Friday 19 June 2015

Book Review: Compulsion by Martina Boone

Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island #1) by Martina Boone
Publication Date: October 28th, 2014
Format: Library Copy

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.

 

I feel like that I should have gotten a hold of this book a little bit sooner. I feel like this is sort of around my corner considering that I was born in the south. Just... not raised there... but anyways!

Barrie decided to move out of her home a little bit after her mother passes away. Although she was mostly encouraged by her step father (I believe it was? Correct me if I'm wrong... but I know it was someone in her family) because of a sort of cancer that was residing within them and they wanted Barrie to focus on her school studies rather than on them. Of course, it wouldn't prevent anyone from not worrying about them 100%... but a new place, new home, new friends... it's fairly easy to get wrapped up in it all. Even more so when you realized that there's more to this new home than she bargained for. Even more so when it seems like her grandmother isn't willing to confess to a lot of things that Barrie's sure involve her and her family- including her own mother.

When Eight comes around, though, she found herself a (fairly) easier way to get the information that she's searching for. But answers don't ever come without a price to pay...

 I think I fell in love with the characters- specifically Barrie and Cassie, even if one of those characters are... well, I can't say cause spoilers!- the most. At first, admittingly, I didn't care much for Eight. I loved his name though. It's interesting and unique. How many people have you met that request of you to call them 'Eight' or any sort of number really? It helped me remember him a bit better though. But I didn't like the thought of how he just knew what Barrie wanted even if she didn't know it? I understand why that is, though, but... even if there is a reason behind it, I still felt uncomfortable about it. It's probably just me though? But once I really got to know him, I cared about the character a little bit more.

Speaking of getting to know a character a bit more... I feel like the characters (some of them even minor characters) did definitely develop throughout the book and I always find that a win in my book. I know how difficult it can be to not only have proper character development in the main character but to find them in the secondary characters as well is wonderful. Especially since most of it has come to be because of Barrie herself. I think, because of this, I found this a wonderful adventure from start to end.

The only thing that I didn't like was the pacing of the book. Maybe I've been spoiled with fast paced books (I bet you they're mostly adventure books as well) but, even though the chapters were packed full of new information, I just felt like it was... bleh.

Other than that, though (especially since it's more of a personal preference than an actual criticism, imo), I quite enjoyed Compulsion. In fact, I liked this better than I thought I would. I love just how much mystery there was in the book and how the lore fit in with the three families and how it effected them in the aftermath. I'm really excited for Persuasion (the sequel) and I'm interested to read about it.

At the least, I'm sure a certain co-blogger with blab about it lots when it's out... :'D


 

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