When I saw Laura Thalassa had a book on here I smashed request so fast! Bewitched was everything I hoped it would be. It’s fast paced, the plot is intriguing, the magic system is still amazing as ever, and the steam was on point! Selena and Memnon are 🥵

Although I reviewed this title on my Goodreads, I feel a more palatable review is necessary for NetGalley (in comparison to my feral Goodreads review).

This book was amazing. The plot was engaging, the world building fantastic and the main character, Selene, was one of those characters that repeatedly had me saying, “Same,” because her actions, though questionable, were actions I, myself, would have done in that situation. In short, Selene’s relatable. Memnon, on the other hand, is an a-hole of the highest order. But he’s also strangely endearing and I can’t find myself hating him at all and so I, like Selene, begrudgingly, will love him eternally.

This book was insane and I loved every bit of it. Thalassa’s signature wit and humor really shone through and I especially loved the way she built this world that mirrors our own but is still so different. You’d think that as a fantasy series centered on a young witch unraveling a mystery and stopping murders, you can conjure up another series or two to compare it to but I personally couldn’t. I can’t quite describe it but this book had the barebones of every fantasy book ever written but is still wholly unique. Thalassa took fantasy elements that we knew and loved and transfigured it into something different. Not quite unrecognizable, but definitely changed and I loved it.

I have to say, I almost regret reading the ARC of this book, if only because I have to wait longer than other people for the next installment. I cannot wait for the sequel and I look forward to the day I get my hands on it.

I finished this yesterday, and I am wishing today that extra chapters would appear so I could keep reading. 😂
The world Laura Thalassa created in Bewitched was just addicting, the characters so interesting, and the twists and turns unpredictable.
I really enjoyed the supernatural creatures that were incorporated and the magic system.

As far as the writing goes, I do feel as if there are some pacing issues throughout the book. Some parts seem way too fast, and others super slow. However, this did not affect how much I enjoyed reading this. I am beyond excited for the next book of the series.

E-arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

Laura Thalassa does it again! If there’s one author whom I trust to give an amazing mix of a unique plot, great protagonists, NA fantasy, suspense and AMAZING romance, it’s her. I was hooked to the whole plan ride and South American part of the story— that was just insanely good OMG!
Her Bargainer series is an all time favourite and Bewitched just got added to my list too! 😩

“And how fearsome would my equal have to be?” he asks.
I shake my head, not sure how to answer. “They’d have to be very powerful and frightening to be your equal,” I finally say.
Memnon strokes my skin with his thumb. “I’m staring at her now.”


Selene and Memnon are the morally grey power couple I needed! They both have history (literally) and have done questionable stuff (I am so confused and curious to know WHY *beep* did *beep*, can’t wait for the next book to know this 😭). But they fit like puzzle pieces— the chemistry, their banter, the way he WORSHIPS the ground she walks on- 11/10! ❤️‍🔥

“What do you want?” I say softly.
“Everything,” he says. “My empire, my riches, my palace, my adoring subjects. But most of all—I want you.”


Memnon is delicious . That’s all I’m going to say. I thought Desmond Flynn was the ultimate dude but Memnon is giving him some competition 👀 (Yes I still have conflicted feelings on his motives, goals and exactly WHAT he’s done but he’s still 🫶🏻🔥).

The ending was such a shocker and made me experience so many things at once. But that just increased my excitement for the next book, I can’t wait to know what happens next!

Selene Bowers is a young witch attempting to join a prestigious coven. She’s talented and witty, but has an unique flaw. All witches have a cost to their power, and Selene’s happens to be her memories. Her life is far more complicated than her peers, because she is constantly losing memories with each spell she casts but she doesn’t let that stop her. Using the aid of post its and meticulously filled in planners, she’s able to live a relatively normal life. However, some people in the coven see this as a limitation. One of the witches helps her and tells her she needs to go on a more exciting magical quest and to find a familiar in order to be accepted.

So with that knowledge Selene sets out to make her application shine. No big deal, right? … That is until she somehow manages to accidentally unleash an ancient being from a tomb while she’s doing that…. And he seems to know her. And thinks she’s his wife. His queen. And he’s hot???

