Title: Rebecca's Rising
Authors: Jack Heath, John Thompson
Publisher: Pressque Publishing
Published: July 16, 2012
Format: E-book
Pages: 336
Source: Received from publisher/author
in exchange for my honest review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Having stepped off the fast track of primetime network television news, John Andrews has chosen a quieter life as editor of Salem News, a small paper in a quiet New England town. Life is perfect until Andrews’ wife is killed in a tragic accident. After several years of trying to numb the pain with alcohol, Andrews is visited by the spirit of a long dead ancestor who opens a door to a shocking family history. After he experiences a surreal glimpse into the past, Andrews must confront the question of whether he is losing his mind or whether for several hundred years his ancestors have been engaged in a secret battle with a coven that worships Satan. Fueled by the need to understand whether his wife's death was really an accident or something far more sinister, Andrews, along with his beautiful assistant editor, risk everything to discover a truth so horrifying it threatens to destroy everything and everyone he knows and loves.
Melissa's Musings:
If you've been a reader of the blog for a while, you'll know that I love books that have to do with witchcraft and magic. Mainly because I like the character's exploration of their history and their powers, if there are any. While there were some powers, they were kept to a minimum, and this book focused mainly on the historical aspects of the story. The fact that one of the authors is descended from these two families makes it more realistic. I'm not sure if this adds to the story for me, or not though. I don't think it effects my enjoyment of the story itself at all, it's just one of those neat facts to hold on to and remember about the book.
I read The Crucible in high school and remember that Rebecca Nurse was a central character in that story. She plays a central character here too, only this time in ghostly form. At first her character is a little unsettling, as she just makes John seem like he's losing it. But once you get into the heart of the story, you see that Rebecca Nurse is a powerful character, even if she doesn't actually say anything at all.
The rest of the cast of characters is equally interesting. All I'll say is that almost none of them are what they seem, based on first impressions.
I read this story in short bursts, as it was my go to book on my Kindle during lunch at work. I was always left wanting more, and wish that I had been able to read it all at once. The fact that I couldn't read it all at once helped me to enjoy it even more.
The story itself is really engaging. I don't think I've read a story that has a character descended from two powerful families like these in quite a while. I enjoyed seeing the reach of these families and their effect on a town in modern times. Part of what I enjoyed were the intricacies that come with being descended from such powerful families, and the other part was learning about all of this important history in the context of a modern story. I also like that this story focused more on the history and less on powers. I got more of the "why they did it" kind of back story, and I like that.
While there are some blips and minor inconsistencies, they don't detract too much from the story. The story is blended together quite well, and I couldn't really tell that it was written by two different authors. The plot itself is full of action and adventure. There are some tender moments too, but I have to admit that some of these fell short for me. There is a bit of romance between John and Amy, which is subtle. While the subtlety is nice, I wish there had been more to it. I'm hoping that this will be explored further in book two.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to see what follows in book two of this series.
Have you read this? What are some other books about witchcraft that you would recommend?
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