I love Laura Thalassa. I ran (not walked) when I got the chance to read it from NetGalley (in exchange for an honest review).

I wanted this book to be the IT of indie fantasy romances. I wanted Lana del Rey on the page with a sprinkle of controversy and dark romance.

But I did not get that :(

The book starts with the main character (MC) who is a witch. She wants to enter a coven, but it proves to be quite difficult in her situation. Things happen (not that important for the plot - we could have been spared of many unnecessary details) and she ends up releasing to the world a sorcerer – who, we will get as we read the book, is a very dangerous figure, malevolent, and highly powerful.

I do not know what is happening with the writing in this book. Why is it so disorganized? It is not clear till the end what the MC wants from her life, it is not clear what is going on with the sorcerer – and not in a mysterious way, but in a confusing and irritating way.

The characters seemed poorly developed. Even the MC, for all the talk of who she is/was and the possibilities she is yet to unlock, everything around her and about her seemed vague and made up on the spot – as if any information I learn about her is not worth retaining because the entire story seems to abruptly change its course at all times.

Another thing and this one annoyed me to no end, was the way the sorcerer addressed the MC. There was almost no dialogue in which he would not use some appellatives like “my empress, est amage (which is the same thing), my queen” or similar words. Overused they ended up sounding corny and disingenuous. I grew to hate it each time I would read his replies. I was struggling to keep myself immersed in the book. I tried to row ahead and finish it only because I still kept my hopes up for an author whom I love – and I also felt responsible to finish the book because I received it from NetGalley.

At the end of the book I found myself not particularly caring about their relationship, the fate of their world, or the stakes that have been raised, or anything of the sort.

I am quite disappointed because I was not able to enjoy the book.

Thank you Sourcebooks bloom books to let me read this advance copy in advance through netgalley in exchange of an honest opinion.
I devoured this book in a day. I was submerged in a world of magic, curses and bonds. This story is so good, I couldn’t put it down and it left me anxious to keep reading and finding out what happens next. Laura Thalassa did a great job in creating a strong female narrator who’s unreliable because of her memory issue. Selene is wonderful and I grow attached to her so fast. The book was dark with Memnon who’s the perfect morally grey character. I mean, there was a time where I loved him, then I hated him, then I loved him again and it went like that again and again. What I loved most about this story is how Selene know who she is even when she lost all her memory. She trusted herself, she trusted in her judgement, her instincts. Her character is complex and really well-written.
If you love a story with witches, great morally grey character, spicy encounters, unreliable narrator, soul mates, action-packed story, murder investigation, this book is for you. Add this to your TBR and read this on April 18. You wont be disappointed.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 🥰 I read the Bargainer series last year and loved it, so when I saw that Laura was releasing this book within the same world, I immediately added it to my list. Then getting approved for the ARC was just *chef's kiss*!

I gotta say, I really enjoyed this book! I loved the witches aspect and storyline. I haven't really read anything heavy with witches as the main characters as of yet in my fantasy romance reading journey so this was a nice change. I also liked the wolf shifter aspect added in as side characters. The magic system felt pretty defined and fleshed out. The witches having a "familiar" was pretty cool, and I found Selene's discovery of Nero and their subsequent relationship to be so fascinating. Though I do wish that they could have had bi-directional communication instead of the heavily implied and one-sided comms they actually had, but maybe that will change later? Also, it seemed like everyone else's familiars were never around? Maybe I missed those descriptors, but I only really recall reading about Nero and Sybil's owl... maybe there was snake, or reptile? I can't remember. Kinda would have liked to read about some of the others more, just to add more fluff to the environment, if you will. I also really appreciated all the linguistic descriptions and historical context for Memnon and Roxilana's people (as well as the subsequent author's note). That was a pretty fascinating aspect to me throughout the book, as there were many places where the language between Selene and Memnon changed. The reader was still reading the same thing, but we always got the alert to the shift in language, so I thought that was done very well.

