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Compulsion

(The Heirs of Watson Island #1)

Martina Boone (Goodreads Author)

3.86 · Rating details · 3,057 ratings · 658 reviews

Beautiful Creatures meets The Body Finder in this spellbinding new trilogy.

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson had been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carol ...more

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Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Published October 28th 2014 by Simon Pulse

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· 3,057 ratings · 658 reviews

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Feb 02, 2014 Wendy Higgins added it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, southern-gothic

Utterly incredible. I am not kidding when I say I savored this one. It has a slow burn that is SO appropriate for the southern gothic setting. All of the magical elements and ghosts were beautifully done. The romance was positively swoony, and there are so many lovely, quotable moments. I was intrigued by the mystery and wanting to know more, more more - furiously flipping pages, but not wanting it to end.
I'm dying to see what happens in the next book!
Dying, Martina Boone! Do you hear me?!
SO lu ...more

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Apr 01, 2014 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, romance, twins-triplets-clones, why-do-i-hate-myself, sleeping-pill, paranormal, boring-main-character

“You’re different.”

Different. And there it was.

All her life Barrie had been on the receiving end of different.

Even once she’d learned to disguise the Watson gift, she’d still been the daughter of a woman who stood at the window and glared at people on the street from behind a curtain. The goddaughter of the drag-queen who went to parent-teacher conferences dressed in vintage suits and designer shoes.

This book is 448 pages long, and this is what happens in it:

A girl moves to South Carolina af ...more

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Nov 02, 2013 Martina Boone rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, southern-gothic, fantasy, romance, magical-realism

Compulsion evolved from an image of a ball of flames weaving through the woods at midnight and then being unspooled like yarn onto a river by someone unseen until the entire river burned with magical flame. I couldn't help obsessing about what that meant and why the ceremony had been repeated so long no one could remember when it first began. Who was doing it? What did it accomplish? Answering those questions, I fell in love with the three plantations where the story was set, and with the famili ...more

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Apr 12, 2014 Beth (YA Books Central) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites-2014, favorite-covers-2014

"Barrie shook her head. Now that she was here, she couldn't leave. Her aunt was undeniably strange,but Pru's features added up to familiarity, to family. And the house, while rundown was magnificent. It was Watson's landing. Lulu's history. Barrie's own history."

OK...Seriously...this book is I N C R E D I B L E. I saw reviews about this book on Goodreads and could not wait to get my hands on it. I literally read this book in three days and it took my breath away.

Compulsion is a compelling, ...more

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Apr 11, 2014 Alyssa | Swept Away By Books rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014-releases

Martina Boone has set up what is sure to be an extremely intriguing trilogy with Compulsion. Within the first few pages, the reader is immersed in her gorgeous ability to create a setting as well as throwing us into a house full of dark family secrets.

One of my favourite parts of this book was the plantation, Watson's Landing. Set in South Carolina, the creeping spanish moss, meandering river, and acres of encroaching forest, the setting really comes alive for the reader. But the house itself be Martina Boone has set up what is sure to be an extremely intriguing trilogy with Compulsion. Within the first few pages, the reader is immersed in her gorgeous ability to create a setting as well as throwing us into a house full of dark family secrets.

One of my favourite parts of this book was the plantation, Watson's Landing. Set in South Carolina, the creeping spanish moss, meandering river, and acres of encroaching forest, the setting really comes alive for the reader. But the house itself becomes a character that draws you in and makes you want to curl up in the dusty corners and simply experience what it has to offer. From closed off wings with eerie vibes, to spirits who are methodically taking the house apart, to sprawling gardens that are always kept in mysteriously pristine conditions to a river lit with fire every night, I was completely enamoured with Watson's Landing. The house has so much to offer, and Barrie finds it impossible to resist the chance to dig up some of it's secrets.

What I wasn't expecting was the Native American mythology. It was such an intriguing surprise. It added an extra layer to the mystery, and created an amazing backstory for gifts (some would say curses) that the three founding families, The Watsons, The Beauforts and The Colesworths, have. What is so so unique about Compulsion are these gifts and I am so excited for everyone to read it because they are incredibly different and nothing I have ever seen in YA before. The generations old family feud stems from these curse and was creepy and fascinating and caused some people to do terrible things throughout the years.

