This is a spoiler-free review of Wicked Charm by Amber Hart. This is a vivid mystery that will have a reader hooked from start to finish. The lush Georgia setting and the horrors of missing girls as well as a budding romance created a fantastic story.
I received this copy of Wicked Charm thanks to Chapter by Chapter in exchange for an honest review on my stop of the blog tour. Thank you, Chapter by Chapter!
Book Summary, thanks to GoodReads
Nothing good comes from living in the Devil’s swamp.
Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn’t half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.
Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.
Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell—the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.
But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there’s something else that draws Willow to him.
When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they’re leading to her own death.
Overall Review
Trigger Warning: Death (including body descriptions), mention of suicide
This is a mystery novel heavy on the romance, though neither parts lacked. There were hints of both at the perfect times.
I absolutely adored the characters of Willow and Beau — I was immediately pulled in by their personalities and wanted to know more about them. Their character dynamics were interesting, and their voices were distinct from one another, which made the read even more enjoyable. The story is told in dual POV, from both Willow and Beau’s perspectives. Willow is determined and feisty, and Beau is intriguing and determined. When murders start happening to Beau’s past girlfriends, Willow must decide whether or not she’ll trust this bad boy with a not-so-good reputation. This made the stakes high and the novel a true page-turner.
The author included absolutely beautiful descriptions of the Georgia scenery, which made me feel as if I was truly inside the novel. The setting of the swamp made the suspense feel even higher.
Not only were Beau and Willow amazing characters, the side characters were equally enjoyable! Beau’s best friends were interesting to read about, as well as Willow’s newfound friend when she arrives in town. Willow’s grandmother was equally entertaining, with her hatred for her neighbor (who happens to be Beau’s grandfather) as well as her feeding the gators.
The book had good pacing. It didn’t feel too long or too short, though at times I did feel a bit distracted by the descriptions; however, the story quickly picks up after these descriptions and I’m engulfed by the story again.
Final Thoughts
This YA romantic thriller had me flipping the pages from start to finish. It took me only a few days to read it, and near the end I stayed up a bit too late devouring the story. Overall, I thought the characters and setting was great, as well as the high stakes involved.
Rating: 4/5
Further Information:
TITLE: Wicked Charm
AUTHOR: Amber Hart
PUBLISHER: Entangled Teen
LINKS: Goodreads – Amazon – B&N – iBooks – Kobo – Entangled
Thank you Chapter by Chapter for allowing me to host a stop on this blog tour! If you want to see the rest of the tour, click here!
Makayla Sophia 