Monday, October 14, 2013

Monday, October 14, 2013 - , , , No comments

Witch Eyes


Rating: 3.5 Stars
Version: Paperback
Author: Scott Tracey

GoodReads:
 Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.
Review:
Have you ever had a book that’s call to you, one that would beckon you to pick it up while browsing a library or a bookstore? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me. At the time, I was in the middle of another book, but I kept finding myself yearning to read Witch Eyes. Perhaps, this is why I found the book so…  disappointing. I had put so much hype on the story that it ultimately let me down. There was just so much potential and I feel that the book didn't come close to matching it.

Braden is the story’s main character. His mother died when he was born and his father left –abandoned- him with his uncle. Braden has a special ability, not only is he a witch, but he also has “witch eyes”. This trait is extremely rare and only one other person is credited with possessing the same ability. However, as with most things, his abilities come with a price. Braden must always wear sunglasses, not only to hide his eyes, but to also filter out the influx of incoming information. He doesn’t know the precise limits of his ability, but he knows that he can instantly unravel and comprehend spells; see past memories of locations; trace magic; and get an occasional visions. When Braden decides to use the witch eyes, he must always keep in mind the consequences, because the longer he uses them, the more sever the pain. For example, a few minutes can lead to a migraine, but any longer can lead to unconsciousness. A turn of events leads Braden to Belle Dam, a city where a centries old magical war - not un-similar to a modern Hatfields versus the McCoys – is brewing. Due to his extreme ability, both sides desire him. Yet, extreme circumstances inhibit him from choosing – It would spoil the story to explain what these are.

In my opinion, the ending was horrible. You would think the concluding battle between a witch and a demon would be climatic, but it wasn’t. Skip the power struggle, there was none; it ended with a gunshot, albeit a very unusual gunshot.

I decided to give it week, read another book, and then look into purchasing the sequel: Demon Eyes. However, the summary didn’t seem to continue on from book one. For instance, the summary states: “After destroying the demon …”, but wait… did he? After a bit of thought, I realized I had literally forgotten the ending. I guess the thought of a witch “destroying” a demon by gunshot didn’t register. The reason I included my lapse of memory is to provide a gage of how unremarkable the ending was for me. Ultimately, I feel this book did provided entertainment, but failed miserably with living up to its potential. 

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