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Night World #3
Spellbinder
When her cousin Blaise, a witch of the black arts, sets her sights on star athlete Eric Ross, white witch Thea casts a spell on the young man to protect him and falls in love despite the rules that forbid a relationship. Original.
228 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
102 people are currently reading
2822 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Smith
337 books112k followersSmith was born in Villa Park, Orange County, California. In interviews, she has said she realized she wanted to be a writer sometime between kindergarten and first grade, “when a teacher praised a horrible poem I’d written”, and began writing in earnest in elementary school. Smith received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1987, followed by teaching credentials in Elementary education and Special education from San Francisco State University.
She taught kindergarten and special education for several years before becoming a full-time writer. Her first book, The Night of the Solstice, was published by MacMillan in 1987, followed by, Heart of Valor in 1990, and the 4-volume Vampire Diaries series in 1991-2. Three trilogies followed: The Secret Circle (1992), The Forbidden Game (1994), and Dark Visions (1995). The first installment of her popular Night World series was published in 1996, followed by eight more over the next two years. In 1998, Smith began a decade-long hiatus from writing, returning in 2008 with a new Web site and a series of new short stories. The Vampire Diaries series was reissued in 2007, followed by re-printings of The Secret Circle trilogy and Night World series in 2008/2009. The Night of the Solstice and Heart of Valor was also reissued in 2008. Three new Vampire Diaries installments were published in 2009 and 2010.
Smith lived in the San Francisco Bay area “with one dog, three cats, and about ten thousand books.”
She passed away on March 8th, 2025, after a lengthy illness.
She taught kindergarten and special education for several years before becoming a full-time writer. Her first book, The Night of the Solstice, was published by MacMillan in 1987, followed by, Heart of Valor in 1990, and the 4-volume Vampire Diaries series in 1991-2. Three trilogies followed: The Secret Circle (1992), The Forbidden Game (1994), and Dark Visions (1995). The first installment of her popular Night World series was published in 1996, followed by eight more over the next two years. In 1998, Smith began a decade-long hiatus from writing, returning in 2008 with a new Web site and a series of new short stories. The Vampire Diaries series was reissued in 2007, followed by re-printings of The Secret Circle trilogy and Night World series in 2008/2009. The Night of the Solstice and Heart of Valor was also reissued in 2008. Three new Vampire Diaries installments were published in 2009 and 2010.
Smith lived in the San Francisco Bay area “with one dog, three cats, and about ten thousand books.”
She passed away on March 8th, 2025, after a lengthy illness.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
March 6, 2009
I ABSOLUTLEY LOVE HER BOOKS. THIS IS WAY BETTER THAN TWILIGHT AND NOT AS SEXUAL AND MORE INTO THE VAMPIRE STUFF AND IT HAS WEREWOLFS AND SUCH!! ILOVE THIS SERIES!!
August 4, 2018
Once again, I must have accidentally taken this book off my “Read” shelf. Had to add it back.
October 20, 2018
If it weren't for my Unfinished Series Challenge I wouldn't even consider going on with this series.
This one was't any better than its predecessors. :(
This one was't any better than its predecessors. :(
March 8, 2020
The third entry in L.J. Smith's Night World series, about a hidden society of vampires, witches and shape-shifters, Spellbinder shifts focus after the first two vampire-centered novels, concentrating instead on the witches of this secret world. When Thea and Blaise Harman - first cousins and witches - come to stay with their grandmother in Las Vegas, they soon find themselves involved in a love triangle with a human boy at their high school. Thea struggles with the knowledge that Eric is her soulmate, while reckless Blaise plots to separate the two, and put an end to such heretical notions...
Smith continues her world-building here, laying out the foundational myth of the Night World, in which the lamia (vampires) are descended from Maya, and the hearth-women (witches) from her sister Hellewise. The two main witch circles - Circle Midnight and Circle Twilight - are discussed, and brief mention is made of the mysterious Circle Daybreak, which will play so decisive a role in future stories. Like Daughters of Darkness before it, characters initially seen in Secret Vampire recur, while other characters introduced here turn up later in the series.
The Night World books are aimed at teenage girls, and nowhere is that more apparent than in their reliance on the "Romeo and Juliet" motif. But despite the melodramatic flourishes, the theme of forbidden love works very well in the context of each story. Smith understands the appeal of having a "soulmate," and the strength of young emotions: "The thing was, it was terrible and wonderful. She felt awkward and tremendously safe at once, scared to death and not scared of anything. And what she wanted was so simple. If he only felt the same, everything would be all right."
