Buddy read with El <3

im genuinely convinced that we cursed ourselves el because man the way we were so sure we'd love this😭

but seriously what in the hell was this mess of a book?? i genuinely cant believe what i just read after how much i ADORED bewitched. it was literally in my top 5 favourites last year??? im baffled at how bad this went

one of my main issues with this book was just how uncomfortable it made me in SO many things. the #1 being *that* bond between memnon and selene.... (not a spoiler it's in the synopsis)

no you cannot convince in any way shape or form that it was "okay". from the moment it was formed and then right away selene tests it out by telling memnon to stab her in the heart especially knowing how he feels like what??? and thats only the beginning because the thoughts she has and what she tells him about how she has control over what she can make him do genuinely made me disgusted. it literally turned me off from every romantic scene in this book because i couldnt root for it at all. also selene kept saying she felt guilty every time she commanded something of memnon but then she kept doing it?? lol clearly you dont then. and the author constantly tries making it seem its okay by having memnon constantly repeat that he's the one who asked for this, and he wants it as a way to prove himself and earn selene's trust and yeah thats good and all but i dont know, personally even if someone told me they were good with that, id still never make a single command that would take away their free will like you really cant convince me otherwise that it's morally okay since the other agreed to it! nope!

otherwise selene's character turned a complete 180 for me in terms of likableness... if you ignore the previous paragraph, there was still the fact that she constantly made the most idiotic decisions in history that couldve SO easily been avoided. im all for characters making mistakes since i mean we're all human, but im sorry there's only so much patience i can have for a character until im genuinely wondering??? just why???? its the same mistake constantly and im wondering did you really not learn anything from the previous 92357826 times?? what happened to logic??? there's being optimistic and there's being stupid, you can have one without the other.

in terms of memnon, honestly i dont really have much to say. yeah he had some sweet gestures but it felt as though he was too reduced to his character just loving selene and thats it lol.

and what in the joke of an "explanation" was that for the reason why selene said at the end of book 1 that "she's woken up a monster" (view spoiler) but literally im genuinely so confused on that part, i would almost say maybe i was imagining that she did fear his awakening but NO because i literally JUST REREAD BEWITCHED SO NO IM NOT IMAGINING IT LOL

anyways. you could literally skip everything in between 30% to 70% and you wouldnt miss a single thing. (actually what the actual hell was the point of the witch's brew scene??? ive never felt more uncomfortable just why) i was bored to death and had to force myself to push through. also i didn't see the point in kane being there at all lol like why was he still there actually? it seemed to me that he existed solely just to be annoying trying to win selene's heart (even after she's told him repeatedly she has a soul mate????) also i dont get whats the big deal about the ending?😭 am i missing something?? (view spoiler)

edit: nvm i dropped it to 1 <s>the only reason why this doesnt get less than 2 stars is because the end wasnt boring at least (although at that point i just wanted to be done, i skimmed so much)</s> but uh yeah to say this was a disappointment is an understatement, i dont even know if i want to read book 3 but oh well time will tell...


Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

1/5

Thanks to NetGalley and bloom books for the arc.

My review got deleted after 20 minutes of writing. So I’m pissed off.

This book was awful, and a less than stellar sequel to bewitched, which was a favourite of mine last year.

Selene loses all edge she has to her character after her main adversity in book 1 is removed. She is stupid and does foolish things the whole book, never thinks, and acts immature 24/7, never wondering why she keeps getting into awful situations.

Memnon is reduced to just loving Selene and having no personality of his own.

The romance is shitty. Selene has control over Memnon’s will and implies she can control him sexually more than once. This is very non consensual and gross that she would think such a thing, let alone say it. This leads to lots of rather odd smutty scenes where the line between consent and non consent blurs at times because she can make him do whatever anyways.

The plot doesn’t come in until 70% through, by which is goes at a very fast pace to make up for its lack of presence at the beginning. The plot lacked a sense of urgency and had no twists at all.

The character of Kane was very stupid. He tries to get Selene to love him after multiple rejections and always tries to undermine her relationship with Memnon. He is disrespectful and always looking for a way to make her see how bad Memnon is so he can claim her himself.

The cliffhanger is laughably boring. I literally said ‘who cares?’ After reading it. The implications are next to zero and they provide 0 clues as to what a third book could even entail. So Memnon has a company now. Who cares???

All in all, this was a lacklustre sequel that left much to be desired.

Thank you to Laura Thalassa and team for the ARC. I really loved Bewitched and was excited for get a hold of Bespelled early. Bespelled definitely did not disappoint. We learn a lot more about Memnon and Seline’s past and we get a lot of spice in the process. I am so excited I got to read about their love story while also discovering the murder mystery going on around campus, and I did not see it coming. Maybe I am just messed up, but I don’t see the big deal with the cliff hanger at the end of this book. Seems like a miss understanding, at least that’s my guess. I am still excited to see where the next book will take us and can’t wait.

Before I start, a huge thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review. Is it weird to say I was honored to have been granted access?

4.5⭐️ If you’ve read her other books, then be assured when picking this up you can anticipate another awesome read from Laura Thalassa. I have to say that her creativity and story telling are always fantastic. Her characters are authentic and relatable, and her dialogue elevates them. The banter really pushes the enemies-to-lovers dynamic from good to great. Selene and Memnon are goals-level love (you know, despite some of the major plot points of Bewitched). I appreciated the subtle nod to a love triangle without shoehorning in a subplot that didn’t make sense. It was so well executed. The world building was great, as always. For me, the pacing was the only area of note. It definitely read like other books in the genre where it feels slower in the beginning and then suddenly you blink and you’ve read the entire second half of the book in one afternoon. Maybe the better conceptualization is that the book just becomes increasingly unputdownable as it progresses? Because, that’s absolutely true, too.

Witches/Warlocks/Shifters
Fated Mates
🌶️🌶️
Murder Mystery
Reincarnation

Wow, let me just say....I was not prepared for the perfection that is this book. Laura took everything that I liked about book 1 and turned it up to 1000. We got more magic, more witches, more spooky/mystery vibes, and of course, more Memnon!!! I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic shift between Memnon and Selene, we get to see him shift from vengeful ex-lover to over-the-top protective lover. It was magical seeing them fall in love all over again while navigating murderous witches and old enemies from their past. The groveling was top tier!!

I have a common theme of starting a book series in the second book, this series included. I started this book completely blind to the first book, I think this helped me have a more unbiased opinion of this book and the characters/storyline. I enjoyed each character, I feel the MMC and FMC hogged a lot of the book but they were good characters and their relationship development was addicting to read. I believe I got a full grasp of the first novel by the info in this book. I will go back and listen to the first one, but fear I will not be as interested as I was in this book.
I loved this book, it was giving House of Night meets witches meets werewolves and maybe some Fae mixed in. I loved the other languages and spells added to the book. I loved the storyline, I loved the romance, but the cliffhanger!? Are you kidding… That ending has me reeling and waiting to devour what comes next and I hope that comes soon!
I read this book so fast, I believe this is in my top 5 books of the year so far.
Pros: Enemies to lovers, witches, action, plot twists
Cons: Slight age-gap romance (FMC is 20 but her soul is the same age as the MMC)
Spice: 4/5, I would have given 5, the scenes were great and detailed but there were only 3 major scenes, personally would have enjoyed more but there was a great mix of action and romance.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the amazing opportunity to read and give my honest review!

I was entirely convinced I would love this series after sinking into the first book. Sadly, not so much.

It’s absolutely a me problem- I just can’t mesh with Selene, our heroine, anymore. A lot of her actions felt too juvenile, and were frustrating. I’ll concede that she has a lot of agency, wanting to look into things on her own, or her way, but good lawwwd she makes some moronic choices. Once her ancient memories were recovered, she maybe would be smarter and more calculating, considering she was a Queen. But no.

And Memnon, now had acclimated fully to the modern era, still wants to be with Selene?! I didn’t want eternal love for him anymore. I kept thinking he was way out of her league. 😬 Age gap doesn’t bother me. But he’s an adult and she’s giving YA.
It wasn’t working for me anymore. I want more of their past and the newer storylines didn’t just hook me. While a few of the “twists” added to the layers of the story, I felt them to be unnecessary, or just not what I want from the story. Me problem 🤷🏻‍♀️

I still absolutely love Laura Thalassa’s gorgeous writing and can really appreciate the world building she did here. 3 ⭐️


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, in exchange for my unbiased review.

