“Loved the fantasy and historical side of the book. Amazing message!”
–M.Diaz
“The Spell by C.V. Shaw is an endearing tale set in 16th-century England, which takes place not long after King Maurice’s war against France. The king’s five-year-old daughter Isabella gets shot by an archer, who appears to be a mysterious figure. While the stubborn king searches the dark forest for this archer, his queen Lilac worries about the cursed arrow. The royal family of Fleurham becomes entangled in a web of magic, adventure, and deception. When the king returns home after years in captivity, his family struggles to regain the love and harmony that once bound them together. They must learn to see beyond the spell, incorporate their fragile roots, and become strong again. The author’s writing will hold your attention from cover to cover, with an articulate style and vivid descriptions that will transport the reader to the lush countryside of Fleurham. The plot is intriguing and spellbinding. Throughout the story, you’ll learn of the unique backstories, from the witches who helped raise Isabella to the housekeeper’s family, the king’s horse, and other distinct events that create a fantastic page-turner. Shaw’s book is not only enthralling in the sense of historical fantasy but also contains meaningful lessons. The family often blames their poor choices on a curse. However, it’s interesting to see how their lives unfold and to discover whether or not a curse, misfortunate, or other reasons are the root cause of their tragedy within the family and the kingdom.
The Spell by C.V. Shaw is an immensely detailed and thrilling story that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. I recommend this stellar book for its gripping storyline and unique emphasis on accountability and how one event, one decision, can result in a powerful outcome.”
–Literary Titan
“With story lines that warn against focusing too much on the future and not enjoying the present, The Spell is a captivating fantasy novel.”
—Foreword Clarion Reviews
The Spell is a work of fiction in the fantasy, fairy tale, and suspense sub-genres, and was penned by author C. V. Shaw. Taking the classic atmosphere of fairy tales and giving them a dark and thrilling twist, we find ourselves in the kingdom of Fleurham where King Maurice and Queen Lilac each have their own agendas to try to control the kingdom and save their daughter. Isabella, the princess in question, lives amongst this power play as a terrible curse plagues every day of her life. What results is a fantastic adventure mixing sixteenth-century English history with lavish magic and interpersonal drama. Author C. V. Shaw has crafted a truly fantastic tale that will surely please fans of fantasy, fairy tale, and romantic suspense genres, and it packs a whole lot of passionate punches for a debut novel. One of the things which I really adored throughout was the building of atmosphere and the way that the mood shifted with the depiction of different scenes and how the characters physically reacted to what was happening to them. It gives a strong sense of immersion where you can be in the character’s head and emote with them, and this connecting kept me rooting for Isabella in particular as the rest of the exciting plot unfolded. The dialogue too was excellently penned, smacking of authentic history and character realism. Overall, I would highly recommend The Spell to fantasy fans for its accomplished writing style, immersive worldbuilding, and fantastic characters.
– K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
It’s a page turner!
During this bizarre time we are living in, I think we all need a captivating tale to take us far far away into a magical place. This book will do that for you. You won’t be able to put it down. There are plot twists and unexpected turns that will keep you turning the page wondering what will happen next to these interesting characters. I highly recommend it!
– A. Leon
The Spell by C. V. Shaw is a unique and different kind of story. It has that grim fairy tale feel to it but on a more mature level. The characters were very interesting and fun to read. I especially liked Lilac and Isabella and their rocky relationship as mother and daughter. I was also surprised by some of the outcomes that occurred in the novel which kept me on my toes; something that is good to find in a book. It was quick-paced and straight to the point which captures readers’ attention, making them want to read on. Overall, I think C.V. Shaw did an excellent job of telling a new type of fairy tale. I am eager to read more of their work.
– Tiffany Ferrell for Readers’ Favorite
I found C. V. Shaw an intriguing author who writes about mysterious spells and healing plants. The Spell beautifully combines the author’s hobbies and passion. The plot depicts a common theme, but the author weaves in intricate details of the characters, landscape, and mystical elements to construct an engaging storyline. The characters feature powerful personalities, allowing the reader to form an opinion of them. I like Isabella the most. The trials she faced make the reader bond with her misfortune. Overall, it disappointed me when the book ended. I wanted to read more about Isabella and her future. Hopefully, Shaw will delight us with more books in the fantasy genre. The cover of this book drew my attention, and I am glad I read it.
– Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers’ Favorite
I personally really enjoyed The Spell! It was an extremely quick and easy read, and C. V. Shaw writes with grace and elegance. My favorite aspect of the novel was the development of the characters, and I loved reading about Isabella because her flaws made her someone that I could connect to. Overall, the plot was enjoyable and exciting, and it was easy to read large portions of this book in short amounts of time because I was able to get invested in the plot from the start. The cover of the book is what originally drew me in; I think that it is absolutely beautiful. This novel made for a great standalone, but I would also be curious to see more of the story in a sequel. I would definitely recommend checking out this book if you are a fan of the fantasy genre!
– Rylanne Burdette for Readers’ Favorite
It has a nice worldbuilding and readers get drawn into this fantasy world without effort. It’s unexpectedly fast-paced and unputdownable. Fantasy worlds usually take some time to develop and build the thrill up but this book defies that wonderfully. Right from the get-go, it dazzles with looming mystery and the element of surprise.
– Risah Salazar for Readers’ Favorite
C.V. Shaw’s The Spell left me wanting more. The story takes you through the years of a royal family and their struggle to correct their ill-fated future. I enjoyed all the facets of the relationships that were explored (mother-daughter, husband-wife) and also loyalty, betrayal and romance. All this was sprinkled with a little magic creating a very imaginative and yet oddly believable story (despite the fantasy aspect). Any mother will relate to the desperate actions of the Queen to help her child. The book was a fast read and I would say leaves you craving more from each of the characters and story lines. Having said this, I will wait patiently in hopes that I will see these characters once again in a sequel or even a prequel.
– C. Halwani
An excellent read! Once you start you can’t put the book down, better make sure you have time to read it because you just think one more chapter and then it becomes two, then five and so on. The author’s imagination is brilliant and I loved the detailed descriptions, which make you feel like you are there. Can’t wait for a movie and a sequel or prequel or the three of them.
– D. Jurksaitis
Amazing book. This is a must-read novel that you can easily get swept into.
– J.P.
The story kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. And what a great message at the end.
– A. Deiffrey
I really enjoyed this short novel. It was a fascinating fairy tale, with interesting characters, and plenty of twists. Look forward to reading more works from this author. Highly recommend for those who enjoy the “fantasy” genre.
– F.P.
C.V. Shaw is such an amazing writer. Her descriptions flow beautifully, you can easily envision yourself in this beautiful fantasy story she created. Highly recommend!
– K.Taylor