As mentioned in my review of Daughters of Darkness , I prefer this series to the more current (and more popular) Twilight saga. Smith's characters are a fairly complex mix of good and bad, and her girls are smart, strong-willed, and principled. The recurring feminist themes, and the emphasis on tolerance for other world views, make for exactly the kind of “neo-pagan” literature decried by the religious right. High praise, in my book...
Smith continues her world-building here, laying out the foundational myth of the Night World, in which the lamia (vampires) are descended from Maya, and the hearth-women (witches) from her sister Hellewise. The two main witch circles - Circle Midnight and Circle Twilight - are discussed, and brief mention is made of the mysterious Circle Daybreak, which will play so decisive a role in future stories. Like Daughters of Darkness before it, characters initially seen in Secret Vampire recur, while other characters introduced here turn up later in the series.
The Night World books are aimed at teenage girls, and nowhere is that more apparent than in their reliance on the "Romeo and Juliet" motif. But despite the melodramatic flourishes, the theme of forbidden love works very well in the context of each story. Smith understands the appeal of having a "soulmate," and the strength of young emotions: "The thing was, it was terrible and wonderful. She felt awkward and tremendously safe at once, scared to death and not scared of anything. And what she wanted was so simple. If he only felt the same, everything would be all right."
As mentioned in my review of Daughters of Darkness , I prefer this series to the more current (and more popular) Twilight saga. Smith's characters are a fairly complex mix of good and bad, and her girls are smart, strong-willed, and principled. The recurring feminist themes, and the emphasis on tolerance for other world views, make for exactly the kind of “neo-pagan” literature decried by the religious right. High praise, in my book...
January 13, 2020
Trečioji serijos knyga yra apie raganas. Dvi pusseseres: viena gera, kita bloga. Apie Tėją ir Blezę jau buvo užsiminta pirmoje knygoje „Slaptoji vampyrė“, o šitoje knygoje pasakojama jų istorija. Kaip ir visos šios serijos knygos: yra apie uždraustą meilę tarp žmogaus ir Nakties Pasaulio asmens bei jų lenktynes su laiku bandant išvengti mirties nuosprendžio, kuris kaip visuomet baigiasi laiminga pabaiga.
Blezės tikrai nekenčiau daugiau nei pusę knygos, nors ji mano svajonių moteris: juodaplaukė... *drooling* Tad buvau nustebintas knygos pabaigos, kuri buvo tokia nuostabiai And They Lived Happily Ever After. Tikrai pakėlė nuotaiką ir suteikė malonią šilumą širdyje.
Na... ir vienas MILŽINIŠKAS skundas VERTĖJAI.... SAMHAINAS , o ne „sauinas“, dūra tu!... *facepalm* Matosi, jog vertėja visiškai nė bum bum apie raganas, jų šventes ir ritualus. Pats būdamas raganiumi LABAI įsižeidžiau už tokią nedovanotiną klaidą. Tai mums šventa šventė, kuri švenčiama naktį iš Spalio 31 į Lapkričio 1 kuomet vartai tarp gyvųjų ir mirusių pasaulio yra atviri. Tai mūsų Naujieji Metai. Bet knygos vertinimo nemažinsiu, nes autorė originaliame tekste viską surašė gerai ir ji nekalta- tai netikėlių lietuvių vertėjų klaida. (Net nekalbu apie tai, kad tie nevykėliai nesugebėjo IKI ŠIOL, (VELNIAI RAUTŲ JAU 2020-ieji), iki šiol išversti likusių trijų knygų serijoje... *rolling eyes* Teks skaityti anglų kalboje, nes šioje šalyje nėra nei normalių leidyklų, nei normalių vertėjų. O kas geriau darbą atliks, jei ne pats? *rolls eyes* )
APIBENDRINIMAS: lengvai skaitoma, trumpi skyriai, greitas veiksmas, raganos ir romantika. Kas gali būti geriau? <3
Blezės tikrai nekenčiau daugiau nei pusę knygos, nors ji mano svajonių moteris: juodaplaukė... *drooling* Tad buvau nustebintas knygos pabaigos, kuri buvo tokia nuostabiai And They Lived Happily Ever After. Tikrai pakėlė nuotaiką ir suteikė malonią šilumą širdyje.
Na... ir vienas MILŽINIŠKAS skundas VERTĖJAI.... SAMHAINAS , o ne „sauinas“, dūra tu!... *facepalm* Matosi, jog vertėja visiškai nė bum bum apie raganas, jų šventes ir ritualus. Pats būdamas raganiumi LABAI įsižeidžiau už tokią nedovanotiną klaidą. Tai mums šventa šventė, kuri švenčiama naktį iš Spalio 31 į Lapkričio 1 kuomet vartai tarp gyvųjų ir mirusių pasaulio yra atviri. Tai mūsų Naujieji Metai. Bet knygos vertinimo nemažinsiu, nes autorė originaliame tekste viską surašė gerai ir ji nekalta- tai netikėlių lietuvių vertėjų klaida. (Net nekalbu apie tai, kad tie nevykėliai nesugebėjo IKI ŠIOL, (VELNIAI RAUTŲ JAU 2020-ieji), iki šiol išversti likusių trijų knygų serijoje... *rolling eyes* Teks skaityti anglų kalboje, nes šioje šalyje nėra nei normalių leidyklų, nei normalių vertėjų. O kas geriau darbą atliks, jei ne pats? *rolls eyes* )
APIBENDRINIMAS: lengvai skaitoma, trumpi skyriai, greitas veiksmas, raganos ir romantika. Kas gali būti geriau? <3
Read
April 5, 2025i think the Elders should have an exception to the rule of “don’t let humans know about Night World” since the human/Night world Soulmate pairings are gonna happen … just saying 🤷🏻♀️
August 12, 2007
Again characters mentioned for a moment in a previous book end up as the main characters in this book.
This book is about witches instead of vampires, which threw me off for a little bit, but I found that I liked it very much as more lore was added to the Night World series with this installation and more characters for future books were introduced as well.
This book is about witches instead of vampires, which threw me off for a little bit, but I found that I liked it very much as more lore was added to the Night World series with this installation and more characters for future books were introduced as well.
November 7, 2020
22 May 2019
Enchantress is book 3 in the Night World series.
It isn't one of my favourites but we do start to realise that something big is going to happen. We are also introduced to Circle Daybreak.
Enchantress is book 3 in the Night World series.
It isn't one of my favourites but we do start to realise that something big is going to happen. We are also introduced to Circle Daybreak.
March 23, 2019
It was okay, I would've loved to see a couple chapters from Blaise' s POV but I thought the plot of this book was better than the previous night world stories. I really enjoyed the contrast between good and bad, white and black, Thea and Blaise. I think these books would be really good for an eleven or twelve year old maybe just starting to get into paranormal fiction or young adult.
August 15, 2020
This is my favorite one so far. I liked how the humans were seen as the toys rather then them becoming instant friends or lovers. I liked the idea of the of the spirit and the whole backstory of her and how they caught her. i also liked the way the coven set it up so that Thea could have her happy ending. Blaze was a great character you never knew what side she was on.
January 31, 2013
The female protagonist, Thea, is a witch who has been orphaned and kicked out of a few schools due to the trouble caused by her cousin, also a witch and also an orphan. The story begins with them going to a new school. On the first day of school Thea saves a guy from a snake bite by using her cousin's bloodstone. During the exchange she feels a strange 'connection' with him. She starts to fall in love with him, which naturally is forbiddon, and things are only made worse when Thea's cousin decides to get involved, and when a summoning spell goes wrong and a vengeful spirit is unleashed.
It's not a bad book. But for me, there's no reason to like it. Characters are really important to me, and I just didn't find anything particularly interesting about this book's characters. Moreover, I don't really go for the 'soulmate' thing, or the fact that Thea thinks she's totally in love with this guy when she's known him for less than a week. I also don't go for forbidden romances. Actually, paranormal romances in general aren't my thing, the reason why I'm reading this is only because I had to give a book talk on a supernatural book in my Young Adult Literature class. I could have done a book I've read before... the problem is that I haven't really read any supernatural books before- so I had to find one on short notice. At least the content was clean, and that's something that's really important to me. So over all, not a bad book (although again, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their emotions). Not what I'd go for, but if you're the type who does like paranormal romances and that kind of thing, it's a good, light read.
It's not a bad book. But for me, there's no reason to like it. Characters are really important to me, and I just didn't find anything particularly interesting about this book's characters. Moreover, I don't really go for the 'soulmate' thing, or the fact that Thea thinks she's totally in love with this guy when she's known him for less than a week. I also don't go for forbidden romances. Actually, paranormal romances in general aren't my thing, the reason why I'm reading this is only because I had to give a book talk on a supernatural book in my Young Adult Literature class. I could have done a book I've read before... the problem is that I haven't really read any supernatural books before- so I had to find one on short notice. At least the content was clean, and that's something that's really important to me. So over all, not a bad book (although again, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their emotions). Not what I'd go for, but if you're the type who does like paranormal romances and that kind of thing, it's a good, light read.
July 26, 2017
4 Stars:
All in all this book was just really great, just enough romance and just enough adventure, the way she describes the witchcraft and makes u feel part of the powerful magic that takes place.
Among some of my favorites. Outstanding literary work. The characters are well developed, interesting. The liked characters are likable and the hated are unlikable. The writing is captivating enough to keep you interested until the end and leave you wanting more. It has a fairly original or uniquely well-developed plot. The pretense and romance were well balanced and done with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors, and chemistry. Not so much predictable if at all. Overall, loved it, I recommend reading!!
Full Disclosure : I participate in reviews with NetGalley, Author Review Requests, Publisher Requests, and Book Tours. An e-copy was provided to me by NetGalley and/or the Author, and/or the publishers. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
All in all this book was just really great, just enough romance and just enough adventure, the way she describes the witchcraft and makes u feel part of the powerful magic that takes place.
Among some of my favorites. Outstanding literary work. The characters are well developed, interesting. The liked characters are likable and the hated are unlikable. The writing is captivating enough to keep you interested until the end and leave you wanting more. It has a fairly original or uniquely well-developed plot. The pretense and romance were well balanced and done with properly distributed amounts of hints, behaviors, and chemistry. Not so much predictable if at all. Overall, loved it, I recommend reading!!
Full Disclosure : I participate in reviews with NetGalley, Author Review Requests, Publisher Requests, and Book Tours. An e-copy was provided to me by NetGalley and/or the Author, and/or the publishers. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
March 6, 2009
I LOVE THIS BOOK
June 29, 2012
A good book, not as spellbilding as the two before, but still a must read!
March 5, 2019
Night World
Enchantress
L. J. Smith
Expelled.
It was one of the scariest words a high school senior could think of, and it kept ringing in Thea Harman’s mind as her grandmother’s car approached the school building.
Plot.
In the Night World there are only two rules:
1. Never let them find out the Night World exists.
2. Never fall in love with one of them.
These stories are about what happens when the rules are broken.
The third instalment of the Night World series is Enchantress; about two young cousins, Thea and Blaise, who are witches,
After moving to yet another new school after Thea’s cousin Blaise gets them kicked out, and with strict instructions not to get into trouble by their grandmother.
This gets broken as soon as they turn up at school; when Thea spots a rattlesnake and tries to get rid of it when Eric turns up.
Eric a popular, sporty, smart, yet shy boy turns up to protect Thea; but gets bitten, thus Thea uses magic to heal him only to find out their soulmates.
This then leads to Thea trying multiple this to stop Eric from loving her, so he wont get killed... or her. While trying to stop Blaise from killing him too.
But in one of her attempts she lets out an angry sprite of a witch who wants revenge.
Thea has to rectify her mistakes, while protecting Eric, and hoping her Grandmother/Elders don’t find out. She is a her wits end.
What I Liked.
It was meaty. It had a lot going on at once, and a lot of suspension.
Eric is so adorable too. Thea is relatable.
What I Didn’t Like.
It had the same instant love like Secret Vampire, I can forgive it for the great story, but it could have been slower.
Overall.
It was enjoyable, I liked it much more that Daughters Of Darkness, and Secret Vampire.
4/5*
Enchantress
L. J. Smith
Expelled.
It was one of the scariest words a high school senior could think of, and it kept ringing in Thea Harman’s mind as her grandmother’s car approached the school building.
Plot.
In the Night World there are only two rules:
1. Never let them find out the Night World exists.
2. Never fall in love with one of them.
These stories are about what happens when the rules are broken.
The third instalment of the Night World series is Enchantress; about two young cousins, Thea and Blaise, who are witches,
After moving to yet another new school after Thea’s cousin Blaise gets them kicked out, and with strict instructions not to get into trouble by their grandmother.
This gets broken as soon as they turn up at school; when Thea spots a rattlesnake and tries to get rid of it when Eric turns up.
Eric a popular, sporty, smart, yet shy boy turns up to protect Thea; but gets bitten, thus Thea uses magic to heal him only to find out their soulmates.
This then leads to Thea trying multiple this to stop Eric from loving her, so he wont get killed... or her. While trying to stop Blaise from killing him too.
But in one of her attempts she lets out an angry sprite of a witch who wants revenge.
Thea has to rectify her mistakes, while protecting Eric, and hoping her Grandmother/Elders don’t find out. She is a her wits end.
What I Liked.
It was meaty. It had a lot going on at once, and a lot of suspension.
Eric is so adorable too. Thea is relatable.
What I Didn’t Like.
It had the same instant love like Secret Vampire, I can forgive it for the great story, but it could have been slower.
Overall.
It was enjoyable, I liked it much more that Daughters Of Darkness, and Secret Vampire.
4/5*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2017
Fazem algumas horas que terminei de ler Spellbinder, de LJ Smith, e não sei bem o que pensar.