Barrie herself was a little frustrating to me, but that's one of the things I loved about her. She grew up extremely sheltered by her mother, and it really shows in her naivete towards certain aspects of life. She really struggles with how she views people, and her opinions are flip flopping all over the place, but Martina stayed very true to a character who wouldn't know any better in certain situations. Her relationship with the dreamy Eight Beaufort was tension filled and as steamy as a Southern night and was just freaking adorable.

Boone's supporting characters were far from perfect but a blast to read. Aunt Pru has to be my favourite, and I am so excited to see and learn more about her in the upcoming books. Barrie's godfather Mark was brilliant and shone through the pages. But the most interesting of them all was Barrie's cousin on the Colesworth side, Cassie. There was just a little something off about her the whole time, and she was the perfect mix of sickly sweet with a menacing undertone.

Compulsion was a brilliant first instalment in what is going to be an eerie and fascinating story about an ages old family feud, goose bump inducing ghosts, mythology and a girl struggling to discover who she really is now that she finally has the chance, all in a beautiful setting that is brought to life through Martina's deliciously descriptive writing, with a sweet and steamy romance included. ...more

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Mar 08, 2014 Amanda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, arcs, ya-lit, paranormal, 2014-summer

Review by: Amanda at Of Spectacles and Books

Why I chose this book:
I had my eye on this back in March when I began seeing a few bloggers talk about it. The story, the setting, the Southern Gothic genre, everything just spoke to me and told me that I must read this book. I entered into every giveaway I saw, but to no avail. Luckily, I ended up being approved on Edelweiss, and I did a little happy dance in my room when I saw the email. And to tell you the truth, I was so happy that I got this book ...more

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May 28, 2014 Courtney Whisenant rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, free-copy-for-honest-review, young-adult, 2014-release, 11-sweetdz-library, southern, gothic, ghosts

This book was incredible--the kind that sucks you in, consumes you until the very last page, and sticks with you long after you've finished reading. Set on an island near Charleston, the imagery was breathtaking. Spanish moss hanging from old oak trees, plantation homes, and the scent of jasmine in the air are just a few of the things I love about South Carolina. As a southerner myself, I related to the small town quirks, the southern drawl and family secrets hidden for generations. The magical ...more

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Feb 28, 2014 Hafsah Faizal rated it really liked it · review of another edition

We're not in Kansas anymore, readers. This book here's set smack dab in the south.

Living in Texas, and having lived in Florida and California, I know just how different the south is, compared to the rest of the country. So when I picked up COMPULSION, I expected to see real southern stuff.

And lemme tell ya, sugar, it delivers.

Martina Boone's debut into young-adult fiction is dazzling. Well-written, tense, and, simply put, fresh, COMPULSION is a great read.

Full review will be posted on IceyBo ...more

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Mar 04, 2014 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: NON-Southern YA readers

Shelves: rabid-reads-reviews, meh, ya, some-kinda-magic, edelweiss, southern-comfort, skulduggery, urban-fantasy

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Oh, lordy . . .

I've lived in North Carolina or Tennessee my whole life, and with the exception of one uncle who relocated to California, all of my family lives in the same general vicinity as well.

I'm S O U T H E R N.

So when I hear about a book that is supposedly S O U T H E R N, I get all excited (b/c narcissist who loves Southern-themed books), and I have to read it. Sometimes that works out for me . . .

And sometimes it doesn't.

I want to say up front page that the reaso ...more

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Nov 27, 2013 Erin Cashman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, romance

I started reading this book and was immediately caught up in the story. Compulsion has it all -- memorable and flawed characters, exquisite and evocative writing, a heady romance, a page turning mystery, and a protagonist that I cheered for from the very first page. I highly recommend this dazzling debut and can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
...more

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Oct 11, 2014 Lindsay Cummings rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

In a word, COMPULSION is delicious.