Bewitched is jam packed with action in the second half but right away you get a sense that the book is going to be a little bit silly. Fortunately, it’s a good kind of silly. The beginning is a little bit slow, but picks up when Selene and Memnon meet. They are a riot. Selene is goofy, laughably innocent, and her inner thoughts were enough to make me cackle. She’s the type of character that you want to be friends with. With each hurdle life through at her I was covering my eyes and squealing, but I couldn’t deny that she was failing spectacularly. This girl is a magnet for bad luck. On the other hand, her new ancient “friend” is quite the sarcastic jerk. He’s mysterious, pushy, and a little bit hateful. He’s gives the same energy as one of the horsemen if you read those books. Watching them interact was hilarious. Memnon wants her to get with the program and Selene is trying to run for the hills. Both of them are so exasperated with each other, but the pull between them is intense.

This book has humor, a little bit of spice, and was such a quick read! Despite the slow start, it sets up the series very quickly and had a pretty interesting whodunnit quality to it. The concept of someone murdering witches and the girl with lost memories just happening to be at the center of it all felt fresh and exciting. I’d definitely classify this as a new adult paranormal romance. It had a mix of magical creatures and an academic setting. And the spice isn’t anything crazy.

I had a fun time reading. I’m definitely looking forward to book two! Especially after the way this book ends. I need it yesterday!!!!

This book is for lovers of:
✨ witches
✨ sorcerers
✨ banter
✨ magic school
✨ magic police
✨ murder
✨ spice
✨ CLIFFHANGERS!!!!!!

A big thank you to NetGalley, Bloom Books, as well as Laura Thalassa’s team for the arc of this book. It was a delight to read!

Laura Thalassa did it again!

We all know that magic comes with a price right? What if you were a witch and the price of magic was your memory? And what if you also with all of this end up waking up a being that was put to sleep for 2,000 years? Whoops!

This book definitely gave me some The Mummy (the only mummy franchise I recognize) vibes with some snark and drama in the Buffy realm.

The beginning was a little slow and I felt like we should have spent some more time in Peru, but the story really started picking up about halfway and ...WOW!

I can NOT wait for the next installment!

I've really enjoyed Laura Thalassa's other books so when I saw this new one, I grabbed it. Bewitched is a brand new series with new characters but appears to be tied to the world she has built in her other books.

Selene is the fmc in this story and as a witch, she has been trying to get accepted into Henbane Coven for a while. There are a few hurdles she has and the most prominent being that when she uses her magic, she loses her memories but she is determined to not let that hold her back. When she is told that in order to be accepted she needs to go on a quest and obtain a familiar, she randomly books a flight to South America and on the way there, a supernatural force invades her thoughts and crashes her plane in the jungles of Peru where she finds herself face to face with a past she has no knowledge of...and a familiar.

In the jungle, Selene awakens an ancient evil, Memnon the Cursed, who mistakes Selene for his long-dead wife. The wife who betrayed him. Selene manages to escape and begin her studies at Henbane, but when Memnon turns up at the coven and witches are found dead across campus, Selene becomes entangled in a dangerous plot. Accused of the murders on the basis of her memory loss, Selene must rely on Memnon's help for answers―and his plans for her will change everything.

The story started out a bit slow for me but once Selene frees Memnon, things got going for me. There's plenty of action in this book and plenty of danger and deceit. I can honestly tell you that if you read this, you're going to want book two pretty quickly as this ends on a cliff. I will be keeping an eye out for when that one is scheduled to come out and already have it on my TBR as I can't wait to see what happens next for Selene (and Memnon).

If you're looking for a new adult paranormal romance, pick this one up.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review I had an incredible time reading Bewitched !!

Thalassa really knew what she was doing when she wrote this novel, despite the slow start I became highly invested and the cliffhanger at the end of this one has me on the edge of my seat hoping for the next one!!

Our main girl Selene Bowers has always dreamed of getting into Henbane Coven, an academy for young witches. The only problem is that every time she uses her magic it eats away at her memories... despite this setback, she has become a highly organized twenty-year-old that we all wish we were. At this year's entrance interviews, she finally has her chance when they give her 2 things she must accomplish first, to set out on a magical quest and document her journey and to find a familiar. Selene sets off to South America where she discovers way more than she is looking for and brings back some very VERY old secrets.

Looking at the dialogue I would label this a new adult novel as Selene really speaks as if she is in college which is in no way an issue but there are times were the dialogue was a bit cringy for lack of a better term. Overall really did like her character and the use of the 'amnesia' type trope really lead to some interesting storytelling.

Over leading male Memnon was definitely an interesting one, I really enjoyed the backstory that is shown when he describes past events or the time period her came from. He goes extremely HEAVY when it comes to the nicknames but other than that I do enjoy his character. In the end, he is partially a bad guy but it's his resolve that makes him such and it was refreshing to see a character not give up just for the romance aspects no matter how frustrating.

My absolute favorite scene was the battle scene when Selene is doing everything in her power to save a werewolf from an underground witch ceremony, IFYKYK.

Thank you so much again to the author for the opportunity to read Bewitched and I can not wait to see all the incredible work that goes into the next novel in the series.

elene is a witch who, when her magic is used, looses her memories. In a last ditch attempt to be accepted into her dream coven, she goes on a quest where she awakens Memnon. She and memnon have a strange tie and while she escapes him at first, he finds her at her new coven. So while this ancient guy is stalking her, there are also gruesome murders happening on campus, Selene is trying to live her life, and now she can’t remember enough to keep her from being suspect #1 in the murders.

I really enjoyed this book from Laura Thalassa! There were many historically inspired parts that got the history lover in me interested. I also enjoyed that while you have the magical abilities people possess, Selene’s magic eats away at her memories- a unique concept. I also enjoyed that the book does have romance in it, but that isn’t really the guiding force of the story. I mean, who doesn’t hate to love a bad guy? Or just hate him? Maybe just love…

"For now and forever"

Selene is a young witch who dreams of joining the Henbane Coven but every piece of magic she uses, takes a part of her memories with it. However they agree to allow her to join if she has an epic quest. During this quest, she awakens Memnon the Cursed who insists that she is his wife - Roxilana. Her idyllic time at Henbane is then shattered by a series of murders of which she is being accused of, due to her memory loss. She turns to the only person who claims that they can help her - Memnon.

This was my first Laura Thalassa book and I enjoyed it. It was well-paced and not too long to feel drawn out. Selene is a strong female who is determined to achieve her goals despite the limitations placed on her by others. As irresistible as Laura makes Memnon sound, I didn't like him very much. Granted, he was bound to feel vengeful after being trapped for centuries but I found his manner, deliberately and unnecessarily cruel. Laura builds an intriguing story that builds to a fascinating conclusion, leaving you desperate to know what happens next.

I loved the way I both swooned and hated Memnon in the same breath. The emotions were real for this one, I’m telling you… Betrayal, forced proximity, mistaken identity, enemies to lovers, and so much spicy tension that this possessive alpha will leave you begging for more!

Selena’s biggest dream as a young witch is to attend Henbane Coven and the only thing standing in her way is writing an essay about a magical trip of a lifetime. So when drunk Selene books tickets to South America for future Selene, she figures what’s the worst that could happen? Well, a 2,000 year old mummy who thinks she’s his traitorous wife might put a damper on things.

“I will destroy your world bit by bit until all you have left is me.”

Finally free from his entombment, Memnon the Cursed is out for revenge. He’s lost his kingdom, his people, his life, and the one person who promised to love him through everything. The same person who cursed him in the first place. But he’s determined to get it all back, no matter what he needs to do to get it. And to get her.

“Let me see your face,” he demands.
I turn to look at him. “Why?”
His eyes gaze at me intensely. “Because you are the only thing worth looking at, and my eyes have missed you.”

I absolutely loved every moment of this book! I had no idea where it was going at any point and the multiple mysteries left me reeling in excitement by the end. I could not put this down! I hope we see more of Selene’s best friend in the next book as well as some key players in the neighboring werewolf pack. I will be waiting so impatiently for the next one to come out because I want more of this explosive duo!!!

“You will know my wrath, my queen.
I’m coming for you.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this advanced reader copy. I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

So I actually enjoyed this one.

We meet Selene Bowers, age 20, Witch. Trying to best to get into her dream Coven , Henbane Coven- life college for witches of sorts. They live and learn in the boundaries- lending their knowledge of magic working together for life. Her best friend Sybil has already been accepted.

Despite applying multiple times, the Coven has been hesitant to take her because her magic feeds off her memories. So she keeps extensive journals and notes about her days, things she's working on and life. Just incase she loses those memories, she can learn about them secondhand later.
I related to Selene a bit on this front as someone with a Brain Injury who doesn't retain everything, and has lost various events of my life, I understood this.

