Book Review and Giveaway- "Bound" by Kira Saito

"Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined."

When I saw the cover of Bound I was completely intrigued by it. It consists of everything I love in a cover. It is dark, eerie and you can see certain sadness exude from the woman. Then, I proceeded to read the blurb and I was in. I wanted to know what it was all about.
Mind you, I have absolutely no idea of anything voodoo and was a little scared of being put off by any of it. After all, voodoo to me was making weird looking dolls and stabbing them with needles. But what I came to learn was far more magical than I had expected.
It took me a little bit to get into it, and mostly I think it was because of Arelia's obnoxious best friend, Sabrina. But that is not necessarily a bad thing, some of my favorite books it took me a few tries until I really got into them. Eg: "The Unquiet" by John Connolly and "Marked" (book #1 from House of Night) and was so hooked  once i got into it I read the first six books in a span of a week. True Story.
Sabrina, you will come to see is a rich princess and what I get most from her is that she honestly feels she is entitled to things and people. She just struck a nerve with me.


Anyway, the story follows Arelia, a sixteen year old that lives with her grand-mere Bea and struggles to get by, money wise. During summer, Sabrina tells her about tan invitation she has gotten for a job at the Darkwood Plantation. Although Sabrina is rich, she finds this could be the perfect place to meet a rich LePlante man and eventually marry. Sort of like a stepford wife. For Arelia the pay is great, more than she could have ever hoped for and so, against her Grand-mere Bea's pleads, she sets off to her new job.
Here she meets some obnoxcious guests and a handsome boy named Lucus. He is mysterious and a total gentleman. Not the type of boy she has grown accustomed to.
Spirits have always talked to Arelia but she never paid them any attention, but now, here at the Darkwood Plantation she is faced with the truth about her past and her destiny. But will she stick around to see it fullfill or will she ran away, like her parents did?


Ah! See that is the question.. And you will need to read Bound to find out. I have laughed, I have cried and most than anything, have wanted to punch Sabrina square in the face multiple times. Kira has done an amazing job with this story, not only is it greatly entertaining but also, very educational! I have learnt a lot about voodoo and voodoo queens and I cannot wait to read more. It is all so interesting!


Now come on Kira, get going with book #2 of the Arelia LaRue Stories! I am dying to know what happens next!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Kira is a Canadian who currently resides in Brazil, with her Husband. She is also a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Jasmine, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza. Hopes one day her books will be made into movies.


** That is my dream too Kira! For yours and mines to be made into movies!**