Book Review Friday: Spellbinding (YA Paranormal)

THIS BOOK'S PUBLICATION DATE IS APRIL 1ST.  IT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THAT DATE - NO FOOLIN'!!

Spellbinding:

From the Back Cover:

Salem is the bewitching backdrop to this lush, fast-paced tale of one girl discovering the source of her powers.

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

My Two Cents:

There is no better review of a paranormal YA than from someone who reads them all the time, so I employed my teenage daughter to assist in the read and review.  We both agreed it had a great storyline.  Abby discovering she is a witch is cool enough, but then to discover she is a descendant of a hanged Salem witch?  Awesome premise!  We also both appreciated and were intrigued by the good versus evil edge among the long-deceased, wrongly accused and persecuted witches.  What if the witches did not go quietly into the hereafter, but plotted revenge?  It blurred the line between retribution and justice.

We both also felt connected with the characters, and cheered at the downfall of the Mean Girls who tormented Abby.  The love triangle had an interesting twist on the “soul mate” theme, as is expected in paranormal stories.  It was an easy book to get into, keeping us reading into the night until the wee hours of the morning.  Our only critique was in the conclusion, which seemed a bit rushed, and in the words of my daughter, “the answer was sort of blurted out.”  That said; we both enjoyed reading it, and look forward to more books from this author.

We collectively give it    and a 

Book Review Tuesday: The Beggar Bride

The Beggar Bride:

From the Back Cover:

Angela Harper’s life has never been simple. She’s an orphan who spent her childhood in foster homes. Her handsome, charming husband Billy can’t hold down a job. And they’re both stuck in a grimy London flat with no prospects for their future beyond the periodic welfare check. That is, until Ange concocts a lie that will change their lives. Her con targets the wealthy, twice-divorced businessman Fabian Ormerod, whom, with the approval of her husband, she is determined to trick into a very advantageous marriage—with a quick divorce to follow.

My Two Cents:

 This is from the same author, Gillian White, as my last review and I must say that while I enjoyed that book - The Beggar Bride is my favorite.  This had a more romantic feel to it, and I vacillated between wanting Ange to stay with Billy, whom she was crazy in love with, but at the same time hoping that poor unlucky-in-love Fabian could also win her heart.  I was happy with how White addressed the feelings at the conclusion, and really saw no other way for everyone's happiness.  Still...I felt a little pang for the "one-not-chosen."

From nearly the first page, my heart pounded throughout the entire book.  From feeling the desperation of Ange and Billy, urging them on in their very deceitful quest, through the fear and anguish of discovery and concluding with the worry and hopelessness of potentially losing a child, I could not turn the pages fast enough.  The prevailing thought throughout this entire book - who do you trust when you are also a great deceiver?  My stomach was in knots!!  

Aside from it being a great thriller, it is also extremely thought provoking.  I struggled with wanting Ange to succeed, all the while feeling horrible for the family being deceived.  It made me wonder how far I would go to improve my life, and the lives of my family, and at what point does the justification no longer outweigh the cost to the ones being conned. 

The wrap-up was a bit rushed, and seemed expected; however, I liked it and felt that it was the only way for it to end.  I also loved that there were loose ends...poor old Helena, and those mysterious twins!  Sequel??

I give this    and a 

Book Review Friday: Unhallowed Ground

Unhallowed Ground

From the Back Cover:

Widowed London social worker Georgina “Georgie” Jefferson battles guilt and public disgrace when one of her charges, abused five-year-old Angela Hopkins, is beaten to death. She retreats to Furze Pen, an isolated Devon cottage that once belonged to Stephen, the deceased brother she never knew. In this refuge, she hopes to learn something about Stephen. But the hostility of her neighbors and a series of chilling incidents—including the disappearance of her dog and a stranger lurking around the cottage at night—disturb Georgie’s desperate search for peace. As winter closes in, Georgie must discover who or what threatens her most . . . the tragedies of her past or a new danger from her tormented present.

Once again, master of suspense Gillian White depicts the dreadful, dependent relationship that can sprout between love and violence. 

My Two Cents:

This story had a great many twists and turns, most dealing with the history and experiences of the main character, Georgie.  Her life was a series of mysteries that are not fully known to the reader until the very end of the book.  There are plenty of thrills and chills, however, as she moves into her brother’s cottage after his death.  The cast of characters she meets are interesting, and I felt I knew every one of them from my own life.  

Gillian White is able to paint a vivid picture of Furze Pen Cottage, down to the damp cold winter in the lonely hollow.  I could see the gross, moldy shower, and feel the cold wind coming in through every crack.  She really brought her characters to life, for the most part.  I had an issue with the mother at the end, and felt that she had been described as a “keep up with the Jones’” type, when she had more deep seeded issues that were not discovered by the reader, but revealed at the end without prior insight.  The only real issue I have is a feeling that the conclusion is a bit rushed.  Although, I really enjoyed how the author concluded Georgie’s story, I felt just a little lost as to how she got there with the information provided throughout the book. 

I give it   and a