A beautifully written Southern Gothic, which, to me, is one of the toughest types of books to write. I wasn't sure what to think the first few pages of COMPULSION. I didn't know if it was just a contemporary about death and new places..until there was one single phrase mentioned. "The finding gift".

Barrie, our main character, has the ability to find lost things. A few pages in to COMPULSION, this gift is shown. And as soon as it is, the rest of the book falls i ...more

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Mar 19, 2014 K.L. Hallam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

After her shut-in mother’s death, teen-aged, Barrie Watson is free to seek out the family kept secret from her all her life. She arrives at Watson Landing, greeted by a live albino peacock, and discovers a family heritage of privateers, rice plantations, and an ancient curse.

The sense of place is the first thing that takes hold of you. The visual descriptions set you into the dreamy, hot and steamy southern charm of Charleston, South Carolina. Drawing you into a compelling world of oak and cypr
After her shut-in mother’s death, teen-aged, Barrie Watson is free to seek out the family kept secret from her all her life. She arrives at Watson Landing, greeted by a live albino peacock, and discovers a family heritage of privateers, rice plantations, and an ancient curse.

The sense of place is the first thing that takes hold of you. The visual descriptions set you into the dreamy, hot and steamy southern charm of Charleston, South Carolina. Drawing you into a compelling world of oak and cypress woods, Spanish moss, and sprawling southern plantations. Where disturbed characters, unspoken family secrets, and a dark curse hooks you. You don’t want to leave Watson Landing, yourself.

Barrie can’t believe her eyes; Watson Landing is an exact replica of the home she grew up in with her mother, Lula, in San Francisco. Except for the shutters that hung drunkenly on the windows, in fact, the entire mansion is falling into ruin. Oddly, the lush, manicured gardens surrounding the house are not. Barrie can sense something. She feels the Watson gift communicating through her. Barrie wonders what she’s gotten herself into coming here.

We meet Aunt Pru, Lula’s twin, sitting on the steps of Watson Landing as if lost. There’s a deep sadness shadowing Pru. A deep-seated feeling of neglect tugs at you: the aging beauty that is Watson Landing, the fading, neglected beauty of Aunt Pru, all with their secrets. One of those secrets, Barry immediately finds out, has to do with her aunt’s neighbor, Seven Beaufort. When she shakes his son, Eight Beaufort’s hand, something inside her clicks, the air clears. As if this new world is opening up to her and every secret has its time. Every character has a story.

Marc’s an interesting character. You’ll like Marc. At first, I didn’t know who or what his part was, until the story blossomed. I found him real, and endearing. He’s the only support Barrie has had through life, until now. I won’t go on too much, because there is a bit of lead in with him and the events, and I’d rather you get the full pleasure of the build up.

I didn’t want to put this book down. Every time I had to do something, I carried it with me. There’s so much sadness, but there’s hope, and there’s family, and feuds, all rolled into a new world for Barrie Watson. If you love being swept away in gothic charm, you will be lulled into Compulsion. One of my favorite scenes has to do with fire, and ghosts, and an ancient curse. It’s a stunning visual scene. I still see it. It’s breathtaking.

This is the first book in Martina’s YA Southern Gothic trilogy, The Heirs of Watson Island, will be available from Simon Pulse Fall 2014. Recommended for readers 14 and up. Martina Boone tells me Pru (my favorite character) comes into her own in the second book. I can’t wait to read it!
...more

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Oct 02, 2014 Reading Teen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, all-time-favorites

Where are more stars? I need them!!

At a Glance:

From beginning to end, Compulsion pulls you in, keeps you guessing, plays with your emotions and leaves you breathless with anticipation. I loved this book wholly and completely, and I can't wait to push it on everyone I know.

I was really nervous.

I actually met Martina before I knew she was an author, and since we are both YADCers (Young Adult DC), we've become friends. I get SUPER nervous about reading books of people I know personally. I mean, how ...more

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Nov 04, 2013 Lisa Green rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Shelves: ya, fantasy, southern-gothic, paranormal, romance

This is a MUST READ. If I could give it a million stars, I would!

