Witches of East End    by Melissa de la Cruz Order:  USA  Can Hyperion, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Elizabeth Crowley Witches of East End is a wickedly entertaining novel about three immortal witches who survived the Salem witch trials only to find that their magical powers once again threaten their existence. Joanna Beauchamp and her daughters made an oath to the White Council to never use their powers again after being tried for witchcraft in the seventeenth century. However, hundreds of years have passed and the Beauchamps begin to realize they can no longer deny what they are. Joanna Beauchamp may seem like the typical mother who fusses over her daughters and loves to bake, but she is a powerful witch with the ability to bring souls back from the dead. Joanna's magical abilities are called upon after a woman begs her to bring her husband back from a coma. Joanna also begins to use magic to amuse a small boy, who painfully reminds her of the son she believes is lost to her forever. Ingrid Beauchamp is a conservative bookworm, who works at the local library. Ingrid has the ability to see auras, read minds, and heal the human body. When a friend comes to her about her inability to conceive a child, Ingrid decides to use her powers to help. Soon, Ingrid's talent becomes the talk of the town. Ingrid begins to help the people of North Hampton - including the wife of the mayor, who comes to her for a fidelity spell to keep her husband from straying - with various problems and ailments. Freya is considered the most reckless of the Beauchamp clan. Her magical specialty is matters of the heart. Freya, who works as a bartender, decides it wouldn't hurt to use a little magic in the workplace. So, she cooks up a wicked new menu of mixed drinks to liven up the mood at North Inn Bar. Freya, however, didn't need to cast a spell to snag the handsome and wealthy Branford Gardiner, whom she believed to be her soul mate - that is until she met his brother Killian, who has a dangerous hold on her. Although the Beauchamp witches revel in using magic again, horrible events begin to unfold in North Hampton – each tied to the spells they innocently performed to help others. Although witch hunting days are long over, the Beauchamp family find themselves under attack by the local people and under suspicion by the police as the town's strange happenings all point to them. Witches of East End is a fun and original supernatural read. Although Melissa de la Cruz has written her latest novel for adults, it will appeal to young adults as well. Fans of the Blue Bloods series will be delighted to know that vampire Mimi Force makes an appearance in North Hampton. Witches of East End is full of totally unexpected surprises with the promise of a very intriguing sequel. Melissa de la Cruz fans will not want to miss her brilliant new series. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews