Spellbound

Book Description

Leave it to number-one bestselling author Nora Roberts to spin a tale that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy, modern-day mishaps and ancient curses, obsession and undying passion. She'll have you cheering for love to win the day as a man and woman discover just how deep their bond lies-and how some dreams are meant to be.

Spellbound follows world-famous photographer Calin Farrell on his much-needed vacation in Ireland. While there, Calin becomes bewitched by the ravishingly beautiful Bryna Torrence, even if he refuses to believe in the spell that has brought them together-and could destroy them both.

Customer Reviews:

Short & Sweet.......2007-09-19

I thoroughly enjoyed the book Spellbound. It was short the shortest book but as usual Nora pulled it together in a most entertaining manner. Since reading this book I have discovered the hero in yet another of her novels.
I plan to read as soon as I can order it. I recommend ... a nice short read.

Compressed version.......2007-08-29

Did not know this was a partial version of the actual book or I would not have purchased it

Spellbound.......2007-08-12

For Nora Roberts I found this book to be somewhat on the dull side. I am usely a big Nora Roberts fan.

A empty story that is not worth the price........2007-08-08

I'm not sure this tiny tiny book deserves a review, but here goes. I bought this book,(which should be sold with bold letters as a Short Story) with a view towards introducing myself to Nora Roberts. Well, I guess I should have read the reviews closer because after I paid the cost of shipping and the price for this 80 page loosely written story I was without a doubt disappointed. I'm amazed that this best selling author is cranking out these empty books. Oh well, I tried Nora, and I'm not sure if I'll buy another book by this author. If I do I'll check it out at my library

I enjoyed Spellbound well enough, love the heroine, hate the villain.......2007-07-24

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Calin Farrell is desperate for a vacation. Strange dreams of a mystery woman are plaguing him. On a spur of the moment decision, he decides to take off for Ireland, somehow convinced the answers he doesn't even know he seeks can be found there.

Bryna Torrence has been waiting. A thousand years ago, a spell was placed on her family line to protect them from an ancient and powerful enemy. Time is running out for the spell to be broken. Calin is key to the magic. If he and Bryna don't stand together against their enemy, all is lost. But can Bryna convince Calin of the truth... that they are souls fated to be together in magic... before it is too late?

I liked the overall premise of the story... ancient curses/spells cast to protect the hero(ine) from an evil magical enemy. I also love the whole concept of reincarnation, am fascinated by the possibility, and had to read this story. I loved the method used to bring our key players together in time for the final confrontation and the conflict between our couple is believable. Heck I'd have a hard time believing the story of Bryna's history too if I were in Calin's shoes. I enjoyed Spellbound well enough, love the heroine, hate the villain.

Calin, however I didn't love, but I didn't hate either. He was just average for me, not standing out in any way from a thousand other heroes in books I've read. To his credit though, I don't think it's through any fault of his character. Rather, I think it is because of the similarity of his name to a certain actor that I really don't care for all that much. So this actor kept popping into my mind as I was reading about Calin and I even kept misreading his name because of this. So I couldn't get myself emotionally invested in his character.

I have to admit (and I'm sure some people will hate me for this) but Nora has never been a favorite author of mine. I read some of her works, mostly her paranormal trilogies but I have yet to read a book of hers that I can't bear to part with, and Spellbound is included in this. I have the original anthology it was published in (that has been on the book shelf waiting to be read for several years) but I was making a point to purchase all of these collectible re-releases of individual stories put out by Jove books over the past few years so I bought this one for the collection. It was a short pleasant read for me, but not something I can see myself savoring over and over again in the future.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2007. All rights reserved.

Spellbound: My Journey Through a Tangled Web of Success

Average customer rating:

What a tragic loss for so many
The Wonders of Modern Capitalizm
Awesome Journey Thru The World of Networking!
Decent
Looking behind the smoke and mirrors at Equinox Int'l

Spellbound: My Journey Through a Tangled Web of Success
Robert Morgan Styler
Manufacturer: Sandy Creek Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Company Profiles | Biography & History | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0966237307

Customer Reviews:

What a tragic loss for so many.......2007-04-09

In the early 90s my former wife got hooked into the NSA MLM program in Baltimore. She chased her dreams of fortune at the clip of $4,000/month for desk rental, phone rental, seminar training for herself and paying for others to attend as she tried to con them into her new world. At one point the first office had to be closed, and several senior reps opened a new office. The idiots asked me to sign the lease contract, as none of them had the money or good credit to do so. I refused, and was immediately branded an enemy. The NSA product line was soon after moved to Equinox, and the heat for new recruits was turned up.

After that who I met Bill Gouldd once in a Building Blocks seminar my former wife forced me to go to (yes, I also paid $300 to go, plus she paid again). What a smooth operator, spawned from the loins of Satan himself. I saw right through the hype. But my wife saw glamor and riches.

After that came the Journey seminars for herself and others she tried to recruit. $2,500 a crack, and she paid for these folks in the hope they would buy into her dream. I finally called American Express to advise I was no longer going to pay for her card use. It was her account, they refused to close it. I never paid another dime for her account. I hid every dime I had left after she burned through over $80,000!

I remember she did not want to pass on shipping charges or sales tax. She absorbed it, as though magically losing money was going to help her break a profit. I was all about getting new suckers in her downline, the hell with good business sense.

So much of what this book says is so true, the cult mentality was so pervasive, and the attempt to alienate new recruits from other Neg Heads permeated everything. After the former wife burned through over $200,000 (most of it conned from my own parents behind my back), and wound up all but bankrupt (my CA home was in my name, and I had my own credit and money - now I am independently wealthy due to hard work in the computer software business), she decided I was to blame (more Gouldd cult influence) and filed for divorce. Good fu@^ing riddance. She was later impregnated by some Peruvian guy who bolted out of the USA upon hearing of the pregnancy. Poetic justice. The last I heard she could not afford to pay for repairs for her BMW, left it for the repair shop to sell to cover the bill, and wound up in a rusted out Taurus from her parents.

Drawing and Quartering of Bill Gouldd would not be enough to mete out justice. Bravo for the author to have come out so clean in the end. I do not blame Bill Gouldd, or anyone else, for my rather nasty turn in life. His influence merely brought a basic fault in the ex-wife to a very costly head. I survived financially, and kept my own pride intact, but so many others were deep into a downward spiral even in the earliest days of my seeing all this going on. All in denial, the next big deal was just around the corner, just had to get to some more $eminars... Meantime get a fancy car before going totally broke, "If you can't make it, fake it." Gawd, the memories...

The Wonders of Modern Capitalizm.......2007-02-22

A cautionary tale of greed gone oh so wrong, Spellbound made me thankful that my experiences with direct marketing have all been with a company that actually wants its sales force to make money. For those of us who believe in capitalism and have done direct sales with a well-run and fair company (Mary Kay Cosmetics), this book comes as a sad surprise.
What particularly left me with respect for the author is that Styler makes no victim of himself, instead admitting his own culpability in everything that occurred; and makes no hero of himself for helping to bring down a selfish and dangerous man who gave direct marketing a bad name.
Spellbound is a readable book. The tone is confessional but without maudlin sentimentality. Pick it up when you have plenty of time to read; you won't want to put it down.

Awesome Journey Thru The World of Networking!.......2007-02-22

This books took a tremendous amount of courage. First to walk away
from a lot of money because Styler discovered unethical practices,
then to stand up against a $200 million dollar company and later shut
them down with his testimony...that takes character. When you read
the story, what is really surprising and interesting is how honest
Styler is. He does not make himself out to be a victim. He owns his
faults and learns from them. It is a fascinating read.

Decent.......2007-01-31

Decent read on the "behind the scenes" aspects of Equinox. I worked with Styler briefly in the Santa Barbara, CA office, and really have a much lower opinion of him than I do Bill Gouldd, unfortunately. I can't wait until someone comes out with a book about Styler...that will be interesting reading!

Looking behind the smoke and mirrors at Equinox Int'l.......2003-04-23

This book is an absolutely fascinating read for anyone who came into contact with Equinox International, the Multi-Level Marketing company that flared across America in the early 1990s and lured thousands of Americans into handing over their money, time, and, most often, their self-respect in pursuit of quick fortunes. Equinox, led by charismatic leader Bill Gouldd, used slick promotional materials and pop psychology-based training techniques to induce thousands of people to purchase environmentally friendly products(water filters, vitamins, hair and skin care products) to resell to friends and family for profit. Eventually the US Government shut down Equinox for legal and ethical improprieties and fined Gouldd millions, but not before many people who had bought into the Equinox dream were left with empty pocketbooks and caseloads of unsold Equinox products collecting dust in their garages.
Rob Styler, a former Equinox Executive Director who was part of Gouldd's inner circle, sheds light on the machinations of this defunct company. Through a first person narrative Styler illustrates the way Gouldd helped prey on the naivete and blind desire of people; at its peak, Equinox was convincing lawyers, nurses, insurance agents, and other professionals to leave their stable careers to join the Equinox dream. Inevitably, the inherent flaws of Multi-Level Marketing led to the vast majority of Equinox participants making little to no money while Gouldd and a select few walked away with bundles. Styler interweaves his personal experience with the larger Equinox story to shed light on the workings of this simultaneously fascinating and horrifying company.
Styler's style is accessible and quick; I read the book in one sitting without strain, finding it difficult to put it down. The only minor quibble is Styler's devoting the last section of the book to describing a New-Age spiritual transformation on top of a South American mountain; this is the least interesting part of an otherwise fascinating book. Nevertheless, the majority of the book is devoted to recounting the Equinox story, which is a telling story of the perversion of the American Dream. If you didn't experience Equinox in the 90s this book will still be interesting, but for those who came into contact with the company, it is absolutely stunning. Kudos to Styler bringing the truth to light.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
She Keeps Getting Better and Better!
delightful romantic fantasy
Kathleen Dazzles and Delights!!

Spellbound (The Djinn Series, Book 4)
Kathleen Nance
Manufacturer: Love Spell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0505524864

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2003-07-19

This is a really great read, and an excellent fantasy romance. Although it helps to have read the other books (you'll recognize some of the minor characters in this and know some djinn information) this is really a stand alone book. If you've never read anything in the series before, don't worry, all the important information is explained to you. If you like romance books with nicely done fantasy, and if you like your romance heros to be alpha, but not super alpha, then you should really pick up this book, or at least one of the earlier ones in the series. In this book, the focus is Zayne and Madeline. Zayne is a djinni (a genie, only he doesn't live in a lamp, and he only grants wishes if he's been enslaved), and he's very important to his world, Kaf. His music keeps Kaf in balance, and, unfortunately, something's wrong with his music and his magic. In order to restore the balance to his magic, he has to find his soulmate. Madeline, a dancer suffering from crippling stage fright, is the woman he's looking for, but finding her only leads to more complications. After the glimpse of Zayne the author gave us in Enchantment, I was hoping he'd get his own book. Zayne's book was just as good as I had hoped it would be, and I can't wait for the next book. Kathleen Nance is my new favorite romance author.

She Keeps Getting Better and Better!.......2003-06-20

I have read all of Kathleen Nance's books and this was the best one yet. I love her genies and the very well-thought-out stories. May she write many more!!! I;ve read hundreds, maybe thousands of books and this is one of my very rare "keepers" to read again.

delightful romantic fantasy.......2003-06-16

As the Minstrel of Kaf, the land of the Djinn, Zayne has a critical responsibility to sing harmonious music. However, lately even the beautiful voices of birds irritate Zayne, whose darker moods impact his people and their land. To lighten his mood and learn how to use new magic, he needs his zaniya to blend harmonies, but has not met her though he is older than most of his predecessors when they found their beloved. He learns her name is Madeline Fairbanks and she resides in New Orleans on Terra. Like a warrior on the hunt, he seeks the enchantment of singing with his soul mate.

