The Secret Circle series by L.J. Smith was always my favorite series of hers so when I decided to read it again I was worried that it would be awful and ruin my fond memories. While I did find it to be less good than I remembered I still quite enjoyed the characters and story even if the writing style was not exactly to my liking. ( )

It’s a little difficult to rate this trilogy when there’s so much nostalgia built in to my rereading. I read these in real time in the fall of 1992 as they came out one by one (& you had to go to the bookstore to get them). I can still see 15 year old me reading one as I babysat on a Saturday night after the kids (ages 4, 2, and 1) were in bed. I loved everything about these books including the magic and romance and friendship. This was pre-internet searching, and for years I wondered what a chalcedony rose was. Along with some sacred Christopher Pike’s, this trilogy remains on my bookshelf as a toast to teenage me. ( )

I remember adoring this book when I first read it. Regretfully, I think I donated my copy of the book somewhere, so I can't re-read it and comment on my taste as a pre-teen.

The thrilling (meh) conclusion to the Secret Circle series. Cassie's secrets are revealed, and that really goes as well as it possibly could which is ridiculous and incredible in the literal sense of the word. The evil is defeated, and I wish we had more about that and the backstory with the parents of the group of teens, but what we got was fascinating. Love the little coven of old ladies who are still alive and going skyclad. Best part of the book, IMO. ( )

Better than the previous one, though the ending seemed a little too easily resolved. The big bad Black John was a threat since the first pages, but somehow they got rid of him in the next to last page of the final book? Really? And the fact that still amazes me is that Cassie is more in love with Diana than Adam. And what was that with all that go kiss her, I know you want to business? A girl just gives up her boyfriend for no reason and wants to see how he kisses his new girl? In what world that could actually happen?! But, you know, all in all, that's an entertaining read, some of it wasn't half bad and some of it ridiculous, but it didn't really leave me opinionless, so that's a plus. ( )