During my last book haul, I picked up Marianne Curley's Old Magic. I was originally drawn to it by the price, but the front cover kept me intrigued. I've collected rocks and gemstones since I was a child and I loved the colors of the stones on the cover.

I knew I had to get it when I read the sentences under the title: "Extraordinary powers. A dangerous curse. An undeniable passion." I've always been a fan of books with an element of magic, so I knew I'd like this one.

I also recognized that it was a Simon Pulse novel and that increased my interest. I was the kid that used to get in trouble for reading in class. Nine times out of ten, I was reading a Simon Pulse book. They have never let me down. They have a great eye for authors and the type of fiction books that I like.

Reading the back cover just confirmed my decision to buy Old Magic. My favorite books involve magic, adventure, and romance and this book had all three! The synopsis completely sold me. Check it out below!

Synopsis:

     No one can fight fate alone.

     When Kate and Jarrod first lock eyes across the classroom, their connection is instantaneous. While everyone else shuns Jarrod as a freak, Kate's passionate belief in witchcraft helps her see him for what he truly is--someone with a powerful gift. She is fascinated by what he is capable of ... and undeniably attracted to him.

     When Jarrod's abilities appear to be linked to a centuries-old curse, Kate is the only one who can help him. Together, they embark on a journey that transcends time and place, and discover a magic that will bind them together forever.

Review:

When I first started reading the book, I noted that I really liked the main character's voice. She was an interesting character with an easy to understand back story. I really liked that we learned the stories behind each character without an information dump. Readers can easily piece together the facts throughout the book.

I usually don't like books that are told from multiple points of view, and I've said this before. However, Curley successfully pulls it off. In fact, I even recommended this book to another writer that is hoping to do the same. I was never once wondering who was speaking and I never felt the need to flip back through the book.

Despite the multiple points of view, the author did a great job keeping the story moving. She always included new information with each chapter and I didn't find the scenes to be repetitive. I've noticed that many books told from multiple points of view tend to tell the same experiences through both sets of eyes, and that can be very irritating. The only time I find that type of writing really helpful is if new information is brought to light. Curley did a great job of avoiding those scenarios and only included important details that added to the story itself.

Since I do have a background in crystals, I found it incredibly easy to connect with this book. I really enjoyed the scenes that included magic spells, crystals, and healing. I was able to understand what the characters were talking about, instead of just reading it and taking it as fact.

Going through my notes, I see a lot of quick references towards Curley's descriptions. She did a wonderful job of showing instead of just telling. That's something I struggle with as a writer and I think that reading Curley's descriptions has helped me become a better writer. I especially have to give her props for the descriptions on page 275; I actually felt like I could see and feel what was described.

Another thing that I frequently noticed with Old Magic, is the use of different spellings and phrases than some American authors. This definitely doesn't take anything away from the book, but it is something to remember while reading. I actually like seeing those differences, because I find it amazing knowing that I'm reading something from someone so far away. For example, Curley says "home in" instead of "hone in." It's common for us to say "hone in" in America; and it was only after a little research that I learned it is actually an alteration from the original phrase "home in." I also noticed "grate on my nerves," "it blows me out," and "tyres." These phrases are not normally used here, but I like picking up something new from other authors.

The only problems that I found with this book seemed to be simple typos. I noticed that there was one sentence that looked as if two words were out of order and the wrong form of "to" was used. I also noticed in one other place that the wrong verb tense was used. Honestly though, that could just be another difference between writing in different parts of the world. I think it's little things like that that add a little character to each book. I'm just the crazy detailed person that seems to find them :)

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book! The characters were developed perfectly and their voices are clear in each chapter. The storyline provided some twists that I didn't expect and they made sure I kept reading. Curley's chapters in this book are on the shorter side, which is perfect for me. I like to end a reading session on the end of a chapter, but since they were shorter I kept wanting to read more. I actually read more than half of the book in one sitting. Since this book doesn't have a sequel, it is perfect for reading in between classes or on the weekends.

Have you read this book? I'd love to read what you thought in the comments!

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