When Madeline, who just lost her job due to her fear of public speaking, sees Zayne she thinks he is quite a hunk. However, when he burns toilet paper to forge a protective spell, she believes he is a certifiable hunk. Still the attraction between them is too strong to resist and soon they make love even as they fall in love. However, before they can share a harmonious lifetime together, they must confront her evil stepfather, the warlock who placed the public speaking phobia curse on Madeline.

The fantasy elements make for a good time as readers will believe in magic in the music of this lovin' duo. The romance happens faster than the top sprinters can complete the hundred-yard dash while the characters are a delightful charming group except for the vile cartoonish villain. The romantic fantasy chorus will sing praise to Kathleen Nance for her imaginative tale.

Harriet Klausner

Kathleen Dazzles and Delights!!.......2003-06-10

Kathleen Nance has two very popular romance lines running for Dorchester Publishing, the Immortals about the children of the Ancient Greek Gods and the Djinn. And if you have not read any of Nance's Djinn, do not pick one up with The American Television show "I Dream of Jeannie" in mind. Her wonderful books are smart, savvy, and oh so sexy. With Nance's djinn, they do not pop out of a bottle, they never call anyone master and they do not grant wishes though they have the ability - unless bound against their will.

The Djinn live in a desert land called Kaf. But events in the Djinns' lives keep drawing them to Terra - earth. In an intricate tale, Zayne is the Minstrel of Kaf. But not merely a musician, he is the Keeper of the very essence of Kaf. Through his music he conjures rain, protects the land to live in harmony, or could destroy it. So naturally, it is vital he maintains balance and imbues Kaf with those powers or the Djinns' very world could be destroyed. There used to be more than one Minstrel to Kaf, but deaths claimed the other two, so it falls on Zayne's shoulders to bear the weight of Kaf's very existence. However, he is very worried. Time has come for him to take his mate, a female who gives his male nature gentleness and keeps him in balance. A woman with a voice that matches his own, so they may sing together for the security of Kaf. Since he needs this mate, his music has become unstable. He does not know why, but there is suddenly magick in him - Terra magick - not ma-at - the magick of the djinn, and the two cannot exist together. He uses a conjuring spell to locate the woman who is to be his zaniya, and the face that appears is Madeline Fairbanks, a woman from Terra.

Madeline has her share of problems in her life. She is about to lose her job to a odd ball writer, because she cannot appear in public. What good is a PR person when they cannot make announcements about a writers work? Worse, he says she is dull looking, needs to get stylish. She has till the Summer Festival of St. John's Eve to become fashionable, get over her stage fright and obtain him an interview with her stepfather, Cyrus Cromwell. Madeline is torn by his demands. She needs this job to keep her mother, a brilliant singer, in a nursing home after her breakdown a year ago. Madeline has no proof, but she know Cyrus is responsible, that he used black magick to make her mother such a popular star. But something went wrong, and it ended with her mother's mental collapse and Cyrus vanishing. Worse, she is low on money and just cannot afford to live in the apartment she is staying.

Just as she thinks things cannot get worse, Tildy, an old friend, comes to the rescue and says she is going away for the Summer and asked Madeline to come house-sit. Madeline is delighted, for it means no rent for the Summer. Only, trouble is she has to share the house with Tildy's friend, Zayne.

In a short time, Madeline begins to find out Zayne is a djinn. This at first sets her against him, because she equates djinn magick with the same manipulation that Cyrus used on Irene to make her reach the top. But she soon comes to see Zayne is nothing like Cyrus. Zayne is tender, beautiful and oh so sexy!

Zayne is horrified to discover the woman who is to be his
zaniya has stage fright, and when Madeline figures out it stems from a spell Cyrus used on her, he vows to help her find Cyrus. Further confusion comes when he hears her singing in the shower and she cannot carry a tune in a bucket. How can his zaniya not sing? He soon discovers Madeline's inner magick stems from her ability to dance. The dance works to balance him, but she still needs the ability to perform in public so they set a trap to lure Cyrus from hiding. They did not count on Cyrus being more powerful than they ever imagine, he knows about djinns and he is determined to bind Zayne's power to answer to him.

Nance gives a steamy, sexy, complex tale, that takes you to the magickal world of Kaf and the lush world of New Orleans, and a wonderful romance that will touch your heart. Her writing style is as lyrical as the subject matter and she just gets better with each book.

I highly recommend all the other books in the Djinn series, though each can stand alone as well, they are the most delightful when read in series.

Average customer rating:

England's version of "To Have & to Hold"

NOTE: "Spellbound" is "To Have and To Hold"
Spellbound
Jane Green
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0140295941

Customer Reviews:

England's version of "To Have & to Hold".......2006-10-21

Mousy wallflower Alice fell for Joe Chambers and it was love at first sight. She never thought he would reciprocate, but years later, they meet at a party and he sees all the possibilities of molding Alice into a perfect corporate wife. They marry, and she sets out to be the serene beauty he desires in an effort to keep him. What she isn't willing to realize is that Joe is a cad and he has a series of affairs, culminating in his getting sent to the New York office after a scandalous coupling with sexy co-worker Josie. Joe considers it a chance to start over. He and Alice buy an apartment and a house in the country. He prefers the bright lights of Manhattan, while Alice flourishes as she toils with her passion for gardening and suddenly grows a backbone, and is no longer the glamorous trophy wife he created, nor is she willing to revert back to their old roles.

As Joe continues his sextra-curricular activities and Alice gets interests of her own, they drift apart, and the truth about Joe's dalliances causes an unsustainable rift in the marriage. They say that what comes around goes around, and Josie suddenly finds herself in the Jimmy Choos that Alice vacated.

Green's sixth novel (published in the US as "To Have and to Hold"), serves as an anatomy of the breakdown of a marriage that was in trouble long before it began. It's also a tale of a woman's transformation from doormat to coming into her own skin, building her own self esteem from the ground up. Though I found the story interesting, I didn't like the passive narrative style in which it was written - a style that told more than showed the reader what was happening.

NOTE: "Spellbound" is "To Have and To Hold".......2006-08-04

When I saw this on Amazon I thought, "Hey there's a Jane Green novel I haven't read before, or even heard of." Turns out, I had read it. Called "Spellbound" in this UK edition, the American version was retitled "To Have and to Hold" but it is still the same story. So while this cover art is much better than the US version (in this graphic designers opinion) if you've already read the US version, you've already read this too!

Average customer rating:

Seriously funny
I laughed and laughed....

Totally Spellbound
Kristine Grayson
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0821775987

Customer Reviews:

Seriously funny.......2007-03-08

This whole series of books is a treat. It only takes my sister and me a day to read because of the humor and situations.

I laughed and laughed...........2005-10-10

I'm so glad Ms. Grayson is continuing this series! I had no idea until I spotted this one on the shelf at the bookstore (yoo-hoo publisher - more marketing!!!!). This one is so funny! The only reason I give it four stars instead of five is parts of it are a little confusing and vague but overall I really recommend this book! I'm not going to ruin it my giving a looonnnngggg outline of the plot but suffice it to say Robin Hood is back and if you've read any of her other books let your imagination take you from there!

Average customer rating:

I heart SWEEP!
THE BEST!!!!
Mildly Amused.. at the comment ( not the book the books are incrediable.)
all Sweep books
Recommended to Parents who canýt get their daughters to read

Spellbound (Sweep, 6)
Cate Tiernan
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Horror | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0142300462
Release Date: 2001-09-10

Book Description

Morgan and Hunter are growing closer, and Morgan is discovering more about witchcraft and her powers. She knows that a great battle is to come, but there is a more immediate threat. Morgan senses something emanating from her ex-boyfriend Cal's old house, and she isn't sure what it is. Hunter keeps having accidents, and it becomes obvious that someone is out to do him harm. Clearly, they both need to be on their guard. But is their enemy a human, or a witch?

