Claudia Gray

Sensing a dark and powerful magic at work in her new hometown, Nadia, a descendant of witches, is rescued from a car accident by Mateo, who is struggling to break a family curse that has doomed him to go insane. By the author of the best-selling Evernight series. 100,000 first printing.

Spellcaster

Cindy Lee

Rating: F

I couldn't concentrate on the story and it never held my interest. I thought I would give this a try since I read this vampire series by Claudia Gray. This book was a huge disappointment as I've been waiting on this for so long. Some day, I might pick this up again and give it another chance but not any time soon.

Marissa Scudlo

It was a great book, the ending nearly kill me, anyone who like a good fantasy and mystery novel this is a good book for you.

Moon Child

Adorei a leitura nap achei de todo clichê o envolvimento de factos verificos no livro fez me focar ainda mais neste enredo a forma como a magia foi retratada e um pouco recriada nao me pareceu de todo desi teressante. Prendeu me do inicio ao fim sem duvida

Chelsea Breher

I picked this up on a whim and enjoyed it overall as an audiobook. I don't know if I would have enjoyed this as a physical book though as there was a number of moments that felt like they fell flat, they just didn't hold my interest. However, as an audio book I was able to enjoy it. This book had great potential and I will end up finishing the series as audio books. 

The characters were fairly well rounded, they were very diverse (which is rare), but their diversity wasn't used as simply fluff within the story. The diversity is a shining light amongst ya lit in this day and age.

Aran

Girl moves to little town. Her mother has abandoned her and her family. She's a witch, but her training as such hasn't been completed. Only women can learn to be witches, for men is a secret.

Boy is an outcast. Everyone in town knows that there's a "course" in his family (as they call it), every generation there's a relative that goes mad, ensuring they have visions of the future in their dreams, and they end up killing themselves.

There's something dark in town, dark magic. Maybe there's a dark source... or a dark witch in town?


What I liked:

-The essence of the story. New start, new story. Autumn, cold, rain, little ancient houses. I loved this dark-but-magical nature on the whole story (check out the author's pinterest amazing pictures!) Those dark scenes under water, at night time, the small town, everything is so dark... and what a better way to portrait this story?

-Nadia. Her life changes when her mother abandons her family and she kinda takes her role as mother in the family, but she doesn't complain about it. That's the right thing to do and she will do it without thinking otherwise. She's strong, she's scared, but she doesn't hesitate on doing the right thing.

-Elizabeth. yay to you! You know exactly how to make the whole town (view spoiler)[worship you and stay at your feet without them even noticing. (hide spoiler)] I really like you, girl! (view spoiler)[You're creepy as hell. (hide spoiler)] Cool backstory (though it could have played a bigger role in the story...)

-Gage. Yes, I know, he's a minor character, but he's one of those minor characters that is completely necessary to the story to release weight off readers' shoulders. He's nice, fun, and cares for Mateo!

-Verlaine. Got ya girl, you're story is reaaally interesting, but the book has relegated you to a "minor" character WHICH IS WRONG.

-The way Nadia casts spells. I found really unique the way emotions take a really important part on the process, how they're bond to the magic she casts. And not just random emotions, but specific memories in her life that serve as ingredients to her. Really original!

-Perfect example in how a story doesn't need a bunch of characters to feel right: just Nadia, Mateo, Elizabeth and Verlaine. For sure there are more characters in the story, but they don't play a bigger part.


What I didn't like:

-Mateo. Sorry boy, I can't help it. He's childish. His actings and reactions to the development in the story... just no. They don't feel right. May be I'm used to strong male characters in Claudia Gray's other stories, those who stand up for them and other people and have presence. And he doesn't.

-Verlaine. (OK, not true. I DID like you, but you don't fit quiet right in this story). There's something with this character... at the beginning of the story it feels like the author wanted to add a new one to fill the book and she's the one she used. It doesn't feel as she's someone important to the story, just that girl no one notices over there. She's unique, she hasn't been driven by some high school prototypes, but I feel like this wasn't the right place for her, she deserved better. Her character gets more interesting at the end of the story and maybe the thing with her is that it could be really interesting if she was the main character of her own story, you know?

-Consistency -or narration- of the story. It felt like there where many minor scenes to fill the pages, bit of little scenes here and there, quick change of scenarios, etc. The rhythm is pretty slow and then, at the end, there's a quick closure, as if the character have been doing nothing for a considerably bunch of pages and then the whole thing gets sort out, almost on its own.



There was something about the narration that bothered me a bit, maybe I was expecting more rationing or 
development on Nadia's thoughts, a more intimate story, more close to her. I would've preferred more introspection instead of some daily narration that does not provide anything relevant to the story. (view spoiler)[I would've enjoyed more deepening on Mateo and his curse, everything is very subtle... loved the way he can finally see the curse is real with the black halo on his head, though. (hide spoiler)]
I kinda was expecting a more mature story, and I found myself with these high school characters, that OK, I get it, they have sixteen, but... 


If you enjoyed Spellcaster, give a chance to Beautiful Creatures (or viceversa!) I found many similarities between both stories and if you liked one, is very likely you enjoy the other one as well!

Lulu

Kristina Sanders

Ayden

Madi Kate

Taryn McGrath 

A bewitching new series from the bestselling author of the Evernight series Ages: 12+ When Nadia's family moves to Captive's Sound, she immediately realises 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 the person it has affected most is Mateo - her rescuer, friend and the guy she yearns to get closer to, even though he pushes her away. Mateo's family have a tormented past and it soon becomes evident that Mateo is the next member of his family to be cursed, particularly when the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl from a car accident actually come true. Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break his terrible family curse and prevent a coming disaster that threatens the entire town, including Nadia's family, her newfound friends and her own life.Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times and number one bestselling author Claudia Gray's first book in a new trilogy depicts a dark and unforgettable world of witches, curses, buried secrets and star-crossed romance.

Spellcaster

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