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Spellbinder #1
The Last Ghost: A Belladonna Johnson Adventure
Belladonna Johnson just wants to be normal.
OK, she can talk to ghosts, but everyone has their problems.
Then one day, the stars go out. Just for a second.
And the ghosts start to disappear...
Soon Belladonna and her friend Steve find themselves on a dangerous quest to the deserted, decaying, Other World, where the spirits usually dwell.
They need to find out where the ghosts have gone--before it's too late...
355 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2009
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1937 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
November 13, 2009
I so wanted to like this book. When reading the overview I thought "this could definitely be the next Harry Potter/Twilight". The premise certainly seemed interesting enough, but sadly it just wasn't all that well written. The whole book read like a concept for a film, like the author knew they were writing a book for want of having it become a phenomenon. So much of what was going on could have been made much more interesting by fleshing out the story itself. It seemed that the whole story was propelled by "and then she did". Again, you get the feeling that it was written specifically to become a movie but the storytelling aspects were so flat that I couldn't imagine the story while reading. And I was saddened because this was a book about a young female protagonist that didn't simper away pining for glittery vampires. Finally a lead female character that has universal appeal, but alas the potential was stronger than the story.
February 1, 2010
Update -
Second time around, it read even better so I upped the star count. Helen, the author, came and talked with the my book club in the library. She was clever, informative and insightful and she brought Parma Violets! (Read the book to find the connection.) She also read an excerpt from her recently completed second book in the series.
Definitely worth the time re-reading and I look forward to what may be a series of 5, according to the author. This one will circulate in the library and will be enjoyed by both boy and girl middle-readers. Plenty of ghosts, magic, and suspense, and very likeable and heinous characters who will no doubt show up later as our protagonist and her friend save the world.
Second time around, it read even better so I upped the star count. Helen, the author, came and talked with the my book club in the library. She was clever, informative and insightful and she brought Parma Violets! (Read the book to find the connection.) She also read an excerpt from her recently completed second book in the series.
Definitely worth the time re-reading and I look forward to what may be a series of 5, according to the author. This one will circulate in the library and will be enjoyed by both boy and girl middle-readers. Plenty of ghosts, magic, and suspense, and very likeable and heinous characters who will no doubt show up later as our protagonist and her friend save the world.
August 20, 2017
3.75*
Oh, what the heck! A whole 4*!
This book still had unanswered questions at the end, ; not a book to begin unless you plan on reading the whole series, should you like it. I happened to like this story very much, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume in the mail.
A few minor things bugged me, mostly how a very few out-of-place sentences seemed to shift (3rd person) POV away from Belladonna; it didn't happen often, but that's why it seemed so jarring. It wasn't a normal part of the narrative; we never know what's going on with the other characters when Belladonna isn't with them, so it was odd to read a sentence about what they were thinking but not voicing. Also, the MC is named Belladonna Nightshade, and no one ever makes a reference to this, and I feel like they should...
Finally, the last sentence of the book seemed like a cliche, over-the-top setup for a sequel that you would read at the end of a movie script; it's not even needed to let readers know that they should seek out book two, because, as I said earlier, it's obvious just from reading this book that it doesn't stand on it's own.
Overall, though, if you like supernatural MG stories, this is a very solid read. Not perfect, but I couldn't put it down.
Oh, what the heck! A whole 4*!
This book still had unanswered questions at the end, ; not a book to begin unless you plan on reading the whole series, should you like it. I happened to like this story very much, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume in the mail.
A few minor things bugged me, mostly how a very few out-of-place sentences seemed to shift (3rd person) POV away from Belladonna; it didn't happen often, but that's why it seemed so jarring. It wasn't a normal part of the narrative; we never know what's going on with the other characters when Belladonna isn't with them, so it was odd to read a sentence about what they were thinking but not voicing. Also, the MC is named Belladonna Nightshade, and no one ever makes a reference to this, and I feel like they should...
Finally, the last sentence of the book seemed like a cliche, over-the-top setup for a sequel that you would read at the end of a movie script; it's not even needed to let readers know that they should seek out book two, because, as I said earlier, it's obvious just from reading this book that it doesn't stand on it's own.
Overall, though, if you like supernatural MG stories, this is a very solid read. Not perfect, but I couldn't put it down.
October 27, 2013
This book was awful!
First off, Belladonna's parents are already dead, and she already has the seeing-ghosts power. What would have been better would be if they had JUST died, she had been sad, and then she developed the awesome power WHILE YOU WERE READING IT. The way it is, it's boring. The book was creepy, too. Here's some things I thought went into that category: vacuum-sized beetles, leaves that drank blood, and a black hound that she saw out her window. Also, there wasn't any interweaving or codes or anything that you could figure out, (except for some Latin words, but who wants to go look up a Latin word in the middle of a book, really?) Plus, there were a lot of loose strings, such as: when they figure out who the Spellbinder is, it doesn't say HOW or WHY, It doesn't explain HOW or WHY some people even got involved in the story, and it doesn't say HOW or WHY or WHAT some important magic words even MEAN!
If this is what Stringer is using to demonstrate her work, I wouldn't get any of her books in the future.
I gave it one star, and I wouldn't recommend it at all.
First off, Belladonna's parents are already dead, and she already has the seeing-ghosts power. What would have been better would be if they had JUST died, she had been sad, and then she developed the awesome power WHILE YOU WERE READING IT. The way it is, it's boring. The book was creepy, too. Here's some things I thought went into that category: vacuum-sized beetles, leaves that drank blood, and a black hound that she saw out her window. Also, there wasn't any interweaving or codes or anything that you could figure out, (except for some Latin words, but who wants to go look up a Latin word in the middle of a book, really?) Plus, there were a lot of loose strings, such as: when they figure out who the Spellbinder is, it doesn't say HOW or WHY, It doesn't explain HOW or WHY some people even got involved in the story, and it doesn't say HOW or WHY or WHAT some important magic words even MEAN!
If this is what Stringer is using to demonstrate her work, I wouldn't get any of her books in the future.
I gave it one star, and I wouldn't recommend it at all.
November 23, 2020
I probably would have liked this if I was eight, but as an adult it was pretty boring.
November 12, 2021
My kids and I listened to the audiobook of this while driving to school. My kids really liked the book, but for some reason the plot just didn't hold my attention very well.
June 9, 2021
3,5*** dibulatkan ke atas untuk premis dan bab-bab awal yang menjanjikan...
December 30, 2013
Belladonna Johnson is a tad unusual. She can see (and communicate) with ghosts and family dinners at her house include her two recently deceased parents. That is, until the ghosts in town start disappearing as if they were being wrenched right out of the world. With her abilities to commune with the other side, Belladonna might be able to get to the bottom of the mystery if she can only figure out whom to trust.
Although there are interesting ideas the story here isn't really conveyed in a satisfying manner. The confusing details and logistics of Belladonna's quest mostly get unloaded in clunky, rushed explanation by other characters instead of being revealed organically. Meanwhile far too much time is spent in generating eerie ambience. Belladonna's scrappy friend and sidekick Steve and her ghostly pal Elsie outshine the protagonist herself in terms of personality and the adult characters are given short shrift to a puzzling degree...Belladonna's aunt and grandmother in particular. The ending--such as it is--leaves a wide berth for sequels, but there doesn't feel like there is a sufficient enough foundation for readers to be invested enough (or even clear enough) on what's going on.
Although there are interesting ideas the story here isn't really conveyed in a satisfying manner. The confusing details and logistics of Belladonna's quest mostly get unloaded in clunky, rushed explanation by other characters instead of being revealed organically. Meanwhile far too much time is spent in generating eerie ambience. Belladonna's scrappy friend and sidekick Steve and her ghostly pal Elsie outshine the protagonist herself in terms of personality and the adult characters are given short shrift to a puzzling degree...Belladonna's aunt and grandmother in particular. The ending--such as it is--leaves a wide berth for sequels, but there doesn't feel like there is a sufficient enough foundation for readers to be invested enough (or even clear enough) on what's going on.
January 16, 2019
I was surprised at how charming and fun this book was.
I'd say that this is geared towards middle-school aged people,
but I would also say that it is a pretty good read and would be enjoyable to people of all ages.
Full of mystery, a bit of suspense, magic, and lot of underworld fun.
The author has a fun writing style that keeps you interested in the book and what's going on.
All in all, for youth I'd give it 5 stars, for YA I'd give it 4 1/2 stars, and for adults, 4 stars.
I'd say that this is geared towards middle-school aged people,
but I would also say that it is a pretty good read and would be enjoyable to people of all ages.
Full of mystery, a bit of suspense, magic, and lot of underworld fun.
The author has a fun writing style that keeps you interested in the book and what's going on.
All in all, for youth I'd give it 5 stars, for YA I'd give it 4 1/2 stars, and for adults, 4 stars.
Read
October 16, 2024DNF; page 148
started off quite strong, but it slowed to a crawl and I couldn't shake the thought "why the fuck aren't they talking to an adult who clearly knows more than they do" out of my head.
started off quite strong, but it slowed to a crawl and I couldn't shake the thought "why the fuck aren't they talking to an adult who clearly knows more than they do" out of my head.
October 15, 2014
I honestly didn't think that any book could be worse than The Explosionist... but I was so very, very wrong. I must have a knack for picking utter crap.
Spellbinder is about a girl named Belladonna Johnson. Her parents died in a car accident, but it's not so bad because Belladonna has a talent: she can see ghosts. So her family life is pretty much as it was before... except that now her parents can do things like poke their heads through the living room wall. But then one day all the ghosts in the world disappear. It's up to Belladonna and her friend Steve to discover what happened to all the ghosts... or, this time, Belladonna could lose her parents forever.
That really doesn't sound so bad, does it? The premise itself isn't bad. The writing, on the other hand, was absolutely abysmal. The author does not know how to write dialogue. And I'm not talking about stylistic issues here. I'm talking about the nuts-and-bolts punctuation and grammar of dialogue that you're supposed to learn in elementary school. As I read the book, I got angrier and angrier. This sort of thing should just not be published! Scarier still is the fact that this is a middle-grade book. If this is how we're teaching kids about the English language, it's no wonder so many of them can barely construct a sentence. Here are some particularly heinous examples:
"It's not allowed," Aya glanced back nervously.
page 97
Dr. Ashe nodded and managed a smile, "Quite so."
page 138
No, no, no! Ms. Stringer, are you allergic to the humble period? Those sentences are just plain wrong. Added to the weird spliced dialogue were speech attributions that just didn't make any sense:
"Hello, darling," beamed her mother.
page 19
"Oh, well," shrugged Steve.
page 100
Is Belladonna's mother telepathic? Can Steve's shoulders actually emit sound and talk? If so, I might be willing to let those go. But there's nothing in the book to suggest telepathic mothers or talking shoulders, so I'm going to label it as a mistake. What on earth is wrong with the words "said" or "asked"?
