Spellbound (Spellbound #1) by Cara Lynn Shultz
Publisher: Mira Ink
Published: 7th September 2012
Pages: 324
Main Characters: Emma, Brendan
Date Started: 2nd September 2012
Date Finished: 7th September 2012
Rating Given: ****
Blurb from Goodreads:
What’s a girl to do when meeting The One means she’s cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she’s irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can’t stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma’s been having the oddest dreams. Visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.
I had been after this book for a long time so when I saw that it was available for review by the lovely guys at Mira Ink I knew I had to try and get it. I am so thankful that they sent me a copy as it was really good.
With me getting a arc copy they sent me the old cover which I thought I liked until I see it and I really didn't like it so I am happy that the UK has a different version. I do like this one more than the other one but I still don't think it's my favourite ever cover. For me it doesn't tie in with the actual story.
It took me a long while to get into this book I would say it only picked up just under the halfway point but once it did get going I found it a much more thrilling read. I was expecting a lot more magic than what we got but I have a feeling that could come a lot more in the next book and this was more character/world building. I liked that once the story picked up it really made me addicted to it and I couldn't wait to find out what happened in the next chapter especially the last few chapters. I liked the ending but I felt like there was a lot of things cleared up I would have liked it even more if there was a bit more of a cliffhanger. Although if it takes me as long as it did to get the next book I won't feel like I'm missing out as much.
The main female character was called Emma and she was a very mentally strong character as we learn some horrible things happened in her past. As well as her past making me feel sorry for her there was tings that happened in the present that also had me feeling sorry for her. I liked that she stuck up for her family and herself. Brendan started of as one of those male characters that we all love, the bad boy who melts when finding love. I wasn't quite sure about the relationship between the two characters at first as he seemed a bit stand offish but then once you get further into the story I understood why he was the way he was. There was also some side characters that I loved but there was also some that I couldn't stand but I hope we get to see more from them all in the next book.
Overall, a good book that could have been a bit more faster in pace at the beginning. I am very much looking forward to finding out what is going to happen next.
