So many things about this book rubbed me the wrong way but the thing I hated the most was how almost everything Lydia thought about seemed to revolve around John. It was like he was all she seemed to think of. 

Honestly it would have made so much sense had it been that they were so in love and we could see and feel their love but it all seemed like a mere crush. Or even an infatuation at best. Every time she would mention how she wonders what he would think of her if he found out this and that about her family, it just made me laugh because I never even would have gotten the impression he truly liked her if he hadn’t kissed her.

Yes it might have been subtly shown that he had feelings for her but it was too subtle which was why I never really cared for him. What did they even truly know and like about each other?! And Catherine? She was just purely insufferable!

I understand that she always saw Lydia as somewhat of a competition. That is not really far fetched since they are siblings but almost everything she did was just annoying. First it was the whole thing with her brother (I’m so glad he never made an appearance in the book). Then it was just her constant berating of Lydia, the games she was playing with people’s lives and then her justification for all those things. I wish we got to see her have a proper final conversation with Lydia, then maybe I would somewhat pity her. And don’t even get me started on their parents who seemed to have little to no interest in their own kids.

What also confused me the most was how this book was supposed to have a lot to do with witches but we spent more than half the book without really seeing any of it. And then when she finally came to terms with what she was, we didn’t get to see it much in action. It would have been nice to see more of her using it for something that didn’t have to do with just John. 

Maybe I’m letting my dislike for John and Lydia together cloud my judgment and I’ll probably think differently later on. For now though, I simply found it frustrating, too slow yet so empty. I did however like her relationship with her younger sister. Plus her love for books was something I enjoyed reading about.