I read the first book before I started as I didn’t realise this was the second. I loved the first book gave it 4.5 stars however I feel like the second book although good, for me the plot lost something due to the amount of intimate scenes. Iv read books with spice in before but I feel like it was a bit much here and the story wasn’t as developed or detailed as it could have been. I still rated it a solid 4 and I love the character development, the world building was great there was just something missing that kept it from being a 5 star. I am still eager to read more though and other titles by this author

📚 Bespelled
Bewitched Series Book 2
✍ Laura Thalassa
📖 Fantasy/ Sci- Fi
4.5★⚊
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Laura Thalassa you did it again!!!!! 😱🤯
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Im still reeling with that ending!! .. seriously my head won't stop spinning 🤯🤯..
Second book of bewitched series where we can see a more grown Selene.. more strong and determined and not to mention her inner talk 👌.. she's ready for ted talks now 🤣 just kidding .. but seriously we can see a more mature fmc, more confident with herself and determined to get to the whole truth ..
This book is filled with adventure, action packed, lots of drama and looots of swooning moments with the mmc .. 😱🤯🔥..
Still loving the unique world building .. and just when you thought you have everything figured out .. baam.. another plot twist 👌..
Making this book unputdownable..
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So here, y'all now .. if youre feeling like reading a fantasy/sci fi story .. look no further.. Im telling you is gonna be very different, brilliant, fascinating and unique ..
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𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲, 𝟐𝟖
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Also, did you see the gorgeous cover?? 😍😍 I love it ..🖤💚
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All the feels:
💟  romanstasy
💟 action packed
💟 mystery
💟 magical academy
💟 ancient sorcerer
💟 spicy romance
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Thanks to Laura Thalassa SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and Netgalley for this arc, the opinions are on my own.
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Selene and Memnon are addictive! I love this storyline. I love how powerful this couple is. The evil they faced made for great opponents. I’m super intrigued where this will go next. Great book!

Omg!!! Let me start off with a HUGE thank you to bloom books and NetGalley for this arc. Next a thank you to Laura Thalassa for writing such an immersive and enchanting story. This is one of my favorite series I’ve read yet.

Ok so getting right into this review I gave this book 5/5 stars. The series in general is 5 stars for me.

Plot: I loved it! So often I find that sequels kind of drift off the first book or add too many new things that take away from the original story but not with this!! It flowed so nicely and tied in great with the first book. It gets a bit darker too which makes the plot that much more interesting.

Characters: I continued to love the characters in this series, my love for Memnon, as if I thought I couldn’t live him more, turns out I can. The tension between him and Selene is top tier! I love their banter, and their relationship. It blossoms into such a beautiful love story. If you’re into a seriously dedicated and devoted male, this book boyfriend is for you! I loved that we got to see more of the side characters! Sybil in particular is one of my favorites. Side note: those lycanthropes are on such a high horse!!

World building: I thought the world building in this was so good!! The first book was lighter and still enough for me to really grasp the story but this one!!! This one really brought everything together in such detail for me. Everything from the sarmetian history to the world of modern witches and the darkness that lingers underneath.

Pacing: AMAZING! I don’t think there was one time I felt the book was slow. At the same time it kept me just on the edge of tension. It didn’t give everything away right away! It kept me saying “one more chapter” at the end of the night.

Favorite quote: Selene talking about his scar and memnon responds with “I’m grateful for it because it made you stroke my skin” that and when he tells Kane he’s a good man 😭

Final thoughts: This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a witchy/paranormal romance. I haven’t loved a book boyfriend so much since acotar!! AND
THAT ENDING!! I need the third book immediately! I will recommend this book to literally everyone! If I HAD to give one critique, I’d say Mennon could not get to Selene in time too many times. I feel with his stubbornness he wouldn’t have allowed it to happen after not being able to get to her before. But that’s such a mild drawback that it doesn’t ding the rating for me at all!

I love her writing and visiting this world agian,alot of spin offs make you miss the original this makes you fall in love with new things ❤️

I loved Bewitched last year when it came out, so this book had a lot to live up to. The story picks up from right from where the last one left off so you are thrown straight back into the action. I liked how the story unfolded by finding out who is responsible for all the witch deaths. The conclusion was somewhat satisfying but felt a bit weak in terms of what was supposed to be a plot twist I guess? I don’t know but I saw it coming a mile away.
Selene’s character growth is slow but progressive, I liked how she handled Memnon’s behaviour for the most part. The thing that I struggled most with this one was Memnon himself. I just didn’t like him and couldn’t connect to him, and I found him a little one-dimensional and a tad boring.
Overall I do think this book suffers a little with second book syndrome. It had some fantastic parts and then there were moments when the plot felt a little weak. I’ll probably read the next one though just to find out what the conclusion is going to be.

An interesting sequel to Thalassa's "Bewitched"-- I thought this was quite tonally different from the first book in the series, with a great deal of groveling from Memnon and the twist of Selene's memories returning. I felt questionably about the treatment of bonds in this one - it seemed inconsistent and dubious at times. I'll stick with it because she has great follow through on her series, but this wasn't my favorite.

This book is excellent. I am so glad I got the opportunity to arc read Bespelled, and I cannot wait for it to come out!

We start off following the huge cliffhanger Laura left us with in book 1, and things just keep going from there. Selene's memories are back, Memnon has realized maybe he shouldn't be the worst person ever to the woman he loves, and the stakes are much higher. There is a darker take to Bespelled compared to Bewitched, and I really enjoyed it. We delve into dark magic, disappearing witches, and supernatural trafficking. It really added to the larger plotline and I am excited to see where it takes us in book 3. I think the author did a great job handling the supernatural trafficking, it was written very well.

In this book, Selene is having to adjust to life without losing her memories, and also trying to not fall in love with Memnon - although you can imagine how well that goes. She gets mixed up in some trouble, and our morally grey MC swoops in to support her and help however he can. It helps that his whole motto this book is 'grovel and worship her however much she lets me', because how can you resist that? His character arc as a whole was fantastic and I loved it.

That was my one thing in this book - how on earth did Selene resist him so much? I wanted her to accept him faster, but at the same time I understood where she was coming from. Also, the times she did give in like Samhein??? SPICE ALERT. So good!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one in the series. I liked that we took a darker turn and raised the stakes, and I hope we get to see more in book 3 - although I would love to see Selene and Memnon united as a couple and figuring something out together. Also, I am curious if Selene's parents will play a larger role?

Laura Thalassa has become one of the few authors on my auto buy list. Her characters are deliciously realistic and multifaceted and her stories are lush with details and conflict. This novel was excellent and very inline with all her fantastic fantasy novels. Highly recommend this series and all her others.

i'm in such a witchy fantasy vibe and this book delivered! it was so fun and I adored the energies between Selene and Memnon! it was so fun and i loved the romance

This picks up where book one left off with Selene and Memnon as brutal enemies and Selene in full control of her memories of both lives. They then set aside their differences to figure out who’s been murdering the witches.

I feel like one thing Laura Thalassa doesn’t seem to do is think ahead in terms of plot points in her books. Ex: in the bargainer series the “bargainer” part was like completely forgotten until the very end of the last book, in the four horsemen series the horsemen don’t discuss each other like at all? This series seems be the same with the excuse that Selene didn’t have her memories, but Memnon had his and he knew Selene had warned him many times about Eisling so why is it only mentioned once at the beginning of the book when they do that little memory sharing moment? This was still a fun book even if it was a little too heavy on the sex and not heavy enough on the actual plot, and a little predictable.

I started this immediately after finishing Bewitched, when I still hated Memnon. I think this book is better than Bewitched. We get even deeper into the crimes that are happening and the evil people and empire behind them. Also, Selene actually stands up for herself and takes what she deserves. She is powerful and does not apologize for it.

Overall, I also like the pace of this book better than the first. I feel like in Bewitched we are mostly getting an introduction, but here we actually go into why things are they way they are. We also get a better understanding of the magic, the different people/creatures that exist in this world, and how Selene ties into it, both now and in the past. I was surprised that there was another person who turned out to be the one who betrayed Memnon, and even more surprised when she showed up again at this point in time.

I think the bond Selene forged with Memnon where he gave her control was an excellent idea as a way to try to remake the trust lost between them. I wish Selene would have used it more to her advantage, especially when it came to Memnon still keeping many secrets from her. Memnon did grow on me after a while, but the feeling of betrayal stayed with me for a lot of the book.

In the end, like a fool (both me and Selene) we ended up falling for Memnon, only to be betrayed on the last page again. I need there to be a third book and I need it now. And this time I need Selene to truly curse Memnon. Because much like Selene, I am mad, but not surprised at the twist of events.

Loved this sequel and felt it was even better than the first book in the series! I enjoyed getting to see scenes from the past played out. Memnon is a classic Laura Thalassa leading man, and it felt like he really came into his character in this installment. Sweet, playful, groveling Memnon is my favorite Memnon! I enjoyed the additional worldbuilding that happened in this book, and that ending? I need book three now!

Well…I don’t even know what to say about this book! We get way more spice in this book, Memnon tries to redeem himself, and Selene gets powerful! I can’t necessarily say Memnon grovels, but there’s definitely some genuflecting in there because he learns he SERIOUSLY messed up after Selene gets her memories back.

I actually enjoyed learning what happened and I’m glad we got it in the beginning. I feel like the past needed to be resolved before the story could move on in the present and it felt that way once we learned what happened.

The rest of the book was a trip. So much happens with the mysterious deaths and we learn what Memnon’s been doing in his spare time. I loved seeing Selene embrace her past and present and being a powerful witch.

One thing I did love about Memnon is all the nicknames he calls Selene. You can really tell (more so in this book) how much he loves and adores her. I also really liked how Selene didn’t cave right away to Memnon and her memories of him. She’s a different person now and Memnon really messed up in the Bewitched.

With that said…I don’t know about the end of this book! It’s not really a cliffhanger as more of a “truth bomb” that’s making us possibly question everything again. I think it’s a red herring in the context it’s delivered. Oh, I definitely think this was all planned, but I don’t think it’s quite as nefarious as we’re made to think at the end. Or, maybe I’m in extreme denial…haha

Looking forward to the next book!

