Book Review: Spellbinding

Spellbinding

By: Maya Gold

Published By: Scholastic Point

Publication Date: April 1, 2013

Page Count: 272

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult - Paranormal

Spellbinding is the tale of Abigail, a plain looking geek type of girl who has always wished the hot guy at school, Travis, would notice her. As she turns 16, she starts to realize that there are some things about her life which are starting to get a little odd... she isn't sure, but she might be able to wish for things to happen, and they really do.

 

A school project on family history makes her take another look at the odd events – Abigail is a direct descendant from a Salem witch. Salem is just around the corner from where Abigail lives, so she goes to pay the town library a visit and see what she can find out. That’s where things start to get really freaky... she’s hearing voices, seeing visions, and she is inexplicably drawn to Rem, a local boy with bizarre eyes.

Abigail explores her craft in a fairly predictable way... she casts a love spell on Travis, and daydreams about making the popular girls pay for being so mean to her. All the while, she is drawn more to Rem and Salem, without understanding why. When she finds out what is drawing her to them both, she is a little freaked out but mostly decides to ignore the problem and hope it will go away, all the while focusing on her dream prom experience with Travis.

 

I won’t spoil the ending, but Spellbinding was resolved a little too quickly for my liking. There was definitely room for more of a showdown, and more explanation as to what the heck happened. I felt like this entire book could have had a little more... a little more thought from Abigail, a little more interaction with Rem to make me like him as much as Abigail did, and a little more discovery of the Salem witching history, and how it related to Abigail. I also felt like there was a totally bizarre character thrown into the mix – Dad’s new girlfriend who is set up to be some kind of invading menace in Abigail’s life, taking her mother’s place, ousting Abigail a little... but then all of a sudden Abigail stops being mad at her and decides to make friends, and then they are friends... I felt like that sub-plot was superfluous.

 

This was a fun read – light, fluffy and moderately engaging. It also didn't take me a long time to finish, as it was on the short side, and I find myself feeling entertained but not challenged or enriched for having read it.

Summary:

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.