Spellbound and Determined

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley.com.

Spellbound and Determined is a quick but fun and quirky read. The book tells the tale of high-schooler Cam and her friend Reade as they attempt to gain love and maintain their GPA with spell work. Cam works in her grandma's New Age store peddling spell components and tarot cards. Reade is a lovesick girl who would do anything to get the handsome Troy's attention. When Cam is given a spell guaranteeing “power supreme” she'll do anything to cast the spell and get what she and Reade deserves. The magical system in this book seems to fall on a more realistic pagan/Wiccan scale but there is a hint of supernatural in here.

What I liked: This was such a fun read. Reade is so dramatic and her attempts to Woo Troy over are over the top and hysterial (and the ways that they backfire on her) make the book just fun. Cam's belief that the spell will solve all her english class woes is fairly spot on and I really liked the development of Cam and Zach's relationship goes.

What I didn't like: The Grey Guy as an antagonist just didn't work to well. He is rarely there and doesn't really present a good case for being “bad”. The three kids go around and gather all these ingredients for the spell and then only after it comes together does the “bad guy” appear out of nowhere and just attempt to get what “he” deserved. It just seemed a bit... um...fake. The story was very light on plot and tension; with Reade and her desire for Troy being the only things that give the reader a push to keep reading. Varley also left me wondering why Cam lived with her grandma, and what happened to her family, and why magic in this book seems real but... isn't.

Bottom Line: if you like light-YA books that make you laugh at the folly of dating and reliving the desires for a straight A grade point average then Spellbound and Determined is for you. It's a quick, fun, rainy day read that will pass the time away. I don't know if Varley plans on making this a series but I do hope that we're treated to more of Cam, Reade, and Zach in the future.