"This delectably dark pair of novels [Sweep #1 and 2] brings a supernatural spin to classic teen issues . . . . Both books end on cliffhangers, fanning what will surely be an already keen desire to learn the whole story." (Publishers Weekly)

Customer Reviews:

I heart SWEEP!.......2006-08-05

Morganand Hunter's relationship start to heat up, but there is also something else happening to. Morgan thinks Cal might be back in town but just dosent know where, untill he sends her a witch massege and comes and talks to her. This book waz pretty awesome with surprizing yet sad ending:( that u have to read to find out.

THE BEST!!!!.......2005-10-27

This is without any doubt the BEST book in the series, if you had to choose to buy only one, buy this one. Two thumbs up!!!!

Mildly Amused.. at the comment ( not the book the books are incrediable.).......2005-08-14

ok to start i must laugh in the face of those who insist on commenting on how bad, "curruptive" , and "steering off the right path" these books are. ITS CALLED ENJOYMENT PEOPLE! fiction!!!!! just because a 14 year old like myself picks up one of these books and enjoys it does NOT mean he/she will turn to wicca ways. i am a cristian! my mom has no problem buying these books for me and even she understands why i read them. hello? because reading is good for you. and opening up your mind to things like wicca can help you understand people are differnt and have different views and even help ground you to your own. so if anyone out there insist on bluntly stating how awful these books are please realize.. you can have you own opinions and views.. but no one hear really wants to hear them.
theres my blunt statement for ya'. have a nice day.

all Sweep books.......2004-12-05

i think these are terrible! they are not even good and the whole concept of witches is bad! people who really get into these books may become fanatics and stray from the right path! i think someone should put a stop to cate tiernan's books about witches and that nonsense! i can't believe i even read those books! it may draw many people to it, but that means nothing. she makes the characters have bad morals and children can learn bad things from that! (these books are in the young youth section!) any person can get a hold of these terrible awful books! i would give it zero or negative stars but there is not option for that on here! these are going to be the next set of banned books from the libraries, rather, the whole world!

Recommended to Parents who canýt get their daughters to read.......2004-06-15

I purchased the Sweep series for my 13 year old daughter in the hopes that maybe she would read. "She hated to read." Well I was amazed, and could not get her to go to sleep, as she would spend the whole night, with a night-light on reading these books. She enjoyed them so much, and could not stop talking first about Cal and then Hunter, that I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Well after two weeks, a book a day, for a girl who hated to read, it sparked my curiosity, so I started reading, and was surprised to find out how enjoyable a Teen book about Teen Witches could be. I am not really into Wicca, but these books are really enjoyable. I am on my fifth book, and my daughter read each twice, and is know on the Circle of Three Series. I have to highly recommend these books to those parents who can not get their daughters to read. These are excellent stories, full of fantasy, horror, and fun.

Average customer rating:

Spellbound
Couldn't Put This Down
youth motivator
SPELLBOUND is a must-read!
funny and interesting...one girl goes against the odds!

Spellbound
Janet McDonald
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0374371407

Book Description

A fresh new voice on the YA scene.

Raven's life has been derailed. She never expected she'd be a mother at sixteen like her best friend, Aisha, and she's afraid she's going to be just another high school dropout, a project girl with few prospects. And although Raven is ambitious, when is she going to find the time to finish school in the few minutes she's not looking for a job or caring for her infant son, Smokey? Then her older sister, Dell, tells her about a spelling bee that promises the winner enrollment in a college prep program and a scholarship. But spelling? There isn't a subject she's worse at! Still, Raven is fiercely determined to win, and so she starts memorizing words.

In Janet McDonald's powerful and funny novel, a smart and resilient young woman whose life isn't what she dreamed it would be learns that there are many ways to spell SUCCESS.

Customer Reviews:

Spellbound.......2006-08-29

For all ages, all ranges...all readers. A must read. The struggles...the generational cycles...the struggle for change...the entrapment of past mistakes. Ebonics at its best, but not in any form demeaning. The author (Janet McDonald) has a way of relaying the effort compelled for change, if not for all teenaged mothers. She has a humorous way of telling a vivid story of two friends Aisha and Raven and the trials they face from day to day. Young black teen mothers...one with aspirations (Raven)...the other with complacency (Aisha). Raven has the tools/support needed to make/grab a better life whereas Aisha is stuck in a never-ending cycle (not completely by choice). Spellbound is a book worth its price and then some and I highly recommend it to all.