Selene's character in general really resonated with me. I have ADHD and my forgetfulness is quite severe, to the point where I am writing little notes to myself and placing them all over where I know I will see them so I won't forget things later. I also feel like I have to work twice as hard to accomplish the same amount of work as everyone else to compensate. So needless to say, there were some points where Selene's memory loss struggles and her coping mechanisms tended to bring out an emotional response in me that I wasn't anticipating. I saw myself in her a little and understood a little of the helplessness she might have felt at times. So I feel like I want to thank Laura for making someone like myself feel seen by Selene's character. I know it's not exactly the same, but the connection that I felt with the character was very real. I did get a little frustrated with Selene's hard-headedness towards the end. I understand why she was acting that way, but it just seemed a little self destructive after a while and I felt bad for her.

I'm a sucker for fated/soul mates, loved Bargainer as I said previously, so that aspect got me for sure. Memnon is spicy and sexy right from GO and I like their challenging of one another, it's really hot! His ability to quickly evolve and mold himself into a changing world around him was very mysterious and also extremely sexy at the same time. Like this man is thousands of years old and he's out here surfing the internet. Sir, what?? I feel like I should be frustrated by him, but something about him makes my own fire burn in challenge (aka turned on), so I guess get it, Selene! 🤣 I absolutely ADORED all of the endearments Memnon gave to Selene. 🥵 There's just something about any iteration of the lines "There she is..." or "There's my so-and-so..." said by the MMC after the FMC does something vicious that just melts me into a puddle instantly. Memnon had me in a liquid state non-stop! The back and forth between Selene and him in the sense of enemies to lovers to enemies to "I'm not sure what now" was kinda crazy but also kinda hot. There's never a clean break between them, there's always that little thread of something that you know still exists and it just keeps you on the edge (😏 he he he) and wanting to read more. I think Laura did a good job of weaving their past into their present in the physical and emotional sense that really seemed to transcend time and space. But shit gets crazy between them! I'm very much looking forward to reading the next book!

A couple of cons for me: I did find myself wanting a bit more background on some of the plot points, for example Selene's friendship with Sybil prior to the start of the book; what her life was like before coming to Henbane and why she so badly wanted to get in (it was touched on a little, but it wasn't really addressed why she couldn't receive this training at another coven). We also didn't really get any background on Selene's relationship with her parents (who apparently were still alive if I'm remembering correctly ?). We're also never told how she ended up choosing the location for her quest. I do understand that some of the background information could have been lacking on purpose due to Selene's memory condition (this book is 1st person POV just FYI), so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Also, I love to hate a cliffhanger, but that ending just felt OBSCENELY cut short. Like BOOM, shit happens, and instant darkness. No epilogue, no preview, nothing. REALLY wish LT would have given us a morsel of something to go on.

I would definitely recommend this first book in what I think we can assume will be a new series from Laura. Looking forward to the next book, hopefully it won't be too long of a wait! 🤙🏼💕

Selene is a young witch and is wanting desperately to join the Henbane Coven. Just a few things are stopping her from being accepted. She needs a better magical quest than what she submitted and a familiar. Selene in a drunken state takes the reins and books a trip to South America on what looks to be an exciting quest.

I loved the minimal and straight to the info we need for a back story then right into the action.

Trouble on this quest starts right away in the place ride when a force is calling out to her and literally trying to drag the plane down to it.

I don’t want to give away too much but I really really enjoyed this book. I loved the world that Laura created. I love her writing style and the ease it has and the times that just made me giggle . I love all the characters and Man Memnon is just an asshole that you love. I cannot wait till the next one is out to see what happens after that ending!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Lavabook Publishing and Laura Thalassa for a eARC in exchange for my honest review

The cover for Bewitched is just as amazing as Laura Thalassa's writing(I still can't get over how gorgeous it is) and I totally squealed when I got the ARC 😍😆 I'd been looking forward to reading this one from the time the blurb was revealed and I finished reading it within a few hours of starting it - couldn't pull myself away!❣️

So, we have Selene Bowers, who has tried to join the Henbane Coven multiple times but always ends up getting rejected - mainly because of the fact that she loses her memory every time she uses magic 😵 Poor girl literally needs a journal to keep her life on track because she doesn't know which memory she'll lose everytime her magic is used. That doesn't stop her from wanting to prove herself though! So when her latest attempt to join ends up with a suggestion to go on a magical quest and get a familiar at the same time, she's determined to do it. And that's how she ends up going on a trip to South America(she doesn't remember booking it though🤣) and not only does she try to save her plane that's about to crash because of a mysterious force, she also ends up awakening an ancient being who's been cursed. And he thinks she's his wife 👀
And like that's not enough, when she comes back, a bunch of murders in and around the campus put her in a difficult situation especially when she ends up getting accused because of the gaps in her memory.