Não sei o que pensar pois esta foi uma experiência totalmente nova para mim. Eu sempre espero que os livros da autora sejam fluidos e dinâmicos, mas lineares. Aceito totalmente o clima New Age do seu sobrenatural, pois sei que ela vai saber me levar por caminhos "seguros" para mim... Mas mão foi isto que aconteceu desta vez.
Desta vez, o passeio foi selvagem.
Ao dar um descanso nos seus Vampiros, LJ Smith pôde explorar todo um universo novo e interessante: As Bruxas. E isto não foi apenas um novo fôlego para a série Night World. Na verdade, ela pôde explorar muito mais a dualidade de seus personagens - nem sempre certos, mas nunca vilões - como também conseguiu falar de forma bem moderna assuntos ainda super atuais, e que ela já mostrava conhecimento de causa em um livro de 1996.
Como disse antes, esta foi uma leitura que me deixou em êxtase do começo ao fim. Não sei bem precisar em que momento percebi que está seria uma viagem diferente, mas quando dei por mim, virava páginas e capítulos com medo do que estava por vir.
Foi empolgante e totalmente novo para mim. Com Spellbinder, LJ Smith mostra que sabe como contar uma história eletrizante, com elementos novos e cativantes. Este não foi apenas uma expansão de universo. Foi um passeio completamente novo. E isto é maravilhoso.
Não sei o que pensar pois esta foi uma experiência totalmente nova para mim. Eu sempre espero que os livros da autora sejam fluidos e dinâmicos, mas lineares. Aceito totalmente o clima New Age do seu sobrenatural, pois sei que ela vai saber me levar por caminhos "seguros" para mim... Mas mão foi isto que aconteceu desta vez.
Desta vez, o passeio foi selvagem.
Ao dar um descanso nos seus Vampiros, LJ Smith pôde explorar todo um universo novo e interessante: As Bruxas. E isto não foi apenas um novo fôlego para a série Night World. Na verdade, ela pôde explorar muito mais a dualidade de seus personagens - nem sempre certos, mas nunca vilões - como também conseguiu falar de forma bem moderna assuntos ainda super atuais, e que ela já mostrava conhecimento de causa em um livro de 1996.
Como disse antes, esta foi uma leitura que me deixou em êxtase do começo ao fim. Não sei bem precisar em que momento percebi que está seria uma viagem diferente, mas quando dei por mim, virava páginas e capítulos com medo do que estava por vir.
Foi empolgante e totalmente novo para mim. Com Spellbinder, LJ Smith mostra que sabe como contar uma história eletrizante, com elementos novos e cativantes. Este não foi apenas uma expansão de universo. Foi um passeio completamente novo. E isto é maravilhoso.
June 3, 2021
So far, I think this was my least favorite of the Night World Series.
This focused on two witches, Thea and Blaise. They've been kicked out of nearly every school they've attended because Blaise can't seem to stop ruining the boys she dates. Thea can't stand the thought of being kicked out again and begs Blaise to behave at their new school. Of course, on the first day there's a snake attack. Thea reaches out with her mind to the little rattlesnake, only to find that he's absolutely terrified by the group of teens surrounding him. As she's coaxing him into relaxation, Eric comes to the rescue, and by rescue I mean ruins Thea's entire plan and gets bitten by the rattler.
In typical Night World fashion, Thea falls for a human. She can't seem to shake Eric. She can't even get the spells or potions to work on him. Obviously it's because they're soulmates. But what makes their relationship so much better is that it sets us up for a renegade group, Circle Daybreak, which is home to a coven of Night People and Humans living outside of the strict Night World rules.
I'll be posting a full series review on A Reader's Diary!
This focused on two witches, Thea and Blaise. They've been kicked out of nearly every school they've attended because Blaise can't seem to stop ruining the boys she dates. Thea can't stand the thought of being kicked out again and begs Blaise to behave at their new school. Of course, on the first day there's a snake attack. Thea reaches out with her mind to the little rattlesnake, only to find that he's absolutely terrified by the group of teens surrounding him. As she's coaxing him into relaxation, Eric comes to the rescue, and by rescue I mean ruins Thea's entire plan and gets bitten by the rattler.
In typical Night World fashion, Thea falls for a human. She can't seem to shake Eric. She can't even get the spells or potions to work on him. Obviously it's because they're soulmates. But what makes their relationship so much better is that it sets us up for a renegade group, Circle Daybreak, which is home to a coven of Night People and Humans living outside of the strict Night World rules.
I'll be posting a full series review on A Reader's Diary!
August 31, 2020
One of the problems with reading a series like this for a challenge comes with not having a break in-between the stories. Third one in and though the story is different and features different characters, it still felt rather 'samey'.
This time round we focus on sisters Blaise and Thea, and their battle (I can't help but see it that way for the majority of the story) for human Eric.
These two witches do - as we might come to expect - have powers at their disposal and we come to learn a little more about the life of the witches in the Night World. Both are prepared to break the rules, and - of course - we have Thea realising that Eric is her soulmate and she has to decide if she's willing to risk everything for love. I was surprised that the people around them seemed so oblivious to what was going on, because they were hardly subtle and the effects of their actions were hard to overlook.
Gripes aside, this is pretty good fun and entertaining reading though I'm not sure I'll feel the need to read any more of the series.
This time round we focus on sisters Blaise and Thea, and their battle (I can't help but see it that way for the majority of the story) for human Eric.
These two witches do - as we might come to expect - have powers at their disposal and we come to learn a little more about the life of the witches in the Night World. Both are prepared to break the rules, and - of course - we have Thea realising that Eric is her soulmate and she has to decide if she's willing to risk everything for love. I was surprised that the people around them seemed so oblivious to what was going on, because they were hardly subtle and the effects of their actions were hard to overlook.
Gripes aside, this is pretty good fun and entertaining reading though I'm not sure I'll feel the need to read any more of the series.
January 16, 2016
Review originally posted on The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange :)
The Story
Thea and Blaise grew up like sisters, but the girls were different as day and night. While Thea was peaceful and an animal healer, Blaise was a first’class trouble maker and boys killer. Almost literally.
After being expelled five times from different schools, Thea is determinated to make Blaise behave and allow both of them to finish their studies. The problem is that Blaise is not cooperating and can’t wait to play with her new human toys, as she seems the non-magical people.
Things get worse when she targets Eric, the only boy that ever made Thea’s heart beat in a different rhythm. In order to protect Eric, Thea must pretend that she is interested in charming him and make him fall in love with her, just like Blaise would do. No harm done, no witch laws broke.
The only problem was that Thea had already fallen for him.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
I’m still flabbergasted that it took me so long to grab this series to read. It has been sitting on my TBR shelf for at least four years now, I’m so ashamed. AND IT IS SO DARN GOOD, OMG! I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the others because I had hatted Blaise from her quick cameo from Secret Vampire, haha! But, as almost all of Smith’s villains, I fell in love with her spirit and wicked ways, oops! Another big 5 stars book <3
The narrative was third person type once again, but differently from the other two books, the only point of view we get is Thea’s. I like best when we can switch POVs, despite loving Thea with all my heart – something quite unusual for me, but I shall get there, haha! I would have loved to see a bit of the story through Blaise’s or Eric’s eyes, but I guess both would lose a little of their essential mysterious natures, haha! And Thea sees both characters as enigmatics, each on their own way, so I understand the decision of making this only about how Thea saw things. Still, one can dream, right? ;)
Anyway, to the plot we go. This is the most elaborated one in the series so far and I honestly didn’t know how things would end until they got there. I read 2/3 of the book in one night because of my state of anxiety over what could happen next, haha! I still don’t think that it was something out of this world and the first climax was quite obvious, but oh, I swear that the second made it up for everything! I was bouncing in my chair as I read, almost biting all my nails and pulling my hair, lol. It involved me and worked for me <3
The characters were a blast. I dare say that character’s building is Smith’s speciallity, as she makes us to fall in love even with the most awful types! =O
It happened with Ash in both Secret Vampire and Daughters of Darkness, Kestrel in DoD, Blaise in Spellbinder, Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries… OMG, woman! I already usually love the villains, no need to support my obssessions, haha! LOL
But as it went in Spellbinder, I was spechless when realized that I loved Thea, the sweet and naïve young adult protagonist of the story. I usually get bored with good girls, but she was so real and nice that I just felt like being her friend. Just like Blaise and Dani, Thea’s friend from the school and witch sister. My heart was tore, as I didn’t know if I cheered for Thea or Blaise to get what they wanted. I had never felt like this towards a protagonist and an antagonist: I always pick a side. I was a mess while reading, as the only thing that I knew for certain was that Eric made the cut for my infamous bookish boyfriend list, haha!
And there is Blaise. She was awesome, I wish I could grow up and be just like her, seriously. She’s fearless and wild, beautiful to the point of pain (literally if you are a boy, be prepared) and very mature despite her bad taste for plays and tricks. Besides, she can craft anything like no one in the world. I would have loved to see myself her jewelry <3 And the most amazing thing in all of this is that her craft is a human ability – the itens that she made could have magic powers thanks to the pieces that she used, but the designs weren’t humanly impossible.
Now let’s talk about Eric. At first, I thought him too sweet, too much. But them, as Thea (cof and us cof) realizes that he feels confortable around her to be himself, a self that he displays to no one else, it makes sense the sweetness and all things that a seventeen year old boy usually is not. The weird thing is that I feel like Thea, Blaise and Eric are more suited to college life than high school life, in a matter of scenarios, haha! I don’t know, I can’t imagine them so young. I guess it’s because of their maturity, which is not at all a bad thing :)
A point that I noticed in the Night World series is the lack of romantic interactions between characters despite their love for each other. In this matter, Secret Vampire was the book with more romantic scenes, in the sense of the flesh. And still, we had no sheets action (which is not necessary a bad thing). I guess I’m just amazed how Smith was able to create and maintein a fantastic book series without resourcing to sex to involve her readers. Even on a supernatural romantic focused series. She proves my point that you DON’T NEED SEX to tell a beautiful love story. Hell, you barely need a kiss, as it was the case with Daughters of Darkness. Astonishing! *—–*
Overall, this is another perfect young adult book with a supernatural romance and witches. If you like at least one of these elements, you just need to read this book. No, I’m lying. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS SERIES BECAUSE IT IS PERFECT!
That’s it, haha! Thanks for reading and bearing with my fangirling, haha!
The Story
Thea and Blaise grew up like sisters, but the girls were different as day and night. While Thea was peaceful and an animal healer, Blaise was a first’class trouble maker and boys killer. Almost literally.
After being expelled five times from different schools, Thea is determinated to make Blaise behave and allow both of them to finish their studies. The problem is that Blaise is not cooperating and can’t wait to play with her new human toys, as she seems the non-magical people.
Things get worse when she targets Eric, the only boy that ever made Thea’s heart beat in a different rhythm. In order to protect Eric, Thea must pretend that she is interested in charming him and make him fall in love with her, just like Blaise would do. No harm done, no witch laws broke.
The only problem was that Thea had already fallen for him.
The Analysis
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)
I’m still flabbergasted that it took me so long to grab this series to read. It has been sitting on my TBR shelf for at least four years now, I’m so ashamed. AND IT IS SO DARN GOOD, OMG! I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book as much as I did the others because I had hatted Blaise from her quick cameo from Secret Vampire, haha! But, as almost all of Smith’s villains, I fell in love with her spirit and wicked ways, oops! Another big 5 stars book <3
The narrative was third person type once again, but differently from the other two books, the only point of view we get is Thea’s. I like best when we can switch POVs, despite loving Thea with all my heart – something quite unusual for me, but I shall get there, haha! I would have loved to see a bit of the story through Blaise’s or Eric’s eyes, but I guess both would lose a little of their essential mysterious natures, haha! And Thea sees both characters as enigmatics, each on their own way, so I understand the decision of making this only about how Thea saw things. Still, one can dream, right? ;)
Anyway, to the plot we go. This is the most elaborated one in the series so far and I honestly didn’t know how things would end until they got there. I read 2/3 of the book in one night because of my state of anxiety over what could happen next, haha! I still don’t think that it was something out of this world and the first climax was quite obvious, but oh, I swear that the second made it up for everything! I was bouncing in my chair as I read, almost biting all my nails and pulling my hair, lol. It involved me and worked for me <3
The characters were a blast. I dare say that character’s building is Smith’s speciallity, as she makes us to fall in love even with the most awful types! =O
It happened with Ash in both Secret Vampire and Daughters of Darkness, Kestrel in DoD, Blaise in Spellbinder, Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries… OMG, woman! I already usually love the villains, no need to support my obssessions, haha! LOL
But as it went in Spellbinder, I was spechless when realized that I loved Thea, the sweet and naïve young adult protagonist of the story. I usually get bored with good girls, but she was so real and nice that I just felt like being her friend. Just like Blaise and Dani, Thea’s friend from the school and witch sister. My heart was tore, as I didn’t know if I cheered for Thea or Blaise to get what they wanted. I had never felt like this towards a protagonist and an antagonist: I always pick a side. I was a mess while reading, as the only thing that I knew for certain was that Eric made the cut for my infamous bookish boyfriend list, haha!
And there is Blaise. She was awesome, I wish I could grow up and be just like her, seriously. She’s fearless and wild, beautiful to the point of pain (literally if you are a boy, be prepared) and very mature despite her bad taste for plays and tricks. Besides, she can craft anything like no one in the world. I would have loved to see myself her jewelry <3 And the most amazing thing in all of this is that her craft is a human ability – the itens that she made could have magic powers thanks to the pieces that she used, but the designs weren’t humanly impossible.
