I enjoyed this thriller but the ending was a bit disappointing. I loved the dual pov but the pace was a bit slow.

K.L Cerra always has these gorgeous floral covers, and they always draw me in. The synopses seems interesting too. But once I get into the books, I always feel bored. So I think that this will be it for me from the author.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my early arc copy of this!

Under Her Spell by KL Sarah, this book starts with an intriguing beginning when Liv received a letter from her friend and goes back to her hometown only to find she’s missing. I really like this book and although I don’t have time to write a long review just know if you love mysteries with a slight dash of paranormal and magical realism then you will definitely like this book. I did think the ending was a little wonky but I was still satisfied with the overall read. I also want to say I found Miss Sarah has a great knack for setting a good tone for her books and really like her writing style. If not for the ending I would’ve given this book 5 stars but a last as I said it was a little strange quick and thought it could’ve been better. #NetGalley,#RandomHouse, #KLSarah, #UnderHerSpell,

3.75 stars

I loved this author's debut, "Such Pretty Flowers", a creepy-witchy-sapphic story, so was excited to see she had another book coming out! This one follows Liv, a twenty-something woman who's engaged and getting ready for law school, living a "perfect" life, until she gets a note from her estranged high school best friend Sam, begging for her help. Liv goes back to their New England hometown, only to find out that Sam has disappeared. 

Liv has always struggled with the darkness within herself, and is haunted by how her friendship with Sam ended back in their teen years, so she's determined to make things right now by finding her. Immersed back in her old home, Liv is reminiscing on the past and growing worried about her future, and what sacrifices she might have to make to be the wife, mother, and lawyer she had planned to be. When it turns out that Sam had ingratiated herself with the witchy girls they were both intimidated by in school, Liv does the same. But as she starts to fall under their spell, she also begins to wonder if Sam fled to escape them, or even worse, if they made her disappear themselves. 

I really appreciated the commentary on the sacrifices women are expected to make for others---honestly, that was the creepiest part. I was fully team Sisterhood on that one. I loved the atmosphere in this, and the story behind everything, but I was more interested in the magic elements than I was in Liv, so whenever those diverged I was less invested. I felt like the endings, both of the actual book and of the flashbacks to high school that showed what happened between Liv and Sam, were a bit of a letdown based on the buildup. But I really like this author's writing and loved her first book so much I'll definitely keep reading her work.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book! The mystery/spooky vibes were perfect, and the pacing kept me hooked! I liked the switching from past to present, as it helped with the back story and getting to know the characters better.

With this book, I had some mixed feelings. I read the author's first book and knew this one would probably be dark, and it is. My struggle with this one is the pacing. I liked the suspense in the past chapters but didn't feel as much connection between the characters in the present one. I found the middle to be slow and wished there was something a bit more there. I thought the ending was unique and dark. I like how this author is always original in her storytelling. Overall, it's a book for when you want a dark, mysterious, slow burn.
Bantam eARC

The blurb for this novel had me immediately intrigued, and, I’ve gotta say, I stayed that way until the very end!

The FMC, Liv, travels home to investigate a strange and foreboding note sent to her from her ex best friend, Sam. The two haven’t spoken in 8 years for unrevealed reasons. While home, Liv encounters an alluring, sisterhood-like group of women who have always mystified her. She soon finds herself in the middle of the investigation into Sam’s disappearance, while trying to decipher how this eerie group of women tie into it.

I couldn’t put this book down, because I just needed the answer to the magic that was Eden & Cora. And where was Sam?! It was well-paced, and had multiple twists I didn’t see coming. My only hang-up was the ending left me somewhat disappointed, and I found Liv’s relationship with her fiancé—and her fiancé in general—extremely off-putting. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am looking forward to more from this author!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the gifted ARC!

I wanted to like this book--the cover and the synopsis seemed like I'd be in for a darker (almost gothic) mystery thriller with touches of the fantastical. And while the story did fall into that, the pacing just absolutely killed this book for me. I found myself skimming skimming skimming looking for where the action would start and it would get interesting, but it wasn't until the last 25% where it felt like stuff was actually happening. But at that point I just didn't really care anymore. I will say that I thought the dual timeline was well used in this story and did add to the sense of character and place. Overall, though, this was really not for me but I can definitely see an audience that will enjoy this story.

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, and would have probably rated it higher if the epilogue didn't exist. I feel like it erased the whole book's worth of character development.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of UNDER HER SPELL.

This stand-alone dual-timeline novel is perfect for a chilly autumn night read by the fire, wrapped in a cozy blanket. But make sure you keep the lights on when you hit right around the midpoint. There’s witchcraft, murder, mystery, and a question of what’s truly real.

Liv has gone back to her hometown to visit her old high school friend, Sam, after receiving a disturbing note. When she arrives, she soon learns her friend has been missing. On the hunt for clues, Liv becomes entwined with a pair of women who may just have the answers she seeks. With shocking revelations and twisted personalities at their deepest complexities, truly delving into the darkness of human nature, UNDER HER SPELL will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page where even then the story still remains in question to it being over.

