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msmoxie's review
3.0
As the second book in the series ending trilogy it was in OK read. Nothing really important happens, its mostly set up for the next book.
arojo1's review against another edition
5.0
WOW!!! Great ending to this book. I could barely put it down. This is a continuation of Savannah's adult investigative work with wishful lover Adam. It incorporates almost all of the main characters, even Cassandra DuCharme, who we haven't seen in a while. With this last big scene in the book, the last book in this series is going to be phenomenal.
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Twelfth of the Women of the Otherworld urban fantasy, young adult series starring Savannah Levine that starts in Columbus, Washington and ends in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Story
Savannah is still suffering from the poison injected into her by Leah O'Donnell in Waking the Witch and it seems the witch hunter is still after her. Then something goes wrong when Savannah expresses the wish that she could offer up her powers so Kayla can go back to her grandmother and her grandmother would not be in jail. For something is watching and gladly takes Savannah up on her offer.
It's a good thing that Adam is there with her in Columbus. Someone to, hopefully, ride check on the crazy ideas Savannah gets. Someone who will know where she's going. Hopefully, someone to be sure Savannah gets to Paige and Lucas to help her regain her powers. Because Savannah is fighting the embarrassment of telling her guardians just what she's been up to since she has been spewing information right and left to a witch-hunter. A witch-hunter who scammed her and now everyone she knows is vulnerable to kidnapping by the Supernatural Liberation Movement.
The Characters
Pretty much everybody shows up in this story: Savannah, naturally; Adam Vasic, an Exustio half-demon; Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez, Savannah's guardians; Benicio Cortez, Lucas' dad; Troy, Benicio's bodyguard and pretty much an old friend by now; Sean and Bryce Nash; Savannah's parents have a slip-on part; Jaime (a popular necromancer), Jeremy (alpha of the Stonehaven Pack), Clay and Elena; a pregnant Hope Adams (the daughter of Lucifer and an Expisco half-demon of chaos) and Karl Marsten (a werewolf in Jeremy's Stonehaven Pack); Jasper Haig has a brief appearance in which he harasses Hope; two-year-old Larsen, a young clairvoyant in whom the Nash Cabal is interested, is kidnapped; and, Cassandra DuCharme, a 300-year-old vampire.
One character whom I don't recall showing up before is Balaam, an upper demon who just happens to be Savannah's grandfather, on her mother's side, don't'cha know. Balaam is very supportive of the Supernatural Liberation Movement.
This story's characters seem particularly interested in achieving immortality: Gilles de Rais is a character from history; Althea, a.k.a., Anita Barrington; Sierra and Severin are twins and seem to be demons with a penchant for torture and a desire to betray; and, Veronica "Roni" who sets Savannah up—I sure hope she gets hers soon!
My Take
I'm not impressed with this story. Not much drama or tension and Armstrong portrays Savannah as such a childish, selfish person although she does provide Savannah several opportunities to take a second look at herself and grow up a bit.
I guess you could say that Spell Bound sees Savannah grow up and realize how often she's fluffed off, intending to rely upon her magic. She certainly does have plenty of opportunities to regret all the educational opportunities through which she daydreamed.
The Cover
The cover depicts Savannah all in black: jeans and a midriff-baring tank top with her necklace. The background is a combination of flames and a deeply red, cloudy sky with two different old buildings framing Savannah. The title, Spell Bound, is certainly appropriate since Savannah's powers are bound.
The Story
Savannah is still suffering from the poison injected into her by Leah O'Donnell in Waking the Witch and it seems the witch hunter is still after her. Then something goes wrong when Savannah expresses the wish that she could offer up her powers so Kayla can go back to her grandmother and her grandmother would not be in jail. For something is watching and gladly takes Savannah up on her offer.
It's a good thing that Adam is there with her in Columbus. Someone to, hopefully, ride check on the crazy ideas Savannah gets. Someone who will know where she's going. Hopefully, someone to be sure Savannah gets to Paige and Lucas to help her regain her powers. Because Savannah is fighting the embarrassment of telling her guardians just what she's been up to since she has been spewing information right and left to a witch-hunter. A witch-hunter who scammed her and now everyone she knows is vulnerable to kidnapping by the Supernatural Liberation Movement.
The Characters
Pretty much everybody shows up in this story: Savannah, naturally; Adam Vasic, an Exustio half-demon; Paige Winterbourne and Lucas Cortez, Savannah's guardians; Benicio Cortez, Lucas' dad; Troy, Benicio's bodyguard and pretty much an old friend by now; Sean and Bryce Nash; Savannah's parents have a slip-on part; Jaime (a popular necromancer), Jeremy (alpha of the Stonehaven Pack), Clay and Elena; a pregnant Hope Adams (the daughter of Lucifer and an Expisco half-demon of chaos) and Karl Marsten (a werewolf in Jeremy's Stonehaven Pack); Jasper Haig has a brief appearance in which he harasses Hope; two-year-old Larsen, a young clairvoyant in whom the Nash Cabal is interested, is kidnapped; and, Cassandra DuCharme, a 300-year-old vampire.
