So, I know I'm way behind the crowd in just reading this book, but I absolutely loved it anyway! I didn't have a chance to read the first book in the series, but that wasn't a problem at all since they referred to the events from before often enough that I was able to follow along.

Soul mates Emma and Brendan have already fought a curse to be together, but they don't really get a chance to rest on their laurels before their next crisis happens. This time they are fighting an unknown but very powerful dark witch who is literally out for Emma's blood.

I was drawn into this story very quickly, and didn't want to stop reading it once I started. The love story was written perfectly and the action just didn't stop!

I'm really glad I finally read this book and give it an enthusiastic 5/5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. ( )

When I saw this in NetGalley (along with Goddess Interrupted), I may have squeed. It's possible. Anyway, I read the first book, Spellbound, late last year. I totally didn't expect to like it; I mean, the soul mate plot line is so overdone. However, Cara Lynn Shultz proved to me that it can still be done well!

Reading Spellcaster after Goddess Interrupted definitely created an interesting juxtaposition. In the latter, Kate constantly whines about not being told anything and has to be protected; I don't think she'll be that way in book three, but in this one, oy. Anyway, Emma definitely does not do that. I mean, she cries sometimes and does like that Brendan's protective, but she also fights and hard for herself, her friends and her love. She doesn't just complain; she gets things done.

Even the soul mate thing could be really disgusting, like it is in a lot of YA books, Shultz deals with it gracefully. I actually like Emma and Brendan, and their relationship. In spite of the soul mate thing, they do have issues. Plus, I like that they're not rushing into everything. Even thought they've been through so much at the beginning of this book, they still haven't had sex, because Emma's not ready yet. I love that Shultz is showing that every relationship is different and that, no matter how in love two people are, that doesn't mean they're ready for that step. It's such a good, non-preachy message.

Much as I do like the characters, what really makes Shultz's books shine, though, is her fresh, funny voice. I laughed so many times during this book. Pretty much every quote I marked as I read through was one that made me giggle or snicker, as did the one I finally selected as my favorite. (Gotta love a heroine who knows her grammar!) The characters banter like real friends do, and I love it so much. Plus, Shultz's humor keeps the whole soul mate thing from being too serious, because even Emma and Brendan know it's kind of ridiculous, just like life.

Spellbound is an incredibly clever, humorous series. If you're looking for some fun YA books, look no further. ( )

Had a hard(ish) time getting through Spellbound...it felt formulaic and it felt very much like Twilight, despite the different setting and paranormal element. I like Twilight, but I also like to read different books and I want strong female protagonists. Spellcaster just didn't hold my interest. DNF. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: An unnecessary sequel that improves in a few ways on the first book — more action, tension, and romance than in Spellbound.

Opening Sentence: “They’re not looking at you.”

The Review:

For those of you who thought Spellbound was a stand-alone, you aren’t wrong. This story picks up four months after the end of the first book and is very different. There’s no carry over, no “oh you thought you were free but really…”, it’s a new plot. Frankly, I wish that Shultz had left our couple alone and started a new series. Brendan and Emma deserve a break! In Spellcaster we have an unknown enemy who uses Brendan and Emma’s fears against them. Emma steps up her spell-learning lessons, which means we get to see more magic, but their enemy is still ahead of them and ready to destroy them.

Brendan and Emma’s storyline is solid. I was so, so glad Shultz added drama from outside of the relationship instead of trying to make them break up with each other via doubts and internal drama. Jealousy is overwhelming as girls who wanted Brendan hate on Emma for being with him. It was all very Mean Girls-meets-Gossip Girls and could’ve been toned down. We know they’re jealous, but I didn’t want to hear about it every few pages. What their relationship has in this novel that wasn’t in the prequel is the feeling of “We had no choice in this.” Yes, they’re reincarnated lovers who have just broken free of a cycle of tragedy — but I don’t want to feel like Brendan is stuck with Emma or vice versa. Which I did at more than one point.

Backstory is also dropped in every few pages. As in, you really, really don’t have to read book one, because Shultz tells you absolutely everything that happened in this installment. I could’ve done without having the whole thing rewritten in this book. Another writing point that really bothered me was the split POVs in Spellcaster. Spellbound didn’t split POVs — it was all Emma all the time — but this book did because Emma finds herself in situations where she can’t tell us what’s going on. We switch over to Angelique at random points, which felt like a cop out.

The tension in Spellcaster is much, much better than in Spellbound. Even though the stakes aren’t as high as they were in book one, Shultz does a much better job of bringing the story together. She also makes Emma into a stronger heroine — putting her right in the thick of things instead of relegating her to the sidelines. Part of this is that her magic helps her defend herself, and part of it is what’s going on with Brendan in this book. The villain is supposed to be a secret, but frankly the character screams “antagonist!” and that aspect of the plot doesn’t begin until halfway through the book. Unless you were a die-hard-must-have-more Brendan and Emma fan in Spellbound I say leave the characters in their happy place and skip this book.

Notable Scene:

“Let me put it this way. It’s all related,” Angelique explained. “Your attack. My feeling of dread. How tonight, I couldn’t feel certain things, as if there were holes in what I was sensing. And now, Ashley being sick. It’s all related.”

“And it’s all my fault,” Brendan added.

“You were just trying to push me out of the way,” I said, taking his hand and he ran his fingers over the Claddagh ring he gave me.

“No, he has a point,” Angelique said ruefully. “The blame does, essentially, go back to Brendan.” I twisted my head to look at him and he nodded, shutting his eyes. And that’s when I noticed that his black lashes were a little damp.

FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Spellcaster. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

True love has triumphed over an evil curse, and Emma and Brendan are free to enjoy being soulmates. Well, sort of. It turns out someone is out to kill Emma...again. This new person definitely means business. Emma has a few new tricks up her sleeve however. She's been practicing magic with her friend Angelique. As motives come out into the open, Emma will have to use all she has learned to save her life.

I was very interested to see where the author would go with a sequel, and I was not disappointed. All my old favorites were back (and some of my not-so-favorites). When you throw off an ages old curse in the first book, it would seem there is not much else to do. Luckily the author is able to take a different approach. Emma must once again figure out who is after her, but the truth is not exactly what she expected. It opens up some old insecurities of hers. Emma though has some new skills in her arsenal. Seeing Emma become more confident in her abilities was very fun. I liked that it gave her a chance to grow. Emma and Brendan are still a pretty fun pair. I thought their "made-for-each-other-ness" would wear on me, but it didn't.

My favorite character was Angelique. She and her cousin were able to provide a bit of comic relief and move the plot along at the same time. I loved the chapters from Angelique's point of view. They provided a much different perspective, and it was fun to read. Overall I was very pleased with this sequel. It was fun to come back to familiar characters, but I also enjoyed seeing them grow some more. Fans of the first book will have a great time with this one, but it's also an easy book for readers new to the series to enjoy too.

Galley provided for review. ( )