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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulously Bewitching Book by New Author Marissa Doyle, May 2, 2008
This review is from: Bewitching Season (Leland Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)
If you like books about magic, princesses, mysteries and devious plots, this book has it all! The twins, Persy and Pen, head to London as they prepare to come out into society. Persy, the shy twin, positively dreads the thought of attending a multitude of social events, while Pen, the outgoing twin, can't wait. To add to Persy's anxiety, her governess disappears, the boy she's had a crush on forever is now a postively gorgeous man (who seems very interested in her sister) and she can't decide if having magic skills is an advantage or a detriment. Marissa Doyle does a fabulous job of weaving an intricate web of events as the girls try to figure out what happened to their governess. The characters are very real and the writing is so vivid that somewhere along the way you feel as if you've stepped through the pages to join the girls on their quest. Persy shows a tremendous amount of growth and by the time I finished reading Bewitching Season, I definitely wanted more - any chance of a sequel? This book is listed as a YA book and my twelve year old niece loved it, but it is also a great book for adults who love reading a well crafted story full of intrigue and great characters.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A bewitching debut novel from a very promising new writer., May 5, 2008
This review is from: Bewitching Season (Leland Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)
Seventeen-year-old identical twins Persephone "Persy" and Penelope "Pen" Leland are not quite like most upper-class young ladies in Victorian England. The girls were born with the gift of magic, and their governess, Miss Allardyce, or Ally as the girls call her, has educated them in the magical arts along with reading, writing, and history. Now the time has come for the girls' debut in London and their first season, where they will hopefully attract suitable husbands. Pen is eager to make her debut in society, but Persy, who is shy and bookish, wishes she could go against what is proper for a wealthy young lady and become a teacher. Shortly after their arrival in London, however, more pressing concerns arrive. The twins discover Ally has been kidnapped, and that her captors hope to use her in a plot to gain control of the British throne. Meanwhile, shy Persy is finding herself falling in love with her childhood neighbor, Lochinvar Seton, who shares her love of books, reading, and education. But she doesn't believe he could ever find her attractive over Pen, the outgoing and social twin. Bewitching Season is an absolutely wonderful debut novel from Marissa Doyle. The writer seamlessly blends magic, romance, and history against a realistic backdrop of 1837 London. I highly recommend this book to teen girls - and older readers - looking for a magical and romantic trip to the past, and I can't wait to read the sequel, which will be released in 2009.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Enchanting Novel, May 29, 2008
This review is from: Bewitching Season (Leland Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)
I really loved BEWITCHING SEASON! If I had to vote for Most Charming Debut, this would be it. It was lovely, adorable, fun and drenched in history. Persephone and Penelope are seventeen-year-old twins about to face their first London Season. Persy is shy and studious and Pen is outgoing and lighthearted. Both are equally lovely, but Percy thinks Pen is the prettier. Percy is also the point-of-view character. They have a younger brother named Charles, who is twelve years old, and a governess whom they call Ally. When Ally vanishes just before they are supposed to make their debut, it's up to the three of them to find her. Lochinvar, their childhood friend, returns from a long absence very nicely grown-up. It turns out that Persephone has loved Lochinvar since she was thirteen. He pops up in the most unexpected places, and has the most unexpected talents. Their love is delightfully thwarted by their own actions, yet it is not too drawn out. Another mysterious man, Michael Carrighar, makes a reluctant henchman for a conniving lord. Here's where I had a quibble--Michael appears to be under an onerous debt of some sort, forcing him to do evil deeds when he otherwise would not. However, when the debt was finally revealed, it didn't seem nearly onerous enough to compel such deeds. Michael was the only character whose motivations never quite rang true for me. He was otherwise likable--truly conflicted and a rather dark soul. The final battle was nicely done. I expected both twins to have to face the nemesis, but one twin had to go it alone. This made it a nice challenge. Having to fight wizards while in a breath-constricting corset is not easy, you know. All plot threads get sewn up satisfactorily, leaving Penelope free to gallivant off into the sequel, which will follow her adventures to Ireland. It has been a long while since I was so charmed by a novel. In fact, I think you have to go all the way back to You Had Me at Halo by Amanda Ashby. My only complaint is that it was too short. I think Marissa Doyle will attract a legion of fans, both young and old, who will eagerly buy each new installment. I know I will. I loved it.
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