The second book is even better than the first, but the real difference was when I switched from the ebook to the audiobook, which truly made the story come alive. Filled with deeper emotions, and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat, it really bolsters the quality of this series. I personally enjoyed the banter and cute inner thoughts from Selene, but I truly appreciated the character development and how the love story unfolds between Selene and Memnon… I need more!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disapoint. I love the story, the characters,the expansion of the world building. Mamnon is the perfect morally gray mmc <3.

Overall a a good book, though fell a little short of the exceedingly high expectations I had after reading the first book.
The story is stilll well written and there is some character development. I

This book was a great follow up in the Bewitched series.

There was more romance, magic, twists, and action. I enjoyed how the story and romance unfolded.

While there were a few frustrating and slow-paced moments I was still captivated by where the story was heading.

Overall, just an enjoyable read and I cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Laura Thalassa's Bespelled is the perfect blend of fun and spice from start to finish. This sequel to Bewitched weaves magic, romance, and suspense seamlessly, keeping readers guessing what Memnon's true motives are. Selene is my favorite type of heroine. Fun, ballsy, and good hearted. I'm obsessed with Selene and Memnon's love story! Thalassa's vivid world-building, witchy atmosphere, and compelling characters have me impatiently waiting for the prequel and sequel. Thalassa's writing just keeps getting better and better. 10/10 Highly recommend for fans of Kresley Cole and Sarah J. Maas.

This book guys!! I've been waiting for so long and it did NOT disappoint. "Bespelled" is the highly anticipated sequel to the popular novel "Bewitched" and it was truly impressive! From the very first chapter, I was completely engrossed and couldn't put it down. The plot kept me on edge, and I was eager to find out what would happen next! (So naturally, I stayed up until 3 am to finish it.)

"Cities can burn and centuries can pass and none of it means anything to me without you. So stay safe, my queen. And remember- stab first, ask questions later"

I already adored Selene and Memnon, and this book made me fall deeper for them.

(Advanced reader's copy through NetGalley)

Bespelled continues Selene and Memnon’s story with all the drama, magic, and intensity fans of Bewitched will expect. There’s a lot of tension and magical conflict as Selene navigates her memories and the lingering consequences of her past life.

That said, I still struggled to fully connect with the story, just like I did with the first book. While the plot has intriguing twists and a fast pace, I found myself feeling more detached than drawn in. The romance didn’t quite hit the emotional depth I was hoping for, and some of the world-building felt a bit rushed.

I think fans of the first book will enjoy the continuation, but for me personally, this series didn’t fully click.

Rating: 2.75 - 3⭐

I wanted to love this series, but I just didn't like the MMC at all. With a plot that was so heavily dependent on the love story, this has a very large impact on my enjoyment of Bespelled as a whole. I loved the FMC and the story, but Memnon just wasn’t it. I couldn’t bring myself to overlook how he treated Selene in book one, especially after it was revealed that even Roxilana had not betrayed him. I love dark romance, and even bully romance, but it’s a huge turnoff for me if one of the love interests does anything to intentionally harm the other after realizing and/or acknowledging their feelings. The “who did this to you” moment, as spectacular as it was, couldn’t even win me over to his side after the way that he acted. Other than Memnon, I greatly enjoyed everything else and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.

A fitting end to the duology, this book wraps up all the questions posed in the first book. We finally have an answer for how our MC came to be and the consummation of her love story as well. I enjoyed the romance in this book a ton but I also thought the magic university setting was lovely as well and, as before, I think the familiars are such a fun edition to this story.

My only real issue was the same one I had with the previous book in that the romance was too intense to quickly and that definitely bleeds over into this book as well. Even though our MCs have known each other from lifetime to lifetime, I think they could have spent more time getting to know each other in these lives!!!

Also, I love a murder mystery aspect to any magical story and this one was no different. I always love the hunt for clues and the mystery being finally solved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I wish I'd reread the first book before getting to this one! I absolutely love Laura Thalassa's books, but I struggled a bit to remember where things were left at the end of Bewitched. This is totally a me problem too, and I think if I'd reread the first book I would have loved this more.

Bespelled by Laura Thalassa is an enchanting blend of fantasy, romance, and magic that will captivate readers from start to finish. Thalassa’s writing is vivid and immersive, creating a world full of magic, mystery, and tension. The chemistry between Esme and the male lead is electric, and their evolving relationship adds depth to the story. The plot is fast-paced and filled with twists, keeping readers hooked until the very last page.

All the yesses. I thoroughly enjoy this series. It is everything that Laura is know to bring us in a story

I LOVE YOU LAURA and your books; thank you for this book and all of the others you have written in the past; I cannot WAIT for book 3 😍 drop that title!! haha

A fun and engaging slow burn fantasy romance with humor and heart. Strong female lead and unique world building. A solid choice.

Phenomenal from start to finish as always when reading anything by Laura Thalassa! I devoured this book and eagerly await the next!!!

I have really enjoyed most of Laura Thalassas work! That continues with this book. This one did not disappoint, which can be hit or miss with the second book in a series. I was invested the entire way through and can’t wait for the next one.

Love love loved this book! I have no words to describe how much I loved it! This author is now an auto buy author for me! It was spicy and romantic and swoon worthy! I hope there are more books!

The amount of groveling is ASTRONOMICAL 📈 from a certain hunky Sorcerer 🙂‍↕️🫶🏻 I absolutely loved the pacing of this and love that it was just as good (if not better) than book one! Well developed plot that sucked me in. I literally could not put it down no matter how hard I tried. Seeing Selene go full queen mode was also WELL worth it. Such a phenomenal book and I’ll sit and wait for the next one to see what chaos happens in The Curse That Binds 👀 Well done, Laura Thalassa!

**Review of *Bespelled* by Laura Thalassa**

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

*Bespelled* by Laura Thalassa offers an intriguing blend of magic, romance, and mystery. The premise of the story, with a protagonist caught in a world of enchantments and secrets, provides an engaging backdrop that kept me hooked through the first half of the novel. Thalassa’s writing is smooth and easy to read, with enough intrigue to keep you turning pages.

However, while the concept is promising, the plot can feel a bit predictable at times. The romance, though enjoyable, lacks the depth or intensity that would make it truly captivating. Some of the character development felt a little rushed, and I found it hard to fully connect with the protagonist on a deeper level. The pacing also slowed in parts, which made it harder to stay engaged through the middle of the book.

Overall, *Bespelled* is an enjoyable and magical read, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential in terms of emotional depth or plot complexity. It’s perfect for fans of light fantasy romances, but those looking for more intricate world-building or character development may find it lacking.

Fun read, and sets up good for the 3rd book but it was predictable

It needed more polishing but maybe during the 2nd go around I will like it better