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Spellcaster #1
Spellcaster
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.
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.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2013
227 people are currently reading
14203 people want to read
About the author
Claudia Gray
81 books14.1k followersClaudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.
I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.
I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 886 reviews
February 13, 2013
Unlike many of my friends, I quite liked this author's Evernight series, which was filled with surprises and interesting relationships (and not just romantic ones). It's disappointing to find this novel, about a young witch named Nadia, to be so very predictable, lacking in excitement, and fairly cookie cutter in its PNR plot. DNF at 210 pages.
Worst of all, though--four third person (non-omniscient) POVs, with at least one bonus page from a bird's perspective. :-/ Bleh.
Still like this author, though--will definitely keep trying her other books.
Worst of all, though--four third person (non-omniscient) POVs, with at least one bonus page from a bird's perspective. :-/ Bleh.
Still like this author, though--will definitely keep trying her other books.
June 30, 2017
So if I hadn't listened to this on audio I definitely would have DNF'd. It wasn't the worst thing ever, but it wasn't very good. The writing style was very simple and over explained everything. It really overdid the inner monologues for each of the characters. The romance was flat and the plot was very predictable. Pretty sure I won't continue with the series.
February 21, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
A magical adventure that is complete with a villain and rich in diversity. Spellcaster by Claudia Gray is an amazing fantasy novel that will satisfy its readers, yet leave them hungry for more.
One of my favourite things about Spellcaster is the villain, Elizabeth. Normally, readers don’t read about villains described so well that they develop a strong hatred towards that character. Claudia Gray does just this in her gripping young adult fantasy. Gray does such a phenomenal job of creating such wicked plans for Elizabeth, the book’s villain, to torture the main characters with and plans for those characters to stop her. I personally love a good villain in a book, so I fell in love with Spellcaster.
Adding to a long list of things that I adored about Spellcaster, it is also diverse! One of the main characters, Mateo, is Mexican, which we don’t see a lot of in YA. He even works at his dad’s Mexican restaurant, which is a popular place in the book for the students to hang out. There is even another character, Verlaine who has two dads, another topic that is rarely explored in young adult literature. This book also takes a stand against racism, when one of the characters is planning to dress up as a “sexy geisha girl” for Halloween, complete with mocking eye makeup. Mateo then tells her that treating someone else’s race as a costume isn’t right. I love diversity in books, so this was right up my alley.
Another great thing about Spellcaster is the genre. It is filled with magic and witchcraft which is different from other books I’ve recently read. Spellcaster, however, is a cross between a contemporary and a fantasy. I really enjoyed how this book is set in a high school, yet contains lots of magic and supernatural powers. Spellcaster was a refreshing surprise!
A magical adventure that is complete with a villain and rich in diversity. Spellcaster by Claudia Gray is an amazing fantasy novel that will satisfy its readers, yet leave them hungry for more.
One of my favourite things about Spellcaster is the villain, Elizabeth. Normally, readers don’t read about villains described so well that they develop a strong hatred towards that character. Claudia Gray does just this in her gripping young adult fantasy. Gray does such a phenomenal job of creating such wicked plans for Elizabeth, the book’s villain, to torture the main characters with and plans for those characters to stop her. I personally love a good villain in a book, so I fell in love with Spellcaster.
Adding to a long list of things that I adored about Spellcaster, it is also diverse! One of the main characters, Mateo, is Mexican, which we don’t see a lot of in YA. He even works at his dad’s Mexican restaurant, which is a popular place in the book for the students to hang out. There is even another character, Verlaine who has two dads, another topic that is rarely explored in young adult literature. This book also takes a stand against racism, when one of the characters is planning to dress up as a “sexy geisha girl” for Halloween, complete with mocking eye makeup. Mateo then tells her that treating someone else’s race as a costume isn’t right. I love diversity in books, so this was right up my alley.
Another great thing about Spellcaster is the genre. It is filled with magic and witchcraft which is different from other books I’ve recently read. Spellcaster, however, is a cross between a contemporary and a fantasy. I really enjoyed how this book is set in a high school, yet contains lots of magic and supernatural powers. Spellcaster was a refreshing surprise!
April 1, 2013
This feels very unfinished. Yes, I know, there is more to the story because it is the first in a series, but there is almost not any ending and I don't like that. Each book in a series should be a complete and satisfying read, in my opinion and this is just not.
The characters are interesting, but perhaps it has two many viewpoints because the story feels choppy and disjointed, jumping from this view to that view.
And there seemed to be a very big plot hole.
I really liked the character of Verlaine and I hope she is better explained in the next book.
I did think Nadia's magic was interesting, that it was memories that powered it. That was something different that I've not read before so I liked that.
I didn't like how nothing was resolved at the end. Elizabeth did something to loose something so she can do something. Okay then.
Will I read the next installment? Probably.
I'm just mildly interested enough to want to see where the story goes.
The characters are interesting, but perhaps it has two many viewpoints because the story feels choppy and disjointed, jumping from this view to that view.
And there seemed to be a very big plot hole.
I really liked the character of Verlaine and I hope she is better explained in the next book.
I did think Nadia's magic was interesting, that it was memories that powered it. That was something different that I've not read before so I liked that.
I didn't like how nothing was resolved at the end. Elizabeth did something to loose something so she can do something. Okay then.
Will I read the next installment? Probably.
I'm just mildly interested enough to want to see where the story goes.
February 5, 2017
The cover of this book mesmerized me the minute I first saw it. That blue flame poised on the girl's hand, the way she's totally focusing on it....I immediately wanted to find out more!
The story started me off on the edge of my seat. Nadia Caldani, the protagonist, is a young woman traveling from Chicago with her father and little brother. They are headed to the fictional town of Captive's Sound, which, from the descriptions in the novel, appears to be located somewhere in the northeastern part of the country. As they get closer to the town, Nadia begins to sense the presence of a very strong, yet invisible, magic barrier, which her family is entirely unaware of.
Nadia is able to sense this barrier because she's a witch. Her father and brother are unable to because, in this novel, only females can be witches and perform magic. It's a hereditary thing, passed down from mother to daughter. Men are completely non-magical (although there's one notable exception in the story).
Suddenly, Nadia and her family are involved in an accident, as their car slams into the invisible barrier, nearly sinking into the nearby river. Thankfully, they are rescued by a young man who appears out of nowhere....
As the story progresses, the reader is introduced to a fascinatingly complex series of events and cast of characters. Captive's Sound is heavily steeped in evil magic, and Nadia knows she has to do something to counteract the horrible spells that have engulfed the town in a depressing, oppressive fog.
The problem is, Nadia is not a fully-trained witch. Her mother abruptly abandoned the family one fine day, leaving her daughter's training incomplete. She also left three devastated people behind, which is why Nadia's father decided a fresh start would be the best thing for himself and his three children.
This novel has gotten some mixed reviews, but I sure don't know why. It grabbed me from the very beginning, and I simply couldn't let go! All of the ingredients that make for exciting, page-turning reading are present in this story -- compelling, fully fleshed-out characters, unexpected twists and turns, and lots of fascinating, even mind-boggling magic!
I especially enjoyed the characters.
Nadia received a major emotional blow with her mother's desertion, but yet, she strives to remain a pillar of strength for her father and brother. She is totally committed to protecting her family, as well as the entire town, from the insidious evil perpetrated by the villain of the story. She is courageous, loving, persistent, resourceful, and yet, vulnerable in an endearing way. I like her immensely!
Mateo Perez is the young man who rescues Nadia's family. Interestingly, he, too, has lost his mother. In his case, it's because of a strange curse that passes from generation to generation, on his mother's side of the family, giving him the ability to have prophetic dreams. He is just as courageous and resourceful, as Nadia, and is a total sweetheart. Need I mention that he's drop-dead gorgeous? I totally adore him!
Mateo and Nadia are inexorably drawn to each other from the moment they meet, although their relationship develops gradually. Claudia Gray has woven their blooming romance into this fascinating tale with deceptive ease. There is no "insta-love" here. They are unexpectedly pulled together through a magical bond, and their friendship slowly deepens into love.
What I really like about their relationship is that they work together as equals, even though each possesses skills that the other doesn't. At no time does Mateo treat Nadia in a condescending manner. In fact, they totally respect each other, as well as displaying tenderness and understanding. This was a very mellow, beautiful thing to read.
Another very compelling character is Verlaine, a girl from the local high school. Considered an outcast, she is either bullied or ignored by nearly all their classmates. I really felt for her, especially, since, as I got to know her better, I saw that she was a great person -- compassionate, loyal, and tender-hearted. Mateo and Nadia befriend her, and together they all attempt to fight against the powerful evil that seems to be more than they could possibly handle.
And the villain....oh, the villain! I won't identify that person here, but this character is very well drawn, being appropriately sinister, while seeming innocent and inoffensive on the outside. This villain is a totally evil person, with no scruples whatsoever, no concern for the welfare of the people of the town. Furthermore, this person is in the service of "The One Beneath", which is an obvious reference to Satan himself, although that dreaded name is never once mentioned in the narrative.
The setting of the novel, as well as the events that took place, gave me a feeling of oppression, of doom and gloom. The descriptions of the houses, the countryside, everything contributed to the overall feeling that something very sinister was behind all the unsettling events taking place in the town. However, there was always a ray of hope, as the three main characters bravely sought solutions to each obstacle thrown in their path.
Contributing to the creepy thrills is all the great magic conjured by Gray's imagination -- spells of liberation, one of which helped Nadia escape from magical spiders at one point in the story (and how I hate those nasty little creatures...), spells of forgetting, of controlling the elements, even of changing a person's appearance so completely, they would be mistaken for someone else, spells of levitation, such as the one used to lift a car out of a sinkhole.... This is truly the stuff of fairy tales! As I read, I felt as if I had fallen into a fairy tale, albeit in the modern world.
The spells are very interestingly concocted, as well. Instead of the stereotyped weird ingredients, or magical potions and elixirs, each spell's "ingredients" consist of memories, each of which has a specific theme. All of them are then combined to create the spell. I've never come across anything like this before! This is not only beautiful and very creative, but also quite moving.
The climax of the story is open-ended, but that's because the sequel, Steadfast, is slated for publication next year. (In fact, I featured it in last week's "Waiting On Wednesday" post.) I already have it on my wish list, and will be eagerly buying and devouring it as soon as it's released!
I heartily recommend this novel to all paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans! Believe me, you will absolutely enjoy this story! You will cheer for the three heroes as they battle their formidable opponent, and will stay up into the wee hours, telling yourself in vain that you'll only read one more page....until you discover that's it's 3 AM, and you've devoured four chapters without even being aware of it!
The story started me off on the edge of my seat. Nadia Caldani, the protagonist, is a young woman traveling from Chicago with her father and little brother. They are headed to the fictional town of Captive's Sound, which, from the descriptions in the novel, appears to be located somewhere in the northeastern part of the country. As they get closer to the town, Nadia begins to sense the presence of a very strong, yet invisible, magic barrier, which her family is entirely unaware of.
Nadia is able to sense this barrier because she's a witch. Her father and brother are unable to because, in this novel, only females can be witches and perform magic. It's a hereditary thing, passed down from mother to daughter. Men are completely non-magical (although there's one notable exception in the story).
Suddenly, Nadia and her family are involved in an accident, as their car slams into the invisible barrier, nearly sinking into the nearby river. Thankfully, they are rescued by a young man who appears out of nowhere....
As the story progresses, the reader is introduced to a fascinatingly complex series of events and cast of characters. Captive's Sound is heavily steeped in evil magic, and Nadia knows she has to do something to counteract the horrible spells that have engulfed the town in a depressing, oppressive fog.
The problem is, Nadia is not a fully-trained witch. Her mother abruptly abandoned the family one fine day, leaving her daughter's training incomplete. She also left three devastated people behind, which is why Nadia's father decided a fresh start would be the best thing for himself and his three children.
This novel has gotten some mixed reviews, but I sure don't know why. It grabbed me from the very beginning, and I simply couldn't let go! All of the ingredients that make for exciting, page-turning reading are present in this story -- compelling, fully fleshed-out characters, unexpected twists and turns, and lots of fascinating, even mind-boggling magic!
I especially enjoyed the characters.
Nadia received a major emotional blow with her mother's desertion, but yet, she strives to remain a pillar of strength for her father and brother. She is totally committed to protecting her family, as well as the entire town, from the insidious evil perpetrated by the villain of the story. She is courageous, loving, persistent, resourceful, and yet, vulnerable in an endearing way. I like her immensely!
Mateo Perez is the young man who rescues Nadia's family. Interestingly, he, too, has lost his mother. In his case, it's because of a strange curse that passes from generation to generation, on his mother's side of the family, giving him the ability to have prophetic dreams. He is just as courageous and resourceful, as Nadia, and is a total sweetheart. Need I mention that he's drop-dead gorgeous? I totally adore him!
Mateo and Nadia are inexorably drawn to each other from the moment they meet, although their relationship develops gradually. Claudia Gray has woven their blooming romance into this fascinating tale with deceptive ease. There is no "insta-love" here. They are unexpectedly pulled together through a magical bond, and their friendship slowly deepens into love.
What I really like about their relationship is that they work together as equals, even though each possesses skills that the other doesn't. At no time does Mateo treat Nadia in a condescending manner. In fact, they totally respect each other, as well as displaying tenderness and understanding. This was a very mellow, beautiful thing to read.
Another very compelling character is Verlaine, a girl from the local high school. Considered an outcast, she is either bullied or ignored by nearly all their classmates. I really felt for her, especially, since, as I got to know her better, I saw that she was a great person -- compassionate, loyal, and tender-hearted. Mateo and Nadia befriend her, and together they all attempt to fight against the powerful evil that seems to be more than they could possibly handle.
And the villain....oh, the villain! I won't identify that person here, but this character is very well drawn, being appropriately sinister, while seeming innocent and inoffensive on the outside. This villain is a totally evil person, with no scruples whatsoever, no concern for the welfare of the people of the town. Furthermore, this person is in the service of "The One Beneath", which is an obvious reference to Satan himself, although that dreaded name is never once mentioned in the narrative.
The setting of the novel, as well as the events that took place, gave me a feeling of oppression, of doom and gloom. The descriptions of the houses, the countryside, everything contributed to the overall feeling that something very sinister was behind all the unsettling events taking place in the town. However, there was always a ray of hope, as the three main characters bravely sought solutions to each obstacle thrown in their path.
Contributing to the creepy thrills is all the great magic conjured by Gray's imagination -- spells of liberation, one of which helped Nadia escape from magical spiders at one point in the story (and how I hate those nasty little creatures...), spells of forgetting, of controlling the elements, even of changing a person's appearance so completely, they would be mistaken for someone else, spells of levitation, such as the one used to lift a car out of a sinkhole.... This is truly the stuff of fairy tales! As I read, I felt as if I had fallen into a fairy tale, albeit in the modern world.
The spells are very interestingly concocted, as well. Instead of the stereotyped weird ingredients, or magical potions and elixirs, each spell's "ingredients" consist of memories, each of which has a specific theme. All of them are then combined to create the spell. I've never come across anything like this before! This is not only beautiful and very creative, but also quite moving.
The climax of the story is open-ended, but that's because the sequel, Steadfast, is slated for publication next year. (In fact, I featured it in last week's "Waiting On Wednesday" post.) I already have it on my wish list, and will be eagerly buying and devouring it as soon as it's released!
I heartily recommend this novel to all paranormal romance and urban fantasy fans! Believe me, you will absolutely enjoy this story! You will cheer for the three heroes as they battle their formidable opponent, and will stay up into the wee hours, telling yourself in vain that you'll only read one more page....until you discover that's it's 3 AM, and you've devoured four chapters without even being aware of it!
March 31, 2022
#2) Steadfast ★★★☆☆
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Mateo (mc) is Mexican-American; Verlaine (mc)'s guardians are her two achillean uncles; Gage (sc) is Black.
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November 18, 2016
Just straight up awful. 10/10 would NOT recommend.
Let me break this down for you:
THE PLOT:
The plot moved along only when characters had sudden "realizations." There were no real solving of the problems, no looking into various leads. As a result, the plot just fell extremely flat and felt like a bit of a joke.
THE CHARACTERS :
So, so, so, so awful. All of them were extremely flat and felt extremely forced. There was no real characterization of them, just feelings that they had. Mateo and Nadia had the worst case of insta-love that I've ever seen, and Verlaine felt like a third wheel the whole book. Not to mention that Elizabeth was not a good villain. And how hard it was to believe that Nadia could actually defeat her after constantly being like: "my mom left me and I'm not completely trained, I could never win!" And then she does. By having one of her stupid "revelations."
THE WRITING:
UGH. SO BAD. The local "mean girl" used the word "fag" to make fun of a girl. WHO DOES THAT?! AND THE AUTHOR PLAYS IT OFF LIKE IT'S OKAY. LITERALLY NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING. IF ANYTHING THEY LAUGH WITH THE MEAN GIRL.
Not to mention that it was very chunky and the main character casually used the word 'demented.' It's not even like this book was published that long ago. It was published in 2013! I didn't know anybody who spoke like that in 2013!
I really hope her Firebird series isn't like this. It looks so promising. ;-;
Let me break this down for you:
THE PLOT:
The plot moved along only when characters had sudden "realizations." There were no real solving of the problems, no looking into various leads. As a result, the plot just fell extremely flat and felt like a bit of a joke.
THE CHARACTERS :
So, so, so, so awful. All of them were extremely flat and felt extremely forced. There was no real characterization of them, just feelings that they had. Mateo and Nadia had the worst case of insta-love that I've ever seen, and Verlaine felt like a third wheel the whole book. Not to mention that Elizabeth was not a good villain. And how hard it was to believe that Nadia could actually defeat her after constantly being like: "my mom left me and I'm not completely trained, I could never win!" And then she does. By having one of her stupid "revelations."
THE WRITING:
UGH. SO BAD. The local "mean girl" used the word "fag" to make fun of a girl. WHO DOES THAT?! AND THE AUTHOR PLAYS IT OFF LIKE IT'S OKAY. LITERALLY NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING. IF ANYTHING THEY LAUGH WITH THE MEAN GIRL.
Not to mention that it was very chunky and the main character casually used the word 'demented.' It's not even like this book was published that long ago. It was published in 2013! I didn't know anybody who spoke like that in 2013!
I really hope her Firebird series isn't like this. It looks so promising. ;-;
Read
October 28, 2014Love the hero in this story and the whole idea of a steadfast. The villain was really nasty too which I enjoy a lot. Really like exploring the different powers a witch can have. So curious about the mom and why she left.
December 22, 2016
Fand es nicht so gut geschrieben, hatte einige Längen, es ist auch nicht furchtbar viel passiert. Bin eher enttäuscht.
November 8, 2017
OMG wat een goed boek..
Vanaf het begin had het me in zijn greep en kon ik m niet neerleggen.
Dit is 1 van de mooiste en best geschreven boeken die ik dit jaar gelezen heb ♡
Echt een aanrader als je van hekserij houdt.
Vanaf het begin had het me in zijn greep en kon ik m niet neerleggen.
Dit is 1 van de mooiste en best geschreven boeken die ik dit jaar gelezen heb ♡
Echt een aanrader als je van hekserij houdt.
March 3, 2013
This was a very pleasant surprise. I have seen a few reviews go up that weren’t that encouraging but after about 100 pages in I was hooked. I won’t say that this was the greatest book ever written or that it tops Gray’s Evernight series, but Spellcaster did hold my attention and honestly a reader can’t ask for more than that..
Spellcaster was very different than what I was expecting. Nadia was definitely an interesting character and Gray’s take on magic is one that I haven’t seen before. I am used to the witches needing certain ingredients to perform spells, but it seemed that Nadia only needed to touch her bracelet most of the time, say a few sentences, and then think of something that would make her feel certain emotions. It took me awhile to grasp this concept but by the end of the story I understood it somewhat. I would have liked a better explanation, but I am happy that it finally clicked in my brain. Like I was saying Nadia was a unique character and her story was just as unique. She is a witch and after her mom decides to leave her family, Nadia her dad and brother all move to a tiny town to try and start over. Nadia has no one to teach her anymore about her Craft and when she feels something sinister in her Chemistry class she doesn’t know who to turn to. She finds friends in a strange way and ends up having to fight for not only her family but for the whole town with her new friends. There is a romance for those out there that like having one in their stories, but it isn’t a huge one. Mateo and Nadia were very sweet together, but the storyline curtained more on the curses on the town and certain people which I appreciated. I did like the whole steadfast aspect of the story. I haven’t ever heard of this before but it was new and unique twist at least to me and it was interesting.