It's hard to express how much I loved this book. How Barrie came alive in the pages. How Martina brought the world itself to life. How she thread emotion, imagery, voice, and non-stop adrenaline into a complex story that will undoubtedly live forever with so many other YA classics. I can't wait to read more. I hope the story never ends.

I know Martina, and I would support her no matter what, but please believe I am telling you all ...more

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Jul 24, 2014 Kristen Cansler rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, r2r, edelweiss

The Good
The setting.
The setting is what originally sold me on Compulsion. I have a long standing love affair with the Carolina coastline, especially anywhere around Charleston. Martina Boone nailed it with her portrayal of the area. Her descriptions were so beautiful that I was swept up in the story in a heartbeat. I felt like I was back in the midst of Charleston (just without the awful humidity). From the small town drama to the southern twangs, Compulsion was everything great about the lower ...more

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Jun 26, 2014 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So when I first got this book I thought it was more magic. It is, initially, but it has a lot of history which I loved. For me, a good back round to the story came make it or break it. And ya’ll, being a southern gal myself, I adored it.

Plot: One thing I really enjoyed is the whole southern atmosphere. I could literally see myself on the plantation, sipping on ice cold sweet tea and cornbread. I love the way the plot moved. It moved well, giving the reading bit by bit of the past. It made me fee So when I first got this book I thought it was more magic. It is, initially, but it has a lot of history which I loved. For me, a good back round to the story came make it or break it. And ya’ll, being a southern gal myself, I adored it.

Plot: One thing I really enjoyed is the whole southern atmosphere. I could literally see myself on the plantation, sipping on ice cold sweet tea and cornbread. I love the way the plot moved. It moved well, giving the reading bit by bit of the past. It made me feel like I was at the plantation. The pace of the story is great as well. I like that it had a deep history the went back generations. The mysterious of the curses and what they generation now is doing is very interesting to read.

Family/Friendship/Love: Like all southern brawls, this story is rooted with family drama. I love it! All families are fighting over something that happen years ago and it carries on to the next generation. I like that Barrie is really nice and trying to do her best to find out what happened in the past. Her willingness to set everything aside for others is amazing. I love how adventurous she is as well. She sets out to find something, man will she find it. Her love interest is a great southern guy who is not only charming but witty. The way their relationship unfolded (not an insta-love) with first being strangers, then friends, funny dates and of course finally love. Now that is how a romance is done!

Ending: I really love the ending of the story. It gave me the feel for more. There was so much drama packed in the last few chapters that my breathe was being taken away! I look forward to reading more. I hope that the author writes about the other families now that I’ve learn about this one. I’m interested in seeing what the other families lives have been. Especially the unrequited love between older people that was never given the chance.

Overall, I really like this book. It felt like a wave of fresh air. If you love a good romance, with deep rooted history give this story a go. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more.
...more

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May 20, 2014 Lelia Nebeker rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: southern-gothic, dc-va-authors, paranormal-ya, ya, southern-fiction, pub-2014, read-in-2014, ntbf-2015

This book was everything I didn't know I wanted! 'Compulsion' is a delicious Southern Gothic that's dripping with swoon and spook. The only thing more memorable than the sweeping Southern setting is Barrie herself, and the whole Watson Island cast. I fell in love with these characters so fast, it was like stumbling into quicksand. Throw in a haunted mansion, a family curse, a beautiful boy-next-door, and enough Southern food to make your mouth water, and you've got a powerhouse of a debut novel. ...more

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Nov 04, 2013 Chris Ledbetter rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, southern-gothic, paranormal-romance, fantasy

I had the wonderful pleasure of beta reading BEHOLDEN (as it was called before the name was changed to COMPULSION). It's totally immersive from a setting and culture standpoint. It's dripping in Southern Charm. The prose is engaging and evocative. The characters leap off the page like few other books I've read. When I finished reading, I immediately wanted to read it again. AND, I wanted so badly to go somewhere and just hang out with the characters. And finally, it crescendos to an edge-of-your ...more

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Apr 25, 2014 Lisa Mandina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

(Originally posted at: http://misclisa.blogspot.com/2014/10/...) This is one of the awesome ARCs I got at BEA this past summer, and I also got to meet the author, I'll share that picture at the end! I have to say this was another story I really enjoyed. And honestly, it was a different story than most of them these days. While some might say there was a bit of "insta-love," I think it was definitely explained in a way that totally made it NOT "insta-love." I"m very ready for the story to go on, (Originally posted at: http://misclisa.blogspot.com/2014/10/...) This is one of the awesome ARCs I got at BEA this past summer, and I also got to meet the author, I'll share that picture at the end! I have to say this was another story I really enjoyed. And honestly, it was a different story than most of them these days. While some might say there was a bit of "insta-love," I think it was definitely explained in a way that totally made it NOT "insta-love." I"m very ready for the story to go on, but as it says at the end of the ARC, I'll have to wait till next Fall.

The main character is Barrie Watson. And she is about to find out that her family is one of three families part of some ancient legacies/curses. Her mother has just passed away, and her godfather, Mark, has found out that he is also dying of cancer. So Barrie is moving back to live with an aunt she's never met, that she never even knew she had, so that Mark can go live in a home to be taken care of. Things get weird right away. Her aunt never shows up to pick her up from the airport. So Barrie takes a cab. She gets to this mansion, old and kind of run-down, and sees her aunt sitting on the front step. It seems her aunt sat down and lost all track of time. It seems her aunt might be a bit on the weird side. But the house seems to be as well. Then two members of one of the other two families stop by, and they go by Seven and Eight. Eight is Barrie's age, and of course very handsome. He seems to know all the right things to say. And it seems there may be something between Seven and Barri's aunt Pru. Barrie also finds out that the third family is the one that her father was from, and she has cousins. So of course, after growing up with her mother and leading a very sheltered life of no family, she is now adamant about meeting them. Eight agrees to take her, but everyone warns her that it won't be a good thing. You see the third family's legacy is more of a curse. In fact the whole town looks down on their family. But at first, her cousin Cassie just seems like someone Barrie is so glad to have for a friend.

She will soon find out that Cassie wants something from her. She wants to use Barrie's family legacy. They are able to find lost things. In fact when Barrie walks into a room she immediately will be drawn to things that have been lost, jewelry, letters, you name it. Cassie wants Barrie to find the treasure that her ancestors supposedly buried on their beach. You see all three of the families' ancestors were pirates, or privateers if you want to be nicer about it. There is a legend about the Native Americans in the town that Barrie will see come to life every night. While she has the legacy of finding things, and Cassie's family is cursed, Eight's family has a legacy as well. These legacies have become things they really feel the have to give into. Or compulsions. It gets so bad that when Barrie tries to leave the house she gets headaches. And while Cassie seems to be nice even though she wants something from Barrie, her father, Barrie's uncle, Wyatt, wants something as well. And he is a drunk, violent man, as well as a drug runner.

There are many things in the house pulling at Barrie to find them, as well as in the forest that her aunt has forbid her to go into. Barrie will find things that will clear up old mysteries in her family, some good, some bad, some dangerous. And she will fall in love, while also losing people she loves.

Such a good story! Even after I finished reading it, there would be times when my mind would kind of go back and think about the story, and want to know more, as well as even telling other people about it and comparing it to other stories. Definitely a great read, and like I said, I can't wait to read the next one! While it didn't end on a cliffhanger, there is definitely more for us to know with this story. ...more

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Mar 31, 2014 Becca Fowler (PivotBookTotes) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Dearest Compulsion,

Oh, how I loved you. You were everything I hoped you would be and more!!! Plus, dat cover. So beautiful! (PSST PLEASE DONT CHANGE IT SIMON TEEN!!!) Seriously your cover is one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen this year, and that's saying something because there has been quite a few this year, Compulsion! I was a little nervous when I opened you, because I was scared I wouldn't like you, and I wanted to love you oh so much. Thank the lord I didn't have to worry too long. Dearest Compulsion,

Oh, how I loved you. You were everything I hoped you would be and more!!! Plus, dat cover. So beautiful! (PSST PLEASE DONT CHANGE IT SIMON TEEN!!!) Seriously your cover is one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen this year, and that's saying something because there has been quite a few this year, Compulsion! I was a little nervous when I opened you, because I was scared I wouldn't like you, and I wanted to love you oh so much. Thank the lord I didn't have to worry too long. I was sucked into your southern charm right from the start!

