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jamietherebelliousreader's review
3.0
3 stars. Interesting plot but the writing really hindered it. It was stilted and a little bit awkward and a lot of the dialogue felt forced. None of the characters were that interesting therefore I had a hard time really connecting to them. This ended up being an okay read a little dry in certain parts but it wasn’t awful or anything.
agentkp's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this one but... my god it was just so rushed and the insta love was so boring and I just couldn't get into it at all. the mcs didn't know anything about each other and were already wanting to be together forever! just, nope. the plot sounded so good but the execution was just so bland and rushed, i couldn't get into any of it properly because of it. the whole plot of the shadowhunter be like a slave to the witch queen was also very uncomfortable to read and the resolution made it feel like it was all well and good and not a fucked up thing.
mermaidmomma's review against another edition
4.0
This book opens by introducing us to a fierce female protagonist, one of many, named Raven Dare with a family history that has determined her destiny. From that point we are thrown back in time to the Salem Witch Trials where we meet Sarah and then the cast of characters is completed when we meet Hazel in modern day Salem, Massachusetts. This book is full of girl power moments, self discovery, and of course some magic.
This book was unlike anything that I have read recently. I have been branching out into books that have LGBTQIA+ representation and this book did not disappoint in that aspect. Beyond that, the themes and contextual events in this book were very poignant in relation to the current political climate in the United States. The fashion in which existing prejudices related to race, socioeconomic status, and gender were manipulated to cause discord were staggering, but also a reflection of the current state of things here in the USA. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and I am so glad that I read it when I did.
This book was unlike anything that I have read recently. I have been branching out into books that have LGBTQIA+ representation and this book did not disappoint in that aspect. Beyond that, the themes and contextual events in this book were very poignant in relation to the current political climate in the United States. The fashion in which existing prejudices related to race, socioeconomic status, and gender were manipulated to cause discord were staggering, but also a reflection of the current state of things here in the USA. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book and I am so glad that I read it when I did.
judeinthestars's review against another edition
5.0
4.5*
The blurb intrigued me, the result was even better than I expected.
Raven Dare is a shadowhunter, bound by a curse on her family to Morgan, the Queen of Witches. Her job is to help Morgan keep the balance between realms, by fighting demons, hellhounds and other nasty creatures. So when Morgan sends her to Salem, Massachusetts, she goes, unaware of how this new mission will change her whole life. In Salem, she meets Hazel Abbot and feels strangely attracted to her. Little does either know that Hazel is a witch, from a long line of witches. Things get even more mysterious when one of her ancestor, Sarah Hutchinson, fleeing the Salem witch trials of 1692, ends up in Hazel’s bookstore.
Spellbound is a very exciting read, fast-paced, thrilling, funny too. Morgan is a fantastic character, self-centred and powerful, she’d make a great villain if she wasn’t fighting for good over evil (or, rather, the balance between the two). As Sarah and the woman she couldn’t love in 1692, Ayotunde, try and adjust to life in the twenty-first century, their discoveries and fascinations bring a sense of ludicrousness to an already gripping story. I also love how Hazel’s optimism and will lead Raven to open herself to the idea of love, despite her conviction that she’s doomed to a life of loneliness because of Morgan’s curse.
The authors mix politics and the fight against patriarchy with time travel and witch fights with brilliant results. I’d love to see more of all these women, so I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
The blurb intrigued me, the result was even better than I expected.
Raven Dare is a shadowhunter, bound by a curse on her family to Morgan, the Queen of Witches. Her job is to help Morgan keep the balance between realms, by fighting demons, hellhounds and other nasty creatures. So when Morgan sends her to Salem, Massachusetts, she goes, unaware of how this new mission will change her whole life. In Salem, she meets Hazel Abbot and feels strangely attracted to her. Little does either know that Hazel is a witch, from a long line of witches. Things get even more mysterious when one of her ancestor, Sarah Hutchinson, fleeing the Salem witch trials of 1692, ends up in Hazel’s bookstore.
Spellbound is a very exciting read, fast-paced, thrilling, funny too. Morgan is a fantastic character, self-centred and powerful, she’d make a great villain if she wasn’t fighting for good over evil (or, rather, the balance between the two). As Sarah and the woman she couldn’t love in 1692, Ayotunde, try and adjust to life in the twenty-first century, their discoveries and fascinations bring a sense of ludicrousness to an already gripping story. I also love how Hazel’s optimism and will lead Raven to open herself to the idea of love, despite her conviction that she’s doomed to a life of loneliness because of Morgan’s curse.
The authors mix politics and the fight against patriarchy with time travel and witch fights with brilliant results. I’d love to see more of all these women, so I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
broomesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed aspects of Spellbound but I felt there was a lot of potential that was left unexplored.
Time travel pulls Sarah and Ayotunde out of the middle of the Witch Trials and into present day America. They, along with Sarah's descendent, Hazel, are pulled into a fight they had no idea idea was happening. There were some interesting takes on hellhounds, demons, witches and supernatural hunters.
Sarah and Ayotunde and Hazel and Raven were paired together as romantic interests, but there wasn't as much development as I liked. It was very insta-love, with the typical character that creates jealousy, but in the end turns out to be a great person.
The connections between the love interests were, eh. That's legit all I can say about it. It didn't feel chemistry between any of them and it was disappointing. I honestly can't recall much about this storyline, just that I spent a lot of time trying to make my way through it.
Time travel pulls Sarah and Ayotunde out of the middle of the Witch Trials and into present day America. They, along with Sarah's descendent, Hazel, are pulled into a fight they had no idea idea was happening. There were some interesting takes on hellhounds, demons, witches and supernatural hunters.
Sarah and Ayotunde and Hazel and Raven were paired together as romantic interests, but there wasn't as much development as I liked. It was very insta-love, with the typical character that creates jealousy, but in the end turns out to be a great person.
The connections between the love interests were, eh. That's legit all I can say about it. It didn't feel chemistry between any of them and it was disappointing. I honestly can't recall much about this storyline, just that I spent a lot of time trying to make my way through it.
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