Title: Conjure (The Hoodoo Apprentice #1)
Author: Lea Nolan
Source: Received from publicist in exchange for honest review
Synopsis:
Be careful what you search for...
Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.
When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.
Review:
Conjure is the first book in The Hoodoo
Apprentice series by Lea Nolan. This is a very adventurous book told
from Emma's point of view. Her, and her twin brother Jack, are
staying with their dad in South Carolina for the summer. Their friend
Cooper lives here, and together the 3 of them find an ancient bottle
that leads to horrendous curses. Emma must learn hoodoo magic to save
her brother's life, and the soul of Cooper – her crush.
When I started reading this book, I'll
admit that I had some reservations. I realized that Emma and her
brother are only 14. While I enjoy young adult books, I'm used to the
characters being a little older. Honestly, you wouldn't know they
were so young. Well, Jack has some issues, but Emma is very brave and
mature. She shows a lot of determination and courage that most 14
year-olds wouldn't have in the awful circumstances these 3 find
themselves in. She is a very likable character that many girls can
look up to. Jack acts like a jerk and a baby sometimes, but he has a
flesh eating curse so I would probably be whiney too. Cooper is a
good guy. He is the rich, drop dead sexy type – but he is also a
goodie two-shoes. Those types don't usually mix in books so I thought
he was an interesting character. I really liked him.
The plot was well developed and unique.
You can tell the author did a lot of work researching hoodoo magic
and the Gullah culture. I really enjoyed reading about Miss Delia and
seeing her take Emma under her wing. The glimpses into the past, when
the curse was first set, was particularly interesting. The book was
very well written.
There was even a little bit of romance
in this book. The romance definitely didn't lead the storyline
though. I normally like a little more romance with my books, but I
still enjoyed this one. It was very exciting and fast paced. There
wasn't a large cliffhanger at the end, but there were enough loose
ends to make you anxious to read the next. I think that anyone who
enjoys young adult paranormal books will really enjoy this one.
Visit the author here:
Find this book at the following places:
Amazon (kindle)
Amazon (paperback)
I had not heard of this one yet. Great review, and I love the cover!
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