Book Review: Blackheath by Gabriella Lepore

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Ellmes is dogged by a case of chronic bad luck. She figures that’s just her lot in life—that is, until the psychic at Blackheath’s annual carnival reveals that Maggie’s problems are caused by more than just ordinary misfortune; she’s actually been cursed.
Desperate to shake the hex, Maggie has no choice but to seek out the help of Joel Tomlins, a rebellious classmate who’s descended from Blackheath’s most powerful line of witches. After breaking all of his coven’s conventions to help her, Joel discovers that the curse isn’t as bad as Maggie fears. In fact, it’s much, much worse.

Blackheath falls into the category that I like to call “book candy”. While it’s not as deep of a story as it could be, it’s an easy read that is ultimately enjoyable. If you’re looking for deep insight into a family of witches, this isn’t what you’re looking for. If, instead, you’re looking for a quick story that will keep you interest until the end? Well, this is your kind of book.

What’s wonderful about this book is that it focuses on a mainly male group of witches. Yes, you read that right. At no time are they titled “wizards” simply because they aren’t women. No, these are male witches, and I was giddy at the prospect. Joel and his family kept me reading. I loved the family dynamic, mixed in with the fact that they were a coven of their own as well.

I’ll admit, it took me a while to warm up to Joel and Maggie. As progatonists go, they aren’t the easiest to love when the story begins. Still, I’m glad that I stuck with them. Joel’s personality grew, and grew, replacing a whiny teenager with a loving brother. Maggie stopped feeling sorry for herself, and started believing in something larger than her own problems. These two ended up being something wonderful, and I so appreciated that fact that their little romance never overshadowed their own separate growth.

My rating for this book mainly revolves around the fact that there isn’t much substance to it. The story skims right on the surface of everything, and things that probably should be important don’t quite feel that way. There were a few times where I thought that there should be tension, or anger, or even guilt. I knew it should have been there, but it just didn’t come through.

Would I read more? Most likely. As I mentioned, this was an easy read and ultimately enjoyable! Perhaps they’ll be a bit more substance in the next book.

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