Bound to You

by Christopher Pike

A thrilling bind-up of two classics from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Pike.Epic love crosses space and time in these two sexy, suspenseful stories from #1 bestselling author Christopher Pike.

     In Spellbound, weeks ago, a girl’s body was found in the mountain stream after a freak animal attack. The only witness to the tragedy was her boyfriend, Jason. Now, Jason has a new girlfriend. Cindy wants to trust Jason…but as secrets start to come out, she doesn’t know what to believe. And the truth just may be more horrific than anything she’d imagined.

     In See You Later, Mark has fallen hard for Becky…even though she already has a boyfriend. He’s close to giving up when the mysterious Kara arrives, determined to bring Mark and Becky together. But why does Kara care so much? And just how far will Mark go for the girl he loves?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Time Travel, Horror, Supernatural

512 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2012

About the author

Christopher Pike is the pseudonym of Kevin McFadden. He is a bestselling author of young adult and children's fiction who specializes in the thriller genre.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

McFadden was born in New York but grew up in California where he stills lives in today. A college drop-out, he did factory work, painted houses and programmed computers before becoming a recognized author. Initially unsuccessful when he set out to write science fiction and adult mystery, it was not until his work caught the attention of an editor who suggested he write a teen thriller that he became a hit. The result was Slumber Party (1985), a book about a group of teenagers who run into bizarre and violent events during a ski weekend. After that he wrote Weekend and Chain Letter. All three books went on to become bestsellers.

Reviews

[Erica Paré · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I bought this book I didnt realize it contained two completely unrelated stories. Starting with the first, Spellbound. I was really captivated in the writing style and attention to detail given. I really liked how there was an ending to wrap up the loose ends accumulated throughout the climax of the storyline. It was definitely not an ending I could have ever anticipated or thought of on my own! I love how the love between brother and sister was so strong and hope to see that kind of bond in my own familt one day.
Second part, See You Later. This is not a genre of story I would have picked up and read on my own before. I am not one to really be intrigued by science-fiction but this story was different. It contained the writing style I am drawn to with the love story of Mark and Becky / Vincent and Kara. I do however have to say some parts where they are describing the 'time travel' and 'aliens' and how it all works with the Illumine can get very confusing. Other than that I wish the there was some sort of more definite end for Mark. It kind of leaves you hanging wondering if he lived or died.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for Spellbound! That was an awesome plot that was wholly original from anything else I’ve read. The supernatural bits were well placed and well thought out, and I happily went along with it.

New exchange student Joni is actually a vulture—while in Africa she participated in a shaman ritual to transfer consciousness with one, and never switched back. The bird is now in Joni’s body and killing everybody, and Cindy (our awesome protagonist) has to rescue her brother from its clutches. Through a series of deadly shenanigans she is able to transfer the vulture into a parrot instead.

Supernatural and original and amazing. Yay originality!


2 stars for the second novel, See You Later. It got a bit too convoluted and, dare I say it, the character development actually bored me. I kept waiting for the action to hit instead of seemingly endless conversations about nothing. I didn’t hate the story, but it didn’t win me over the way Spellbound did.



So averaging the two reviews together, this gets 3 stars.

[Soobie has fog in her brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giving an average mark to the two novels appearing in this anthology, Bound to You gets 2,5 stars. And let's make three because he's Christopher Pike.

Spellbound ★★★★

Even if this novel is almost as old as I am, I guess it still is a good one. I've read an Italian translation around 1994 and it just confirmed that Christopher Pike was my favorite writer. Now I've decided to slowly read all his books in English because most of the Italian edition were somehow fitted in order to focus on a younger readership than the one intended by the author.

I'm still amazed at how much sex innuendo is there. Not in bad way, of course. Somehow it makes the characters a little more alive. And nothing of it was present in the book I've read as a kid.

Still, I really like the novel. I had very vague memories of the plot and I didn't remember who was the perp. Maybe the story was predictable but enjoyable nonetheless. The characters were a bit plain and their personality was not well defined but lovable, but I guess that it wasn't a big flaw in the context.

Cindy is a strong female lead and she can shoot, which was a bit weird from an European point of view. She has a wonderful dog named Wolf and a lovely brother, who has a huge crush on a new student from England, Joni. She's not the only new student in Timber, since we also meet Bala, from Kenya.

The ending is quite intriguing, though. Both Bala and Cindy try to kill the villain in this novel and they both fail. But Cindy sort of finds a way out of the situation.

See you later ★

You know, in reading Spellbound you can actually see that the novel is quite old. Especially when you read about the characters having to fish in their pockets to come up with some coins in order to be able to call from a pay phone. But in See you later Mark has an MP3-player and Becky has to sort out DVDs and BluRays. And the book was written in 1990. There were no such things as Blu Rays back then.

Apart from that. It took me three days to read this one. I really found it difficult to read.

First I didn't like Mark as the main character. He seems to be a little spineless, not being able to make any decisions and just accepting what other people do. And Kara... she just barged in the plot deciding that Becky would have been the perfect girl for Mark. And she started meddling in this poor girl's life. OK, some may object that she has all the rights to do that but for me she just seemed bossy.

The story about the future, with China attacking the US, feels a bit old and over the top. Especially because of the general and his ambitions. The truth is that the part about the future was the most interesting for me. But my interest was later put to bed by what happened later. I do like Pike's books but I don't like his spiritualism and his philosophy.

I'm planning on reading all Pike's book but now I need a break from him.

[Michelle Michaels Conklyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

They were alright...neither stories were great and I didn't really like either if them. I'm actually really surprised on all the great reviews...I mean the writing was pretty good. Though I prefer in the first person writing but the stories I thought were kind of mediocre.

I liked spellbound more so far I think...I'm only half way through the second one and it's hard to get through it so far. It just have lost my interest. Maybe it's the video games and computer stuff. Or the fact that the main character male is around 5'2 and I like books where I can picture the male character and love him but so far I can't connect with him. Ill probably finish it but so far not so good....

It was bargain sale so thought I would give it a try.

[Allyssa Mallari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the book was THAT good but to be honest, I just wanted to finish what I started reading. I finished the book just because I don't want to leave the book unfinished, and not because I really got hooked to it. The stories were good in a way, but not my cup of tea. Perhaps, others would find this nice but for me, uhm...

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked both stories, the writing is good. And the stories took a turn I didn't expected. I loved the characters and the creativity of this book. I read it in a day, so it is an easy read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering What would happen next. This is first time I read a book from Christopher Pike and I think I will read his other books, I like his writing style.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

These fell flat for me. I only kept going because I was worried I wouldn't get another chance to read them due to lack of availability. I'm shelving C-Pike for the foreseeable future. Including each individual novel in these updated combined volumes, I've read 10 Christopher Pike novels this year. I think of those, Whisper of Death was the best.

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve had this book kicking around for awhile. Finally picked it up. Now it has two books in one and I liked the first story much better than the second story. First was more paranormal and second was more sci-fi. I wasn’t blown away, not sure if I would recommend .

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read See You Later and Spellbound earlier this year in this collection and forgot to mark the omnibus down as read. These are two different spectrums in Pike's supernatural Pike universe. One is a scifi story about love having to save the world through time travel and another explores the concept of body swapping with animals and the consequences of it. I love supernatural Pike. See You Later is the stronger novel and one I think back foundly on over the last few months since reading. Spellbound has issues, but I like it more and more now that it's not so fresh. I recommend them both.

See You Later: 4.5 stars
Spellbound: 3.75 stars

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure if it was the characters or the plots, but neither of these stories lived up to my expectations of Christopher Pike. I much prefer his Last Vampire series (the original 6) or The Season of Passage.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains Spellbound and See You Later. Both are very unique and two very interesting ends of the fiction spectrum.

Spellbound is more magical based, whereas See You Later has a definite sci-fi feel too it. Both are great reads and unique enough that they balance each other out.

[Mari Johnson]

Nothing to say here except 'read this book'. Both stories blew me away way beyond expectation and believe me, I had HIGH expectations.

