Review: Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island #1) by Martina Boone

 Summary from Goodreads:

Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives 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. 

My Review:


This was reread for me. I listened to the audio book this time around. I lowered my rating from a 5 to a 3.5 but still enjoyed it.

What I Liked:

Main Character.

Writing Style.

Audio book. The narrator was okay, I did not like the audio book at first but it grew on me as the novel progressed. 

Setting/Gothic Elements. The main reason I was so into this series was the Gothic setting and elements. It is hard to find a good Gothic novel these days, most of all in YA so that is why this series is so high up on my list. The setting was eerie and added a lot to the plot.  

What I Disliked: 

Side Characters. I struggled to connect with any character besides Barrie, her aunt was okay but did not get much time in the novel. I felt that the other characters could have been explored more. 

Pacing. The progression of the plot was so much slower than I remembered, not a lot of things happened in around 400 pages. 

Romance. The big thing I did not care for was the romance. It felt very instant and not as slow/drawn out as I tend to enjoy. 

I still recommend checking out this series, it is well-written and has a great Gothic atmosphere. 

My Rating:

3.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars.