House of Ivy and Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple is a YA paranormal story.

They say a witch lives in the old house under the bridge. They're right. Josephine Hemlock and her grandmother are the last in a long line of powerful witches, but they have equally powerful enemies. Jo's mother died of a mysterious curse, and when Jo's father arrives in town unexpectedly, the same dark forces are trailing along behind him. Jo and her grandmother must figure out who their enemies are and how the curse works, before it destroys everything they love.

I thought this book was good, but I'm finding it not particularly memorable. Writing this review now, just a few days after reading, the details have gone fuzzy in my head. (Or is that the cold medicine speaking?) From the cover and title, I expected a story with a much darker tone, more mysterious and fantastical, whereas the tone in this book is generally upbeat with touches of humor and sarcasm even in the direst of situations. Not that I'm lamenting a dearth of angst, mind you, but it's not exactly what I was expecting! All in all, a pleasant enough story, but not one I'll particularly want to revisit.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)