Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton
Published by Bastei Entertainment
Published on: February 7, 2017
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 247
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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A teen girl with the ability to predict deaths through her drawings shouldn't need to lie constantly to make her life sound interesting. But that doesn't stop Emily from spinning stories faster than she can keep up.
After transferring to a new school, Emily's 'dull' life is shaken by the appearance of a boy who seems unfazed by her far-fetched stories. A too-handsome-for-his-own-good senior, Noah has some secrets of his own. He needs Emily's special gift to save him from Sarah, queen bee of the school's It Girls, whose own supernatural abilities have forced him into a life of silence and solitude.
But when Emily tries to free him from Sarah's voodoo curse, things go belly up, landing Emily on Sarah's hit list. Soon, Emily and Noah are on a collision course with the It Girls, leading to a shocking revelation that ties them together in unimaginable ways. If their powers remain unchecked, this teenage popularity contest could spell the death of them all ...
Romantically charged and eerily chilling, Something Like Voodoo weighs the choice of saving your life versus fighting for a life worth saving. This young adult paranormal romance will put a spell on you.
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Mean girls, or the so called It Girls of high school, can make other girls life miserable, that’s a given. But what if the Queen Bee of the It Girls has supernatural powers? Powers that date back centuries, recently awakened by her using a voodoo spell, and used to keep her fellow It Girls loyal, and keep one particular young man under her thumb-and submissive. That’s the premise of this young adult read, and it had me on the edge of my seat several times while reading.
When seventeen year old Emily and her father relocate to a small town in New Jersey after her mother’s death, she’s really not happy. She’s nowhere near done grieving for her lost mother and now she has to start over at a new high school, middle of her senior year. The first person she meets at school is Noah, when she literally runs into him. It’s not long before she realizes that there’s something up with Noah-and not in a good way. But he seems to like her, and he’s hot and a jock, just to keep things more interesting. Sarah is the Queen Bee of the school and not at all pleased that Noah seems interested in Emily. Noah is her property period, end of discussion, and she wasn’t having Emily trying for him-even though it’s Noah that’s interested in Emily. And this puts Emily on Sarah’s radar. Not a good thing with any Queen Bee, but Sarah is just plain evil personified. When Emily witnesses Noah being mentally tortured by Sarah to the point of hospitalization, she knows she has to help Noah get out from under Sarah’s spell.
Emily was an interesting character, and not very typical for a YA heroine. She tells lies about all sorts of things to people-especially her father. He’s about had it with her lies, but they are still all each other has in the world. She does a lot of things that I would never have done at her age, taking the car and driving an hour away on a school night, things like that. Of course she gets into trouble and continues to do things like that. She has reasons to do with helping Noah, but to her dad it’s just another time she has lied to him. I was a bit frustrated with her at times. I should also mention that she has a paranormal gift of her own. One that causes her to draw pictures of people that are going to die. Noah is a good guy, but since he is under Sarah’s spell, we don’t see as much of his personality-except in a couple of safe zones he has developed where he can not be seen by Sarah. He does care for Emily and he spends time trying to keep Sarah from hurting her. On Sarah’s part, there really isn’t anything redeeming about her. Perfect high school villain.
This ended up being a bit scary at times, and was way more than just a voodoo spell read. There’s reasons behind everything that happens and pretty much all of it is paranormal. There’s a big twist I never saw coming, a mystery, and some actual real life and death moments. If you like YA books that feature heroines that are not cookie cutter, romance, and some fairly unique paranormal, bordering on horror, elements, this may be one you may enjoy. For those that don’t like a book that takes place partially at high school, not going to lie, there are plenty of those scenes. But there’s just as many that don’t take place there. I did enjoy the read although at times I was a little frustrated by Emily. And actually even with the lies, she was otherwise very likable.
I would recommend this to paranormal romance readers aged 14 plus. FYI-No name of a sequel is given, but there is mention of a second book in an authors note I read on Amazon.
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
I have this one on my wishlist so I am glad to hear that it’s a good one! 🙂
Stormi Johnson recently posted…Audiobook review of Python’s Embrace
It was a good one Stormi 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
Hey no legs, cool, spooky
blodeuedd recently posted…A small-town bride – Hope Ramsay
Hmmm I hadn’t even noticed that!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
Ohh this sounds suspiciously like Witchcraft. I like it!
Joy // Joyousreads recently posted…[711]: Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley
I liked it! Fun, spooky read 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
I’m very picky about YA. I’m not sure if I would like this one or not. I think it would be hard to like a heroine who is a lair. Really glad that you enjoyed it. Hopefully, you will find out about book two soon.
Melanie recently posted…Review: Seth by Eve Langlais (@mlsimmons, @EveLanglais)
I don’t like all YA, but maybe more than you do. This one was just spooky enough to keep me fully engaged and I liked it 🙂
The creative use of spells and making high school issues worse/better with the paranormal is neat, but the lying and running around doing what she pleased with the car… not sure I’d be able to make it all the way through.
Nice review, Lorna!
Sophia Rose recently posted…Review: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
I didn’t mean to say that she lied constantly, but she sure couldn’t stop herself when she lied to her dad. It may have been some acting out due to her mom dying and her father taking her away from everything she knows. Not sure. It didn’t bother me enough to not finish 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
I like the sound of this one, I might have to pick it up.
kindlemom1 recently posted…Review: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
I thought it was a good read and unique to me 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
I’ve always loved unreliable narrators, and I bet I’d enjoy reading from Emily’s perspective because she sounds like an MC who’s a borderline pathological liar, haha. Add to that teen witches and I’m sold! They’re my weakness.
Danya recently posted…Review: Huntress by Malinda Lo
I hope you enjoy it if you get a chance to read it!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
This sounds interesting, though I’m not sure it’s for me. The last horror book I read had me sleeping with the lights on. LOL
Great review.
Angie recently posted…Bookishly Speaking | Things I Could Do without in Contemporary Romance
Not sure if this one is that bad, but I sure know what you mean!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
This sounds dark for YA, so it might be a good fit for me Lorna. I do love horror, suspense and paranormal woo-woo.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Concealed by Kate SeRine
Yes, but it is YA, so while it’s dark, it’s sure not as bad as some adult horror that I’ve read in the past. Still had me scared at times though!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)
Not loving the liar part and I think that would bother me, but I do like the premise and I’m intrigued. 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…WTF Netflix????
It was intriguing! The author kept me liking the heroine for other reasons, and sometimes she lies to help other people 🙂
What a unique sounding YA, Lorna. I love a YA heroine that isn’t cookie cutter, Sarah does seem like the perfect YA villain, and I like the sound of all the paranormal. That this kept you on the edge of your seat at times says a lot about the writing, plus it’s scary sometimes?? You have me curious. I’m adding it to my wishlist.
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…2017 #BookishResolutions Challenge Update ~ March
It was a spooky read for real and you would hate Sarah! If you ever get the chance to read it Brandee, I hope you love it!
Wow! This sounds dark but what a great review!
cindy recently posted…Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns (The Devil Wears Prada #2)
It was kinda dark for real! And thank you 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Something Like Voodoo by Rebecca Hamilton (@Mollykatie112, @InkMuse)