Spellbound

By Cara Lynn Shultz

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 her new posh Upper East Side prep school? 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, who is also the richest kid in school.

Even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps shatter whenever she walks by, 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

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9781742901336

Cara Lynn Shultz

Cara Lynn Shultz is the author of Spellbound and Spellcaster. She's a proud graduate of Fordham University and her work has appeared in Teen People, Alternative Press,The Guardian UK, and countless posts on Facebook (Facebook.com/CaraLShultz) and Twitter (@CaraLynnShultz). She lives in her native New York City with her husband, cat, and eight million other people. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

It’s always embarrassing to have someone take you to school. Your dad, your mom, anyone with her hair in rollers.

But for my first day as a junior at my new school—a ridiculously expensive private school on New York’s Upper East Side—I was being walked to school by my baby cousin. A freshman.

It really wasn’t that terrible. Even though we grew up apart, Ashley and I were email buddies. She was a sweetheart, there was no doubt of that, but if my knowledge of the inner workings of my familiar old New Jersey public school, Keansburg High, meant anything, I knew that juniors did not hang out with the lower classes. It was like hanging out with a bunch of vegetarians and wearing a bacon necklace.

Talk about unwelcome.

But it was important to my aunt Christine that I got to school early and she was afraid I’d get lost. My great-aunt had taken me in over the summer, and I’d learned quickly that when she got an idea into her head, you were better off just going along with it. I didn’t want to argue with her—I owed her everything. My life, really. She’d been asking me to live with her ever since my mom died a year and a half ago, leaving me with Henry, my stepfather whose blood-alcohol content hovered somewhere between wasted and how is he even alive? But after he nearly killed me last June with his particular style of driving (i.e., blasted), I stopped resisting Christine’s offer.

Going from my aunt’s place at Park and Sixty-eighth Street to the school at Park and Eighty-sixth Street is fairly basic: walk eighteen blocks left. But since she had been pretty cool about everything—stepping in, giving me a place to stay and leaving me with a You’ll talk to me if you need to instead of hovering over me—I didn’t press it.

Ashley was a bundle of excitement as soon as she stepped inside the door of Christine’s three-bedroom co-op, her pink cheeks flushed, red curls pushed back by a black-ribbon headband. She’s several inches shorter than me—I wouldn’t put her past five feet. And that’s giving a generous allowance to her curls.

Hi Emma! Yay, first day! Are you excited? Do you like your uniform? I smiled back. Her joy was infectious. You couldn’t help but like Ashley—the girl never said a mean thing in all of her fourteen years. Then a black thought crept its way in: What if no one did like Ashley, and that was why she was so happy to have an ally? What kind of evil place was Vincent Academy, where someone could dislike a sweet little munchkin like Ashley? Calm down, Emma, you’re going to give yourself a panic attack.

My smile got weaker, and I smoothed out my long-sleeved white Oxford shirt and black, blue and green Scotch plaid skirt that mirrored her outfit.

You tell me, how do I look? I asked her.

You look fine, she chirped. But why the long sleeves? It’s soooo hot out. It’s going to be like, seventy billion degrees today! Don’t you have any short slee—

Ashley looked at the ground and blushed, her red cheeks now matching her flame-colored hair.

Sorry, I forgot about the scar.

The blazing scar from the car accident had made wearing short sleeves an impossibility. Thanks, Henry. You’re a champ.

It’s okay. I’m okay, I reassured her. "Don’t worry about it. Really! "I added when I saw the expression in her eyes.

She had always looked up to me, even though she lived in the city and I lived in the country, so to speak. Being two years older had its advantages.

And now the city mouse was taking the country mouse under its paw.

After Aunt Christine had slipped me a twenty-dollar bill for emergencies and sent us on our way, I drew in Ashley conspiratorially and asked, "So what’s the real deal on this school? I know the basic stuff, like how practically everyone goes Ivy League after graduation. But what’s this place really like?"

How I hoped, prayed, that it was like all those shows about rich, fashion-obsessed, drama-crazy New York teens who dressed like they were twenty-five. All the easier to stay in the background. I just wanted to get through the next two years and disappear to college. Preferably somewhere far away. Maybe Siberia.

They like to say it’s exclusive but that’s just a nice word for it being expensive. Ashley giggled, toying with her oversize hoop earring. It’s the most expensive coed school in the city. There’s a few girls-only or boys-only schools that cost more. So we’re like our own little, I don’t know, island, in the middle of it all. Everyone at Vince A more or less stays together.

Oh. I tried to not sound disappointed.

In my head, I began rehearsing what I would say about the reason behind my move. Ashley didn’t understand why I didn’t just say I moved from Keansburg, but then I told her how my high school paper insisted on doing a story on the dangers of drinking and driving, pegged to the incident with Henry. The editor was hoping to use her hard-hitting story as her one-way ticket into the journalism program at Columbia. I figured it doubled as her ticket to Hell. Those who hadn’t heard about Henry through the gossip mill read about it, front and center in the Keansburg Mirror.

Google me. Google Keansburg. Guess what your first hit is?

Alcohol Turns Home Life Tragic and Ride Home Dangerous for Sophomore Emma Connor.

So moving from Philly was the story.

Ashley gave me a cursory rundown of the school and some of the things I’d come to expect from high school. The principal wore horrible suits. The uniforms were itchy in warmer weather. The cafeteria food was comically terrible, but you were allowed out at lunchtime once you were a junior.

We crossed Eighty-fifth Street, racing against the yellow light and slowing our walk as we headed to the entrance.

Here we are! Ashley announced, throwing her arms open with a flourish.

I regarded the gray building in front of me. It was an old mansion that had been converted into a high school, and it sure looked the part, with cool stone walls and windows hugged by lavishly scrolled molding. Vincent Academy wasn’t too tall—just five floors, no taller than the stately, old-fashioned brick-and-marble buildings on either side—but to me, it seemed massive and imposing, like it was some bully crushing his way through a crowd of old ladies.

I was suddenly very, very nervous. Maybe the devil I knew was better than the devil I didn’t know? Should I have stayed in Keansburg?

We were early—frozen in an ornate entrance hall where, off to the right, was the office I was supposed to check into as a new student. There were a few kids around—students who looked like they were posing for the Vincent Academy brochure. Girls strewn about here and there, draped over high-backed chairs while they studied from thick textbooks. There were a few boys too, in dark pants, white shirts and mostly undone ties, lounging on a wooden staircase with a scrolled banister, or carrying a basketball and pushing open the double doors in the rear to what looked like a fairly large quad.

Vincent Academy was one of the only coed private schools in Manhattan, a fact, as I looked around, I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be happy about or terrified of. As I looked more closely at the girls, I saw that they matched their pristine uniforms with heels and expensive-looking boots. I looked down at my black tights and scuffed Mary Janes through my overgrown bangs—which were cursed with a cowlick—and grimaced. Big diamonds glittered in the ears of a long-haired, fake-tanned blonde, who was scrutinizing a calculus textbook and managing to look glamorous while doing so. In my ears? A row of three tiny imitation-silver hoops that I got at Hot Topic. On sale.

I decided to be happy. I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend, since they tend to do pesky things like asking about your life and all that. I just wanted to be anonymous. And if this chick was any indication of what my classmates looked like, I was zero competition for any of these girls, who probably spent their morning putting on makeup and arriving at school in chauffeur-driven cars.

Ashley walked with me through the palatial hall to the office, her eyes eager to see a little bit of the hero she used to worship when we were kids. I smiled weakly and made a lame slit across my throat with my index finger. She laughed and I headed inside.

You must be Miss Connor. The woman sitting behind the tall wood counter regarded me with iron-gray eyes. They matched her gray hair, pulled into a tight, no-nonsense bun at the nape of her neck. She was even wearing a gray cardigan. I glanced at the nameplate on her desk.

No. Way. Ms. Gray? I blinked and looked again. Mrs. Gary. Close enough! I bet she was wearing gray granny panties, too.

Yes, um, yes, I stammered. I’m Emma Connor. How did she know who I was? How did—did you know that?

She smiled, and a very faint hint of warmth crept into those steely eyes.

You’re the only student I don’t know, and there’s only one new student due today. She smiled. Let me get your schedule for you.

I groaned internally. I had forgotten how small Vincent Academy was. Keansburg High had 650 students. How could I hide in a school that barely had 200?

Here you are, dear, the gray lady said, handing me my schedule. Your first class today is on the third floor.

But my locker, well, my locker was in the basement, in a row of old lockers so out of the way, they were always the last to be assigned, falling to latecomers like me and unlucky freshmen.

Stay there and smile, the gray lady instructed as I stood in the same spot, scrutinizing my schedule. Miss Connor, she snapped, her voice sharp.

Huh? I looked up, and she was standing behind some large beige contraption. Suddenly there was a flash. It surprised me—it was too bright, and I saw spots everywhere.

You can pick up your ID after lunch. In the meantime, please fill these out. Oh, great, that’s going to be an awesome picture. So sexy.

The gray lady handed me several small yellow forms, telling me to give them to each teacher as I walked into the room. I realized there was no way I was going to avoid the awkward Hey, kids, we have a new student here nightmare.

Please, oh, please, don’t make me have to introduce myself. Don’t make me tell them something about myself.

Hi, I’m Emma. I’m basically an orphan and my life sounds like a Lifetime Original Movie. My dad left when I was six. My twin brother died when I was fourteen. My mom got sick soon after that, and died when I was fifteen. I lose everyone I love. And this past June, my stepfather wrapped a car around a telephone pole with us in it. So now, I live with my aunt, I have no friends except for my cousin anymore, thanks to my jerk stepfather, and I still keep a journal with all my hopes and fears in it. Also, my favorite color is purple and I think baby animals are cute.

I finished signing my forms and returned to my cousin, who snatched the schedule from my hands, scrutinizing my teachers.

Your Monday through Wednesday schedule is almost the same. You have Mr. D for chemistry. He has people call him Mr. D because his name is so long. That’s good. He’s supposed to be fair, she mused. Ugh, Mrs. Dell. She suuucks, Ashley said, drawing it out dramatically. Sorry about that. But hey, we’ll be in the same class!

I looked to see which subject she was talking about. Latin. Wait, Latin?

I realized I had been put in freshman Latin.

I never really paid much attention to which classes I’d actually be taking. Christine was on the board at Vincent Academy and pulled some strings to allow me to take the placement exams late—which was why I was starting three weeks after the school year had already begun. I forgot that the Vincent Academy required students to take two years of Latin. All I knew about Latin was E Pluribus Unum.

I looked down at Ashley and tried to be optimistic about it. Well, at least I have a friend in class!

She smiled her billion-dollar smile and showed me to my locker, in a narrow hallway next to the chemistry lab and boiler room. I felt like some goblin, tucked away in the basement dungeon. I would not have been surprised if Freddy Krueger stored his books next to me.

"Okay, now I have to go to my locker. She smiled again, giving me an apologetic look. It’s on the second floor. I won’t see you until Latin, which is the last class."

After lunch, I replied woodenly. Oh, crap! I moaned.

What? Ashley looked alarmed.

I realized I couldn’t tell her that I didn’t want to go to lunch alone—and here, each grade took a separate lunch period because the cafeteria was kind of small.

Nothing, I said, throwing on my brightest fake smile. I thought I forgot to bring something.

Oh. Okay, well, I’ll see you in Latin. You’ll hate it, she promised, then added, but Mrs. Dell has a moustache so it’s kind of funny to watch it move as she says anything that ends in ‘-ibus.’ It truly … flutters in the breeze, she added dramatically.

I giggled, and gave her a hug.

Thank you, I said into her mess of curls, and gave her a bigger squeeze so she knew how much I really did appreciate it.

She bounced back to the stairwell and turned back to face me, looking older than the fourteen years I knew her to be.

You’ll be fine. Ashley looked at me solemnly with her giant blue eyes before skipping up the stairs, her overstuffed backpack bouncing up and down on her hip.

I eyed the emergency fire exit door and considered making a break for it.

Don’t be stupid, Emma, I whispered to myself. Just two more years of high school. It can’t be worse than living with Henry.

I shoved my notebooks into my locker and slammed the metal door defiantly.

Here we go.

Getting to school a little early was a good plan. My first class was still empty, so I was able to discreetly slip the form the gray lady gave me to my first teacher, Mrs. Urbealis, who greeted me warmly and said, Sit anywhere.

She looked sharp and clever. I figured I could ask.

"Anywhere? Come on, where should I really sit?" Back in Keansburg, I always had the third seat in the second row. In every single class. Enough of a breeze if the window was open, and if it was cold out, the first row got the brunt of the chill. Great seat. Sonny, the funniest guy in class, always sat in the front … Cyndi, our class president sat behind him. I stared at the desks, knowing that they had been unofficially assigned since the first week of freshman year.

Mrs. Urbealis broke into a knowing smile.

Okay, Emma. I would say, take that seat. She gestured to the last seat in the seventh row. The last seat in the classroom. If this were a chessboard, I’d just be a rook. Appropriate, since I felt like a rookie.

I smiled gratefully and sat down, pulling out my notebook and absentmindedly doodling on the green cover. I usually drew circles or loops … nothing meaningful. I got lost in my doodles, and started daydreaming. Maybe New York wouldn’t be so bad. This is the city that people spend their entire lives trying to get to, right? There were enough distractions … it wouldn’t be like home, where I knew everyone and was still so utterly alone.

I looked down at my green notebook cover and realized I’d just drawn a bunch of eyes. I shuddered at the ominous artwork and flipped the cover open, checking out the other students who had started to file in. They were all a little … glossy. I had wondered where everyone was right before the bell rang, then realized that all the girls must have been polishing their looks in the bathroom. Lips perfectly shiny. Hair brushed and freshly flat-ironed, or arranged in carefully messy curls. I self-consciously reached up to my cowlick, making sure it was behaving and staying in place, relieved to find it in line with the rest of my hair.

Good little soldier, I thought, patting my hair.

The bell rang, and Mrs. Urbealis called the class to attention.

Okay guys, you know where we left off. Let’s continue with Tammany Hall and the political machine. Please open your books to page 106.

I ran my hand over my history textbook, then turned the cover back. A large snap rang through the mostly quiet room as I broke the spine on my brand-new book. I could feel the eyes of every student in that room staring at me through my wall of hair, which was doing nothing to protect me.

Class, we do have a new student. Miss Emma Connor. She paused.

Please, oh, please, do not make me come up there and tell you a little something about myself.

Let’s make her feel welcome, shall we? Show her the Vincent Academy way?

She gave me a warm smile and I felt better, hoping, deep down, that the Vincent Academy way would be a good thing.

It turned out that my next class, math, was in the same room, so I just sat in the same desk, as did the girl in front of me. She turned around with a big smile.

Hi, I’m Jenn, she said with a big smile. Jenn Hynes. How’s your first day? She seemed friendly enough, the kind of girl I would have hung out with back in Keansburg. All those friends ditched me because they either were afraid of Henry, or were afraid of how it looked to be friends with me, the poster child for tragedy. I stopped getting invited anywhere, since I wasn’t considered fun at parties anymore. When I did bother to show up, I turned into the designated-driving police and was deemed a total buzzkill.

Oh, it’s okay so far. I tried to match her bright smile. So far so good.

Where are you from?

Philadelphia. I readied myself to churn out the performance of a lifetime. My parents—well, my mom, actually— Why not make it my mom who got the job? Yay, female empowerment! —got a job transfer. They needed her in Tokyo, and I didn’t want to go, so I moved to live with my aunt Christine.

Jenn seemed to believe my story, so I continued prattling on.

Yeah, my family decided to move, but I don’t speak Japanese, and sure, they have schools that are English-speaking, but I—I didn’t really want to go…. I trailed off and realized that she was staring at my necklace.

Hey, what’s that? she asked, pointing at the silver charm, which hung on a box-link silver necklace. Round and slightly tarnished, the charm was etched with a medieval-looking crest. It was a little larger than a quarter—a statement piece, my aunt had called it once—but I loved it. My hands instinctively went up to the necklace.

Oh, it’s a charm my brother, Ethan, gave me years ago, I said, toying with the disc. He said he thought it would bring me good luck. I just think it looks cool.

It is cool, Jenn agreed. Different. She brushed her pin-straight honey-brown hair back, and I noticed the Tiffany necklace glistening at her throat. Of course.

I took that as a cue to compliment her jewelry, which went over really well. Jenn seemed to decide I was acceptable enough, and asked if I wanted to sit with her friends at lunch.

The teacher, Mr. Agneta, called the class to attention, and called on me—a lot. I wasn’t sure where all my aunt’s tuition money was going, but it sure wasn’t into the math program. A lot of this stuff just felt like I had covered it sophomore year. I got every answer right, and felt a little satisfied with myself. Maybe today wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Jenn and I had the next class together—but she disappeared somewhere before I could find out where I was going. I flattened myself against a wall to avoid the crowd of students in the narrow hallway, scrutinizing my schedule and trying to figure out where to go.

Hey, newbie, need help? a deep voice to my left asked. I looked up … and up some more … into the blue eyes of an extremely tall blond guy.

Um, yeah, thanks, I mumbled. Do you know where room 201 is?

I’m headed there myself. I’ll walk you. He smoothed out his red tie. Anything for a beautiful damsel in distress.

Uh, thanks? I tried to keep the confusion out of my voice and failed miserably. Who talks like that? I fell in step beside him as we walked to the staircase.

I’m Emma, by the way.

"It’s very nice to meet you, Emma," he purred, a sly smile on his face. Blondo was attractive in that soap-opera way—tall, blond, definitely built—but something about the way he smiled reminded me of those National Geographic documentaries about animals in the African wild. He looked like a lion about to pounce. I felt very caribou-esque all of a sudden.

And you are …? I asked as we shuffled down the steps. It almost strained my neck to look up at him.

Don’t you know who I am? Blondy McBlonderson snapped, the smile replaced with a smug smirk.

Should I? I asked blankly.

I guess you’re not from around here, he purred, putting his palm on the small of my back. I quickened my step and he dropped his hand.

No, I’m from Philadelphia, I mumbled.

That explains it. Because if you were from New York, you would make it your business to know who I am. And I would definitely have remembered you.

The slick smile was back on his face as James Blond spoke directly to my shirt’s third button. Great. My first day and I attract the attention of the biggest manwhore I’ve ever met. I started thanking whatever lucky stars I had that we had reached the English classroom.

Uh yeah, well, thanks for showing me to class, I muttered, eager to get away from him. This guy had more lines than loose-leaf.

Oh, it was all my pleasure, Legally Bland said, leering at me. I’d always heard the phrase mentally undressing someone with your eyes but never had I actually seen it in action. This dude’s eyes could perform a freakin’ CAT scan, they were so thorough.

I spied Jenn and was thankful to see she had saved me a seat next to her, in the last row of the class. I practically ran over to her, and she introduced me to her friends Kristin Thorn, whom I’d recognized as the highlighted, tanned blonde I’d seen earlier, and Francisco Fernandez, a guy with a friendly smile whom I liked immediately.

Kristin looked me up and down as if I were dressed in a chicken suit, and not in the same exact outfit she was wearing.

So, like, you’re the new girl. It was an accusation, not a question. She tossed her long hair and glared at me.

Yes, hi, I’m Emma. I flashed an awkward smile.

So, like, why did you decide to leave … where is it you’re from? She sniffed, tossing her hair again and glaring at me like I had monkeys crawling out of my nostrils. I reached up and smoothed my cowlick, wondering if it was sticking out and flipping her off, based on the look on her face.

Philadelphia, Jenn broke in, giving Kristin a wary look.

So, like, did your family, like, throw you out? she sneered, punctuating it with another toss of her white-streaked hair and crossing her red-soled shoes. Of course she wore Christian Louboutin heels. My cheeks got hot.

So, like, do you have some kind of OCD that makes you toss your hair all the time? I mimicked her, meeting her ice-blue glare. Are you going to start counting things, and knocking on wood, too? I’m just concerned for you. I tried to make my voice sound sweet and convincing, like I really did have genuine worry over this glossy princess who had, for some reason, deemed me the enemy. But after my skeezy encounter with Blondo, my patience was wearing thin—and my sarcasm was evident.

I heard a snicker from the black-haired guy who’d just sat down in front of me, and I knew that our conversation had been overheard.

Great. So much for staying anonymous. Is it too late to transfer again?

"No, I’m fine. Don’t you even try to think about me." She bared a row of perfectly straight, bleached-white teeth that stood out in her fake-tanned face. White and orange, orange and white. This girl looked like a Creamsicle.

Kristin continued her nasty tirade. "I just think your arrival is … off. Why would you transfer out in the middle of September? Why not wait until the end of the semester? You don’t make sense. Why are you here now?"

"Well, you see, my mom got a new job. In Tokyo. So I decided to stay in the States with my aunt Christine. Christine Considine." I emphasized my aunt’s last name—she had some serious pull at that school and if Blondo can pull the Don’t you know why I am? move, why couldn’t I?

A slight look of surprise replaced her scowl, but she kept up with her inquisition.

So where are you actually from, though? she asked me, Emma the cockroach.

Philadelphia. Did she not hear Jenn say it?

Hmm. She pursed her shiny lips. My brother is at boarding school outside of Philadelphia. What school was it?

Oh, it wasn’t a boarding school … you wouldn’t know it. I stalled. Crap. Crappity crap crap! Why hadn’t I decided to pick a fake alma mater? Knowing my luck, it would be her brother’s high school. She would own the high school. It would have a wing named after her family. The Creamsicle Wing.

Well, come on, Emma. The way she said my name was as if she was spitting out sour milk. Was it Delbarton? Pingry? Which one?

My mind raced, flipping through everything I knew of Philadelphia. What was there? The Liberty Bell? The Phillies? Cream cheese? Oh, yeah, Cream Cheese High School. Brilliant, Emma.

Something from

Reviews for Spellbound

[roses7184_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Going in to Spellbound I truly had no idea what I was in store for. I rather like going into a book with little to no knowledge about what's inside. I feel like it makes the book that much more of an experience. So, when I opened up to the first page I had no expectations other than to read a good story.

As a character, Emma is a sweetheart. Really and truly. She wants to blend into the background, but her bubbly personality just won't let her. As a result she attracts a lot of attention, both good and bad. Emma is spunky, outspoken, and just a lovable character. The fact that she isn't afraid to stand up for herself made me dance around the room. A female character who isn't a shrinking violet? Yes please! Add in her friendship with her younger cousin, and you have a character that I really fell in love with.

Sadly, that's where the love affair ended for me. Emma's interactions with the characters around her were fun, but those characters were kind of one-dimensional to me. Even Brendan, who she is inexplicably drawn to, didn't really come to life. In fact I sometimes found myself annoyed with him. I won't spoil, but the way he reacts to their attraction rather bothered me. I just felt like their story was so contrived. Girl meets boy, is inexplicably drawn to boy, unforseen circumstances keep them apart, cue ending that I won't spoil. That's it.

To be honest, I think I was just expecting a little bit more from these characters, and so Spellbound was a "just so" book for me. I liked it, but I didn't fall in love with it. Like all books that fall into this category for me, it just didn't have that spark that will keep me coming back. I'm fully willing to admit I might be a bit jaded due to all the books in this genre I've read lately. I can see a lot of people falling in love with Emma and Brendan's story.

