Spellbound

by Julia Goldhirsh, Charlotte Blowe Stanley (Editor), Annie Morgan (Editor)

An enchanted Rose spellbound to a greenhouse prison. 

Cursed to live within the glass walls of a greenhouse for her entire life, sixteen-year old Rose has finally reached her breaking point. She had to escape before she lost her mind. But life outside the protective glass was filled with perils of its own.

When she met Gabriel, she thought she’d finally found a savior. But neither was aware of what lurked inside him. Someone was pulling the strings from the shadows. With darkness on the horizon and danger lurking around every corner, Rose must escape the greenhouse, but at what cost?

How hard could it be to break out of a glass cage?

If you like devious nymphs, bloodthirsty curses, and fairytales with a dark twist then check out “Spellbound,” the first in the Spellbound mini-series.

Trigger warning- The main character does deal with abuse in the book.

124 pages, ebook

Published August 8, 2019

Reviews

[Inkslinger · Rating 2 out of 5]

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01-12:

'Spellbound' by Julia Goldhirsh is a story of a young woman who's ultimately trying to shatter the bonds that keep her from getting out and living her life and a young man who's trying to help her.

The idea of the story is lovely enough and technically, there's nothing overtly wrong with the book.. except that I didn't love it. They both have a lot of baggage and interference to deal with.. and that should reach out and grab the reader.. but for me, it fell kind of flat.

I wanted to like the characters, as both Rose and Gabriel have backstories that should inspire me to care for them, but that didn't happen. Most of the time, they both come across as petulant children, but their behavioral swings are so constant and so vast.. it's difficult to get a grip on them at all.

From a dialogue and pace perspective, the story felt very juvenile. It's labeled YA, but it reads like a slightly more advanced children's book. In fact, I read a middle grade title last year that was a bit of a mess, but felt a few years more adult than this one.

The otherworldly beings actually sound really intriguing, both visually and psychologically. I say they sound that way because you really only get indicators without getting to truly experience their potential. In part, I'm going to say that's because this story was put together as a novella, but also I think a lot of it is an inexperienced writer. Julia is creative.. and down the road she could develop into a really good author, but she's going to need people around her who have a better understanding of what makes good storytelling and are willing to give her those constructive criticisms. I'm not sure which she was lacking. I suspect some of each.

I have hope though. I'd love to see more from her in the future and see how she develops as a writer.

01-04: Honestly, this one is going to go very quickly, but I have to switch over to another that will be due soon, and come back to it. The premise seems to be interesting, but it's not doing it for me so far. We'll see.

01-04: Just getting ready to start this one, and the cover is rather enchanting. I'm intrigued by the allure of a savior who means well, but doesn't realize the danger he harbors within.

[Nadine Forsberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound is a book about a girl named Rose that was cursed to be trapped in a greenhouse for her whole life. Until she felt that she couldn’t stay there anymore and escaped (or should I say tried). This is when she met a young man, Gabriel, that is bound on helping her, no matter what.

There are two main themes in this book, that being good versus evil nymphs and curses. Spellbound was actually the first book I read that had nymphs in (excluding the Persy Jackson series, because that doesn't really count) and I actually liked it a lot.

I really liked the main character too as she reminded me of myself. She is a bit of an introvert, she’s rude (but as a joke) and also nice and easy to get along with and that is probably why there is some romance cooking up between her and Gabriel that just thickens the plot a little.

This book was really easy to read as it takes a hold of your interest in the first few pages. In my opinion it would make a great quick read for the weekend, that’s if you don’t read it all in one day like me.

What I liked most about this book was how well the writer interpreted Rose’s imprisonment by the way Rose was losing her mind and her parents only treated her worse over time.

What I disliked most about this book was how short the plot was. I felt that it all just moved a bit too fast at the end and that there could have been written a bit more and also in a little more detail. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t written badly, I personally would just have liked to have more detail.