And the worst part of all of this is that, in the back of the book, the editors are proudly named. There's nothing to be proud of here. Spellbinder was so badly written that I'm probably going to avoid reading any other books by this publisher because it's obvious that even the editors don't have a clear understanding of the English language.
I got almost halfway through, struggling against the stinking prose and questionable actions of the main character. (Honestly. She walks out into traffic and a car nearly hits her. But it hits a cyclist instead before crashing into a concrete barrier. Instead of hanging around to give a witness statement to the police, Belladonna walks away with her friend to break into the school. Yeah, there's a responsible thing to be teaching kids.) Then I got bronchitis, and though I felt like curling up in bed and reading a book, I just couldn't bring myself to read any more of this one. I want books to bring me comfort when I'm sick... not make me feel even more ill. So I gave up. Life's too short for bad books.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
Spellbinder is about a girl named Belladonna Johnson. Her parents died in a car accident, but it's not so bad because Belladonna has a talent: she can see ghosts. So her family life is pretty much as it was before... except that now her parents can do things like poke their heads through the living room wall. But then one day all the ghosts in the world disappear. It's up to Belladonna and her friend Steve to discover what happened to all the ghosts... or, this time, Belladonna could lose her parents forever.
That really doesn't sound so bad, does it? The premise itself isn't bad. The writing, on the other hand, was absolutely abysmal. The author does not know how to write dialogue. And I'm not talking about stylistic issues here. I'm talking about the nuts-and-bolts punctuation and grammar of dialogue that you're supposed to learn in elementary school. As I read the book, I got angrier and angrier. This sort of thing should just not be published! Scarier still is the fact that this is a middle-grade book. If this is how we're teaching kids about the English language, it's no wonder so many of them can barely construct a sentence. Here are some particularly heinous examples:
"It's not allowed," Aya glanced back nervously.
page 97
Dr. Ashe nodded and managed a smile, "Quite so."
page 138
No, no, no! Ms. Stringer, are you allergic to the humble period? Those sentences are just plain wrong. Added to the weird spliced dialogue were speech attributions that just didn't make any sense:
"Hello, darling," beamed her mother.
page 19
"Oh, well," shrugged Steve.
page 100
Is Belladonna's mother telepathic? Can Steve's shoulders actually emit sound and talk? If so, I might be willing to let those go. But there's nothing in the book to suggest telepathic mothers or talking shoulders, so I'm going to label it as a mistake. What on earth is wrong with the words "said" or "asked"?
And the worst part of all of this is that, in the back of the book, the editors are proudly named. There's nothing to be proud of here. Spellbinder was so badly written that I'm probably going to avoid reading any other books by this publisher because it's obvious that even the editors don't have a clear understanding of the English language.
I got almost halfway through, struggling against the stinking prose and questionable actions of the main character. (Honestly. She walks out into traffic and a car nearly hits her. But it hits a cyclist instead before crashing into a concrete barrier. Instead of hanging around to give a witness statement to the police, Belladonna walks away with her friend to break into the school. Yeah, there's a responsible thing to be teaching kids.) Then I got bronchitis, and though I felt like curling up in bed and reading a book, I just couldn't bring myself to read any more of this one. I want books to bring me comfort when I'm sick... not make me feel even more ill. So I gave up. Life's too short for bad books.
http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...
February 21, 2011
The Last Ghost is the story of Belladonna Johnson - a girl who can see ghosts - and what happens when the ghosts start to disappear. Since two of the ghosts in question are her dead parents, she's rather keen to get them back.
It's a children's / young adult novel, and as such it has a breezy pace, lots of energy, and a fair bit of spirit. Lots of things to like about it, really: it never gets boring.
As an adult reader, the main thing that gets on one's nerves is the portrayal of adults in the story. With hardly an exception, they are annoyingly unwilling to listen to, or talk to the kids. They won't explain anything. They won't listen. They treat kids like inconveniences that need to be occasionally petted and fed, but otherwise ignored. It's probably meant to resonate with children, who probably feel ignored a lot. It just never convinces as genuine behaviour on the other side of the child/adult divide. Also, if a kid who can see ghosts wanted to tell me about their magic amulets, and I knew about ghosts and magic amulets, I'd be inclined to let them finish their sentences.
Other than that, there is a bit of a sense that this book makes up its story (and its underlying mythology) as it goes along. Our kid heroes don't know the rules of the worlds they enter, so it's a bit convenient that they learn and experience things with the reader, but it felt a bit clunky at times. You know the sort of novel where the writer is creating an entire world, and, in order to keep you mystified, only reveals it one little snippet at a time, with various characters who could explain the world constantly saying things like "we have no time to talk, let's move on and whack the snuggledragon with the dooglepip, or the world is going to end!!!" - well, this sort of literary device loses its appeal for me, and Belladonna's adventures do have quite a bit of it. (No snuggledragons or dooglepips, though - they were just invented for the purpose of this review)
All in all, it's fun and pacey, but a bit lightweight, a bit clunky, and a bit short of a great novel...
It's a children's / young adult novel, and as such it has a breezy pace, lots of energy, and a fair bit of spirit. Lots of things to like about it, really: it never gets boring.
As an adult reader, the main thing that gets on one's nerves is the portrayal of adults in the story. With hardly an exception, they are annoyingly unwilling to listen to, or talk to the kids. They won't explain anything. They won't listen. They treat kids like inconveniences that need to be occasionally petted and fed, but otherwise ignored. It's probably meant to resonate with children, who probably feel ignored a lot. It just never convinces as genuine behaviour on the other side of the child/adult divide. Also, if a kid who can see ghosts wanted to tell me about their magic amulets, and I knew about ghosts and magic amulets, I'd be inclined to let them finish their sentences.
Other than that, there is a bit of a sense that this book makes up its story (and its underlying mythology) as it goes along. Our kid heroes don't know the rules of the worlds they enter, so it's a bit convenient that they learn and experience things with the reader, but it felt a bit clunky at times. You know the sort of novel where the writer is creating an entire world, and, in order to keep you mystified, only reveals it one little snippet at a time, with various characters who could explain the world constantly saying things like "we have no time to talk, let's move on and whack the snuggledragon with the dooglepip, or the world is going to end!!!" - well, this sort of literary device loses its appeal for me, and Belladonna's adventures do have quite a bit of it. (No snuggledragons or dooglepips, though - they were just invented for the purpose of this review)
All in all, it's fun and pacey, but a bit lightweight, a bit clunky, and a bit short of a great novel...
June 11, 2011
Belladonna Johnson can see ghosts, but until recently, it’s been more trouble than useful, since it wouldn’t be good for Belladonna to be caught talking to someone invisible. But when her parents are killed in a car accident, she realizes how great her skill is. Even though no one else can see her parents, for Belladonna, it’s like nothing has changed. And for a while, everything is great—until one day, the stars blink out and her parents disappear without warning. Something is seriously wrong. Ghosts aren’t just supposed to disappear like that. So Belladonna, with the help of her sneaky classmate Steve, is going to find out exactly what is amiss before the ghosts—including her parents—are gone for good.
I really enjoy reading middle grade fantasy because younger protagonists are given a chance to truly shine in such imaginative stories. Spellbinder, thankfully, is one of these books. Belladonna and Steve have a youthful sort of immaturity which is so endearing, and the way that they go about trying to fix their problems has a logic unique to their young and curious age. It’s nice to take a break sometimes from young adult fantasy, where romance is usually prevalent, to see that fantasy can also be a realm where innocence and fun reign. Stringer has created such a fascinating story where ghosts and other scarier creatures exist, there are multiple realms, and it’s up to two kids to basically save the world. This younger fantasy is full of twists and turns and is immensely enjoyable for both the middle grade age group and older readers.
Spellbinder will be enjoyed by fans of Mister Monday by Garth Nix, Poison by Chris Wooding, and Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
I really enjoy reading middle grade fantasy because younger protagonists are given a chance to truly shine in such imaginative stories. Spellbinder, thankfully, is one of these books. Belladonna and Steve have a youthful sort of immaturity which is so endearing, and the way that they go about trying to fix their problems has a logic unique to their young and curious age. It’s nice to take a break sometimes from young adult fantasy, where romance is usually prevalent, to see that fantasy can also be a realm where innocence and fun reign. Stringer has created such a fascinating story where ghosts and other scarier creatures exist, there are multiple realms, and it’s up to two kids to basically save the world. This younger fantasy is full of twists and turns and is immensely enjoyable for both the middle grade age group and older readers.
Spellbinder will be enjoyed by fans of Mister Monday by Garth Nix, Poison by Chris Wooding, and Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
August 19, 2016
Love this passage!!
[Dulworth's School] had been started over 100 years before by two elderly energetic sisters who couldn't understand why boys got to learn interesting things like history and Latin and girls only got training in sewing, singing, and simpering. But the Dulworth sisters were not the sort who sat around bemoaning the status quo. They were the sort who leapt to their feet and marched about demanding change and scaring the horses. So they bought a house in what was then a quiet part of town and started a school for girls.
The writing in this book is pretty great.
I think that the word simpering was used 3, or maybe 4, times. Not sure why I counted that.
Who doesn't put their themselves in the place of the protagonists? I mean, that's the whole point isn't it? Maybe not the whole point, but you know what I mean. Anyway, whenever I encounter a story about somebody who is young, I always wonder if I could have or would have done the same things at that age? I want to say that my answer is usually no. But if I didn't does that mean other kids wouldn't? This is the kind of thing that runs through my head when I read middle grade and YA books. Could I, or would I, have done the same things as Belladonna at 12 years old? I don't know, but I think it's probably doubtful. It makes me wonder if I matured slower than everyone else. It makes me wonder about the plausibility of stories with teen and preteen protagonists. Is that stupid?
Anyway, this was a great story. I picked it out primarily because it was a female author Reading her own work. And that was a worthwhile read.
And I just found out that this story has a sequel! And my library has the audiobook for it, too! I just put it on hold.
