Customer Reviews

Witch Eyes

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Belle Dam is a town that has been shrouded in darkness ever since its inception. It is a town divided by a feud between the two powerful families who keep its secrets - the Lansing's and the Thorpe's. It is a town whose residents must choose sides in this battle that has continued to rage through generations.

And it is the town to which Braden Michaels runs in order to protect his uncle from the vision of a future which cost him his life.

But when Braden learns that Belle Dam was once home to someone who shared his gift and his curse - the witch eyes that allow him to see the truth of the world around him - he is determined to learn everything he can so that he will finally be able to master his abilities and find an escape from the pain that accompanies his visions.

Digging up secrets from the past would be a huge risk and one that could turn the spotlight on him and his powers. But Braden is desperate to find answers.

Even if it meant getting drawn into a fight that wasn't his. And even if it meant that the secrets he'd been keeping would come to light. Because having a chance at a life without pain was worth almost any price, including the risk of losing someone he loved.

But Braden planned on keeping his secrets for as long as he could.

***

Witch Eyes is exciting, intense, beautiful, heartbreaking and incredibly original. Beginning in a binding circle and ending on a small cliff, this story introduces readers to Braden Michaels, a witch with a very unique gift, and Belle Dam, the town that is home to two powerful feuding families that would like nothing more than to have Braden on their side.

Braden has the ability to see the world as it really is and in doing so can unravel any magical spells that are cast. His power would prove very useful to either family, should he choose to align himself with one of them. Which meant that as long as he could hide what powers he had, he wouldn't be forced to choose.

When Braden ran away from home in order to prevent his uncle's death, he thought that Belle Dam would be a safe haven and a place where he could get answers. A place where he'd have a chance to just be normal.

But from the moment he arrived, he knew that there was something different about this town and its residents and that hiding out would not be an option. And when he discovers something about himself and his past, keeping his secrets and remaining hidden would become more important than ever.

Witch Eyes pulls readers into a dark and dangerous world of magic, spells and witchcraft and into a town that is wrapped in secrecy, where anyone can be an enemy.

Author Scott Tracey has created a story that will keep readers in suspense from the very beginning about who is the threat, who can be trusted and how can Braden possibly hope to keep his abilities secret in a town ruled by two very powerful witches.

The writing is elegant and flows beautifully, with incredibly descriptive passages detailing Braden's experiences as he sees the world with his unshielded eyes. And the author injects humor into the story through Braden's thoughts, clever comebacks and one-liners.

The characters have a unique set of abilities that serve to distinguish this story from others in the genre. Most notably are Braden's witch eyes, which give him great power, but come at an equally significant cost.

This action-filled, magical tale, which includes a mystery and a love story, builds to an exciting conclusion that will leave readers wondering what will happen next.

Witch Eyes is a must for readers looking to be captivated by not only the writing, but the characters and the story, and readers who are interested in meeting a witch with some rather incredible powers that might actually be more harmful to him than the magic he can wield.

thereadersheartstring . blogspot . com

The Cover: The cover is fairly simple, but it still very cool. I wish the book had a better one, but this is not bad, just not best cover I have ever seen. 3.5/5 Hearts...

Teaser Quote: " Betrayer. Vandal. Savage darkness boiling under the sky is falling and silver defiance where there is nothing but pain and remorse like sickly green ashes touching the sky to draw the black fires from the heart." Now tell me that is not awesome! It's poetry!

My Thoughts . . . .

I liked this book a lot - I read it a day and simply could not put it down!

Tracey has created one of those unique worlds along the likes of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments and Andrea Cremer's Nightshade Series where there is a supernatural reality within reality and Tracey has the potential to always revisit the world of Braden and the town of Belle Dam anytime in the future.

Though the world building in the book was not very descriptive, Tracey has hinted any many possible different things that this world has, such as vampires, shape shifters, werewolves, fey and demons and that is very exciting because their is an abundant of stories to be explored! I love it when a writer writes new stories set in the same world and I hope that Tracey does that after the Witch Eyes sequels.

I loved Tracey's writing style because it was very precise and descriptive without being overbearing. Braden's visions were so amazing to read and they read like poetry! I really, really loved them and would have liked more of them.

The story itself was extremely original and unique and I was very happy with the authors spin on the supernatural because he created his own lore and mythos, but did so in fresh and realistic way. The lore of witches and demons, etc were 100% believable.

The characters were probably my only real qualm with the entire story, not all of them, but just, well, two....

