Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Rating : 5 / 5

Goodreads : Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.

My review : Born Wicked is a 2012 debut novel and the first book in the Cathill Witch Chronicles and it came out in February. I didn't know if I was going to buy this book. I heard a lot of great things about it everyone was talking about it but I have been disappointed in the last year by debut novel that were praised and I was also disappointed by books about witches that I read recently. I'm really happy that I didn't hesitate and that I ordered this book because I don't regret it at all. I loved Born Wicked it was one of my favorite book of February 2012 and probably one of my favorite book of 2012 already. This book is a kind of mix between historical and fantasy and that's two of my favorite genre so that's what convinced me to read it.
I really liked the setting. The story is set in Chatam (two days travel from New London) at the end of the 19 century. But the society is just like the puritan society of the 17 century in the american colonies. I studied The Scarlet Letter and all the historical background around this book for college this semester so it really makes me think of that period.
I also really liked the world that she created. The Sisterhood, the Brotherhood that controls everything, the witches that are trying to survive, the hard and difficult condition for woman. The writing was also really beautiful and I liked following the story of Cate and her sisters.
I like book about witches but sometimes it's not really well done. For example I didn't like the Wicca series by Cate Tiernan. I know that it's completly different. The context is not the same but I was reallt pleasantly surprised when I read Born Wicked.
The plot was not predictable I was often surprised by some characters or actions.
The only negative for me and I wanted to give 4 stars sometimes because of that was that sometimes the story was a little repetitive. The first book is centered on Cate's - the older sister - choices. She is at a time in her life when she must choose if she wants to be a Sister or marry and she is a few weeks away from this decision. And sometimes she was repeating always the same things but that's understandable it's not an easy choice, it's going to determine her future and that was realistic to show her hesitations even if sometimes it kind of slow the story.
I was really interested in the witches powers : the illusions, movement spells, mind magic... And the prophecy introduced build a good suspence especially the second  part of the prophecy which seems really tragic and I liked that.
Now about the romance part of this story. There is kind of a triangle love between Cate, Finn and Paul.
And normally i'm not a huge fan of triangle love of it was really well done here. I was happy because the book is not centered on the romance part. Well towards the end it's pretty important but it wasn't just about that and it wasn't cheesy at all. Finn is an awesome love interest. He seems perfect. He is this guy with messy hair, freckles, glasses (yay that's not something done very often in YA books). He is the son of a bookseller. He is the intellectual type but in Born Wicked he must work to earn money so he is the Cathill's new gardener. His relationship with Cate is beautiful. I was truly impressed by the writing of the scenes when they are together. Their first kiss (not a huge spoiler it's the one in the book trailer after all) is I think one of my favorite kissing scene in all the books that I've read in my life. So yeah that's something. I was smiling all day after reading it.
There is a lot of actions toward the end I read it pretty quickly and it ended with a cliffhanger. I will definitely read the next book in the series. I already can't wait !
And look at this cover ! It is stunning !