Mainstream-Mini Review: Spellcaster By Claudia Gray

Spellcaster By Claudia Gray

Published 2013 By HarperTeen

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. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.

~ MY REVIEW ~

Whewww! This book truly makes me appreciate the paranormal romance genre! Spellcaster is captivating and a definite page turner. I started Gray's Evernight series and didn't really get into it. But this book sucked me in from the first chapter, with its relentless pace and intriguing magic. When Nadia moves into the town of Captive's Sound she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for. She feels the magic as soon as her family crosses into its limits. And she also meets the boy that will change everything for her. Mateo. Oh man. Totally loved their romance. Complicated and intense, just couldn't get enough of it. Which is why I'm hoping there is more to this story. It is left with the possibility of a continuing series. So many things are unresolved, not in an overly frustrating way, but things that definitely deserve answers. Oh, and the badass sorceress antagonist, yea she's not quite out of the picture either. This cast of characters is well rounded, strong and weak at all the right moments. Readers will easily connect with each one. Spellcaster reminded me of L.J. Smith's Secret Circle series, but with a stronger plot. If you're into paranormal romance I highly suggest picking this up. It's one you won't want to out down. 

Mainstream-Mini Review: Dorothy Must Die

Dorothy Must Die By Danielle Page

Published April 2014

HarperCollins

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission:

Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.

Steal the Scarecrow's brain.

Take the Lion's courage.

Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

~ MY REVIEW ~

This was such a fun book! Well fun in a dark, sort of wonky way. Where down is up and up is down. I was never a big fan of The Wizard of Oz, and I honestly didn't know a thing about Oz's back story until reading Dorothy Must Die. But this book takes all the important parts of the original stories and stirs them together, creating a brand new world altogether. One where the loveable characters have become poluted and the very magic of Oz is being drained away. The new MC may be from Kansas, but she's far from being Dorothy. I wasn't sure when I first started if I was going to like her. However, once you hit the real meat of this story its hard not to be rooting for Amy. The author has done an amazing job opening the door to a whole new spin on this classic tale. From the length and amount of action packed into it, I expected Dorothy Must Die to be a stand alone. But I was happily surprised when, at the end, you learn that Amy's adventure in Oz has just begun. I'm looking forward to the next one and am sure you'll fall into this book just as easily as I did.