Now let’s talk about Eric. At first, I thought him too sweet, too much. But them, as Thea (cof and us cof) realizes that he feels confortable around her to be himself, a self that he displays to no one else, it makes sense the sweetness and all things that a seventeen year old boy usually is not. The weird thing is that I feel like Thea, Blaise and Eric are more suited to college life than high school life, in a matter of scenarios, haha! I don’t know, I can’t imagine them so young. I guess it’s because of their maturity, which is not at all a bad thing :)
A point that I noticed in the Night World series is the lack of romantic interactions between characters despite their love for each other. In this matter, Secret Vampire was the book with more romantic scenes, in the sense of the flesh. And still, we had no sheets action (which is not necessary a bad thing). I guess I’m just amazed how Smith was able to create and maintein a fantastic book series without resourcing to sex to involve her readers. Even on a supernatural romantic focused series. She proves my point that you DON’T NEED SEX to tell a beautiful love story. Hell, you barely need a kiss, as it was the case with Daughters of Darkness. Astonishing! *—–*
Overall, this is another perfect young adult book with a supernatural romance and witches. If you like at least one of these elements, you just need to read this book. No, I’m lying. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS SERIES BECAUSE IT IS PERFECT!
That’s it, haha! Thanks for reading and bearing with my fangirling, haha!
January 31, 2018
I wasn't as much of a fan of this story. It feels like they're getting a bit repetitive, which is okay but I'm not even halfway through the series, and that worries me some. I also didn't care as much about the characters.
I did find the backstory on the witches of the Night World really interesting, and I liked the bits with any kind of spell work. I just wish there was more of that, and more of the coven.
Overall I'm still enjoying these, and I am intrigued by the synopsis of the next one but I am slightly worried they'll end up all repeating the same story over and over.
I did find the backstory on the witches of the Night World really interesting, and I liked the bits with any kind of spell work. I just wish there was more of that, and more of the coven.
Overall I'm still enjoying these, and I am intrigued by the synopsis of the next one but I am slightly worried they'll end up all repeating the same story over and over.
November 4, 2017
3.5 stars.
Wouldn’t it be nice to get that electric feeling, knowing that that person is your soulmate? Is that what it really feels like? I obviously haven’t found my soulmate, but hey who knows those who have may know the feeling.
Not my favorite book in the series. It started out slow in my opinion, but somehow got much better towards the end. As usual, it came with somewhat uneventful story building, and quick, sort of simple and easy solutions and conclusion. Like always, still a fun read. So great for teenagers and young adults to enjoy, and just all around fun for older YA lovers.
The series is amazing.
Who believes in soul mates?
-Anne // Insta: @bookbuddyAnne
Wouldn’t it be nice to get that electric feeling, knowing that that person is your soulmate? Is that what it really feels like? I obviously haven’t found my soulmate, but hey who knows those who have may know the feeling.
Not my favorite book in the series. It started out slow in my opinion, but somehow got much better towards the end. As usual, it came with somewhat uneventful story building, and quick, sort of simple and easy solutions and conclusion. Like always, still a fun read. So great for teenagers and young adults to enjoy, and just all around fun for older YA lovers.
The series is amazing.
Who believes in soul mates?
-Anne // Insta: @bookbuddyAnne
September 13, 2020
Well I started this a couple of night ago. I read two chapters before bed then again. Then my day off and I read it all day. Went to McD then finished the book at 3 am. I like this book. It was about another couple and it is like, we are going to be meeting everyone again. Sometime soon. I can not wait till I read book 4.
September 29, 2021
-Enemies to lovers? Pues aquí los tienes y te van a encantar!
-Cuando mencionaron a Rashel simplemente: 🥲❤️🔥🥺😭🥰😫
-Me ha encantado y es una pena que solo 5 sean los publicados en español cuando tengo entendido que son como 12, pero en fin, enamorada de estos libros 💖
-Cuando mencionaron a Rashel simplemente: 🥲❤️🔥🥺😭🥰😫
-Me ha encantado y es una pena que solo 5 sean los publicados en español cuando tengo entendido que son como 12, pero en fin, enamorada de estos libros 💖
January 1, 2019
Blaise could kill me with a Look and I’d thank her for it. Whew, what an icon.
October 22, 2022
I physically remembered nothing about this book, it was like reading it for the first time. I love this series it’s so fun
October 9, 2023
LJS was a good writer at one time, but all of her characters were the same.
December 20, 2025
Too much going on here. The story takes awhile to figure out what exactly it's going for and by then you just want it to be over - all the really interesting bits are glossed over, and the tone shifts are so wild you wonder what it is exactly Smith was trying to do. More engaging than Vampire Diaries but that's not exactly hard. Will be reading more of these
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