Book Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
Cara Lynn Shultz- SpellboundFormat- ebook (Kindle)Source- Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for reviewSynopsis: (From Goodreads) Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, 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. Review: This is a young adult supernatural romance novel. Sixteen year old Emma Connor moves in with her Aunt in New York after a run of bad luck with her brother and mother dying and leaving her with an abusive step-father. With hopes of making a new start she tries to keep on the down low except snotty Kristin and aggressive basketball player Anthony at her new high school has it out for her and tries to make her life miserable. She is befriended by school witch, Angelique who takes a special interest in Emma and her unique pendant that she wears around her neck. When she meets Brendan Salinger- the hottest guy in the school- she feels an unbelievable connection with him immediately. The only problem is that an ancient curse wants to keep Emma and Brendan apart so they recruit the help of Angelique to try and overcome it.This was essentially a romance story and the supernatural element was merely a subtle undertone- sometimes I forgot that there was a curse altogether. The romance that develops with Emma and Brendan is sweet if not done a million times before- the popular hunky guy and the average girl with low self-confidence and somehow they fall in love. I did enjoy the character development in this story though. I did think it was a little unbelievable how Anthony tries to take revenge on Emma, I was thinking the curse would lead to some kind of supernatural event but instead the end of story action revolves around a violent boy trying to attack Emma.Overall it was a cute supernatural story which didn’t wow me but would probably be enjoyed by the young adult audience.
3/5 rating
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