Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Spellbound by, Julia Goldhirsh
Description from Goodreads.com:
An enchanted Rose spellbound to a greenhouse prison.
Cursed to live within the glass walls of a greenhouse for her entire life, sixteen-year old Rose has finally reached her breaking point. She had to escape before she lost her mind. But life outside the protective glass was filled with perils of its own.
When she met Gabriel, she thought she’d finally found a savior. But neither was aware of what lurked inside him. Someone was pulling the strings from the shadows. With darkness on the horizon and danger lurking around every corner, Rose must escape the greenhouse, but at what cost?
How hard could it be to break out of a glass cage?
If you like devious nymphs, bloodthirsty curses, and fairytales with a dark twist then check out “Spellbound,” the first in the Spellbound mini-series.
Trigger warning- The main character does deal with abuse in the book.
This review contains spoilers. You have been warned.
Setting:
Spellbound is set in an alternate world with just a few modern amenities. (Really the only reference to anything modern was talk about a flushing toilet and how that was an extreme luxury in this world.) There are no cars or electricity. There really is nothing about the setting that is particularly unusual or stands out – except for the fact that there is magic in this society and it is from this magic that the story grows.
Characters:
Rose is a young woman living under a curse. She has been told that in order to stay alive, she must remain in a greenhouse behind her home. The “why” of this curse is a mystery and a good portion of the plot line.
Gabriel is the town’s courier (mailman) who lives alone in a big house. He has recently lost someone he loves and is still mourning. Then one day, fate connects with him with Rose. From this chance meeting, our plot really begins.
Plot:
Spellbound follows Gabriel as he tries to find a cure for Rose so she can leave the greenhouse and be free. Of course, it isn’t that easy or there wouldn’t be much point in the book, right? There is a secret behind Rose’s curse and an evil Nymph causing trouble for both Gabriel and Rose. Will Rose be able to leave the greenhouse and live a normal life? Will she and Gabriel find love? Can they escape the Nymph who wants to harm them?
The Feels:
This is a sweet story with a lot of heart behind it. I felt that the pacing of the book was a little inconsistent, sometimes dragging and at other times having major plot points seem to come out of nowhere. That being said, I did enjoy reading Spellbound. I have a feeling that as this mini-series continues both the story and writing will mature. That’s going to be fun to experience!
The Last Word:
I’m glad that this is part of a mini-series, as I am left with more questions than answers and am interested to see where this story goes.
Books, Tea, Healthy Me 