Review: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

Bloodspell
By:  Amalie Howard

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Langdon Street Press (a division of Hillcrest Publishing Group, Inc.) (June 1, 2011)

About:  The spell was simple... ''Cruentus Protectum'' (''Defend the Blood'')
But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?

Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds--much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?

My Review:

Amalie Howard proves that there can be a new and unique twist to the ever-popular vampire/witch theme so prevalent in today’s Young Adult genre.

Strange things are beginning to happen to Victoria (Tori) Warrick and after a mysterious illness lands her in the hospital for a lengthy stay, she transfer to a new school to hopefully begin a new life. That life is beyond anything she could imagine and not in a good way.

On her 17th birthday, Tori is given a gift from her deceased Grandmother via her Aunt Holly. The gift contains an old journal as well as powerful amulet tucked within an intricately carved wooden box. The journal tells a dark and haunting story of a long ago ancestor. Within these aged pages, Tori will find answers, as well as more disturbing questions to discover who she really is and what her destiny holds.

Within Tori blood, boils a curse and all-consuming power that she must learn to control, before it overtakes and controls her. Add to this realization the appearance of a mysterious and darkly handsome stranger and Tori will be in for the physical and emotional fight of her life.

Christian is a vampire and any type of relationship with a witch is strictly forbidden. However, the powerful pull and chemistry between Tori and Christian is impossible to ignore. Once Christian discovers who Tori is and exactly what her blood is capable of, he knows that he will stop at nothing to keep her safe – just as her enemies will stop at nothing to take her blood for their own.

Bloodspell is an amazing paranormal ride that grabbed me from the beginning and filled me with surprises and eagerness to fly through the pages to discover what was going to happen next. I loved the characterization of both Tori and Christian. They are both remarkably strong, courageous and brilliant. The story truly never had a lull in action and was filled with twist and turns. What made Bloodspell different than many other stories within this genre? It was darker and though it had the “forbidden love” theme to it, it was not the main plot of the story. There were no mushy “woe is me” types of thoughts throughout and the characters are incredibly mature, which kicks the story up another notch. In addition, the idea that blood can hold such powerful magic is intriguing, as well as the fact that this curse (or blessing) is carried on through the maternal blood line.

Readers will find themselves swept away within the complex, intricate and massively incredible and enjoyable story, Bloodspell, crafted by an amazingly talented author. Amalie Howard will blow minds with her debut work, which plays out like a veteran author’s works. She definitely has an amazing future ahead of her and I can’t wait to read what she releases next! I highly recommend Bloodspell to lovers of the paranormal – young adult or not.

Favorite Quote: This is a special birthday for Warrick women. It marks both an end and a beginning, the end of what we know and the beginning of what we are to become. Don’t fear it. Embrace it. You are a Warrick.

*my review was originally published at Romancing the Book

Amalie Howard:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. She received a bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Maine in International Studies and French, and a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. She has also lived in Los Angeles, Boston, and New York City. She has worked as a research assistant, marketing rep, global sales executive, freelance writer, and blogger. A lover of other cultures and new experiences, especially of the culinary variety, she has traveled extensively across North America and Europe, and as far east as China, Indonesia, and Australia. She currently resides in New York with her husband, three children, and one very willful cat that she is convinced may have been a witch’s cat in a past life.

Amalie Howard’s debut novel, BLOODSPELL, evolved from a short story that took on an eerie life of its own, and is undoubtedly the result of a lifelong infatuation with witchcraft, vampires, and excessive amounts of chocolate.

TEN FUN FACTS ABOUT AMALIE:-

1. She’s traveled to 141 cities in 18 countries.

2. She fenced competitively in college.

3. She lived and studied in France for several years (she still looks back on them as some of the best, most self-defining years of her life).

4. She danced ballet for nine years but stopped to focus on academics.

5. She is a Padi-certified deep-water scuba diver.

6. She entered and won a beauty pageant when she was 16.

7. She’s a closet gear-head. She loves cars, bikes, boats and anything with an engine.

8. She bungee-jumped 765 feet off of the Macau Tower in China.

9. She has three tattoos.

10. She once surfed on the coast of Australia and a 20-foot great white shark was spotted there the next day.