[Dulworth's School] had been started over 100 years before by two elderly energetic sisters who couldn't understand why boys got to learn interesting things like history and Latin and girls only got training in sewing, singing, and simpering. But the Dulworth sisters were not the sort who sat around bemoaning the status quo. They were the sort who leapt to their feet and marched about demanding change and scaring the horses. So they bought a house in what was then a quiet part of town and started a school for girls.
The writing in this book is pretty great.
I think that the word simpering was used 3, or maybe 4, times. Not sure why I counted that.
Who doesn't put their themselves in the place of the protagonists? I mean, that's the whole point isn't it? Maybe not the whole point, but you know what I mean. Anyway, whenever I encounter a story about somebody who is young, I always wonder if I could have or would have done the same things at that age? I want to say that my answer is usually no. But if I didn't does that mean other kids wouldn't? This is the kind of thing that runs through my head when I read middle grade and YA books. Could I, or would I, have done the same things as Belladonna at 12 years old? I don't know, but I think it's probably doubtful. It makes me wonder if I matured slower than everyone else. It makes me wonder about the plausibility of stories with teen and preteen protagonists. Is that stupid?
Anyway, this was a great story. I picked it out primarily because it was a female author Reading her own work. And that was a worthwhile read.
And I just found out that this story has a sequel! And my library has the audiobook for it, too! I just put it on hold.
February 17, 2017
This is SUCH A GOOD BOOK, I LOVE ITTT. thats all. hope you ppl get to read it.
xx
xx
January 18, 2021
Okay I don’t care what anybody says. This story is amazing. I would recommend it to anybody who has read Harry Potter or perch Jackson. I’m not gonna read any of the reviews that left it less than the five stars it deserves (that’ll just make me so smad) but this book helped me through middle school, high school, and even right now through college. It’s a book that’s a companion to you and makes you forget your worries. I love the friendship between Belladona and Steve that blossoms in the face of adversity. Also how Steve gets more protective (can be seen more in its sequel). Honestly, please give this book a try. Read it to your siblings or kids. It’s just wholesome.
August 13, 2012
With this book, I think I was mostly just bored. I felt like there was a lot of potential, but the story never really figured out the pacing. It was either too slow or so fast that I coukdnt connect to the action or characters. Also, I was way too conscious that the author was holding a lot of things back, and for far too long. As a reader, it got annoying and a bit tedious. That said, the idea was fantastic and the plot elements themselves were exciting. The book just didn't live up to the potential contained within them.
August 9, 2010
This book was awesome! I only picked it up because the name intrigued me...but I'm very glad I did. It seemed...odd at places but it was always fun to read. I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read the next book.
EDIT: I have now read this book probably twenty times and have loved it more and more with each re-reading. It is one of my all-time favorite books now, and is quickly picking up popularity in the Underground Book Trade. C=
EDIT: I have now read this book probably twenty times and have loved it more and more with each re-reading. It is one of my all-time favorite books now, and is quickly picking up popularity in the Underground Book Trade. C=
Read
April 20, 2015It's really not that glamorous to be a ghost. They are just the cowardly souls of those who chose not to go on. Better to be brave and face what's ahead than to live a half-life of fear and sorrow as an empty shell of what you once were. Unless you just have unfinished business, or a movie you want to see first, I suppose it's understandable.
September 11, 2010
There's nothing terrible about this book. But there's also nothing exceptional. Standard middle grade modern fantasy, with some bonus points for Britishness and the character of Elsie. But not much else.
April 22, 2024
I read this book from my middle school library many years ago. I lost the name at the time but have never forgotten the story. It made a very lasting impression on me. Finding this book again after about 15 years was incredible. I loved it now as I had loved it then.
October 30, 2015
NO WORDS. ITS EXTRAORDINARY.
October 30, 2015
Their was alo of exitment.Their was so many detailes.But i think she rushed to the end.In the biggining to middle she put so much information in the end she rushed to finish i think
September 29, 2020
I really enjoyed Spellbinder. I loved the dialogue and friendship between Belladonna, Steve and Elsie. It felt natural and unforced.
March 18, 2020
It started great but... it ended kinda meh
Read
January 15, 2025healing childhood favorite reread.... cant believe the third book of the trilogy still doesn't exist over a decade later....
December 9, 2016
Warning: Contains spoilers and is very long and critical.
I immediately thought that I would love this story when I noticed the casual, descriptive, and humorous writing. I was wrong. The writing was enjoyable, but the story was a flop. It felt weak and never built on itself, instead continually adding new information (only works for survival stories) and objects that never ended up being significant in the end. The shining moments in this book were before the conflict started, with lots of humor and it seems promising with an excellent idea. However, when the problems start, the world we are pulled into never seemed clear to me or within reach of. I know Belladonna didn’t know this world well either, but there could have been a way to make this story more colorful and sharp possibly with cuts to a perspective different from mainly Belladonna and Steve. Maybe I criticize because I didn’t expect magical amulets and riddles from oracles (maybe the title Spellbinder should have clued me), but it would have been an exciting change if these actually became good content for the continuing the story. The story seemed rooted to the present. You couldn’t look back at past events for useful advice, and it was impossible to tell what the future goal was because of the unnecessarily slow information revealing. Intruiging buildups to a task fall flat on their face. The solution is either handed to them when there should have been interesting struggle, or even more new information is added with a brief explanation from a character and leaves the reader dumbfounded instead of surprised and excited, because they were still trying to figure out the characters’ situation in the plot.