Honestly I am still a little confused as to why the villain (I don’t want to give the name away) needed to destroy the town. In the end we kinda get a reason, but it felt a little to late in my opinion. The whole story I kept saying “why” and we do get certain clues but it isn’t until the last chapter that we finally get to see the whys of everything. I would have liked to have seen a tighter plot and known more about the villain’s plot, I think if I had known more my heart would have been beating faster and I would have had that OH NO moment. As is though I didn’t have any real strong emotions towards the whole thing and I kinda wanted the villain to succeed so the plot would be uncovered. Also after everything happens I was a little shocked that we don’t get to see what happened with the Chemistry lab. It played such a huge role in the overall storyline that it felt wrong not to have it be even mentioned at the end. We know from the villain’s conversation that something happened, but I would have thought Nadia would have gone there first to see if what she felt was still there. Unfortunately we are left completely hanging. And what the hale is up with the mother??!! I can’t believe we are left with no answers on her end. I hope that if we are given a new installment that part of the story is answered because after reading 370 pages I really expected to have that side story answered. I won’t say much more since it will spoil a part of the story but just know I am seriously ticked about that part. Even with all this though I actually enjoyed the story. It was creepy at times and I felt spellbound by the villain which I am not sure is a good thing but they caught my attention and I am dying to know more about them.
The story ends on a cliffhanger and I haven’t looked yet to see if this will be a series, but I am hoping it will be since I want more of this certain person. There are a lot of questions still unanswered and I hope we get to see a new installment. If you are looking for something witchy with a twist then this is the book for you. It, in my opinion, is different enough to keep the reader entertained and it has a dark meanie in it that you don’t want to pass up meeting.
Spellcaster was very different than what I was expecting. Nadia was definitely an interesting character and Gray’s take on magic is one that I haven’t seen before. I am used to the witches needing certain ingredients to perform spells, but it seemed that Nadia only needed to touch her bracelet most of the time, say a few sentences, and then think of something that would make her feel certain emotions. It took me awhile to grasp this concept but by the end of the story I understood it somewhat. I would have liked a better explanation, but I am happy that it finally clicked in my brain. Like I was saying Nadia was a unique character and her story was just as unique. She is a witch and after her mom decides to leave her family, Nadia her dad and brother all move to a tiny town to try and start over. Nadia has no one to teach her anymore about her Craft and when she feels something sinister in her Chemistry class she doesn’t know who to turn to. She finds friends in a strange way and ends up having to fight for not only her family but for the whole town with her new friends. There is a romance for those out there that like having one in their stories, but it isn’t a huge one. Mateo and Nadia were very sweet together, but the storyline curtained more on the curses on the town and certain people which I appreciated. I did like the whole steadfast aspect of the story. I haven’t ever heard of this before but it was new and unique twist at least to me and it was interesting.
Honestly I am still a little confused as to why the villain (I don’t want to give the name away) needed to destroy the town. In the end we kinda get a reason, but it felt a little to late in my opinion. The whole story I kept saying “why” and we do get certain clues but it isn’t until the last chapter that we finally get to see the whys of everything. I would have liked to have seen a tighter plot and known more about the villain’s plot, I think if I had known more my heart would have been beating faster and I would have had that OH NO moment. As is though I didn’t have any real strong emotions towards the whole thing and I kinda wanted the villain to succeed so the plot would be uncovered. Also after everything happens I was a little shocked that we don’t get to see what happened with the Chemistry lab. It played such a huge role in the overall storyline that it felt wrong not to have it be even mentioned at the end. We know from the villain’s conversation that something happened, but I would have thought Nadia would have gone there first to see if what she felt was still there. Unfortunately we are left completely hanging. And what the hale is up with the mother??!! I can’t believe we are left with no answers on her end. I hope that if we are given a new installment that part of the story is answered because after reading 370 pages I really expected to have that side story answered. I won’t say much more since it will spoil a part of the story but just know I am seriously ticked about that part. Even with all this though I actually enjoyed the story. It was creepy at times and I felt spellbound by the villain which I am not sure is a good thing but they caught my attention and I am dying to know more about them.
The story ends on a cliffhanger and I haven’t looked yet to see if this will be a series, but I am hoping it will be since I want more of this certain person. There are a lot of questions still unanswered and I hope we get to see a new installment. If you are looking for something witchy with a twist then this is the book for you. It, in my opinion, is different enough to keep the reader entertained and it has a dark meanie in it that you don’t want to pass up meeting.
February 28, 2018
Dit boek was een buddyread met Maartje en Tatiana van Books Ever After. De volledige recensie staat op mijn blog
Leuk boek, totdat de slechterik naar voren kwam. De slechterik denkt in ouderwets-Nederlands, wat er voor zorgde dat de vaart van het verhaal volledig verdween. Dit was ontzettend jammer. Ik heb er zelfs over na gedacht om haar stukjes te skimmen, maar ik was bang dat ik dan belangrijke informatie zou gaan missen, dus heb het niet gedaan.
Mateo, Verlaine en Cole vond ik wel hele leuke personages. Jammer genoeg vond ik ze niet heel erg uitgebreid beschreven en daardoor leerde ik ze ook niet zo kennen.
Leuk boek, totdat de slechterik naar voren kwam. De slechterik denkt in ouderwets-Nederlands, wat er voor zorgde dat de vaart van het verhaal volledig verdween. Dit was ontzettend jammer. Ik heb er zelfs over na gedacht om haar stukjes te skimmen, maar ik was bang dat ik dan belangrijke informatie zou gaan missen, dus heb het niet gedaan.
Mateo, Verlaine en Cole vond ik wel hele leuke personages. Jammer genoeg vond ik ze niet heel erg uitgebreid beschreven en daardoor leerde ik ze ook niet zo kennen.
November 13, 2018
3.5 stars.
June 19, 2014
find another version of this review on my blog post: http://thewordsthatbindus.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/spellcaster-by-claudia-gray/
**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**
My first book by this author... not too promising? This book is rated anywhere between 1.5 to 2.5 stars, depending on what exactly we're talking about.
The sad thing is, I was pretty disappointed by this book. Even sadder is that I'm not that surprised either. Maybe it's because it seemed like one of those typical YA storylines: girl moves to new town after family issues, meets some hot bad-boy, he has a secret, she has a secret, they are brought together due to weird supernatural...things, and crappy romance and bad plot ensue.
Still, it had a few redeeming qualities I guess.
Pros
1. The Overall Storyline: While slightly cliched in some aspects, it was interesting enough to keep me reading and finishing, despite the early urges to just abandon it as another one of "those books". The idea of the curse and telling the future passing down through the family was refreshing enough, and the relationship it created with Mateo and Elizabeth was a good plot twist. Good on the author for avoiding that slutty, fake, big-boobed blond airhead stereotype that most female antagonists carry.
2. The Relationship between Nadia and her family: It was, I think, one of the main reasons why I didn't write this book off as a total disappointment. The struggle that she faces between being a mother figure to her younger brothers and also being a daughter for her father was real and quite bittersweet. I liked the dynamic of this recovering family, and the characterization of the brothers as well. Very brother-like, but also vulnerable from their mother's abandonment
3. Verlaine: Granted, I didn't like her that much in the beginning. But let me tell you, she is quite possibly the only redeeming character in the book. She doesn't give a shit about anything, much less the people who bully her constantly throughout the day. She's got a kickass vintage fashion sense, AND gay parents. Come on, what's better than that? To top it all off, she's an open minded individual who easily accepts her discovery of Nadia's witchcraft habits, and she's not a self-pitier. Chill, laid back, and very cool. I love this girl.
uh oh. Is it sad that I can only think of those?
Cons
1. Mateo: Yeah. What can I say? He's the bad boy, the mysterious, the tall dark and handsome, the dreaded love interest of YA lore. Cursed like all his blood relatives to see the future and pass it on to Elizabeth (the creepy, ages-backwards witch), he is a flat character with really no depth, besides the occasional "inner pain" of being bullied and his mom going insane. Oh, and apparently he's really hot... but wait, he's still bullied....what? He has dreams of Nadia, thinks she's gorgeous so obviously he falls in love with her but wait. He has to stay away from her. Right, he's "dangerous" to her wellbeing blahdy blah blah. And of course this doesn't work (clearly his morals aren't strong enough). And POOF. Insta love. Don't we love that? I'm sure you're just swooning. Okay now I'm just on a tangent. Here's the bottom line. He's quite a flat character. No defining characteristics that set him apart from any other male love interest in any other book. Falls instantly in love with Nadia, there is no romantic development, no exploration of his character outside of Nadia...nope. He's the love interest. In this book, that's all he is. The love interest. That alone should tell you what type of character he is.
2. The Romantic Relationship: Boring. No development. Just this:
...and there you have it! Lovely right? WRONG. It's the type of romance that you thought would be those lovely slow burns, and you turn the page and then... BOOM THEY'RE PROFESSING THEIR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. What the ....
moving on.
3. The Writing: Maybe it was just me? I felt like there was some phrasing in the book that sounded seriously awkward... awkward to the point where I felt like I was reading teen fanfiction. Other than that, the writing was nothing special, it didn't grab me nor was it beautiful or memorable. It was just... boring.
4. The Ending: Okay. Can someone tell me exactly what happened? One minute she was losing the battle against Elizabeth, then she's winning. Then she almost died? Wait, now she's okay? And then there's Elizabeth herself. First, we think she wants to destroy Captive's Sound. Then there's this guy named Asa? What's up with him? Why does he take some other dude's body? And wait, Elizabeth is on a suicide mission?
