Crystal Magic Review: Krissa

Book: Crystal Magic
Author: Madeline Freeman
Series: Clearwater Witches
Standing: Book 1
POV: 1st person by Krissa, present tense
Setting: Clearwater, Michigan
Genre: YA paranormal

Source: ebook
Pages: 217
Release: March 30th, 2014

Goodreads Nothing is safe around Kristyl Barnette. Windows break. Books rocket across the room. Lights flicker. Strange occurrences follow the sixteen-year-old everywhere.  When tragedy forces her to move to the small town of Clearwater, Michigan, with her estranged aunt Jodi, Kristyl tries to leave her past behind. But Clearwater has secrets of its own—a mystical history that intersects with Kristyl’s life and might shed light on the inexplicable events that plague her.  When a mysterious illness threatens her aunt’s life, Kristyl will do anything to cure her. Enlisting the help of witches could save Jodi, but is dealing in magic worth the consequences?

This novel stars Kristyl Barnette, a seemingly troublesome girl who is accused again and again of vandalism and of knowing things she shouldn't. But the truth is that things always unexpectedly happen around her, and she always knows things without wanting to. A tragedy forces her to move in with her aunt, Jodi, starting a new life in the small town of Clearwater. But little does she know what she's wandered into, and the secrets that she'll expose...

I found Krissa to be a very relatable character. She didn't do anything I wouldn't, and her actions were well justified. She has a good head on her shoulders: she's able to tell right from wrong, and has a firm understanding of when her limits are being crossed. But we also get to see her pushing her boundaries, going outside her social comfort zones, which was nice to read about. She isn't one of those characters who challenges herself and makes an unrealistic 180 with her life; she challenges herself, makes herself uncomfortable, and still sticks to it. But when push comes to shove, she's able to overcome her initial fears and channel them into fierce determinism.

I've quite fascinated with Owen. He's not the angsty, dark and brooding guy I fall in love with quite often. Instead, he's the actual gentleman that's more realistic. Realistic in the sense there's a higher chance of nice guys like him existing and being available in the real world instead of dark and broody guys with that keep-away vibe. People like Owen actually do exist, which probably makes him a lot more attractive in that real-life sense. Now if only more guys were like him, not just that small handful in the world...

However, the character I'm most interested in Crystal Jamison. She starts off as the stereotypical shallow mean-girl, but as the events continue, we get a lot more depth to her character. I was right with Krissa in all the confusion of Crystal's attitude changes, never quite sure what she was up to and whether she was a good guy or a bad guy. I'm still not sure, but I'm interested to know exactly what path she'll choose. How power-hungry is she? Is she willing to make the same mistakes as her aunt? Is she confident enough that things won't end sour for her? Or will she prove to be smarter, learning from the mistakes of others?

Through it's obvious that this story is about witches, there were some new elements introduced. There's some neat information about herbs and gemstones, and how they have natural healing properties. The plot never was dull, something always happening. Something was always up, including that looming sense of doom. Sometimes my intuition was right, sometimes it was wrong, which made the plot equally unpredictable and enjoyable. Some aspects I saw coming, others I didn't, especially when you get those plot twists. Yes, that's right, there's a plot twist. And it's one hell of a plot twist too. The novel took off in a completely new direction without warning. 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, had a smooth plot, and a very relatable protagonist. The ending has left even more questions than answers, and all I know is that I have no idea what's going to happen next!