Happy publication day!! Beautifully atmospheric and lyrically written, Under Her Spell was a wonderful read for the start of spooky season. Cerra effortlessly wove magic into the plot, making it feel natural and easy to accept. The storyline switched back and forth between present and past without confusion, another skill that many authors lack but Cerra pulled off with ease. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, the setting and the overall aesthetic of the book - my only complaint would be the tempo. The beginning was a bit slow for my liking, but the second half of the book quickly made up for this. One of my favorite ARCs in a very long time!

Under Her Spell by K. L. Cerra is an exciting, well-paced, mysterious fantasy that pulls you from the first page, and keeps you reading till the end.
The suspense and magic here was phenomenal.
I was enthralled with this story right from the start.

When Liv receives a note folded in the shape of heart with the words "I need help" written on it, even though there is no signature she knows it is from her estranged best friend from high school, Sam. Liv returns to their hometown, determined to mend fences, and see what is wrong, only to discover once she gets there, that Sam has been reported missing. Clues suggest foul play. Sam's stepmom says she had become increasingly withdrawn. And now, to top it off, Liv discovers that Sam was living and working with 2 girls from high school, Eden and Cora. The girls were part of a 3 person group in high school who were known to do witchcraft. Now Eden & Cora run a successful wedding boutique & bakery, and Sam designed the jewelry for the customers. It is hard to reconcile the two. When they offer Liv the chance to take over Sam's position, and the career Liv always wanted is within her grasp, it is too hard to say no..... but when things seem too good to be true, they usually are.

This book was part mystery, part horror, part fantasy fiction. The mystery portion - what happened to Sam ? - had a fairly obvious answer from early on, but wasn't confirmed until almost the end of the book. The horror was all of the beetles with the eyes on their backs that would burrow into you. Plus, Eden especially was pretty scary. The fantasy was the fact that Eden & Cora were witches. The storyline lagged at times, and I didn't find Liv especially likeable. Really, I didn't find any of the characters all that likeable, now that I think about it. However, the plot was what drove this book, not the characters, at least for me. Overall,, I give this a solid 4. out of 5.

Under Her Spell by K.L. Cerra
Was a fun atmospheric, slow-burn horror novel reminiscent of Bunny by Mona Awad.

Newly engaged Liv received a cryptic message from her old friend Sam. Sam seems to be in danger, but not having spoken to her in years, Liv is confused as to why Sam would reach out to her. Liv heads to her hometown to check in on Sam, but when she gets there Sam is missing. Liv can’t accept the police’s explanations for Sam’s disappearance, and embroils herself into the investigation that pulls her into a world where magic is very real and very dark.

I was very pleased with the pace of this novel. It slowly descended into madness, with Liv questioning herself throughout, creating tension. There were also some really deep conversations about motherhood and sacrifice that resonated with me deeply. The only thing I wasn’t very thrilled about was the ending, post-action where Liv describes her life eight years later. Overall 4/5 stars!

I loved the premise of this book but just not the execution. The characters all felt unlikeable. I found the build up to the end somewhat enjoyable but once I got to the last 20% of the book it all fell apart. Overall well written just not for me .

Under Her Spell by K.L. Cerra this was a new author for me. For me this was just an OK read, certainly not one I enjoyed immensely. I did not enjoy any of the characters, and the story line was not one that I would want to read again. Having said that I do recommend to others, because I know not everyone enjoys the same writing style.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Random House Publishing, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Synopsis: Liv returns to her hometown to investigate the disappearance of her estranged childhood best friend and instead finds a tangled web of secrets and dark magic.

Thoughts: Under Her Spell is a dark and creepy paranormal thriller. There were a lot of things I liked about this one! I was hooked at the beginning with the premise and atmosphere. The exploration of female friendships and society’s expectations of women was really well done. Alternating timelines gave depth and background to the mystery plot. I do feel like the execution fell a bit flat in the middle of the book - the plot got a little convoluted and lacked a satisfactory ending for me personally. Overall though, if a dark thriller with spooky, witchy vibes with a feminist message for fall sounds intriguing to you, definitely check this one out!

Read this if you like:
🔮 paranormal thrillers
🔮 witchy vibes
🔮 dual timelines
🔮 friendship/sisterhood

Dark, moody, and feminine fatale vibes! I enjoyed the twists and turns. It was a quick and easy read. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. This was a good book.

I was not a fan of this. The plot was lacking for me. The writing is beautiful. It just wasn't for me.

Under Her Spell is a fast moving thriller laced with dark magic.

The too heavy feminism rooted through some women could be enough to convince them that murder is an acceptable alternative to committing their lives to relationships beyond their own selfish indulgences. Although I can understand where this “feminism” and “sisterhood” was seeded from for Eden, the depth of her hatred for anything beside her own success is cringeworthy. And though Liv had just as much reason to resent losing her sense of self to marriage and sacrifices that may come along with extending her family, she breaks through those dark, intrusive thoughts with one light shining question; “Why can’t we have both?”

What didn’t particularly sit well with me throughout this book was why Liv seemed to be the only person investigating Sam’s disappearance so thoroughly? Why weren’t the detectives more involved? Why were they so accepting of small answers rather than delving deeper into this missing woman’s case? And honestly, why had Sam reached out to Liv in the first place, after a tumultuous high school friendship and not having spoken to Liv in 9 years? A captivating enough story to read in a couple days, but a lot of lose ends overall.