I’ve had this book on my to-read list for a while, years even. I can’t recall how long it’s been sitting on my Kindle, but needless to say it’s been on my radar for a long time. I love the idea of family sagas that entail blessings or curses that follow the generations; this one also entailed the Salem Witch trials with all the drama and persecution that involves. This book please on all fronts. I feel I’m safe to say it’s one of best reads for me this year.

Engrossing as heck, this book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. From the opening sequence of a fiery plane crash, everything is a break neck speed of worsening persecution and a family’s struggles to come out alive, not succeeding on all fronts. Boredom will not be an issue with this one.

Yet despite all that, every character comes alive. From the historical figures of the Hawthorne family to their modern counterparts, nobody suffers from two-dimensional characterization. I liked how the author made people on both sides of the divide (witch vs. Christian) both good and bad. There was no blanket generalization of either side being more right than the other.

I thought this was a tale in the modern world with some hearkening back to the Salem Witch trials. Instead, I got a family saga that flows over centuries. Traveling west via covered wagon, Indian captivity, WWII, and Irish immigration all play a role in this family saga. Family fortunes rise and fall with the centuries, never letting members get too comfortable before throwing the next challenge down.

I’ve got to give props to the author for where she was willing to go. This family goes through some truly awful events: murder, sudden death, torture, and persecution. Things start out grim, get worse, and end bleak. There’s no happily ever after here, folks. There’s a slight glimmer that things might turn around eventually, but it’ll be a long, uncertain road indeed.

The messages in this book also give pause for thought. The author talks about her inspiration for the tale in the beginning, and I can see where she’s coming from. In our modern world, the thought that such fundamentalist hate can rule the day seems far-fetched, given how society celebrates diversity nowadays. The thought that our modern society would believe in the evil of witchcraft and black magic also seems implausible.

However, all one has to do is look across the glove at such examples as ISIS, the KKK, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, or the Westboro church to see true evil at work. Organizations or bodies such as these control the minds and perceptions of adherents to a brain-washing level. Is it really so incredible that given the circumstances portrayed in this book that thought patterns like that might not gain more of a mainstream audience and body of people? Scary stuff…

A tale heavy with lessons to take to heart and characters to love, this book will stay with you for a long time. I was caught from scene one and was never let go. This book started me on a witch kick; I’ll be looking for more books on the subject matter and re-reading older loved ones. The collection of novellas that explores the lives of miscellaneous historical figures in the Hawthorne clan is already loaded on my Kindle. Check this one out; it’s a fantastic read no matter the genre you’re looking for. ( )

In this book you live and suffer with several generations of the Hawthorne family, as they battle with persecution, exile and execution, that ends in a modern day massacre. This travesty is created and led by one man who has the power to motivate the masses to condemn what they didn't understand. It really makes you wonder how far people will truly go to prove that their religion is the best.

Since the very beginning of time, the human race has tried to interpret, enforce and follow Gods law. They have instead, distorted, abused, and, disobeyed it for their own spiritual gain. This horrible reality has not improved at all over the centuries even though we claim to be more civilized. For some reason people are driven to exterminate anything that they don't understand in the name of their religion even if innocent lives are harmed in the process. This book reminds us that faith can be a very powerful thing for both good and evil and how you use that faith defines you as a person.
I think that this book is well worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, and historical fiction.
I received this Pre-reader copy from the author. ( )

From Lilac Wolf and Stuff

I've been dying to read this book since I read Magaly's posts - even a guest post by Devin O'branagan. Apparently since last June. Feels longer...

Anyway, Ms. Branagan graciously sent me an e-copy of Witch Hunt. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. And it really terrified me. I was finishing it yesterday at my in-laws' house and I had to go sit by my husband, I was shivering. And it's never gory, but Devin so perfectly captures the evil in people. It's chilling how easy it was to sway people to violence with a little fear. But it's not the first time it's happened and the witches aren't the only ones to suffer from it.

I think I was profoundly affected by having been so recently reminded of the holocaust. The other thing that set me shivering was how it so closely matched up with the current rise in the fundamentalist christian movement. These people are seriously scary, without an ounce of the love that Jesus was supposed to teach them. That's what's scary, how can you reason with someone who can't even figure out they aren't following their own religion?

The story is about the Hawthorne family, centering on the modern day but going back and giving us the family history starting at the Salem Witch Hunt. This was my favorite part of the book too. I cried as I read the story Devin wove about these women and the few men who were tortured and murdered.

