The Secret Circle

I was first introduced to The Secret Circle after watching the TV show based on the books. I was disappointed when I discovered there was only one season of the show so I decided to take a chance on the books. The books are a lot different from the show but they are amazing. The biggest difference in the books is that there are twelve members of the circle rather that six. I think this gives the book a better dynamic because having more characters with different personalities gives the story more depth.
The books, like the show, center around Cassie Blake. Cassie is a teenage girl whose life is changed when she and her mother move back to her mother's home town. New Salem is a town with a long history and much of this history is attached to the families that live on Crowhaven Road. The children of these families are special and Cassie is one of them.
Over the course of the books we follow Cassie's life in New Salem. She meets the members of the club and soon becomes one of them. She learns about her family history and about who she really is, a witch. While there is a lot of self discovery in this book there is a lot adventure as well. The club has their fare share of adventure but with it comes danger. They are constantly being challenged and having to defend themselves. But through it all they become stronger as a group and as people.
Not only do the books explore the personal relationships between the members of the club but also magic. They learn that magic is about more than making your life easier, its about the good of all. They embrace their history and through it they learn more about themselves. They make mistakes but from them they learn that magic is responsibility and it is nothing without love. They learn that magic is not a toy but a responsibility that needs to be taken seriously.
I enjoyed every minute of these books and did not want to put them down. I highly recommend them for anyone that enjoyed the show. These are wonderful, magical books. They aren't quite like the fantasy of the Harry Potter books. They are more grounded in reality but there is still the element of fantasy. Read them and discover the magic for yourself.