I did not like Trey at all. Trey is Braden's "love interest", but the two had no chemistry and Trey was just a momma's boy with constant mental whiplash. My other character qualm was the protag himself, Braden... Don't get me wrong, I like Braden a great deal, but there was two things that bugged me about him: 1 - He was a push over one moment and a bad ass witch the next and for some reason, that annoyed me. He let someone treat him like crap and then the next second he put them in their place, all in the very same page and I just didn't get it. 2 - Like I said before, Trey and Braden had no chemistry. I am very serious when I say, one moment they were arguing, then they were kissing and after one kiss they were boyfriends who knew everything about each other, without really knowing anything about each other and then they were fighting and then making up and then trying to kill each other....blahwhacasaoolopplowhat?!?!?

Yeah, the whole thing confused me....

I did not understand why they even liked each other....but oh well. It's a plus side in a way I guess, because the story was not bogged down my some annoying romance of "forever and always".

But I do have to say, that Braden is an awesome character because he does what you always what your protag to do: use the power he has and show everyone around them that he is stronger then all of you! It is one of the "AHHHH!" moments when the good guy shows the baddy what they really can do! Also, Braden can be pretty witty when he wants to, and that is always a plus!

The other characters were amazing! Jason and Catherine and Lucien were all complex and intriguing people who I could not get a grasp on. They might be evil or they might not.... That's good writing - When the reader is guessing who is bad or not.

The ending of the book was well done and satisfying, even though it was extremely open-ended, but I rather like it that way, especially since there are sequels.

I really enjoyed this book and will def be getting what Scott Tracey writes next!
Question: Should you read?

Answer: Without A Doubt!!

Story: 4.5/5
Pace: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Characters: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Ending: 4/5

Witch Eyes is 4 and half Hearts out of 5!!

Thoughts??

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thereadersheartstring . blogspot . com

*Published on Mundie Moms on September 16, 2011*

One of my favorite tropes involves the use of a mysterious town. Seriously, who doesn't love a town where there are two feuding families and secrets from long ago? Well, Scott Tracey drops his talented, sweet and yet sure of himself protagonist in just such a town and oh, Mundie Moms, does the plot thicken.


First, let me tell you about Braden. I can't do this without pointing out that I kinda want to adopt him. What?!? I know, I'm a mom and it seems natural for me to love a character who is confident, curious, smart and yet, hurting. Braden's magical gift comes at a price and those of you who know me, know that I love balance in my magic systems. Ah, the cost of magic. Imagine having to wear sunglasses all the time and suffer debilitating headaches? You know the kind that make you pass out? No wonder I wanted to help him from the very moment I turned the first few pages.

But as I read on, I discovered that he's part of a complex world and that he's inexplicably tied to the bizarre city of Belle Dam. A quiet little town. Except for a feud, where Braden's father is firmly on one side and Braden's new best friend just happens to on the other. Oh, and let's talk about that adorable boy, Trey. Yeah, Trey. Mundie Moms, there is the sweetest romance tucked in as a subplot to this action packed story. But oh wow, is the romance adorable. Braden and Trey easily make it into my Top Ten Favorite Couples list. Most of you can accurately tick off my Top Ten Couples (hint: they're probably the same as yours), so think about it, I'm saying that Braden and Trey definitely deserve to be there with the rest. Yes, that good.

I promise to not spoil anything for you. But, as Braden unlocks (literally) the secrets of the town, he discovers that he's part of a much bigger picture. All I have to add is - hang on tight, because the pacing, action and plot reveals in the last half of the book are UNBELIEVABLE. I'm still thinking about them and that's the best sign of a good story.

When you're in the bookstore this weekend, be sure to pick up Witch Eyes and read a few pages. Once you meet the sarcastic, brave and determined Braden, you won't be able to put the book down. I only know this, because I couldn't until I reached the very last page.

Oh my gosh, I have just been reading so many fabulous books lately. Witch Eyes fit right in that category. I have been really looking forward to Witch Eyes for months, since I first heard about it, and I honestly don't know if I have the words to express my feelings for Witch Eyes, but I'll certainly try.

I really love witches. I think they're one of the most fun, well paranormal isn't really the right word but I'll just use it for the lack of a better word, paranormal being out there because they're human, they just have magic. There's also so many different ways witches can be, and Scott Tracey really went out on a limb and made his witches super unique. That made Witch Eyes so much fun to read, because there was no predictability with the business of witches.

Witch Eyes was really well written. This was my first thought when I started reading the book, and continued to be an omnipresent thought as I read Witch Eyes. The storyline was super easy to get caught up in. With everything going on in this small town, I was so curious as to how everything would turn out. I loved that I never was able to predict the path of the story line.

