Customer Reviews

The Secret Circle: The Initiation and The Captive Part I (rpkg)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Ah, The Secret Circle. Quite simply, I adore these books. I'm absolutely thrilled that they're being re-released, as my old copies are now quite creased and have started to fall apart. I finally get to replace them! Though I'll never throw the originals away, mostly because I would feel like that was sacrilege, but also because I don't like these new covers nearly as much as the old ones.

Yes, these books are THAT good. I first read them as a young teenager, because my sister and I were both big fans of Smith's Vampire Diaries saga. At first we were both confused, because we thought these TSC would be about vampires, too. We quickly decided that witches were just as much fun to read about as vampires!

(very minor spoilers below, beware)

The heroine of this trilogy is Cassie Blake, and she is a character that every girl reading the books will both relate to and admire. As a younger reader, I remember feeling really elated by this, because if I was even a little bit like Cassie, I must be a better person than my teenage mind gave me credit for. And I think that new readers will come to the same realization.

As the story starts, Cassie is fairly ordinary, or at least she sees herself that way. She's average looking and fairly shy. She doesn't stand up for herself, and she's easily intimidated. Smith never writes her as a COWARD, though, just as a timid, typical teenage girl who desperately longs to fit in with her peers. When she first sees Diana (who later becomes her best friend), she assumes that Diana is out of her league because Diana is beautiful. A very realistic reaction, in my opinion, and one I had many times in high school.

As the books progress, so does Cassie. She slowly begins to realize her own potential without compromising who she was in the very first chapter. She's a character who follows her heart and tries to do what she really believes is right. She makes mistakes, definitely, and is far from perfect, but even when she deliberately does the wrong thing, she feels guilty about it and tries to clean up whatever messes she helped cause. When forced to choose, she almost always chooses her family and friends over her own wants. I think she's a fantastic role model for tween readers (and adult readers, too, come to think).

All of Smith's characters are very richly developed. Diana, the beautiful best friend, seems absolutely perfect at first. She's eternally kind and loving and generous and innocent. But it becomes clear that she's also TOO naive at times, TOO trusting. Faye, who is the anti-Diana, isn't as bad as she is initially portrayed. Her selfish/nasty aspects don't go away (which would be unrealistic and less fun), but her more redeeming qualities are brought to light the more the reader and Cassie get to know her.

This story is exciting and interesting. At its core, it's about Cassie discovering who she is. It just so happens that she's from a long line of witches. At the time when I first read The Initiation and The Captive, I had never read a story quite like it. I realize now that the YA market is full of supernatural paperbacks, so I don't know if that will still be true for new readers. Witchcraft, soulmates, magic, a mysterious evil... seems like a lot of books use this recipe now-a-days. But what I think makes Secret Circle (and all of Smith's books, really) stand apart, is how readers really FEEL what the leading character is feeling. Despite all the supernatural aspects, these books seem so genuine and real, because Cassie's thoughts and emotions are so understandable.

L.J. Smith will forever be one of my favorite authors because of this trilogy. It not only has been a personal joy to read and reread, but it has added to the bond that I share with my sister who first introduced me to Smith's books so many years ago. We've often read the books together, so much so that, for her 30th birthday in November, I've recently purchased her a piece of chalcedony carved in the shape of a rose (I'm a total nerd, I realize, but I know she'll immediately understand what it is and that it's my way of saying I love her and miss our childhood days).

To sum up, these books are full of awesome. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying them.

Lucky for me I had the second book ready to go because I read the first book in 1 day. It was so good I kept reaching for it whenever I had a spare moment.
Really this is a great read.
I wish I had read it in the 90's when they were out and I was younger- LOL.
Personally, I feel L.J. Smith's books are better than the Twiglight Series. And they were written before Twilight. Hmmmm...Maybe S.Meyer read L.J Smith when she was younger...

**Make sure you have the second book ready because it is originally a trilogy. So each of the 2 Secret Circle books has 1 1/2 of the original books from the trilogy in them:o)

I began reading L. J. Smith when I was twelve years old, and continued to read and reread her books as I grew older. This edition of the Secret Circle is the same as L. J. Smith's previous editions of the Secret Circle which were released in the mid to late 1990s. Out of all her books though, The Secret Circle trilogy has remained one of my favorite series by far.

In the books Cassie a young girl moving to a new town is in for a surprise when she finds out her mother was raised in a small town run by the families on Cassie's street. Cassie is both welcomed into this fold as a member of the street and excluded from the fold as a half-outsider and finds herself surrounded by a mystery she feels compelled to solve. Throw in some romance, drama, and a tad bit of magical mystery and the series is pretty much explained. A great read and if you enjoy this series check out my other favorite books by L.J. Smith, which include her Dark Visions Trilogy and the Nightworld Series.

RESIST THE URGE TO READ THIS BOOK.....Until you can get your hands on all three books in the series. Seriously. Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down and the books don't stand on their own. They are one story.

I have to say that I love L.J. Smith's writing. I have everything she's written. But this series, The Secret Circle is one I've read over and over again. The others are good and I certainly enjoyed them, but there's something about this one, whether it's the historic setting in Salem or the idea of (good) witches or just the angst between a girl, her best friend and a boy. The characters were enjoyable, even the bad ones, which were really bad.

I'm so glad to see Ms Smith is re-releasing her work again and I do hope that means we'll finally see her last NightWorld novel, Strange Fate soon.

