Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Summary/Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

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 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.

Review:

Spellbound has been high up on my wishlist ever since I first heard about it, and after seeing the cover as well as some fabulous praise, I was even more pumped about it! Thankfully, it turned out to a fun and romantic debut, one that's sure to have many clamoring for more Emma and Brendan adventures!

Ever since the deaths of her mother and brother and an accident that nearly took her own life shortly after, Emma hasn't had the easiest of times lately. So when her wealthy great-aunt offer's her a chance to attend at elite and exclusive NYC prep school and to become an official New Yorker, Emma jumps of the change, hoping that this time everything will work out in her favor. At first, it does. She starts making some new and fabulous friends and catches the eye of Brendan, an especially hot guy. However, not everything as it seems. Once Brendan and she start something, he soon begins to pull away from her, and for some reason she also keeps having the most alarming of dreams, one involving her and Brendan. What will occur next? Will Brendan and Emma find away to be together? Will Emma find an explanation for the dreams? Only more time and pages call tell in this fun supernatural flavored novel!

There were many things I enjoyed about this and one of them was the main characters! Emma was a character who had fallen on some hard times on the past, but it didn't bring her down one bit. Instead, she reached for the stars in many ways. Her relationship with Brendan had to be one of my favorite parts. Sure, it was a bit of insta-love but it was a case where it worked well, especially when everything relating to the plot was explained. What I loved most about Brendan and Emma's relationship, though, was the bit of the chase that occurred throughout. Constantly, one or both of them was trying to stay away from the other, or in some cases once was trying to get closer to the other, while the other one keep pulling away. It created lots of tension to the say the least!

The plot in this was also lots of fun. I loved the supernatural appeal in this- it was very unique. I also enjoyed the NYC setting (mostly because I love NYC) as well as the private school one. It was always interesting to see how each furthered the plot in bringing new characters and events to the mix.

Amusing and fast paced, Cara Lynn Shultz's Spellbound is well worth a read for anyone who loves books with a flavor of supernatural and main characters who are flawed yet fierce, or just the YA genre in general! I seriously can't wait to see what Cara has coming out next!

Grade: B+

Spellbound is now out!

Source: Publisher via Netgalley- thanks Harlequin Teen and Netgalley!