Anything by Laura Thalassa has me on the edge on my seat. I absolutely love the way that she writes. Every story every new adventure is an emotional rollercoaster and this one is no exception.

★·.·.·★ “𝗡𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁. 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀. 𝗘𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹.” ★·.·.·★

Romantasy • Witches • Werewolves • Amnesia
Published • April 2023

₊˚⊹♡⊹ ࣪ ˖🐈‍⬛ I’m reviewing these books in a two for one because the cliffhanger at the end of Bewitched is so massive, you’re going to want to read both at once.

This series is pure escapism: easy to read, fast paced, and quickly binged. If you are in a reading rut and want a very spicy 🥵🌶️🌶️ and fun read, then look no further. The kindle books are also free on Prime reading.

So while the smutty romance portions are sizzling, the fantasy components don’t hold up on their own. It’s not that the plot is weak. It’s more that the magic happens too easily, is not really explained... and the spells are cheesy (basically just come up with a rhyme and *boom* you’ve got yourself a spell).

When the main characters can heal from any wound it starts to lose its impact when they are taking multiple mortal injuries and then standing back up the next day. I had a similar issue as Selene lobs “explosion” spells overcoming any opponent. Everything is a little too “ta-da” easy peasy, convenient.

Points for Selena’s giant furrball Nero, a black panther — her grumpy familiar was one of my favs.

Bewitched is the first book in the Bewitched series and cannot be read as a standalone.

Selene was a witch who wanted to join the Henbane Coven. Whenever she used her powers, however, she would lose her memories. After a trip
to South America goes awry, she returns home with Nero, a panther, and an ancient sorcerer, Memnon, whom she’d accidentally awoken.

The twists and turns, the murder mystery, the world building — they were great! And Memnon, oof. The man — sorcerer — was morally grey? Black? I’m not sure, honestly. He believed Selene to be his wife…from many years ago. And he seems to know something that she doesn’t (well, she doesn’t have her memories), but whatever it is, he’s not telling. Anyway, after that cliffhanger, I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

I loved the premise of this book but struggled with the execution. I found the main character to be a bit unlikable but I am hoping it is the result of her “past life” which I am eager to read more about. I love this author and I hope book two explains some of the criticisms I have!

This was good - it was packed with adventure and action, the FMC is strong, snarky and a witch, the MMC is obstinate, manipulative, hates her but also is totally gone for her. That being said, I really wish Memnon (the MMC) wasn't so much of an asshole, it makes it hard to root for them to find a way to be together. The memory loss in this one was interesting and added a bit of intrigue to the plot but overall, I have more questions than answers right now, which is likely by design. My favourite part is 100% Nero, what I would give to have a familiar like that!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bewitched
Laura Thalassa
Fantasy

Thank you so much Netgalley, and Bloom Books for this copy of Bewitched! This book was extremely refreshing, and the exact type of read I needed right now. Selene is a twenty year old witch that is trying to join a coven. The coven tells her that she is not good enough, and that she needs a familiar and to complete a better quest. She ends up booking a trip to South America where she is called to a mysterious magic, that ends up being a delusional powerful sorcerer that is convinced she is his mate from a different time period. She somehow escapes, and ends up being accepted into the coven she really wanted after they learned about her escapades. However, once she is there, witches start showing up unalived, and she finds herself at the root of each individual case. Her mysterious suitor also has followed her home and begins appearing everywhere she goes, trying to convince her that she is his long lost love. This book was about 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 on the spice scale. I really loved it and can’t wait to read book 2!

This is my first book by Laura and she has turned me into a forever fan. This is a paranormal romance with some of my favorite tropes, memory loss, multiple love interests with a slow burn.

I love the vast world with different characters. I resonated alot with Selene and especially her inner monologue. Menmon, the perfect alpha hole MMC 😍🖤 the tension between the two had me screaming.

The moment I saw the cover of Bewitched and read the blurb on Laura Thalassa’s social media, I knew I had to read it. Laura has a knack for pulling readers into her fantastical worlds—whether it’s with The Four Horsemen or The Bargainer series—and I had some pretty high expectations for this one.

Did it live up to the hype? ABSOLUTELY.

Get ready for a spellbinding adventure in this dark paranormal tale. Bewitched introduces us to Selene Bowers, a 20-year-old witch with a rare magical condition that causes her to lose her memories—a flaw that has kept her from being accepted into Henbane Coven, a prestigious academy for witches. Determined to prove herself, Selene is finally given a chance when the academy assigns her a series of tasks.

But what starts as a routine quest spiral into chaos when Selene’s plane crashes on a mysterious island. There, she accidentally frees Memnon, an ancient and dangerously alluring being. Unfortunately for Selene, Memnon believes she’s the one who cursed him and betrayed him—oh, and he’s convinced she’s, his wife.

Selene manages to escape the island and return to the academy, but her life is anything but normal. Memnon is hot on her trail, a string of murders rocks the campus, and her memory loss makes her the prime suspect. The stakes are high, the tension is electric, and the secrets are as dark as the magic in this world.

Laura Thalassa’s writing is as captivating as ever, pulling you into every twist and turn. The plot is thrilling, the characters are complex, and the ending will leave you reeling. Memnon is the perfect mix of dangerous and swoon-worthy, while Selene’s strength and determination make her an unforgettable heroine.