Barrie, your MC, is quite the character. I adored her! She was so headstrong, and reminded me of myself with her stubbornness. (I am quite stubborn, btw) But she also had me giggling up a storm with her antics! I felt bad for how shitty her life seemed to be, but she just kept trucking on with her head held high, and soldiered through the heartache. I commend her strength. I'm not sure how well I would hold up going through losing my mother, and my best friend, and moving to a new very unusual place. Not to mention having a compulsion, seeing ghosts, and then this super swoony boy named Eight Beaufort popping into my life. Oh Eight. *le sigh* Such a southern gentleman! Truly fell for him right alongside Barrie. Some have said you have a tiny bit of insta-love in you, but I say, fear not, dear readers! It is not insta-love, but merely Barrie and Eight being drawn to each other because of their cursed ancestry, and come on, Barrie fights her feelings for the majority of your chapters, and in my opinion, that just doesn't add up with insta-love with me.

Okay. So not only did I love your two main characters, Compulsion. I also loved your secondary characters. Aunt Pru and Mark felt like people I've known my entire life. Your author, Martina, has a way with not only words, but bringing each and every character to life- despite whether they are a main character or not. There were so many times I felt like I was in the room with Aunt Pru, Mark, Barrie, Eight...All of them. You were just real to me in so many ways, Compulsion.
Your setting was down-home southern gothic, which I loved, and don't see much of in the YA atmosphere anymore. I'm glad you were around to fill the void, because you did it beautifully. Not only your setting, but also page-turning suspense. I couldn't read you fast enough, because of all the mysteriousness and the need to know WTH was going on! Oh, and those ghosts? Brilliant.

I may or may not have a compulsion for reading you. (Psst I do) Now I have that "I Put a Spell on You" song stuck in my head, but seriously, you put a spell on me, Compulsion, and I'm dying to know what is next!!!! I mean, honestly. I shall be telling anyone and everyone about you, because you are a must-read of the year, Compulsion. You are the southern gothic that everyone has been pleading and waiting for. Filled with love, loss, revenge, secrets, spirits, curses, and more importantly, Eight Beaufort, what more could anyone want? You nailed it.

Feeling compelled to count down the hours until Persuasion (your sis/bro) releases,

Becca ...more

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Jul 08, 2014 Halston Seabolt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, favorites, i-own

I won this ARC from a giveaway on twitter! When I won this I immediately went and read the overview and couldn't wait to get it so I could start reading it! This book took off for me and didn't let me go until I finished. I really loved how simple and unique the gifts that Barrie and Eight have. They weren't tired out and I found myself thinking about how it would be to have their gifts. I also love Eight and Barrie's relationship. It reminds me of a relationship I have with a friend of mine. Th ...more

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Nov 03, 2013 Kimberley Little rated it it was amazing

Shelves: southern-gothic, romance, paranormal, young-adult, read-2014

Gorgeous Southern Gothic YA novel - the atmosphere! The plot! The character! The setting! Y'all are gonna LOVE this new trilogy!!! (Coming Fall 2014). Cannot WAIT to see cover art! Martina is an incredible new talent on the YA scene. ...more

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Oct 02, 2014 Kristi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, simon-schuster, edelweiss

Compulsion by Martina Boone is absolutely one of my favorite books of 2014. It’s a dark southern gothic with an amazing historic account that delves back into the 1600’s. Charmingly romantic and eerily creepy, and Yep, I can come up with many more superlatives because it was just that fantastic!