Here are some examples. When Belladonna and Steve had to find a hidden amulet with the help of a riddle, I sensed a good story section of struggle. I did not expect Belladonna to figure out the riddle the next day with reasoning along with Steve adding an idea that seemed to come out from nowhere with no logic about what “arches” meant in the riddle. “‘I was thinking, you know, about arches and I just kept saying the word over and over to myself. Arches, arches, arches - arches - arches. And it just came to me - arcade!’” That’s what Steve said. This was one of those times where the reader could tell they should be excited because of a solution, but they are still dubious about whether this should be a plot turning point. Another example: the Hunt-calling horn suddenly found in the house the characters were trapped in. The only essential purpose of it was to get them out of the house. The conclusion could still be written without the Hunt-calling horn’s role in the end. Yet another example: when Belladonna was looking for Dr. Ashe’s top secret notebook, where did she get the idea to reach out and touch the walls, one of which held the notebook? For how easy it was for Belladonna to get it, it’s a good thing it turns out to be a not very significant plot element. A scary ghost summoning spell happens, I expect it to leave some disastrous impact to boost plot suspense, as it should when Belladonna does something stupid like performing a spell from an evil character’s notebook, but Belladonna leaves with a magical ruler weapon given by Slackett and nothing else happens. Why in the world did Slackett have that? Seems very convenient, as it turns out important later on. No event first comes to mind where the characters didn’t solve something on the first try. More questions. Why did Steve have to be given the ruler weapon and do all the fighting? The reason that he was the destined “Paladin” doesn’t cut it for me. I was also bothered by a missed opportunity for the interesting idea this story has. Belladonna sees ghosts and others couldn’t, and maybe the story could have shown her being bullied by students because she talks to thin air, and lots of skeptical adults saying “You’re imagination is too wild.” It is just something I would think make the story more interesting. If you hadn’t noticed, every adult encountered after the conflict starts has knowledge about ghosts and the Other Side (world of the undead).
Anyway, here is my biggest issue with this book. Many of the roadblocks in this story were passed because the character magically knew the words that created the solution. I know, it’s a character role with Belladonna being the “Spellbinder” so it’s necessary for her to have magic words pop in her head, but when it allows her to access the Other Side and the magic amulet without a sweat, I just call it lazy writing. The concepts were great, though, but poorly used. It makes sense that the portal to another dimension should not only require the doorway but also be unlocked with the Words of Power. I expected a hunt for what the words were since the characters didn’t know them, obviously. But when Belladonna is at the doorway she suddenly says the Words of Power without even knowing them and unlocks the portal. Is that a letdown or a convenience?
Another bad thing is that when I was reading, I actually wondered whether some events were actually necessary. A reader should never think that! A story is supposed to build on its events, but few revelations that move along the story are actually initiated by a character’s actions. A character adds new information about the world of ghosts whenever the story runs out of steam and then the characters have a new goal, so the story doesn’t feel like an already built structure that all supports itself and the characters slowly discover. It feels like a heavy object the author has to push forward with new background held back and added at the right time, like spices for a soup. In between are events that are entertaining or interesting that never were significant to the plot. Examples are the funny interactions between Elsie, Steve, and Belladonna when they were trying to enter the attic and the suspenseful stalking dog scene. They were the only things that pushed me along to read the rest of the story. Yes, not even the ending.
Even before you reach the conclusion, you can tell that the majority of the plot can be skipped and still reach the resolution. The reader was smacked with a load of new information that made the ending entirely unpredictable and feel like the rising action was all for nothing. An ending should never be predictable, of course, but it should be supported by past events so it would make sense and reader could even foresee possible endings, but fate is still swerved by the character’s actions and possibly an inch of unknown information. It was cemented that something was wrong with this story when the fate of all inhabitants of the nine worlds rested on Belladonna, the Spellbinder, to have the right magic words pop in her head and say them when the moment comes; also with the dependence on another amulet that one of the characters was revealed to have been holding for the entire story for reasons that were never explained. Problem solved. We end the book and I never find out what the other seven worlds were or the purpose of the Hunt. Belladonna even wondered what the Hunt did. I know there’s a sequel that could explain it all, but a book should stand on its own. I don’t have any interest for the sequel.
TL;DR: The events were interesting, the writing enjoyable (at least before the conflict starts), but the story was poorly created and revealed. And that's what matters in a book.
I immediately thought that I would love this story when I noticed the casual, descriptive, and humorous writing. I was wrong. The writing was enjoyable, but the story was a flop. It felt weak and never built on itself, instead continually adding new information (only works for survival stories) and objects that never ended up being significant in the end. The shining moments in this book were before the conflict started, with lots of humor and it seems promising with an excellent idea. However, when the problems start, the world we are pulled into never seemed clear to me or within reach of. I know Belladonna didn’t know this world well either, but there could have been a way to make this story more colorful and sharp possibly with cuts to a perspective different from mainly Belladonna and Steve. Maybe I criticize because I didn’t expect magical amulets and riddles from oracles (maybe the title Spellbinder should have clued me), but it would have been an exciting change if these actually became good content for the continuing the story. The story seemed rooted to the present. You couldn’t look back at past events for useful advice, and it was impossible to tell what the future goal was because of the unnecessarily slow information revealing. Intruiging buildups to a task fall flat on their face. The solution is either handed to them when there should have been interesting struggle, or even more new information is added with a brief explanation from a character and leaves the reader dumbfounded instead of surprised and excited, because they were still trying to figure out the characters’ situation in the plot.