I recommend this book to any fantasy readers. You will not be disappointed as it’s a good read. I do however not recommend this to people who don’t like fantasy.

I rate Spellbound by Julia Goldhirsh 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Read more of my reviews here: https://divertinglibrarian.home.blog/...

[Keri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly I don't have much good to say about this book. The writing is very stiff and doesn't flow well at all. Another reviewer mentioned that it read more like an outline of a book which I completely agree. There is no relationship building or character development. Gabriel meets Rose and just automatically will do anything and everything for her? There was no part where they actually fall in love for it to make sense. They don't even talk about it being love at first sight to give some explanation. It never reveals WHY other nymphs want to hurt Rose and Belladonna nor why Belladonna cursed Rose to the house and greenhouse to begin with, I guess just because people wanted to hurt her? I don't know, none of it really made sense and it was difficult to read. Rose was annoying and Gabriel was an idiot. I hate leaving bad reviews but this one was just really bad.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alex Shute · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good and unique re-telling of Rapunzel. I particularly enjoy the touch of what reminds me of a Victorian world while keeping to the fantasy style of fairy tales. There were a few things that irked me that makes me give it four stars, but none of it took away from my enjoyment the story. Well done.

[Katelyn Furtick · Rating 2 out of 5]

**I received a physical copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**

Okay, so sadly, this was not for me. I thought that the premise sounded interesting, but it just was not well done. I don't want this review to come across that this is a bad book, necessarily, but rather just a book that needs a bit of work.

The writing of the book did not really have any flow to it. It was very choppy from one chapter to the next, which made it hard to read. It was such a short novella, but still, it was hard for me to get through. 

I wanted to like the characters, but they're just so bland. Rose was pretty petty and Gabriel just had no emotion. I don't know, I just couldn't connect to either of them. And honestly the relationship between the two made no sense. There was no growth at all, and no explanation, either.

Same for the storyline, there was no explanation on why things happen, which was frustrating. I did read that this is the first in a mini series, but I still think we should have had some kind of explanation for some of the things that happened and the reasoning for why things happened the way they did.

I will say that the premise, as I said above, was intriguing, which is why I accepted the book to review to begin with. I think the biggest issue is just inexperience. I think that Julia had a great idea going with this. It may also be just a matter of needing more constructive criticism from editors. 

I really don't like to leave bad reviews because I'm ALWAYS Team Author. I want authors to do well and help books get traffic, so I hope with this review, it may just help to have a few changes made to make the novella even better.

Thanks so much to Julia for sending me a copy of your book to read and review.

Full review also posted here: https://katelynpdickinson.wordpress.c...

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recieved a free copy via Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.

This is a hard review for me to write. I really struggled to finish this book, for me it wasn't a great read. For being 124 pages, there was some parts that would have been better cut out. There was a lot of repition. Also plenty of areas where I feel more more explanation would have been better. It was very confusing and not very exciting. There was no hook to keep me wanting to read (other than it was a review book, if it hadn't been then I probably would have given up). It felt rushed and dragging at the same time.

The characters were a little all over the place. They weren't consistant in their personalities. I know it's meant to be the first in a mini-series but there were too many unanswered questions. It didn't feel like a cliffhanger, it felt unfinished.

With some work this could be a great book, but for me as it is, it's a huge miss. I do respect the authirs hard work but a little rewriting wouldn't go amiss.

2 out of 5 stars

[gwendalyn _books_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
Julia Goldhirsh, Spellbound is an enchanting story of Rose, a young girl who wants to explore the world outside of the greenhouse where she is forced she lives in. Rose swas born with a curse that would kill her if she isn’t near the roses that are keeping her alive. Longing this explore,Rose decides to run away from home but the curse prevents her from getting too far. Rescued by a young man named Gabriel, saves her for death. He returns with her to her home within the greenhouse.
Once there they they form a bond and Gabriel sets about finding a cure for Rose.