[Brooke]

Read in a treasury (?) of two books. Started the second book after reading the first and realized it was updated (MP3 players in 1990?). Got frustrated and quit the second.

[Chantel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bound to You by New York Times Bestselling Author, Christopher Pike takes us on two spellbound journeys through the strange happenings of a boy and a girl. The first short story Spellbound is about a girl named Cindy who has Jason as a boyfriend who is blamed for killing his last girlfriend by the falls. Events become even stranger as animal attacks continue to appear exactly where the last girl was killed. Will she find out the real truth about what exactly happened that night between Jason and his ex, and will she be able to handle the truth?
See you later is about a typical 19yr old boy named Mark who has a heart deficiency. One day he happens to stop by the video store and meets Becky, who soon captures his heart. All in the same day he meets Vincent and Kara. Immediately he realizes these will be his lifetime friends. The only thing he can’t understand is why Kara wants to set him up with Becky even though she already has a boyfriend. Will he find out more than his heart can handle and will he be able to defeat the game?
Christopher Pike’s suspenseful short stories take a dip into the past and future while lingering in the mix epic love and thick hatred that paints into the pages. Both stories revolved around teenagers trying to find themselves and figure out the mysterious that are hidden within others. His use of rapid events, one event happening after another, allows the reader to stay engaged through both of the stories.
I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Mysteries, suspense, and magic are Christopher Pike’s strong suits. His books are hypnotizing and make you want to keep reading till the very end. I would give Bound to You five stars for Spellbound and three stars for See you later. Thanks for reading! 

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin McFadden is my favorite author. I must admit that this book is not as amazing as the 'Thirst' series and not as exciting. But the ending of the two books inside this volume didn't fail my expectations. Both stories touched my heart at the ending that made my waterworks into action once again. I like the way Christopher Pike/Kevin McFadden ends the story with a love that will never end (a love that will never end in an ending lol). Just like Thirst did, these two stories touched my heart.

Okay, after my sweet talks, let's face it:
Do I have any violent reactions? OF COURSE I DO.
First of all, why in the name of the good must death occur in both endings?! I mean, sure, the ending is breathtaking and amazing but, let's face it, it is better if the character that died is alive.

But I think I am against my own opinion. Yeah yeah, I want the character to be alive, however, if one of the protagonists didn't die, will the ending and the story itself be as touching as the original ending?
I guess not. So all in all, I loved the book. I have my own opinions and such but if someone asks me if I will rewrite the book, will I change the ending? My answer is no.

Besides, I have no right to do such thing. I love Christopher.

[Jessica Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was good. I'm a fan of Christopher Pike's books because they always have me on the edge of my seat, thinking, "What's going to happen next? What's going to happen next?" But then there are times in the book when I'm thinking, "What the heck is going on here?" And no matter how many times I re-read the part I'm confused on, I can't make any sense of it, so I shrug and continue reading. There are two stories in this book: the first one is about some mysterious murders going on that are dubbed as "animal attacks", but the main character is not so sure.... The second story has present people meeting their future selves, and their future selves are trying to alter the past thinking that in doing so, the future will change for the better. If anyone is interested in the sort of messed up, twisted, dark stuff like that, then I'd suggest that they read it. But if you read this book...have a dictionary handy.

[Madi Taylor]

Becky and Mark are destined to be togther in Kara's eyes, but why? Mark soon discovers that Kara is from the future and is there to bring Mark and Becky together, and that Becky and Kara are the same person. Kara needs to get Mark and Becky together so that Becky does not end up with Ray who is really Frederick. As time passes Mark and Becky grow more and more apart with the lies and Becky's love for Ray. Will Kara succeed in getting Mark and Becky togther? Or will they all die in the end? "I quit going to Becky's store, afterall it was just too painful." Mark says this saying that seeing Becky and knowing that he can't have her is too painfull for him. I liked this book because it was suspensfull and unique but it was also so unrealistic that is was hard to read. In conclusion, I liked and disliked this book. (Science Fiction. 15 & up)

[Jolice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously? This book is so damn weird. But I really like it! Maybe I am a weirdo, haha, but I had never read story plots like these before! The two stories in this book are so enchancing and exciting, and things just happen the way you will never expect them to happen. Although there are some parts which are quite confusing, I really like how things turn out in the end. Sometimes when I read I just feel that the story is just a tragedy, but there are times when it really made me very delighted. I can't help thinking how does the author came up with all these extraodinary story plots. They are just all so cool.:)

[Linda W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed both stories in this book, but See you Later was by far my favourite. I was surprised at how immensely profound it turned out to be. It's the kind of story that really makes you think about our mysterious universe and how little we understand it. I love pondering about this and this is the the main reason I gave it 5 stars. It was also a page turner. I read it in one sitting!

