Gabriella Lepore

You start with Jenna, a girl who has no father and an absent mother more interested in herself than her daughter. She lives with her aunt who is a member of the local police force. Jenna is sitting on a dock early one morning, taking photos as the light changes. Her hope is to create a portfolio good enough to score a scholarship. When she hears a boy crying for help while up to his knees in seawater, it's the beginning of an extremely convoluted tale of murder, deception and a whole school of red herrings. At various points in the story, the author makes a good case that each of the teens, girls from Preston Prep, boys from Rookwood (allegedly a last chance school to keep as many as possible from the criminal justice system), is the killer. As the title suggests, there are many liars among the teens. While some of the dishonesty is based on shame and painful past experiences, more is part of the web hiding the killer. It's an intriguing young adult mystery with a hopeful ending for several of the main players.… (meer)

Blackheath was a captivating book. It is the first book in the Blackheath Witches Series by Gabriella Lepore. There was suspense, witchcraft, and drama; everything that keeps you wanting to read a story. The book centers on Joel Tomlins and Maggie Ellmes, who were childhood friends that drifted apart as they grew older. Maggie convinced she has been cursed goes to Joel, a witch, for help. As they are working together to remove the curse, they are drawn into drama between another witch coven, the Fallows. The Fallows coven is one of the most powerful families of witches. They use old ways that the Tomlins believe are inhuman. As Joel, tries to destroy Maggie’s curse I found myself drawn into a story about witchcraft, eccentric relatives, romance, strained relationships, and mystery. Lepore keeps you waiting to find out why Joel feels abandoned by his parents and the reasons surrounding why they leave.
I loved Blackheath. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. This story leaves you wanting more; more about the Tomlins siblings along with their parents. I can’t wait to read the sequel, Blackheath Resurrection now.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.… (meer)