“In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.

Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined?”

First, I want to say this is a fast read and it took me less than 48 hours to devour it. I loved the found family with the witches and the friendships that they make. Now, my gripes. I want to know more about their magic and what they can do. It is not really explored in this book. I found the book to be very predictable on who the bad guy was and when there was supposed to be action at the end for the resolution, it was very anti-climatic and rushed. I do wish Frances had more character development and had more remorse or feelings about the death of Mr. Hues. When thinking about this book, I don’t really see what the goal of the plot was. I mean it is to find who the murderer is, but what then? It was still a fast read and if you want a witchy read, then read this and the ending sets up for a sequel, which I may read.