WHATARFGLKJEN IDYW4TRKJGN VIQUWJRHSTNKJE
Confusing as f***
5. The Epiloque: ...Just. Was there ever any point in that?
6. The Cliches: Let's see here...
You know what my problem is? I don't hate this book. Usually when I rate a book this low, my review turns into a sarcasm filled hate rant about how horrible it is. But I don't hate this book. I sort of... pity it. And I don't even know why.
as always, this is my personal opinion. This is not an attack on the author or whatever, just stating my feelings.
Thanks for reading :)
**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**
My first book by this author... not too promising? This book is rated anywhere between 1.5 to 2.5 stars, depending on what exactly we're talking about.
The sad thing is, I was pretty disappointed by this book. Even sadder is that I'm not that surprised either. Maybe it's because it seemed like one of those typical YA storylines: girl moves to new town after family issues, meets some hot bad-boy, he has a secret, she has a secret, they are brought together due to weird supernatural...things, and crappy romance and bad plot ensue.
Still, it had a few redeeming qualities I guess.
Pros
1. The Overall Storyline: While slightly cliched in some aspects, it was interesting enough to keep me reading and finishing, despite the early urges to just abandon it as another one of "those books". The idea of the curse and telling the future passing down through the family was refreshing enough, and the relationship it created with Mateo and Elizabeth was a good plot twist. Good on the author for avoiding that slutty, fake, big-boobed blond airhead stereotype that most female antagonists carry.
2. The Relationship between Nadia and her family: It was, I think, one of the main reasons why I didn't write this book off as a total disappointment. The struggle that she faces between being a mother figure to her younger brothers and also being a daughter for her father was real and quite bittersweet. I liked the dynamic of this recovering family, and the characterization of the brothers as well. Very brother-like, but also vulnerable from their mother's abandonment
3. Verlaine: Granted, I didn't like her that much in the beginning. But let me tell you, she is quite possibly the only redeeming character in the book. She doesn't give a shit about anything, much less the people who bully her constantly throughout the day. She's got a kickass vintage fashion sense, AND gay parents. Come on, what's better than that? To top it all off, she's an open minded individual who easily accepts her discovery of Nadia's witchcraft habits, and she's not a self-pitier. Chill, laid back, and very cool. I love this girl.
uh oh. Is it sad that I can only think of those?
Cons
1. Mateo: Yeah. What can I say? He's the bad boy, the mysterious, the tall dark and handsome, the dreaded love interest of YA lore. Cursed like all his blood relatives to see the future and pass it on to Elizabeth (the creepy, ages-backwards witch), he is a flat character with really no depth, besides the occasional "inner pain" of being bullied and his mom going insane. Oh, and apparently he's really hot... but wait, he's still bullied....what? He has dreams of Nadia, thinks she's gorgeous so obviously he falls in love with her but wait. He has to stay away from her. Right, he's "dangerous" to her wellbeing blahdy blah blah. And of course this doesn't work (clearly his morals aren't strong enough). And POOF. Insta love. Don't we love that? I'm sure you're just swooning. Okay now I'm just on a tangent. Here's the bottom line. He's quite a flat character. No defining characteristics that set him apart from any other male love interest in any other book. Falls instantly in love with Nadia, there is no romantic development, no exploration of his character outside of Nadia...nope. He's the love interest. In this book, that's all he is. The love interest. That alone should tell you what type of character he is.
2. The Romantic Relationship: Boring. No development. Just this:
Nadia: OMG HERE'S A HOT GUY THAT SAVED ME FROM A CAR CRASH HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL LIKE AN ANGEL. INSTANT ATTRACTION.
Mateo: OMQ THE GIRL FROM MY DREAMS SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL THAT I LOVE HER SO MUCH BUT IF I'M WITH HER SHE'LL GET KILLED
...
SCREW IT. THIS IS HAPPENING. ALSO, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I'M HER STEADFAST. WHICH MEANS WE'RE BOUND TOGETHER IN POWER. OH AND NOW I'M IN LOVE WITH HER.
Nadia: Omigod he's so hot.
...and there you have it! Lovely right? WRONG. It's the type of romance that you thought would be those lovely slow burns, and you turn the page and then... BOOM THEY'RE PROFESSING THEIR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER. What the ....
moving on.
3. The Writing: Maybe it was just me? I felt like there was some phrasing in the book that sounded seriously awkward... awkward to the point where I felt like I was reading teen fanfiction. Other than that, the writing was nothing special, it didn't grab me nor was it beautiful or memorable. It was just... boring.
4. The Ending: Okay. Can someone tell me exactly what happened? One minute she was losing the battle against Elizabeth, then she's winning. Then she almost died? Wait, now she's okay? And then there's Elizabeth herself. First, we think she wants to destroy Captive's Sound. Then there's this guy named Asa? What's up with him? Why does he take some other dude's body? And wait, Elizabeth is on a suicide mission?
WHATARFGLKJEN IDYW4TRKJGN VIQUWJRHSTNKJE
Confusing as f***
5. The Epiloque: ...Just. Was there ever any point in that?
6. The Cliches: Let's see here...
Parent(s) is/are gone from the MC's life? check
New to town/school? check
MC happens to be really attractive? check
There's a really hot guy too? check
Said hot guy seems to be hiding his own secret? check
Said hot guy is also "dangerous" and should not be with MC? check
Insta Love/Attraction? check
Pitiful/unattractive/not date-able female friend to MC? check
somehow, MC must "save" the hot guy, or vice versa? check
The romance plays a WAY bigger role than the cool, could-be-better-developed plot? check
Romance becomes central focus check
plot, characters, and storyline seems like many others you have read? check
You know what my problem is? I don't hate this book. Usually when I rate a book this low, my review turns into a sarcasm filled hate rant about how horrible it is. But I don't hate this book. I sort of... pity it. And I don't even know why.
as always, this is my personal opinion. This is not an attack on the author or whatever, just stating my feelings.
Thanks for reading :)
February 5, 2017
Witches, Curses and the One Beneath
Spellcaster
Rating: 4/5
Summary: Nadia is a witch in training; however, her training has stopped since the divorce of her parents. She moves to the small town of Captive’s Sound with her father and brother who know nothing of her powers. When she arrives, she realizes the whole town is under magical influence and it seems evil. Mateo Cabot is plagued by a curse that leads to insanity. Though Mateo tries to avoid Nadia and save her from his dreams, the two are inexplicably drawn to each other and must work together if they are going to save Captive’s Sound from possible destruction.
I really enjoyed this book. The action started immediately and I was captivated by the book and almost couldn’t put it down. If it hadn’t been so late I would’ve finished it last night! The mysteries in this book were fascinating and while I guessed a couple, there were still a few that I didn’t see coming and some that I can’t wait to see solved in the next book!
I loved Nadia. Her character was very dynamic and while she wasn’t confident 100% of the time, she still was strong and sassy when needed. Like damn, the girl shot down Mateo’s grandmother when the time came for that and I was living for it. I thought Nadia’s character was very believable and I connected with her. My other favorite character was Verlaine! She was very fascinating and turned out to be more important than I guessed in the beginning. Verlaine is very eccentric and smart. She is the brains and organizer of their operation whereas Nadia is the magic expert.
The relationship between Mateo and Nadia built slowly. But once things started, it got going fast and felt a tad like insta-love. I really liked their chemistry and I thought they were adorable! Can’t wait to see more of them in Steadfast. I really liked that their relationship wasn’t all gooey eyes and happy thoughts. They had a few misunderstandings, but managed to sort this out as rational human beings and good communication.
All in all, I really enjoyed this, but it wasn’t quite amazing/favorite series worthy yet. However, I really hope I can get to the sequel soon!
Spellcaster
Rating: 4/5
Summary: Nadia is a witch in training; however, her training has stopped since the divorce of her parents. She moves to the small town of Captive’s Sound with her father and brother who know nothing of her powers. When she arrives, she realizes the whole town is under magical influence and it seems evil. Mateo Cabot is plagued by a curse that leads to insanity. Though Mateo tries to avoid Nadia and save her from his dreams, the two are inexplicably drawn to each other and must work together if they are going to save Captive’s Sound from possible destruction.
I really enjoyed this book. The action started immediately and I was captivated by the book and almost couldn’t put it down. If it hadn’t been so late I would’ve finished it last night! The mysteries in this book were fascinating and while I guessed a couple, there were still a few that I didn’t see coming and some that I can’t wait to see solved in the next book!
I loved Nadia. Her character was very dynamic and while she wasn’t confident 100% of the time, she still was strong and sassy when needed. Like damn, the girl shot down Mateo’s grandmother when the time came for that and I was living for it. I thought Nadia’s character was very believable and I connected with her. My other favorite character was Verlaine! She was very fascinating and turned out to be more important than I guessed in the beginning. Verlaine is very eccentric and smart. She is the brains and organizer of their operation whereas Nadia is the magic expert.
The relationship between Mateo and Nadia built slowly. But once things started, it got going fast and felt a tad like insta-love. I really liked their chemistry and I thought they were adorable! Can’t wait to see more of them in Steadfast. I really liked that their relationship wasn’t all gooey eyes and happy thoughts. They had a few misunderstandings, but managed to sort this out as rational human beings and good communication.
All in all, I really enjoyed this, but it wasn’t quite amazing/favorite series worthy yet. However, I really hope I can get to the sequel soon!
January 20, 2024
"You scare me, and I'm from Hell"
Spellcaster is a book about a young, inexperienced witch called, Nadia. After her mother ditches her, her brother and their father; Nadia and her family are distraught and move to Captives Sound to "start fresh." As they arrive at Captives Sound, a magical barrier reacts to Nadia's own Book of Shadows and causes their car to crash into a lake. Enter Mateo. The hunk with sad eyes who saves Nadia from drowning in the lake. Instant love and attraction. *eye roll.*
Mateo is cursed. He sees the future in his dreams, which will eventually make him go crazy. And Nadia is possibly the only one who can save the poor boy. He and Nadia also have to save their little town from the Sickness plaguing it's lands and the evil magic that lurks in the shadows. There are a few things in this book which I don't understand-like something was mentioned, and then just not brought up again. But the story didn't capture me enough to worry about it now. Anyhow, this book is told from the different perspectives of four main characters and it's really sad to say that I enjoyed the two short POV's of Nadia's father and character called Asa, more than the main POV's. (・・。)ゞ
*Sigh* I'm not big on giving half stars, but this is a 2.5 star book. I would've loved it in year nine, but now that I'm older, i didn't enjoy this much at all. The insta-love was hard to get through, like really hard to get through. And by the end I was skipping pages at a time, just to finish this book. Don't get me wrong, this is a good story... if you enjoy instant love/ attraction, inappropriate swooning and witches.
