Spellbound by Cara Lynn Schutz: Review/GIVEAWAY!!

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Expected publication: June 28th 2011 by Harlequin Teen

Pre-order your copy today at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

Darkfallen's thoughts:

There is so many things that I absolutely loved about this book! So first off I would just like to say Way To GO! for Cara Lynn Shultz on a job well done:)

I only had one slight issue with the writing. Nothing major. So lets' get that out of the way and move on to the awesome sauce. My only complaint is that I felt it could have used some better editing. And here is what I mean by that. Note this is just a example and not an actually sentence from the book.

"I saw the most perfect silky, smooth black dress through the glass window of the store. I ran inside to try on the silky black dress, and it fit perfectly. So perfectly that I couldn't believe the way the silky black fabric clung to all the right places."

Ok have you figured out what part bothered me? If you were to guess is was the over use of the same descriptive words (silky black or even perfectly) you would be right. I would just like to state that I get it...I do. When I write it happens to me all the time! Then I go back through it, try to catch all of my repetitive words and fix them. Then I let someone else read it and it never fails they always find more! Lolz. That is just what happens when you get into your grove and you pound out 2,000 words in a sitting, but I just wish that someone would have caught more of these. I will say that towards the end there were less and less of these mistakes;)

Now on with all that is awesome!

I absolutely adored Emma. There simply isn't any other word to describe it! She is smart, funny, witty, snarky as all hell, and most importantly not only can she handle her own, but she will stand up for what she believes in. Even if that means picking a fight with a guy twice her weight! LOLZ I also love how Emma seemed to be a constant battle with herself, and with the new broken version of herself. With the tragic lose of her mother and her brother she has been through alot. Losing the people you care most about is a sure way to make a girl grow up to fast. But even though inside Emma knows that the world is a complicated, and ugly place; even though she has been left jaded by the hand life dealt her...she is always reminding herself that NOT everyone else her age has. She does everything in her power to protect her little cousin from learning these things. Which makes me love her more.

And then there is Brendan...
*swoon*

Wow this boy had me at "I heard she asked him out, he laughed in her face and peaced out. Like he gave her the peace sign and walked away.

I mean seriously any teenage boy that would do that to the most popular girl in school is alright in my book! And don't even get me started on how swoon worthy he is once you actually get to know him. The way his and Emma's relationship grows is perfect. And I don't mean perfect, love at first sight, now they are inseparable. I mean more like why does she make me feel this way so I am going to run away kind of way. It was refreshing and REAL that they didn't just instantly jump into some huge serious relationship. I enjoyed watching them tip toe and dance around each other and when they finally stopped the dancing around the love you felt was amazing.

And the best part about all of this was these teenagers actually acted like teenagers!! Which is rarer and rarer in YA these days. I mean they got in trouble, they never cleaned their room, they forgot to do their homework, the had snarky teenage fueled fits...all of it is what makes this book stand out!

Overall this was a great book to debut Cara Lynn Shultz and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next!         

Now on to the GIVEAWAY!!!

Want a chance to win your very own copy of awesome sauce?

Well you are in LUCK!

Compliments of the fine people at HarlequinTeen one lucky wastelander will get a copy of Spellbound!!

This contest is open to wastelanders with a US or Canada mailing address..

Rules Schmules:

1.) If your not already lost in the wastelands, what are you waiting for? Jump in the waters are...well just jump in;)

(this is ferret speak for you must be a follower to enter so join us!)

2.) As usual sharing is caring so tweet or post this link to facebook for xtra points!

3.) We love each and every one of your comments so please rant for us will ya?!

(leave a comment on this post and xtra points for you!)

4.) And last, but the most important part, fill out the entry form HERE!!

This giveaway will be open until Midnight June 28th!!

Good Luck!