Recommended to those looking for a sweet read, with a paranormal twist.

[karen813 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*Review contains a few spoilery elements, read at your own risk*Emma Connor comes to New York City to live with her aunt after the death of her mother and her twin brother. She leaves behind an abusive stepfather and has certainly had more than her share of bad luck. It would seem that her bad luck is continuing in her new life when she attracts the attention (not in a good way) of the cocky jock and the queen of the mean girls at her new school. Fortunately for Emma she also captures the attention of Brendan Salinger, the school bad boy, but is Brendan really so bad? Emma is determined to find out which leads her down a path that she never could have predicted.Although there were a few things about Spellbound that bothered me overall I really enjoyed the book. I liked the way Emma and Brendan's relationship developed although Brendan's aloofness at the beginning was a little annoying. Once he came around I thought his character really improved. I appreciated that the author made Emma and Brendan a team trying to overcome their "curse" and didn't make one of them into a martyr, determined to save the other. It was nice to see a couple find each other and stay together throughout the book. I also liked the idea of the curse which had followed them from generation to generation, the fairy tale itself was a great story and I would love to read more of them in the future. I'm hoping we will see more from this author and explore more of the stories that Angelique referred to in the postscript to the book. The main thing that bothered me about the book were the extreme reactions of the "bad" characters in the book, Kristen and Anthony. I recognize the need for conflict and threat in the book but I thought their actions were a bit over the top and became unbelievable by the end. I would also have loved to see a little more development of the secondary characters in the novel, they were a little one dimensional for me. All in all I really liked Spellbound and I would love to read more from this author in the future. (I received a copy of Spellbound from the publisher via NetGalley.)

[wilowraven · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My thoughts:While at times I felt that the story was a little drawn out, overall I enjoyed Spellbound. Suspenseful and engaging with a cast of characters I found easy to like, I didn't love every aspect of the story but it was a enjoyable read. Emma is s strong character that stand up for herself and the people she cares about. She's a very real character. She's scared and self conscience but she also knows what she wants and isn't afraid to fight for it. Her swooning over Brendan was a little over the top at times but her feelings for him did seem genuine. The background mystery of Spellbound was a little far fetched. Soul mates and ancient curses and natural born witches. At times it was a little hokey but again, overall it kind of worked for the story. A few 'what were you thinking' moments, a few unrealistic social settings and a lot really sweet moments. Emma and her family, Emma and Brendan - there were more then a few sappy scenes but I really liked them all! Final verdict:A paranormal tale with heart. Nothing too over dramatic and very enjoyable to read, Spellbound has a few very important things going for it. Realistic characters that I felt connected to coupled with a storyline I couldn't help but be drawn into. AND as a bonus, NO love triangles! I really feel like Spellbound would be perfect as a standalone. Meaning, I'm not sure I'll read book 2. While I like this world, I wasn't completely draw into it. We'll see though!

[pnh002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, just like I knew I would. Although the book blurb made it sound like Fallen without the angels something that had been done before, I still wanted to chance it and see what all the hype was about from the other reviewers. So I recieved my copy and began reading it as soon as I could. It was one book I could not put down. There were many things I liked about the book. One of the big things I loved was Emma's sense of humor and sarcastic nature. It reminded me of myself. I also loved the love story. Their love is so real and magical (no pun intended) and Schultz defintely made Brendan swoon-worthy. This brings me to another point. Although romance played a huge role in this book, Schultz does not over do it and they are not instantly in love. There is a kind of "run around" in the initial stages of the relationship and I appreciated that. I love a good fight for the one you truly love. As for things I didn't like, there wasn't many, just one small thing.... With me being an English minor, I caught a few editing mistakes, but I'll just say that was due to it being an ebook ARC.

[bookspot · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?Emma Conner has to move to New York City and start over at a new school after some particularly troubling events happen in her life. Worse yet, she's doing it alone. Moving in with her aunt, Emma is starting over at the fancy Prep school her cousin Ashley, two years younger and a freshman, attends.Desperate for a true fresh start, Emma decides not to tell everyone the true story behind her move to New York (involving her father's leaving when she was young, her mother and brother's deaths, and her unfortunate step-father). But things don't quite go all that easily for Emma anyway.The head mean girl in the school immediately has Emma on her radar. And there's more than a bit of trouble possible from Anthony, the guy who says he's dated (or done otherwise) with nearly every girl and now wants Emma . . .But there's also Jenn, the girl who's sometimes nice to her, Angelique the witch (literally) in her class, Cisco who might be a good friend, and Brendan . . . yes, Brendan. The boy who draws her attention every time he walks in to a room. If only Emma could focus on figuring out Brendan instead of why the popular crowd has it in for her or why streetlights seem to love exploding over her head or why she hears her dead brother's voice warning her in her dreams.Spellbound is a supernatural book where you can't reveal a ton of what it's about without being too spoiler-y, it is a lot different from other paranormal books I have read (YA and adult both). A lot of the story does hinge on the romance, though - it's a big part of the story, after all. For what ever reason, I never felt any connection(/spark/anything extra special) between Emma and Brendan. That seemed to prevent me from really getting into and enjoying Spellbound. I liked the premise of the book, but since the romance was carrying said premise, it didn't really work that well for me.I did really like the relationship between Emma and her cousin, Ashley. Emma had a lot going on - either being the new girl and negotiating that or different things later or - but she always seemed to really care about and love her cousin and watch out for her. It was nice to see a female lead in a novel (especially a YA one) not forget about her friends (even if this one was family) once a guy came along.The secondary characters were all unique and individual. Each of them added something to the story and I liked that while they did help the main characters' story along, they also were interesting in their own right.Overall, this one didn't really work for me, but that's because I didn't feel the connection between the two main (romantic) lead characters - the other parts of the story I did like.(thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley)

[highflyer_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book really reminds me of another book I've read. It was Amber Frost by Suzi Davis. This book pretty much has the same concept: two star crossed lovers that have had some sort of curse placed upon them that separates them. When those two lovers meet, something gigantic could happen. In this case it means that Emma, if her and her boyfriend become too close, she could die. This story revolves around a locket while Davis' story revolves around some ancient tattoo like symbols that are on her boyfriend's back. The concepts are a bit different but still quite simliar. With that being said, I'll move into the story itself.I found the story to get off to a slightly slow start. I was starting to wonder why I was reading about Emma and her move to live with her aunt and her life that created those issues in the first place. It's really almost painstakingly slow. Then, things begin to pick up. The story begins to unfold and we have the typical boy likes girl, girl likes boy, it's so very painful for those two to be apart, things happen fast but for some reason, boy doesn't want to push girl too far. Of course we have bits of magic and curses and ancient texts too. It's really not a bad story when you dig deep and ignore all of those strange fluffy parts. x-posted to my blog.

