Book of Shadows (Sweep, No. 1) [Paperback]

Cate Tiernan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 2007

Morgan and her best friend, Bree, are introduced to Wicca when a gorgeous senior named Cal invites them to join his new coven. Morgan falls for Cal immediately? and discovers that she has strong,inexplicable powers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This delectably dark pair of novels, first in the Sweep series, brings a supernatural spin to classic teen issuesApopularity, romance, alienation and the search for self. Narrator Morgan, a high school junior in upstate New York, feels plain and ordinary, especially next to her flirty, drop-dead-gorgeous friend Bree. When Cal, a remarkably poised and handsome senior, transfers to their school, Morgan likes him almost immediately, an attraction she hides when Bree announces that she plans to win him for herself. Cal makes no secret of his belief in Wicca, inviting most of the junior and senior classes to join him in a Wiccan celebration. The rituals powerfully affect MorganAcould it be that she, like Cal, is a "blood witch" (a descendant of one of the seven great witch clans)? But how could she be a blood witch when everyone else in her family is so clearly not "magickal"? While Tiernan's ingredients are familiar, she stirs the cauldron with engaging, even cinematic, prose and sharply individuates her characters. She introduces the Wiccan material with some depth as well as with a skillful degree of ambiguity; readers will not know immediately whether or not the series embraces Wicca. Both books end on cliffhangers (Shadows, for example, closes as Cal kisses Morgan, in full view of Bree and the rest of their newly formed coven), fanning what will surely be an already keen desire to learn the whole story. Ages 12-up. (Jan.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-12. Morgan has never been someone people noticed, until an exciting new senior, Cal, enrolls in her high school. Cal reveals that he and his mother are Wiccans (witches), and Morgan, who seems unusually sensitive to natural energies and adept at "magick," becomes the focus of his attention. Could she be a blood witch, a member of one of the Seven Great Clans? This is largely an unexceptional high-school romance (first in a series) that spends inordinate amounts of time describing what the well-dressed teenage witch is wearing this season. More objective portrayals of the characters would have been desirable, too, (one future coven member is described as a "stuck-up JAP"), but this does have some information on Wiccan culture and presents it in a less sensational manner than many contemporary books and media (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Libraries that select this series, however, may want to be prepared for the possibility of challenges. Catherine Andronik
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Speak (March 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142409863
• ISBN-13: 978-0142409862
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #482,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cate Tiernan lives in Durham, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book from a sensitive author., June 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Book of Shadows (Sweep, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book at 32, after seeing an ad for the series in a magazine for school library professionals, and I really enjoyed it. The author treated the high school scene (which hasn't changed much since my day except for the odd henna tattoo and body piercing) with knowledge, realism, and sensitivity. I liked her mix of characters who come together to learn about Wicca. Her lead male character, Cal, who is a witch, is sweet, smart, and believable, and I related to her lead female character, Morgan, who learns to recognize her inner power. I felt Wicca was portrayed positively and realistically, and so was the family scene (with Morgan having a lesbian aunt). The teen books from MY teens years seemed to ignore facts of life like that one. The author picked up on the similarity between realizing you're a witch and realizing you're gay. They don't call it "coming out of the broom closet" for nothing. We're not all the same, people, made from the same mold and destined to follow the same path, and enlightened teens who understand this will appreciate this book. Bravo to a great author. Again, open-minded readers won't be disappointed by this one.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books in the Best Series, November 4, 2002

By 

"fireyphoenix17" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of Shadows (Sweep, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

When I first saw this book, I was a little afraid to pick it up. It was by an unknown author and was about a different type of magic. But I picked it up and read the first pages and I was hooked. This book is about wicca, which is something I had never heard of. While the sweep series doesn't give the absolute truth about wicca, it does give you a general overview of what wicca is about, magick, love, nature... just to name a few. This book is such a great book and is followed by a wonderful series. The characters are so well thought up and have very interesting personalities. Ms. Tiernan gave very graphic descriptions of the characters and of Widow's Vale, so that you can just close your eyes and picture it. Morgan, the main character, is what seems like an average girl. She is 16, doesn't have a boyfriend, is smart and like most of us isn't the most stunning and beautiful person in her class. In the book she begins to find wicca coming into her life. As she discovers the magick within her, the relationships around her and with her grow and blossom. She has to find alot of answers for alot of questions that she begins to think up about wicca and about her life. As things heat up in the book, you get to see who each character really is, inside and out. I would reccomend this book to anyone that has an interest in magic(k), wicca, love, or just a really good book. This book and this series are truly a must buy.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starts off a great new series., January 31, 2001

By 

Rebecca Herman (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Book of Shadows (Sweep, No. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

Morgan Rowlands considers herself a pretty average, not particularly attractive sixteen-year-old girl. Living in a small town in upstate New York with her parents and younger sister, her life is uneventful. Until Cal Blaire, the best-looking guy Morgan and her friend Bree have ever seen, moves to town. Cal's not just any guy, though - he's a Wiccan. He invites many of the students to a circle in which they perform a magic ritual. He then invites those that show an affinity for magick to join his new coven. The circle awakens something within Morgan that she never knew existed before. Soon, Morgan begins to question herself, her family, and everything that she has believed herself to be for her entire life. Witchcraft has helped Morgan to find her true self - but it has also torn her away from everything she has always known and believed in. Is her newfound talent worth the price she will have to pay for it? I reccomend this series to fans of the TV show Charmed.