Compulsion (Heirs of Watson Island) - Softcover

Boone, Martina

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1481411233 ISBN 13: 9781481411233

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015

Synopsis

Barrie Watson has been a virtual shut-in all her life, and when she moves to South Carolina, she's determined to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt's historic plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others gifts that became compulsions.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of Eight Beaufort, who seems to know what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn't what she seems, a town full of eccentric characters, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.   Award-winning author Martina Boone creates an atmospheric, enthralling Southern gothic coming of age story full or human nature, ghosts, romance and magic perfect for fans of Beautiful Creatures, The Raven Boys, and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. 

About this title

From the Author

In Boone's debut, an expansive Southern gothic tale, Barrie Watson is sent to live with her aunt Pru on Watson Island after Barrie's shut-in mother, Lula, dies and her godfather is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Barrie was born with a "finding gift" that compels her to seek what is lost or left unsettled, and amid the Beaufort and Colesworth clans--the founding families of Watson Island, along with Barrie's forebears--Barrie learns she isn't the only one with a gift. Curses plague Watson Island, ghosts haunt its mansions, evil spirits live in its woods, and a frightening "Fire Carrier" emerges at night over its waters. Together, Barrie and a handsome Beaufort boy named Eight seek justice and to right old wrongs. Though the novel is grounded in the present day, there's an old-fashioned quality to Boone's dialogue and characters; she skillfully blends rich magic and folklore with adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure, all while exploring the island and its accompanying legends. An impressive start to the Heirs of Watson Island series. Ages 12-up.  -- Publishers Weekly

From the Back Cover

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lived with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt's South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn't what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Edition details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1481411233
• ISBN 13: 9781481411233
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 464