Here are some examples. When Belladonna and Steve had to find a hidden amulet with the help of a riddle, I sensed a good story section of struggle. I did not expect Belladonna to figure out the riddle the next day with reasoning along with Steve adding an idea that seemed to come out from nowhere with no logic about what “arches” meant in the riddle. “‘I was thinking, you know, about arches and I just kept saying the word over and over to myself. Arches, arches, arches - arches - arches. And it just came to me - arcade!’” That’s what Steve said. This was one of those times where the reader could tell they should be excited because of a solution, but they are still dubious about whether this should be a plot turning point. Another example: the Hunt-calling horn suddenly found in the house the characters were trapped in. The only essential purpose of it was to get them out of the house. The conclusion could still be written without the Hunt-calling horn’s role in the end. Yet another example: when Belladonna was looking for Dr. Ashe’s top secret notebook, where did she get the idea to reach out and touch the walls, one of which held the notebook? For how easy it was for Belladonna to get it, it’s a good thing it turns out to be a not very significant plot element. A scary ghost summoning spell happens, I expect it to leave some disastrous impact to boost plot suspense, as it should when Belladonna does something stupid like performing a spell from an evil character’s notebook, but Belladonna leaves with a magical ruler weapon given by Slackett and nothing else happens. Why in the world did Slackett have that? Seems very convenient, as it turns out important later on. No event first comes to mind where the characters didn’t solve something on the first try. More questions. Why did Steve have to be given the ruler weapon and do all the fighting? The reason that he was the destined “Paladin” doesn’t cut it for me. I was also bothered by a missed opportunity for the interesting idea this story has. Belladonna sees ghosts and others couldn’t, and maybe the story could have shown her being bullied by students because she talks to thin air, and lots of skeptical adults saying “You’re imagination is too wild.” It is just something I would think make the story more interesting. If you hadn’t noticed, every adult encountered after the conflict starts has knowledge about ghosts and the Other Side (world of the undead).
Anyway, here is my biggest issue with this book. Many of the roadblocks in this story were passed because the character magically knew the words that created the solution. I know, it’s a character role with Belladonna being the “Spellbinder” so it’s necessary for her to have magic words pop in her head, but when it allows her to access the Other Side and the magic amulet without a sweat, I just call it lazy writing. The concepts were great, though, but poorly used. It makes sense that the portal to another dimension should not only require the doorway but also be unlocked with the Words of Power. I expected a hunt for what the words were since the characters didn’t know them, obviously. But when Belladonna is at the doorway she suddenly says the Words of Power without even knowing them and unlocks the portal. Is that a letdown or a convenience?
Another bad thing is that when I was reading, I actually wondered whether some events were actually necessary. A reader should never think that! A story is supposed to build on its events, but few revelations that move along the story are actually initiated by a character’s actions. A character adds new information about the world of ghosts whenever the story runs out of steam and then the characters have a new goal, so the story doesn’t feel like an already built structure that all supports itself and the characters slowly discover. It feels like a heavy object the author has to push forward with new background held back and added at the right time, like spices for a soup. In between are events that are entertaining or interesting that never were significant to the plot. Examples are the funny interactions between Elsie, Steve, and Belladonna when they were trying to enter the attic and the suspenseful stalking dog scene. They were the only things that pushed me along to read the rest of the story. Yes, not even the ending.
Even before you reach the conclusion, you can tell that the majority of the plot can be skipped and still reach the resolution. The reader was smacked with a load of new information that made the ending entirely unpredictable and feel like the rising action was all for nothing. An ending should never be predictable, of course, but it should be supported by past events so it would make sense and reader could even foresee possible endings, but fate is still swerved by the character’s actions and possibly an inch of unknown information. It was cemented that something was wrong with this story when the fate of all inhabitants of the nine worlds rested on Belladonna, the Spellbinder, to have the right magic words pop in her head and say them when the moment comes; also with the dependence on another amulet that one of the characters was revealed to have been holding for the entire story for reasons that were never explained. Problem solved. We end the book and I never find out what the other seven worlds were or the purpose of the Hunt. Belladonna even wondered what the Hunt did. I know there’s a sequel that could explain it all, but a book should stand on its own. I don’t have any interest for the sequel.
TL;DR: The events were interesting, the writing enjoyable (at least before the conflict starts), but the story was poorly created and revealed. And that's what matters in a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2020
Bertahun-tahun yang lalu, aku beli novel ini karena premisnya lumayan menarik. Tentang gadis remaja yang tinggal bersama hantu kedua orangtuanya, dan ketika semua hantu di dunia tiba-tiba menghilang, dia harus menyebrang ke Sisi Lain untuk mencari tahu apa yang sebenarnya terjadi dan mencari solusinya.
Sekarang, setelah selesai membaca, aku bisa bilang ceritanya lumayan seru, tapi tidak cukup untuk membuatku terkesan. Alur ceritanya berjalan cukup cepat, tapi tidak ada twist jadinya kurang greget.
.
