TwistedAlyce

I've been wanting to read this book for ages, but seemed to always put it off. Not been a big fan of witches, and all the historical elements of the book, I thought I wouldn't enjoy it all, also the size was daunting for a book that I was so unsure about. Boy am I glad I gave it go.

Basically the book centers around a historian and member of the Bishop witches, Diana Bishop, who while researching in the Bodelian library, manges to conjure a manuscript and break the spell attached. This causes witches, deamons and vampires all to want her. She meets a vampire named Matthew Clarmont and they end up falling in love and breaking a covenant. Through the book its learned the Diana is an all powerfull witch, whos parents spellbound her to keep her save, but now that her and Matthew's lifes are threatened she needs to break the spell and become the witch she was born to be. all the while hunting for the lost manuscript and discovering the origins of the creatures.

This book just drew me in from the start, the characters, of which for a large book are not many, all fit in to the places and situations created. I liked that there was not too many characters to keep track of and that the main characters were always in plane sight.

Diana was a graet main charactr, she was written as a strong but flawed female who at first refuses to use her power to realising that she is a witch and needs to be the witch she was born to be. Matthew at first was the typical caveman style male character, of I'm the man I protect. So at first he annoyed me, but as the story moved on and Diana started to come in to herself, Matthew became more likable, and I know longer to slap him.
What I liked about the other bit characters is that they only appeared when the story line needed advancing. They weren't just there for the sake of it. Each character played their part well.
As for the world building, this book made me feel as though I was there. The descriptions were so detailed that visions were always present while reading. That makes a great book to me. Been able to see the world you temporally inhabit.
My main concern with this book, was that the romance was a huge part of it, with tiny bits of danger and action thrown in. This was the part that I thought would drag out the over 600 pages, But I was surprised, it wasn't the usual, witch meets vampire, falls in love and has rampant sex, then fends off past lovers. This was more a gradual build up, get to know each thing. overcoming strife as a couple and been there for each other. It felt more like a real life relationship.
My end thoughts are that this was an engaging read, well thought out and executed. I hope the other books are just has good.