The Witch's of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache. For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them. With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil.

I am a fan of Melissa's other series, but there were some things with this book. It felt a tad random that all three women, who have not used their magic since the Salem witch trials, decide it's finally okay to cast a spell here and there. Is it coincidence that when they using their magic again evil starts to take it's toll. There are parts in the plot that are too stereotype to what myths about withces say. There was a climactic ending, and you feel a connection to the sisters. 

I am an avid fan of Cruz's other book series, Blue Bloods series of vampires in Mahatthan it's almost like Gossip Girl meets Vampires, but I am not too crazy about this first book in the series. Since I read her other series I could have sworn this is just another spin off book from her Blue Blood novels. I think this book series would have read better if Cruz had started writing the series with the concept of a brand new project instead of throwing in the characters from her other book series Blue Blood.Reading this made The writing felt familiar like to her other series

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future






I got mixed feeling about this book from other book blogger friends of mine, so I decided to read it. I found the concept of 7 of 9 meets Cinderella in a dystopian atmosphere. This gave a whole new twist to a classic tale. I have gotten really into reading dystopia and what I like the most about dystopia is how the novels are never the same. The dystopia authors come up with so many different story ideas. Since I read Cinder, I thought the idea for this dystopia was very intriguing. I find this a fun and entertaining read. I'm am not really an avid fan of sci-fi. This book is like Star Wars. The plot is pretty much like what happens in other books, and has the slightest retelling of Cinderella with a lot of humor. The characters even act like robots. 

666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce

What if your mother-in-law turned out to be an evil, cold-blooded witch . . . literally?
Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York.
But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan's most feared and revered families, Jane's fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world—and herself—is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.






For this to be an adult romance novel, I found it to be a light and enjoyable read. The main character of the story Jane, has a blossoming romance with one of the wealthiest men in Manhattan. Then Jane finds out that her soon to be mother in law is a wicked old witch. I found Jane to be too over-trusting of strangers. While this book is really not my type of chick-lit, it is a proven example of how a writer can write a chick-lit book and still throw in splash of paranormal. I honestly really like the T.V. show, the writers of the show have given the show more plots and twists than what happened in the book.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them. For nearly a decade, 34-year-old Claire Waverley, at peace with her family inheritance, has lived in the house alone, embracing the spirit of the grandmother who raised her, ruing her mother's unfortunate destiny and seemingly unconcerned about the fate of her rebellious sister, Sydney, who freed herself long ago from their small town's constraints. Using her grandmother's mystical culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business -- and a carefully controlled, utterly predictable life -- upon the family's peculiar gift for making life-altering delicacies: lilac jelly to engender humility, for instance, or rose geranium wine to call up fond memories. Garden Spells reveals what happens when Sydney returns to Bascom with her young daughter, turning Claire's routine existence upside down. With Sydney's homecoming, the magic that the quiet caterer has measured into recipes to shape the thoughts and moods of others begins to influence Claire's own emotions in terrifying and delightful ways. As the sisters reconnect and learn to support one another, each finds romance where she least expects it, while Sydney's child, Bay, discovers both the safe home she has longed for and her own surprising gifts. With the help of their elderly cousin Evanelle, endowed with her own uncanny skills, the Waverley women redeem the past, embrace the present, and take a joyful leap into the future.

An agent who I really wanted to work with when I was sending query letters said in her profile see wanted to see more novels like this coming into her submission pile (tip to querying authors, check out the books agents say they would like to see more of, it will also give an insight to their particular taste). I saw the sub-genre was magical realism and I am an avid fan of books dealing with magical realism so I decided it was time I read it. The book has a blossoming romance, and was such a light, delightful read. I liked the imagery Allen puts onto the pages. The way she describes the garden you feel like you are actually in the garden. I am looking forward to reading more of Allen's work very soon.