Review: Spellbound

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
 Release Date: June 28, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 324
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley 
(Summary from Goodreads)
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

My Review

I think the title of this story couldn’t have been more fitting. I found this story to be captivating from being to end. It had all the great elements including romance, mystery and the paranormal. Sixteen year old Emma Connor dealt with more tragedy in her short amount of time then most have dealt with in a lifetime. She lost her twin brother Ethan who died at fourteen and then her mother a year after that. She was left to live with her step-father Henry who was a drunk and abusive and nearly cost Emma her life when he wrapped their car around a tree.  Thankfully Emma’s Aunt Christine took her in and offered her a better life with her in New York. You would think Emma’s life would turn around and she would have it easier but that was not in the cards for her.

Her new life involves going up against the most popular girl and guy of the school who try to make her life miserable. At night she has these mysterious dreams of a past life as well as dreams of her dead brother who seems to be warning her of some danger. Emma also begins to notice strange things happening around her like lights flickering out as she passes. The strangest of all is her attraction to the hottest guy in school, Brendan Salinger. From the first time she met him she felt this connection to him and couldn’t understand why. Little does Emma know that she and Brendan do have something that ties them together. The problem is that something could be the thing that destroys them.

I loved how Emma was portrayed. You would think that this poor girl who has had so much tragedy in her life would be sulking around depressed but not so. Instead she tries to make the best of her new life and trudge through. She is strong-minded and willing to stand up to whoever does her wrong. She is what I would describe as fearless. I was equally impressed with Brendan because he was sweet and caring and would always try to defend and protect Emma no matter the consequences.

I enjoyed how Shultz put a different spin on that instant attraction that her main characters had. There are so many stories where the girl and guy instantly fall in love with no real build-up or development for that kind of attraction. Even though this story involved that instant moment of attraction, there was a plausible reason.

I was intrigued by Shultz’s story of two people who are soul mates yet destined for a not so happy ending. I definitely recommend this as a book you should add to your “to read” list.  

I give this book four out of five stars.