Series: Goodnight Family, Book One
Publisher: Corgi
Format: Paperback
Published: 7th June 2011
Number of Pages: 416
Book: For Review*
Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural, Mystery Murder-Mystery, Urban
Fantasy, Magic, Crime Novel, Thriller, Thriller-Suspense, Action-Adventure, YA
Recommended
Age: 13+
Contains: Swearing, Violence, Alcohol and Drug References
Amy
Goodnight’s family are far from normal.
She comes from a long line of witches, and grew up surrounded by
benevolent spirits and kitchen spells. Al fairly harmless, but Amy can’t wait
to get to college and escape the “family business”.
But
things take a darker turn when she and her sister Phin spend the summer looking
after their Aunt Hyacinth’s ranch. Amy
is visited by a midnight sceptre who is clearly trying to send her a
message. It seems that the discovery of
an old grave on a neighbour’s land has been the catalyst for an apparent ghost
uprising.
Aided
by local friends and Ben, the handsome cowboy who just can’t take his eyes off
Amy, the sisters investigate. And they
soon find that there’s something strange and dangerous going on, deep in the
heart of Texas…
Review:
'A
lifetime of living with witches and psychics had made spells a routine part of
my life. I knew they worked, but I still preferred to put my trust
in a locked door. My relationship with magic was like a president's kid's
relationship with politics: I didn't participate, but I couldn't quite escape
it. Especially not here, in the White House of the sovereign nation of
Goodnight.'
Everyone knows the Goodnights are
eccentric. Kooky. Crazy.
They just don't know how different they are.
Amaryllis (more commonly known as Amy) Goodnight
knows, though. She knows that the Goodnights are witches. She grew
up with witches, even if she doesn't practice herself. But proof of her
family's craziness?
Her sister Phin Goodnight blew up the
chemistry lab while trying to charm the football team's jerseys. Daisy
Goodnight's imaginary friends were real people – ghosts. Violet
Goodnight's crystals can cure a headache and even pick up Mexican radio.
So yes. The Goodnights are odd.
But Amy, she knows how everyone sees her is
important and so she carefully blocks off her home life from her public one,
smoothing problems over and keeping the whole witch thing very much secret.
But then Phin and Amy agree to look after
their Aunt's ranch over the summer. Big mistake. Like seriously,
a huge mistake.
And we're not talking about the ghost of
their Uncle Burt. Or the fact Amy runs around in her underwear to scare
of a cow and then gets into a fight about ghosts with a hot cowboy (still in
her underwear). Oh no. It is just... so much worse. Amy knows
that's hard to believe, but it really is. As in,
catastrophic-freaky-deaky-paranormal-ghostly-happenings bad. As in dead-body-found and ghostly-attacks
bad.
So the Goodnight sisters are dragged into
an investigation - one that could reveal the very secret Amy has been fighting
to hide for so, so many years – and draw up a whole rush of old memories...
I've never read anything by Rosemary
Clement-Moore before, although I've been eyeing Texas Gothic for what feels like forever – damn budget! I am
so glad that I finally got round to reading it, because I loved it. It
was absa-freaking-amazing. I just gobbled it all up! I am now going
to have to buy every single book by Clement-Moore now, because even if they're
only a quarter as good as this it'll be more than worth it. And I was so pleased to see she has written a
sequel – I only found out after I began writing the review and literally did a
happy dance!
Amy was brilliant: so funny, snarky and
just a great character. I instantly fell in love with her! She had
me laughing my head off, hunting ghosts and wincing (because man did this girl
get herself into some awkward scrapes!).
And her sister Phin was just as amazing.
She was like an evil scientific genius. I love that in a girl.
Plus, she was just so darn quirky and bizarre. Oddly enough, this
made me relate to her more. I wonder why…
As for Ben, well excuse me while I swoon.
He is gorgeous. Seriously. I mean, sure, he's grumpy and
snarky and moody. But he's also sweet and funny and gruffly caring.
And I loved
the relationship between Amy and Ben. I loved that it wasn't
love-at-first-sight. It was an insta-hate (albeit a very understandable
one, given all the circumstances that I won't go into now because it would make
this review way too long). It was also hilarious. Their banter was one of the highpoints of the
books. And I loved watching how their relationship changed and grew.
It was really sweet and also really real.
The rest of the characters were brilliant
too. A few faves were Mark and Ben's Mom. And I loved Aunt Hyacinth and Uncle Ben – in
fact, I loved all the Goodnights. Cousin Daisy was another highlight – as
was her bickering with Phin! Their kookiness kinda reminded me of my own
very crazy family. If only we had magic though...
I will admit, for quite a while I was
completely confused about the whole magic thing. For ages, I was going:
"Ok... so Amy doesn't like magic… Doesn't she have magic? And what exactly can these witches do? Other than, like, making
awesome potions and shampoo that literally
clears your head (could so do with some of that before exams – am I
right?), what can they do?"
This didn't really bother me, I must admit, 'cause I loved the
characters, writing, plot and humour and I wasn’t confused for long, but it was
a little niggle. It was sorted out and by the end I knew everything there
was to know about the magic in this world – and I loved it!
Speaking of: I loved the writing. It
was just so Amy, you know?
Like, if I met her or someone like her, this is exactly how I'd expect
them to talk and act. Her writing was descriptive, beautiful, funny and
very witty. It had me laughing a lot, but also totally hooked and on the
edge of my seat as I raced for the end and for all the answers. Because
this plot was awesome. It was so twisty and exciting and unexpected.
I literally never knew what to expect next. Which was obviously
very fun!
Plus, it's just so different from your
typical YA paranormal stuff. I read a lot
of witch books – trust me – but I found everything in Texas Gothic totally original. Maybe it was the whole
set-in-Texas thing, or the unusual twist on magic – it's all really... I don't
know. Realistic seems like the
wrong word. And yet it's true. Somehow the magic in this world
feels real. Even the ghosts. Speaking of, there's also the suspense
and borderline-horror: it was totally hooking and mildly terrifying. And,
of course, it was all absolutely freaking hilarious as well! Or maybe
it's the Goodnight family, who I love to pieces. They're all bizarre,
funny and all so different. I so want to read much much more about them!
Many sequels’ worth, Miss Clement-Moore!
With bundle of magic, suspense and ghosts,
with added laugh-your-pants-off-powder and one sexy cowboy, Texas Gothic is every paranormal lover's
dream book. It's funny, it's fun, it's the perfect summer read. But
maybe read in daylight. Those ghosts? Cr-ee-py!
Star Rating:
4¼ Out of 5
Read this
book if you liked:
The Cahill Witch Chronicles by Jessica Spotswood
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Wicca Series by Cate Tiernan
Challenges
It's Taking Part In:
Happy Reading
Megan
* This
book was received from Guardian Children's Books in exchange for an honest review
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