L. J. Smith exceeds herself with the reissue of THE SECRET CIRCLE.

Though some of her older books, especially THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, are a delight to read, THE SECRET CIRCLE is leagues ahead in not only writing skill but in plot and characterization, as well.

The main character, Cassie (who coincidentally shares a first name with this reviewer), is likeable and easy to relate to as a plain, shy, sixteen-year-old girl.

After moving to New Salem to live with her mother and estranged grandmother, Cassie finds herself included in her new school's intimidating secret club. Once she is initiated as a witch, Cassie soon finds out that the beautiful boy she fell in love with over the summer is part of the coven, too.

Cassie must sacrifice true love in order to protect her adopted "sister," Diana, but what else will she have to sacrifice? And what does the club's rebel member, Faye, have to do with the cursed crystal skull and the mysterious deaths in New Salem?

Ending with a breathtaking cliffhanger, L. J. Smith's THE SECRET CIRCLE will leave you begging for more.

Reviewed by: Cassie Beale

I really enjoyed reading this book. Altough I am no longer a teenager :) (34 years old) I still could not wait to come home to read more. I was really upset when I finished reading the series and would like to read more books of the series.

But I still hope L.J Smith does not ruin the series by writing a crappy book like she did with Vampire Diaries / Return. If she ever plans to write a new book for this series, she definately should put good time and effort to keep the tone of the original three books.

I read this series when it first came out in paperback and I got it because I had previously read the Vampire Diaries series and had to see everything I could get my hands on by L.J. Smith. This is a wonderful series about Cassie and how she get involved, at first unknowingly, into a mystical witches' coven. Ms. Smith writes wonderfully intense - the characters really jump out and grab you and keep you throughout the whole story - you can't wait for the next book to begin....and you are entertained and entwined the entire saga. I read these (new) coming out of high school and would recommend anyone (and everyone) to read all of her books, as I have not been disappointed yet.

The story starts off with meeting young Cassie Blake. She is just fifteen years old and on vacation in Cape Cod for the summer with her mother. She is described of having brunette hair, wavy, and petite too. Over time the read comes to find out that plans change and Cassie is forced to move with her mother to the town of New Salem, Massachusetts for both of them to live with her grandmother, who she has never met till they show up at her front door. The story continues with her meeting students, having a rocky start her first week of school, and learning something peculiar about a group of students; which either half the students are afraid of or worship the group they walk on. But for reasons Cassie has no clue about.

So no more spoiling the book, because it's awesome! For most people, they only know of this because of the show and watched the show instead. But I think for the most part, the show lacks a certain quality that the book has: magic! I'm not talking spells or doing cool things with incantations, but I'm talking that quality that book has that makes you enjoy every second you read the book.

There is something about the way that Cassie meets everyone and how she learns of the "secret". My favorite part was that is was set in Massachusetts. The show doesn't have that. My big complaint about the show. Reason for this is the witch trials happened in Salem Mass. and that reference/story is brought up in the book too. It's one of the huge elements that is played on the last half of the book as well.

I simply enjoyed how there was a part in the beginning when Cassie sees Diana for the first time. She is described as this tall girl, with hair so long and beautifully blonde, "that is woven with the sun and the moon". She is also described as being this unbelievably nice girl and how everyone LOVES her in school. All the girls can't get enough of her and every single guy she passes in the hall asks her out on a date.

Then you have the complete opposite to her: Faye. Faye is a this tall girl too. Dark black hair that is long and raven black. Red fire painted nails and the body of something 'exotic'. She is always wearing clothing that is too sexy for her and doesn't give a care in the world that she goes after the boys that are never single or just flat out a challenge.

Those two characters added such a dynamic, that it was intriguing to know what they were capable of doing to anyone or to each other in their "circle".

This book is a great read for those wanting something deeper than the show can offer, while also knowing maybe how it came about as a book. The one thing I can give away is that in the books that didn't happen on the show: Cassie's mother never died and her father wasn't a witch either. Something I didn't enjoy they doing for the show. Took away too much about the original story at hand.

Anyway, this is something to really check out if you have the time, especially if you haven't seen the show.

[...]

Im young i know. But when I went to barns and nobles and was searching for a book that could catch my eye. The Secret Circle really hit. I have read the previous ones. The Vampire dairies and i must say it was amazing. Now that i read The Secret Circle this one was just way better. I was left thinking, breatheing, even dreaming this book. I loved it, the way Cassie was so selfless. But i had a problem with fight Black John. It was short it took no skill or anything. Iam wondering why the older coven did think of that, it was just plain poor. Even at the end i didn't like how you couldn't see how Cassie and Adam could have ended. You were left with a kiss on the cheek. Diana just gave her to him at the end why not in the middle or something. So you could see the way they could have been. But it was something i could have just give up wishing it could be to suite my 'likings' if you would say that. But seriously over all it was good. Theres things you wouldn't even think about that were happening everything just ties together and i loved that. Cassie was a smart so is L.J Smith for making the book. I wish I could have read this earlier. Nothing will top The Secret Circle. I used to be a Twilight Fan like majorly but i've moved on to witchery. oh and im 15 years old so that helps because an adult would probably have no sense of this book.. sorry elders.

I loved this book! It is a great read! I finished it in 1 day and I usually don't read that much. I neglected my family because it was so addicting. It is worth a buy. I will keep this one and read it again!