Electrifying Eyes

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

* Book will be released September 8, 2011
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

This book receives an eye-opening 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes for superb characters and a conclusion that will leave you wondering whether there is any way that Braden’s story can end happily.

Braden’s not exactly a normal teenager, he’s a witch who has to wear sunglasses all the time or else be overwhelmed and in horrible pain.  He has what he calls, witch eyes.  His witch eyes don’t stay one color for long and they allow him to see the world as it really is.  This means he can do things like break through magic spells and see past memories and impressions in objects and people around him.  Basically he sees everything about the world all at once and has the potential to do whatever he wants and be one powerful witch.  The problem is that this power and the visions/impressions it gives him bombard him with way too much information and then he’s left hurting with a migraine or worse.

The character of Braden is very well done.  He’s someone you feel like you want to help but you know he can also take care of himself.  It’s great that Braden’s sexuality feels organic to the story and is not shoehorned in.  Being gay is not the only characterization that he has and it doesn’t feel like a stereotypical/issue type of story, it’s just part of who he is.  He’s also delightfully snarky and never backs down from a challenge which always makes for a great main character.

Having no love triangle in sight is a beautiful thing to see.  There’s more then enough tension in the story that having a love triangle would have just been superfluous.  Braden has enough obstacles to overcome when he meets and starts falling for Trey.  There relationship starts off strained because at first Braden doesn’t even like him.  Then slowly he starts to see different sides to him.  They really seem to suit each other but there relationship is full of secrets and does have the whole Romeo and Juliet type aspect to it.  Trey also seems to be a bit trigger happy and his loyalty may be too entrenched for his own good.  Even though you know that it could and most likely will end badly if you’re like me you’ll find yourself rooting for them.

It feels like the bad guys are all around.  There is a big bad in this book but this bad person isn’t the only one in town.  The town itself feels like a bad guy in its own right with a menacing vibe and being called Belle Dam.  The feud in town has been going on for a very long time and there seems to be no end in sight.  Braden’s magic may be the only way to fix this feud or could inadvertently start a war.

There are definitely more mysteries and danger in store for Braden.  I for one can’t wait to see what happens next and how he’ll survive the future.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes magic and a story with great characters, setting, and ideas, overall a definite must read.

My Favorite Quotes/Lines

"I'd like to say I had crazy dreams that made sense in few ways, but still managed to leave portents of the future all wrapped up in a nice and neat little bow.  Instead, I dreamt of hamburgers."

"In the thick of terror, I handled myself just fine.  But a brief kiss, and everything turned to pudding."

Book Trailer for Witch Eyes:

Sentence Sneak Peek - Witch Eyes

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

The first sentence from each chapter of Witch Eyes, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book will be released September 8, 2011
* ARC read via Around The World ARC Tours

"Binding circles were bad news, my uncle said."

"There was a moment where time seemed to fracture, a crystalline snapshot of the world where Uncle Johnathan had started raising his arm, his face full of fear and alarm."

"Even though we lived in a remote area, our house was just off the main road and there was a convenience store just a few minutes away."

"The bus jerked back into motion."

"Ten minutes later, I'd found a city, a harbor, and a whole lot of water."

"Once he was gone, I ordered and immediately devoured my breakfast."

"On my way out the door the next morning, when my mind was filled with this overwhelming concept of high school, the strangest thing happened."

"At first, I thought Jade was leading me off campus."

"It didn't take us very long to arrive in front of the public library, but finding a parking space proved more difficult."

"There was a horn."

"Hello, Braden, Jason Thorpe said."

"I could have headed straight for the hotel, but I needed to pull myself together first."

"Before I even walked in the door the next morning, I ran into Jade."

"The first thing I did when I woke up was smack my hand against the phone next to me, and send it sweeping off the bed and onto the floor with a clack."

"I agreed to hang out with Jade and her friends, but I abso-lutely had to get home early enough to catch up on my homework."

"All this melodrama, and me without my camera," Lucien said."

"When I came to, I realized that the warmth beneath me was vaguely human shaped."

"The kiss started out incredibly gentle, just a meeting of random lips in the night."

"The next thing I knew, my cell phone was humming on the nightstand."

"Our first stop was Gregory's."

"This is Braden," Trey's tone was calm, maybe even a bit forceful."

"There was nothing in the book that helped me out at all."

"There was only a brief sense of something cool and silken, deep amidst the dreams."

"Don't strain yourself, Jason," I grasped the edge of the bed for stability."

"Drew, what are you doing here?"

"Even knowing the size and prowess of the Lansing name, I was stunned to see the house."

"What are you hiding from me, Braden?"

"Stay down," he grunted, keeping his dirt-crusted hand clenched over my mouth."

"I watched as Jason gestured with his left hand."

"They saw us a moment later, and I watched Jade grab onto his arm."

"You don't have anything I want," I said immediately."

"Of course it doesn't hurt, my darling."

"One week later
"You're out of bed, that's a start right?"