BOOK REVIEW: SPELLCASTER by CARA LYNN SHULTZ

Title: SPELLCASTER (Spellbound#2)
Author: CARA LYNN SHULTZ
Publisher: HarlequinTEEN
Format/Pages:  Ebook
Acquired: Review copy from Publisher via Netgalley

RATING: 3.75

Goodreads Description:

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

MARISSA'S REVIEW:

Spellcaster is the second book from Cara Lynn Shultz - a sequel to Spellbound.  Spellbound could have been left as standalone - though I understand there were a couple of points that left questions brewing in readers' minds.  One of those would have been Does Emma become a true powerful witch?  This question alone gives us the basis for Spellcaster. 

We already knew that the love of Emma and Brendan was real and most definitely unavoidable!  Throughout Spellcaster though it did feel a little strained, if not forced, to read about.  The recapping of events that occurred in Spellbound was a little too frequent, though with a year and many many other books read in between - it did help jog the memory.

In Spellcaster, Emma is not just the main focus again, but also the heroine with some new skills!  Emma embarks on some serious spellcasting lessons to ensure she can take on her new enemy.  This enemy is linked to Brendan's past - a past that Emma would rather forget and wishes never happened.  Brendan understands that his previous studly actions have an impact on Emma - particularly when conquests are around every corner and one is hell bent on getting Emma's blood...literally!

Angelique is not just Emma's best friend but also her spell and witchy teacher! We get to read a couple of chapters from Angelique's perspective and this certainly does open up a whole new view of the story that centres around Emma and Brendan.  Angelique has never really had a soft spot for Brendan so viewing the loved up couple and the witchy events taking place around them all through her eyes was a nice change.

If you liked book 1 Spellbound, you are sure to be a fan of Spellcaster and further more a fan of Cara Lynn Schultz !

ENJOY!

MARISSA

BOOK REVIEW: SPELLBOUND by CARA LYNN SCHULTZ

Title:   SPELLBOUND

Author:  CARA LYNN SHULTZ

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Pages: 344

Acquired:  eBook for review from NetGalley
Due for Release:  July 2011

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 Spellbinding Stars

Description 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.

Review:

Well I definitely enjoyed reading Spellbound.  It was quite an easy read and had me wanting to finish it in one sitting.  It is mostly a romantic book - with slight paranormal tendencies thrown in.  The main background is the love and reincarnation throughout the generations.  The reference to this in Spellbound makes for a lovely read - a story within a story that captivates you on a different level.

Emma Connor has had a pretty crappy past couple of years and now finds herself in the care of an Aunt that just wants her to have a good life. This means sending Emma to an elite close knit school with only her younger cousin as a friend.  This quickly changes and Emma finds herself, typically, at the hands of the school Don Juan, mercilessly hunted by the rich nasty girl, grabs herself a new guy BFF, befriends the local Witch outcast and falls head over heals for the richest and hottest guy in school - further aggravating the rich nasty girl!!!! 

Kristen is the nasty rich girl - and she's certainly a piece of work. Anthony (Don Juan) is just downright committable (?) - oh boy does Emma have her work cut out for her with this one. He's lust for vengeance is great and we see some very action packed revenge, particularly at the end of the book.

Cisco makes a great BFF - though towards the end he kind of just disappears from the storyline as it focuses on Brendan and Emma.  Hhhmmmm Brendan.....ultra hotty rich kid with a broody persona!! Yep, that makes him the leading man and the object of Emma's affection.   When we first meet Brendan his character is stereotypical of the broody male lead.....but then when the connection with Emma deepens....he seems to turn a little too lovey dovey for me!!!  Don't get me wrong....all the affection would be great....he just didn't come across as that sort of character to begin with and I found it to be a little too much.

We are left with musings from the resident Witch outcast Angelique. Which were either leading to a new book or just rumblings of a witch not getting her own way!!! Couldn't quite decide on that.

Overall.....I enjoyed Spellbound.  It had a lot of passion (though not the tawdry or beyond YA variety!), definitely some action and ass kicking.  Switch off, jump on the couch and give this a read. It's not a brain strainer and can definitely chill you out on a Sunday arvo - that's what I did.

I very rarely do the "Quotes" thing in my reviews (Michelle is skilled at that!!)......but I read this, cracked up and I just HAD to share it........

She just shook her head and pulled out a small bottle of some random pop star's signature perfume, spritzing me with the sickly-sweet smell.

"Oh, come on, Ash, that smells like a unicorn fart," I cried, recoiling at the overpowering, candylike smell.

ENJOY!

MARISSA