable during some of Silla's more distraught uses of blood magic. That she had to procure blood to perform the magic is a given. That part didn't really bother me. However, the incidents in which Silla practically relished the blood letting were very difficult for me to get through. It brought back painful memories of a once friend that were very hard to work through and made me very sad.
Overall, Blood Magic was an excellent new direction in which to take the subject of magic. Filled with complex characters, a seriously creepy villain, and themes that bear serious thought, Blood Magic is the start to what promises to be an excellent series. I can't wait until the next installment hits shelves. I give Blood Magic 4 hoots.
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