RA log: Discovery of Witches by Harkness *spoilers

Cover: The cover is dark blue with chemistry/alchemy symbols all over it. It does not have the typical fantasy / romance cover art featuring the characters, so the book's cover is more applicable to a wider audience than the women fantasy-romance set- more like general fiction. The title is in larger print and info says this is the author's debut novel.

The jacket blurb gives a bit of a summary, but doesn't hint at what happens other than "equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense." Other authors that recommend this book are Danielle Trussoni (Angelology- secret group dedicated to fighting against the evil efforts of the Nephilim, children of Angels and humans. The fight takes a turn when the main character "finds" a letter full of ancient secrets the Nephilim want.), Ivy Pochoda (Art of Disappearing- about a girl who falls in love with a real magacian only to wonder as she sees his magic grow unstable if her love for him is the result of a spell.) and Jane Borodale  (Book of Fires- prego in 1750s flees small town, joins up with fireworks maker to assist in creation of most spectacular fireworks- possible romance? this book is in turn linked to Geraldine Brooks's Year of Wonders: a Novel of the Plague, who also wrote Caleb Crossing and March and People of the Book (do you remember reading this, Hernandez? It was a struggle)).

Typeface was easy to read, not cramped. No illustrations. Adult readers.

At 592 pages this book had a little heft, but it felt like a solid book and one that you'd feel proud being seen reading. Hardback, easy to open.

The story starts with description. We don't really learn anything more than what the jacket blurb tells us. There's not a lot of action and I'll be honest, I'm board. There just doesn't seem any enthusiasm on the character's part for the history she's researching. I get the feeling its there just to give context on how the book was discovered. I skipped to the middle and read a chapter on blood and vamps researching blood lines and the DNA of humans and "others." The main character still dislikes her witch abilities, but is willing to learn about the skills she has "in her blood" via a blood test. We meet the vampire love interest. I skipped to about 3/4 of the way. Some more vamp family members are introduced and the main character has married the vamp. She's been kidnapped and tortured by her own kind. At the end, the main character and her vamp are getting ready to go into hiding... back in time. Nice set up for book two, which I didn't realize it was going to be a trilogy until I read it on Amazon.com.

Pacing- I found this pacing to be a little long, but probably on target for the appropriate reader who wants to spend time with the character and her developing acceptance of her witch skills and opening up to a vamp love interest, both of which she's fought against having in her life. (The book was compared to Twilight.) There are memories, but I don't think there were any flashbacks. Seemed fairly linear plot.

Story line seems to emphasize people over events/ plot/ action. Stuff happens to be sure, but it takes a little while getting there. The author's intent is to be taken seriously. We are to be caught up in this drama of magical events.

I feel as though I've met these characters in every "discovering my magical abilities," "coming of age," "highlander romance," type book. The character accepts her magic by the end of this book, but the real reason she wasn't really into it in the first place is that her own mother put a block on her to "keep her safe," so I just don't buy that the main character is having any real personal growth. She's simply coming into her inheritance because events conspire to force it onto her.

Most dominant appeal: very special witch does gorgeous vamp... they are the center of the universe.

Plot: Girl denies abilities. Girl finds book. Vamp finds girl. Girl accepts abilities. Genre: witch/vamp romance.

DofW is the first in a triology. I didn't know this and I didn't care when the two main characters "walked off in the sunset" per se. But, I suppose if you really cared about the characters you'd want to know if they were going to be followed, etc.

Romantic dreamers who swoon over vampires and magic would like this book. (Which makes me ask, why did MA like it so much?) I only got interested when the main character was tortured- I was interested to see if the magic would burst out of her, but it didn't and then they were safe. I skipped the chapter where they were supposedly attacked by other witches, but there didn't seem to be an sense of anxiety or dread or we're not safe, even though they were going off to be safe- I mean, they hung out to give Halloween candy out. Seriously?