Author: Martina Boone
Pages: 448
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Southern Gothic
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: October 28th 2014
Synopsis via Goodreads:
Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.
All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.
REVIEW:
I just started reading southern gothic novels this fall and loved them. When I heard about Compulsion and saw that beyond beautiful cover I got super excited and had very high expectations for it, which where immediately met!
The book does start off a little slow. Not as in nothing is happening or that its boring, there is just a lot of background information you need to know and characters to be introduced to. Once you get past that part I promise the book will pull you right in. The pace picks up and lots of intrigue, mystery, and romance start to happen.
I loved the characters in this book. Barrie was a phenomenal main character. She was very strong and determined to fix things on her own. She was also very witty. I immediately wanted to be friends with her. I also found her very relatable and likeable. I also ended up really liking her Aunt Pru. She was very real. She had her own struggles but was always trying to help Barrie too. I also found her kind of quirky which added a uniqueness to her. I ended up really liking the relationship they grew to have. And don't even get me started on Eight. He is definite swoon material. He was a southern gentleman and always trying to help Barrie no matter what but he also had a witty side like Barrie that made them work perfectly together.
That leads me perfectly into talking about the books romance. Barrie and Eight were excellent together. There was so much fun and cute witty banter between them. Barrie always wanted Eight but she always gave him a hard time keeping him on his toes. They worked so well together in a romantic sense but they were also just a great team. They do fall for each other at the beginning of the book but it does not feel like insta-love. That also allowed you to watch them together and see their romance bud over the whole story, which I loved.
I thought Boone incorporated the magical part of the plot in well. There is a magical element to the family curses but it does not take the lead in the story. It is fully described and feels very complete but it was still more in the background. I really liked this because it was a really interesting fun twist to the novel but it did not take over the book and plot. There is also a mystery incorporated into the story that I had no idea was going to happen. It added more suspense to the novel and I really enjoyed it.
This book had it all for me. A southern gothic with curses, generations-old family feud, mystery, magic, and a compelling romance. If you like any of the things I just listed I highly recommend giving Compulsion a try. I am now early awaiting the sequel Persuasion which is excepted to release in October 2015.
