This review can also be found at MissKatiEllen.

Everything is perfect in the magical, off-the-map New York town of North Hampton. And the equally magical women of Beauchamp family intend to keep it that way. Or is something darker waiting for the witches of east?

If I’m going to be honest this book is pretty dull, not a awful lot happens. It very much feels like a middle book, unfortunately paving the way for things to come in the final installment. I was hoping this book would have move drive to it compared to the first book Witches of East End,which again felt like it leading to bigger things to come. But I keep asking myself, when the heck are these things coming?! 

After the events of the last book Freya is living happily with Killian, until her twin brother escapes from his banishment claiming it was Killian who destroyed the Bridge not him. With this seed of doubt planted Freya finds herself questioning the man she loves, but there is no sense of real urgency. Her and Freddie are keeping his return a secret whilst she discovers the truth to his downfall, but it almost feels like his return is hindrance not a god send.

Ingrid is finally embracing a love life, but it almost seems like the smallest thing and she doubts everything by the, which if I’m honest will get annoying. Matt is willing to go as fast or as slow as she wants and is happy to share his life with her when she’s ready. You just want to shake Ingrid and get her to embrace this moment and charge at it head on.

Joanna too has things going on with her love life, and whilst dealing with the two gentlemen in question she is also trying to contact a witch hanged during their time in Salem who is making her presence noticed.

There is so much in this book that would make for a kiss-arse book, one that proved reading the first would be worth it, but unfortunately it falls short. It is desperately in need of a kick up the bum and some much needed oomph.

This series has been on my list for so long, and before I read them they got turned into a TV series on Lifetime, annoyingly it got cancelled. It was one of the few shows about witches and had some fun. Although I knew it wouldn't be the same I was still looking forward to reading the series. The book centres around the Beauchamps, Joanna, Ingrid and Freya banned from using their magic. The story focuses on the three witches slowly breaking the rules and the odd goings on in their town. Surely a little magic can't hurt??

Once the ladies begin to practise their magic things start to happen. Weirdly enough this is almost a sub plot, the main plot of this book is the woman themselves. The chapters alternate between the three. Freya is the youngest of the sisters and far more wild, working in the local bar she begins to whip up a special menu  offering love potions which have an instant effect. Freya radiates warmth and a good time, hard to believe she's about to settle down and get married. But when you've found the one you've found the one, right??

Ingrid is practically a middle aged woman, and she knows that's how she comes across. You want her to embrace just a tiny bit of Freya into her life, throw caution to the wind and let her hair down. Literally. Ingrid does come to life when she starts practising magic during her lunchtime, helping out the locals in need of a bit of help. Ingrid can't help but take herself so seriously, she avoids any real 'normal' life. She has few friends and no love life. She has accepted her life as an immortal living among man and throws herself into her work rather than truly living.

Finally, Joanna. Her girls have grown and don't really need her anymore, they spend so much of their lives at work that the three of them are rarely in the house together, Ingrid at the library during the day and Freya at the bar at night. But when she gets to the indulge little Tyler and share her magic with him her heart is fit to burst.

But maybe they got careless with there magic. Maybe Freya mixed too many of one ingredient in her potion or Ingrid tied one of her knots wrong? With a disappearance and a suicide it sure looks like the girls may have done something wrong. The downside to this book is that you don't get to learn much about their background and how they come to be stuck on Midgard. The only obvious thing is that their history is to do with Norse mythology. Not very much really happens in this book, but it does give off the vibe that there is something more to come. In general it's an okay first book, but things don't really pick up till near the end.

The three Beauchamp women-Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid-live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret-they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them. (Hatchette)

Eigentlich könnte ich fast die gleiche Rezension schreiben wie für "Matched". Auch kommt die Handlung erst langsam ins Rollen. Die Beauchamp-Frauen dürfen ihre Magie nicht benutzen (den recht unspektakulären Grund dafür erfährt man später) und tun es doch irgendwann wieder. Und da es keine Konsequenzen gibt, machen sie immer weiter und keinen stört's. Die drei sind Göttinen (welche erfährt man auch erst später, obwohl es von Anfang an ziemlich klar war, man muss sich nur die Namen angucken), gefallene Engel gibt es auch, und zwar sind das die Vampire. Anscheinend hätte man erst die "Blue Blood"-Reihe lesen müssen um das irgendwie zu verstehen.

Freya hat sich mit 19 Jahren (Wenn Ingird oder Freya sterben, werden sie einfach wiedergeboren und fangen nochmal von vorne an, ihre Erinnerungen behalten sie aber. Sie müssen sehr intelligente Kinder sein, wenn sie schon mehrere tausend Jahre "leben" und sich an alles erinnern) nach gerade einmal vier Wochen mit Bran verlobt. Einwand? Nöö, alle finden es super und freuen sich. Bei ihrer Verlobungsfeier fängt Freya eine Affäre mit Brans Bruder Killian an. Warum? Sie hat es eben nicht so mit der Treue aber wenn sie erst mal verheiratet ist, dann wird das schon. Hat zwar noch nie funktioniert, aber sie glaubt fest daran.

Mir ist aufgefallen, dass alle Charaktere sich über recht wenig wundern. Es dauert auch ziemlich lange, bis sie merken, dass alle komischen Vorfälle in der Stadt zusammen hängen. Warum? Weil die drei fast nicht miteinander reden. Es ist auch ziemlich offensichtlich, dass Killian irgendetwas weiß. Aber interessiert es irgendjemanden? Nein, natürlich nicht.

Fazit:

Je mehr ich darüber nachdenke, desto schlechter finde ich das Buch. Ich muss gestehen, da gucke ich lieber die Serie, die wesentlich spannender und lustiger ist. Das Buch baut die Spannung nur sehr langsam auf und selbst das Finale ist total langweilig.