ARC Review: Compulsion by Martina Boone

Compulsion by Martina Boone

Release Date: October 28, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: ARC from the publisher; 320 pages
Series: The Heirs of Watson Island, #1
Purchase Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble/ Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Beautiful Creatures meets The Body Finder in this spellbinding new trilogy.

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson had been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson
Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

My Review:

   I was absolutely ecstatic when I got the chance to read it early-on. I've heard so many people liking it and hearing about it since BEA 2014. I really wanted to read it so I was really jumpy when Simon and Schuster accepted my request on Edelweiss.
 
   Barrie Watson is sent to live with her aunt at the Watson's Landing after her mother passes away. It gives her the perfect opportunity to explore her family's history since her mother never made her aware of the reason why she ran away. She'd knew that she would find answers since finding lost things is the Watson's family gift. The things she finds are unexpected and dangerous. She hears about how Watson's Landing is cursed and the three family plantations.

   She meets a man named Eight and learns that he's part of the curse. She finds it odd that he always seems to know what she's about to say and what she wants. It's a part of the reason why they always seem to be bickering. I think Eight is my favorite out of the whole story. He just draws me in and made me love him completely.

   Things started off rocky and slow but after the romance started picking up, I was completely immersed in it. I was more drawn to the story surrounding the three founding families and the island. Of course though, I did fall head over hills heels for sun-kissed Eight. 

 I thought the plot of the story was done very nicely. Although not much happened until the ending but it was just building it all up for it. There were plenty of revelations before the end. The pacing was just right especially for the romance. The way they are linked by the gifts is quite beautiful.

  My only little complaint was that Cassie felt like a round character while Barrie and Eight felt like flat characters to me. It's probably because Barrie and Eight kept fighting throughout the novel as if they had know each other their whole lives. It felt awkward and weird to me. Also the fact that Barrie kept believing that Cassie kept wanting to be her friend made it annoying. She just wouldn't believe Eight all those times he warned her. Cassie was so annoying. I just wanted to jump into the book and slap her. I hated how she was trying to be like Barrie in a way. She wanted everything that Barrie had including Eight.

  But just towards the ending, I finally saw some character development which makes me so excited for the next book. I really wish it didn't end the way it did. I loved it but it was sort of a cliffhanger and that means I have to wait to find out what will happen. What's going to happen between Barrie and Eight? Because he's planning to go to school in Los Angeles. That's also where Cassie plans on going. Nooo!!

   Overall, the story was well written and a good pace. I will admit that it was a different kind of read for me. But that just made the story so unique for me because I've never read anything like Compulsion before. The ending leaves you wanting for more. The mystery behind the gifts and the curse was so good. I think the readers are really going to be excited for this; especially with the plot and twists.

4 Stars: A great read! :D

Praise for Compulsion: 

“Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic charm, you’ll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island series.” — #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout

"A fresh twist on the Southern Gothic — haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing.” -- Claudia Gray, New York Times bestselling author of A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU and the Evernight and Spellcaster series

"Compulsion is a stunningly magical debut with a delicious slow burn to be savored. I want to live in this story world!” — Wendy Higgins, USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil Trilogy from HarperTeen

"A star-crossed romance, lush gothic plantations, and an island full of intrigue—COMPULSION was a heart-pounding race to the fishing! A thrilling debut!” — Kimberly Derting, author of The Body Finder series

"Beautifully written, with vivid characters, a generations-old feud, and romance that leaps off the page, this Southern ghost story left me lingering over every word, and yet wanting to race to the compelling finish. Martina Boone’s COMPULSION is not to be missed." — Megan Shepherd, Author of THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER

"Martina Boone's COMPULSION is the perfect southern family saga, charming and steamy on the surface, with cold-blooded secrets buried down deep. What more do you want? More time to read it, that's what.” — Kendare Blake, author of ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD and ANTIGODESS

“A shivery, delicious Southern Gothic with feuding families, dark spirits, ancient curses… and caught up in the middle, a young girl learning to live and love for the first time. Atmospheric and suspenseful, Compulsion will draw you in and hold you until the very last page.” — Leah Cypess, Author of DEATH SWORN

"Ancient spirits, mystery, and Southern charm—COMPULSION mixes dark magic with darker family secrets in a way that'll make you relieved there are two more books. I can't wait to continue reading about Barrie and the rest of Watson island!"— Kat Zhang, Author of WHAT'S LEFT OF ME

"Martina Boone's Compulsion is a southern gothic romance, a captivating thriller with the perfect dash of charm. Barrie's story is one of transitions: west to east, present to past, realism to supernatural. Readers of Sarah Reese Brennan's The Lynburn Legacy and Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle, will appreciate the ambiguity -- real? or not real? -- until suddenly the not real feels very very real." — Sara Hines, Eight Cousins Bookstore