MORE REVIEWS FOR SPELLCAST
Best opening line in a review - courtesy of Chris at Bakka Phoenix Books
"I picked up this book because I felt sorry for it (Why? Look at the cover!) and my virtue was rewarded...If you’ve ever been in a play, you’ll enjoy this book. And if you’ve ever wondered why anyone might want to, you’ll begin to understand. A really nice read."
“Spellcast is a magical jewel hidden in an unassuming facade...The excerpt promised me an entertaining paranormal read that I was sure would be lighthearted and fun to read. I found so much more. A modern fairy tale that speaks of second chances with love, heartbreak, redemption, hope, and of course, laughter. I will definitely be adding Spellcast to my MUST READ list for 2011.” Read more at Smexy Books.
“[The characters] are everyday people with issues & drama. I fell in love with each & every one of them...And the secrets, oh there are secrets that keep you turning the page, dying to know what they are! Spellcast is my favorite new series of 2011.” Read more at Wicked Lil Pixie.
“Totally taken by surprise! This is an excellent read that I really can't compare to anything else…a discovery of self and friendship and hope…and I kept finding myself drawn back into the pages as if I had never left as soon as I picked it up.” Read more at Parajunkee.
“Ashford's love of theater is apparent and will touch everyone who has had the luck to walk across the stage, and everyone who has ever wanted to. And it isn't just theater. It is family and friends, relationships and work and all those little and not so little things that fill our lives and make us who we are. Spellcast glimmers with wide-eyed wonder and rustles with restless energy. It is impossible to put down.” Read more at So Many Books, So Little Time.
“If you're worried, because like me, you're not a theater buff, please don't let that stop you from picking up this touching and heartfelt tale...The story that unfolds is so stirring, that it'll stay with you long after the last page...This book, this author, these characters - they're keepers.” Read more at The Spinecracker.
“A well-told romantic fantasy that is full of suspense, passion, and pathos and rich in theatrical allusions. This is truly an emotional journey-both for the characters and for the reader…” Read more at Fang-tastic Fiction.
“There's a lot that Spellcast has to offer that we don't see very often in modern fantasy: an older, more mature heroine who isn't some kick-ass bombshell, but a normal woman who's trying really hard to find her place in life. Then there's the musical theatre, which is a helluva lot of fun...Lastly, the romance...that doesn't fall into the trope of love/lust-at-first- sight. These characters have to fight...their own flaws before they have a remote chance of accepting each other and finding happiness. Combine all of this together and you end up with a book that makes you laugh as much as it makes you want to cry.” Read more at Calico Reaction.
“Spellcast accurately captures the intense emotional highs and lows that occur during summer arts programs--those that occur both onstage and off--and Ashford's ability to make readers reconsider well-known (and even long rejected) productions is where the true magic of the novel lies.” Read more at Fantasy Matters.
“Beautiful characterization, graceful storytelling, secrets galore, an achingly tender love story, and yes, magic. Plenty of magic! Spellcast is as close to perfect as it gets for me, and I’ll eagerly await the release of Ms. Ashford’s sequel, Spellcrossed.” Read the whole review at My Bookish Ways.