This book is a wicked brew of groveling warlocks, a badass witch named Selene, and enough drama to make even the most seasoned soap opera jealous.

Picture this: Selene stepping into her powers like a boss, finding her confidence, and facing off against a wicked warlock. Drama? Check. Action? Double check. Steamy make-ups? Oh, you betcha!

But what really sets this book apart is its quirky humor. Selene's inner monologue had me cackling like a witch at a comedy show. I'm officially obsessed with these characters – they're like my magical BFFs!

And can we talk about the plot? It's a fresh take on fantasy, steering clear of the same old kingdoms and courts. Laura Thalassa sprinkles in supernatural trafficking, adding depth and heart to the story.

Oh, and Memnon? He's not just your average bad boy – he's swoon-worthy AF. Watching him step up for Selene melted my heart faster than a witch's spell in the summer sun.

So, grab your cauldron and dive into Bespelled. It's a spellbinding mix of magic, romance, and danger that'll leave you utterly bewitched. (See what I did there?) Trust me, you won't want to put it down – just watch out for those steamy spice chapters, they're hotter than a dragon's breath!"

**I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review **

“Cities can burn and centuries can pass and none of it means anything to me without you.” -Bespelled

Laura Thalassa may just be my favorite supernatural romance author, and I feel so honored to have gotten the chance to read Bespelled early! Thank you MetGalley, Laura Thalassa and SOURCEBOOKS for the ARC!!

FYI- no spoilers but if you are reading this review, I will assume you’ve read book 1 and are familiar with the plot.

Bespelled it book 2 in the Bewitched series, I’m assuming there will be 3 books? This one definitely left us on a cliffhanger! And I’m calling it now, book 3 will be named “Beloved” (no inside information, just my guess)

Selene and Memnon are back with their classic bickering and love/hate dynamics in this second installment. Selene has recently recovered her memories, including those of her past life as Memnon’s soul mate. Memnon uses these memories to find out what truly happened 2 thousand years ago between them.

Now that that big misunderstanding gets cleared up, it’s time for Memnon to grovel at Selene’s feet for 500+ pages.

Selene is not only the queen of an ancient kingdom… she’s also queen of getting jumped and kidnapped. Seriously happened every time she went off and did something on her own without her mate.

One thing I love about the “ancient person waking up in modern times” trope is said person adjusting to how the world has changed.. well we don’t get much of that because Memnon just reads everyone’s minded and adjust himself quite quickly.

The last few chapters really flourished, we get to see Selene hold her own and unleash her hidden power!

4⭐️ minus one star because Selene would literally KNOW she’s the target of some unknown murderer and be like “I gotta leave the safety of my soul mate’s warded house because I have a class!” Then get attacked..

I want to start by saying that The Four Horseman series and The Bargainer series by this author are a hard act to follow for me and while this series is different than those, it’s still intriguing and good. I really enjoyed the characters and smut. The story line was a little confusing but it wasn’t bad. I definitely wished it wasn’t so all over the place but I thoroughly enjoyed the read despite it. I will definitely be reading the third book.

This sequel was a lush, dark gem of a book and I loved every second of it. Thalassa is exceptionally talented when it comes to writing villainous men whom are incredibly romantic with their MCs, and Memnon's character arc in this book was everything I wanted for the story. He stepped up and showed up for Selene every step of the way, and my heart melted alongside hers! I also appreciated that Selene's friend, Sybil, took on a more active role in this book and contributed to driving the plot forward.

Loved being able to jump back into this world and keep up with Selene and Memnon's story, especially after the cliffhanger from book one. Loved getting to see this relationship evolve and the spicy scenes were top notch!

An enjoyable sequel!

You can expect:
▪️Paranormal romance.
▪️A plethora of supernatural beings including: witches, fae, werewolves, sorcerers, demons and more!
▪️An in depth magic system.
▪️Fated mates.
▪️He ‘hates everyone but her’ and ‘touch her and die’ vibes.
▪️Murder mystery.
▪️On page spice.

Some of my thoughts:
📍Generally speaking, I did enjoy my time with this book. I found Memnon and Selene to be likeable characters and I was happy with the shift in their dynamic from book one. Additionally, the world has been cleverly thought out and I appreciated that!

📍I confess, I did lose some interest between 30% and 60%. The plot pacing seemed to slow here and I was simply not invested in the murder mystery aspect. I also found what was happening in the romance at this point to be very ‘low stakes.’ Their attraction and devotion was evident, despite Selene’s constant denial.

📍I do feel that Memnon’s character could have used a bit more development. I’m not even sure who he truly ‘is’ outside of his obsession with Selene. More in depth character traits / flaws or even hobbies / interests would have helped. At one point it was revealed that he is a good cook and I ate that up (figuratively 😅). That stood out to me as a sole deeper look into his character. Some chapters in his POV would have been wonderful.

📍I loved the last 20% of the book and felt it really stepped up! The reemergence of an ancient enemy was intriguing and I’m keen to see Memnon tackle his new role.

📍All in all, this was a solid sequel and I’d happily pick up book three!