Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 12/01/2016 Gr 9 Up—Sometimes life feels like it needs a little magic to make things perfect, and even talented teenage witches struggle to make things work. Kendra is an immortal witch, destructible only by fire—and perhaps love. When she meets James in 17th-century Salem, MA, they immediately connect, and their love takes flight. However, tensions surrounding the Salem witch trials force them to flee, and they are separated. Kendra travels through the centuries and provides a magical touch in four different fairy-tale stories as she searches for James. Can magic help her find her true love? This book offers an interesting way of exploring teenage life throughout multiple time periods and settings. The author has done research regarding the characters who are not fictional, and she skillfully weaves historical circumstances with the personal experiences of her characters. Young adult readers will relate to common social experiences and interactions. The stories contain some mild sexual content, such as kissing and implied intimacy, and the language used in present-day settings is also authentic, including words such as badass and slutty. Overall, this is a compelling read for young adult fans of fantasy and light romance. The unique use of settings and narration style will keep readers intrigued till the last page. VERDICT For fantasy readers and those who have enjoyed Flinn's previous novels.—Hannah Ralston, Southworth Library, SUNY Canton - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2017 Fans of the Kendra Chronicles will thoroughly enjoy this addition to the series, which also stands nicely on its own. Here powerful witch Kendra revisits East of the Sun, West of the Moon; Little Red Riding Hood; Rumpelstiltskin; and the Ugly Duckling, traveling to different times and locations (such as the Salem witch trials, the London blitz, and contemporary America). While Kendra and James’ love story may not be the most compelling of the several on offer (that honor goes to the thoroughly imaginative handling of Rumpelstiltskin), it’s a nice way to bind the four stories together. Flinn effectively employs the standard romance pattern of seduction, separation, betrayal, and resolution, often with a surprising but logical ending. With a shipwreck motif popping up as well, things don’t always end well. Flinn balances dark humor and wit with tragic happenings, and changes the vernacular to suit the time periods. Half the charm is identifying which story is being retold; the other half is seeing what device Flinn will employ to cast it in a new light. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.