I loved everything about this one especially the protagonist - Selene who is tough, witty and determined. She doesn't let her situation bring her down but always tries to find a way around it. The love interest - Memnon is an anti-hero and I can't wait to find out more about him and their shared history! This had the perfect mix of darkness, magic and romantic tension! I feel like we've just scratched the surface here when it comes to certain things and I need more!😍 No spoilers, but this one ends on a cliffy and I'm dying to get my hands on book 2!
This one comes out on 4/18!❣️✨

P.S. If you've been a long time fan of Laura Thalassa's books like me then you'll understand what I mean when I say that this has The Queen Of All That Dies vibes but with the magic of the Bargainer world!❣️✨

Omg I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this - I’m pretty sure it’s the fastest I’ve read an arc in a long time. The story had me gripped from the start.

I love Selene and the relationship she has with Memon as she battles to remember and regain her memories which she loses little by little every time she uses her magic. I now need the next book as the cliffhanger it’s left on has me wanting to know the rest of the story.

The world building and character development is brilliant and I found myself immersed in the coven life and all the things Selene went through to get there.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom books and especially the author Laura Thalassa for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ahead if it’s release.

The story is captivating in a lot of ways, but there are also moments of shock, disgust, and predictability in this book. This is a dark paranormal romance story that revolves around Selene and Memnon and their thirst for revenge for each other.

There is only little plot, but it still somehow snagged my interest. There are action scenes, which are explosive and mindblowing since they are vividly written. The deceit in this book was galling to the point it's uncertain what move will be pulled next by who.

The book has these tropes:
Enemies to lovers to enemies
"Who did this to you?"
"Touch her and you die."
Tending to wounds
Close proximity

And yes, it's spicy at just 20% (I think?)

I didn’t connect at all with the story neither the characters. I’m so disappointed since I’m a big fan of the author and had loved her other fantasy series therefore I had high expectations from this book.

What a great story : a thousands year old mage, a young witch and ancient cursed magic! All I need to spend a nice time reading it! The characters are so well (and coherently) described that I have a pretty good idea of who they are and I enjoyed the originality of their stories. I would gladly jump in book 2 if it's ever written ;-)

I love everything Laura writes and this was everything I was hoping for! It's set in the same world as the Bargainer series but focuses on witches instead! I loved the unique magic system! Our main Witch has such a glass half full, loving personality that you can't help but cheer her on! The love interest is delicious and dangerous. I will be sending Laura my therapy bills waiting for the sequel!!! 5/5 stars- easy!

One day, my husband asked me who my favorite author was.

That’s a really tough one to answer so I instead told him that I have never read a book by Laura Thalassa that I didn’t love!

And after reading Bewitched, nothing has changed!

I adore the characters Laura creates, I could see a lot of Serenity in Selene - with her strong attitude and immediate dislike of our new main man, Memnon. Memnon is dark, dangerous, and my new obsession.

Selene is a witch desperately trying to get into San Francisco’s most esteemed coven. Like a college for witches. One problem, her magic feeds on her memories so she often misses appointments, and fails to meet coven requirements. One such requirement leads to Selene getting on a plane that crashes where she is drawn to a sleeping Memnon and unwillingly awakens him.

Memnon stalks her back to the states and continually shows up unannounced proclaiming her his long lost wife and mate. Selene has no time for this, she has classes to attend… money to make… thats when the murders start..

Very anxious to see what happens in book 2 after that ending! I have no idea what Memnon’s end game is, but I’m so very excited to find out!

Thanks to netgalley, bloombooks, source books, and Laura Thalassa for the ARC of my most anticipated read of the year!!

4.5 stars! Talk about being Bewitched! I was enthralled by this book filled with mystery, suspense, action, and spice from the very beginning. Not to mention, I love Laura's writing style. She weaves an easy to read story with a perfect pace and an intriguing plot. I read this within a day if that says anything.