Compulsion centers on Barrie Watson, a very non-normal girl with a ‘compulsion’ to find things. Barrie cannot ignore this compulsion without significant physical discomfort. . “Finding things was the Wats
Compulsion by Martina Boone is absolutely one of my favorite books of 2014. It’s a dark southern gothic with an amazing historic account that delves back into the 1600’s. Charmingly romantic and eerily creepy, and Yep, I can come up with many more superlatives because it was just that fantastic!

Compulsion centers on Barrie Watson, a very non-normal girl with a ‘compulsion’ to find things. Barrie cannot ignore this compulsion without significant physical discomfort. . “Finding things was the Watson gift. Barrie could find anything – had to find it, really – and the pressure that built in her head whenever she was near something lost had seemed stronger ever since her mother’s death” (Location 68). When Barrie loses her mother, Lula, she heads to Watson Island in the Deep South, to live with her Aunt Pru, her mother’s twin sister, at Watson’s Landing Plantation. Barrie has an immediate connection with Watson’s Landing and feels immediate tugs of loss from within the house and the surrounding woods.

Once at Watson’s Landing, Barrie meets Eight Beaufort and learns a bit about the Islands history along with the curse that has hounded the three founding families: The Watsons, Beaufort’s and Colesworth’s, since the mid-1600’s. The curse of The Fire Carrier, sound ominous, right? Well, it is! I won’t delve too far into it, it’s better if you read about it!

Barrie first sees the Fire Carrier that cursed the founding families her first night at Watson’s Landing, as she watched him light up the river with a ball of fire she at first thinks she’s jet-lagged or hallucinating but she eventually realizes what she’s seeing is real, although it’s terrifying to her, she’s also interested because she knows the Fire Carrier can reveal the answers she’s searching for. This starts Barrie and Eight on a journey that will lead them into deep peril and treachery. You must read the story to find out more!

I love, love, love, the characters in this book! They are rich, they are deep and they are so real! Barrie is flawed but loveable which makes her the most perfect of heroines. Eight Beaufort is equally awesome, what one would think is a perfect guy reveals that he, too, has his flaws. Together, they make a great couple. Their romance bloomed beautifully, it was sweet, charming and romantic. These two characters really complemented each other and were a joy to get to know. I cannot wait to read more about them. The secondary characters, Aunt Pru, Cassie Colesworth, Wyatt Colesworth, and Mark were all equally personable. They were people that I really truly either liked or deplored, pitied or feared, some I even cried for!

Compulsion is deeply atmospheric, it is written so beautifully and descriptively that it was easy to imagine myself at Watson’s Landing Plantation, from the heavy humid air to the sweet smell of the magnolias.

I am impatiently awaiting the next in The Heirs of Watson Island series!

This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Nov 22, 2013 S.P. rated it it was amazing

If you love lush writing paired with superb storytelling, then Compulsion by Martina Boone is for you. You will live and breathe this story with Barrie and Eight. Martina creates atmosphere both spooky and vivid as she weaves Native folklore with African myths, as is true of the Lowcountry setting, that you'll start searching for your own Yunwi and staying up late to watch the Fire Carrier set the river on fire.

As a Southerner, this story reminded me a lot of the spooky tales my grandfather used ...more

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Mar 06, 2014 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was really good! I loved Eight (new book boyfriend!) and Barrie. I loved the mystery and the family curses and it was all set in a beautiful Southern Gothic environment. I can't wait to see what happens in book 2! Oh and if you've read the book you'll know what I'm talking about but I want to try one of those hot dogs with the blue cheese and that yummy sounding relish lol ...more

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Jul 21, 2014 Kasey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

*I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
Compulsion blew me away, as I was reading it I kept thinking that it was way to good to be true. It wasn’t. Martina Boone created an amazing world, and had a great fully developed backstory with the Watson family, and even Barrie’s childhood was described wonderfully.

Barrie was a great character, there were times when she got a little to self-pitying for me, but she did have a rather unique childhood and mother figure. I felt *I received this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
Compulsion blew me away, as I was reading it I kept thinking that it was way to good to be true. It wasn’t. Martina Boone created an amazing world, and had a great fully developed backstory with the Watson family, and even Barrie’s childhood was described wonderfully.

Barrie was a great character, there were times when she got a little to self-pitying for me, but she did have a rather unique childhood and mother figure. I felt terrible that her mother was so horrible, but as more of the Watson history was revealed I felt like I started to understand her mother better. I also enjoyed that we got to experience Barrie growing as a person, because she was always stifled by her invalid mother this was the first time for her to really get out and make mistakes. It helped that Barrie didn’t like feeling sorry for herself, so even though there were moments it annoyed me, it also annoyed her!

Boone created some wonderful secondary characters, who had their own flaws but also their good sides. Aunt Pru was a wonderful side character who also did an amazing amount of growing in this book, but she also had the most reason too. Eight was a great love interest, he was very annoying but also intriguing and it was easy to see why Barrie was so enthralled. Then there was Mark, and he was by far my most favorite side character. He was a gay drag queen from San Francisco, with a huge loving heart. I loved his addition into the book, and it made this book even more special to me.

The best part of this book though was the mystery that surrounded the Watson gift. It was so well written and thorough. There were no gaping plot holes or times when I thought the story contradicted itself. I truly enjoyed learning about the Watson, Beaufort, and Colesworth families.

Compulsion was incredibly well-done, and I loved every second of it. It seems like there will probably be a sequel and I will definitely be picking up anything this author writes. I give it 5 out of 5 stars, and I highly recommend it for any reader who loves a good mystery with a magical curse woven in, and great characters!

*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/08/com...* ...more

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Jun 03, 2014 Britt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: can-t-wait, favorites

Stunning!
check out my full amazing review
...more

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Dec 04, 2013 Ben rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, southern-gothic, magic, gothic, favorites, must-read, upcoming, to-buy, ghosts

l read this twice. The world-building and family histories are really powerful. The more I read, the more I found to love in this book. Especially Barrie. She's not the normal perfect heroine I've seen in a lot of YAs lately, and she's a doer not a whiner. The various mysteries that are set up are paced really well, with clues on almost every page. The anticipation of thinking I'd figured out some of them out before Barrie was great, and then half the time I turned out to be only partly right. i ...more

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May 25, 2014 Jada rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, favorites, romance, southern-gothic, gothic, must-read, 2014

The characters are each real and unique. I want to live at Watson's Landing, and I swear, I can picture the whole place. I love how Barrie struggles to find out who she is and who she wants to be. She's strong in a way that feels believable and honest, struggling to learn about life for the first time after growing up not having a chance to experience much of anything. Eight is yummy. I also loved Mark and the little people. The scenes with the Fire Carrier were amazing. I started out thinking t ...more

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May 22, 2014 Kate rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, read-in-2014

4 and 1/2 stars! I love Southern Gothic and magical realism, so this was a lovely blend. Review will be up sometime next week on my blog.

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Young Adult

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Fantasy

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Fantasy > Paranormal

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Romance

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Mystery

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Gothic

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Paranormal > Ghosts

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Gothic > Southern Gothic

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About Martina Boone

Martina Boone

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Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. She's the award-winning author of feel-good romances set in magical places, including COMPULSION and the Heirs of Watson Island trilogy from Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse and the Celtic Legends series starting with LAKE OF DESTINY. ...more

Other books in the series

The Heirs of Watson Island (3 books)

Books by Martina Boone

Persuasion (The Heirs of Watson Island, #2)

Lake of Destiny (Celtic Legends Collection, #1)

Illusion (The Heirs of Watson Island, #3)

Magic of Winter: A Celtic Legends Novel (Celtic Legends Collection, #3)

Bell of Eternity: A Cornwall Legends Novel (Celtic Legends Collection)

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Quotes from Compulsion

“It doesn't matter how great your shoes are if you don't accomplish anything in them.” — 121 likes

“We've lost a lot of years, but you can't lose love. Not real love. It stays locked inside you, ready for whenever you are strong enough to find it again.” — 117 likes

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