Timeslip Tuesday-- Always a Witch

Timeslip Tuesday was started by Charlotte at Charlotte's Library.

MacCullough, Carolyn. Always a Witch.

Sequel to Once a Witch. On the eve of her sister's wedding, Tamsin realizes that she is once again going to have to travel into the past to save the Greene family from the evil clutches of the Knight family. Having discovered that her Talent is to be able to absorb the Talents of other people, as well as to suffer few ill effects of time traveling, she makes the perilous journey to New York in 1887, this time using the Domani so she can go without Gabriel. Once there, she fortuitously gets a job as a lady's maid to Jessica Knight, thus entrenching herself in their household, where she finds that the family is draining the blood of maids in order to strengthen their powers. When she finds the Greene family, they don't believe that she is there to help them but see her instead as a harbinger of doom. With limited time, Tamsin must put matters to right in 1887 before her entire family disappears from the present day, and she also learns why her grandmother raised her to get by thinking she didn't have any talents.

Strengths: This is billed as the conclusion, and I have to admire any author today who is able to tell an entire story within the confines of two books. I am becoming weary of series. This is a fresh, magical, paranormal-ly romance that doesn't make me want to roast marshmallows over a roaring fire comprised of mulitple copies of Twilight. Very nice.

Weaknesses: Don't understand the cover. Tamsin's outfit is very clearly described as having a high neck and long sleeves; nowhere in the book would she be strutting around in a strapless gown. The topic of appropriate time travel garb is a topic of conversation in my library from time to time-- I recently acquired the perfect black wool time travel skirt at the thrift store. To be picky, the bridezilla scenes at the beginning of the book didn't work for me, but they might for girls who wear t shirts that say "Only a vampire can love you forever." Sigh.