Spellbound: The Awakening of Aislin Collins

by Margeaux Laurent

It is 1734 in Burlington, New Jersey, and nineteen-year-old Aislin Collins carries many secrets, but the one that threatens to surface has the potential to change her life Aislin is a witch. Now, something evil lurks in the woods outside Aislin's home. Animals are found slaughtered and drained of every drop of blood. It stalks in the shadows as men patrol the forest nightly to hunt the unknown malice, but the creature is not interested in them. It is after Aislin, for the creature is the servant of a witch hunter, and is cloaked by dark magic. As rumors spread through town, Aislin is protected by a handsome, mysterious stranger who disappears as quickly as he arrives. Even as the witch hunter haunts her every step, her protector, Greer, appears in all her dreams. Aislin realizes she is falling undeniably in love with Greer, but her mother is suspicious of him and fears that Aislin is falling into a trap. Soon, Aislin must face a destiny she never foresaw, but as she attempts to protect herself and all those she loves from the witch hunter's wrath, the spirits keep warning her, "Things are not as they appear"...

Genres: Historical

290 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2010

About the author

Margeaux Laurent graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biological Sciences, and with a minor in Applied Psychology. She lives with her family in Phoenix, Arizona, where she continues to work on her Spellbound series.

Reviews

[Raquel Vega-Grieder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound: The Awakening of Aislin Collins (Spellbound Series) By Margeaux Laurent

I was greatly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. When I was asked to read this story I didn't have much to go on. I knew it was about witches and that was pretty much it. I actually had trouble putting this book down. I was up til 2:30 A.M. this morning (I had to be up at 7 A.M. today) just because I didn't want to go to bed with less than 100 pages left....lol. Spellbound is set in 1734-1735 but since I grew up on historical romances this was so not an issue for me. The only parts that were hard to read were when it came to the slaves/slaveholders and the persecution of witches. I was brought up in such a way that I barely even register a persons skin color. It is the persons character that determines my feelings towards them. But to read about people owning slaves like it was a given right did not sit well with me at all. Also it was hard to hear about how people were basically easily manipulated into thinking one way or another. To actually accuse people of being a witch just because they were different or didn't conform to their way of thinking was appalling. Margeaux did great research in this area to make it all seem so vividly real. The heart of this book is actually a love story that transcends time. It also brings up the old debate about everyone having a soul mate. This has always been a debatable topic with no true cut answer. I like to believe we have a soul mate out there. Someone whom is meant just for one specific person and your heart knows them in an instance. Spellbound had so many wonderful layers that just when you think you have it all figured out there is always another layer that still needs to be uncovered. I am dying to get my hands on book 2 in this series. I just really need to know what happens next. If you are looking for a great period piece read this book it is for you. If you are looking for a great book about witches and witch craft, again, this book is for you. On a scale from 1-10 I give this book a 10. It was an unexpected gem and one I am so glad I got the chance to read. In my opinion everyone should pick up this book and learn about The Awakening of Aislin Collins.

Link:
http://margeauxlaurent.com/

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I loved the thriller, action, love story, folklore and magic that was intertwined in this book. Margeaux Laurent truly captures the history behind New Jersey so well and makes you feel like you're watching the characters play out in a scene of a fantasy movie. It is so fascinating that it is a must read for all ages, male or female. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, first let me explain. I haven't read the Twilight series (no interest) or the Harry Potter books (sacrilege, I know) and this book is kind of "out of place" on my list, but I loved it. I don't know how the author did it, but she made a witch/magic/vampire/folklore story into a tale that I almost believed was real as I was reading through it. And the twists, suspense and action are very well done. Hats off to my wife for forcing me to read it.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book! I'm really getting into some of the new witch books lately and it's been fun to read different takes on the same subject from different authors. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more about Aislin in the future and hope there are more books in this series! Overall, a very good book that I enjoyed reading from start to finish!!

[Jlcampbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down!
It has suspense, romance, magic, and the story is steeped in history. The writing style reminded me of a mixture of Rice and Meyers. I cannot wait until the next book is released!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written with true to life characters that bring the story to life. Grabs you at the first chapter and leaves you wanting more. Even if you are not sold on the magical and folklore genre, this book is a pleasure to read.

[Hanane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyed it!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

liked the idea, but there were so many typos i couldn't focus. ex. form v. from, there v. their and even a mispelling of the main character's name.

[Charlotte Pryor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little read.