One character whom I don't recall showing up before is Balaam, an upper demon who just happens to be Savannah's grandfather, on her mother's side, don't'cha know. Balaam is very supportive of the Supernatural Liberation Movement.
This story's characters seem particularly interested in achieving immortality: Gilles de Rais is a character from history; Althea, a.k.a., Anita Barrington; Sierra and Severin are twins and seem to be demons with a penchant for torture and a desire to betray; and, Veronica "Roni" who sets Savannah up—I sure hope she gets hers soon!
My Take
I'm not impressed with this story. Not much drama or tension and Armstrong portrays Savannah as such a childish, selfish person although she does provide Savannah several opportunities to take a second look at herself and grow up a bit.
I guess you could say that Spell Bound sees Savannah grow up and realize how often she's fluffed off, intending to rely upon her magic. She certainly does have plenty of opportunities to regret all the educational opportunities through which she daydreamed.
The Cover
The cover depicts Savannah all in black: jeans and a midriff-baring tank top with her necklace. The background is a combination of flames and a deeply red, cloudy sky with two different old buildings framing Savannah. The title, Spell Bound, is certainly appropriate since Savannah's powers are bound.
renbarletta's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
dejalu's review against another edition
4.0
So sad that this series is coming to an end but I understand Kelley's reasoning for it. I'm not sure there would be many people who would read this as a standalone book but I do believe that you need to have read the series to fully appreciate this book. There is a huge cast in this book (most of them only referred to rather than part of the action) but even an avid fan like me had to stop and try to think about who was who on occasion. People who haven't been mentioned for several books pop up again and become semi-significant. It's a thrill for avid fans but also a sign that she's wrapping things up.
While this is essentially Savannah's book, readers get a glimpse of favorite characters- Clay, Elena, Lucas, Paige, Jeremy, Jaime, Hope, Karl and even Cassandra. Adam plays a heavy part as well as both sidekick and always potential love interest.
We've seen Savannah coming of age in previous books but it is the main focus here. Readers might, as other characters did, question her lack of self-confidence in several spots but it's part of her quest to becoming a mature adult.
Several previous books' plot lines are woven within this one so I found the (reminder) backstories within essential to following along but I think that a non-fan would find this book terribly confusing. As I am clearly a fan, I enjoyed it a lot.
While this is essentially Savannah's book, readers get a glimpse of favorite characters- Clay, Elena, Lucas, Paige, Jeremy, Jaime, Hope, Karl and even Cassandra. Adam plays a heavy part as well as both sidekick and always potential love interest.
We've seen Savannah coming of age in previous books but it is the main focus here. Readers might, as other characters did, question her lack of self-confidence in several spots but it's part of her quest to becoming a mature adult.
Several previous books' plot lines are woven within this one so I found the (reminder) backstories within essential to following along but I think that a non-fan would find this book terribly confusing. As I am clearly a fan, I enjoyed it a lot.
cyrenasea's review against another edition
3.0
Fast paced continuation of the women of the underworld series, though this one definitely felt like a two-parter. I don't mind a cliffhanger of an ending, but much of the plot was left unresolved.
mellhay's review against another edition
4.0
Whirling from the sadness and regret of what happened with Kayla and her grandmother along with the people who died while she was on the case, Savannah wishes she could do something to help Kayla. Even give up her powers to make it all right again. Savannah wakes in her hotel room to find her best friend Adam - whom she's loved since she was twelve - sleeping in a chair beside her. He had found her. Then to find she is powerless. The one thing she depends on deeply, her magic, is gone. Not knowing who took it without a deal being made. On her way to get a drink, Savannah is reminded there's a witch-hunter after her. Not being able to use the one reflexive defense she has, Savannah has to learn to protect herself again. Savannah has to redefine who she is as a person to make it through the troubles to come, and win the love of her life.
I started late into this series with Waking the Witch, which starts with Savannah's story line so was a great time to jump in. I've enjoyed these two quick reads. Savannah is a little young but she is growing and learning, the hard way. Savannah hits a bottom here she never thought she would hit, but she starts to come back and want more of herself.
This book starts exactly where Waking the Witch ended. And the prologue is a wonderful start!. It brought me up to where I was with Savannah at the end of Waking the Witch, and made me curious again with its hints. I even went back and read the prologue again after finishing the book. I would suggest reading Waking the Witch before reading this one, but books prior to that I don't think you need.
