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Spellcaster (Spellcaster #1)

by Claudia Gray (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 831 ratings · 171 reviews

When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future …...more

Hardcover, 370 pages

Published March 5th 2013 by HarperTeen

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Feb 12, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, harpercollins, pn-witches, march, 2013-publication, too-many-povs, read-2013

Unlike many of my friends, I quite liked this author's Evernight series, which was filled with surprises and interesting relationships (and not just romantic ones). It's disappointing to find this novel, about a young witch named Nadia, to be so very predictable, lacking in excitement, and fairly cookie cutter in its PNR plot. DNF at 210 pages.

Worst of all, though--four third person (non-omniscient) POVs, with at least one bonus page from a bird's perspective. :-/ Bleh.

Still like this author,...more

18 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Chloé天赋 Ƨнα∂σωнʋитɛяǤιяℓ ♉ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a really good book, captivating to read. Though it was a bit slow at first but such a great storyline to enjoy for a change. Not the biggest cliffies, because I 'love' cliffies, while at the same time I hate them.

This isn't the most extreme steamy romance book you normally expect in a YA/Paranormal, but that doesn't really matter. It was a build up that slowly came towards the end. The closest you'd ever come to a kiss was a mouth to mouth air way saving them before Nadia and Mateo drow...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2013 Carolina Riojas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, books-i-own-in-english, paranormal, screaming-endings, english, series, wtf

Ooohhhmyyyy! I have to read it!

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Apr 01, 2013 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya

This feels very unfinished. Yes, I know, there is more to the story because it is the first in a series, but there is almost not any ending and I don't like that. Each book in a series should be a complete and satisfying read, in my opinion and this is just not.
The characters are interesting, but perhaps it has two many viewpoints because the story feels choppy and disjointed, jumping from this view to that view.
And there seemed to be a very big plot hole. (view spoiler)...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of Spellcaster through a Goodreads giveaway. I was familiar with Claudia Gray's Evernight series, and was excited to see what she would do in the world of witchcraft.

Her new series introduces Nadia, a young witch who is struggling with the loss of her mother -- and her connection to her budding gift. Her family's transition to a new town begins violently when their car crashes without warning as soon as they enter Captive's Sound.

Nadia and her father and brother are...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

When Claudia Gray's EVERNIGHT first came out, I saw it on the now defunct HarperTeen First Look sight. But I didn't pick it up then. I picked it up last year, when the e-copy was free and the series was complete. And let me tell you that series worked beautifully when I could read the books one after another like six heaping handfuls of popcorn. I was a little nervous reading SPELLCASTER now because what if I wanted the next book immediately? I'd have to wait a year!

I will totally be waiting. Gr...more When Claudia Gray's EVERNIGHT first came out, I saw it on the now defunct HarperTeen First Look sight. But I didn't pick it up then. I picked it up last year, when the e-copy was free and the series was complete. And let me tell you that series worked beautifully when I could read the books one after another like six heaping handfuls of popcorn. I was a little nervous reading SPELLCASTER now because what if I wanted the next book immediately? I'd have to wait a year!

I will totally be waiting. Gray manages to pull the rug out from under the reader at the last second, setting things up for an even bigger confrontation in the next book. But what is contained within SPELLCASTER is a pretty fantastic handful of popcorn.

Nadia and her family are in a car wreck the instant they come to town, but luckily the extremely hot Mateo is there to save them. Oh, to be a YA heroine. Nadia and Mateo both have secrets. Nadia is a witch and now that her mother has abandoned the family she'll remain untrained. Mateo can see the future and is going to go insane just like everyone else in his family. Also, there's something horrible inside the town strangling it from within. Okay, maybe I don't want to be a YA heroine.

I'd tell you all about my favorite character, but I've forgotten all about her. So does everyone else. It's kind of a thing. And I adore every time she pops up and goes, "Guys, I am still here. Stop making moon eyes at each other." She is the best and sadly pushed to the side all the time. Luckily the narrative realizes that sidelining her is horrible - even when Nadia and Mateo don't - and is clearly angling to let her be noticed by book three.

