Quick Fire Review: Spellcaster by Claudia Gray

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (March 5, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061961205
• ISBN-13: 978-0061961205
• Buy the book: Amazon

When Nadia's family moves to Captive's Sound, she instantly realizes there's more to the place than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia can sense that a spell has been cast over the tiny Rhode Island town—a sickness infecting everyone and everything in it. The magic at work is darker and more powerful than anything she's come across and has sunk its claws most deeply into Mateo . . . her rescuer, her friend, and the guy she yearns to get closer to even as he pushes her away.

Mateo has lived in Captive's Sound his entire life, shadowed by small-town gossip and his family's tormented past. Every generation, the local legends say, one member of the family goes mad, claiming to know the future before descending into insanity. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl from a car accident actually 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 terrible family curse, and to prevent a coming disaster that even now threatens the entire town, including Nadia's family, her new found friends, and her own life. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray's new novel depicts a dark and unforgettable world of witches, curses, buried secrets, and star-crossed romance.

At a Glance:
I was intrigued by the synopsis of Spellcaster. I love books about witches, so naturally, I was wanting to read this new book from Claudia Gray.

Nadia moves to a very small town, at first she is concerned for her family because she feels dark magic wrapped around this small Rhode Island town. Every woman in Nadia's family has been a witch, generation after generation. When Nadia feels the dark magic around the town, she cannot confide in her father and brother about it, for men don't know about the magic. When she meets Mateo everything changes and she has to rethink everything her mother and grandmother taught her.

Cover:

I really like the simplicity of the cover. I also think the model looks so much like Anne Hathaway.

Action:

There wasn't any real action or tense moments in Spellcaster. The author builds up to the very end and then BAM! the last two chapters was a mini roller coaster.

Romance:

Yes, there is romance. I just never felt the strong chemistry or connection between Nadia and Mateo.

Heroine:

Nadia. She was a pretty strong witch.

Hero:

Mateo. I guess I'm suppose to say that, but Mateo never really wooed or intrigued me.

Favorite Supporting Character:

My favorite character of the whole book was Verlaine. She was extremely quirky and interesting.

Something I loved:

The cover.

Something(s) I hated:

I didn't hate this book. I read it in two days, so obviously I enjoyed it somewhat. I didn't like the predictability and that everything built up to the very last two chapters. The romance wasn't at all romantic. I just have read so many books like this that was not horrible, but not great either.

Cliffhanger? 

Yes. There is a cliffhanger.

Would I recommend it?

Not really. Sorry.

Will I buy/keep it?

I will give the ARC back to to Andye.

Book Doppelgangers:

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough.

4 out of 6

Sexual- Moderate

Violence- Mild

Profanity- Mild

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