Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey - Paul's Review

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Title: Witch Eyes
Author: Scott Tracey
Year Published: 2011

Synopsis: Braden was born with witch eyes: the ability to see the world as it truly is: a blinding explosion of memories, darkness, and magic. The power enables Braden to see through spells and lies, but at the cost of horrible pain.

After a terrifying vision reveals imminent danger for the uncle who raised and instructed him, Braden retreats to Belle Dam, an old city divided by two feuding witch dynasties. As rival family heads Catherine Lansing and Jason Thorpe desperately try to use Braden's powers to unlock Belle Dam's secrets, Braden vows never to become their sacrificial pawn. But everything changes when Braden learns that Jason is his father--and Trey, the enigmatic guy he's falling for, is Catherine's son.

To stop an insidious dark magic from consuming the town, Braden must master his gift—and risk losing the one he loves.

Review: Braden is a witch. He finds himself in an old town where family rivalries hold strong and he is stuck in the middle. Tracey's take on magic is interesting. I like that the reader learns about the town, its families, and its magic as Braden does. 

Tracey does an excellent job at writing a book with a gay protagonist where the story does not revolve around his sexuality. It just happens to be that he is attracted to guys. I would like to see more YA out there like this. 

Although I did really enjoy the characters and the story, I wasn't completely captured, unable to put the book down. It actually took me a long time to finish it, although I did have a lot of things happening at the time. I have added the sequel to my to-be-read list and look forward to Tracey's writing future. 

I give this book a 3.5/5. I liked the ideas behind it, but it just didn't capture my attention as much as I wanted it to. I recommend this to anyone interested in Paranormal YA, especially if you are looking for LGBT characters. 

-PAUL