This is sweet and charming book, one I enjoyed immensely.
Captivating storyline and engaging characters

[Jessi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I truly did. It had an interesting premise, but it feels like the author was just writing it down as they thought without going into any detail. It reminded me of the outlines you write from a school essay, just the basic facts and ideas. The whole book is written like A happened. B happened. Rose says X. C happens. There's no fluidity to the story telling, nothing to grab you and hold your attention. The big ending scene was written so clinically, i actually had to stop and reread a few paragraphs to understand that this was the big resolution. So disappointed. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Gordon Bickerstaff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting fantasy fairy tale

This is a quick read YA fantasy fairy tale centred around a quirky sixteen-year-old, Rose, seeking to explore the world outside the confines of her greenhouse world she is cursed to live in. Her escape and experiences in the outside world provide an interesting and well-plotted story. The pace is steady and the narrative is well suited to YA readers. The characters are interesting, believable and I liked them. Flawed but with great potential. I would have liked a bit more world building to allow me to better picture the scene situations.

[Abbi Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute afternoon read, though it seemed in some parts rather like a first draft that could've been expanded into a magnificent novel. I loved the premise, the dynamics between the characters were decent - though I felt the romantic angle was forced - and the different plot points were certainly original.
Unfortunately, for all it's witty banter (that seemed mostly out of place) this book failed to make me even chuckle... 3.5 stars, though I'm still glad I read it because it gave me a new perspective on some things - like Nymphs, and fairytales in general.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed rose's story throughout the book, but i felt the ending could have extended longer. There was too much crammed into so few pages towards the end for the finishing wrap-up. I really liked how easily from the beginning of the book how the reader was able to delve in Rose's story and the world she was in.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

This is definitely fairytale-esque but unfamiliar too. I liked the characters although there were times that I wanted to strsngle one or both. By yhe end we have a HFN ending but I suspect another installment will be out soon to further the story because after the nightmare Rose and even Gabriel has been through they deserve healing and a HEA

[Catherine Marie Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly fun and spellbinding

It was a fairytale that had many unexpected twists and turns. It didn't have as much darkness as I expected. I like the goodness that I didn't expect from the preview. Really good story.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author was kind enough to provide me with a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review. First of, let me tell you I don’t read a lot of fantasy so my review is solely my opinion and will likely differ from those who are more comfortable in this genre. I can say that I did get enjoyment out of reading this book, even if it was not really my cup of tea. I loved the premise of the plot but felt that the actual plot itself wasn’t executed to its highest potential. This book definitely had a lot of potential but ultimately fell short in my eyes.

To begin with, the book is about a girl who’s been confined to a glasshouse that she can never leave because of a curse that’s been put on her when she was an infant. As Rose gets older and starts to yearn for more freedom and to get out of her confinement, she goes to great lengths and tries to break free against all odds. I loved the idea of the plot but it didn’t feel like a fully developed story came from it and I wanted more. I wanted to know more background, more of what happened, just expanding on the plot would have made this story feel a little less rushed and more whole.

Secondly, the characterization is probably the strongest point in this book and yet it still lacks the stuff that transforms the character into a real life person for me. I wanted to see more into their minds and a lot more thoughts behind why they acted the way that they did in the story. The central romance of the story also seemed a little bit forced and sometimes the dialogue was just a bit on the cheesy side. Since the characters could have been developed more fully, the relationship between them didn’t quite move me as much as I wanted to be moved and committed to their lifelong happiness together.

Finally, the writing style was precise and to the point and it helped me get through the book even when I was struggling. There was some vivid imagery painted in this book but it wasn’t quite enough. I could just imagine what was happening but the very bare minimum at that and my mind had to fill in the blanks myself. Still, the writing style flowed and there was no confusion as to what was happening in the story.

