Book Review & Giveaway: Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton.

Product details:
Publisher: Doubleday Childrens
Release date: July 7th 2011.
Paperback, 416 pages.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Ages: YA
Source: Received from publisher for review.

For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.

Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.

Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood.

A dark Paranormal Romance, Tessa Gratton's  Blood Magic has been one of the most anticipated YA debuts of 2011. In addition to a lot of blogger buzz, this book is blurbed by none other than Maggie Stiefvater, who has a whole lot of good things to say about it. Darkly atmospheric and rich in detail, Blood Magic is certainly an accomplished debut, but that said, it won’t be for everyone. If you’re in any way squeamish, you can forget about reading this book right now. Its pages are dripping with blood from the get go and certain things happen to small animals that will just turn your stomach. However, if you like your reading darkly dark and gothic, then this is the perfect book for you. And even if nightmares disturb your sleep after you finish reading it, then, even better, right?

Told in a dual narrative, with additional journal entries that add an air of mystery to events, Blood Magic opens in a creepy old cemetery, where we are introduced to Silla, a girl who just recently lost both her parents in an apparent murder-suicide, and Nick, the new-boy-in-town-with-a-mysterious-past who is strangely drawn to her from the first time he sees her. Silla lives under a dark cloud. Grieving, haunted and confused by her parents’ tragic deaths, she is determined to get some answers. This arrives in the form of a book of spells sent by a mysterious stranger, but with magic, comes danger, and Silla will soon have to face down an ancient enemy who will do anything in their power to take the book of spells from her.

While Blood Magic has a great premise and a lot of potential, it is slightly lacking in places with its often long-winded prose and also partly because sometimes it just takes itself too seriously. These characters, just like Sam and Grace of Shiver fame, failed to endear themselves to me, because honestly I found them so goddamn boring at times. Silla quotes Shakespeare on an hourly basis, while Nick writes poetry for fun. There are reasons in their pasts as to why they do these things, but it all just struck me as slightly pretentious and I wasn’t able to find any common ground with them. For that reason I also failed to buy into their relationship, which is of the Insta-Love variety. While Silla and Nick fell in love pretty quickly and had lots of hot n’ heavy make-out sessions, I just felt that the chemistry was off between them. Their relationship didn’t really ring true for me, although I’m glad that Silla had someone to look out for her at least, because life sure isn’t easy for that girl.

Blood Magic grows increasingly macabre as it reaches its conclusion with enemies revealed, blood-filled battles, blood sacrifices, face-painting with blood, and uh, blood-filled kisses….I get that blood is a big part of the book, but I thought there was maybe a little too much blood at times, which led to a bloody mess of a finale, leaving me with no real answers, but a lot of questions, and a conclusion that left me unsatisfied. That said, there is a companion novel to this one coming next year, so I’m hoping that when I read The Blood Keeper everything will finally make sense.

Despite my issues with this one, I really do think that a lot of people will devour it and love every page. With its intriguing premise, it is stunning in its originality, and I’m sure Blood Magic is going to gain Tessa Gratton a whole lot of fans!

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Thanks to those lovely people at Random House Children's Books I have a copy of Blood Magic to give away to one lucky reader!

To be in with a chance to win, just complete the form below.

Competition is open to UK & ROI only - publishers request.

Competition Closes: July 10th 2011.

Following this blog is not necessary to gain entry to this competition, but is always appreciated!

COMPETITION CLOSED! WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON!