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Spellbound

(Spellbound #1)

Cara Lynn Shultz (Goodreads Author)

3.88 · Rating details · 12,363 ratings · 1,108 reviews

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to Brendan S

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Paperback, 341 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Harlequin Teen

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· 12,363 ratings · 1,108 reviews

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May 04, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it did not like it

Shelves: pn-witches, young-adult, adolescent-wish-fulfillment, annoying-main-characters, heroines-wimpy, eye-bleeding, 2011-publication, paranormal-general, read-2011

The beginning of this book is pretty good. There's a little bit of set up that explains Emma's nervousness over attending an exclusive school in a new city, plus some funny one-liners that make her seem pretty likable. But on page 15, Emma meets Brendan and everything goes downhill from there, because her whole life, including the scant paranormal aspects of this book, then revolves around getting him. Here is a sketch of the story, with some spoilers.

Here's what we know about the main character ...more

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May 07, 2011 Vinaya rated it liked it

Shelves: guilty-pleasures, books-i-liked, books-i-ought-to-hate-but-don-t, fluff-fluffy-fluffest, ya-fantasy, mixed-vibes, arc-galley

I wrote in a post once that YA paranormals are becoming the Mills&Boon substitute for teenagers. In defence of that theory, I present this:

Photobucket

Stock Image: Leaning man grabs Swooning woman

And this:

Photobucket

Stock Image: Girl in Prom Dress, view from back

Tragically, most YA PNRs these days show just about the same amount of imagination and innovation in their writing as they do in their covers. But hold on! This is not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes.

Now let's be honest, nobody expects paperback romances to ...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Cait rated it liked it · review of another edition

real rating for this book is 3.5 stars

So, to begin this review; after reading all of my friend's feelings on this book, I thought I really wasn't going to like it, maybe even despise it. The masochist in me forced me to read this book, thinking I was going to end up looking something like this:

Why do I do this to myself?!?! Why, Shultz?! whyyyyyyy?!? *runs away sobbing*

Truly, though, I was a little bit surprised and I did like the book. I didn't look like this:

[image error]
Wow that was freak ...more

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May 15, 2011 Megan rated it did not like it

Shelves: young-adult, not-mine-library, ya-summer-challange-2011

How, oh how did this get published? Actually, I know how… it’s called the Twilight effect. Look, there are bad books exploding off YA bookshelves everywhere. Ordinary Mary Sue’s with speshul powers, gay best friends, bitchy popular girls and jerky jock guys, sadly that all ain’t nothing new. (Oh god, and there go my vocabulary skills…) But we can thank Twilight for the popularity of insta-love novels. Forget books with heartbreakingly real romances or painful crushes or clumsy attempts to find t ...more

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Apr 13, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it really liked it

Shelves: own-copy, netgalley-edelweiss, paranormal, arc, read-2011, young-adult, hocus-pocus

After losing her mother and her twin brother and then having to endure a sorry drunken excuse for a step father, Emma Conner finally gets a fresh start in NY, living with her Aunt Christine and starting at the Vincent Academy school with her younger cousin, Ashley. Meeting the new kids at school isn't the easiest as Emma already gets a taste of what some of the kids are like, but she also meets some genuinely nice people and then there is Brendan, the one who looks like a rock star that Emma see After losing her mother and her twin brother and then having to endure a sorry drunken excuse for a step father, Emma Conner finally gets a fresh start in NY, living with her Aunt Christine and starting at the Vincent Academy school with her younger cousin, Ashley. Meeting the new kids at school isn't the easiest as Emma already gets a taste of what some of the kids are like, but she also meets some genuinely nice people and then there is Brendan, the one who looks like a rock star that Emma seems to be drawn to the most, only there is something very mysterious when it comes to Brendan Sulinger, something very...undeniable.

Wow, this book really surprised me in the best way possible!
To be honest I wasn't sure if this book was for me since the flow was kinda off in the beginning and the dialog was a bit silly and awkward at first. But! After reading a few great reviews I wanted to give this book an honest go and I'm really glad I didn't give up. Once the story started to unfold, I was completely mesmerized with Emma and Brendan.
I really just loved this concept. Always was a sucker for reincarnation and soul mates stories, so when you add a curse into the mix, what more could I ask for?

Spellbound is a intriguing book filled with the sappiest kind of love story that made me gush likealittlegirl at that kind of romance, but it also had some dark moments that added just the right amount of excitement to the plot.

I thought all the characters were great. Ashley is a cute kid, naive, yes, but cute none the less. Angelique is really cool and I liked what she brought into the storyline. Cisco is a great buddy even though we didn't really see much of him the second half of the book. Anthony is a total creep/jerk/slim-ball while Kristin was your typical rich b!tch mean girl. Both were equally easy to hate from minute one and did a fantastic job as our villains. Our protag, Emma, is awesome! She's a survivor, brave, strong, sweet and kind and I love that she stands up for herself and the peole around her. Then there's my Brendan who I absoutly loved. His on-again-off-again attitude in the beginning tended to frustrated me, but once I understood the why's, I got it. He's such a solid character. Fiercely protective, confident, sexy and definitely swoon-worthy. The chemistry between him and Emma sizzled with excitement and the sexual tension was so intense you could cut it with a knife. I loved that we actually got to see a relationship played out since I really think it's necessary to include those tender and important moments to connect with them as a couple. Their love was believable and very sweet and while some would call it 'instant romance' I think, for these two, it was inevitable more then anything else, and you'll just have to read the book to understand why. I also really enjoyed Ethan's link to all of this and thought it brought the perfect connection to the mystery surrounding Emma's life and his role in the end really made my heart smile.

Bottom line, I really enjoyed myself with this one and what I thought was a book I wasn't going to enjoy turned out to be a story I very much loved. Cara Lynn Shultz has created a fantastic story that will pull the reader on the very edge of there seats and captivate there hearts with Emma and Brendan story. It reads like a stand alone, but after reading the few pages in the end titled "The things I deal with for friends by Angelique" makes me wonder if Shultz is't exactly done with these amazing characters after all. I guess only time will tell. Till then, I'm anxious to get a copy of this book once it hits the shelves.

A Fantastic debut!

(Arc provided by Netgalley and Harlequin Teen) ...more

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May 06, 2011 Sandy rated it it was ok

This book felt like a mash up of every well-worn YA trope. I'm so tired of these love stories where the characters' love is trueeternalalways because...it just is. (view spoiler) does not mean you don't have to develop realistic relationships.

First I was drowning in instalove, only to be suffocated by major wish-fulfillment about a third of the way through. A hot, rich boyfriend who gives you a sapphire ring just because he's thinking of you and pic ...more

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Jul 12, 2011 Cayla Kluver rated it it was amazing

The moment I knew Spellbound had me hooked was when the main character, Emma, compared the smell of a perfume to "a unicorn fart". Later on, the same perfume was described as "munchkin sweat". These are clear indications of brilliance.

(FYI - THERE WILL BE MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.)

First let's talk about Emma. What I loved about her was that she's been through a hell of a lot, but she's not your typical world-weary protagonist. She definitely wants a better life, she wants a chance to start over. She The moment I knew Spellbound had me hooked was when the main character, Emma, compared the smell of a perfume to "a unicorn fart". Later on, the same perfume was described as "munchkin sweat". These are clear indications of brilliance.

(FYI - THERE WILL BE MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.)

First let's talk about Emma. What I loved about her was that she's been through a hell of a lot, but she's not your typical world-weary protagonist. She definitely wants a better life, she wants a chance to start over. She hasn't given up. I adored her defensive cynicism, because it fit perfectly with what she's lived through. I loved that she would go to school without doing her hair and makeup (that's what I always did because nobody can look good that early in the morning anyway), and I loved that her habits on that front didn't really change after she got involved with Brendan. Emma has a "this is what I am, this is as good as it's gonna get" approach to her appearance, which is refreshing.

Brendan is a delicious bad boy with uber respect for women. I'm not going to talk too much about him because you guys should get to discover him on your own as you read. But I heart him (and so does my friend who started reading the book before I'd even finished it).

The ending of Spellbound was riveting. (This is where things get a bit spoilery.) As a young woman, I found Anthony to be a terrifying character. The way that Emma refers to him as "the monster" is so accurate in terms of how many women are forced to look at the world. If I see a group of guys on the sidewalk, I cross the street so I don't have to risk passing by them. I don't walk to my car by myself. I don't go to public bathrooms by myself because public bathrooms are a high risk place for women to be assaulted. And Anthony embodies every little thought and experience that urges me to make those decisions regarding my safety. I would venture to say that Spellbound is a good read for young women, but especially for young men - it's so important for guys to understand the ways in which women are forced to view the world differently from them. And Spellbound illustrates this perfectly.

All in all, this is a great read. Either for tanning by the pool or for intellectual discussion. There are layers to it and it can be enjoyed on myriad levels.

Buy this one, ladies and gents! ...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, age-young-adult, genre-supernatural, 2011, genre-romance, genre-witches, borrowed, genre-paranormal

Emma moves to the Big Apple to live with her aunt after escaping an abusive home with her stepfather. Her first day at private school has her getting hit on by a douchy blonde Adonis. Then she gets rescued from the vile clutches of a mean girl by a a brooding quiet boy named Brendan. From that point on her life will never be the same again.

I always have this issue with books where love at first sight is so apparent that I have to cross my eyes and snicker. But this wasn’t the case with Spellboun ...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Krystle rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Boy, this book started off so well… And then it crashed and burned in a smoldering fire.

The beginning of this book was fabulous. Emma is sarcastic, humorous, and snarky without overdoing it. I love how she doesn’t take any of the mean girl’s crap and spits it back in her face. There was this nice, subtle build up to the other magic plot and a sort of suspense about these cryptic warnings being delivered by her brother.

But after 100 or so pages, it took a turn into gag me now, shitville. This is Boy, this book started off so well… And then it crashed and burned in a smoldering fire.

The beginning of this book was fabulous. Emma is sarcastic, humorous, and snarky without overdoing it. I love how she doesn’t take any of the mean girl’s crap and spits it back in her face. There was this nice, subtle build up to the other magic plot and a sort of suspense about these cryptic warnings being delivered by her brother.

But after 100 or so pages, it took a turn into gag me now, shitville. This is when the romance kicked in and omg, could it not get any more annoying. I don’t know about you but I really hate the whole: “I have to stay away from you because being with you is dangerous/I don’t understand/something is going on here” type of overdone plot device. It makes the guy seem like a prick and ugh, the amount of emo angsting you get from the main character is enough to make you want to scream in her face to stfu.

And then we get into the whole soulmate business. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this concept could work if handled carefully and adeptly by a competent writer, but it doesn’t here. Not to mention the whole plot set up is eerily reminiscent of Fallen by Lauren Kate. You know the whole, “If we get together, she’ll die!” crap. No thanks!

The romance sucked. It was okay at first because she had a normal crush but then they were so sappy and head over heels with each other. I’m not too sure about you but I’m not going to be all “You’re my one and only!” after going out for about a week with the guy. They only knew each other for a month tops, brief childhood moments aside. Rich or not, buying some girl a diamond and sapphire ring during this time is CRAZY. I would be all “Wtf! I ain’t that serious about this relationship!” Freaking what! I’d think the guy was a bit too gung ho and diving in things way too hard. Yech.

I really hate how there always has to be one popular girl set out to make the new girl’s/protagonist’s life miserable. Ugh, please. Can we get past this cliché? Thank you very much. I’m so sick of it. Don’t even remind of how the villain is some prick ass guy who tried to force himself on Emma’s cousin and then the mean girl still takes his side and wants to be with him. WTF. HELL NO. This is wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong! And the way he is so one-dimensionally set out to get his payback after Emma had put him in his place and got him the punishment he deserved after his asshole antics.

Yuck. I am not a fan.

This book could have been so much better. I’m disappointed. I bet a lot of people would like this if they like simply done young adult books revolving around a doomed love angle. ...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Cory added it

What’s a girl to do when meeting The One means she’s cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn’t been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, 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 ...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Danny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-read, arc, april-2011, bea11

Oh my this book was a wonderful surprise! I adore the story and most of all, this seems to be a Stand-Alone, no cruel torture cliffhanger end where you have to wait a year for an update! I read and finished the book in only one day, I couldn't stop once I started with this beautiful story of soul-mates.

This is the story of Emma, who couldn't have had a more horrible life. She lost her mother and her twin brother Ethan and her step-dead was a drunk that nearly got her killed. This is why she mov Oh my this book was a wonderful surprise! I adore the story and most of all, this seems to be a Stand-Alone, no cruel torture cliffhanger end where you have to wait a year for an update! I read and finished the book in only one day, I couldn't stop once I started with this beautiful story of soul-mates.

This is the story of Emma, who couldn't have had a more horrible life. She lost her mother and her twin brother Ethan and her step-dead was a drunk that nearly got her killed. This is why she moves in with her aunt who is fairly rich and sends her to a precious school in New York. All Emma wants is to stay hidden and not let anyone close to her. She couldn't bear loosing again someone. But, what you wish and what you get are two different things!

The instand she lays eyes on Brandon she's in awe. He looks rock-star gorgeous with his black hair and blue eyes but keeps everyone at a distant as if he wouldn't want something to do with either of the kids at school. But, he's looking back at Emma and she has a feeling he's as intrigued as she is. But, she can't figure him out in one minute he seems interested in the next he's avoiding her. But Emma can't stay away from him, she simply can't...

There is something between them that neither of them can't deny!

Emma was a wonderful, wonderful character! Vulnerable, sweet and still brave when it comes to defend her little cousin. Also, she's sometimes so awkward when talking to Brandon that it made me simply smile! Who doesn't know how it is when you have a huge crush and can't seem to form a normal sentence! So sweet and so very real!

Brandon was swoon worthy and had the perfect mix of bad boy and sweetness. He stands up for Emma and ready to beat the shit out of the real bad boy, but is tender and lovely when he is with her. Honestly he's the perfect boy to have a crush on. Exactly what I love in fictional character.

But their love is cursed and they have to find a way to be together and break a ancient curse that lays on them.. Will they ?

Captivating beautiful and haunting story about finding a away to break a curse to be together forever with your soulmate! Wonderful real and genuine characters and especially a boy that makes you swoon and fall in love with as easily as Emma did! ...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Darkfallen rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-n-reviewed, arc, netgalley-reviewed

There is so many things that I absolutely loved about this book! So first off I would just like to say Way To GO! for Cara Lynn Shultz on a job well done:)

I only had one slight issue with the writing. Nothing major. So lets' get that out of the way and move on to the awesome sauce. My only complaint is that I felt it could have used some better editing. And here is what I mean by that. Note this is just a example and not an actually sentence from the book.

"I saw the most perfect silky, smooth bl ...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Katie rated it it was ok

Shelves: kindle-books, paranormal, harlequin

I'm generally not a fan of plots that involve (1) starcrossed lovers, (2) reincarnated lovers, (3) witches, or (4) any combination thereof. So I'm not sure what I was thinking when I picked up Spellbound. Maybe because I have been so pleased in the past by books published by HarlequinTeen that I thought they could do no wrong. I mean, they published The Iron Fey series, The Goddess Test, and The Girl in the Steel Corset, and I really liked all of those - so I guess I was hoping this would be sim I'm generally not a fan of plots that involve (1) starcrossed lovers, (2) reincarnated lovers, (3) witches, or (4) any combination thereof. So I'm not sure what I was thinking when I picked up Spellbound. Maybe because I have been so pleased in the past by books published by HarlequinTeen that I thought they could do no wrong. I mean, they published The Iron Fey series, The Goddess Test, and The Girl in the Steel Corset, and I really liked all of those - so I guess I was hoping this would be similar.

I should have been suspicious when I saw that the blurb capitalized "the One."

I don't know how I feel about "soulmates" in real life, but I'm willing to suspend belief for a book. But the soulmates aspect in this book really was excruciating. I just wasn't on board with any of the plot. I'm sorry. The witch aspect wasn't intresting. The medieval legend that was the basis for Emma and Brendan's relationship was archaic and tired. And the reincarnated lovers plotline was cliched.

In fact, everything about this book was cliched. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes throughout the entire book. This book was so formula fiction, and I couldn't help but cringe. I don't mind a little formulaic construction. Pretty much every paranormal romance follows a basic outline. But this one stayed so rigidly to the outline that I was thirsting for some creativity.

You have all the "necessary" elements of a teen paranormal romance here:

1. The "plain" heroine
2. The impossibly hot hero
3. The mean girl
4. The gay best friend
5. The starcrossed romance
6. The evil man who wants to keep the hero and heroine from being together
7. The paranormal twist

I so wanted to love this book. It's from HarlequinTeen. It's a standalone book. It has a sick cover. But unfortunately, it was just "meh" for me. I wish Emma had been less mousy and Bella Swan-ish. I wish Brendan had had a better name. ("Brendan" = not hot!) I wish Brendan had been less cookie cutter and washboard abs, and more developed. And I wish there had been some real chemistry in a book that claims to be a romance.

I'll give the book one thing: the climax was pretty interesting. I read the last 10% pretty quickly, once I had slogged through the first 90%. All the plotlines were tied together nicely at the end. And this is a standalone book, which I loved. Seems there isn't enough of those in YA these days.

But this book wasn't for me. I give it 1 star for the Alice in Wonderland-esque cover and 1 1/2 stars for the actual story.

Meh. ...more

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Jun 04, 2011 Kassiah rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, favorites, ft-swoonworthy-guy, reviewed-fictionators, ft-high-school, ft-girls-who-kick-ass, pub-2011, ft-vampires-witches-zombies, favorites-of-2011

Again with the half stars lol. I'd give this 4-1/2 :)

So lately I have been complaining a lot about stories that, because there's sequel coming, end abruptly and don't seem to finish the storyline at all. I hate to be left hanging in an evil cliffie.

And that's why I love this book.

It reminded me of why I beg for more when there's something awesome. As far as I know, there is no sequel planned, but I want one. And not because the storyline wasn't wrapped up--it was. But I want MORE of them. More ...more

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Nov 19, 2013 Brianna Sprouse rated it really liked it

Brianna Sprouse
I am doing my book report over the book "Spellbound" by: Cara Lynn Shultz. This is a paranormal romance book that touches on the subject of teen love and witchcraft. A young girl meets the love of her life and they seem to be soul-mates, but there's a horrible curse attached to their story. Emma and Brendan must fight to stay alive and stay together or their love story will continue to end generation after generation.
Emma and Brendan are soul-mates and are hopelessly in love with ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Jessica rated it liked it

Shelves: 24-ebooks

Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this. The story didn’t trigger any strong emotions on my part so whenever I try to come up with something to say about it I’m drawing a total blank. The weird thing is, those of my friends who’ve read it, rated it somewhere between 1 and 5 stars (haha). Opinions seem to be somewhat varying ;-) Well, I for one, enjoyed this and was actually quite surprised because I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. It wasn’t anything overly special but it was pre ...more

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Aug 07, 2014 Wealhtheow rated it did not like it

Shelves: didn-t_finish, ya, queer-characters, fantasy

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 ...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Leyla rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2011, young-adult, arc-galley, paranormal-fantasy-scifi, first-in-series, series, romance

Spellbound was a surprisingly enjoyable read, very fun in some parts and very sweet in others.

The plot was pretty foreseeable (girl meets boy and has to fight against the forces of evil to live happily ever after with him) but I found the whole reincarnation thing very well constructed and organized.

I liked the author's prose, it gave lightness both to the story and to the main character's feelings and made the whole book very fluent.

I think the school part was way too cliched and it felt funny ...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Heidi rated it liked it · review of another edition

“Three and a half stars: A novel with a curse, star crossed lovers and more.
Three and a half stars: A novel with a curse, star crossed lovers and more.

Emma survived a rough couple of years. She lost her twin brother and mother in two years time. She was left living with her drunken stepfather, who nearly killed her in a car accident while driving drunk. Thankfully, her Aunt Christine, who is a recent widow with no children, takes her in and turns Emma's life around. Emma moves to New York and is ...more

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Jun 12, 2011 papalbina rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, in-english, meehh, kindle-or-kobo-or-ipad, wont-finish-series

Well, to begin with something I have to say that I liked the book. It gave me a couple of hours of light reading and disconnection of the world. That's worth something... like three stars...

Now, let's analyze it (or try to, better said).

I don't know what else to say about the plot that is not yet said. In short, it's predictable and full of clichés. And not really Paranormal Romance clichés, because besides the starcrossed lovers story and the "random discovery" in the middle of the book (aka " ...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Alex Bennett added it

Spellbound was getting lots of attention long before its release, and every praise of it had me reeling to read. When Spellbound finally found its way to me, I couldn’t wait to dive right in. Spellbound was quite different than what I was expecting, but it was also quite better than what I was expecting. Cara Lynn Shultz has created a spellbinding story that is sure to ensnare and enchant readers everywhere.

Being someone who adores New York City, I was so pleased to discover that Spellbound take Spellbound was getting lots of attention long before its release, and every praise of it had me reeling to read. When Spellbound finally found its way to me, I couldn’t wait to dive right in. Spellbound was quite different than what I was expecting, but it was also quite better than what I was expecting. Cara Lynn Shultz has created a spellbinding story that is sure to ensnare and enchant readers everywhere.

Being someone who adores New York City, I was so pleased to discover that Spellbound takes place there. The Manhattan atmosphere made me feel as if I was really back in my favorite city, and I thank Cara Lynn Shultz for that. Vincent Academy may seem very much like the rest of those Upper East Side drama shows that we are all secretly addicted to, but it is so different. The magical aspect of Spellbound really wasn’t explored as much as I hoped it would be, but if the ending of Spellbound is any indication, readers will get much more magic in future installments of this series.

Cara Lynn Shultz is a great writer. Anybody who can make me experience a story the way Shultz has done definitely knows what they are doing. I used to be able to say I’ve never screamed out loud in terror at a book. Yeah, I can’t say that after reading Spellbound anymore. Spellbound made my heart race, and I’m sure my eyes were bulging out of my head many times while reading.

Emma. Wow, I loved her. Readers will feel sorry for her, and will always root for her while they read Spellbound. She was strong and faced a thousand-year-old curse to be with the one she loved. Dedication much? Speaking of the one she loved… Brendan. Brendan has the bad boy vibe, yet is still warm and loving towards Emma. The combination of unattainable and desirable had Emma—and myself—desperately hoping he would fall for Emma the way readers fall for him.

Spellbound is a fun, thrilling read that has the potential to create a change in young adult literature. Though it doesn’t have the magical aspects I was hoping would be included, Spellbound does leave readers knowing there will be plenty of magic in the future. Now I just have to figure out how I’m going to wait that long. ...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Cheyenne rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, a-book-to-learn-from, hilarious

It was a bitter-sweet moment when I finished this book. I can honestly say that this book is probably going to be my favorite for a long time. Frst off, I loved the characters. The main characters, the supporting characters, hell, I even loved the villans! Well...I loved to hate them I mean. The main character of Emma Connor, I felt was real. She had real problems and a real past, but didn't let them rule her day to day life. Not to mention that she is hilarious. My favorite part of this book wa ...more

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May 15, 2011 Cristina Buzoianu rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-paranormal

I heard many good things about this book and I was lucky to receive it as an ARC some time ago. Unfortunately I was very busy the last three months, so I'm a bit (very) late. *sigh*
Emma is oblivious of how special she is. She had a hard life and tries for a fresh start in New York. Her new high school is full of rich kids and she soon realizes that this isn't the place for her either...except for Brendan Salinger. He's the most beautiful, rich and nasty boy at Upper East Side prep school.
Soon th ...more

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Jul 20, 2016 Carla rated it really liked it

Well!!!! This book was great ❤️. Emma and Brendon were definitely Spellbound and it was a super cute love story with a Medieval twist to it.

Emma comes from a very sad and dark past and moves to her Great Aunt Christine's in downtown New York. Where she goes to Vince Academy with her 14 year old cousin Ashley. There's your school normal and psychotic drama with who's this and who's that. And then she meets Angelique and helps her adapt at this posh school. Angelique is also very spunky and funny ...more

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Apr 18, 2011 Zemira (Kylo Ren fangirl) Warner rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: no one

Shelves: reincarnation, fantasy, awful, boarding-school, disappointed, paranormal-romance, net-galley, dnf

This book was so,so boring. I couldn't finish it. Even the romance is not worth it. ...more

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Apr 30, 2011 Misty marked it as to-read

Shelves: cover-appeal, own, juvenile-ya

I don't know that I'll ever actually read this because honestly, the description doesn't appeal to me.
The cover, however, does, so I had to mark it.
#Immasucka ...more

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Jan 27, 2015 Yoyo rated it it was ok

Shelves: ya

DNF after a couple of pages. This novel seemed to be intended for a younger audience and the plot was predictable and cliché.

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May 23, 2011 Tori rated it liked it

Shelves: net-galley, arc, e-book, review-for-smexybooks

Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/07/rev...

Favorite Quote: “Do I look like a freaking fairy-tale princess to you?”

Reviewed by Tori

Sixteen year old Emma Conner hasn’t had an easy life. Her mother and twin brother dies, leaving her alone with her abusive stepfather. When he almost kills her in a car accident, Emma goes to stay with her aunt in New York. Soon Emma is enrolled in a prestigious private school and the center of unwanted attention. Pursued by an unstable boy and the o Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/07/rev...

Favorite Quote: “Do I look like a freaking fairy-tale princess to you?”

Reviewed by Tori

Sixteen year old Emma Conner hasn’t had an easy life. Her mother and twin brother dies, leaving her alone with her abusive stepfather. When he almost kills her in a car accident, Emma goes to stay with her aunt in New York. Soon Emma is enrolled in a prestigious private school and the center of unwanted attention. Pursued by an unstable boy and the object of a jealous girl’s anger; Emma soon wishes she was back at her old school. When she catches the attention of the school’s hottest boy, Brendon Salinger, Emma’s life changes drastically as an old curse comes back to life with a vengeance with promises of a centuries old love and horrible death.

Spellbound is a paranormal romance YA that is short on the paranormal but high on the romance. A light hearted, fast paced story that flirts with a Romeo and Juliet reincarnation theme in a modern day world. I liked the casual realism that Ms. Schultz injects into her characters emotions and relationships. These are high school students; resplendent in their bitchy, cliquey, instant gratification ways.

Emma is a comfortable heroine with her sarcasm and normality. I found myself laughing as we get her insights on the students of the school and her home life. She’s smart enough to know when things are not right and seeks answers instead of just accepting. She also has a strong loyal streak which becomes evident when defending her cousin’s virtue against a nasty boy’s lies.

Brendon is every high school girls fantasy. Handsome, rich, sexy, mysterious, and plays up the bad boy persona. He comes to Emma’s defense the first day and seems to pursue her but then blows her off to her dismay and confusion. As these two maneuver themselves around an obvious attraction, Emma comes into some knowledge that lets her know that she and Brendon have past history and that will keep repeating itself unless they can break the curse.

Ms. Schultz does a nice job of letting their romance develop slowly. Your really not sure until the paranormal aspects come into play if these two will actually become a couple or not. I found that once the romance becomes official that the emotional factor increases but not in an overblown offensive manner. I hesitate to say this, but they are cute together. They have a wonderful chemistry and a delightful banter between them that is appealing.

The secondary characters blend in to the story and our protagonists lives with no awkwardness. They add humor and continuity as they help keep the story’s main plotline fresh and flowing smoothly. We see a lot of them in the beginning but they fade away once the main conflict is introduced and the romance is solidified. I would have liked to see them more involved in the main conflict. Kristian is the perfect uber popular girl. Rich, gorgeous and nasty. I really wish we would have seen more of her POV at the end of the story. Emma’s outgoing cousin plays the perfect foil for Emma’s innate shyness and Emma’s Aunt Catherine is spot on as a ‘first time mother’ trying to raise a teenager. I love the fact she is addicted to COPS and every Saturday night makes a martini for her and her dead husband.

The main conflict is presented in an interesting, matter of fact manner and wraps up fairly quickly with plenty of action but thankfully no cliffhangers. I did feel it ended abruptly though. I would have liked an epilogue of sorts to answer a few lingering questions. I was also little disappointed with Emma towards the end. She really should have known better and though it advances us towards the ending, it felt contrived. I do hope this isn’t the end of the legend stories. I would like to see more brought forward and dealt with in the modern world.

Rating: C ...more

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May 09, 2011 Shelley rated it liked it

Shelves: 2011-releases, a-r-c, y-a-paranormal

Rating: 3.5 Stars
Genre: YA Romance

Spellbound, by Cara Lynn Schultz, is the story of 16 year old Emma Connor who as the story begins, is starting school at Vincent Academy as a junior. VA is a co-ed private school in the heart of New York City where children of the rich and famous go to linger and hope that they can get into a prestigious Ivy League school.

Emma hasn’t exactly had the best of luck when it comes to her family. Her twin brother Ethan died when he was 14 of meningitis and her mother Rating: 3.5 Stars
Genre: YA Romance

Spellbound, by Cara Lynn Schultz, is the story of 16 year old Emma Connor who as the story begins, is starting school at Vincent Academy as a junior. VA is a co-ed private school in the heart of New York City where children of the rich and famous go to linger and hope that they can get into a prestigious Ivy League school.

Emma hasn’t exactly had the best of luck when it comes to her family. Her twin brother Ethan died when he was 14 of meningitis and her mother followed a year later after marrying Henri the drunk so that Emma would have some family to support her. After she is hurt in a car accident because of Henri’s drinking, she reluctantly agrees to move in with her Aunt Christine and promptly leaves New Jersey for the city that never sleeps.

Spellbound is a teen drama with a bit of paranormal thrown in for good measure, as well as romance that is destined to fail due to a curse that was set in motion a thousand years before the characters were even born. It doesn’t have vampires, or werewolves or anything other paranormal creature that we’ve come to expect from these new releases.

Emma does have her teen drama moments when Brandon, the love interest, seems to ignore her one minute, then come darting in to save her from the school bully the next. Then they find that they are soul mates but doomed to fail unless they can break the curse which has lingered for 1,000 years. She finds herself the target of rumors and innuendo’s by the lead blond bimbo Kristen who believes the super stud is hers to have as she chooses. She, of course, tries everything she can to break the couple up, including scheming with a jerkoid jock in order to brutalize her, and somehow talking Emma into helping her at the school dance. The DOH! moment of the book in my opinion.

Along the way, Emma learns that the necklace her brother gave to her for good luck, is actually called the Crest of Aglaeon which seems to have belonged Lady Gloriana, wife of Lord Archer who risked everything to be with her instead of his intended as his father wanted. Because of a deal that Archer made, Emma's soul is destined to die a painful death upon finding true love time and time again. The spell states that once the soul mates have met, they will not be able to be together for long, that tragedy will strike them down.

The Good: characters like Angelique who is a witch and Emma’s friend, helps her to understand that yes, she is one as well, and so was her mother. Emma later understands that she had a sort of premonition when she was little and could tell who was calling. Angelique also has a short story at the end of the book that is interesting as well. I’m wondering if this series will have her character spun off eventually. Wouldn't actually be a bad thing.

The Bad: High school girls are pure evil and could care less who they ruin with their silly lies and innuendos. That is definitely the bottom line in Spellbound. These girls could care less who they hurt, as long as they get the prize at the end of the game. Kristen is the vixen of the story, and somehow, gets away with hurting Emma and a bunch of other girl on girl hate crimes along the way.

The Ugly: The YA genre seems to be swamped with similar stories about lost love from the past that end up chasing each other over the course of time. When they find each other, they always seem to be doomed to failure before they even begin. *See Blue Bloods, The Fallen series, Immortals, and Mercy, just to name a few.**

Overall, recommended for those who love teenaged angst, romance, and a little rough and tumble action along the way. There’s no sex for those who enjoy that sort of thing between teens, which to me, was just perfect.

ARC Accepted 05/15/2011. Releases 06/28/2011 ...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, paranormal, young-adult

originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Remember that first love? That first feeling of infatuation where you couldn't wait to see him, hear him speak or just simply look at you? When it seemed like your entire life depended on him noticing you? What if that guy really was as perfect as you thought he was and he turned out to be your soul mate?

Emma Connor hasn't had an easy life when her Great-Aunt/Godmother rescues her and brings her to live with her in New York. In New Yo originally posted at http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Remember that first love? That first feeling of infatuation where you couldn't wait to see him, hear him speak or just simply look at you? When it seemed like your entire life depended on him noticing you? What if that guy really was as perfect as you thought he was and he turned out to be your soul mate?

Emma Connor hasn't had an easy life when her Great-Aunt/Godmother rescues her and brings her to live with her in New York. In New York she has to attend an exclusive, private school. In the first days of school we meet quite a few stereo-typical teens: the snobby jock that is full of himself and thinks every girl should want him; the hot, sexy, yet elusive, bad boy; the outcast; the popular, snobby girl that thinks she makes the rules for everyone; even the closeted homosexual friend.

Emma is determined to remain under the radar until she meets Brendan (the bad boy), with whom she feels an immediate connection. But Brendan runs hot and cold, leaving her to wonder if she's imagining things. In the meantime she has to contend with the vicious Kristen, who has decided that she doesn't like her and proceeds to try to ruin her at the school. Things aren't all bad though. She makes friends with Cisco and Angelique and eventually Brendan decides to stop fighting the attraction.

It could just be because I was recently watching old episodes of My So Called Life but this book reminded me of the series. It was like watching an entire season all wrapped up in one book. Substitute the public school with a private one, Rayanne with Angelique, Jordan Catalano with Brendan, throw in some magic and there ya go!

The paranormal aspects of this book don't play a huge part, but it is an integral part of the story and is very interesting. We get the history of the soul mates as Emma discovers it herself. It is a fun and intriguing plotline, and not something that you see often in the context that Spellbound places it.

Secondary characters were interesting and played a vital role in the story although I do wish that we could have gotten to know a couple of them a bit better. Based on an excerpt at the very end though, it seems like we may get to know Angelique better sometime in the future. There is one character that we see a lot of in the beginning of the book that all but disappears by the end, leaving you wondering what happens to her.

There is an issue with a friend drinking that is mentioned but never fully explored, leaving me wondering what the point of it was. I absolutely love that Emma, while insecure in some ways, is not afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right and refuses to back down from the bullies. Everything is well paced – nothing seems to happen too fast. Especially in the world of teens, where everything happens in the now and the future seems like a distant prize. The end is wrapped up quite nicely and doesn't leaving you hanging after the climactic scene with a short little two page epilogue as many do, which I loved. Though it would have been nice to see what happens with the character of Kristen, which isn't addressed.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book. One that once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend checking this book out. If you enjoy Young Adult books, you won't regret it, I promise.

...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA Fantasy. High school girl sees memories every time she touches other people. When younger, she almost died in a crash crash with family but man saved her. Read around 2014-2018. Spoilers ahead. [s]	8	33	Dec 11, 2020 11:28AM
Future Teachers, ...: Crawford. Review 5. Spellbound	1	1	Oct 15, 2016 10:42PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Teen romance "fantasy" book with past life lovers? [s]	12	46	Dec 31, 2015 06:09AM
YA romance : Spellbound	4	11	Nov 19, 2014 05:59PM
Did anyone else think at first that Brendan was sum immortal being?	12	57	Apr 11, 2014 11:44PM
The Wide Web of F...: Spellbound	2	12	Feb 01, 2014 01:56PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Spellbound series By Cara Lynn Shultz - Starting October 17th	25	19	Oct 19, 2013 01:24PM

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About Cara Lynn Shultz

Cara Lynn Shultz

729 followers

Cara Lynn Shultz is the author of Spellbound, Spellcaster and The Dark World. She has written for Billboard, People, Logo TV, The Dodo, Alternative Press, Teen People, Stuff and The Guardian UK.

*****
Hey guys! I rarely check my Goodreads messages, so if you are trying to contact me, the best bet is Facebook
(Facebook.com/CaraLShultz), Twitter (@CaraLynnShultz) or Instagram (@caralynshultz). ...more

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Quotes from Spellbound

“She was so cold, she probably farted ice cubes.” — 95 likes

“The U.S. Postal Service should hire him for an ad campaign. If he were at the mailbox every time you sent a letter, no one would use email ever again.” — 76 likes

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