Sang gadis tokoh utamanya bernama Belladona Nightshade. Dalam petualangannya dia dibantu oleh teman sekelasnya yang bernama Steve. Mungkin ada benih-benih cinta di antara mereka berdua, tapi karena ini target pembacanya middle grade, tidak ada hubungan asrama yang dieksplorasi.
.
Selain hantu dan dunia lain, ada juga unsur sihir yang kental dalam kisah Spellbinder. Aku tidak tahu dari mana inspirasi utama novel ini, tapi mungkin dari mitologi Yunani. Aku agak sulit memahami konsep-konsep yang disajikan di sini, lumayan banyak dan beragam. Ada konsep sembilan dunia, seperti dari mitologi Norse.
.
Satu hal yang bikin kesal adalah kelakuan orang-orang dewasa yang sok misterius dan meremehkan Bella dan Steve. Sungguh klise.
Hal lainnya yang bikin kesal, lumayan banyak saltik di novel ini. Tidak aku tandai karena lagi malas.
.
Novel ini lebih cocok dibaca anak SMP atau SMA deh kayaknya.
Ada dua buku lanjutan dari Spellbinder, yaitu The Midnight Gate dan The Blood Binding. Tapi aku belum berminat membacanya.
Sekarang, setelah selesai membaca, aku bisa bilang ceritanya lumayan seru, tapi tidak cukup untuk membuatku terkesan. Alur ceritanya berjalan cukup cepat, tapi tidak ada twist jadinya kurang greget.
.
Sang gadis tokoh utamanya bernama Belladona Nightshade. Dalam petualangannya dia dibantu oleh teman sekelasnya yang bernama Steve. Mungkin ada benih-benih cinta di antara mereka berdua, tapi karena ini target pembacanya middle grade, tidak ada hubungan asrama yang dieksplorasi.
.
Selain hantu dan dunia lain, ada juga unsur sihir yang kental dalam kisah Spellbinder. Aku tidak tahu dari mana inspirasi utama novel ini, tapi mungkin dari mitologi Yunani. Aku agak sulit memahami konsep-konsep yang disajikan di sini, lumayan banyak dan beragam. Ada konsep sembilan dunia, seperti dari mitologi Norse.
.
Satu hal yang bikin kesal adalah kelakuan orang-orang dewasa yang sok misterius dan meremehkan Bella dan Steve. Sungguh klise.
Hal lainnya yang bikin kesal, lumayan banyak saltik di novel ini. Tidak aku tandai karena lagi malas.
.
Novel ini lebih cocok dibaca anak SMP atau SMA deh kayaknya.
Ada dua buku lanjutan dari Spellbinder, yaitu The Midnight Gate dan The Blood Binding. Tapi aku belum berminat membacanya.
August 20, 2021
2 1/2 stars
This story is an adventurous trek where the main character, 12-year-old Belladonna, finds out who she really is (the Spellbinder) and goes in between the worlds of the living and the dead to stop an evil man. It was a creative story that was a little too much fantasy for me. There were a lot of new things that had to be explained in the dialogue. For example, "What is the House of Mists?" and the explanation that followed. "What are night ravens?" and the explanation that followed. "What is the Spellbinder?" and the explanation that followed. "But what is ???" and explanation that followed. I did like the characters. Belladonna was sincere and smart, and Elsie was fun and historical.
I listened to the audiobook, which was apparently narrated by the author herself. Usually that's a red flag for me, but I thought she did a good job. I would listen to her again. This appears to be book 1 in the series. I'll probably listen to book 2 if it comes out in audiobook.
This story is an adventurous trek where the main character, 12-year-old Belladonna, finds out who she really is (the Spellbinder) and goes in between the worlds of the living and the dead to stop an evil man. It was a creative story that was a little too much fantasy for me. There were a lot of new things that had to be explained in the dialogue. For example, "What is the House of Mists?" and the explanation that followed. "What are night ravens?" and the explanation that followed. "What is the Spellbinder?" and the explanation that followed. "But what is ???" and explanation that followed. I did like the characters. Belladonna was sincere and smart, and Elsie was fun and historical.
I listened to the audiobook, which was apparently narrated by the author herself. Usually that's a red flag for me, but I thought she did a good job. I would listen to her again. This appears to be book 1 in the series. I'll probably listen to book 2 if it comes out in audiobook.
November 27, 2023
I have incredibly fond memories or this book, and still have my sunbleached, tattered, hardback copy.
Reading it as an adult, it's something of a slog. However, this book was a huge success for me as a 10-ish year old. If your child (or you) love books like The Mysterious Benedict Society, or you have a child who loved The Worst Witch, but needs something a bit more advanced now, this is everything you need.
It might be a little spooky for some younger readers, but I was pretty easily scared as a child and I hoovered every word up. It's clever, but not pretentious, and it will make an odd/socially isolated child feel seen and might make them think a little bit about who could be their friend if they give people a chance.
Reading it as an adult, it's something of a slog. However, this book was a huge success for me as a 10-ish year old. If your child (or you) love books like The Mysterious Benedict Society, or you have a child who loved The Worst Witch, but needs something a bit more advanced now, this is everything you need.
It might be a little spooky for some younger readers, but I was pretty easily scared as a child and I hoovered every word up. It's clever, but not pretentious, and it will make an odd/socially isolated child feel seen and might make them think a little bit about who could be their friend if they give people a chance.
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