[alaiel4kreuz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After her stepdad almost gets her killed Emma finally accepts her aunt's offer to move to New York with her and be enrolled into a fancy school along with her younger and cute cousin she invents a whole more-posh background so she won't feel completely different.But in place like Vincent Academy she is bound to find friends and foes. And she certainly does.First we have Cisco who is gay, popular and friendly. He soon becomes one of her best friends.Then we have Emma's lab partner Angelique who turns out to be a witch. She soon to becomes a marvelous friend and a fountain of information. They two will make the dialogues fun and snarky.Her cousin Ashley who, despite being a little superficial, is sweet and naive. But Emma watches over her and protects her from creeps like Anthony. Why does she need protection from him? Well, he is the big bad wolf... and a very bad one.And then we have Kristin, the popular girl that tries to make Emma's life a nightmare.Finally there's Brendan, the rich-gorgeous-hot bad guy that makes Emma blush and feel... different. Like she can trust him, like he is important somehow.True to be told he is important and their future is so tangled that, if they want to stay alive they will have to find a way to fight an old curse that keeps them reincarnating only to suffer again.And in between they will find a few dramas to solve and some misunderstandings to talk about while deciding if the warnings from Emma's dead twin brother are so important that they have to stay away from each other.Personal opinion:The first thing that I liked about this book was the cover. Yep, as soon as I spotted it in NetGalley I requested it and then, despite not having the time to read it yet, bought it too. Now that I've finished it I can say that I liked it a lot.The plot is maybe a little bit obvious sometimes but Cara Lynn managed to make very believable characters with personalities that made them interesting and originals.And I found Emma's loyalty to her little cousin very refreshing. No spoilers, you know me, but I enjoyed that part a lot^^The love between Brandan and Emma was maybe a little too fast and a little too quick but hey, that kind of relationships really happen in real life too so is not that weird.What I'm really curious about is the second book, Spellcaster. Why? Well, I thought Spellbound was an only book and it did had a proper finish so it was a surprise when I found out about it but since I liked this book Spellcaster will sure have a spot in my pile very soon.

[amberfib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am happy to report that I totally loved this book! I've been putting off reading it because I'm usually not one for witch books. They tend to move slowly, and the beginning of this book did drag a bit. However, by Chapter 3, I was totally engrossed in the world Shultz created. Emma is a terrific character. She's funny, kind, and loyal. You can't help but relate to her on some level and feel sympathy for the bad hand she's been dealt. Her life has been rough, but she's strong, and she prevails. She finds her own happiness, and she fights to keep it. Brendan is another fantastic character. At first, I didn't know what to think of him, but the further I got into the book, the more I liked him. By the end, he had completely won me over. He's just terrific. I also enjoyed Ashley. She was funny and she really stood by Emma, even when it would have been easier to shun her. Angelique is a unique character and added to the complexity of the story. Aunt Christine was there for almost the whole book, and she's a terrific aunt. I really loved her character as well. She's so good to Emma. Of course I hated Anthony and Kristin, but who wouldn't? They were created to be hated. Hey, that rhymed! Anyway, none of the characters were static, filler characters. They all had their unique personalities with their own quirks. I love the detail that Shultz put into the characters. For instance, Brendan never stood up straight. He always leaned against something. Little things like that really make the characters come alive. The plot was intriguing and very different from most paranormal books. There wasn't a ton of magic in the book, so it didn't rely on supernatural elements to drive the story. After reading that in reviews, I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy the book that much because I do love the supernatural elements of a story. The entire story does revolve around a curse, though, but most of the characters don't actually perform magic. Still, the story held my interest until the very last page. There was quite a bit of action, lots of romance, and tons of suspense. The pacing of this book was pretty well done. As I stated, the beginning was a bit slow, but that happens when you're introducing a new world to your readers. Shultz explained everything, and it all flowed rather nicely. For the most part, the explanations didn't slow down the pacing at all, and toward the end, the pacing picked up to lightning speed. The ending didn't feel rushed, though. No elements were left out. It just went by really quickly. The ending of the book wrapped things up nicely, but there is room for a sequel, which is a good thing since Spellcaster will be out soon. I cannot wait for that book! The writing was phenomenal as well. Shultz has a terrific voice, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her. I really enjoyed this novel, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys paranormal and YA romance.

[damarisgcr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really, really enjoyed Spellbound. I had no idea what to expect when I picked this book up. It sounded interesting and like it would be a good read, but not a GREAT read. Well not even into Chapter three I was already proven wrong. It was so good! I stayed up really late reading it and was quickly trapped inside the book.It reminded me a bit of Gossip Girl, only with a little twist of paranormal in it. The characters were also very unique. Emma is a very strong and a kick ass character. She deals with a lot from her past, but still manages to stand on her two feet and not be knocked down by anyone. Brendan is the richest and most wanted boy in school. So of course when he begins to give Emma attention things turn ugly for Emma. What I liked the most about Brendan and Emma's relationship was that, even though they had an immediate attraction to one another, it wasn't rushed and jumped right into. Shultz took her time developing a relationship between the two. It wasn't hard at all for me to love them both.The plot was also very entertaining. I don't really want to give away anything, but it was well thought out and written perfectly. Everything flowed smoothly and made sense. Not once did I find myself confused or re-reading to try and understand. Shultz did a really good job at explaining everything and describing things making it very easy to picture.The only little issue I had (this is a bit of a spoiler) is that, like LOTS of stories out there today, Brendon gives Emma attention, then next thing you know he acts like she doesn't exist. But I will say that Shultz did not carry this out very long, so it's not something that will ruin the story for you. This was a great story! A Must Read! As Wanda likes to say... A Good Choice for Reading lol.4 out of 5 Stars

[l_manning · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma has had a rough life. Her father left while she was still young, and then she had to deal with the deaths of her brother and mother. Left with only her abusive step-father, Emma soon finds herself in the position to go live with her wealthy aunt in New York City. Emma's ready to just get through school and on her way to college (and the rest of her life). Things change when she soon makes some quick enemies...and sees a boy she's instantly drawn to. She soon finds herself caught up in a story that not only seems unbelievable, but it also transcends time to span many generations. Emma is determined to make things better this time.Although there are paranormal elements, this story is, at it's heart, a fairy tale. Emma is immediately drawn to Brendan in a way she can't explain. Actually, Emma doesn't want to be drawn to him at all. Like any good fairy tale though, they are meant to be. And like any good fairy tale, there are evil forces trying desperately to keep them apart. I really enjoyed this book. The supernatural aspects felt fun and different. It was a very unique way to tell a fairy tale-type story. The idea of "soul-mates" can sometimes bring about an overwrought romance, but that was not the case in this book. There was just enough give and take to make things interesting but not annoy you with the constant hot-and-cold aspect. I found this to be a really fast read, and one that I didn't want to put down. It did a great job of drawing me in from the beginning. I even put aside a couple things I should be reading to finish this book. Like any fairy tale, the bad guys are really bad. Like no redeeming qualities bad. The good guys though had some fabulous grey areas to them that made them much more interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal books, fairy tales, and sweet romances.Galley provided by publisher for review.

[mrsboswellbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one book that I kind of just skimmed the summary really quick before reading it. So going in, I didn't really know much of what to expect. I think author Rachel Hawkins summed up my feelings about Spellbound quite well with her blurb on the cover, "Spellbound captivated me from beginning to end!"Emma has experienced quite a bit of hardship in her youth. Moving from a small and basically unknown town to upstate New York and beginning school at an expensive private school, Emma has her reservations. She wants to remain anonymous, but how can she do that when she ultimately draws the attention of a creep, a mean girl, a witch and a hottie all on the first day? There are certain situations that Emma tends to shy away from, but she's not afraid of voicing her opinion and sticking up for those she cares about. She's a character that most teenage girls can identify with. Brendan on the other hand is like a complete mystery, at first. Some days he's hot and others he is completely cold. You'll find yourself doing double-takes wondering why Emma is so infatuated with him, but then you'll understand the reasoning why.Spellbound is about more than the "just add water" instant teenage love. There is a centuries old history behind Emma and Brendan's relationship. This was what I found most intriguing about Shultz's story. I loved the history of their ancestors, the charm and the curse. I loved reading about what happened in the past and wondering if Emma and Brendan could possibly survive this ancient curse.The writing is ultimately simple, which is perfect. Shultz's does not inundate readers with huge words requiring a dictionary to always be on hand. The story is written as a normal teenager speaks. I could have easily been back in my high school talking to my friends, uttering the same exact sentences. While the writing is simplistic, the storyline is utterly bewitching. From beginning to end I was completely immersed with the story of Emma and Brendan.Overall, Spellbound is a captivating tale full of fascination, intrigue and age-old romance. A very enjoyable read that will keep you engrossed until the very last page.

