ARC Review: House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy and Sorrow

Author: Natalie Whipple

Series: -

Pages: 352

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release date: 15th April 2014

Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I really love the premise of this book, everything to do with witches and magic appeals to me so I literally devoured House of Ivy & Sorrow as soon as I received it but I have to admit I do feel it would be suited to the younger YA audience.

Josephine Hemlock is from a family of witches and is protected by her grandmother from a mysterious curse that killed her mother. Jo tries to be a normal teen by having fun with her friends and trying to win the heart of the boy she likes which doesn’t come easily with an interfering meddling grandmother.

Jo was a interesting character with a realistic yet young voice, she was witty and protective of those closest to her; when a man comes to town with darkness following him it’s up to Jo to work out his purpose, protect her bloodline and find a way to break the family curse. It was a mysterious and intriguing plot which flowed well; it was a lot more lighthearted than what I was expecting but enjoyable none the less.

The romance is not at the forefront of the story but I liked Winn, he made for a nice love interest and I was surprised by the secrets he too was hiding but I would have liked to have had more page time with him to get to know more about him.

Natalie Whipple’s writing is simplistic and engaging, the details she gives allows us to envision what is happening – a magic spell and the description left me cringing at times. Each of the characters are interesting enough and although there were a few over the top moments from a few of them they are each believable in their actions and reactions as teens.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters, the witchy magic and the way the author showed the strength and love of family and friends interwoven in to a captivating story of magic and power.

I will definitely read more books written by Natalie Whipple, I'm not sure if this book is a part of a series but I can definitely see it becoming one.

Thank-you to Harper Teen for the opportunity to read and review House of Ivy & Sorrow.

About the author: 

Natalie Whipple, sadly, does not have any cool mutations like her characters. Unless you count the ability to watch anime and Korean dramas for hours on end. Or her uncanny knack for sushi consumption. 

She grew up in the Bay Area and relocated to Utah for high school, which was quite the culture shock for her anime-loving teen self. But the Rocky Mountains eventually won her over, and she stuck around to earn her degree in English linguistics at BYU. Natalie still lives in Utah with her husband and three kids, and keeps the local Asian market in business with all her attempts to cook Thai curry, Pho, and “real” ramen.