Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz Review

Title: Spellbound
Author: Cara Lynn Shultz
Publish Date: Published June 28th 2011 by Harlequin Teen
Synopsis:

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

Spellbound is the perfect name for this book. It will bound you, grab you, and hold you until you finish the book.

Emma has had a lot of hardships in her life. She moves in with her Aunt, who has finally talked her into living with her. She attends an elite school, with a lot of snobby rich girls, who seem to have it in for Emma from the first day of school. Ashley, her cousin, tries to show her the ropes at the prestigious school.

Anthony tries to pursue Emma, but she has her eye on another guy, Brendan. Emma thinks that she has a connection with Brendan, but everytime they start to get a little close, he backs off, turns cold to her.

Emma becomes friends with Angelique, who proclaims to be a witch. Emma tells Angelique the dreams that she has, and the weird things that has been happening to her. Angelique believes that someone is trying to send her a message. After some research, they discover what is happening with Emma.

Ah yeah, so hard to write a review and not give out any spoilers. BUT, this is an incredible storyline. I loved the characters, and found myself laughing out loud at some of the dialect. The journey that Emma travels is intense….and I found myself squeezing the book, and not wanting to put it down until I was finished. Love at first sight? Love by Spellbound? Either way, Love is love…and you must read this book to find out!


My Over All Rating:
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IN MY MAILBOX

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that was started by Kristi at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. It features books or book-related things that have been bought, borrowed, won, or received in the mail. Be sure to check out The Story Siren for a list of all the other blogs participating!

Well, This week, This is what I received or bought....

Gifted:

Don't Breathe A Word (ARC) by Holly Cupala

Won:

Awakened by Ednah Walters (signed)

Bought:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Wither by Lauren Destefano

Eternal by Cynthia Leitch Smith

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

And that's it!! My local Borders is getting slim on the selections, but I will keep going and trying toget the good deals until it closes!!

GLOW REVIEW ON PAGE TURNERS

Check out my Review of Glow on Page Turners

IN MY MAILBOX

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme that was started by Kristi at The Story Siren with some inspiration from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie. It features books or book-related things that have been bought, borrowed, won, or received in the mail. Be sure to check out The Story Siren for a list of all the other blogs participating!

This is my First IMM....I have enjoyed this meme on other blogs that I visit, and thought I would give it a go. When I learn a little more about this blogging business, I hope to get a little fancier at it!!

This week, I bought:

The Keepers Tattoo by Gill Arbuthnott

Spells by Aprilynne Pike

In My Mailbox:

My wonderful friend Christing from Portait of a book sent to my daughter and myself:

Wolf Mark by Joseph Bruchac (ARC)
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy(ARC)
Lights on the Nile by Donna Jo Napoli(ARC)
Darkfall by Janice Hardy(ARC)
How to rock Braces and Glasses by Meg Haston(ARC)
Wonder Struck by Brian Elznick(ARC)
Ashes by Ilsa J bick(ARC)
THe Taker by Alma Katsu(ARC)
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher(ARC)
Wildwood by Colin Meloy(ARC)
Tankborn by Karn Sandler(ARC)
In Darkness by Nick Lake(ARC)

Yeah....Christin is AWESOME!!! Thank you my dear friend!!

Also, I have read Crossroads by Mary Ting...if you haven't read it, you definately should!! Its a great book....and I have a review that's going to be posted on Page Turners soon...anyway, I feel that I have become great friends with her, by emailing back and forth about how I loved the book, and she sent me this beautuful necklace she made that symbolizes the cover of the book...Thank you MARY!!

Well, not all a bad week for my first IMM...it always makes me happy to find a book in my mailbox!!

Loved Review on Page Turners

Check out my review of Loved by Morgan Rice on PAGE TURNERS

Please check on my review of THe Beast Call on Pageturners

The Pull of Gravity Review

Title: The Pull of Gravity
Author: Gae Polisner
Publish Date: Published May 10th 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Synopsis:

While Nick Gardner’s family is falling apart, his best friend, Scooter, is dying from a freak disease. The Scoot’s final wish is that Nick and their quirky classmate, Jaycee Amato, deliver a prized first-edition copy of Of Mice and Men to the Scoot’s father. There’s just one problem: the Scoot’s father walked out years ago and hasn’t been heard from since. So, guided by Steinbeck’s life lessons, and with only the vaguest of plans, Nick and Jaycee set off to find him.
Characters you’ll want to become friends with and a narrative voice that sparkles with wit make this a truly original coming-of-age story.

I was so intrigued to read this story. Just from the synopsis above, I just had to read it to see if Nick and Jaycee find The Scoot’s dad.

The story starts off with Nick telling about is fevers, hallucinations, and family life. His family moved from Manhattan, and it seems since then, things have been falling apart. His best friend, The Scoot, has a serious disease called Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome. A very rare disease that makes him age faster than reality. However, as they grow older and reach high school, they become a little distant from each other.

Nick meets Jaycee, who also happens to be friends with The Scoot. Nick finds out from her that The Scoot wanted to find his dad, who walked out on him because he could not handle his illness. Therefore, Nick and Jaycee set off on an adventure, with the only clue they have, to find Scoot’s dad.

Nick and Jaycee are kind of an oddball pair…having nothing in common except for The Scoot and coming from confused families. But as the story progresses, and they start to get to know each other, you can see that they really do get along.

Geesh, it is so hard to do reviews on a story that you loved. There were moments where I was laughing, and others where I cried. Scoot’s illness really makes an impression on you. How someone so young can handle the obstacles he has to deal with is incredible. I find that he is definitely wise beyond his years. Watching Nick and Jaycee’s friendship blossom was a lot of fun…it just shows that you cannot judge a book by its cover. At the end of the story, I gave a big sigh, and thought to myself, THAT was a good book!

My Over All Rating:

PageTurners Review of Happy Birthday to Me

Check out my review of Happy Birthday to Me on PageTurners!!

http://www.pageturnersblog.com/2011/08/happy-birthday-to-me-review.html#axzz1UFejnJrV

Forever Review

Title: Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publish Date: Published July 12th 2011 by Scholastic, Inc.
Synopsis:

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

I was so excited to win an ARC of Forever and having it autographed to me was an extreme honor!! I was so excited to be able to read this book!!

Grace and Sam’s story starts with them apart, again. Grace as a wolf, Sam in his human form. Their relationship has had so many ups and downs. Sam continues on his everyday life, without Grace, and tries to handle all the stares and ridicule he receives. Everyone suspects him.

Cole has focused himself to finding a cure and keeps trying to call Isabel but she never returns his calls. He puts himself into his work, and sets up traps trying to catch the wolves, unsuccessfully.

Grace changes back and worth to wolf form and worries that the relationship with Sam might be in jeopardy. Sam realizes he needs to face his demons to continue on.

Isabel finds out from her father that the restriction on the wolves has been lifted and they are granted the aerial shoot to get rid of the pack. She goes to tell Sam and Cole, and they try to figure out what to do to save the wolves.

Grace and Cole both want to contact people that were important in their lives to let them know that there are well. They both battle whether it is the right thing to do.

This story had the book glued to my hands. It is so hard to do a review on a story that you loved so much…so anxious to find out what the ending will be, without giving away any spoilers. Maggie did not disappoint me at all at the end of the trilogy. My heart was pounding at the end.
My Over All Rating: