Nathan is a Half Code. His mother, a White Witch, was driven to suicide by his father, the powerful and cruel Black Witch Marcus. As a Half Code, there's a chance Nathan's Black blood could be dominant. His peers despise him and the Council of White Witches assesses him, trying to determine which way his blood will go. The Council monitors and releases notifications on the Half Codes, regulating them for the good of all White Witches. Persecuted for his blood, Nathan must somehow receive three gifts on his sixteenth birthday in order to receive his Gift or he will die. 
 This book starts off in the second person, but eventually moves into the first (returning briefly to the second person midway through the story). It's an interesting choice. Second person isn't a POV that I personally find appealing. I did like the male POV. Most of the supernatural witch books I've read have been from the female POV so it was a nice change up. 
 My biggest problem with this book was pacing. It is definitely for the patient reader. By the midway point I was already finding that I was skimming. The last 25% of the book hardly held my interest and the ending was rather lackluster. But there were quite a few things I liked. Nathan is not your typical hero of prophecy and who's good or bad is questionable. This book really ends up being the story of Nathan and his father. He has a fantasy of who his father might turn out to be and he wrestles with the fantasy he has and the things that he is told. Most of the secondary characters are underdeveloped as the focus is wholly on Nathan, which I think leads to some of the pacing issues. 
 The writing is sound, but the pacing is slow. Light on the romance. Focus is on familial relationships and society (discrimination). 
 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. 
 Publication Date: March 4, 2014