Google+ Reading Teen: A Disappointed Letter to WHEN MY HEART WAS WICKED

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

A Disappointed Letter to WHEN MY HEART WAS WICKED

by Becca

by Tricia Stirling
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (February 24, 2015)
Language: English
Goodreads | Amazon






Dear When My Heart Was Wicked,

I had a tough time with you if I'm completely honest. I'm still not sure what exactly happened or what exactly I read, because the style you're written in is.....different. I'm still torn over if I actually liked you or if I didn't. Maybe you just weren't a Becca book, in general. 

You follow the story of Lacy, who is a sixteen-year-old girl, struggling to find herself and identify with the bad/good side of her personality. After her father dies, she finds herself staying with her step-mother in Chico, where her magic is good, but unfortunately, Lacy's real mom, Cheyenne, who represents bad magic and brings out the worst in Lacy, never stays away for long, and comes back to take Lacy back to Sacramento with her. Cheyenne will stop at nothing to to keep control over Lacy, and before long, Lacy can feel the darkness starting to return. But after a traumatic encounter, will Lacy turn to the dark side for good or learn to keep ahold of the light?

Lacy was a unique character. I felt like she had a tremendous amount of character growth, despite you only being 190 or so pages. I loved the fact that she was so interested in science. I felt horrible for her when Cheyenne came and took her away from her step-mom, because Anna embodied all that was good in the world. She was good for Lacy. Cheyenne, on the other hand, was a complete psycho. There are a lot of things she did to Lacy that I felt needed to be expanded on. She was abusive, manipulative, and almost bi-polar with her emotions. I still don't understand some of the stuff she did to Lacy, and how she felt they would help their relationship as mother and daughter. 

I had a rough time sticking to reading you, because I was a little bored with what was going on. I think that might have been because when I read magic in the synopsis, I was expecting witches and the like. Sure, Lacy makes a few spells and all that, but I just wanted more on the magic part. There were a lot of darker issues inside your pages too, which was a surprise, because I haven't read that in a book in awhile. Cutting, drugs, sexual stuff, stealing. I suppose I should have expected that too, because of course, it's part of Lacy's "dark" side, and some of those things are things that happen to Cheyenne. 

I think the only thing that kept me interested, When My Heart Was Wicked, was wanting to know what was going to happen in the end and the fact that your author has a beautiful written voice. But if you would have been a hundred pages longer or more, I probably wouldn't have stuck with you. There was just something missing to make you a book that I really enjoyed. Maybe there was something deeper about you that I wasn't able to grasp. I honestly have no idea. But if I were to suggest you to someone, I would say that anyone who likes a book about self-realization and darker issues, to give you a try. Ultimately, that isn't the type of book for me unfortunately. 2 stars to you, When My Heart Was Wicked.
Wickedly confused,


  1. I love the cover of this book!!! I don't think I will read this now though, because you said that there was not a lot of witches and magic in the book, which I was looking forward to. If you are looking for a magic and witches book, I would recommend House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple. It's a standalone novel, and I think it give a high 3 stars; it was enjoyable to read in one sitting. :) Great review Becca!

  2. Aw, hugs. <3 Amazing review Becca :) I'm so sorry you had so many issues with this book :\ It looks so pretty. Sigh. But yeah. Now I don't think it is for me either, lol :D Thank you for being honest sweetie. <3

  3. I know!!! I loved the cover, and was sure I was going to love the book too, but it just wasn't for me unfortunately! Thanks Carina!!!! *SQUISHES*

  4. I loved the cover too!!! There really was hardly any mention of witches/magic, which I think disappointed me the most, because that's what I went into it expecting. OMG!!! I ADORE House of Ivy and Sorrow!!!! SO SO SO GOOD!!! Thanks, Lena!!!!