Great book, something that I found terrifying, and so well written I couldn't put it down no matter how upset I was (you have to love a book that is passionate). Fully worth the $4.99 price. ( )

In this book you live and suffer with several generations of the Hawthorne family, as they battle with persecution, exile and execution, that ends in a modern day massacre. This travesty is created and led by one man who has the power to motivate the masses to condemn what they didn't understand. It really makes you wonder how far people will truly go to prove that their religion is the best. Since the very beginning of time, the human race has tried to interpret, enforce and follow Gods law. They have instead, distorted, abused, and, disobeyed it for their own spiritual gain. This horrible reality has not improved at all over the centuries even though we claim to be more civilized. For some reason people are driven to exterminate anything that they don't understand in the name of their religion even if innocent lives are harmed in the process. This book reminds us that faith can be a very powerful thing for both good and evil and how you use that faith defines you as a person.I think that this book is well worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, and historical fiction.I received this Pre-reader copy from the author. ( )

From an ARC

Witch Hunt is about the Hawthorne family, who've been "witches" for many, many generations. Rather, they're devout followers of an old, ancient religion that has often been persecuted as witches; they have many varied abilities and the knowlege to use them.

This is not a Happily-Ever-After type of book. It starts out with the family of one of the current sons, who has stayed away from his birth family, trying to be inconspicious, or to follow his beliefs in his own way. It seems he might have done his children and wife a disservice though, because in denying his own family (with good reasons, as you'll find out reading the novel) he has left his family with no knowledge of their potential, or possible dangers. In fact, his wife Leigh doesn't even know about the "witch" powers.

Craig and Leigh are traveling to Montvue to attend his brother and father's funeral. They have one son and one daughter. The two recently deceased died in a crash that the local televangelist was in - only Cody (the preacher) interprets the actions and the crash in his own special way - thinking he has been spared to carry the word about the evil of witch craft.

Now it would seem that in this day and age, most of us wouldn't even blink twice when told about how evil witches are...but change the word witches to almost anything else, and we've all seen the smear campaigns of people trying to incite mass hysteria and hate about a group - gays, Muslims, people crossing the border, even insurance reform....and even in this "enlightened" year of 2010 I'm still surprised at how easy it is to fool people into hating a specific group of people. And the hate goes along with a type of fear that is dangerous to have around. The type of fear that will drive otherwise simple people into doing horrific things in the name of religion or government. People as a group are not that smart, sometimes.

Witch Hunt brings a scenario to your mind. What if it were possible to go beyond the common sense of people, incite fear and loathing about a group - how would people react? How would the persecuted react? What would be the consequences? This "what if" is played out, from the very beginnings with Preacher Cody almost being laughed at, to him actually getting a few people to listen, to the mass hysteria and mass persecution, 21st century style, of people accused of being witches and anyone associated with them.

Not only is this a story of the current Hawthornes, though, but there are glimpses of past Hawthornes throughout history. It would have very easy to show the Hawthornes as completely sympathetic here, totally persecuted, but the author didn't go that route. She tells a story of a family that has good people, good intentions but like all families has their share of family members that aren't the best - in fact, some are a little twisted. Only these few family members aren't just twisted, but they're twisted with powers....and it goes to their heads.

Witch Hunt is a good read, with characters both good and evil on both sides of the coin - and gives us a view of the bad that comes with judging people, not just judging but going out of your way to persecute. And if you're squeamish in any way, be aware that there are a few spots that can get to you - nothing is over the top graphic, but there are some things that happens in the book that is pretty horrific, however, everything described is in fact, situations that real people have been in througout history. Ms O'Branagan has researched this subject before she wrote the book. The situations I'm speaking of were also written about matter-of-factly, which helped. O'Branagan did not go over-the-top in her descriptions, she didn't get all dramatic and go on and on with her descriptions of the scenes. That helped, because I think if it were handled any differently, I wouldn't have been able to read those sections.

I also enjoyed the various character's points of view. Some of them were people you would really want to know. Some were people you don't want to notice you. Some had wicked senses of humor and some were they type that I would get very frustrated with if I knew them. There was quite a variety of personalities.

Remember to look for the updated version of Witch Hunt. It was originally written 20 years ago, but Devin O'Branagan re-worked it for the 21st century and the cover you want is light with lilght bluish tones to it and flowing hair. If you see the other cover, which has a dark backgrowund and hair that is waving a bit wildly, then you're seeing the original book. The newer version is suited more to 2010. To avoid confusion, it is possible to buy directly from Devin O'Branagan's site, and that way you can request an autographed copy.

Book is available at Amazon.com (and as a nook book at Barnes & Noble. Or you can buy an autographed copy at Devin O'Branagan''s website.
http://www.devinsmysticgifts.com/catalog ( )