Spellcaster is a book about a young, inexperienced witch called, Nadia. After her mother ditches her, her brother and their father; Nadia and her family are distraught and move to Captives Sound to "start fresh." As they arrive at Captives Sound, a magical barrier reacts to Nadia's own Book of Shadows and causes their car to crash into a lake. Enter Mateo. The hunk with sad eyes who saves Nadia from drowning in the lake. Instant love and attraction. *eye roll.*
Mateo is cursed. He sees the future in his dreams, which will eventually make him go crazy. And Nadia is possibly the only one who can save the poor boy. He and Nadia also have to save their little town from the Sickness plaguing it's lands and the evil magic that lurks in the shadows. There are a few things in this book which I don't understand-like something was mentioned, and then just not brought up again. But the story didn't capture me enough to worry about it now. Anyhow, this book is told from the different perspectives of four main characters and it's really sad to say that I enjoyed the two short POV's of Nadia's father and character called Asa, more than the main POV's. (・・。)ゞ
*Sigh* I'm not big on giving half stars, but this is a 2.5 star book. I would've loved it in year nine, but now that I'm older, i didn't enjoy this much at all. The insta-love was hard to get through, like really hard to get through. And by the end I was skipping pages at a time, just to finish this book. Don't get me wrong, this is a good story... if you enjoy instant love/ attraction, inappropriate swooning and witches.
June 10, 2015
I couldn't make myself care for the characters or the story. Reading the book feels like I'm just going through the motions. It's superficial. And flat. The story, the writing, the characters aren't very remarkable. It doesn't have a great worldbuilding. Romance is meh. Cheesy. The witchcraft is meh.
FULL REVIEW http://haraiah.blogspot.com/2015/06/r...
FULL REVIEW http://haraiah.blogspot.com/2015/06/r...
did-not-finish
July 17, 2017Dead mom, special girl, and insta love. Now none of these this are necessarily bad, even when put together. But they kind of left me feeling meh about what seems to be a pretty color-by-numbers magical white girl story. Its just not holding my interest.
October 7, 2017
Recensie volgt zsm op mijn blog, www.kwanteinwonderland.com
October 13, 2017
Een heerlijke halloweeny read. Ik vond de sfeer erg fijn.
Verder wel vervelend dat hak op de tak met die personages zeg pfoe.
Binnenkort recensie op www.myperfectbooklife.blogspot.nl !
Verder wel vervelend dat hak op de tak met die personages zeg pfoe.
Binnenkort recensie op www.myperfectbooklife.blogspot.nl !
October 13, 2020
Rezension: (kann Spoiler enthalten)
Idee:
Ich fand es sehr interessant, dass der Klappentext vermuten lässt, dass derjenige, der hier über eine "besondere Gabe" verfügt Mateo sein soll und nicht nach allen Klischees Nadia, wobei dem Leser innerhalb der ersten Seiten bereits klar wird: Auch Nadia hat ihr Geheimnis.
Generell gefiel mir aber, dass das Hexen-Thema hier sehr gründlich ausgearbeitet war und auch einige neue Aspekte zu Tage kamen, die mir bisher unbekannt waren. Außerdem hat die ganze Geschichte etwas sehr Mysthisches und Düsteres, was gerade zur Herbstzeit rund um Halloween für mich auch stimmungstechnisch sehr gut passt.
Schreibstil:
Ich kannte die Autorin noch gar nicht und musste mir dementsprechend noch ein Bild ihres Schreibstils machen, ohne einen vorherigen Eindruck aus anderen Werken. Ihr Stil hat mir ganz gut gefallen, er war jetzt nicht überragend, aber konnte mich doch überzeugen, weshalb ich sehr gut im Lesefluss war und mir das Buch beim Lesen eigentlich sehr leicht von der Hand ging.
Spannung:
Die Geschichte konnte mich packen und ich war richtig drin in der Story, wollte da gar nicht weg, um zu erfahren, was es mit Captive´s Sound auf sich hat. Trotzdem fiel es mir - was die Spannung angeht - am Anfang des Buches etwas schwer reinzukommen. Nachdem ich aber ein bisschen gelesen hatte, erreichte mich das Buch auch in punkto Spannung und von da an war ich nicht mehr davon wegzubekommen.
Logik:
Es gab viele Ereignisse, die neue Aspekte zu Tage bringen, die natürlich erstmal erklärt werden müssen, damit der Plot wieder einen Sinn ergibt, aber Claudia Gray hat alles gut erklärt und sinnvoll in die Geschichte eingeflochten, weshalb ich die Handlungen der Charaktere gut nachvollziehbar fand.
Charaktertiefe:
Der Leser erfährt sehr viel über Nadias Vergangenheit und mit der Zeit stoßen Mateo und Nadia auch auf sehr viel aus Mateos Vergangenheit und Familiengeschichte, dass die Beiden dem Leser gegenüber sehr sympathisch macht. Gerade dadurch, dass Mateos Vergangenheit nicht so ganz korrekt ist, wirkt er viel nahbarer und auch Nadia wird durch ihre nicht ganz so positive Vergangenheit sehr viel realistischer dargestellt, weshalb die Zwei für den Leser genug Identifikationspotential bieten.
Fazit:
Eine nette Fantasygeschichte mit eher düsterem Setting! Perfekt geeignet für alle, die Hexen mögen und gerade so richtig in Halloweenstimmung sind!
4,5 Sterne
Idee:
Ich fand es sehr interessant, dass der Klappentext vermuten lässt, dass derjenige, der hier über eine "besondere Gabe" verfügt Mateo sein soll und nicht nach allen Klischees Nadia, wobei dem Leser innerhalb der ersten Seiten bereits klar wird: Auch Nadia hat ihr Geheimnis.
Generell gefiel mir aber, dass das Hexen-Thema hier sehr gründlich ausgearbeitet war und auch einige neue Aspekte zu Tage kamen, die mir bisher unbekannt waren. Außerdem hat die ganze Geschichte etwas sehr Mysthisches und Düsteres, was gerade zur Herbstzeit rund um Halloween für mich auch stimmungstechnisch sehr gut passt.
Schreibstil:
Ich kannte die Autorin noch gar nicht und musste mir dementsprechend noch ein Bild ihres Schreibstils machen, ohne einen vorherigen Eindruck aus anderen Werken. Ihr Stil hat mir ganz gut gefallen, er war jetzt nicht überragend, aber konnte mich doch überzeugen, weshalb ich sehr gut im Lesefluss war und mir das Buch beim Lesen eigentlich sehr leicht von der Hand ging.
Spannung:
Die Geschichte konnte mich packen und ich war richtig drin in der Story, wollte da gar nicht weg, um zu erfahren, was es mit Captive´s Sound auf sich hat. Trotzdem fiel es mir - was die Spannung angeht - am Anfang des Buches etwas schwer reinzukommen. Nachdem ich aber ein bisschen gelesen hatte, erreichte mich das Buch auch in punkto Spannung und von da an war ich nicht mehr davon wegzubekommen.
Logik:
Es gab viele Ereignisse, die neue Aspekte zu Tage bringen, die natürlich erstmal erklärt werden müssen, damit der Plot wieder einen Sinn ergibt, aber Claudia Gray hat alles gut erklärt und sinnvoll in die Geschichte eingeflochten, weshalb ich die Handlungen der Charaktere gut nachvollziehbar fand.
Charaktertiefe:
Der Leser erfährt sehr viel über Nadias Vergangenheit und mit der Zeit stoßen Mateo und Nadia auch auf sehr viel aus Mateos Vergangenheit und Familiengeschichte, dass die Beiden dem Leser gegenüber sehr sympathisch macht. Gerade dadurch, dass Mateos Vergangenheit nicht so ganz korrekt ist, wirkt er viel nahbarer und auch Nadia wird durch ihre nicht ganz so positive Vergangenheit sehr viel realistischer dargestellt, weshalb die Zwei für den Leser genug Identifikationspotential bieten.
Fazit:
Eine nette Fantasygeschichte mit eher düsterem Setting! Perfekt geeignet für alle, die Hexen mögen und gerade so richtig in Halloweenstimmung sind!
4,5 Sterne
March 13, 2022
This was so much better than I anticipated! A whole town covered in webs of dark magic, and nobody knows what's going on, or that there's even a problem. And baby witch Nadia is trying to figure it out.
I do think the multiple points of view narration killed the big reveal, because you knew about the bad guy from way back (you're literally first person in their head for parts of the book), but that's pretty much my only complaint. If this was a TV show I would be bingeing the hell out of it. It's got that slow build atmospheric type thing going for it that I think would transfer really well. And you can tell there's still so much more to come, and bigger levels to uncover.
This is by far my favourite Claudia Gray book read to date.
I do think the multiple points of view narration killed the big reveal, because you knew about the bad guy from way back (you're literally first person in their head for parts of the book), but that's pretty much my only complaint. If this was a TV show I would be bingeing the hell out of it. It's got that slow build atmospheric type thing going for it that I think would transfer really well. And you can tell there's still so much more to come, and bigger levels to uncover.
This is by far my favourite Claudia Gray book read to date.
May 10, 2019
So the writing was terrible. Every other paragraph the POV changes and you have no clue about when it changes to whom and have to figure it out from the context.
Also I felt disconnected from the characters the entire time.
But I also REALLY enjoyed the plot and want to know what happens next.
Also I felt disconnected from the characters the entire time.
But I also REALLY enjoyed the plot and want to know what happens next.
