Book Review!
Title: How to Hang a Witch
Author: Adriana Mather
Rating: ★★★.5
Date Published: July 26, 2016
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Page Count: 358
Synopsis:
Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and almost immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.
If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials. Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history may be about to repeat itself.
My Thoughts:
“Group silence can be a death sentence. It was
in Salem,”
I have always been fascinated by anything that
has to do with witches and if the set is in Salem that is a plus! So, when I
read the synopsis of How to Hang a Witch, I immediately knew that I needed to
read it.
After her father fall into an unexpected coma, Sam and her stepmother are forced to move into his old childhood home in Salem due to financial struggles. Sam soon finds out that she is a descendant of Mather who happens to be one of the main people responsible for the witch trials, this doesn't go well with a group of kids called the descendants who just happen to be related to the witches that were killed.
Sam is a very
likable but at the same time very frustrating character!
I loved her determination, sarcasm and will to never give up, but in some cases,
she put herself in very dangerous situations that could have easily been
avoided. Sam has is bad in the friend department in her new high school, the
only person that wants to get to know her is next door neighbor Jaxon,
whom I wish would have been more in the novel, but what I did see of him I
really liked; especially how he stood up for Sam. The Descendants were your
typical clique mean girls, the only one I really care to see more of is Alice!
And then there is Elijah, oh Elijah he was such an intriguing, swoon worthy
character; I won't say more because I don't want to spoil anything.
I can’t believe the author is related
to Mather, researching him and the trials must have been so interesting and
informative! I loved the Salem vibes, like I said above I have always been
fascinated with Salem and Witches, so this was the perfect read for me. The
ending was full of so many feels, I was just not expecting it and I am kind of
salty that my ship did not take sail! The author does include a twist, but for
me the twist was very predictable, I saw it coming from a mile away all I said
when I came to it was 'I was right'! There is also a love triangle, but I was
only rooting for one guy and well as you read above my ship sank before it even
left. With all that said, I really enjoyed the book, I read it in one
sitting, and cannot wait to pick up the sequel.
SandraTheBookWorm