All the characters in Witch Eyes were all around super lovely, with the exception of Fallon and Jason, because I thought they were kind of just slimeballs and Catherine was kind of a snot. I really loved Braden. He was super witty and I just loved his character. He had the best insults, ever. I loved Riley's spunk. I wasn't expecting to like Jade, I honestly was expecting her to turn out to be the typical mean girl.

Witch Eyes was another phenomenal debut that I have read this year. With its original storyline and unforgettable characters, Witch Eyes is one of the best books of the year. Scott Tracey is definitely an author to watch.

From the first moment I heard about Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey I knew it was a book I had to read. It was one of my favorite genres, fantasy, contained a mystery and then had a GBLT character as the main protagonist. Witch Eyes was filled with many ups and downs and a few twists and turns and ended in a satisfying story that left me wanting more. And, I must admit, it also left me a bit made at Tracey for how certain events played out. Along with the dread that there are still two more books remaining in the series so plenty of words remain for him to torture both his characters and his readers alike.

The mystery in the book wasn't anything super complex or difficult to figure out for an anyone experienced with reading mysteries but it wasn't so obvious that you knew all there was to know right from the start. I also really enjoyed all the characters and how they interacted with each other. There was humor and there was heart ache and I look forward to seeing how they all deepen and grow over the course of the series. I enjoyed the world and mythology that Tracey set up for his town of Belle Dam. There were lots of seeds planted in this first book and I am curious to see how they will grow.

There is just so much to love in this book and I hated for it to end. I just wanted to stay in this world longer. Because then maybe there wouldn't have been as much heartbreak...ok who am I kidding...there probably would have been more if the story was longer. Because for some unknown reason authors just love to torture their readers. There should be a law against that. But then again, its that torture that keeps us coming back for more. That desire and hope that maybe in this next book events will be different and everything will be all sunshine and roses. And yes I know that I am living in a dream world with that one but isn't that part of what makes up hope?

If you like a good fantasy novel....one filled with magic and mystery...along with a little snark mixed in...then you really need to pick up Witch Eyes. Scott Tracey has built a wonderful world and I think that I will be a long time fan of his writing. The characters are all so very real. They are flawed and make mistakes and its in those flaws and mistakes that you can find pieces of yourself that make it easy to relate to them. Witch Eyes also contains involved family members...which is so rare in YA books these days. For me this is a must read and bound to be on my favorites list for a long time to come. So if you haven't read it yet then you are really missing out and should bump it up your to be read list. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Plain and simple, Scott Tracey delivers in his debut paranormal coming September 8th from Flux. The author paints a moody picture of Belle Dam with a fabulous young protagonist to galavant around and as he is new as well we get to discover Belle Dam and her secrets together. It's just like being besties.

One thing I loved about this book is the protagonist Braiden is gay. His uncle doesn't really like that but he doesn't give Bray (I can call him that because we were 3am reading homies) a hard time, instead he sees it as something Braiden will grow out of. There is a lot here for any teen, straight, gay, Miley Cyrus fan... This is one of the few books that paints a gay character that is very real, not just the BAMF FABULOUS secondary BFF.

Braiden has Witch Eyes and it seems like Belle Dam is THE place to find out what that means exactly and what else he can do with his powers besides see how any spell has been worked. One of the founding daughters of the town had Witch Eyes too, but the town buried her and her secrets with her when she died.

The more Braiden pokes around the more he antagonizes an age old war between his father, and the boy he may be in love with's mother. The real question is will Braiden find the answers he is looking for before he spurs a battle that neither side can win?

I absolutely adored Witch Eyes and I generally look to Flux for hot new young voices and that is what Tracey is. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Reviewed for MM's by Sophie:

One of my favorite tropes involves the use of a mysterious town. Seriously, who doesn't love a town where there are two feuding families and secrets from long ago? Well, Scott Tracey drops his talented, sweet and yet sure of himself protagonist in just such a town and oh, Mundie Moms, does the plot thicken.

First, let me tell you about Braden. I can't do this without pointing out that I kinda want to adopt him. What?!? I know, I'm a mom and it seems natural for me to love a character who is confident, curious, smart and yet, hurting. Braden's magical gift comes at a price and those of you who know me, know that I love balance in my magic systems. Ah, the cost of magic. Imagine having to wear sunglasses all the time and suffer debilitating headaches? You know the kind that make you pass out? No wonder I wanted to help him from the very moment I turned the first few pages.

As I read on, I discovered that he's part of a complex world and that he's inexplicably tied to the bizarre city of Belle Dam. A quiet little town. Except for a feud, where Braden's father is firmly on one side and Braden's new best friend just happens to be on the other. Oh, and let's talk about that adorable boy, Trey. Yeah, Trey. Mundie Moms, there is the sweetest romance tucked in as a subplot to this action packed story. But oh wow, is the romance adorable. Braden and Trey easily make it into my Top Ten Favorite Couples list. Most of you can accurately tick off my Top Ten Couples (hint: they're probably the same as yours), so think about it, I'm saying that Braden and Trey definitely deserve to be there with the rest. Yes, that good.

