I generally don't like main characters who don't have anything going for them, and with Mercy starting out as the only powerless person in a witch family who goes begging for a love spell to someone her family despises, this didn't start well. I had figured there would be more to it, and of course there was, but it took a while to materialize. When enough of it did though, I became very curious to see how everything would resolve itself. In the end I rather liked this book. The only thing that still bothers me is Mercy's forgiveness. She has been hurt her entire life by people she trusted, and it seems unnatural to forgive so quickly. Particularly since it seems like she is willing to forgive without consequences for the perpetrators, which doesn't sit well with me. ( )

20-year old fraternal twins Mercy and Maisie Taylor are the youngest in a long-established, Savannah-based family of witches. While Maisie seems destined for great things, Mercy has inherited no magical gifts, much to the dismay and scorn of the rest of the family, particularly Great Aunt Ginny. When Maisie finds Ginny murdered, her head bashed in, suspicion falls on the Taylor themselves. But this is the least of the witching community’s worries. Ginny was one of a few powerful “anchors” who hold the “line”, a magical boundary which keeps demons and evil spirits from taking over the world of the living. Ginny’s death threatens to disrupt the fragile balance between the two worlds. The anchor needs to be replaced but who will the Power choose?

In “The Line”, the first of a projected series of novels, J.D.Horn taps into the time-honoured tradition of the Southern Gothic and borrows, somewhat indiscriminately, several tropes of the genre – witches, hoodoo, curses and prophecies, restless spirits, family secrets and sensational revelations, revenge and sudden bursts of violence. There's even a seven-foot golem. The context however is clearly contemporary, making the novel more of an “urban fantasy”. Horn also tones down the darker aspects of the story through judicious use of humour and romance and elements of the coming-of-age novel.

The Line’s strongest point is the narrator and protagonist – Mercy Taylor. By turns feisty and insecure, proud and self-deprecating, she seems to embody the fears and joys and the many contradictions of youth. In Mercy, Horn has created a likeable character who should appeal particularly to the young adult demographic.

This is a highly entertaining novel which augurs well for the rest of the series. 3.5 stars.

This review is of a copy sent to me by the author, whom I thank. ( )

Mercy Taylor is one of the infamous Taylor witches - the only problem is that she is the only Taylor without any magic at all. Her twin sister, Maisie, on the other hand, is one of the most powerful witches in the family. To say that Mercy is treated like a disappointment is an understatement, but she has learned to live with it. When the matriarch of the family is murdered and the most powerful living relative of the family is set to take over the role of anchor of the line of magic they are in charge of keeping balanced (to keep the demons who used to rule the earth locked away), all hell breaks loose. You really see what's going on below the surface of this family, and there is very little that is good. Add to that a few romances that are up in the air, especially between the twins and their boyfriends, and you have the makings of a bewitching magical romance mystery!

I loved the characters in this book. They were well defined and very unique. The plot was engaging and the pacing was spot on. The ending had quite a twist, so I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

I enjoyed this story very much and highly recommend it - 5/5 stars. ( )

20-year old fraternal twins Mercy and Maisie Taylor are the youngest in a long-established, Savannah-based family of witches. While Maisie seems destined for great things, Mercy has inherited no magical gifts, much to the dismay and scorn of the rest of the family, particularly Great Aunt Ginny. When Maisie finds Ginny murdered, her head bashed in, suspicion falls on the Taylor themselves. But this is the least of the witching community’s worries. Ginny was one of a few powerful “anchors” who hold the “line”, a magical boundary which keeps demons and evil spirits from taking over the world of the living. Ginny’s death threatens to disrupt the fragile balance between the two worlds. The anchor needs to be replaced but who will the Power choose?

In “The Line”, the first of a projected series of novels, J.D.Horn taps into the time-honoured tradition of the Southern Gothic and borrows, somewhat indiscriminately, several tropes of the genre – witches, hoodoo, curses and prophecies, restless spirits, family secrets and sensational revelations, revenge and sudden bursts of violence. There's even a seven-foot golem. The context however is clearly contemporary, making the novel more of an “urban fantasy”. Horn also tones down the darker aspects of the story through judicious use of humour and romance and elements of the coming-of-age novel.

The Line’s strongest point is the narrator and protagonist – Mercy Taylor. By turns feisty and insecure, proud and self-deprecating, she seems to embody the fears and joys and the many contradictions of youth. In Mercy, Horn has created a likeable character who should appeal particularly to the young adult demographic.

This is a highly entertaining novel which augurs well for the rest of the series. 3.5 stars.

This review is of a copy sent to me by the author, whom I thank. ( )

Maybe 2.5. I liked the premise and really enjoyed the audio narration but there were far too many inconsistencies for me to rate this any higher. However, the combination of an interesting story and a solid narration kept me from marking this DNF which I am quick to do when I lose interest. ( )