Holly ist nicht mehr dieselbe, als sie endlich aus der Traumzeit zurückkehrt. Dämonen haben die Kontrolle über ihren Körper übernommen, und die einst mächtigste Hexe aus dem Geschlecht der Cahors ist nicht wiederzuerkennen. Als Michael Deveraux, der größte Feind des Clans, mit einer Armee von Toten über Seattle herfällt, kann der geschwächte Zirkel der Hexen des Lichts nur tatenlos zusehen. Und dann bringt Michael auch noch ihre Anführerin Holly in seine Gewalt. Nun ist es an den übrigen Mitgliedern des Zirkels, Holly zu retten. Vor allem Jer wird alles tun, um seine große Liebe und Seelenverwandte aus den Fängen seines bösen Vaters zu befreien …
Nancy Holder, New York Times Bestselling author of the WICKED Series, has just published CRUSADE - the first book in a new vampire series cowritten with Debbie Viguie. The last book her her Possession series is set to release in March 2011.
Nancy was born in Los Altos, California, and her family settled for a time in Walnut Creek. Her father, who taught at Stanford, joined the navy and the family traveled throughout California and lived in Japan for three years. When she was sixteen, she dropped out of high school to become a ballet dancer in Cologne, Germany, and later relocated to Frankfurt Am Main.
Eventually she returned to California and graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at San Diego with a degree in Communications. Soon after, she began to write; her first sale was a young adult romance novel titled Teach Me to Love.
Nancy’s work has appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, LA Times, amazon.com, LOCUS, and other bestseller lists. A four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers Association, she has also received accolades from the American Library Association, the American Reading Association, the New York Public Library, and Romantic Times.
She and Debbie Viguié co-authored the New York Times bestselling series Wicked for Simon and Schuster. They have continued their collaboration with the Crusade series, also for Simon and Schuster, and the Wolf Springs Chronicles for Delacorte (2011.) She is also the author of the young adult horror series Possessions for Razorbill. She has sold many novels and book projects set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Saving Grace, Hellboy, and Smallville universes.
She has sold approximately two hundred short stories and essays on writing and popular culture. Her anthology, Outsiders, co-edited with Nancy Kilpatrick, was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award in 2005.
She teaches in the Stonecoast MFA in Creative Writing Program, offered through the University of Southern Maine. She has previously taught at UCSD and has served on the Clarion Board of Directors.
She lives in San Diego, California, with her daughter Belle, their two Corgis, Panda and Tater; and their cats, David and Kittnen Snow. She and Belle are active in Girl Scouts and dog obedience training.
This fourth installment in the Wicked series opens with major problems for Holly’s coven. Possessed by multiple demons, rendering her insane, Holly’s been taken by the evil Michael Devereux. Meanwhile, her coven members are grieving for those they lost in the latest battle against Michael and his army, and recovering from their own injuries.
Spellbound escalates the challenges set up in the previous books. This novel also introduces another new important character, a cousin of Holly’s, who may or may not be evil. There’s a lot to like about Spellbound, partly because backstory from the past is kept to a minimum (there’s quite a bit in previous books). The added emotion I was looking for in the two previous books appears in this one. As mentioned in my review of the third book, I was disappointed by the lack of attention with respect to Jer Devereux’s reunion with his mother. This book, however, is all about emotion as his mother reunites with her eldest son, Eli.
Again, there is an epic battle toward the end of the book, which is not only riveting but results in big changes. I’m already reading the final novel to see how the series ends.
This is book 4 in Holder's YA Wicked series. Let's see, what to say... I found the story a fun, easy read; and enjoyed finding out more about the war between the Deveraux's and Cahors, as well as seeing what happens to the other characters. Although I have enjoyed other YA series, I'm finding this series hard to get into, but will read the last book to finish the series and see how things end. Therefore, I would not recommend this series to adult readers, but think teens and young adults will like the series, and be able to relate to the characters.
Book four in the Wicked series (Spellbound) finds Nicole kidnapped (again!) Holly incapacitated. Sir William, leader of the Supreme Coven, has decided to rid the world of the Cahors legacy once and for all, and creates twelve golems, four each for Holly, Nicole and Amanda. They are focused and deadly and little in the world can stop them once they're unleashed. In addition to fighting for their lives and sanity, the Cahors witches must now battle not only House Devereaux, but the Supreme Coven too! It may prove too much.
Spellbound, the penultimate story of the Wicked series, opens with Holly's group of witches completely thrown apart. With many of their friends dead, Nicole trapped, and Holly possessed, Amanda and the rest of the witches head back to Europe for a final showdown. I enjoyed Spellbound more than the previous two, although the jumping between different perspectives confused me at times. The final showdown was incredible and I was happy this wasn't the final book.
After reading the first 2 books I was intensely disappointed with Holly, though I think that's partly because I can relate to her a bit too much. Once again I'm disappointed in her. I would never leave my "Jer" as she has done. Unfortunately I am emotionally invested in the series now and need to read the last book.
This book redeemed several characters, even as it put Holly in terrible danger. Unfortunately, there are many groups rushing around trying to finish off each other, which makes for a confusing story that again ends in a cliffhanger. It is well put together except for that, and the need to complete it makes this a strong contender for a really good read.
Ahhhh! I cannot get into these books! The storyline jumps around way too much and it seems outrageous events pop up from out of the blue. I hate to not finish something I start but I think I've had enough of this series.