Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
When Drake Carpenter moved to town, then tried to move in on Mason Blackmoor’s life, Mason was having none of it. The youngest of three brothers, Mason comes from a long line of highly esteemed warlocks. The last thing he needs is some do-gooder with dimples and oddly arousing habits (such as leaping tall buildings) distracting him from his own awesomeness.
On Drake’s first day at Havenbridge High, a dead body shows up on the football field, drained of all its blood. After the meeting of the magical community in Havenbridge and the appearance of the Counsel, Mason realizes that something was not quite right and the people in power are keeping the younger generation in the dark. Then the dark force in town targets Drake. Lucky for him, Mason is there to save him.
Drake knows Mason’s secret and Mason thinks he knows Drake’s too. What he doesn’t know is why he’s so attracted to the boy he’d spent weeks trying to avoid and discourage. As Drake and Mason grow closer, evil converges. Secrets are revealed, hearts are broken, and life in Havenbridge will never be the same.
First off, can we talk about this cover? I am so head over heels for the simplicity, beauty, and perfection that is the cover art. Paul Richmond did a fabulous job. I just want to sit and stare at it for hours.
Okay. Now to the review of the book. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Not by the author, because I’ve read Flores before and have loved it. No, what I was surprised by was the vastness of this world and the different direction this author took from his normal contemporary safe haven. Not to say his contemporary isn’t wonderful, but Flores may have found his calling with Spell Bound.
What I like about his one is Mason’s growth. Mason Blackmoor, son of the soon-to-be leader of the Order of Black, is the proverbial black sheep in the family, waiting for his powers to come to fruition and questioning every move his family and his ancestors make. Mason becomes a new person in this book. Instead of trying to be someone he’s not or who he thought he was, he becomes exactly who he is—strong, brave, courageous, and beautiful.
Drake is equally wonderful. The boy is forgiving and fun and big-hearted. He’s had a ton going on in his life and needs to find stability and protection to feel safe. To his surprise, he finds that in Mason. As this book is written in Mason’s POV, any growth we see form Drake is filtered through Mason’s mind, but still, it’s enough. I love Drake’s candidness. He is who he is and makes no apologies for it.
Probably my favorite part of this book is the misunderstanding. I’m not going to go into what it is, because I would like you to be surprised, and maybe a little like I did. You’re welcome in advance.
The world Flores built is fun and exciting. One of the things that held my attention from the beginning was the separation of the magical community. The witches are the good guys—always positive, always happy (ish). They are the holders of the light—The Order of White. The warlocks are the magic holders with black magic—self-absorbed and bratty. They are holders of the dark magic—The Order of Black. And finally wizards—they are the balance between light and dark. The Order of Gray. What they do and how they use their magic, are kept separate, and the lives they live are all wonderfully thought out to captivate an audience. It certainly worked for me.
I’m just a little bit disappointed with the way the story ended. The open ended storyline left me wanting—but that was only because I loved it so much. Honestly, had the blurb for the next book not followed the end of the last chapter, I’d probably have given this a lower score. That blurb gives me so much hope for the next story. Soon.
I loved this book It’s hard to think of anything else to say. Read it. It’s a wonderful mix of young love, magic, and true love. Also, I’m dying for book two.
Highly Recommended.
A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.
