Bound Spirit by H.A. Wills

Series: The Bound Spirit

Release Date: July 27, 2018

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4/5 stars

I really enjoyed Bound Spirit – it reminded me of The Veil Diaries (which I love). The novel is a slow-burn (though hopefully not as slow as The Veil Diaries) reverse harem romance. It focuses on a heroine who has had quite a traumatic childhood and is learning about her place in the newly revealed paranormal world.

Wills lends a more mature air to her characters by having each of them rooted in either a dark, traumatic past or a looming dark, traumatic future. The camaraderie and dynamic within the group of boys were interesting since they’re childhood friends who are loyal to each other but are also extremely aware of each other’s faults.

RH compositions tend to have a standard template to generate a more “well-rounded” cast of main characters. But, Wills surprised me by having one of the heroes be a ghost, Felix, who could only be seen by supernaturals who were emotionally close to him during his life. However, the heroine, Callie, is, of course, exempt from this – she can see Felix without having known him when he was alive. Instead of her coming across as a Mary Sue, this happenstance is a clue to the type of supernatural that she is. The heroes were the traditional mix of the “Leader,” the “Playboy,” the “Bad Boy/Strong & Silent,” and the “Nice Guy.” However, the introduction of Connor created a compelling change as he’s definitely the “Strong and Silent” type, whereas Donovan is the “Bad Boy”; I’ve found that RH usually has either-or, but not both of these “types.”

Wills was also very diligent with her characterization of the boys and Callie. While they each serve their own purpose within the group (ex. ringleader, comic relief, etc.), they are individuals. Wills was excellent at developing her characters – giving them more depth – but in an authentic way that reads true to your impression of them. I felt that each character was layered; Bound Spirit was a slow reveal of who each character genuinely was deep down, suggesting to the backstories that have to be revealed:

• Donovan the bad boy: he’s scared, angry and resigned,
• Felix the nice guy: besotted but feels “la douleur exquise” from the unanswered questions surrounding the murder of his family,
• Kaleb the leader/boy-next-door: dread of the future and pressure to be perfect,
• Nolan the playboy: fear and anger,
• Connor the strong and silent one: disquiet, and
• Callie the heroine: confusion, fear, and pain.

This breakdown alone demonstrates the depth of each character and hints to pasts that require some delving into. There is also a 3-fold story emerging as the book progresses:

1. Who murdered Felix and his family, and why?
2. What type of supernatural is Callie, and why has is it been kept from her?
3. How was Nolan cursed, and how to break it? (Not a spoiler btw.)

As you can imagine, this led to a vibrant plot, as the characters had a lot going on –

not including their everyday high school experience.

While there is evidence of rich character history, not much of Bound Spirit was spent delving into the boys’ past. While it annoyed me, I also understood, since it is the first book in the series and therefore focused more on Callie’s introduction into the supernatural world and her past. Callie sometimes is an outsider in the boys’ friendships as the boys have known each other for a long time and already know each other’s secrets. Bound Spirit‘s premise and its foundation were focused on Callie, so it’s understandable she wouldn’t be in the “know,” but their lack of forthrightness did get frustrating.

Bound Spirit was a slow-burn, so there are brief mentions of OW. Plus, Callie kept saying she’s not in that kind of mindset as she just got out of her father’s prison. Which was totally understandable.

Buy Bound Spirit

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