March 3, 2022
this book is like a eh version of keeper of the lost cities. it was good but got bored easily. i wish he nadia and mateo chemistry was better. overall it was an eh book
March 2, 2013
I tried with this one, you guys, I really did. I really enjoyed Gray's previous effort, "Fateful", and I have yet to read her debut series, but I was definitely hoping for more than what I got in this first book of her new trilogy, "Spellcaster". And while some of the technical areas weren't too bad at all, the rest desperately needed work. If you're looking for something new and fresh in the PNR area of things in YA, you might want to look elsewhere.
Did anyone else get a very, very STRONG feeling of deja vu in terms of this book and the first in LJ Smith's "Secret Circle" series? I know I did. Both beginnings are very similar, though Gray's gives our characters more pain (which was great), and a smashing (no pun intended) entrance into the town, and thus into the rest of the book. Both feel very similar, though "Spellcaster" has a lot more tension and drama to its beginning, which was good.
And then came the insta-love. And the poor character building. And the remarkably predictable plot. Even though I DNF'd this at around halfway through the book, I did see all of the big reveals coming when I really shouldn't have. I can't tell you how incredibly frustrating this is, especially because this book's basic plot was so very promising.
But with a severe lack of sensory language and imagery throughout the first fourth of the book (it's only when Nadia really starts looking at the town do we start to look and really see things with her), I already had a bad feeling in which the book was going. I felt like there was some infodumping that wasn't well-distributed, and generally, the characters weren't too deeply built, even Nadia. Though Nadia was the most thoroughly built of all of the characters (thankfully), she still needed a lot more depth. It feels like she only used the craft as her identity, and for me, that just didn't work. Characters need to leap off the page, and this just didn't happen here.
What was good, however, once the sensory language kicked in? The worldbuilding. Gray did a great job of shrinking the world to only the Sound, and nothing really beyond it (aside from discussions of Chicago). We really start seeing this world from both Nadia and Mateo's eyes after that first fourth of the book, and though I think there needed to be a bit more backstory than the simple information we were given before Nadia started on her great curse hunt, it was good enough to stand on its own. I would have probably noticed that less with stronger characters and a less predictable plot, though.
However, this doesn't mean I'm opposed to reading more of Gray's work - I LOVED "Fateful", and it looks like she has another trilogy (this time with multiple universes involved!) with its first book coming out next year. I'm pretty excited about that, and I hope it'll be closer to "Fateful" in quality rather than "Spellcaster".
Final verdict? This needed a lot more work, even before going to the ARC stage of things. Characters needed to be stronger, the world needed to be brighter, and I needed to be able to use my senses more easily without to have to work for it. And the plot, which got PNR cookie-cutter predictable. Oh well. That's just how I see it, though - "Spellcaster" will be out March 5, 2013 from HarperTeen in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance and see where you stand on this book.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Did anyone else get a very, very STRONG feeling of deja vu in terms of this book and the first in LJ Smith's "Secret Circle" series? I know I did. Both beginnings are very similar, though Gray's gives our characters more pain (which was great), and a smashing (no pun intended) entrance into the town, and thus into the rest of the book. Both feel very similar, though "Spellcaster" has a lot more tension and drama to its beginning, which was good.
And then came the insta-love. And the poor character building. And the remarkably predictable plot. Even though I DNF'd this at around halfway through the book, I did see all of the big reveals coming when I really shouldn't have. I can't tell you how incredibly frustrating this is, especially because this book's basic plot was so very promising.
But with a severe lack of sensory language and imagery throughout the first fourth of the book (it's only when Nadia really starts looking at the town do we start to look and really see things with her), I already had a bad feeling in which the book was going. I felt like there was some infodumping that wasn't well-distributed, and generally, the characters weren't too deeply built, even Nadia. Though Nadia was the most thoroughly built of all of the characters (thankfully), she still needed a lot more depth. It feels like she only used the craft as her identity, and for me, that just didn't work. Characters need to leap off the page, and this just didn't happen here.
What was good, however, once the sensory language kicked in? The worldbuilding. Gray did a great job of shrinking the world to only the Sound, and nothing really beyond it (aside from discussions of Chicago). We really start seeing this world from both Nadia and Mateo's eyes after that first fourth of the book, and though I think there needed to be a bit more backstory than the simple information we were given before Nadia started on her great curse hunt, it was good enough to stand on its own. I would have probably noticed that less with stronger characters and a less predictable plot, though.
However, this doesn't mean I'm opposed to reading more of Gray's work - I LOVED "Fateful", and it looks like she has another trilogy (this time with multiple universes involved!) with its first book coming out next year. I'm pretty excited about that, and I hope it'll be closer to "Fateful" in quality rather than "Spellcaster".
Final verdict? This needed a lot more work, even before going to the ARC stage of things. Characters needed to be stronger, the world needed to be brighter, and I needed to be able to use my senses more easily without to have to work for it. And the plot, which got PNR cookie-cutter predictable. Oh well. That's just how I see it, though - "Spellcaster" will be out March 5, 2013 from HarperTeen in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance and see where you stand on this book.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
February 11, 2013
I don’t think I will ever get tired of reading about witches and demons. I still watch CHARMED on TNT practically every day. I love it! SPELLCASTER is the first in a brand new series by Claudia Gray and it does not disappoint. It’s filled with plenty of magical moments, a light romance, friendships, and it’s also very suspenseful.
The story kicks off with Nadia moving to a new town with her family and being the newbie at school. I immediately thought of hundreds of YA books that start off this way and was a bit skeptical. However, I was sucked in the minute I realized the main character knows about her powers and how to pull her own magic. So whatever doubt I had flew out the window. It was a nice change and I was curious to learn what kind of powers Nadia had.
I loved the magical world Claudia Gray created. It wasn’t complicated at all to understand. It all seemed easy, but very powerful for Nadia to use. The villain in the story was perfect all the way. I have a love hate relationship with this villain. This character was written so well that if SPELLCASTER were to ever become a television show, I think it would be hard to find the right person to play this part. I wish I could say who this person is, but it’s not revealed in the book until a couple of chapters in. This is the bad part about writing reviews sometimes. You just want to share every little detail and you can’t. Half the time what I feel isn’t a spoiler, others think it is.
Anyway, it’s no secret how much I love Claudia Gray and her books. SPELLCASTER was a great, fast paced story with tons of secrets and mystery. There are moments that will have you at the edge of your seat, and some moments where you want to put the book down because you just can’t stand the suspense. At least that’s what happened to me.
My only complaint is the romance. Although I didn’t quite hate it, I wasn’t sold on it either. It was a little too fast for me and a little too… fluffy. I loved the characters don’t get me wrong, but I liked the story a lot more and honestly feel that without it I would have still enjoyed the story the same.
Overall, I highly recommend SPELLCASTER and I think that young adults and adults can read this book and truly enjoy it. It’s a series parents can share with their teens.
The story kicks off with Nadia moving to a new town with her family and being the newbie at school. I immediately thought of hundreds of YA books that start off this way and was a bit skeptical. However, I was sucked in the minute I realized the main character knows about her powers and how to pull her own magic. So whatever doubt I had flew out the window. It was a nice change and I was curious to learn what kind of powers Nadia had.
I loved the magical world Claudia Gray created. It wasn’t complicated at all to understand. It all seemed easy, but very powerful for Nadia to use. The villain in the story was perfect all the way. I have a love hate relationship with this villain. This character was written so well that if SPELLCASTER were to ever become a television show, I think it would be hard to find the right person to play this part. I wish I could say who this person is, but it’s not revealed in the book until a couple of chapters in. This is the bad part about writing reviews sometimes. You just want to share every little detail and you can’t. Half the time what I feel isn’t a spoiler, others think it is.
Anyway, it’s no secret how much I love Claudia Gray and her books. SPELLCASTER was a great, fast paced story with tons of secrets and mystery. There are moments that will have you at the edge of your seat, and some moments where you want to put the book down because you just can’t stand the suspense. At least that’s what happened to me.
My only complaint is the romance. Although I didn’t quite hate it, I wasn’t sold on it either. It was a little too fast for me and a little too… fluffy. I loved the characters don’t get me wrong, but I liked the story a lot more and honestly feel that without it I would have still enjoyed the story the same.
Overall, I highly recommend SPELLCASTER and I think that young adults and adults can read this book and truly enjoy it. It’s a series parents can share with their teens.
September 18, 2015
It was okay, but I don't think I will continue with the series.
Read my whole review at Book Obsession.
Read my whole review at Book Obsession.
March 29, 2016
►♥◄ INHALT ►♥◄
Das Böse kommt – in Captive's Sound ist es ganz nah …
Ein Junge, der von dunklen Visionen gequält wird. Ein Mädchen mit der magischen Gabe, ihn zu retten. Das Böse, das sie beide vernichten will.
Mateos Visionen bringen ihn fast an den Rand des Wahnsinns. Es ist ein dunkler Familienfluch, der seine Mutter in den Tod getrieben hat und nun auch ihm zum Verhängnis werden könnte. Immer wieder sieht er in seinen Träumen ein schönes, sterbendes Mädchen … und jetzt ist dieses Mädchen wirklich da! Mit ihrem Vater und ihrem Bruder ist Nadia nach Captive’s Sound gezogen. Mateo ahnt, was kommen wird: Auf magische Weise sind er und Nadia füreinander bestimmt. Doch ihr Ende ist ungewiss …
►♥◄ MEINE MEINUNG ►♥◄
Lang lang ist es her, dass ich den ersten Band der Evernight-Reihe gelesen habe. So lange, dass ich damals noch nicht einmal einen Blog betrieben und geführt habe. Doch die Geschichte ist selbst heute noch so lebendig, dass ich sie sofort wiedergeben könnte. Demnach musste ich natürlich auch die neue Reihe der Autorin kennen lernen und so fragte ich das Buch an und bekam es umgehend zugeschickt - vielen lieben Dank noch einmal an den Verlag ♥ Doch hat Claudia Gray sich in all den Jahren noch verbessert, oder war es eher eine Enttäuschung für mich? Das erfahrt ihr genau jetzt & natürlich wie immer in aller Genauigkeit und Ausführung.
Der Einstieg begann damit, wie unsere Hauptfigur Nadia nach Captive's Sound kommt und da beginnt auch schon der ganze Trubel und somit die Spannung. Ich kam sehr gut in die Geschichte hinein, wurde gefesselt und sympathisierte sofort mit allen Beteiligten. Demnach war das alles rund herum ein gelungener, sehr guter Start ins Buch.
