HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW by Natalie Whipple is an engaging and quick read. Told in first person, Jo's narration does an incredible job of pulling the reader in. It's filled with so much love for her family and friends that you can't help but want to be on Jo's side. I adore the sense of loyalty the entire story holds: loyalty to family, to friends, to history, and even to magic. The story has such a pull to it that you'll have a hard time putting it down.

While I love so many of the secondary characters, from Gwen to Kat to Nana to Levi, I wasn't sold on the love interest, Winn. While he's a really cute character, his and Jo's relationship feels very shallow when their feelings are supposed to be fairly solid. Especially the romance first starts, they feel a lot younger than seventeen, and I just wanted more chemistry and spark between them. It doesn't stop me from loving the book by any means, but it definitely makes me wish for a sequel that might further their dynamic.

Even with Winn, I completely adore THE HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW. Whipple has such a unique and strong writing voice, and I really hope to see more from this author. For any fans of witchy stories, this is a wonderful novel to grab and get lost in the magic.

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