If there was one thing I didn't like about SPELLCASTER, it was the villain point of view. I would've preferred learning the information in those scenes when Nadia did instead of having it handed to me. The villain scenes felt like a crutch. Plus, they took away from the villain. They were revealed to be so petty and fallible that they didn't seem as formidable as they should have.

But that's a pretty small quibble. SPELLCASTER is the type of paranormal romance I can gobble down easily. Friendship and family life balance out the thrill of meeting someone new. The danger is rarely forgotten and not easily defeated. And the heroine is willing to trust herself to find a way to triumph. Also, Gray's twist on spellcasting is really nifty and poetic. So, when is book two going to be available again?(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-michelle

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A young girl with unharnessed power must go against a centuries old witch with perilous power.

Opening Sentence: Before anything else, Nadia felt the chill.

The Review:

Claudia Gray knows how to write paranormal for young adults. In Spellcaster, her latest paranormal series, Gray writes about magic controlled by women. The lore in which Gray created the magic is fascinating. It reminded me of older historical stories of witches, charms, and ge...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Miss Literati rated it 5 of 5 stars

A thrilling story full of suspense, mystery, romance, and most of all magic, SPELLCASTER by Claudia Gray is a story you’ll never forget.

Nadia Caldani, along with her father and little brother Cole, have just moved to the small town of Captive’s Sound. Having been mysteriously abandoned by her mother for no reason, Nadia will never continue her training in the Craft. Witchcraft, that is. She’s just a girl trying to live a normal life. As normal as it can get when you’re a witch, anyway.

Haunted by...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Nancy Kelley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy

I picked this book up after hearing the author speak on the #pitchdarkdays tour. The system of magic sounded unique and intriguing, enough to get me to buy a book I hadn't heard of until that night. I started reading when I got home and only stopped because I was literally too tired to keep my eyes open any longer. Then I picked it up today and read straight through to the end.

So, what makes it a great book? First, the magic IS unique and intriguing. Instead of words, the spells are formed by me...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: caitlin, young-adult, series, fantasy

I picked this book up with mixed feelings. I’ve not been a fan of Claudia Gray’s writing in the past. I thought Evernight was rather silly and didn’t bother with the rest of the series. But this one is about witches! So. I had to. Obviously.

I read about half this book while in line for the Stephenie Meyer signing and I remember turning to my line buddy about fifteen pages in and saying, “you’d think after six books she’d learn how to show and not tell.” And that pretty much sums up the entire bo...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I received this book I saw the author and loved reading her Evernight Series. The Evernight series was so good from the beginning to the end and it didn't disappoint you at all. I loved the series and was disappointed when the series ended. Then I seen that she started another series and thought I would give it a try. All I can say is I loved the characters and the theme of the story. It was a fast moving story that kept you on your toes at all times. I couldn't put the book down and fell i...more When I received this book I saw the author and loved reading her Evernight Series. The Evernight series was so good from the beginning to the end and it didn't disappoint you at all. I loved the series and was disappointed when the series ended. Then I seen that she started another series and thought I would give it a try. All I can say is I loved the characters and the theme of the story. It was a fast moving story that kept you on your toes at all times. I couldn't put the book down and fell in love with it. So take a chance and read this book if you loved her other series.

The main character Nadia and her brother and father move to a little place called Captive Sound and she realizes that it's so much more then she expected. The reason why she moved there with her family is because her dad got a job and their mother left them a year ago and never wants to see her brother and her. It bothers her so much but knows she has no control over it. So she just takes it day after day. But the one thing that is bothering her is that she is a witch and really needs someone to practice with but has nobody to practice with. The only person that she did was her own mother. The other character in the story that I fell in love with was Mateo. Mateo keeps on having these dreams about this beautiful girl named Nadia from a car accident. But he tries not to think to hard about it because there is a local legend that his family is insane. So he tries to put that behind him but when he keeps on having this dream it bothers him. Until one night that dream he kept having comes true. Nadia father is driving along the road and loses control of the car and goes over the embankment and crashes into a pond and Nadia has her father get her brother out first and he said he will be back for her after he gets him to safety. Then all of sudden Mateo comes in and rescues Nadia. After all those things happen that is when everything starts to happen to Nadia and Mateo.

You will not be disappointed with this series and you will love it from the beginning to the very end. If you loved her Evernight series then you will love this one. I loved everything about it. Take a chance and read it. If you don't like it then that is your opinion. If you love it I am glad you do.(less)

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Apr 23, 2013 Carla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Captive's Sound a city with many dark secrets and an evil that lies inter weaved within the town and the people that live there.
Nadia has come to Captive's Sound with her father and brother after the abandonment of her mother. Nadia's entrance has been noticed and before entering the town, she and her family are in an accident. Luckily, Mateo is there to save her.
Both Nadia and Mateo have dark secrets that flow in their veins. Nadia born a witch and trained to some degree, but not completely si...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Candace (Lovey Dovey Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-paranormal-supernatural

Claudia Gray gives readers a unique taste of magic in Spellcaster, the first in an all new series. Life's disappointments and a town's impending destruction take on three teens holding on to hope, love and friendship.

Magic is in the air. In fact, it's hidden all throughout Captive's Sound. Nadia's new home after leaving behind the hurtful memories of her mother's abandonment, and the only home Mateo's ever known, is shrouded by a darkness like they've never seen. Nadia has a connection to magic...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Petra Youssef rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is 2:30AM i've finally finished this book and i honestly could not put it down it was so enjoyable. The whole magic system that Claudia Gray has created is so wonderful and fresh that it just kept me intrigued the whole time i loved it so much! i also loved how the romance was always put on hold because usually the romance is prioritised but for once it was about the magic and saving the town more then her love for mateo although (that did come) but in my opinion AT THE BEST TIME. i applaud C...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Shay rated it 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book at ALA Midwinter 2013. All quotes are based on an uncorrected text.

Nadia Caldani’s mother has left her family at the worst possible time. At seventeen, Nadia is a witch-in-training on the cusp of coming into her full power. But magic is a maternal inheritance, and with her mother gone Nadia worries that she will never learn the rest of what she needs to know to become a proper witch. But her mother won’t even return her calls or emails, let...more Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book at ALA Midwinter 2013. All quotes are based on an uncorrected text.

Nadia Caldani’s mother has left her family at the worst possible time. At seventeen, Nadia is a witch-in-training on the cusp of coming into her full power. But magic is a maternal inheritance, and with her mother gone Nadia worries that she will never learn the rest of what she needs to know to become a proper witch. But her mother won’t even return her calls or emails, let alone see her, and Nadia and her father and brother have left Chicago, and moved to the small town of Captive’s Sound, Rhode Island. From the minute she arrives in Captive’s Sound, Nadia realizes that something about the place that just isn’t right. A dark magical taint seems to be sucking the life out of the town, even as the surrounding communities thrive. And it isn’t just the town that’s strange. The first person Nadia meets is Mateo Perez, a descendent of the supposedly cursed Cabot line. Despite being a local pariah, Mateo always believed that the curse was a lie, but with Nadia’s arrival, his dreams have begun coming true, the first sign of the hereditary Cabot madness. And then there’s Verlaine Laughton, only a high school senior, but with the gray hair of an old woman. Together, this unlikely trio must figure out what is happening in Captive’s Sound, even as it becomes evident that time is running out for the seaside town.

One of the stand-out features of the novel is Gray’s unique magical system. Although she uses some magical ingredients and talismans, Nadia’s spells are largely built from her own memories and experiences. For example, the components for the spell for illuminating magical shapes are memories of a winter sunrise, the pain of abandonment, and the knowledge of love. Nadia focuses on memories that embody each of these ideas to cast her spell. These spells offer the opportunity for flashbacks and getting to know Nadia’s character and history. It also means that Nadia’s life experiences give her power, and each new experience causes her to grow both as a person and as a magical practitioner. Although it is difficult to make her way alone, Nadia is still able to continue learning without her mother’s help.

Gray assembles a classic fantasy trio of friends who fit together and help one another due to their complementary personality traits. However, rather than instantly bonding, Nadia, Mateo and Verlaine take their time figuring out how to be friends. Nadia is wilfully independent, and reluctant to get attached to anyone in Captive’s Sound, which she plans to escape as soon as she finishes high school. It’s hard for her to learn to rely on Mateo and Verlaine for help, rather than doing everything herself. And as lifelong loners, it is hard for Mateo and Verlaine to adjust to the idea of having friends. I was pleasantly reminded of the way Ron, Harry and Hermione worked out their differences and became friends in The Philosopher’s Stone. Unlike Harry Potter, however, we get to experience the POV of all three main characters in Spellcaster, and the villain as well.

Spellcaster is the first book in a series, and as a result, not all of our questions are answered by the end of the novel. Nadia’s mom remains notably absent, the mystery of the chemistry lab remains unsolved, and Verlaine’s intriguing backstory is left hanging. Fortunately, Gray already has plans to follow through on Verlaine’s tale (Steadfast, Spring 2014).

From http://shayshortt.wordpress.com/2013/...(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Briggsteenscene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nadia is a witch and moves with her father and little brother to a new town when her mother unexpectedly leaves them. As soon as they arrive into town, they are in a car accident, but Nadia is saved by Mateo, a local boy who is cursed with visions of the future. Visions that will ultimately drive him mad like his mother and ancestors before him. Instead of staying away from Nadia like Mateo planned because he keeps seeing her death, he is drawn to her and once the two of them discover what is hi...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

Creepy, dark, and addicitting, I could not get enough of Spellcaster by Claudia Gray.

The story follows Nadia Caldani as she moves with her dad and brother to the small town of Captive's Sound from Chicago. The Caldanis are attempting to escape from the memories of the mother who walked away from them and never looked back. While she's not really interested in making friends, Nadia eventually teams up with Mateo, who she meets in a dramatic fashion and is instantly drawn to, and Verlaine, an extr...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alright, I just want to say something. I would have given this book five stars – really, I would have. If it was just a little more fast paced! The story was amazing and the characters are lovable and fantastic. It just took a little too long to get good. Wait- I should word that differently. This book was really really good from the beginning to the end, but the finale was – to me – a little rushed. Other than that, however, it was simply amazing. A great debut, really!

Time to talk about charac...more Alright, I just want to say something. I would have given this book five stars – really, I would have. If it was just a little more fast paced! The story was amazing and the characters are lovable and fantastic. It just took a little too long to get good. Wait- I should word that differently. This book was really really good from the beginning to the end, but the finale was – to me – a little rushed. Other than that, however, it was simply amazing. A great debut, really!

Time to talk about characters.

Nadia!! Now this is a character I like. She’s a witch which was really refreshing to read about. She was really well developed and very likable. I liked how she was still bitter towards her mom, but she put her family before herself and her emotions. I liked that, she’s a good “role-model” for readers.

Mateo!?!?!?!? Okay, you cannot have a leading guy literally save the girl’s life in the first chapter, have him give her a ride on his motorcycle, have him wear a leather jacket, give him that type of name, have him suffer from a curse and not expect me to fall in love with him. Seriously, Claudia? Really? Why did you have to do this to me!? Needless to say, I adore Mateo. He’s a great character (saving the girl in the first chapter? Talk about a knight in shining armor…) I really loved the whole “Family Curse” aspect of him. Really. It was great. AND OHMYGOD WHEN HE BECAME HER STEADFAST I WAS LIKE “NO WAY THIS IS AWESOME” *ahem* so yeah, Mateo is awesome.

Verlaine. I loved her. She’s awesome. However, she didn’t get enough screen time! Her little POV’s weren’t long enough, and I was a little sad. I can relate to Verlaine easily, and I just really loved the fact that she took everything in stride. It worked for her character. It didn’t seem forced or anything. I really liked the friendship she and Nadia developed, it was nice.

Elizabeth. She is so creepy it’s ridiculous. As soon as she was introduced to the story I was like “She’s bad. I know it.” And I was correct but I don’t want to spoiler too much. But yeah, don’t fall for her sweet personality!

Asa. Is it wrong that my favorite character was, in fact, a demon? I mean, he wasn’t my favorite character, but one of them. I don’t know why, it was probably when he was talking to Elizabeth and he was like “You scare me. And I’m from hell.” It was just funny and he wasn’t evil like you’d expect a demon to be.

A bit of a warning for this book: I know a lot of people aren’t bothered by it, but this book does mention a lot of dark stuff. For example the “One Beneath” was mentioned a lot and he’s sort of…the devil. (Claudia didn’t go into detail with that.) So like, if you don’t like this kind of stuff or are way of it, be careful with this book. That’s all I’m saying.

Overall, this book – even if it was a bit slow – was awesome. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a nice easy read.(less)

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May 03, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I honestly loved the book. I give it a total of 4/5 stars because I read it in less than two days, and couldn't put the book down. I really liked the main character Nadia and all her flaws and perfections, she was my favourite by far. I liked how the book didn't drag the start out and went straight into the story line in a well written, nor rushed way. I also liked the fact that it wasn't all fantasy based and had lots of the mystery to it. As most first books in a trilogy, there is a cliff-hang...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Nalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, witch, thriller, mystery, ebook

The first thing i wanna say is I can't accept the ending, i want more... *sigh, i will take a year for a second book.
I have known Gray from her previous book-Evernight series and i enjoyed those, so i thought this book will be good too. This time about the witch and the plot was so perfect because i couldn't know how the ending will be like.

The story is about Nadia Caldani, a witch who untrained because her witch mother left her with dad and little brother -in this book, Man shouldn't know abo...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Annette rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it

Ok so I really loves Claudia Gray's other series But man Spellcaster was a rough read! I knew exactly what was happening & going to happen from the moment I found out who the "bad guy" was & what he/she was planning to do! There was no mystery at all, totally predictable. Not even a crazy plot twist at the end. So it's really hard to give a synopsis of this book without giving away the whole plot because it's pretty straightforward.
Basically, theres a teen witch who lives with her dad &...more Ok so I really loves Claudia Gray's other series But man Spellcaster was a rough read! I knew exactly what was happening & going to happen from the moment I found out who the "bad guy" was & what he/she was planning to do! There was no mystery at all, totally predictable. Not even a crazy plot twist at the end. So it's really hard to give a synopsis of this book without giving away the whole plot because it's pretty straightforward.
Basically, theres a teen witch who lives with her dad & little brother freshly abandoned by her mother who is also a witch, for reasons unknown. So they move to a remote town (to start a new life)called Captive's Sound where things are not right from the moment they cross the border into town. There is an evil magic at work & she wont stop until she figures out what or who is behind all the crazy in Captive's Sound. That's about all I can say without giving anything away. There is a nice love interest tho. The book just kinda ends with a whole lot of questions unanswered!!! Most of the book was 'filler'!!! So I have no idea why she couldn't have given up a few secrets. It's really like an introductory of all the characters in the series & how they came to know each other..that's basically how it read to me. Perhaps book 2 will be more exciting since this book definitely gets all the boring background crap outta the way.. But the question remains if I will even read it because of how UNinteresting this book was.

I think I may have enjoyed the book a little more if it didn't seem to just drag out... well,everything. I read at least a book a week or more & I rarely give an unhappy review. More rarely do I want to just give up on a book & I was pretty close to that with Spellcaster. Then again there are a few series' I have read that the 1st book is good but compared to the rest of the books in the series is bland. Perhaps that's what Claudia is doing here. All this book does is set up Book 2/the rest of the series. Who knows??!

Sorry Claudia, but this book was Boring (with a capital B) it had a lot of potential but lacked in substance & was anticlimactic.

(less)

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May 22, 2013 Celine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: wizardy-magic, romance, young-adult, paranormal

Spellcaster was a rather polarising read for me - on one hand I loved it and I think Ms Gray made some great choices, but on the other hand there were quite some elements that grated on my nerves.

Nadia's mom left her and her family, unannounced. This is a tradedy in itself, but what's worse is that she now can't finish her training in the Craft, because only a grown witch can teach her. Not even her father or little brother know that she is a witch. They move to Captive's Sound to start over, an...more Spellcaster was a rather polarising read for me - on one hand I loved it and I think Ms Gray made some great choices, but on the other hand there were quite some elements that grated on my nerves.

Nadia's mom left her and her family, unannounced. This is a tradedy in itself, but what's worse is that she now can't finish her training in the Craft, because only a grown witch can teach her. Not even her father or little brother know that she is a witch. They move to Captive's Sound to start over, and she instantly feels there's something wrong with the town. It almost feels like someone is draining it...

Despite the (in my opinion) rather boring and weird cover, Spellcaster is an original creepy young-adult paranormal story with witches. What I loved most was the haunting setting - a run down small town, cut off from the world. Almost everything is falling apart. Sometimes quite literally, with random sink-holes swallowing cars. The feel of the town reminded me of Stephen King.

Massive props to Ms Gray for creating a nice bunch of diverse main characters. The love interest Mateo is Hispanic (*gasp* a minority main character!), I think Nadia might also be from some non-Caucasian heritage, and Velaine (the female friend, taller even than most guys and lover of vintage) is so weird it's awesome. They're not necessarily all that well written, but just the fact that it's non standard made my day.

The downside of Spellcaster is that it's slightly clumsily written. This definitely isn't this writer's first book, so I guess this is just her style, but it's not one I particularly enjoy. I commend her for letting the couple take things realistically slow, but the emotional connection wasn't quite there for me. The villain of the story sometimes goes into almost caricature style speeches with one of my favourite awful quotes: "But things would change soon. Very soon". Can't you just hear the DUN DUN DUNNNNN?

I also had a few deeper issues with the story. Basically, Nadia has taken on the role of mothering over her little brother since her mom left. She fell so naturally into this role, taking over cooking, babysitting, the whole shebang. At one point she is thinking: "Dad had enough to deal with. She was supposed to be taking care of him and Cole, not the other way around". Huh? Did I miss something? The only thing on his mind is having a job and the fact that his wife ran off. Since Nadia just lost her mom too, I don't see why he's in worse shape than she is. There is absolutely no reason for her to feel so obligated to do this. It reminds me of it being so natural for Bella to do the entire housekeep once she moved in with her dad. Maybe I'm seeing this in the wrong light, but just because you're a girl doesn't mean you have to take care of people. Especially not if they're grown up men.

The magic system is interesting, it has a mix of old-fashioned myths like having a Book of Shadows and the fact that Halloween is significant and some new elements like spells being based on emotions. It was nice, but I'm not really sure about the sexist part of it, namely that only women can have magic. That seems slightly wrong to me. I hope we'll get some more insight into this in the next book in the series.

Although the main conflict is solved by the end of Spellcaster, there is a huge set-up for next book. Be prepared not to get all the answers, and be prepared to be left hanging for a bit. The ending fit the story, but I was a bit disappointed by how quick the action was over. I was hoping for just a little bit more of an epic struggle. Either way, I'm more than curious enough to read the next part in the series, Steadfast.(less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had fun with this book. I really enjoyed Nadia as our heroine and Mateo as our hero. In fact, I really loved Mateo... he was the broken hero who comes through despite the consequences. I also enjoyed the other minor characters in this book. All had their place and some, like her little brother, were quite cute.

There were parts of this book that is typical YA. No love triangle so that is a huge plus. :) However, you do have a girl who is just learning her powers coming up against something unfa...more

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May 17, 2013 Hillary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really compelling read, great plot, and the characters didn't make me want to shoot myself in irritation of their stupidity. The main character and the love interest (Nadia and Mateo--ps. what kind of a name is Mateo? i hate it.) were sort of flat, but not boring, and their back-stories were creative and interesting. I really enjoyed the "side-kick" sort of character, Verlaine. She was quirky in the best possible way and I look forward to reading more about her back-story in the next book(s).
I'...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Novel Idea Reviews

RATING: 2/5 Stars

This was an underwhelming read for me. From the synopsis, I guess I was expecting something more. At the very least, it seemed like there wouldn’t be an aggravating love triangle to deal with. And no, there isn’t a love triangle in this book, but then again there’s not much of anything else going on either. Everything that could potentially have been compelling always seemed to fall short, and neither the characters nor their relationships...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Christine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, first-reads

I won an ARC through the Goodreads First Reads program and would like to thank HarperTeen for hosting the giveaway.

This review can be found at Life of a YA Girl

First things first. I loved this book. I'm not exaggerating either. I'm such a sucker for a book about witches. Halloween is my favorite holiday--strange, I know--so when I won an ARC of SPELLCASTER on Goodreads, I was so thrilled! I'll admit, before I even cracked the book open, I had already put this on a high pedestal. My mind was swim...more I won an ARC through the Goodreads First Reads program and would like to thank HarperTeen for hosting the giveaway.

This review can be found at Life of a YA Girl

First things first. I loved this book. I'm not exaggerating either. I'm such a sucker for a book about witches. Halloween is my favorite holiday--strange, I know--so when I won an ARC of SPELLCASTER on Goodreads, I was so thrilled! I'll admit, before I even cracked the book open, I had already put this on a high pedestal. My mind was swimming with possibilities and expectations. Claudia Gray certainly delivered! I was drawn in from the very first chapter. Ms. Gray has completely revamped the rules and history of witchcraft into something that makes you eager to learn more.

This book follows Nadia, a teenage witch, on the move of a lifetime to a small town called Captive's Sound. Immediately upon entering, Nadia can sense that there is some sort of magic that has its roots in the town, leaving her family in a terrible accident. Enter Mateo, a boy who appears out of nowhere, that rescues her from the damage. Nadia is drawn to Mateo but what she doesn't realize is that he is under a curse...a curse that causes him to dream of her dying. After a chance meeting with a strange girl, Verlaine, that nobody pays any attention to, Nadia and Verlaine make a plan to figure out who is using black, evil magic to destroy Captive's Sound. Even though he thinks that he will ultimately be Nadia's destruction, Mateo teams up with the two girls to help them take down the one person who is set out to destroy everyone and everything.

An intense, nerve wracking, suspenseful, and enjoyable read, Claudia Gray's SPELLCASTER is one you will not be able to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. The setting, characters, and mystery caught me from the very beginning and never let me go, much like some of the magic found in the book. I never once got bored with the story line and the cliff hanger at the end is going to kill me. I can't wait until the second book comes out! You get to experience the story from multiple character point of views. I saw that this bothered some people and caused some confusion, I found the opposite to be true. Each time the character perspective changed, Ms. Gray made sure to identify what character we were focusing on by mentioning their name in the first sentence. For example at the beginning of Chapter 5: "Verlaine flattened herself against the wall, where she was hidden by the lockers."* This means that we are now focusing on Verlaine's point of view. See, it was very easy to follow along! I thought being able to see multiple perspectives enhanced the story and allowed us to understand what each major character was going through, as they all were completely different from one another.

If you love witchcraft, evil, curses, suspense, friendship, and a budding romance, this book is definitely for you. The plot was fantastic. The world building was impeccable. The characters were perfect and easy to fall in love with, or hate with a passion (did I mention there was evil going on in Captive's Sound?!). If this becomes a motion picture, I call the role of Nadia! Or Verlaine--I just love her quirkiness!

*quotes were taken from the uncorrected proof(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Jessie Potts rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, romance, young-adult-for-adults

3.5 Stars

What it's about: Spellcaster is the new series from the author that gave us the Evernight series. This time Claudia has written about witches, curses and powerful magics. Nadia moves to Captive's Sound and meets Mateo, someone who is running from his and his family's secrets. When visions spiral the two toward a fate neither want, they must work together to find a way to break the curse.

Why you should read it: There were parts I liked and parts I didn't about this book. Claudia is a fan...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Rachel Patrick rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5 Stars

Spellcaster is one of those books that's on the line for me between good and okay, but leaning more toward good. Unfortunately, it didn't put a spell on me or leave me feeling magical--I liked it, but didn't love it.

What I didn't like: bits and pieces here and there. The writing isn't bad, but I have some issues with it, mainly with punctuation. (I can't hate on it too much since I read the ARC, but I don't think they'll change that much of it in the final version.) This book didn't...more 3.5/5 Stars

Spellcaster is one of those books that's on the line for me between good and okay, but leaning more toward good. Unfortunately, it didn't put a spell on me or leave me feeling magical--I liked it, but didn't love it.

What I didn't like: bits and pieces here and there. The writing isn't bad, but I have some issues with it, mainly with punctuation. (I can't hate on it too much since I read the ARC, but I don't think they'll change that much of it in the final version.) This book didn't always use the Oxford comma, which drove me crazy. The POVs were...interesting. I've seen some reviews saying things about the POV that was from a crow, but I actually thought that was kind of cool. My problem with the POVs was that they're kind of sporadic and not marked. I had to read to see whose POV I was reading from, for there was nothing saying who it was. And it didn't just change at the beginning of a chapter; it changed throughout the chapter. While I got pretty used it, I don't think it was my favorite thing and it could have been handled a little differently. (Maybe it will be in the finished copy.)

Even though I didn't fall in love with the characters, they were still good characters. While there are a few random POVs inbetween, it's mainly told from the perspectives of Nadia, Mateo, Verlaine, and Elizabeth. I don't want to say much about the characters because I might give something away, but Nadia is a witch and Mateo is cursed (as the synopsis says). They meet and work together to fight evil, and Verlaine and Elizabeth both play parts in that, though ones does more than the other. This isn't much of a spoiler alert, but Nadia and Mateo have some sparks flying. I thought their romance was okay, if maybe a little insta-love. I feel like there was more talk of them wanting to be with each other romantically then them actually being together and in a romantic relationship, and I would've preferred the latter. I did like how spells were cast--it's not all eye of newt and double trouble, boil and troil. (Or however that goes.) Instead, the spell was a few ingredients--like, say, the destruction of a thing beloved, and then the caster would think of something that happened to her that fits the ingredient. I thought that was different and kind of cool. Nadia was a good character, and one who took care of others more than herself. I liked Mateo--he was a good guy, and didn't do much of anything that made him the bad boy. He was, for the most part, a normal, nice guy.

I feel like this review is inadequate, for it makes it seem like I didn't like this book, which isn't the case. (Sometimes, it's just hard to put how I felt about a book into words.) Once I got into the book--which did take a while--I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what was going to happen, how this and that was going to play out. Sure, it had its negatives, but it was still a fun, likeable read. I'll probably read the other books in the series when they come out, but I don't think I'll race to get them. I hope they're better than Spellcaster and that they give me more (of what, I'm not sure), which I think is what I wanted from this book. It lacked the Wow Factor, but it was still something that's wasn't too shabby. Even though it didn't happen to me, you never know--this may be the book to put a magic spell on you.

This review was originally posted on my blog Beauty and the Bookshelf.(less)

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Feb 26, 2013 Valia Lind rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed on http://wordsareinnermusic.blogspot.com

The story begins with Nadia and her family moving to a new town. Her mother left, leaving Nadia to fend for herself in the world of magic, and now she needs her more than ever. New town is not all it seems and Nadia must do everything in her power to protect the people she loves.
I'm a fan of Claudia Gray and I enjoyed Spellcaster and all the magic. Nadia was a good character that had to undergo some growing. I really liked seeing her love for...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Tierney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, first-reads, witches

I received an ARC of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

My rating: 3.5/5

The negatives:

- Multiple POVs. This book has four third-person POVs that are used consistantly, plus a single page from the point of view of a crow and a single page from the point of view of Nadia's father. There is little variation in voice between the different character's points of view.

- A slow start. This book didn't begin to hold my interest until chapter seven.

- The epilogue. It contributes nothing to the story,...more

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About Claudia Gray

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actual...more

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