Review: Conjure by Lea Nolan

Conjure
Author:Lea Nolan
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
The Hoodoo Apprentice Book #1
ISBN13: 9781620610985
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Be careful what you search for...

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

CONJURE was a unique story about a girl whose brother is struck by an ancient curse and their journey to cure him. The story started a tad bit slow but picked up and stayed on a nice course a few chapters in. The characters were easy to like (or dislike in some cases). You tend to forget the Main character and her brother are only 14 at some times when they are thrust into situations that a normal 14 year old wouldn't be able to handle, then you turn around and feel that they are extremely immature at other times. 

There is some very light romance in CONJURE. Emma has had a huge crush on Cooper for as long as she can remember and Jack crushes on a mysterious girl they meet on the beach before all their troubles start. The Hoodoo parts of the book was interesting. Ms. Delia's character was my favorite character of the book and I looked forward to the parts she was involved in.The premise of the curse was fascinating and the location of the story fit in perfectly. For the most part the situations were pretty easy to guess and not much was a surprise when it was revealed. 

CONJURE is geared pretty low on the YA spectrum in my opinion and would be a great fit for the younger, Young adults. A neat little adventurous start to The Hoodoo Apprentice Series. 

I gave it 3/5 stars