Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Wednesday #Review - Wicked Charm by Amber Hart #YALit #Thrillers #Romance

Series: Standalone
Format: E-Book, 304 pages
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Thrillers & Suspense


The haunting southern vibe of Beautiful Creatures meets the thriller of Ten in this romantic page-turner.
They say nothing good comes from living in the Devil's swamp.
Willow Bell doesn't think moving to the Okefenokee is half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog, or for the hot boy next door, who might just be the trouble people speak of.
Beneath his wicked sea-blue eyes and the allure that draws girls to him, Beau Cadwell is sinister to the core. Where Beau goes, chaos follows. His lips are full of twisted grins and lies, the girls say. He's evil in disguise, warns Gran.
It isn't until girls wind up dead in the swamp that Willow wonders if maybe Beau's more frightening than she can handle. His riddles tell her that he's someone to be wary of, but his touch tells her that she can trust him. Problem is, which is true? It's hard to tell with a boy like him.



Amber Hart's Wicked Charm is set to the background of the Okefenokee Swamp on the Georgia/Florida Border. With its Southern Gothic vibe, it is a wonderfully creepy setting and the perfect place to write a story about a cat and mouse game between Beau Cadwell, Willow Bell, and a mysterious killer. The shocking part is that the killer is leaving behind girls who have had some sort of connection with Beau. Is Beau the killer? Will Willow be the next victim?

17-year old Willow Bell just recently moved in with her grandmother Old Lady Bell. She has warned Willow to stay away from Beau and the Cadwell's if she knows what's best for her. Beau is the bad boy who not only breaks every girl's hearts, but he is the wicked charmed one as well. One could say that there is an immediate attraction between Willow and Beau. Willow doesn't believe that Beau is inscrutable. 

She believes that he has his redeeming moments. For Willow, Beau is that one thing that is bad for you, but you have to have it no matter what it might cost you because the thrill of the game is so exhilarating. Willow is a strong willed heroine who doesn't take gruff from anyone, let alone the hot bad-boy all the girls crave who lives right across the path from her.

"I think when you find the boy who makes you feel like you're wearing your skin backward, who turns you inside out and heats your blood and sets you on fire with want, it doesn't much matter."

Across the path from Willow lives Beau Cadwell, his sister Charlotte, and their grandfather Parker. After Beau and Willow grow closer, girls bodies are suddenly discovered deep in the swamp. Each of them has had a connection to Beau. Each of them had their hearts broken by Beau. Beau's connections to all the girls who end up dead is why everyone believes that Beau is the Wicked Charmed one who breaks almost all the girls hearts he goes out with. But, is Beau really capable of killing anyone, or is someone out for revenge? 

A curious part of this story are the heads of the Bell and Cadwell families. They've had a running disagreement for years. It reminded me sort of the Hatfield's and the McCoy's, but without all the shooting, moonshine, and killing between families. Wicked Charm is a story that has more than its fair share of angst, suspense, and oh yes, romance. Plus, plenty of gators! 


I received an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and Entangled; Teen in exchange for an honest review. 





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