Solid 4 stars."
HUGE improvement from the first book.
The main characters relationship became significantly healthier, and I felt like i could relate a lot better to Selene's decision-making compared to the first one. What enjoy a lot about Laura's writing is that she is able to blend fantasy elements with real-life situations/locations in a way that keeps the story entertaining and immersive. personally have issues with a lot of stories that end up blending fantasy and modern day, out she pulls it off well here as well as with the Bargainer series.

"Spoilers*
I did enjoy getting to know the shifters a little more in depth, although Kane is getting kind of annoying. I wish we had more time with Sybil and some of the other witches too. I did notice the reoccurring theme that every time the witches partied together some shit would go down, which got to be a bit predictable.
The ending where Memnon takes over the business seems weirdly rushed? (Like it was a last minute decision without a lot of setup… but it also wouldn’t surprise me if that was the goal anyway).

Looking forward to the next one :)

I had the privilege of receiving an ARC of *Bespelled* by Laura Thalassa, and let me just say, this book is an enchanting masterpiece that deserves every bit of its five-star rating. Thalassa weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and magic that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

In this captivating story, witch Selene Bowers finds herself entangled in a web of ancient sorcery, past lives, and unbreakable bonds that push the boundaries of love and sacrifice. The dynamic between Selene and Memnon is electric, their chemistry leaping off the pages as they navigate a world filled with danger and intrigue. Thalassa's exquisite storytelling draws readers into a realm where magic and mystery collide, leaving us spellbound with every twist and turn.

What truly sets *Bespelled* apart is its ability to blend romance and fantasy seamlessly, creating a narrative that is as heart-wrenching as it is enchanting. The complex characters, rich world-building, and intricate plot twists keep readers guessing and gasping until the very end. Selene's journey of self-discovery and redemption is a testament to the power of love and forgiveness, making her a protagonist that readers will root for with all their hearts.

In conclusion, *Bespelled* is a must-read for fans of fantasy romance, offering a mesmerizing blend of magic, passion, and intrigue that will leave you breathless. Laura Thalassa's storytelling prowess shines brightly in this gripping tale, showcasing her talent for crafting unforgettable characters and compelling narratives. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read that will sweep them off their feet and transport them to a world where love truly knows no bounds.

Laura Thalassa weaves an enchanting tale that immerses readers in a world of witches, curses, and forbidden love. Selene Bowers, is a relatable and complex character. Her struggle to regain her lost memories adds a compelling layer to her journey. Thalassa's world-building is meticulously crafted, creating a vivid and immersive setting. The wilderness that Selene traverses is both treacherous and awe-inspiring, while the presence of ancient witches and powerful artifacts adds an air of mystery and enchantment.
The forbidden romance between Selene and Memnon the Cursed is a central focus of the plot. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the tension between their desire and the consequences of their connection keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Beyond Selene and Memnon, the cast of characters is equally well-developed. From the enigmatic witch Morwen to the loyal companion Nyx, each character brings unique motivations and complexities to the story.
In addition, Bespelled explores themes of identity, memory, and the sacrifices one must make for those they love. Selene's quest for her past forces her to confront her true nature, while Memnon's curse challenges him to question his own destiny. Overall, this was a captivating read and a must read.

I was on the fence about this series after book 1, but book 2 has stepped up in the places where I felt like the first book fell flat. Selene went from being a timid, whiny, dumb dumb to a confident, powerful, BA. Just the type of FMC I love!

Honestly, after all the crap Memnon did to Selene in book 1, I wasn't sure I could forgive him and see him as a REAL love interest. I was wrong. Once we learn the real reason Selene locked him up, his utter devastation at blaming Selene is so genuine that it's hard to stay mad.

The story wrapped up nicely at the end, but left a bit of a final cliffhanger, hinting at a book 3. I can't wait to see what's in store next for Selene and Memnon!

"Cities can burn and centuries can pass and none of it means anything to me without you."

*squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal*

This book absolutely makes up for that brutal cliffhanger in Bewitched (that I was mad at, bc it meant I had to wait an absolute eternity for that particular itch to get scratched.)

We get Memnon groveling (yes!), already badass Selene really coming into her badassery (YES!), lots of spice and lols bc Selene's inner monologue is truly hilarious.

Laura Thalassa strikes again. 5 stars.

4.5 ⭐️
I absolutely loved this installment of the Bewitched series- it was everything I was hoping for, and more. The story continues to be exciting, fresh and engaging, and the writing, as always, is top tier.

The FMC, Selene, definitely experiences a lot of growth as a character, as she comes into her powers. And I loved watching the dynamic between her and the villainous but loveable Memnon, as he enters his groveling era. The dialogue and banter are superb, and the spice is delectable.

This book was definitely darker, deeper, and a bit more fast-paced than the first, and I am here for it. Cannot wait to see where the story goes!

I can't say enough how much I love this book. It is everything!

Selene's smart mouth and quippy attitude had me falling in love with her more through this entire book. She is more than capable of standing on her own two feet and we really get to see it throughout the story.

I love love LOVE the way Laura Thalassa writes female main characters. Selene's inner monolouge had me laughing out loud!

The developments between Memnon and Selene kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't get enough of it.
I also liked that we got to spend more time getting to know the shifters.

This whole book moves at such a great pace and it's a top fantasy read of the year for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for an ARC of this book!

Holy **** I don't think I can put into words how amazing this book was. Non stop action from the very beginning. The groveling, the spice, the danger! Aaaahhhhhh I need book 3 NOW!!!!!

This was a solid follow up to Bewitched! I loved watching the relationship between Memnon and Selene grow. He proves that he is the right person for her in the way he lets her be independent. In a lot of books where there are mates the mate is very overprotective, but in this case Memnon has faith in Selene to take care of herself. Of course that means she ended up in trouble a couple of times….and with one of the attacks on her I was left wondering how on earth it was taking him so long to get to her! I did find some of the wording he used that we’re supposed to be sexy a bit off putting…I’m sure that is personal taste though. We are thrown a couple of curve balls at the end of the story so I look forward to seeing where the story goes!

Thank you netgalley and bloom books for this arc - I actually really enjoy this story. I read this book in 2 days.

There are a few things that I feel like keep me from giving it a 5 star. I don’t love that her parents are involved in this story. It doesn’t quite make sense to me. I don’t think her being upset at him for so long was necessary. I think by the end they should have already been married

Also the ending - what’s the big deal that he took over the company?

But definitely looking forward to book 3. I love memnon. He is chefs kiss

Bespelled follows Selene after she gets back all her memories as she tries to solve the murders that she has been framed for. This was the perfect sequel to Bewitched, I really liked the relationship development between Selene and Memnon. I enjoyed us finding out more about their past life now that Selene has her memories, and we can see the love she had for Memnon. I, also, feel like we got to know Memnon better in this book, which helped me connect with it more.

One thing that I didn’t enjoy was how Selene would make stupid decisions that were out of character for her just for the plot to move forwards. It took away from the character development I wanted to see in this book for her. The twists in this book were a little too predictable but I wasn’t expecting to be shocked anyways. I will most likely pick up the next book when it comes out.

Thank you Netgalley, Bloom Books and Laura Thalassa for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

Me gustó más el primer libro. En en este la protagonista es un poco desesperante y molesta, odia a Memnon pero tampoco lo odia a pesar de que recupera su memoria y a la vez siente un gran deseo por él. Constantemente Selene ocupaba ser rescata y eran situaciones fácil de prevenir. Me gustó que Memnon constantemente le pidiera perdón y le profesara su amor eterno.
Esperaba más del villano, todo fue muy light.
En general no me enganchó lo suficiente para continuar leyendo la serie.

Where to start? I was obsessed with the Bargainer series and the Four Horsemen series and knew I had to start this one.

I found the characters to be incredibly likeable and I couldn’t wait to pick up the second book after I’d finished the first. I read through it in a couple of hours. I could not put it down!! The grovelling was perfect and I love the way Laura Thalassa writes her MMCs. I cannot wait for the next instalment!

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC for my honest opinion!