REVIEW: Spellbinder by C.C. Hunter

Warning: This is a sequel novella to the Shadow Falls: After Dark series so there will be some spoilers for the second book in that series. 

Spellbinder by C.C. Hunter

Publication Date: June 30, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Series: Shadow Falls
Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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When magic, romance and family secrets collide, the result is spellbinding! 

Miranda Kane has always felt like a screw up–at least when it comes to her ability to wield magic. Her only sanctuary is Shadow Falls camp, where she’s learning to harness her powers as a witch. But thanks to her shapeshifter boyfriend who called it quits and ran off to Paris, both her heart and powers feel broken.  

When she unexpectedly lands a top spot in a spell casting competition in France, she flies out with her best friends Kylie and Della. But her trip takes her straight into the heart of a dangerous supernatural mystery–and a heated romance. What Miranda
doesn’t expect is for her investigation to unleash shocking revelations…about herself, her family, and her arch enemy. Now Miranda must step up and show everyone that she’s a witch to be reckoned with….before it’s too late.

   *I received a copy from the publisher in an exchange for an honest review.*

   When I read the second book in the Shadow Falls: After Dark series, I was more intrigued with Miranda and Perry's story. I thought it was heartbreaking to see them separate and so the news that Miranda was getting her own novella made me so happy!

   We follow Miranda who is a witch with dyslexia and she's dealing with having her heart broken by Perry. He left to go study at an exclusive school for shape shifters in Paris. And she's having problems with her separated parents. Her mom wants her to win the witch tournament but being dyslexic, her spells tend to go awry. Her dad is hiding some secrets. And someone is out to get everyone in the competition. So Miranda goes to Paris with a protector, who so happens to be the brother of an old friend that she used to have a crush on. He seems to have changed the way he views her that doesn't involve being friends. But maybe going to Paris isn't all about the witch tournament but seeing a certain shapeshifter that crushed her heart.

   I was really excited and had high hopes for this. The story had so much potential but it was too short and the development wasn't so great. And those are also some of the reasons why the potential love triangle wasn't something I favored. Perry didn't have nearly enough time in the book. And I wished there was more romance.

   I honestly enjoyed seeing the old characters more then the story itself. I don't think this worked as a novella. It could have been a better developed story if it was a full-length novel.

   It was easy to enjoy Miranda and the other characters because I've already read about them in the original series. And I'm attached to them.

    So for that reason, I would only recommend this to people who have read the Shadow Falls series because those readers already know Miranda and have an understanding of who she is. It'll be a better experience because readers will get a better sense of what happened between Miranda and Perry and how their relationship started too.

   Overall, Spellbinder was entertaining and a quick read but it fell short on what I expected. The outcome of some events in the end were pretty predictable for me. I wasn't too invested in the main plot. And I just hope that Miranda will get her conclusion in the Shadow Falls: After Dark series or perhaps another book with her. I do like this enough to want to read more of her so I hope this isn't the end.

3 Sea Stars: I Liked It