When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed. Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. (GoodReads).
Spellcaster by Claudia Gray combines mystery, colonial history mythology, magic, Mexican food, and my favorite state- Rhode Island!!
Originality: 5. Witches and colonial history isn't exactly new, but I it was a solid paranormal fantasy choice.
Absurdity: 6. I wish there had been more streamlining of the villain plot, which was making me crazy. The villain keeps erasing people's memories and the motion of the story kept restarting. Oye! Eye roll on this! Now, not to give anything away, when you get to the 'test tube baby' thing you will realize this score.
Level of Paranormal Romance: 7. Unrequited love between a witch and her power source? Check. PLUS points for Mateo who is a motor cycle-driving stud.
Level of Harry-Potter-ness: 4. I loved the first hundred pages but then the book stalled out a bit. I wish there had been more streamlining of the story esp. with the villain who keeps erasing people's memories and we keep starting over with the protagonist's knowledge. Oye, again!
Originality: 5. Witches and colonial history isn't exactly new, but I it was a solid paranormal fantasy choice.
Absurdity: 6. I wish there had been more streamlining of the villain plot, which was making me crazy. The villain keeps erasing people's memories and the motion of the story kept restarting. Oye! Eye roll on this! Now, not to give anything away, when you get to the 'test tube baby' thing you will realize this score.
Level of Paranormal Romance: 7. Unrequited love between a witch and her power source? Check. PLUS points for Mateo who is a motor cycle-driving stud.
Level of Harry-Potter-ness: 4. I loved the first hundred pages but then the book stalled out a bit. I wish there had been more streamlining of the story esp. with the villain who keeps erasing people's memories and we keep starting over with the protagonist's knowledge. Oye, again!
Hmm.. it almost sounds as if the author got stuck on something in the plot and didn't really know where to take it, hence all the mind erasing. I think I'd eventually just got super annoyed with all of that. But bonus points go to witches (are they the new vamps turned werewolves turned mermaids turned angels now???) and a Mexican hunky hero.
ReplyDeleteThe erasing memories and starting over thing sounds totally frustrating, but this motorcycle stud sounds promising.
ReplyDelete