Spellbound, by Cara Lynn Shultz

I almost always finish the books I read. Only when I absolutely cannot stand a book do I put it down in the middle, because even if I don't like what's going on, I don't want to stop without a sense of completion. Unfortunately, this book was so bad that I didn't even go past the third chapter. When I realized how corny, cliche, and superficial it was getting then I flipped to the end to see if maybe it's not worth putting it down. Nope, it was worth it.

The main reason why I hated this book was not the totally cliche story. Don't get me wrong-it was cliche, but I've read so many YA fantasy books at this point that I rarely find one that isn't cliche, and sometimes good prose or interesting characters can make up for that. This story was a typical one of a girl with a tragic past in a new school where she falls for the cool guy and there's some secret magical background connecting them. I was able to predict everything-exactly where all the blow-ups would happen, who she would be friends with and everyone's fate, but I didn't care enough to stick around to see if any of it actually happened.

What really upset me was how nasty the main character was. Emma mentions how she's gone through a lot, and how she doesn't want people at her new school to judge her but she doesn't hesitate in judging them. When the mean blonde girl was rude to her she answered with an excessive amount of unnecessary comebacks. It was slightly overkill. The girl gave her one small insult and she responded back with some nasty and insensitive words. Strangely enough, what pushed me over the edge was when she met Angelique. She took one look at her and decided she'd like her. I am extremely superficial, but even I don't look at someone's outfit and decide that I'm going to be her friend.

2.0 stars. Don't read this. Just don't.

  What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?
Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to— Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives— visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.