All in all, I believe this book has a lot of potential but many things are missing for me and many aspects aren’t as developed as I would want them to. I might read the second book in the series but I am not sure because I didn’t feel that invested in the story or the characters. It wasn’t a bad read by any means, it just didn’t feel like reading a fully developed story.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound: A Rapunzel Re-telling by Julia Goldhirsh is a great story that I have read. I really enjoyed reading this story very much. It is a short read which is what I was looking for and I loved it. I recommend this story to everyone looking for a great short read.

I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing idea but a lackluster execution.

[Carey L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Goldhirsh

From the book description: "If you like devious nymphs, bloodthirsty curses, and fairytales with a dark twist then check out “Spellbound,” the first in the Spellbound mini-series."

Often I find that book descriptions do no justice to the actual work. In this case, you get precisely what Julia describes!

****

When I first began to read Julia's book, I had no idea what to think. 'YA' fiction is not a genre I'd normally choose, but I wanted to give it a go anyway. Much to my pleasant surprise, I found myself somewhat riveted by this fascinating tale of imprisonment, curses, nymphs, and period drama.

This book will quickly get your attention. The descriptions are interesting, and Rose is a fascinating character right from the get-go, as you really are not certain how she ended up in the life that was foist upon her. As other reviewers have said, this is a quick read, but this is not due to lack of substance. The author hooks you quickly and captures your attention in the prologue, and then proceeds to draw you into this world, once which is not set in our time. The author is not overbearing in her descriptions of the time in which this story is set, either. Intrinsically, as you read on, you know that you're not dealing with modernity, and yet the work still maintains a 'timeless' element to it. It is not distracting, in other words, and it makes the overall story flow well.

When Rose meets the interesting Gabriel, things begin to take off in earnest. Gabriel, like Rose, is a character who is anything but one-dimensional. He has myriad quirks that will at times leave you as frustrated with him as Rose becomes. This, to me, is excellent character development. Neither Rose nor Gabriel are by any means perfect. They are flawed, at times infuriating to the reader and each other, and this enhances the relationship that develops between them. And though this is a story which rotates around the burgeoning romance of these two main characters, like the descriptions of the era in which the story resides, this romance is not overbearing. To put a fine point on it, this is not a Disney romance story. The author does a fine job of investing the reader enough in these characters so that you want these two to somehow find their center and manage to work it all out, but it isn't the cotton-candy Disney fare.

By far, however, my favorite aspect of 'Spellbound' is how it paces itself. Yes, the story moves quickly, but the revelations not so much. The author takes time to build the world, keeping you interested with side-plots that make it seem as though these two poor souls will never win, while dropping hints and foreshadowing during these trying times, all leading up to a confrontation between Rose, Gabriel, and their ally and foe, that will give you some inclination into just how Rose found herself to be in such a predicament without her permission. This confrontation is well done, and creates what it should: a desire as a reader to know even more.

Whether or not you are a fan of 'YA' fiction, I recommend this book. It is more than just a 'promising debut from a new author,' it is genuinely a good and fun story. I am looking forward to the next volume to find out what happens to Gabriel and Rose, and more about the fascinating curses that follow them.

[Candice Waite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose is a girl trapped in a greenhouse, but why? Gabriel is a sad young man who lost his first love and reaches out to help Rose when she escapes the greenhouse but falls ill very quickly. They both face their own demons, internal and otherwise. There is potential for a very interesting story. Unfortunately for my personal tastes, this fell short. The dialogue between the two characters is a bit immature and their internal dialogue isn't much better. You want to like the characters but I found myself irritated with Rose instead of cheering her on. I agree with other reviewers, this is a very quick read, chapters are short and maybe that is part of the problem, there is lots of movement and travel for Gabriel but it doesn't feel very epic, the descriptions are simple and leave you not quite sure how to visualize the towns he crosses in search of a cure. The hospitals and doctors seem more advanced than the time period feels given we are using horse and carriage for travel but there are factories that put up lots of smoke and hospitals with stark white walls??? Then we have inns and markets without enough description to help place you in the story. I prefer more world building and backstory to help gain a sense of where I am and who I am reading about. I want to love my characters and hate when the book ends. While a good story for young adults, still in school, for a not so young adult it didn't quite make my top books to read again. I think for a self-published book the grammar and editing is pretty well done but there is more work to build this story into something great.

