Review: Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Book: Spellbound
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz

Pages: 352
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: June 21^st, 2011
Genre: Contemporary/Paranormal Romance
Rating:  ♥♥♥

“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 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. Streetlam

ps 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.

(Goodreads.com description)

The cover of Spellbound is simply beautiful, hands down one of my favorite covers of 2011 new releases. With that said it wasn’t one of my favorite reads, unfortunately. I had high hope for this Young Adult contemporary set book with its sprinkling undertones of magic and age-old curses. I didn’t dislike the book but overall I am left wanting. I think the potential here was incredible but it’s missing … something.

The story starts off with Emma; her family life is that of tragedy. Her twin brother and mother have passed away and she is stuck living with an alcoholic step-father who nearly ended her life in a terrible car accident.  Cue, awesome-wealthy aunt who lives in trendy New York City. Her aunt moves Emma to live with her in a swanky apartment, close to her only real friend, her cousin Ashley, who prepares her for her first day at one of the only co-gender high schools in NYC. Ashley is only a freshmen but Emma appreciates all the help she can give her regarding her new prep-school.  During her first day we are introduced to an array of quirky and typical students- Anthony the manwhore of Vincent Academy, his reigning on-off-again queen bitch friend, Kristen who Emma royally pisses off from the get go, Angelique (my fave character) resident witch, Cisco, very kind and gay friend who totally keeps it real (love it) and last but not least Brendan, the gorgeous I roll-out-of-bed with this hair and it works kind a perfect specimen of high school hotness.

When Emma and Brendan meet its a little Twilght­e-esque.  They both notice and immediate connection but Brendan who is as cold as ice for most of this book really sends out mixed signals that does start to wear on the reader. When he is not being a bad-boy and ignoring Emma he is most definitely swoon-worthy. Saving her when she picks a fight with the unstable Anthony, listening to Cisco’s boyfriends band play, their ease and connection really leaps off the page. The key element to their special bond is that of a necklace that Emma wears around her neck. She starts having these intense dreams that are set in different time periods and unfortunately she ends up dying at the end of them. Once she figures at the necklace is traced back to a couple with a tragic curse she seeks out her friend Angelique to help unravel the past and learn why she is so connected to Brendan and that if stays with him her life will end. Together only her and Brendan can beat the curse.

Like I said, the potential was definitely there but the story lacked in some areas. I actually give this a solid 3.5.

Review: Ruby Red, by Kerstin Gier

Book: Ruby Red
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Adventure

Rating: ♥♥♥ 1/2

Gwyneth Shepherd has grown up just like any average teen, she goes to the movies, talks about boys and doesn't have to learn French, be well versed in European History or have to deal with those nasty time travel induced-headaches... or does she?

In Kerstin, Gier's Ruby Red, book one in her Ruby Red Trilogy, we are introduced to Gwyn; a sixteen year old who as always lived in the shadow of her perfect cousin, Charlotte. In the blood of this family lies the gene that allows one to time travel. Charlotte has been trained since early childhood on the secrets of time travel; she is fluent in different languages, she knows her history and has been educated on proper etiquette. Unlike our under-prepared Gwyn who has been brushed to the side by her rather overbearing family that is all members of the Time Traveling Society that has been around for centuries. Once Gwyn starts having the ever-telling dizzy spells she is rushed back into time. Gasp! She luckily is only gone for a few moments before any real damage can be done. Once the truth finally comes out (she time travels three times before she tells her Mother), all hell breaks loose. Unbeknownst to the family, Gwyn’s mom lied on her birth certificate and was born on the special day that would mark her or Charlotte as the next time traveler in the family. The family is simply outraged. Gwyn’s aunt is a most wretched woman who thinks Gwyn’s mom has plotted to bring her own daughter glory and Charlotte shame and embarrassment. This is of course absurd. Gwyn’s mom was really trying to save her daughter the pain of what would be her life would be if she were the one to be the next in line for time travel, AKA, Ruby Red.
To get Gwyn caught up, she is rushed into the plot to outwit the supposed bad guys who have their own agenda to sabotage the ultimate mission that will reveal a long lost secret. Oh my!
Cue, handsome, smug and a bit dashing in his looks, traveling companion, Gideon. Here these two will start to unravel the mysteries of the past (which have been altered by other time travelers). They engage acts of espionage, ancient devices, magic (but of course) and for our leading lady, murder. We witness time travel back into the 17th and 18th centuries. Gwyn is lacking some polish but she tries her best to figure it out. The research was clearly done and the costumes created sound simply divine. Overall, I was entertained and look forward to Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green. It lacked some zest in the romance, there is definitely an attraction between Gideon and Gwyn but I wanted a little more oomph. Maybe in Blue Sapphire? I enjoyed the aspect of Gwyn being able to see ghost and the fact that she does indeed interact with them as though they are living, breathing people. I thought the time travel was well done and creative and that time travel isn’t for the faintest of hearts.
I give this book 3.5 ♥♥♥ 1/2.