I promise to not spoil anything for you. But, as Braden unlocks (literally) the secrets of the town, he discovers that he's part of a much bigger picture. All I have to add is - hang on tight, because the pacing, action and plot reveals in the last half of the book are UNBELIEVABLE. I'm still thinking about them and that's the best sign of a good story.

When you're in the bookstore this weekend, be sure to pick up Witch Eyes and read a few pages. Once you meet the sarcastic, brave and determined Braden, you won't be able to put the book down. I only know this, because I couldn't until I reached the very last page.

If I could make a review with one word. I would make that word: Awesome. Sadly I can't write a review with one word. Scott Tracey wove a brilliant story and I could never figure out what was going to happen next in the story.

I love Braden - he was witty, perceptive, and he has an amazing gift, curse, or visual impairment. However, you want to describe the Witch Eyes. It would be cool to have Witch Eyes, if they were controllable. Massive migraines, bloody noses, and blacking out are just some of the negative perks of the Witch Eyes.

The power of the Witch Eyes outran the negative aspects. Everyone wants Braden on their team in the war because he is a walking weapon. Now I must shut up before I spill the secrets of Belle Dam and Witch Eyes. You people need to read this book!

This is a series, right? Right? Okay, good! Because let me tell you - Witch Eyes is engaging and action packed and then it just leaves you in suspense and wanting more.

Maybe not story wise - I did feel very satisfied at the conclusion in regards to Braden's history and story, but in terms of character drama? COME ON. What happened next!?

But seriously. I am such a huge fan of witches and witch stories that are original and new. Witch Eyes was very original. Reading about Braden's visions and sensitivity to them gave me such a headache because I couldn't help but empathize with what he was going through. I HATE wearing sunglasses (I'm a freak, I know) and to wear 24/7 or else blinding visions with a side effect of migraines and fainting? Nightmare.

And there's so much action in this book! There's hellhounds and shape shifters and creepy little girls and family feuds going-way-back and it all takes place in a SMALL TOWN yay. There's some intense fighting scenes and a few twists that I didn't see coming.

Overall, I really enjoyed Witch Eyes. Time flew by while I was reading it, and thanks to all the magic-y, action-y awesome, there was no downtime. The ending felt very complete (other than the character dramaaa) and I can't wait to see where Braden's story goes next. Definitely check Witch Eyes out if you're looking for an action packed, witchy paranormal.

In Witch Eyes, Scott Tracey envisions a bizarre world, one both modern and mystical. The quaint town of Belle Dam houses more than a few dark secrets, but the longstanding feud between the two reigning families isn't one of them -- everyone in the town is caught up in the fallout. Their feud echoes the Montagues and Capulets in its absurdity and destructive power, and the leaders of both factions will take down anyone who stands in their way. This world of magic and mystery, blood feuds and hell hounds, is a fascinating one and something I would have liked to see further developed in the novel. The hero, Braden, is blessed (or cursed) with the mysterious Witch Eyes, an ability only one other person has possessed -- a woman apparently lost to history. The complex backstory that led to this point in the Belle Dam feud seemed fragmented at times, and though readers can get the gist of what they need to know, the reading experience would have been richer and smoother if they hadn't had to work so hard.

Nonetheless, Witch Eyes is an exciting novel. Readers will jump from suspect to suspect alongside Braden -- it's impossible to tell who to trust in this war-torn town -- and will never see the final dizzying revelation coming. Speaking of Braden, he's a real gem. Sweet and snarky, shy but brilliantly powerful, readers will fall in love with his wry charm from the very beginning. His relationship with Trey is a tumultuous one, for more reasons than just the obvious star-crossed issues. Trey's family is more than a little dysfunctional, but unlike Braden, he can't see it. His willful blindness can be frustrating, as is his constant impulse to control and protect Braden. But Braden isn't the kind of guy to take overwrought machismo sitting down, and his rebellions against Trey's domineering tendencies are winning (many YA protagonists could stand to take a page from his book). Their hesitant, forbidden romance is tantalizing and sweet, not to mention fraught. Their highs and lows will keep readers on their toes, and it's impossible not to cheer for their success against the overwhelming odds.

Though the novel contains all the key ingredients for success, at times it lacked depth. The details of this intriguing world could be fleshed out, and the intricate web of history and deception reinforced to support the stellar cast of characters that will have no trouble winning readers' hearts.

~Review from thebookishtype.blogspot.com