Book Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

 

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.

Spellbound is an entertaining book about two teenagers who find they're caught up in a magic spell.  Emma has to go live with her aunt in New York and thus enters a new school.  It's never easy as the new kid, especially when she immediately starts crushing on the most handsome guy there.  It seems Brendan returns the feelings, which results in a whole lot of jealous high school kids doing what high schoolers do - gossip, and cause trouble.

This was supposed to be a book about magic, but there really was very little magic in it.  The whole story is based upon a magic spell, Emma has some visions in her dreams, her friend is a witch and does a couple spells, but that's it.  It just wasn't magicky enough for me.

I did enjoy the story, though.  The tension and fighting between the students felt real and (unfortunately) reminded me of my high school days.  The characters were well-written and it was easy to connect to Emma and Brendan.

It's a good young adult story, give it a try if the subject intrigues you!

*Disclaimer:  I was given this ARC by the publisher, Harlequin Teen, through Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review.

I give this book 3 Bookworms.

Reading Level:  Young Adult
Paperback:  352 pages
Ebook:  5kb
Publisher:  Harlequin:  original edition (June 21, 2011)
ISBN-10:  0373210302
ISBN-13:  978-0373210305