Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Note: This review contains no spoilers of Always A Witch, but does contain spoilers of the first book in the series, Once A Witch, a review of which can be found here. 

Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Release Date: August 1st, 2011
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Publisher
Buy It: Book Depository

When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past where she soon finds herself disguised as a Knight family maid.

Although I enjoyed Once A Witch I wasn't entirely blown away, but with its follow up MacCullough definitely appears to have found her groove. I was intrigued when I learned that Always A Witch was going to take place mostly a century earlier in time, especially since MacCullough's contemporary world felt so believable but luckily, MacCullough has a knack for setting and I was once again transported. Plus, with the absence of a love interest I didn't particularly enjoy for most of the novel and a whole new cast of creepy evil characters the result was a sequel I actually enjoyed more than the first book in the series.

Everything I enjoyed about Once A Witch was just better in Always A Witch, the plot was more enticing, the characters more creative, even the writing seemed to flow better. It was also nice that although Tamsin's story is a "series" it is in fact only two books, and this one wraps up the telling quite nicely. That said, although I preferred the sequel, I don't think it would work great as a standalone and that you really need to read Once A Witch to fully appreciate it's followup. I also appreciated the confidence Tamsin had gained from the first half of the story, I felt MacCullough did a great job with her growth as a person and it was nice to see a main female character who wasn't always relying on a man.

My favourite parts about Always A Witch were definitely the villians! La Spider and Liam Knight were both incredibly spooky characters and it was interesting to see how they compared to their distant relative Allistar- who I actually found some sympathy for in this portion of the story. Overall, Always A Witch is definitely the second half of a story not a complete tale on its own, but it was also enchanting and thrilling in a way that surpasses its prequel and that readers looking for a story that is more action and less romance are certain to enjoy.

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Once A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Release Date: September 14th, 2009
Pages: 312
Format: Paperback and Audiobook
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Source: Publisher and Personal Shelf
Narrator: Hannah Friedman
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Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared.

At its core, Once A Witch is a charming, light-hearted story about a girl who just doesn't belong. On one hand she has to deal with the fact that all of her family has Talent except her, but even when she is away at school the truth about her family remains a secret making it difficult for her to connect with others. Although MacCullough uses a paranormal vehicle to tell her story, I think that Tamsin's struggles would be easy for many teenagers to relate to. Most of us have to deal with parental expectations and the plans they may have for us even before we are born, for Tamsin those feelings are only intensified. That's what I enjoyed about Once A Witch, how authentic Tamsin was.

Although the plot of Once A Witch didn't completely blow me away, I did enjoy the MacCullough's storytelling and found her writing easy to read (or listen to, as I listened to this book on audio), smooth and clear. Tamsin's desire to prove herself is tangible, and she was definitely the character that stood out for me in the novel. There were some interesting and quirky secondary characters, Tamsin's room-mate at boarding school and family members in particular, that added dimension to the story. The love interest was okay, but to be honest the whole related aspect- even if it is quite distant- still made me a little uncomfortable! Personally, the entire marrying within the "Family" seemed a bit medieval for a contemporary novel. 

Overall, I enjoyed Once A Witch and although the storyline itself didn't completely shock me, the characterization and relatable twist on the paranormal was certainly refreshing and I am definitely interested in picking up the second book in this series, Always A Witch.