Best Book Ever: Witches!

Welcome to Best Book Ever here at Short and Sweet Reviews! 

This week, we're talking about our favorite books that feature witches!  I'll be honest, I'm pretty stumped on this one... the only one I could think of was Harry Potter!  Fortunately, the rest of our wise, well-read BBE participants had plenty of choices -- and plenty of books for me to look up!

The best book ever featuring witches for me is BEASTLY. While the story itself is a modern retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast,' the witch - Kendra - plays a pivotal role. Not only does she cast the spell on pretty boy Kyle Kingsbury, turning him into a beast, but she is actually involved in the process. I liked that she was developed more in this version than in others I've read (and though I haven't read it, now there's a novel just about Kendra!)


Rebecca @ A Word's Worth

My pick this week is... The Witches by Roald Dahl. Easy, right? This is one of my favorite childhood books, and one of my favorite Dahl books. Honestly, my memory of it is a bit mixed up with the mostly excellent film adaptation, which I also love, but I do remember it creeped me the hell out--in the very best way--as a kid. Can't imagine why, with stories about children getting trapped in paintings, and bald witches with no toes who hate the smell of little kids and conspire to turn them all into mice. Wait, this story is for children? But most of all, I loved the relationship between Luke and his grandmother, and the whole book has a bizarre, bitter sweet ending. In short, this is a disturbing, clever, and often heartwarming adventure, but it is not for those who are easily spooked. By the end, you might see a woman scratching her scalp and find yourself wondering if she's really a dangerous demon...

E.C. Myers, debut author of Fair Coin (2012 Prometheus Books)

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that Witch Eyes, by Scott Tracey, was written from a man's POV. This was the first thing I loved about this book, and it was the first I have read like this. Another first is was reading about a whole new kind of relationship and that's the relationship between two men. That was very refreshing to me and was one of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much, because it was completely different and out of my comfort zone. This book is a reason why you must always attempt to read something out of your comfort zone. As many of you might know I absolutely LOVE anything that's supernatural and having this as a bonus in the story was just the cherry on top. How many supernatural stories are out these especially with witches involved? A bunch but I bet that no one has read a story like this!
Jenny @ Once Upon a Twilight

I have to say that when it came to picking my Best Book Ever for witches, it was glaringly obvious to me which I would choose. SECRET CIRCLE by LJ Smith. I read these books quite some time ago now, before I ever became a book reviewer. I have to say that I loved them and am looking forward to reading the latest installment. I love Lj Smith's writing style and these books were just so easy to sink into and fall in love with.

Keren @ Gothic Angel Book Reviews

CHIME by Franny Billingsley is a witch book that is a literary work of art. I frankly love that it causes such passionate responses from readers--those who adore and those who despise the voice of the main character, Briony Larkin. The language in this book is gorgeous, cleverly overwrought, sophisticated, lyrical, and absolutely unrelenting. You need to read it just to expand your horizons. The story unravels slowly, patiently, and in a stifling, swampy, but richly detailed, alternate-universe setting. Sure, it's roughly turn-of-the-century (with historical quirks to deliberately mess that up) and it's somewhere in the UK, but the magical beings--the Dark Muses, the Boggy Mun, and the Old Ones--make it a place of wonder. There is a sweet love story, the kind that enriches the character and her growth rather than consume her independence, and a satisfying ending to Briony's initial inner torment.

Elizabeth Fama, author of Monstrous Beauty (2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR))

As for us....

I had a hard time picking between two books- Bewitching by Alex Flinn and Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood. Bewitching is a book that ties together all the other books of this author. Bewitching tells the story of Kendra- a witch who affects all of the fairy tales that we know today. It is such a fun book to read! Born Wicked is a little more serious of a book. The book centers around Cate Cahill and her two sisters, young witches growing up without the oversight of their mother. They must keep their powers a secret, because witches are being hunted and taken away. I can't even start to do this book justice- it is fantastic! Born Wicked is the first book in the series, and is one of the most well-written books I have read in the YA genre.

Coranne