What the Cards Said (Circle of Three, Book 4)

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Summary: "You Will Be Tested as You Go Deeper Into the Woods..."
Review: "What the Cards Said" is the forth book in the Circle of Three series, a fifteen-volume set that chronicles the learning experiences of three adolescent girls - Kate, Annie and Cooper, in their year and a day of study in the religion of Wicca.

In this book Annie has discovered her skills in tarot reading, and after she's been talked into playing "Miss Fortune" at the school fair, others pick up on her uncanny habit to accurately predict things. Soon she's the talk of the school, with a range of popular girls requesting information on everything from careers to boys to future events. Flattered by the attention, Annie eagerly agrees to show off her gift.

Well, you don't need Annie's precognitive abilities to know what happens next - some people are freaked out by her premonitions, and when others discover that the future doesn't bring them exactly what they want, they end up blaming Annie for their misfortune. The moral of the story: don't abuse your gifts. But I could've told you that *before* you read this book.

That ultimately is the main problem with Isobel Bird's books - they're just so darn predictable. Just reading the blurbs on the back covers will give away the whole story. Furthermore, some details of this story just don't work well, and are devoid of any meaningful suspense or climax. For instance, at one stage Annie tries to "test" the powers of the cards, and ends up telling Sasha a fib concerning her reading. This results in Sasha running away, and the inevitable "lesson-learnt" speech from her Wicca teachers. But then what happens? Annie solves the problem by doing *another* Tarot card reading, that not only tells the reader what they already know, but doesn't help find Sasha in any way. A few minutes later the phone rings, informing them that Sasha's been found and is on her way home. So much for dramatic tension.

Of course, one might argue that Bird is simply adhering to a realistic course of events, but really, if any practicing Wicca thinks that meeting the goddess Hecate in the flesh, or experiencing Tarot card readings that are *that* accurate comes under the term "realistic", then they're kidding themselves.

But Bird's books are not all bad, as she has a clear, concise (if rather dull) narrative voice, which can clearly describe what the tarot is all about and brings to life a rather enjoyable coven ritual in which the witches-in-training are sent into the woods in order to meet folks dressed as the characters of the tarot.

The three girls are likeable and Bird's most worthy attribute is the way she is gradually letting them grow and learn, but they are also rather unimaginative stereotypes: Annie is the brainy one, Cooper is the rebel and Kate is the popular one who is now suffering for her involvement in witchcraft. They are also surrounded by rather tired stereotypes for friends and associates - the streetwise runaway, the sensitive boyfriend, the catty b*tch (sorry, Amazon would censor me if I spelt it out) and all of their Wiccan teachers are virtual clones of each other.

Ultimately, these books are what I classify as "holiday reads" - they are short, cheap, forgetful buys that you can read whilst travelling, but not be too upset about if they're misplaced.

Rating:
Summary: "Miss Fortune" is Tarot-able (or terrible) trouble for Annie
Review: Annie gets a "karmic spanking" and learns some hard lessons when she uses her special psychic "gifts" at school to become popular. Book 4, in the Circle of Three series by Isobel Bird, follows the lives of three teens, Kate, Annie and Cooper, as they continue their journey through the world of Wicca and discover the magic and mystery within their everyday lives.

When her friends convince her to dress up and play "Miss Fortune, Tarot reader and seer into the future" for their school carnival, Annie reluctantly goes along with the idea. Soon, however, she begins to get too involved in the role when the most popular kids at school begin to take notice of her special abilities with the cards and make demands on her time.

Annie begins to let it all get to her head, until things start to go wrong after her readings and she gets the blame. She begins to use the cards in ways they were not intended with disastrous results. Suddenly popularity isn't so much fun anymore. Does Annie abandon her talent for Tarot, or will she come to terms with how to use her gifts responsibly? With a little help from the triple Goddess of the witches, the Moon-Goddess Hecate, anything is possible.

Bird is consistently creating interesting stories. This one I liked better than the last because it didn't rely on any heavy plot devices (no murdered/kidnapped girls, etc.).

There were some very imaginative segments, such as the girls Tarot exercise in the woods with the elders from the Crones' Circle bookstore. It was the Fool's journey through the Tarot. Everyone went into the woods at dusk with flashlights, followed different paths and encountered different Tarot card characters along the way. But Annie's encounter turns into a true metaphysical adventure.

Readers of previous books in the series won't be disappointed. If you're just getting started, you won't be lost starting with Book 4 as all the books seem to stand up well on their own. If you are looking for fiction on the subjects of magic, witchcraft, and Wicca with a realistic touch, this series is for you.