Wie eben schon erwähnt fand ich auch die Charaktere allesamt sehr sympathisch und liebenswert. Gerade auch die Nebenfiguren waren mit ausreichend viel Tiefgang und Details ausgeschmückt, sodass ein klares Bild von jedem vor meinem inneren Auge auftauchte. Doch nun zur Protagonistin bzw allen, die eine tragende Rolle spielten - allen voran natürlich Nadia und Mateo: die beiden Teenager, die gerade ihr Abschlussjahr beginnen glänzen in erster Linie durch Realitätsnähe und einer Menge Glaubwürdigkeit. Ich konnte jede Handlung, jeden Gedankengang und jedes Gefühl voll und ganz nachvollziehen und fieberte so noch ein wenig mehr mit, als ich es für gewöhnlich tue. Gerade Nadia eroberte mein Herz im Sturm, doch Mateo folgte ihr auf dem Fuße und so waren die beiden einfach wunderbar echt. Mit Verlaine brauchte ich einige Zeit um wirklich warm zu werden; sie war einfach nicht komplett mein Fall, weswegen sie bis zuletzt einen eher weniger angesehenen Stand bei mir hatte als die anderen beiden. Nichts desto trotz war auch sie sehr real und gerade ihre Außenseiter-Rolle ließen sie besonders authentisch wirken. Eine wirkliche Entwicklung aller Figuren konnte ich allerdings nicht wirklich beobachten, obwohl mir das stets wichtig ist in Jugendbücher. Da ich aber so mit der Geschichte beschäftigt war, fiel mir diese Tatsache erst jetzt, wenn ich alles Revûe passieren lasse, auf. Demnach hat es mich definitiv nicht gestört, dass ich da keine nennenswerte Entwicklung der Figuren miterleben durfte.
Claudia Gray's Schreibstil ist sehr eingehend und bildhaft, und doch traf ich keine unnötigen Verschnörkelungen an. Ich kam schnell und leicht durchs Buch und begegnete keinerlei Stolpersteine in Sachen Sprache und Ausdruck. Obwohl die Schriftart sehr klein gehalten ist in dem Buch ging es zügig voran und ich merkte oft gar nicht, wie viel ich innerhalb recht wenigen Minuten tatsächlich gelesen hatte. Großes Kompliment also an dieser Stelle! (wer mich kennt, der weiß ja, wie ich es hasse, wenn ich das Gefühl habe, beim Lesen auf der Stelle zu treten :P ). Geschrieben wurde übrigens aus Sicht eines allwissenden Erzählers, schwankte hierbei aber immer wieder bezüglich der Figuren. Mal erfuhr man mehr über Nadia und ihre Gedanken, mal über Mateo. Doch auch bei anderen Figuren gewährte uns diese Erzählform Einblicke in deren Innerstes.
Die Idee gefiel mir ebenfalls. Ich liebe Hexen-Geschichten total gern und da Claudia Gray hier ganz bewusst ein paar sehr interessante Elemente verbaute, war diese Story sehr erfrischend und aufregend. Allgemein fand ich die ganzen Verknüpfungen und Ideen sehr einfallsreich, habe aber dennoch was zu kritisieren: mir war manches ein wenig zu einfach. Das heißt, manches ergab sich einfach zu zufällig. Anderes wiederum war sehr gut ausgeklügelt und manche Problemlösung zeugten von Ideenreichtum. Ich kann leider keine Beispiele nennen, ohne zu spoilern, aber wer das Buch ebenfalls gelesen hat, wird verstehen was ich meine. Im Groben und Ganzen fand ich die Plots ganz spannend zu verfolgen und die besseren (Auf-)Lösungen überwiegten eindeutig.
An der Spannung hingegen habe ich nichts auszusetzen. Natürlich minderte es den Lesespaß etwas, dass es Momente gab, in denen ich verwundert war über die einfachen Lösungen, jedoch dauert es nicht lange, bis dann doch eine Überraschung folgte. Schon auf den ersten Seite fesselte mich die Geschichte und ich war mitten drin. Diese "Na Nu? So einfach war das?"-Momente störten mich auch nicht großartig, solange ich wusste, dass das nächste Highlight nicht lange auf sich warten lassen würde. Allgemein zog sich die Spannung konstant durch die gesamten 320 Seiten und es gab keine einzige Szene, die mich langweilte oder dergleichen. Gen Ende stieg die Kurve noch einmal dramatisch an und bescherte mir als Leser ein regelrechtes Feuerwerk. Das Thema stieg, die Action explodierte und alles kam so ganz anders, als ich erwartet hatte. Kurz um: ein mega tolles Ende, das wahnsinnig Lust auf Band 2 macht.
►♥◄ FAZIT ►♥◄
Meine Erwartungen wurden also vollauf erfüllt und ich bin einfach nur begeistert von dieser äußerst kreativen, erfrischenden Hexen-Geschichte. Wer dabei kein Problem hat mit der ein oder anderen sehr zufälligen Lösung eines Problems, aber viel Wert auf liebenswerte Figuren und ein tolles Setting legt, wird "Spellcaster #1" von Claudia Gray definitiv lieben. Ein rund herum gelungener, einfach zu lesender und trotzdem atmosphärischer Stil runden das Ganze ab.
►♥◄ 4 VON 5 STERNEN ►♥◄
Ich vergebe für dieses Buch 4 von 5 möglichen Sternen. Zum einen eben wegen der so zufälligen Geschehnissen, die mir zu einfach gehalten waren; zum anderen aber auch, um noch Luft nach oben zu lassen für die weiteren Bände. Für mich ein wirklich lesenswertes Buch, und vor allen Dingen - Hexengeschichten sind ohnehin Mangelware auf dem deutschen Buchmarkt - umso schöner dass es sich bei Spellcaster um genau das handelt.
Das Böse kommt – in Captive's Sound ist es ganz nah …
Ein Junge, der von dunklen Visionen gequält wird. Ein Mädchen mit der magischen Gabe, ihn zu retten. Das Böse, das sie beide vernichten will.
Mateos Visionen bringen ihn fast an den Rand des Wahnsinns. Es ist ein dunkler Familienfluch, der seine Mutter in den Tod getrieben hat und nun auch ihm zum Verhängnis werden könnte. Immer wieder sieht er in seinen Träumen ein schönes, sterbendes Mädchen … und jetzt ist dieses Mädchen wirklich da! Mit ihrem Vater und ihrem Bruder ist Nadia nach Captive’s Sound gezogen. Mateo ahnt, was kommen wird: Auf magische Weise sind er und Nadia füreinander bestimmt. Doch ihr Ende ist ungewiss …
►♥◄ MEINE MEINUNG ►♥◄
Lang lang ist es her, dass ich den ersten Band der Evernight-Reihe gelesen habe. So lange, dass ich damals noch nicht einmal einen Blog betrieben und geführt habe. Doch die Geschichte ist selbst heute noch so lebendig, dass ich sie sofort wiedergeben könnte. Demnach musste ich natürlich auch die neue Reihe der Autorin kennen lernen und so fragte ich das Buch an und bekam es umgehend zugeschickt - vielen lieben Dank noch einmal an den Verlag ♥ Doch hat Claudia Gray sich in all den Jahren noch verbessert, oder war es eher eine Enttäuschung für mich? Das erfahrt ihr genau jetzt & natürlich wie immer in aller Genauigkeit und Ausführung.
Der Einstieg begann damit, wie unsere Hauptfigur Nadia nach Captive's Sound kommt und da beginnt auch schon der ganze Trubel und somit die Spannung. Ich kam sehr gut in die Geschichte hinein, wurde gefesselt und sympathisierte sofort mit allen Beteiligten. Demnach war das alles rund herum ein gelungener, sehr guter Start ins Buch.
Wie eben schon erwähnt fand ich auch die Charaktere allesamt sehr sympathisch und liebenswert. Gerade auch die Nebenfiguren waren mit ausreichend viel Tiefgang und Details ausgeschmückt, sodass ein klares Bild von jedem vor meinem inneren Auge auftauchte. Doch nun zur Protagonistin bzw allen, die eine tragende Rolle spielten - allen voran natürlich Nadia und Mateo: die beiden Teenager, die gerade ihr Abschlussjahr beginnen glänzen in erster Linie durch Realitätsnähe und einer Menge Glaubwürdigkeit. Ich konnte jede Handlung, jeden Gedankengang und jedes Gefühl voll und ganz nachvollziehen und fieberte so noch ein wenig mehr mit, als ich es für gewöhnlich tue. Gerade Nadia eroberte mein Herz im Sturm, doch Mateo folgte ihr auf dem Fuße und so waren die beiden einfach wunderbar echt. Mit Verlaine brauchte ich einige Zeit um wirklich warm zu werden; sie war einfach nicht komplett mein Fall, weswegen sie bis zuletzt einen eher weniger angesehenen Stand bei mir hatte als die anderen beiden. Nichts desto trotz war auch sie sehr real und gerade ihre Außenseiter-Rolle ließen sie besonders authentisch wirken. Eine wirkliche Entwicklung aller Figuren konnte ich allerdings nicht wirklich beobachten, obwohl mir das stets wichtig ist in Jugendbücher. Da ich aber so mit der Geschichte beschäftigt war, fiel mir diese Tatsache erst jetzt, wenn ich alles Revûe passieren lasse, auf. Demnach hat es mich definitiv nicht gestört, dass ich da keine nennenswerte Entwicklung der Figuren miterleben durfte.
Claudia Gray's Schreibstil ist sehr eingehend und bildhaft, und doch traf ich keine unnötigen Verschnörkelungen an. Ich kam schnell und leicht durchs Buch und begegnete keinerlei Stolpersteine in Sachen Sprache und Ausdruck. Obwohl die Schriftart sehr klein gehalten ist in dem Buch ging es zügig voran und ich merkte oft gar nicht, wie viel ich innerhalb recht wenigen Minuten tatsächlich gelesen hatte. Großes Kompliment also an dieser Stelle! (wer mich kennt, der weiß ja, wie ich es hasse, wenn ich das Gefühl habe, beim Lesen auf der Stelle zu treten :P ). Geschrieben wurde übrigens aus Sicht eines allwissenden Erzählers, schwankte hierbei aber immer wieder bezüglich der Figuren. Mal erfuhr man mehr über Nadia und ihre Gedanken, mal über Mateo. Doch auch bei anderen Figuren gewährte uns diese Erzählform Einblicke in deren Innerstes.