[Jennifer Ayre · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book. The only good thing is the chapters were short so I could get through it quickly. I hate leaving negative reviews, so I will try to be as constructive as I can.
Characters : did not like any of them. Rose was confusing, is she human? Is she not? Why does she live in a greenhouse? She also seemed to react to situations in a weird way that didn't fit the character at all. Gabrial was also confused, the characters all felt like that game you played as a kid where one person draws a head, fold it and pass it on to the next person to draw the next bit. There was no consistency.
Atmosphere and intrigue. The author attempted to create atmosphere but with really bad characters and plot it just didn't work.
Plot: I literally have no idea. A girl trapped in a greenhouse tries to escape, a random bloke goes on a year long quest to the next town and they fall in love. It did not make sense.
Logic. Absolutely none. Gabrial is sent to the next Town for a second opinion on Rose's illness. The journey takes months.... He also owns a house but they end up living in a pub at the end. Again, no consistency.
Did I enjoy the book? No. There is potentially a good story hidden in the depths, but it really needs work.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Renee Marski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confusing fairytale retelling

While not a horrible retelling, this story struggles from fast pace and confusing story telling. I honestly dont know what time period this takes place in. Obviously after the stock market but horses and buggies are still used. Time is really confusing as the hero travels from place to place and takes forever to get there by himself and to get back but then the trip for him and the girl to get there takes a day. He says hes been trying to help her for a year but i was sure it was less than six months so time isnt consistent.

That being said, the cover is amazing, the fight scene spectacular, and the descriptions vivid. I do feel the characters are meaner to each other than they need to be and if they really like each other they certainly dont act like it. All in all not a bad read.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was totally hooked at the beginning of the book. I had to know why a girl was imprisoned in a greenhouse. I wanted to explore the miraculous world with her once she did leave. I felt like I was in a fairy tale. Then I found out why she was trapped in the greenhouse, and it seemed almost too easy for her to break the spell. ( I don't wanna spoil it how.) Then there was an enemy. I was very much looking forward to a grander battle against evil than it turned out being. Then I think I thought too hard about the story.

Anyways, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. It's a quick read and it temporarily pulled me out of reality. Exactly what I was looking for. So it did its job.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This definitely had a fairytale feel to it but completely unknown to me. It was a quick and easy read and it was a lovely story to read.

There is great promise for it to expand and become even more than what it is now. The characters are young-and they do act it. However as they face their trials they do get wiser and learn to grow. We are kept on our toes throughout the story. There is a lot going on it keeps you turning those pages!

This story holds a lot of promise to expand into its own series. There are plenty of avenues the author can go down and many answers to be had. All in all a lovely read.

[bookish_inf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Book Sirens. Following is my honest review:
This book did not work for me at all. It was confusing and the pacing was too fast. There are gaps in the world building that make it hard to follow. I do not believe that this is an easy read. That being said, it is only one person's opinion. Personally, I did not like the dialogue, the holes in the story, and the giant leaps in plot. I am still unsure exactly what I read about. Nymphs and curses, a magic mirror, a courier, a potential love interest and the characters forget things already mentioned to them?

[Rachel Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose is a quirky and interesting heroine in this YA adventure. I really enjoyed the quick pace and the intriguing story. The world building is fantastic and I was pulled into the adventure with Rose and Gabriel. It was a fun story that you'll fall in love with from the first page. This is my first book of this author, but won't be my last 😊

[Rachel Joi Maples · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose is bound to her greenhouse, as an heir of Belladonna ... Gabriel has tried to save Rose from Nightshade as he wishes to overtake Belladonna thru Rose ... Rose and Gabriel are left in a difficult position, as the whole world nearly crashes down around them

[emmaline pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was really really good, Gabriel really gets to me x