WINDS OF SALEM by Melissa de la Cruz

Winds of Salem
Melissa de la Cruz

Rating: A 
Release Date: 08/13/13
Synopsis:
Modern-day witch Freya Beauchamp is cast back in time to 1692 amongst the Salem Witch Trials by an enemy spell, as her present-day family attempts to reopen the passages of time to bring her home.SOON TO BE A LIFETIME TELEVISION SERIES!Freya Beauchamp is trapped in 1692, in Salem of all places, with no recollection of her past. A powerful enemy spell has sent her spiraling away so that she is separated by centuries from her mother, Joanna, and sister, Ingrid. This is not good news for a twenty-first-century witch. Not to mention the immediate threat she faces from the wealthy and influential Putnam family. When little Annie Putnam is one of the first to make accusations of witchcraft, her landowner father jumps at the opportunity to consolidate his power and expand his holdings in Puritan Salem Town. If Freya is caught using magic, she will be forced to relive the witch trials, and this time, even her immortality is in question. 

Meanwhile, twenty-first-century North Hampton has its own snares. Joanna and Norm consult the Oracle for advice, and Freddie and his pixie allies search for a missing totem that could reopen the passages of time and help bring his sister home. When Ingrid bumps into an old flame, she finds that her new love for Detective Matt Noble is in doubt.

Moving between past and present, Winds of Salem's dizzying plot twists and page-turning suspense is sure to bewitch fans old and new.

My thoughts on the book:
I don't always like witch books, but I really adore this series. Winds of Salem is no exception. Melissa de la Cruz is an excellent author, and this series is fantastic. The characterization and character growth is top notch and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. De la Cruz's writing is phenomenal. I actually felt as if I was moving between colonial Salem and present-day, and believably switching between multiple POVs and time periods could not have been easy to write. The ending itself is satisfying. Fans of the series will devour this novel. 

The characters each evolve believably throughout the course of the novel. I really connected with Freya (she's my favorite anyway, though) this time around. I enjoyed seeing colonial Salem with her, and I love how she changed from her experiences. I also really liked Joanna in this installment. Freddie, Norm, and Ingrid all stand out and are well-developed, but I just didn't connect to them as well. 

The plot is complex and intriguing. I was hooked from the first page and unable to put this book down. I particularly loved de la Cruz's portrayal of colonial Salem. I'm a big history dork, and I absolutely adore Salem (I was actually there earlier this summer). It's clear that de la Cruz did some research before writing Freya's parts. I also like how she broke the book into sections, which allowed her to develop each section more fully. The ending is satisfying. It ties up the major plot points, but leaves room for a sequel. I'm not sure if this series is continuing or not, but if de la Cruz ever wants to revisit this world, there is room for that to happen. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to people who enjoy de la Cruz's Blue Bloods series as well as people who love witch books. This series has just been optioned for a Lifetime TV series. Hurry up and read the books before the TV show starts!

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