[flashlight_reader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings about this one. I liked the characters and the overall concept of the story, but it still felt cliched. Maybe I just need to take a break from paranormal romances? They're all starting to seem the same. The characters are great. I like Emma and Brendan. They have this whole star-crossed lovers thing going on, and I totally buy into it. Enchanted amulet. History repeating itself as penance. Got it. Add this to Emma and Brendan and you have youself a pretty hot romance. There was an element of supernatural at play in the story that I honestly thought would deter my reading. I'm not a big fan of "witch" books. I guess I just have a hard time buying into that magical element. BUT, this book really wasn't like that. There was an underlying element of magic throughout the book, but it wasn't overpowering. I really appreciate that. I can also see how the magical aspect will be important in future books. Yep, I'm totally speculating that there will be more books in this series. There were too many loose ends that I would want to see wrapped up for there not to be a sequel.Overall, it was pretty good and I did enjoy it. I found myself not eating because I was so invested in the book. The story moves pretty quickly and it's easy to become engrossed in the plot. If I gave half scores, I would say a 3 1/2, but since I don't do halves it gets a solid 3. I may change it to a 4 after I ponder on the book a little longer.

[brandisbookmusings · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Spellbound (Harlequin Teen) is the tale of a doomed loved. Present day teen Emma has led a rough life. Her twin brother died when she was fourteen, her mother died almost a year later, and she was almost killed in an accident with her drunk stepfather. Emma goes to live withe her wealthy Aunt Christine. At her new private school Vince Academy money doesn't make you a better person. At her new school there is the resident "freaky witch girl", the cool in the closet gay friend, the friend that's always hung over, the mean girl, and the jock who isn't quite right, then there is Brendan whom she is mysteriously drawn to and seems to like her one day but will go weeks without talking to her. Not to mention that the pendant her brother gave her matches the one Brendan has in his locker. What does this mean? Why do strange things keep happening? Why does she keep having flashes of other people's lives? There was good make believe romance in this book. It was just a little cliched. The whole curse on a doomed love has been done a lot. I didn't find that there was anything new brought to the plot. If you are looking for a sweet but sappy destined to be true love this is your book.

[suz4haugland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was excited about this book from the moment I first heard about it. Hi, totally drawn to just about anything of the paranormal and mystical spellbound variety, add in a bit of an historical feel to it and you've definitely got my interest piqued. There's a forbidden sense of wonder in something dark and mysterious, lush and exciting, that gets my blood pulsing accompanied with a built in gravitational force drawing me to it. Spellbound, was exciting, engaging, and entertaining from the moment I started reading. Although, I had my qualms about how the paranormal element would fit in with the flow of the story being told, I still found myself very enthralled with the story itself and didn't mind the subtle underlying hints of paranormal elements until it really came to the forefront towards the end of the novel and left the reader (me gasping for) wanting more. I found myself searching for hidden pages, long after the last one had been turned. I was curious, I admit, and I wanted to see what was going to happen next. I am anxiously and eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, as I have a feeling that it's going to be just as entertaining and exciting as this one was, if not more-so. This novel combines so many elements that make it a wonderful book, like well developed strong characters that are relatable, very likeable, and have unique qualities about them that set them apart from others. There is also a great romance that will leave the reader just as just as spellbound as the novel reads itself. For Emma and Brendan, it seems as if they are doomed even before they really begin and there seemed to be this back and forth "can we be together ;; no, we can't really" dilemma going on between them. Despite that, I was very pleased with how well Shultz was able to depict them in such a realistic way. There wasn't an epic all encompassing insta-love vibe present in the novel at all. It was just more of a natural gradual attraction on both parts, that turned out to be mutal and very realistically portrayed. All of their actions, how they related to one another, the way they acted when they were in and outside of school grounds, and in or out around social scenes were very believable. It was refreshing to see this, as there have been a number of YA novels where insta-love has happened and the reader is expected to just go along with it.The secondary character's seemed to possess their very own special brand of flavor, which contributed to their unique attributes and gave them a vast array of characteristics. Angelique and Cisco were so much fun and Ashley (Emma's cousin) was pretty much adorable and an amazing support system for Emma as well, after everything that she'd been through and the circumstances that brought her to NYC and Vince A. I do wish we could have gotten to know Kristen a little better, because I wanted to believe there's more to her than just the fact that she hates Emma and she's the resident mean girl. I have a way of loving complicated characters like her, who are mean and I don't want to believe she's that way just for the sake of being mean.I have really come to adore books that deal with soulmate(s), past lives, and reincarnation if handled properly and written in such a way that it all comes together seamlessly and effortless and this novel did that and so much more. It intricately wove together an ancient family curse through witchcraft, mythology, and the broken heart of a man who loved one woman so much that he would do anything for a chance to spend happiness with her.Over-all, I truly enjoyed the hint of historical attributes combined with the paranormal, all coming together to form a novel that I will want to read and again and again and again. It's not hard at all for me to give this a full five stars. There wasn't anything that I didn't enjoy about this book or the author.{Small Note: This book was received as an E-ARC through Harlequin Teen via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain.}

[sithereandread · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Review by KateSPELLBOUND, by Cara Lynn Shultz, is a story about a girl with a deeply troubled past moving to Manhattan with her aunt and trying to start anew. In the process, she meets Brendan who she is inexplicably attracted to with no hope for shaking off this mysterious boy from her head. Secrets begin to reveal themselves and Emma finds herself stuck in a dangerous predicament and fights to stay alive with the boy she loves.Goodness I wanted to like this book, I really did, but it just didn't cut it for me. I loved the beginning and getting to know back story about Emma, but as I went on I increasingly became more and more bored with it. I had issues with the 'teen talk' and the swoon-at-the-sight-of-him connection that Emma had with Brendan. I think in the younger YA bracket will love this book. I remember as a teen how I swooned at a cute boy in a book, but the cutesy factor was too overwhelming for me. The way the teens spoke (especially Kristen) seemed circa Clueless times and I felt I was reading from the perspective of an adult writing YA, trying to get inside their heads.Also, I just have issues with the whole past-lives thing. I don't know if it is just getting overdone with me in its predictability or what but I found myself rolling my eyes at anytime where Emma swooned at the sight of Brendan and he would ignore her some more.I didn't connect with Emma at all, which is a big deal for me while reading. If there is no connection with the main character, I find myself wandering toward the bookshelf for another book.Overall, this book did not cut it for me. The witches thing was interesting but not enough to make me like this book. I do think that teens and fans of the past-lives connection will like this book so I would recommend picking it up if you like that sort of reading, but unfortunately it was not my cup of tea.

[readingfanatic09 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Emma moves to NYC to escape an abuse step-father, life should be looking up. She's got a new school where she can blend into the background for her last two years--where no one knows about her step-father...or her brother...or her mother. Then Emma meets Brendan Salinger...and he notices her. As Emma and Brendan unlock the secrets of their attraction, her fatal destiny may pale in comparison to the rumors and ridicule she faces at school. So much for staying in the background.Emma is a character that I felt like I connected with pretty well at the beginning. She had some serious issues to overcomes and I think the reader understands where she's coming from. She's totally snarky, which I love (but maybe I think this is because she often employs the "You're a ____" comeback that I often use myself, lol). Brendan, our token sexy male here, was a character that I was kind of hot-and-cold on. He didn't give off the spark that generally attracts me to my YA guys. However, he grew on me as his relationship with Emma progressed, especially after he got over the "I'm going to ignore you at school even though we spent the weekend together" thing (because that was seriously annoying).Now, I'll fess up that there is definitely "insta-love" going on this book (as there is is many YA novels that have been published recently). However, the destiny/reincarnated souls angle explained a lot of that for me and I felt like it moved the story along at a good pace. Yes, of course, they fall in "love" faster than is normal, but you have to admit that their interactions the first time they hang out felt very real--the kind of interaction you would expect from a budding romance (the unsure arm around the back, sideways glances, jittery feeling). Despite the "insta-love" thing, I really liked their romance and relationship. I mean, it really sizzled for me.Probably the most interesting character in this book for me was Angelique. She was a very well-written side character that I wish I could have gotten to know better. I liked the extra story at the end from Angelique's POV and I hope maybe we'll get more about her in the future because I think she would be a really fun MC to read about.For me, this was really a "spell-binding" read. I couldn't put it down once I started!

