A Book Obsession..: Spellcaster (Early Review)

Spellcaster (Early Review)

, by Kt Clapsadl

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellbound #2

Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

After the happy ever after of finding her soulmate, Brendan, Emma though her life would be a lot calmer than it has been in recent months. Never mind her budding powers as a witch, she just wants to be a normal sixteen year old going to prep school, with a yummy boyfriend to boot. However, she should have known things wouldn't have stayed so easy. A malevolent force who makes Emma's witch skills look like parlor tricks, has set its sight on Emma and Brendan. It will stop at nothing to rip them apart to steal their power for its own dark purpose.

The previous book was rather mediocre to me, there just wasn't anything that grabbed a hold of me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but in the end it wasn't something that would leave an impression on me. However, when I saw there was going to be a sequel, I knew I would still like to check it out to see where the characters went next. Unfortunately they didn't really get far at all, as there didn't seem to be enough forward momentum or point to really warrant anything. I guess I am just disappointed because I feel the story wasn't really added to with this installment, so I have to question the necessity of it all.

Several times throughout reading Spellcaster I became quite exasperated at the characters' behaviors. Emma and Brendan were both so protective of the other that they kept trying to keep the other one out of danger, and only wound up hurting each other instead. A lot of the angst in this book could have been prevented if they had of only opened up. Then you add in Emma's witch friend Angelique who takes Emo to a whole new level, yet she somehow gets all giddy happy in the face of danger. I also had a hard time believing in the strength of the threat since the girls were so emphatic about keeping Angelique's mother out of things, but then again it really doesn't surprise me as they are teenagers, and with maturity comes the wisdom to know when to ask for help.

I found myself easily distracted while reading Spellcaster to the point where I had a lot of difficultly picking it back up, and I almost didn't finish it. To be honest, while I would still read something else from this author as I see a lot of potential there, I highly doubt I will continue on with this series if there are anymore installments. That being said, if you liked Spellbound more than I did, then Spellcaster will probably be pretty enjoyable as well, and you will definitely want to check it out.

(Received a copy from Netgalley)

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