Update* Great Author and Friend--so sad that she is no longer with us (Janet McDonald R.I.P April 11th 2007)

Couldn't Put This Down.......2006-05-11

I'm telling all my friends to get this book. It was funny and the characters were real. I don't read much but this story made me want to stay up all night to find out if Raven makes it. It is different from other stories because it talks about real life and what it is like trying to make it when the world thinks you can't.

youth motivator.......2005-04-26

in the book Spellbound Raven is a teenage mom who would like to overcome her past and maintain her dreams while still being a good mom. this proves to be a challenge however since the world she lives in constantly tells her that she must remain a victim of her circumstance. from the receptionist at her sisters job to her sons grandparent she is deterred from thriving. however when the chance for her to pull herself out of this unfortunate situation (teen parenting), she begins to remeber those dreams and works very hard to achieve them. this book is a must read especially for young teen mom programs because so many of todays youth feels like they have to give up on thierselves and their dreams just because of the mistakes they have made and this book reiterates that just because you hit a detour in the road to success eventually you can find the right way again.

SPELLBOUND is a must-read!.......2004-07-29

Sixteen-year-old Raven was always "the smart girl," her nose in a book and a promising future, despite the fact that she was raised in poverty by her uneducated single mother. But when Raven goes to a party one night and meets a boy she can't say "no" to, she gives in to his charismatic ways and she's left with a baby. Suddenly high school is no longer bearable and her college plans have vanished into the night. Raven becomes just another girl from the projects sitting alone in the apartment, watching daytime television.

Raven's best friend Aisha seems to fit into her life better than Raven does; Ai was never really good at school, so as long as she has her friends and doesn't have to set foot in another school, she's happy. Raven wants more than hanging out all day --- she wants to make a secure, good life for her son Smokey --- but she can't find where to begin. She tries to find a job, but her lack of a high school diploma means she can only find work in a fast food shop. Raven can't see a way forward until her ambitious sister Dell arrives with a flyer about a new program called Spell Success.

Spell Success offers college prep and scholarships to lower-income students. Potential participants are selected through a spelling bee. This sounds impossible for Raven, whose spelling has never been great. Dell supports her, though, and helps her practice and study, even as Ai does nothing but give Raven grief.

I really loved Janet McDonald's story of someone who seems to have very little in her favor but who is willing to work hard for success. The writing is at times funny, poignant and always effecting. McDonald knows the world about which she writes; she grew up in a housing project then went to three highly selective universities after she finished high school. By using her own journey to inform her novel, McDonald can tell Raven's story without ever becoming preachy or flinching from the harsher realities of life in a low income community. I hope she continues to write. SPELLBOUND is a must-read!

--- Reviewed by Cassia Van Arsdale

funny and interesting...one girl goes against the odds!.......2004-03-18

Raven Jefferson is not your typical fictional book character. She isn't perfect. She is a teen mother without a high school diploma struggling to get somewhere in life. With very little help from her mother and her sons father, she puts in lots of time and effort to try to win a spelling bee which offers first place a scholarship. Raven learns about following her heart and not listening to other peoples opinions. Spellbound was one of the most interesting books I have ever read because the unique language captured my interest and left me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole thing.

Spellbound: Studies on Mesmerism and Literature

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Spellbound: Studies on Mesmerism and Literature
Maria M. Tatar
Manufacturer: Princeton Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 069106377X

Someday's Dreamers: Spellbound Volume 2 (Someday's Dreamers)

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Someday's Dreamers: Spellbound Volume 2 (Someday's Dreamers)
Norie Yamada , and Kumichi Yoshizuki
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1598166433
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

Summer break is here, and Ryutaro ventures to Yokohama--his mother passed away a year ago, and he has returned to pay his respects to the dearly departed. But the experience takes an unexpected turn when he encounters an old friend, who makes him reflect on his life... In the new world of Someday's Dreamers, love is brewing, and Ryutaro's uncertain future begins to come into focus!