[jibar_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So, while reading this, I kept thinking Twilight. A better written version, but still. New girl more or less immediately falls for extremely good looking (and rich) guy, who pretty much ignores her. And then suddenly one day he decides she isn't so bad after all and starts hanging out with her, causing both of them to helplessly fall in love with each other after, what, three days.It wasn't so bad though. It was a nice read and I liked reading it, even with the similarities to Twilight. Unlike many others it seems I liked Emma and if Brendan isn't simply too die for I don't know. I liked their story, it was "cute" (cute to read anyway) and if not believable at least entertaining. I had some problems with the villain, because it felt extremely forced and there was no real drive to him, I think. Something that genuinely indicates this is that I wasn't rooting for the villain. He was extremely one sided.Still, I liked it. I read the book in two sittings (even though my NetGalley version was seriously messed up on my Kindle and it didn't seem to have chapters ... I hope the real version does!) and the action scenes at the end were really superb. I generally don't like action but it was great, really. I had some "duh" moments with Emma who kept behaving a little stupid at times, but if she hadn't done that I might have critiqued her for being too perfect, so I guess that's okay.Why 4 Clouds you ask? Mainly because I liked reading it and I read it pretty fast. Both of which indicate an entertaining reading experience and that's what I was looking for! I wasn't looking for another Nietzsche or something like that. And really, those "flaws" (apart from the Twilight one) I mostly only noticed after finishing the book and sitting down to review it!

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love how now book story lines are getting more and more creative and out of the box. I adored the storyline in this book. I like how their love is not only true but cursed.I liked how immediately the reader was thrown into this poor girls life. Emma, had such a heart breaking past that you felt for her right away. I' not sure how to explain myself with this, but her life was just too tragic for something not be wrong. I knew right away that Emma had something special about her that cause her such a bad past. Ms. Shutlz really did a great job on giving a good back round on Emma, without too much information. As the storyline flowed, you gather bits and bits till it all come together.The love interest was very enduring! I love watching both Emma and Brendan not only fight for each other but also fight against each other. The struggle was futile. I like how Brendan has such a strong trait for a character. He was strong in muscles (oh la la), in smarts, and in himself. He knew who he was and didn't let the school get to him. Emma on the other hand, had such a hard time seeing things good for herself. Seeing how her past was, I am glad that Brendan was strong for her.The whole storyline with the curse was sweet. I like how well the curse was binding but also breakable. I also adored how the curse could be broken with a simple act. The storyline of the book held a lot of significance of how to deal with things in the future. As the reader, you see things connect. You get to follow along and unbound the curse together.Overall, Spellbound is absolutely binding. You will get hooked on the curse and not let it go. You will fall in love with it and endure till the end.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emma has left her stepfather after he involved her in a car accident because he was driving drunk and come to live with her godmother in New York. She is going to a posh new school with lots of elite students. She is hit on by Anthony, a blond BMOC wannabe, who gives her the creeps and makes an enemy of Kristin, of the fake orange tan, who wants all the boys to like her best. Emma wants to be anonymous and just slide by but one look at Brendan changes everything. Their eyes meet and it is like they have know each other forever. But the course of true love hits the rapids of ancient curses and contemporary jealousy and psychopaths before they find their way to a happy ending. This was an entertaining young adult book that will appeal to romantics and lovers of the paranormal.

[megtall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh my goodness! Once I started reading Spellbound, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up late and woke up early just to keep reading! This is definitely the BEST paranormal YA lit novel I've read so far this year. I loved the seamless meld of action, romance, magic, drama, angst, and the ending....don't even get me started.Brendan and Emma are the somewhat stereotypical teens: he's the brooding baddish boy and she the new girl in town, who everyone seems to dislike at first. But, the story gets so deep, and I actually wondered several times what was going to happen. Now, I've read a LOT of YA lit as it is not only a fun genre, but as a YA librarian, and this is one of the best I've read in quite some time. I really loved Emma because she was strong and independent and had her own personality. Lots of YA protagonists are cookie-cutter, but not Emma. And I think that makes her sort of a role model. I will definitely be recommending this to my patrons and co-workers and have already placed my acquisition request for Spellbound. Really, it was excellent. And, there wasn't a vampire or werewolf to be found, which makes me even happier.

[wealhtheowwylfing · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

After her alcoholic step-father endangers her one too many times, Emma goes to stay with her aunt on the Upper East Side. She's nervous about her fancy new private school, but quickly finds friends and a crush--the mysterious Brendan. Based on popping streetlights and a few dreams, Emma convinces herself that she's the reincarnation of Brendan's ancestor's long lost love. I was too bored by the paint-by-numbers YA love story and basic writing (which is bad when relating the present day but DIRE when it talks about the past) to push through this. If there'd been more attention to the magical parts of this story, maybe I'd have persevered, but there's only the barest brush of the supernatural here--just enough to give Brendan and Emma immediate crushes on each other and a star-crossed reason to stay apart.

[ayanami_faerudo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

First read: April 4, 2012Initial rating: 4/5Re-read: September 11, 2016Rating: 3/5Holy hell, I didn't realize I've already read this, not until I checked in Goodreads....it just means the story was not really memorable...? ---"Is it too soon?"Yes, I say it's too soon to say 'I love you'.But I was still kilig.*same old tropes

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There were times when this didn't quite work but overall this was a good read. Emma Conner has had a hard life, her mother in the last year leaving her with her drunk of a stepfather who almost killed her in a car crash. Now she's living with her aunt in New York and going to an exclusive Upper East Side prep school, it's a chance at a new start.She's drawn to Brendan Salinger, a rich boy who is very handsome and with whom she feels a connection. She's having strange dreams and lights are going off when she walks by, there's something strange going on but can she work out what's happening and stay alive?It was fairly typical of it's type but well done for all that, it lost some points over page 270 where he, in one page, gave her a Claddagh/Clauddagh/Claddaugh ring. It's CLADDAGH, it's a place in Galway, there is no excuse for getting it right first time and then goofing within 4 paragraphs. Just Google It.Having said that, this was the only break in the suspension of disbelief for me so I'm happy enough overall with the story.

[superducky · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

*sigh* I really need to stop re-reading books that I read last year. Emma is quite possibly the most annoying heroine in any book I've read this year. She's constantly making bad decisions, especially at the end.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Honestly, I really was not expecting much from Spellbound. I imagined it would be a simple teenage romance novel, complete with instalove and completely disgusting couple scenes. Thus, I was incredibly surprised to find that I was wrong (rare though that occurrence may be) and that Spellbound definitely stands above the average teen fare.

While the whole plot of Spellbound does involve what I have termed instalove, it is much better done than in a lot of YA. I don't want to spoiler anything, so I can't be too detailed as to why it makes sense in this case. Generally, though, despite the great attraction the two main characters feel to one another, they do try to fight it, in ways that are rather familiar to anyone who has gone through high school. So, while their romance is unrealistic, that's because this is fantasy and, accepting the fantastical plot, I think it has been well done.

What really made Spellbound an utter pleasure for me to read, though, was not the romance or the sexily disheveled hero of the piece. Shultz clearly loves pop culture and references it constantly. At pretty much every reference, I really just wanted to give her a high five for her sense of humor and her good choices. While I did not love everything she referenced, I think the references were well-woven and fit with the personality of the narrator.

