Spellbound (Wicked) - Softcover

CASSANDRA MORRIS has done voiceover work for Disney, appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, and can be seen in the future film Double Parked.

Grade 9 Up-This fourth title in the series finds the Cahors and Deveraux covens still entangled in their love-hate battle. Amanda, Holly, Nicole, and company find themselves possessed, thralled, transported in time, and on the run from demons and other witches/warlocks while trying to sort through young adult angst and love. Myriad players from the other three books make an appearance, creating confusion in characters and plot lines. The authors seem to assume that readers will remember everyone from the previous titles and do little to refresh or develop any of them here. With few clues to cue readers about prior events and relationships, Spellbound does not stand alone. Its strength is the integration of witch/warlock practices and philosophy into the narrative. The chants at the beginning of each chapter are a terrific mechanism to generate suspense and sustain the mood but this is often lost in the confusion of tracking characters' actions, feelings, and motivation. Gross, vile, and gory demons; golems; exorcism intertwined with sexual innuendo; and blooming love add to the muddle. The inclusion of yet another coven leader, Alex Carruthers, ensures that a fifth book is forthcoming.
Molly S. Kinney, Peach Public Libraries, Fort Valley, GA
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