Die Idee gefiel mir ebenfalls. Ich liebe Hexen-Geschichten total gern und da Claudia Gray hier ganz bewusst ein paar sehr interessante Elemente verbaute, war diese Story sehr erfrischend und aufregend. Allgemein fand ich die ganzen Verknüpfungen und Ideen sehr einfallsreich, habe aber dennoch was zu kritisieren: mir war manches ein wenig zu einfach. Das heißt, manches ergab sich einfach zu zufällig. Anderes wiederum war sehr gut ausgeklügelt und manche Problemlösung zeugten von Ideenreichtum. Ich kann leider keine Beispiele nennen, ohne zu spoilern, aber wer das Buch ebenfalls gelesen hat, wird verstehen was ich meine. Im Groben und Ganzen fand ich die Plots ganz spannend zu verfolgen und die besseren (Auf-)Lösungen überwiegten eindeutig.
An der Spannung hingegen habe ich nichts auszusetzen. Natürlich minderte es den Lesespaß etwas, dass es Momente gab, in denen ich verwundert war über die einfachen Lösungen, jedoch dauert es nicht lange, bis dann doch eine Überraschung folgte. Schon auf den ersten Seite fesselte mich die Geschichte und ich war mitten drin. Diese "Na Nu? So einfach war das?"-Momente störten mich auch nicht großartig, solange ich wusste, dass das nächste Highlight nicht lange auf sich warten lassen würde. Allgemein zog sich die Spannung konstant durch die gesamten 320 Seiten und es gab keine einzige Szene, die mich langweilte oder dergleichen. Gen Ende stieg die Kurve noch einmal dramatisch an und bescherte mir als Leser ein regelrechtes Feuerwerk. Das Thema stieg, die Action explodierte und alles kam so ganz anders, als ich erwartet hatte. Kurz um: ein mega tolles Ende, das wahnsinnig Lust auf Band 2 macht.
►♥◄ FAZIT ►♥◄
Meine Erwartungen wurden also vollauf erfüllt und ich bin einfach nur begeistert von dieser äußerst kreativen, erfrischenden Hexen-Geschichte. Wer dabei kein Problem hat mit der ein oder anderen sehr zufälligen Lösung eines Problems, aber viel Wert auf liebenswerte Figuren und ein tolles Setting legt, wird "Spellcaster #1" von Claudia Gray definitiv lieben. Ein rund herum gelungener, einfach zu lesender und trotzdem atmosphärischer Stil runden das Ganze ab.
►♥◄ 4 VON 5 STERNEN ►♥◄
Ich vergebe für dieses Buch 4 von 5 möglichen Sternen. Zum einen eben wegen der so zufälligen Geschehnissen, die mir zu einfach gehalten waren; zum anderen aber auch, um noch Luft nach oben zu lassen für die weiteren Bände. Für mich ein wirklich lesenswertes Buch, und vor allen Dingen - Hexengeschichten sind ohnehin Mangelware auf dem deutschen Buchmarkt - umso schöner dass es sich bei Spellcaster um genau das handelt.
May 24, 2019
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
I really enjoyed Spellcaster by Claudia Gray, narrated on audio by Khristine Hvam.
It's about a teen witch called Nadia who has had her supernatural training interrupted by her mother's sudden departure from her family, which leaves Nadia, her little brother Cole, and her Dad reeling, and moving to the quaint little Rhode Island town Captive Sound, where Nadia, in all her witchy wisdom, realises there is something supernaturally wrong.
This entire book is really well-crafted. It's not just about Nadia trying to find her way in witchcraft, which she can't speak to any male about, so her brother and dad are blissfully unaware. It's not just a ridiculously cute and realistic romance with local cursed (literally) hottie Mateo, son of the local Mexican restaurant owner, and fellow motherless mongrel. There's even a really lovely friendship between Nadia and outsider Verlaine, a retro-fashion loving aspiring journalist with silvery-grey hair who for some reason everyone kind of low key hates.
It's part mystery, as Nadia and her two new buddies try to figure out who is behind the mysterious and supernaturally-laced sinkholes appearing around town. Why is there a magical barrier around Captive Sound? Is it another witch, and if so, what do they want? Can Nadia stop them from destroying the town?
I probably should have taken longer to savour this book, but it was so engaging and written so beautifully that I binge-listened to it, the audiobook equivalent of tasting a yummy cookie then stuffing my mouth full of them. Each character, even gossipy, annoying Kendall and arrogant jerk Jeremy had fully realised characterisation and motivations. The writing wasn't exactly poetic but it flowed really well and was full of good imagery that really helped me visualise exactly what was going on as I was listening.
Hvam had a really great sense of storytelling. Even though it was from a third person point of view from many characters and could change on the page, Hvam changed her voice subtly to reflect who she was narrating. For example, Verlaine's narration was casual, confessional, and almost breathless, whereas the villain's (yes, the villain had a narrative point of view!) narration was much more intense, seductive, and disdainful.
I loved the concept of spellcasting in this novel. Spells recipes are made up of memories, and witches are grounded by earth elements like jewels and gems - convenient jewellery for modern-day witches. I've read my fair share of spellcasting fiction, and of course I grew up on Charmed and Sabrina, so I was pleased to see no rhymed or Latin chanting, and instead this really unique take on spellcasting. I think that sets it apart from other teen witch stories.
One element that I really liked was the distinct lack of mothers for our little trio. Nadia's mother abruptly left her family, and Nadia absolutely hates her for it. Mateo's mother allegedly commit suicide some years before, driven mad by the prophetic curse haunting his family. Verlaine's parents both died when she was a baby, and she's being raised by her gay uncles/dads. No mothers in sight! Perhaps this is because if their mothers were around, none of this would have happened.
I really enjoyed Spellcaster and I think it's a solid, dependable read for anyone who likes paranormal YA fiction. This was my first Claudia Gray book but it definitely won't be my last.
I really enjoyed Spellcaster by Claudia Gray, narrated on audio by Khristine Hvam.
It's about a teen witch called Nadia who has had her supernatural training interrupted by her mother's sudden departure from her family, which leaves Nadia, her little brother Cole, and her Dad reeling, and moving to the quaint little Rhode Island town Captive Sound, where Nadia, in all her witchy wisdom, realises there is something supernaturally wrong.
This entire book is really well-crafted. It's not just about Nadia trying to find her way in witchcraft, which she can't speak to any male about, so her brother and dad are blissfully unaware. It's not just a ridiculously cute and realistic romance with local cursed (literally) hottie Mateo, son of the local Mexican restaurant owner, and fellow motherless mongrel. There's even a really lovely friendship between Nadia and outsider Verlaine, a retro-fashion loving aspiring journalist with silvery-grey hair who for some reason everyone kind of low key hates.
It's part mystery, as Nadia and her two new buddies try to figure out who is behind the mysterious and supernaturally-laced sinkholes appearing around town. Why is there a magical barrier around Captive Sound? Is it another witch, and if so, what do they want? Can Nadia stop them from destroying the town?
I probably should have taken longer to savour this book, but it was so engaging and written so beautifully that I binge-listened to it, the audiobook equivalent of tasting a yummy cookie then stuffing my mouth full of them. Each character, even gossipy, annoying Kendall and arrogant jerk Jeremy had fully realised characterisation and motivations. The writing wasn't exactly poetic but it flowed really well and was full of good imagery that really helped me visualise exactly what was going on as I was listening.
Hvam had a really great sense of storytelling. Even though it was from a third person point of view from many characters and could change on the page, Hvam changed her voice subtly to reflect who she was narrating. For example, Verlaine's narration was casual, confessional, and almost breathless, whereas the villain's (yes, the villain had a narrative point of view!) narration was much more intense, seductive, and disdainful.
I loved the concept of spellcasting in this novel. Spells recipes are made up of memories, and witches are grounded by earth elements like jewels and gems - convenient jewellery for modern-day witches. I've read my fair share of spellcasting fiction, and of course I grew up on Charmed and Sabrina, so I was pleased to see no rhymed or Latin chanting, and instead this really unique take on spellcasting. I think that sets it apart from other teen witch stories.
One element that I really liked was the distinct lack of mothers for our little trio. Nadia's mother abruptly left her family, and Nadia absolutely hates her for it. Mateo's mother allegedly commit suicide some years before, driven mad by the prophetic curse haunting his family. Verlaine's parents both died when she was a baby, and she's being raised by her gay uncles/dads. No mothers in sight! Perhaps this is because if their mothers were around, none of this would have happened.
I really enjoyed Spellcaster and I think it's a solid, dependable read for anyone who likes paranormal YA fiction. This was my first Claudia Gray book but it definitely won't be my last.
December 30, 2019
After Nadia's mother leaves the family, they move to a small town called Captive Sound. Training as a witch by her mother has stopped due to the fact that she left them, but Nadia knows enough to sense a great evil in the town.
In trying to cope with a new school and life without her mother, she finds friends and one boy she is drawn to, but he wants nothing to do with her. She must find the source of the evil and try to lift it because it is also the reason for the curse on the boy she has become interested in. Will that curse also be the death of her?
This was a good book but the all powerful evil witch against the novice good witch just seemed to have no basis for her winning the day and staying alive. It would have made a bit more sense if there was an older witch helping her out. It was a good plot, but the evil witch could do just about anything and yet...
In trying to cope with a new school and life without her mother, she finds friends and one boy she is drawn to, but he wants nothing to do with her. She must find the source of the evil and try to lift it because it is also the reason for the curse on the boy she has become interested in. Will that curse also be the death of her?
This was a good book but the all powerful evil witch against the novice good witch just seemed to have no basis for her winning the day and staying alive. It would have made a bit more sense if there was an older witch helping her out. It was a good plot, but the evil witch could do just about anything and yet...
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