Book Review: Always a Witch

So after Ruby Red, I've decided to wait until the end to review books from now on... Allows me to let everything stew over.

The synopsis:

The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights.

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

**Before I begin the review, I'd like to mention this is the sequel and will most likely contain spoilers relating to the first book**

Let's start with characters, spefically our leading lady, Tamsin. Her internal monologues were as snarky as the first book, her external was significantly toned down but that was in part due to her being a maid for the antagonist Knight family. By the end, I felt sorry for her fate. 

Gabriel, he wasn't in this book as much as the first. I was a little disappointed but I managed to get over it quickly. Though, I was wondering when he'd make his debute in the past. Surprisingly enough, I liked that MacCullough kept their romance. 

Last but not least, the 19th century Greenes and Knights. Since there were so few who played big parts, I'll lump them all together into separate paragraphs.  

Since Knights showed up first in the novel, I'll start with them. La Spider is the formidable matriarch of the family and is hell bent on marrying her daughter to someone rich. To be honest, she was scary but didn't hold fear like I was expecting she would. Liam... From the blurb, I was half expecting him to be a love interest. He wasn't and, if he was, it was one sided. Jessica, I very much liked her; she was the only Knight with some humanity and I liked her power most of all--healing. When Tam went back to the past, she was her maid. Rosie, technically she wasn't a knight by in fact one of the help, she played a big enough role. She was one of the few characters I disliked but it was more on personality than anything else. 

Last but not the Greenes. I was expecting Tam to find them sooner than she did. I also was not a particular fan of the 'past Greenes' due to their opinion of non-Talent people. Isobel was probably my favourite...until a few chapters to the end. The patriarch of the Greenes--whose name I cannot remember--would probably be my next favourite. I also am having a hard time remembering names.. they were in so few chapters, their chapters went by so quickly and, the coup de grace, they weren't really memorable.

Now that characters are out of the way, plot. It's been a while since I've read the first book and, from what I remember, I liked the plot of the first better than the second. In the beginning/in the present, it seemed to go by quickly to the point where I couldn't put it down. It stated that way until maybe two-three chapters into 1880's New York. After that, it slowed down--likely to introduce the character dynamics of the Knight family. It seemed to plateau until maybe six or seven chapters to the end--conveniently when Gabriel, our love interest happens upon the Knights and had found the past Greenes. The last few chapters went quicker than I was expecting. Almost too fast to the point where I was having a hard time trying to figure out what happened. The final sacrifice that Tamsin made left me feeling a little bit bittersweet at the end.

I'd rate this a shaky two and a half--because it swings between two and a half and three--out of five for a handful of memorable characters--and not so memorable--and fast-slow-fast plot.