Definitely not Twilight…

A friend recently loaned me her copy of ‘The Discovery of Witches’ by Deborah Harkness. Feeling more than a bit leery to read it (I’m over the whole vampire thing), I gave it a shot nonetheless. And I’m glad I did. Although somewhat contrived, ‘Discovery’ is still a fun read. And while it’s about witches, vamps and even demons, who have to live alongside humans, it’s definitely not Twilight (yes, I read the books).

Loaded with academia (but in a good way), ‘Discovery’ takes the reader on a journey from the halls of Oxford, to castles in central France, and finally to New England. It’s about a woman’s (a witch) quest– alongside a 1500 year-old charming man (a vamp) — to understand an ancient manuscript and the magical hold it has on her.

I liked that I kept learning things throughout the book about evolution, alchemy and historical world events.  So, while it’s an entertaining read (like Twilight), you feel like you’re getting some value from it.

The book is part of a series–the similarities with Twilight don’t end–and the second book, ‘Shadow of Night,’ is next on my reading list. The third and final book will be published next summer. And, there’s even a movie in development.  Hmm… did someone say Twilight?  Let’s just hope the acting is better (yes, I even saw the movies).