The characters we meet! There is a huge cast of characters in this series, and I guess being 12 books there would be. I loved meeting them and getting little glimpses of their histories, who they are, and even a touch of cases from the past. All this has me wanting once again to pick up all the previous ten books I haven't read to get to know them all better. I really enjoyed these characters and the way they respond to each other. Oh and Adam... he is here in this book full force and I just loved him. He is adult yet feels of young innocent fun with Savannah. And some sexy to him too.
I enjoy the writing style Kelley has here. If I think back to Waking the Witch and this one it seems like one on going story with the two. Kelley guides us along through the stories that are connected deeply but leads into the next situation. Like there is no time that passes and we follow each day with Savannah. They stories evolve to a different level as you go and the story becomes more than just the simple case Savannah was working on. There is more to them and they flow together. I like that the books fit so close together like this.
This book could be read by Young Adult readers. There is just a touch of alcohol mentioned here as Savannah is twenty-one. But there is no sex. This is a story easy to follow and read through quickly.
There is so much more to Savannah's life than she knows. And all is about to change with the war on the horizon. I definitely want to continue reading these books, and what Kelley has coming next too.
I started late into this series with Waking the Witch, which starts with Savannah's story line so was a great time to jump in. I've enjoyed these two quick reads. Savannah is a little young but she is growing and learning, the hard way. Savannah hits a bottom here she never thought she would hit, but she starts to come back and want more of herself.
This book starts exactly where Waking the Witch ended. And the prologue is a wonderful start!. It brought me up to where I was with Savannah at the end of Waking the Witch, and made me curious again with its hints. I even went back and read the prologue again after finishing the book. I would suggest reading Waking the Witch before reading this one, but books prior to that I don't think you need.
The characters we meet! There is a huge cast of characters in this series, and I guess being 12 books there would be. I loved meeting them and getting little glimpses of their histories, who they are, and even a touch of cases from the past. All this has me wanting once again to pick up all the previous ten books I haven't read to get to know them all better. I really enjoyed these characters and the way they respond to each other. Oh and Adam... he is here in this book full force and I just loved him. He is adult yet feels of young innocent fun with Savannah. And some sexy to him too.
I enjoy the writing style Kelley has here. If I think back to Waking the Witch and this one it seems like one on going story with the two. Kelley guides us along through the stories that are connected deeply but leads into the next situation. Like there is no time that passes and we follow each day with Savannah. They stories evolve to a different level as you go and the story becomes more than just the simple case Savannah was working on. There is more to them and they flow together. I like that the books fit so close together like this.
This book could be read by Young Adult readers. There is just a touch of alcohol mentioned here as Savannah is twenty-one. But there is no sex. This is a story easy to follow and read through quickly.
There is so much more to Savannah's life than she knows. And all is about to change with the war on the horizon. I definitely want to continue reading these books, and what Kelley has coming next too.
hectaizani's review against another edition
3.0
This book is from Savannah's perspective. She messed up her last case and idly makes a wish that she'd give up her powers if only she could fix it. Even though that shouldn't have been enough to make a pact her wish is granted. She now has to learn to navigate through life without her witch powers.
beccadavies's review against another edition
5.0
What a read! Armstrong does it again in this second to last book of the series. A note to the author: I'm very upset that this series is coming to a close. The Otherworld series has delighted me for years and the world that Armstrong has created seems almost real to me. However, I suppose she would want to end the series on a high instead of dragging it out.
So in this book, Savannah has no powers due to a wish that would see a little girl reunited with her Grandmother. What we still don't know is, who took away her powers and why?! We see Savannah who is usually tough and stubborn, reduced to a quivering little girl. Or not. Despite the fact that she has lost her powers she starts to realise that she is strong even without them. It was a little frusterating as a reader to see how slow she was at picking this up but I could sympathize with her so the anger was not that great.
Without her powers, she travels America to find answers to this as well as this mysterious supernatural group who are looking to come out to the human world. Oh and a group of immortatlity seekers who are hell bent on using Savannah and her friends in their quest. It is such a wild ride and every page was full of adventure!
I love Savannah and I love the fact that everyone in this world is coming together. I am saddened to think that I'm nearing the end but excited to see what the author will pull out of her sleeve.
So in this book, Savannah has no powers due to a wish that would see a little girl reunited with her Grandmother. What we still don't know is, who took away her powers and why?! We see Savannah who is usually tough and stubborn, reduced to a quivering little girl. Or not. Despite the fact that she has lost her powers she starts to realise that she is strong even without them. It was a little frusterating as a reader to see how slow she was at picking this up but I could sympathize with her so the anger was not that great.
Without her powers, she travels America to find answers to this as well as this mysterious supernatural group who are looking to come out to the human world. Oh and a group of immortatlity seekers who are hell bent on using Savannah and her friends in their quest. It is such a wild ride and every page was full of adventure!
I love Savannah and I love the fact that everyone in this world is coming together. I am saddened to think that I'm nearing the end but excited to see what the author will pull out of her sleeve.