ARC Review: Spellbinding by Maya Gold
Spellbinding
by: Maya Gold
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Point
Genre: Paranormal
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 272 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars
There's more than one way to be powerful . . .
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.
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.
-goodreads.com description
When I first read the summary of this book I thought, "Oooh, witchcraft, Salem Witch Trials? I gotta read this!" While I liked this book, I did find it to be more juvenile than the other YA novels I typically read. The plot was simplistic, as were the characters. I just wasn't pulled in the way I normally am with a book. This was a fast read for me but I just felt the plot was too linear and predictable.
I didn't really like the main character, Abby. I know she is a high school girl who is struggling with the pressure of being in high school and being accepted, but I found her to be quite immature and self absorbed. She has a crush on the hottest guy in school, who is of course dating the meanest girl in school. Megan and her entourage tease and torment Abby mercilessly. Gold really gave a new meaning to the term 'mean girls' in this book. Prom scene anyone?!
She decides to visit Salem to find out more about her mother's ancestors and upon visiting the library, two things of importance happen: she meets Rem Anders, who is handsome and mysterious, and she finds a spellbook. Abby flips through it and finds a love spell.
Even though I wasn't crazy about Abby, I did feel bad for her. She likes Travis, her crush, so much that she creates a love potion for him. He starts paying attention to her, which ticks his girlfriend Megan off to NO end, but Abby doesn't really seem bothered by the fact that he doesn't *really* like her. How can she enjoy that when it's all a lie?
Too bad after Abby casts her love potion, she starts making nice with Rem and realizes the two have a connection to each other. I did like Rem's character. He really does have feelings for Abby, yet he has a duality to him that really drives Abby crazy. We learn that there is a good reason for his on and off feelings for her.
Overall, I don't know that I would read this book again, but it was a fun little read. I think it would have been neat to explore a little more into the witchcraft aspect and the connection to Salem in the 1600's. Instead, I felt like I was reading more about high school/teen drama than about the paranormal side of it.
*Thank you to Scholastic for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review in return for a fair and honest review.*
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