Book Description
Publication Date: May 28, 2014 | Age Level: 12 - 18
Elizabeth Blake is a seventeen-year-old girl from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Although a bit of an introvert, she has always had good, close friends. She lived next door to her best friend Gwyneth. Gwyneth’s mother, Clara Hill, was like a second mother to Elizabeth. When Mrs. Hill died, Elizabeth was devastated. She found the perfect opportunity to escape by completing her final year of high school in the south of France.
Soon after her arrival in France, Elizabeth befriends Sophie, her allocated roommate. Sophie introduces Elizabeth to some of her schoolmates from her posh boarding school in England. Elizabeth meets and falls in love with William Shaw, an English boy from a traditional family. William and Sophie are childhood friends. As such, everyone, including their families, expects them to end up together. But, William never shared Sophie’s feelings.
That Christmas, William invites Elizabeth to stay with his family. Through a series of strange occurrences, Elizabeth discovers that the Shaws are witches and that she, too, is a witch—a descendant of the Harlow family, one of the oldest and most powerful witch families to ever exist. Elizabeth’s oma was the last known surviving ancestor, but she was forced to go into hiding to protect herself and her children.
Meanwhile, the Elders—the most powerful coven of witches in the world—have been tracking Elizabeth since her birth. According to an ancient legend, a battle led by “One barely born existing to lead” would cause the downfall of the Elders. Fearing that Elizabeth is the heir to this legend, the Elders try to destroy her before she can bring it to fruition.
With the help of both the Shaw family and her oma, Elizabeth travels to Greece to prove to the Elders that she is not a threat and to ask for their permission to live in peace.
With spring break approaching, Elizabeth’s family surprises her with plane tickets home for both her and William. A pit of nerves, she is both excited and scared to show William the one aspect of her life that he hasn’t yet infiltrated. She is also unnerved at the prospect of having to explain to Gwyneth that she is the reason for her mother’s death.
While home, Elizabeth makes a most anticipated visit to her oma’s house—her first visit since discovering that she was a witch. During this visit, Elizabeth’s oma shows her family heirlooms that she has been collecting and concealing over the years.
It is during this visit that Elizabeth’s oma promises to confide secrets and powers in Elizabeth once she masters the skill of blocking her mind. Elizabeth also discovers that a “Shadow” has been following her, watching her every move, and reporting back to the Elders.
Upon their return to school, William asks Elizabeth to go on a trip to Nice with him for Easter break—just the two of them. Their lack of experience but complete love for each other ushers them into romantic situations that they neither are ready for, nor have previously discussed. With temptation at every turn, they must figure out what they want and whether or not they are ready to take their relationship to the next level.
Left with the devastating revelation that they would be torn away from each other once the school year ends, William and Elizabeth need to devise a plan if they hope to stay together. When Sophie learns about their plan, she is outraged. While visiting the Shaws, Sophie attacks Elizabeth, giving the Shadow an opportunity to act on behalf of the Elders’ instructions to destroy Elizabeth so that she cannot fulfill the prophecy.
The battle that brings to light powers that weren’t known to exist before, brings William and Elizabeth closer together at the very moment that they have to say good-bye.
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