A Question of Faith (Magic Incarnate #1)

Nicole
Zoltack
Genre: 
Young Adult

PARANORMAL:  Crystal has an unwavering faith in God - after all, he always answers her prayers. But when she discovers her birth mother used the help of witches to conceive her, and that she herself is magic, her faith is shaken. Even as she tries to learn the limits of her abilities, someone is hunting witches. They then harm her boyfriend’s mother by mistake and then kidnap her aunt. Determined to protect her friends, Crystal must figure out who she can trust and what she can do, all while reconciling her faith with her magic, before a centuries-old war comes to a head and everyone and everything she loves is destroyed.

 

A YA novel of magic and faith, Ms. Zoltack has written an intriguing novel with a unique focus on a young woman so devout in her faith she tries to bring others to God, who discovers she herself is magic. This discovery balanced with the fight between witches, shamans, and witch hunters combines the adventure of fantasy with philosophies of religion, making it stand out. Furthermore, the pace is smooth with action intermingled with story. The romance between Crystal and her boyfriend Vince is sweet, with a potential rival in Gavin leaving room for growth in the future. And unlike many YA novels, Crystal’s mother plays an active role in the story which eliminates some unnecessary drama. While there is a bit of a cliff hanger at the end, it isn’t abrupt and readers will find themselves pre-ordering the next book.

 

Sarah E. Bradley