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I was spellbound...
Praise for Spellbound!
Calluses
What Christian Parents should know
Better sources out there for free

Spellbound
Marcia Montenegro
Manufacturer: Life Journey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0781443601

Book Description

Our culture is saturated with the supernatural. TV shows such as Medium, Charmed, and Lost all have an "other-worldly" theme. Most of them blur the lines between good and evil. This past year was a "record" year for Hollywood in the production of films that dealt with the supernatural/paranormal. While we can choose our entertainment, our kids don't often have the luxury of choosing whether to be exposed to these things at school.

This book seeks to present a lucid and comprehensive examination of the paranormal and occult by breaking down the principles of paranormal practices, giving key points about the practices so that parents can readily identify them. The book discusses the occult view of supernatural energy and of good and evil, and how these concepts are seen in some popular literature and movies. The book also explains the dangers and gives a biblical basis for concern. Christian parents need to be equipped to discuss these matters with their children!

Features and Benefits

Familiarizes parents with the facts about the paranormal in our culture and equips them to respond from a biblical view.
Equips parents to teach their kids that when they dabble in the paranormal (counterfeits for God's provision) they open themselves up to bad power, information, and direction from the enemy.
Foreword by Dr. Norman Geisler President of Southern Evangelical Seminary

Previous Title:
Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Customer Reviews:

I was spellbound..........2007-06-27

Spellbound
This is an excellent book for helping parents understand the incredible power of the supernatural. This book will help Christian parents who have long feared the subject have more confidence and be more informed as to the real threat that the occult has for todays family values.

Praise for Spellbound!.......2007-03-20

I enjoyed this book, and see it as a good introduction to the occult for average parents who may be concerned about the spiritual health of their children in today's society. I also really appreciate the way Ms. Montenegro distinguishes between fantasy and occult in fictional stories. She leaves parents the option of nurturing a child's imagination, while at the same time equipping them to recognize occult like influences.

Calluses.......2007-03-13

Author Marcia Montenegro, former professional astrologer, now believer in Jesus Christ, wrote this book to "inform parents about the basics of the paranormal" but more importantly, to warn us of the real danger of the now widespread, near common place, occurrence of all things occultic. We have now become desensitized "to the bizarre, to violence, and to evil. This desensitization gradually increases, but often in ways so subtle, the person is unaware of it. It is as if invisible calluses develop on the person's spirit, mind, and emotions. This effect may only be noticeable to others after a period of time." This chapter "Calluses on the Soul" alone is worth the price of the book.

What Christian Parents should know .......2007-02-23

This book is a valuable resource for Christian parents. Due to the increase amount of TV programs with occult themes and content that may be influencing your kids - such as Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Heroes, etc, and a broad spectrum of other paranormal based 'hit programs' in primetime, as well as teen books, video games, fantasy games and movies. Also the book covers celebrity Psychics that profess to be Christians. These books,games and TV programs may be helping to shape your child's worldview and religious beliefs. This author gives a biblical evaluation of occult practices and instructs the Christian reader through scripture. At the end of each chapter is a list of questions you can discuss with your children -- to help improve their discernment skills. Christian Parents should have this book and talk to their kids.

Better sources out there for free.......2007-01-02

When I learned about this book, I was interested due to having met and spent considerable interaction time with this author years ago. My faint hope was that her continuance of minor magical practices while Christian would eventually lead to a more balanced, deeper, and less hypocritical approach. This book might be desirable if you are seeking the sensationalist in-church Christian occult-entertainment circuit experience in print. Note the title of "Spellbound" and dark cover in that regard! However, you can get far more complete information from some Christian ministry websites for free. And, if you are willing to venture further, non-Christian websites have extensive general and specific articles that cover literally any specific belief system. Also, read her CANA website articles first since authors do recycle their prior work into books. Her family and friends are naturally supportive (see other reviews) but this book simply lacks the depth that a Christian would need to talk to a serious occult practicioner of any age intelligently.

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