The events that occur and the mystery surrounding Selene and Memnon keep you turning pages. Selene is a relatable, loveable FMC, whereas Memnon is a possessive, morally gray MMC. The two are soul-mates with a bond spanning centuries, but Selene doesn't remember, and Memnon is enraged after being entombed by her for so long. Their relationship is tense as they fight wanting and hating each other. Why can't Selene remember, and what would've driven a soul-mate to place such a curse the other? If Memnon was truly villainous, what has Selene unknowingly unleashed upon the world? There's definitely a lot more to this book.

I'll say, Memnon is a straight-up enigma. He's like a green sour-patch kid. First, he's hateful, then he's sweet and finally leaves a bad taste in your mouth. (Sorry to those of you that like the lime flavor 🤷‍♀️ lol). I'm not a huge fan of Memnon after that helluva cliffhanger. He's got some real groveling to do if he's going to redeem himself. I'm really curious to see how the next book pans out!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher & Laura for the ARC!

Laura Thalassa's writing is so captivating - Bewitched was such a fun read that was hard to put down, we continue to learn new and exciting information that keeps you turning the page to figure out how things turn out. It was hard to find a place to pause because this book is fast-paced & packed with action, there's one thing after another!

We follow Selene Bowers, a 20-year-old witch trying desperately to be accepted by the coven...however, her magic isn't always reliable. The more she uses it, the less she remembers. Selene goes on an adventure to South America to try to find a familiar - she gets more than she bargained for. She finds a panther named Nero who she creates a bond with.... but she also finds Menmon.. a sorcerer who is convinced that Selene is his long lost love who has done him wrong.

Selene makes it back to the USA with Nero, and Menmon tracks them both down. While this is happening, there are some sketchy murders going on that has a lot of suspicion arising.

I love Selene as a character, she's witty and interesting. She isn't a damsel in distress, she puts up a fight, sometimes to her own detriment. Following her journey is a real treat, and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next books!

I would highly recommend this book to people who are into witchy books with some spice! This book is a lot of fun - can't think of a dull moment.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Laura Thalassa is an incredible writer and I can't wait to devour more of her literature.

This was my first Laura Thalassa novel and after reading this I am really sad I didn't move her other books higher up on my TBR because her writing style is really lovely.

Bewitched follows the story of Selene, a witch whose biggest goal is to join a coven and learn as much as she can despite the fact that using her magic steals her memories. Selene is kind of a badass. She's hyper-organized to accommodate how her magic functions and she never behaves as though what she deals with is a hindrance. She is smart, funny, and very relatable.

I did find myself somewhat frustrated with Memnon. He was so persistent and at times it bordered on obnoxious. He was not yet a book boyfriend I feel is swoon-worthy, perhaps that will change in the upcoming books as we learn more about the back story between him and Selene.

But overall, the plot was well paced and I felt this was a. really fun read. It does end in a bit of a cliffhanger and I usually find myself ruffled when a story ends that way, but that wasn't the case with Bewitched. Instead I left this book feeling sad that I would have to wait patiently for the next installment to see how Selene faces what lay ahead for her.

I also have to note, Nero. Precious, perfect Nero.

Tropes: Soulmates/mates, possessive MMCs, spice, enemies to lovers, and witches

I fell in love with Laura’s writing in The Bargainer, and it was so amazing to be welcomed back into this world and her creative and atmospheric writing.

Bewitched is an intriguing story and has a fantastic unreliable narrator due to memory issues. This gave the entire story an extra air of mystery and had me absolutely scrambling to read and unravel secrets. The romance was delicious to watch unfold, and the tension was so ridiculously hot.

This has….
- dark
- spicy
- enemies-to-lovers
- possessive soulmates
- magic
- witches
… and needs to go straight on your TBR.

Special shoutout to Nero – the greatest familiar a witch could ask for.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

5/5

OMG. LAURA THALASSA HAS DONE IT ONCE AGAIN. I read her bargainer series last summer and absolutely adored it. This? This was just as good, if not better. I know.
The world of the witches is exquisitely crafted, with such vivid spells and magic described. I loved all of the coven setting vibes!!
SELENE. LOVE OF MY LIFE. She is SUCH an amazing MC!!! Her sense of humour is amazing, she feels so realistic, and she’s just …. so lovable. I cannot say enough times how fun her POV is!! Seriously, her character is relatable in a way I find is so hard to see in romance fantasy books these days.
AND MEMNON?! okay. So yes he is a bit crazy and definitely out of his mind BUT. BUT. He is hot as hell. Seriously. His character is so fucking intriguing, and I am dying to know exactly what he’s done in the past. Although to be fair if a guy did half the stuff he did to Selene in real life I’d hate him with a passion like she did, but there was something so romantic about him as well. His endearments for Selene??? The scene where he heals her?? Take my heart. Make of that what you will !
The romance. Oh my god. This is the perfect ‘I don’t want to love you but I do’ romance. The push and pull of Selene and Memnon is SO compelling and intriguing to read about. The fact that they’re soulmates just adds more layers and depths to their relationship. I wanted them to get together and also never see each other again - it’s such an interesting dynamic. I am so excited for more layers to be peeled back in this series!!
The plot? Is so so good. Laura manages to bewitch readers with this book. Yes see what I did there. 😁 But this book is so well plotted. Heavy on the romance and character relationships, but still heavy on the mystery; the two components are blended with such craft.
I read this in one sitting. It was impossible to put down. I am dying and on the edge of my seat for the sequel and best believe I will be one of the very first to read it if I can!! I am beyond excited to see what happens to Selene and Memnon next - and THAT ENDING??? I am dying of anticipation. I know Laura will deliver a stellar sequel, and I cannot recommend this book enough!!

Outstanding. What I just finished is a work of art!! Laura based this off real history and made it her own. I'm blown away truly. The intro is special. I yearned for this king to be set free. Idk who he was but I felt bad for him. Selene was a rare witch who I definitely was curious about, and still curious. Her existence is tricky to me. She is a young girl who is in a sense looked down upon because she loses memories. Her BFF Sybil is amazing and I grew to love her but I'm on the fence with her weirdly for my own personal reasons. You decide for yourself when you finally read this gem. The plot thickens and thickens and just never stops thickening. I love it. I have so many unanswered questions. I'm sad I got an ARC from Netgalley because I'm that much farther away from book 2. I have no idea how fast Laura writes, but no matter I will be anxiously waiting. Alot happens in this book. I don't want to give away any spoilers because it is that good!!!!! Everything and every single detail feels like it really matters. I laughed. I got angry at all the characters. I feel bad for all the characters. I feel bad for Laura. I'm jealous of Laura. 🤣 I love the cliffhanger it ends on. I just love love love it. Oh yeah ! I'm super happy about that fact it's filled with happy time FOR Selene's pleasure. Down south. I've always wanted that to be mentioned more and I got it from this book! That's the perfect spicy for me. 🥰

Thalassa kills it in Bewitched, a beautifully written story of magic, witches, and soul mates (and spice). 😉 The MC is wonderfully intricate and likeable, and with her memory issues comes one of the best aspects of any book—an unreliable narrator. Equal parts mystery and fantasy, Bewitched was a book I couldn't put down, continuously developing more addictive story telling as the book went on, leaving you anxious to find out what happens next.

*Thank you to Bloom Books, Laura Thalassa and Netgalley to providing me with an E-ARC of "Bewitched" in exchange for an honest review *

I found this a tad difficult to get into, but it may be just a me thing. The mc forgetting her memory made it hard to follow. But I'm sure other fans of Fantasy Romance will love this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Laura Thalassa for providing me with the ARC! I DEVOURED this book 🥰

Excerpt of my goodreads review:
AAAAAAAH! I'm done! 😭 It's so good, I can't deal sh*t right now! My thoughts and feelings are all over the place and I feel absolutely, devastatingly heartbroken 💔 And the worst part is??? One year till the next book 😭😭😭 F*CK but this hurts. Laura, what have you done?? You malicious brilliant woman, you!!!

Now a more streamlined review:
I loved it!! As always, the characters were unique and I could immediately sympathise with them. The MMC Memnon was haaawt 🥵 and their chemistry lit 🤌 The story was predictable but amazingly written and sucked you in right from page 1. And although it WAS predictable, it still hurt like a m*****f****er. 😭 I'm really excited what Laura will have in store for us in book 2!! A great start for her new series. 🥰