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.

The Time Will Come (Week 1)

The Time Will Come is a book meme hosted at Books for Company, where I will list a book that I've been meaning to read but somehow haven't yet.

The rules:

- Pick a book you have been meaning to read

- Do a post telling us about the book

- Link the post up in the linky

- Visit the other blogs!

This particular list is quite a long one but the tops two are:

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. I've heard nothing but great things about this book and its been sitting on my book shelf for a couple months now. I love me some contemporary YA with a dash of historical fiction and to top it off time-travel. Which after reading Waterfall and Cascade by L. Bergren I am ready for a little more said time-travel.

The second book is Heather Dixon's Entwined. I actually started this almost a month ago and I haven't finished it. Sigh. I don't think I've been in the mood, but its so beautifully written I do plan on finishing it... sometime soon-ish.

Waiting On...Wednesday Week 2

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by, Breaking the Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we are breathlessly anticipating… Visit Breaking The Spine to see more entries and to share your own.:)


I am really looking forward to:


Book: Vanish: A Firelight Novel
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publish Date: September, 6th 2011
Genre: Young Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Adventure


I love dragon books and I especially enjoyed Firelight and I cannot express my excitement at this upcoming release. And, goodness how gorgeous is this cover?

Product Description

An Impossible Romance.
Bitter Rivalries.
Deadly Choices.
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever. 

Book: Iron Knight (Iron Fey Book 3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: October 25th, 2011

Genre: Young Adult/ Paranormal Romance/ Adventure / Fantasy

I am such a fan of Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Series. I think that this is probably one of my favorite Faerie series out there (If not my favorite). I am so heartbroken over the ending of Iron Queen, but I am sure we will all celebrate a happy ending when Ash finds his soul so he can be with his love, Meghan... at least he better. Can't wait to see what mischief Puck gets Ash and Grim get into on their journey. And again, like the covers before, simply beautiful.

Product Description:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his arch rival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice

Hunger Games: Official Movie Poster!

How badass is that?

PRETTY BADASS :)

Check out Yahoos excerpt on the movie which will be releasing on March 23, 2012!

Review: Divergent, Veronica Roth

Book: Divergent (Divergent Trilogy)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Adventure

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

I don’t think I have any complaints about this book, except, that I have to wait until sometime next year for the second book in this epic trilogy to be released, Insurgent, hurry up already. Veronica Roth created and most engaging and terrifying dystopian world where people are now broken up into five different factions: Abnegation who put others before their own needs and where Beatrice is from, the Dauntless who are extremely brave, and fearless, Erudite who are studious, the Amity who are peaceful, and last but certainly not least are Candor who are honest.

At the age bright young age of 16 each child has the opportunity to choose their forever faction. You can either stay where you were raised with your family or you can choose to attempt and assimilate into another one of the four factions. To help prepare you for this very important decision, each person is administered a test of sorts to see where you most likely fit in. Cue book where things get interesting. Beatrice doesn’t test into one of the five factions, oh no, she shows that she has three of these traits. She attempts to get answers as to why this is bad but she isn’t given really any information except don’t tell anyone.

From here on out Beatrice or really, Tris, shows nothing but her determination to make a mark on the world. She makes the one decision that will turn her world upside down.  

***Spoilers***

Once Beaetrice decides to choose Dauntless she ditches her name for Tris. Here she will no longer be the meek silent girl with no voice. She raises up to the challenges that are laid out before her. Divergent, was nothing short of brilliant. I was literally on the edge of my seat with anticipation of the next insane thing our girl was going to go up against. All I am going to say, butter knife in the eye. Damn. I recommend this book to any one into major action, adventure, romance and kick ass heroines.

I think this is one of the best books I've read thus far in 2011!

♥♥♥♥♥

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.

What's in my MAILBOX week 3/4 Vlog (IMM)

In My Mailbox is a great meme from The Story Siren.  If you'd like to take part, visit The Story Siren's IMM page for further details.

WWW Wednesday (week one)

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Should be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading the most charming and cheery book, Gail Carriger's fourth installment of her ever-witty series of vampire, werewolves and teapots, Parasol Protectorate; Heartless. Thus far this is my favorite one. I really am enjoying Alexia being so hugely pregnant. I believe at one point, dear Biffy, may have even compared her size to that of a dirigible. Oh my word! I only have but a few chapters remaining and then I will anxiously awaiting her fifth installment, Timeless, which is due out in March of 2012.

I recently finished Cascade by Lisa T Bergren. This is the second book in her River of Time trilogy

Torrent, her final book is due out September 1^st, 2011. The first book was solid. Cascade had

even more battles and adventure and I believe Torrent will be even better!

I have a few new goodies to choose from, I’ll either read: Wither by Lauren DeStefano or the Girl in the

Steel Corset by Kandy Cross. Both sound promising, but who knows, I may pick something entirely

different.