I definitely ended up being quite impressed with this novel. Spellbound is ultimately just a flight of fancy, not a great literary work, but I highly recommend it to anyone looking for fun, romance and magic. There is also a pretty dang convincing horror scene in there, too. Recommended to people who liked The Eternal Ones (or who liked the idea and thought it could have been waaaay better).

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Parts of it were really good, parts of it were pretty good, parts were slightly annoying (a bit too much "yelling" and "screaming" for me, but really, I've read worse--and recently too, unfortunately), and parts were fairly formulatic, but overall it was a good read with some interesting aspects that made it just different enough from all those other YA fantasy romantic fiction books out there to be enjoyable.

Emma is, of course, a teen with secrets and a troubled past who just doesn't feel she is pretty enough or worthy enough of Brendan, who is, naturally, one of the richest and pretty much the most gorgeous guy in all of NYC. (That would be the formulatic part. Honestly, I'd really like to read more books with average heroines who really are average, not just ravishing beauties wallowing in poor self esteem for some reason. And the guys don't HAVE to be gorgeous. Sure, they're nice to look at when they are, but average-looking guys don't stay average-looking for long when they're THE ONE. Honest.) But they have a connection that cannot be denied. (Oops, more formula.) I did like how they were connected, though--that was a bit different; however, at times the characters seemed a bit too accepting of it. Emma seemed to go from 'no, this cannot be true' to 'sigh...I might as well accept my fate' just a tad too quickly for my taste. A few of her ideas and decisions were eye-roll worthy, but overall she was a fun character with a surprising amount of strength when she needed it.

Brendan, besides being gorgeous and rich, is, of course, a great guy. He runs hot and cold toward Emma, for reasons that are fairly adequately explained (eventually), and even Emma admits that their relationship develops pretty darn quickly. He too has secrets in his family, secrets which he soon realizes involve Emma as well. They declare their love, battle the forces of evil, and...well, you'll have to read the book to figure out what happens next. But it's a fun read, and you'll be glad you did.

I forsee that this book will spend a lot of time NOT sitting on the shelves in my clsssroom library. It is very well written and well paced, and I look forward to seeing what Cara Lynn Schultz will write in the future. She leaves the ending of this one open so that you could definitely see a sequel, which would be great, or not, which would be fine too. I think she'll only continue to polish her skills, which will make for even more enjoyable reading. A great first effort!

[vanyadrum · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I received the ARC of this book from MIRA INK.

Where to begin, where to begin... The cover was very pretty, with these shiny glass-like particles suspended around.

But the story wasn't the best I've read so far. Umm, sad to say, it was rather in the middle of the rating scale, which is too bad because I had great expectations for it.

The writing style was good, though there were places (especially in the first half of the book) where I found it difficult to concentrate on the story. The story itself was well built, but it wasn't anything original. The soul mate concept was far too stretched, and I just couldn't find it believable or realistic. Sure, I believe in love at first sight, but this just felt sort of forced.

The paranormal element wasn't all that intriguing either. It was sort of pushed in the background, though it had the potential to play a major role. I think I would've enjoyed the story more, if the witchy part of it was expanded a bit more.

The characters... well, there wasn't anything special about them, to be honest. We have a girl and a boy, who fall head over heals for each other; we have the silent observers, and the antagonists. And nothing even remotely out of the norm.

Emma was the POV girl, lead female. She had experienced some drama back in the day, of which we're only told. She seems to have a hard time talking about her past, especially about her dead brother. I thought there'd be some terrible reason why that was, but I guess it wasn't important to mention. Also, Emma seemed more upset about the loss of her brother than that of her mom. It just seems a bit unrealistic to me. She's described as brave, because she defended her cousin in front of the whole school, but the way she did it was stupid. I mean, if you're a 5'5" tall girl, would you go messing with a guy who's like twice your size and could make you into a pavement stamp? Um.. no. To be honest, I didn't get the impression that the Emma was thinking much. She was rash and naive more than anything else.

Brendan was this super hot, super rich guy, who falls head over heals for Emma. He's very protective of her one moment, and very cold to her the next. He explained it as being confused. Whatever, I get it, guys are like that. But then, once he gains the courage to confess his feelings, well... the Brendan from the past is totally gone, and he only has eyes and ears for Emma. That's cool, which is why I liked the guy. But with all the weird things that surround the couple, you'd think he'd be more careful around her. Which is not the case.

Ashley was Emma's cousin. She was naive and unreasonable, and preferred not to listen to Emma's advice, which is why she got in trouble with the wrong guy.

Anthony, the antagonist, wasn't developed right, I think. I mean, his reasoning was sort of off. Sure, he was mean and a player, and a rich dude at that. But, I just couldn't feel all that disgusted with him. I was rather neutral, and that's not something I want to feel toward the 'bad' guy.

I don't think there were other prominent characters worth mentioning. I'm just really sorry that this book didn't get to me. I wish I had enjoyed it.

Still though, I believe that there will be at least 70% of the readers who will find it an enjoyable read.

[bookloverslife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Ended up really liking Spellbound. Love Emmas character she was so funny at times. You can really relate to her and her thinking. I really really hope theres a second book!! There was unfinished story lines so fingers crossed she will do a sequel!

[funstm · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I feel like this book could've been amazing. It wasn't bad, I did enjoy it but it had a lot of potential to be more original and unique. That being said it stands out from the rest of the paranormal romance books out there. For one, weeks after reading I still remember the basic plot. The plot drew me in and I could stomach the romance - I found it relatively believable or at least the author adequately made me believe it. Overall worth the read. I'll even pick up the next one.

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz is one of those stories that left me conflicted. I really liked certain elements of the story and it started off strong, but as the narrative unfolded things just seemed to ride off the rails.Let’s start with a few positives. There were some light paranormal elements that I enjoyed, such as ghostly warnings, prophetic dreams, and an untapped ability lying dormant in teen lead Emma. The centuries-old curse at the heart of this story is appropriately romantic and tragic, and provides a decent roadblock to the path of true love. Protagonist Emma sports an intriguing back story, a sense of humor, and an accepting attitude, and there are some interesting secondary characters with solid personalities. But where everything falls apart is the other side of the romantic equation – Brendan.Brendan is sadly underdeveloped and lacks a believable male voice. He falls in the all-too-familiar category of “rock star gorgeous” rich kid who is inexplicably drawn to plain-Jane Emma with her middle-class background. Shultz at least gives a star-crossed lovers explanation to the attraction, but since Brendan lacks any romantic chemistry with Emma I was underwhelmed. When the curse’s background is more interesting than the current representatives of it, I think there’s a problem. I never really felt any connection to Brendan because Shultz never gave me anything to hold on to; he constantly shifts between stand-offish and interested, intense and uncertain, and even at points just a touch whiny. Brendan’s apparent hotness just left me cold.Pacing is uneven throughout. As I stated above, the story starts out strong as we are introduced to Emma’s character and how she to came to be in New York City at Vincent Academy. The secondary characters are added in swiftly – bubbly cousin Ashley, charming Cisco, friendly Jenn, witchy Angelique, mean girl Kristen, player/bully Anthony…even Emma’s dead brother Ethan. Pacing is energetic whenever Emma is interacting with any of these characters; sadly, however, most of them disappear for vast stretches of the narrative and all momentum is lost once it is just Emma and Brendan gazing adoringly at each other. As icing on the cake, Spellbound concludes with an over-the-top, camp-filled finale featuring some dumb decisions on Emma’s part and a rather lame dénouement to the curse (seriously, NO ONE pulled this off in all the previous cursed lifetimes?!?).Cara Lynn Shultz’s Spellbound is a light paranormal young adult novel featuring an intriguing curse and several interesting characters, but left me underwhelmed with its underdeveloped male lead, uneven pacing, and a finale that descends into the realm of camp. Spellbound starts off with a lot of promise but ends up a bit of a hot mess.Disclosure: This review is based on a free copy of Spellbound I received from the publisher for sharing links about the book.