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megaden's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
weshallsea's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
libraryofej's review against another edition
5.0
I am a sucker for grumpyxsunshine, and this book delivered!
Spell Bound follows teenager Rook, an orphan who is left on his own after his grandmother passes away and he ends up being deemed unmagical and cast out of the magical community. Desperate to return to the world he knows and loves, Rook seeks out a job with Antonia Hex at a magical Hex-Be-Gone agency. There he also meets Sun, the grumpy apprentice to Antonia's rival Fable. After the Magical Consortium comes after both Antonia and Fable, it is up to Rook and Sun to band together and save their mentors - for better or for worse.
This book kept me reading all day, I found myself counting the minutes until my break at work so I could read during my lunch. I previously really enjoyed In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens, and I was not disappointed. The world is simultaneously barren when it needs to be and lush when it's magical, and is fluidly written to be so.
One big theme of this book is found family, which is one of my favorite tropes ever. The connections between characters were so precious that I just wanted more! More interactions and reasons to learn about their pasts and relationships, I just wanted to do nothing but root for them. I especially loved the connection between Sun and Rook and how that grew through the book. I am a sucker for pining, and there is one section in this book that had me on the edge of my seat just screaming at them to get together it was so good.
I had so much fun reading this book that I immediately preordered my copy and I can't wait for it to arrive.
I received this arc from NetGalley and McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.
Spell Bound follows teenager Rook, an orphan who is left on his own after his grandmother passes away and he ends up being deemed unmagical and cast out of the magical community. Desperate to return to the world he knows and loves, Rook seeks out a job with Antonia Hex at a magical Hex-Be-Gone agency. There he also meets Sun, the grumpy apprentice to Antonia's rival Fable. After the Magical Consortium comes after both Antonia and Fable, it is up to Rook and Sun to band together and save their mentors - for better or for worse.
This book kept me reading all day, I found myself counting the minutes until my break at work so I could read during my lunch. I previously really enjoyed In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens, and I was not disappointed. The world is simultaneously barren when it needs to be and lush when it's magical, and is fluidly written to be so.
One big theme of this book is found family, which is one of my favorite tropes ever. The connections between characters were so precious that I just wanted more! More interactions and reasons to learn about their pasts and relationships, I just wanted to do nothing but root for them. I especially loved the connection between Sun and Rook and how that grew through the book. I am a sucker for pining, and there is one section in this book that had me on the edge of my seat just screaming at them to get together it was so good.
I had so much fun reading this book that I immediately preordered my copy and I can't wait for it to arrive.
I received this arc from NetGalley and McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.
katiemoriah's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
charloreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
readingrenbo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
blewballoon's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a fun and wholesome book! I definitely recommend this to YA readers, but as an adult reader I also had a great time. I was pretty confident I'd enjoy this, since I enjoyed In Deeper Waters by the same author. If you enjoy the Heartstopper comics and light fantasy, you would probably enjoy these books as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Grief, and Death of parent