Bewitched is a wild, dark, and magical ride that’s equal parts thrilling, addictive, and haunting. It’s a must-read for fans of dark fantasy romance, and I, for one, cannot wait for the next instillment!

I loved reading this witchy book right in time for spooky season! It was so much fun and I could not wait to get to book two.

It took me a long time to finish this book but I’m glad I did. The storyline was riveting, the characters entertaining. The only thing I didn’t like was the cliffhanger, but I’ve already got the next book on lock. Well done.

Rich urban fantasy of witches, sorcerers, shifters, power both old and new, secrets, and conspiracies. Old power rises, and the past blends with the present, but not everything is quite as it seems. Engaging and complex, romance but not, although definite simmer! A must read for paranormal fans!

Thalassa is a marvelous story teller with any series she writes. Bewitched is this beautifully dark enchanting thriller. The characters are complex and deep — and as a result? The romance is too.

Selene’s powers consume memories. Something I personally could not fathom at the still young age of 33. Each use of her powers in the novel made my heart ache, knowing it’s a toss up of what memories it consumes.

Memnon the cursed easily has become one of my favorite antiheroes. Thalassa easily writes him riding that grey area between victim and villain. The banter between him and Selene was great and felt authentic and honest.

The combination of witch academia and modern times meets ancient curses and spells in this book with a ton of rich storytelling while maintaining a gothic aura. This quick paced novel goes above and beyond my expectations.

This book was very boring to me. It felt very YA and I could not stand the main character. I was not rooting for the love interest and I was frankly bored most of the book. It's hard to get behind a fantasy romance when you don't believe the romance aspect of it.

Cliffhangers, cliffhangers and even more cliffhangers!!
I love that the FMC has magical powers and loses her memories when she uses the magic.
Couldn’t make it more interesting if you tried!

I was really into this book at first. But then I quickly lost interest. The beginning had a lot of promise and I thought the premise was cool. It's honestly more the writing I'm having an issue with. It isn't keeping me engaged. May try again at another time.

Thank you to Bloom Books for this ARC.

MEMNON THE MAN THAT YOU ARE.

Bewitched follows Selene, a young witch whose powers cost a high price- her memories. She awakens an ancient king who is convinced she is the love of his life, Roxilana. Unfortunately for Selene, Roxilana betrayed the King and he is set on exacting his revenge. The witchy, dark academia vibes set the atmosphere perfectly. The slow burn between our FMC and MMC was done exceedingly well, and instead of finding it irritating (which is my own problem) it sucked me in even more and I was hooked. It was an easy to follow, enjoyable story with a unique magic system, and it completely consumed my life during the time it took me to read.

Laura Thalassa, you continue to keep me in a chokehold.

Read this book if you like:

Enemies to lovers
A possessive, morally grey MMC
Second chances
Sorcerers, witches & werewolves
Touch her and die

**Thank you to Sourcebook, Bloom Books, Laura Thalassa and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**

witches, werewolves, oh my
urban fantasy
touch her and die
enemies to lovers
animal side sick,a familiar
fated mates
magic school
ancient history
cliffy

This is a true enemies to lovers that is fast paced and a wild ride. The banter, the magical quests and the familiar were by far my favorite. This was a hard to put down book and I can't wait to get to the next book!

Thank you Laura and netgalley for this ARC

↬ review: 3.75 stars ☾ ❦
this book was a wild ride from start to finish, and the first half had me cracking up. the fmc was hilarious, with her refreshingly unserious attitude that just made the whole story feel so fun. i genuinely loved her personality because her wit and lightheartedness made her incredibly charming despite her thousand issues.

now, let's talk about memnon, our intense love interest. he's got that brooding, mysterious vibe a la damon salvatore going on, and while i'm not totally head over heels for him yet, i'm definitely intrigued. i see some serious potential for book 2 to have me swooning.

it's an urban fantasy, so the worldbuilding wasn't the most intricate thing ever, but who doesn't love witches, a coven, spells, and a good mystery? i was all in. that said, the second half got a bit messy with the plot, but it's fast-paced and packed with enough action to keep you turning pages. and can we talk about the familiars? i'm obsessed. nero is 100% my spirit animal, and i need more of him in my life. the concept of familiars was such a great addition to the story.

overall, i have a ton of questions that i really hope get answered in book 2, but if you're looking for a fun, fast-paced read with a sassy main character, romantic tension, and a lot of magic, this book is worth it. i'm ready for the sequel.

thank you, netgalley and laura thalassa, for the arc in exchange for my honest review. it means a lot to me, and i appreciate it.

This book is underrated and I want to tell EVERYONE about it. This is my second LT series, and while I didn’t love it as much as the Bargainer series, I can’t wait to continue. The premise of losing memories as you use magic is so interesting and unique. I have so many questions still, and with the cliffhanger ending, I’ll be picking up book 2 soon.

I'm a pretty big LT stan, I inhale her books even when they go off the rails. I enjoyed the start of this a lot, however the middle got a bit repetative and slow. Things picked back up at the end, but there was, for me, still something missing that would make this a usual 5 star. I'm going to see how book two is and maybe report back.