I love when random library picks turn out to be total gems. I downloaded The Witches of New York based on the cover - it's pretty and a little mysterious. And happily, the book itself is a solid bit of historical fiction.

McKay hit the nail on the head for all of the important stuff: the plot was quick, entertaining, and full of engaging characters (with a rather unsettling villain). I loved her descriptions of the setting and time period - I could picture it all easily. And much of the story is centred around Cleopatra's Needle, which was freaky timing! A couple months ago, I received a box from The Mysterious Package Company that focused a lot on Cleopatra's Needle - it even included a tiny model of it. The Needle came from Egypt and was brought to New York in the late 1800s - the history of the obelisk (and it's sisters) is fascinating and fun reading if you're at all inclined. Ok, backing off from the slightly off-topic tangent!

The three witches central to the story practiced witchcraft that seemed closer to modern day Wicca than any fiction I've read before. It was actually pretty refreshing to see a positive and nature-based portrayal of a witch - I've gotten a bit tired of today's pop culture interpretation (especially in YA fiction). It's funny, I've been leaning more toward adult/literary fiction lately - perhaps I'm in need of a YA break.

This book is one of those solid reads that leave you wanting a sequel. It actually ended with a bit of a mystery so that McKay certainly could pull it off. If she does, I'll definitely read it.

3.5/5