Rating:
Summary: IT ROCKS
Review: Annie gets a "karmic spanking" and learns some hard lessons when she uses her special psychic "gifts" at school to become popular. Book 4, in the Circle of Three series by Isobel Bird, follows the lives of three teens, Kate, Annie and Cooper, as they continue their journey through the world of Wicca and discover the magic and mystery within their everyday lives.

When her friends convince her to dress up and play "Miss Fortune, Tarot reader and seer into the future" for their school carnival, Annie reluctantly goes along with the idea. Soon, however, she begins to get too involved in the role when the most popular kids at school begin to take notice of her special abilities with the cards and make demands on her time.

Annie begins to let it all get to her head, until things start to go wrong after her readings and she gets the blame. She begins to use the cards in ways they were not intended with disastrous results. Suddenly popularity isn't so much fun anymore. Does Annie abandon her talent for Tarot, or will she come to terms with how to use her gifts responsibly? With a little help from the triple Goddess of the witches, the Moon-Goddess Hecate, anything is possible.

Bird is consistently creating interesting stories. This one I liked better than the last because it didn't rely on any heavy plot devices (no murdered/kidnapped girls, etc.).

There were some very imaginative segments, such as the girls Tarot exercise in the woods with the elders from the Crones' Circle bookstore. It was the Fool's journey through the Tarot. Everyone went into the woods at dusk with flashlights, followed different paths and encountered different Tarot card characters along the way. But Annie's encounter turns into a true metaphysical adventure.

Readers of previous books in the series won't be disappointed. If you're just getting started, you won't be lost starting with Book 4 as all the books seem to stand up well on their own. If you are looking for fiction on the subjects of magic, witchcraft, and Wicca with a realistic touch, this series is for you.

Rating:
Summary: Tarot
Review: Annie has a facination with Tarot cards. After Kate and Coopers insistance that she read for people at the carnival, she becomes a celebrity at the school and does readings for everyone. One problem...the readings begin to go wrong. Aweful endings begin to happen, and Annie is bieng blamed for making it happen. Not to mention the fact that she is getting visions from the Goddess Hecate telling her about her mistakes. Will Annie be able to overcome this test in her life?
Well, although good, this wasn't the BEST. That was it...it was just GOOD. Delightful read, but not as good as the ones before.

Rating:
Summary: IT ROCKS
Review: Hello, I am a young child who is also reading this series. I have read all but the last and my favorite is still this one! For All of you that have read 1-4 but not five yet i sugest you buy it! In this book The three girls all go on different paths a misty midsummer night. They all think it is a joke played on them by their coven. I warn you, it is not. One of the three will seriously consider giving up witchcraft forever.

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Summary: What the cards said
Review: I bought this book along with the first 3 titles, and it is the most interesting book on wicca I have ever read. Clear, reasonable thinking about what you need to do and what happens if your not ready to do it, as well as the consquences that can happen when you try to harm others. I know believe me!!!! I am very engrossed with each page I read and have learned more in the first 4 books than I have in 20 years of trying to learn it from other books. Please keep them coming I can't wait for more of the books.

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Summary: Fab
Review: This will be the fourth of this series i read, and im really looking forward to it!

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Summary: Can Tarot cards change Annie?
Review: When Annie discovers the Tarot cards she amazed with them. Reading them is like solving a puzzle and she has a natural talent for them. She ever voluenteers (with a little persuation from Cooper and Kate) to give readings at a carnival. But when her predictions come true she finds herself becoming more popular, and surrounded with more "friends" than she's ever had. Everyone wants Tarot readings, everyone wants to see their future. THen things start to go terribly wrong, things than can tear the circle of three apart, things that can make the whole school turn on Annie. Can the three witches make things right?

Just like the last three books in the series, What the Cards said is a good story about inward struggles and confilcts between friends and enemies. It makes the Tarot cards sound so intresting but dangerous at the same time. If your a fan of the Sweep Series, Daughters of the moon, or Silver Ravenwolf's Witches Chillers this book is for you. You'll love it I gaurentee.

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Summary: Can Annie save her friend before it's to late?
Review: When Annie first started to read Tarot cards it was just for fun, but after her first predictions come true everyone wants to be her friend and hang out with her. As long as she brings her Tarot cards along to do a few readings. But when she predicts an accident that later comes true she starts to wonder if what she tells people affects how they live their lives. Then one of her readings doesn't turn out the way someone wanted, she turns the whole school against Annie. And when an experiment to find out if she is actually causing the things that happen to happen goes wrong, one of her friends ends up missing. Will Annie be able to find confidence in herself before her friend is gone for good? This book was really interesting and it just as good as the other three in the series. The girls are still struggling to find out if the Wicca path is right for them and are trying to lead normal lives at the same time. In this book we see Annie's inner conflicts and learn more about her past. I recommend this book to fans of the series and fans that like books about witchcraft and magic.