Customer Reviews

Circle of Three #11: The House of Winter

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kate, Annie and Cooper go to a hotel high in the mountains to celebrate Yule in the true Wiccan spirit. But when they get there, The mystery of the house lurs them to a secret, a secret almost a hundred years old! The ghost of Mary O'Shea has come back and is trying to get them to help her do good. The girls think they're doing the right thing when they help her. Or are they?

This is the latest in the "Circle of three" series and my favorite. It has our favorite three "almost witches" trapped in an extremely old hotel. Although the Cooper, Annie, and Kate find themselves far from the comfort of their small town, the hotel gives them plenty of action in the midst of a blizzard. If you enjoyed Bird's craftily written characters and their "witchy" adventures then you are sure to be wrapped up in this roller coaster of adventure.

This book was somewhat disappointing to me.

Its story of good and evil ghosts, playing with dark magick, possession, and other elements was more suited to a teen horror thriller, not a series that up until now has done a realistic, respectful treatment of what real Wicca is.

The story itself is entertaining, but not what I've come to expect from this series.

Hello again from sunny California I give this book 4 stars. Please do don't think I'm being to harsh first hear me out. Like other of her book's it was full of magic and suspense. But yet it felt like it missed something. The house of Winter is about when the four girls set of for a weekend at the "Haunted Hotel" with the rest of their class. They meet the hotel owner's twin daughter's who have seen a ghost {Mary}who is traped in a diffrent dimension she must complete her buisness in order to be released and finally be in peace. But one of the sisters does not want her to be released and will do anything not to see it happen. Which sister is trust worthy and which one is just seeking for their own personal advange.

I have liked others in the series, but this one just didn't click for me. The 'twist' at the end was extreamly easy to guess. Her passive writing style is also beginning to grate, it's far too preachy and contained. The book didn't do anything good with the characters at all. Isobel's writing is losing it's spark, and I think she's relying to much on the fact that the girls are studying Wicca, instead of the real storyline. If you plan to buy this book just to see what type of Yule lore there is, and ideas for rituals, save your money. And if you still want to read it, get it out from the library.
In summary, the passion has left the series. I can only hope it will come back soon.

Hello again from sunny California I give this book 4 stars. Please do don't think I'm being to harsh first hear me out. Like other of her book's it was full of magic and suspense. But yet it felt like it missed something. The house of Winter is about when the four girls set of for a weekend at the "Haunted Hotel" with the rest of their class. They meet the hotel owner's twin daughter's who have seen a ghost {Mary}who is traped in a diffrent dimension she must complete her buisness in order to be released and finally be in peace. But one of the sisters does not want her to be released and will do anything not to see it happen. Which sister is trust worthy and which one is just seeking for their own personal advange.

When Cooper, Annie, Kate and Sasha go to an old haunted hotel to celebrate the Yule with many other witches they find themselves tangled up in more than one challenge. During this ritual they all choose to enter different study groups where they will face their fears or use their greatest strengths. Cooper joins the air group where uses her musical talents. Kate joins the water group where she will look at her secrets and fears and ANnie joins the earth group where she will face ehr fear of death once more. But during their workshop sessions they get tangled up into a ghost mystery involving the two twin girls who own the hotel.

I thought this book was very interesting though I wish they didn't emphasize the ghost story as much and get more into the wiccan rituals. I've always wanted to know what wiccans do around Christmas time and I was surprised. It wasn't as jolly as Christmas or Haunaka. If you're a fan of the series I reccomend this. It's still a very good book. Lucy and Nora (the twins) are great new charecters. Enjoy!