Book Review: House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy & Sorrow
Author: Natalie Whipple
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal | Witches
Released: April 15th 2014
Review Source: HarperTeen | Edelweiss

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place. The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

House of Ivy and Sorrow was pretty awesome with its dark and supernatural feel. I am pretty sure this book cast a spell the moment I open its pages because I couldn't put it down. I was half way through the book when it was time to go to sleep. And well, it only took two minutes to forget about sleep and finish this story.

Like her mother and grandmother, Josephine Hemlock is a witch. She lives in a world where witches do not know their fathers because magic runs only in the female relatives. They do not have families like the rest of the world. So romance never ends well for them. Therefore, from her earliest age, she knew that having these supernatural powers will one day have her sacrifice her love life. Not only did she someday will have to sacrifice her love but whenever she needed to cast a spell, this had its price.

House of Ivy and Sorrow focus around Josephine and her grandmother trying to stop a curse that has killed many, including her mother. This curse follows Josephine’s family and once it hits Nana, Josephine does the impossible to cure her and forever stop this curse.

This was my first book I’ve ever read by Natalie Whipple but it definitely will not be my last. House of Ivy and Sorry was a fun and addicting. I seriously couldn't put this book down. I loved how unique the magic was portrait in this story. Instead, of magic coming from the inside of a person, magic is in places, plants and lives in the objects that inhabit its realm. With this, magic requires an offering – such as flesh, tooth, etc.

I highly recommend anyone to read House of Ivy and Sorrow. Especially fans of stories involving witches and magic.