A Discovery of Witches begins by introducing the reader to Diana Bishop, the last in a long line of witches. Diana, however, has never wanted to be a witch. All she wants is to conduct historical research in Oxford's Bodleian Library, on the topic of alchemy. Unfortunately for Diana, her entire life changes when she calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript. She begins attracting unwanted attention from other witches, daemons, and vampires. It seems everyone wants the manuscript and only Diana has the power to find it. She soon finds herself in danger from all sides, and must trust Matthew Clairmont, a vampire to keep her safe. Before long, she and Matthew begin a forbidden romance, forbidden because of a covenant created centuries ago that states that different creatures will not mix.
I enjoyed this book very much. There were parts of it that seemed to drag for me, and for awhile, I felt like it was a Twilight knock-off. However, the book soon picked up and more than redeemed itself with many original twists. There are similarities, which will attract Twilight and other vampire romance fans, but the vampire-witch romance, as well as the different plot strands, make it an interesting read. This book is actually listed as an adult novel, but many YA readers will enjoy it.