Spellbound was also very intense and I enjoyed it. It was a little strange, but I still enjoyed it.

Both the stories in this book were so different and I'm not entirely certain how they relate to each other.

[Angie Merriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was super strange for me, but not in a bad way. The book consisted of two different stories that were both good. The first story left me going "what?!?!" but it kept my attention and was a quick read. The second story was a little mind bending as well but I really liked it and found it to be more believable than the first story. All in all I found myself thinking how weird this book was yet I couldn't put it down..go figure. I give it four stars for creativity, solid plots, strong characters, and for leaving me utterly confused and intrigued.

[Senja Nasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes two short stories. Spell bound and see you later. Spell bound was amazing and very intense. See you later however, left me very confused. Wasn't a huge fan of that one. It has to do with the future and I feel he didn't explain it well enough. It left me with a question mark. But still, Pike is by far my favorite author. He knows how to include romance into a book without going overboard. He knows how to include suspense without making it sound really fake and made up. Well done!

[Shay]

I liked the first story 'Spellbound' but not the second 'See You Later'. Spellbound was unexpected (I guessed only a part of the mystery before it was revealed) but See You Later was a bit drab to be honest. Pike has done this theme before, much more successfully in my opinion. I also did not feel the two stories merged well together and think they should have been packaged separately. Either way, the Kara/Mark storyline did not captivate me and did not feel well explained (I suppose if it had captivated me I would not mind so much the lack of explanation).

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until The End, Christopher Pike's other double saga novel, was worse than this one. Bound to You had one really good story, See You Later.
Spellbound is older, so maybe the writing style became a little cheesy for me. It was okay, but the story wasn't the best and I've heard of things like this before.
See You Later on the other hand, was fantastic. I loved the characters, especially Kara, she had that whole kick-butt attitude going on and I just loved her!
Pretty good!

[Sara Buklan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were two completely different stories in this book. They were both fantasy but except for those parts it was like realistic fiction. They were really instresting but i don't understand why the author put those stories in the same book. They aren't really realated except for they both have the idea of love in them. I don't really have much to say about this book. It wasn't amazing and it wasn't bad, in my opinion it was pretty average.

[Jacqueline Selecky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Pike is my favorite science fiction author ever. His books always creep me out or leave me with disturbed feelings. I like that his books never really have an "end". It's usually open ended and you can decide for yourself what you think. I think he has a great balance of science meets religion in his books to satisfy everyone. I look forward to reading more from him.

[Torie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christopher Pike has an amazing imagination extending to other worlds. I loved the first book in this book of two, which was more or less had a crime setting. The 2nd book was also good but didn't hook as the first. This was my first piece of his writing, but you can bet your buttons I'm looking forward to more.

[Josh Aron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other Chritopher Pike's book I love the first 100 hundred pages not to mention the tittles. Those were easy read- narratively easy to understand but kinda disappointing as you go through the next hundred pages.
Spellbound was so so but really it's better than the 2nd one. I guess I'm not into Sci- Fci which goes on the second- See You Later....

[Dottie Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pike's book contains 2 complete novels within this book. The first one, Spellbound, was intriguing and I was captivated by the story it told. However, the second one, See You Later, was very much a sci-fi novel. The storyline is good, however, I'm just not a sci-fi fan. The story was good but was a bit hard to follow at times. Overall a good read!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christopher Pike never disappoints

very interesting concepts

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it,all the mistery...suspense
I just want to keep reading ...the second
history in the book in the beginning
I dont understand it,but i reading again
And i like it.......