Throw in a Coven with a requirement to have an Epic quest and obtain a Familiar. She's got enough on her hands let alone, dealing with an ancient King, that was buried and cursed so the world would literally forget his name. Waking him up, accidentally only to find maybe they had a pretty old history together, and him being a tad angry about it. Selene has a lot on her plate.

And unlocking the key to her memory eating magic might contain answers she doesn't want.
And getting into her dream Coven might turn into a real living nightmare. And finding out you have a mystical soul mate might not be everything its chalked up to be.

Bewitched by Laura Thalassa is a captivating witch fantasy that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the mystical world of the Bargainer series. Selene Bowers is a young woman with the ambition to become a witch and enrolls at the Henbane Coven, where she must embark on a quest through the wilderness to awaken her powers. However, Selene's trip takes a dangerous turn when a malevolent force attacks her plane, and she awakens an ancient evil, Memnon the Cursed.

The story is full of action, suspense, and mystery, making it impossible to put down. The character development is impressive, and the relationships between the characters are nuanced, adding depth to the story. Selene's struggle to regain her memories while trying to prove her innocence in a murder investigation is compelling and keeps the reader engaged.

Thalassa's writing style is engaging and descriptive, creating a vivid picture of the magical world she has crafted. The magical elements are well developed and unique, adding to the overall enjoyment of the book. The romance between Selene and Memnon is a slow burn, but the tension and chemistry between the characters are palpable.

In conclusion, Bewitched is a fantastic addition to the world of the Bargainer series and a must-read for fans of Laura Thalassa's work. The plot is well-crafted, the characters are compelling, and the magical world is enchanting. If you're looking for a captivating and immersive witch fantasy, look no further than Bewitched.

When I found out that Laura Thalassa was releasing a new series, I was beyond thrilled. I adored the Bargainer Series, and immediately started counting down the days until the release of Bewitched. So imagine my excitement when I found the ARC on Netgalley.

Bewitched follows a 20 year old witch named Selene Bowers whose magic has the inconvenient consequence of stealing her memories. As a result, she has had difficulty getting into a coven. However, when her dream coven tells her to go on another magical quest and find a familiar--she somehow finds herself crash-landed in a Peruvian forest. While there, she gets her familiar, but also mistakenly awakes a 2000 year old warlock who is convinced Selene is his wife. Although that would lead to its own set of complications, this is made worse because the warlock's wife is the one who trapped him in the ruins 2000 years ago. Accordingly, he wants revenge on Selene. Selene escapes and returns home before he can exact his revenge, but sadly the warlock followed her back and has no problem making his presence known. Once again, Selene life is made more complicated when witches start getting murdered shortly after they arrive. Selene soon becomes a suspect, and, as her memories keep disappearing, she looks more and more guilty. Selene is forced to hunt for answers, all while trying to avoid the wrath of the warlock and their undeniable connection.

The relationship between Selene and the warlock Memnon reminds me a bit of the relationship between the main characters in The Fallen World. At first this took me by surprise, because I had not expected such an evil alphahole male lead. (Totally my oversight. Looking back, I should not have been surprised) However, the characters were both so complex, and I need to know more about the evil that is Memnon. Why is he the way he is! And why did his wife lock him up! I need answers.

The twists were perfect; the reveals giving just enough to tantalize but still leaving much to be discovered in the coming books. I have so many questions after reading Bewitched, and I cannot wait to get the answers in the books to come. The only bad part about receiving an ARC copy of this book is that it makes my wait that much longer for book two. All in all, this book takes all of my favorite elements of past Laura Thalassa books and combines them in a unique and oh so interesting new story. Book two can't come soon enough.

Read if you like:
💔Alphaholes
💔Dark(ish) fantasy romance
💔urban (witchy) fantasy
💔murder mysteries
💔enemies to lovers
💔(possible) second-chance romance
💔irredeemable characters

An interesting edition to the world that Thalassa has created! I loved the magic system, particularly how our main character utilized it.

Pacing was fast and fun and I loved the ending!

Imagine having the gift of magic, but when you use your powers you lose memories with no control over which ones disappear. Add to that a sexy but dangerous sorcerer who claims you are his soulmate, throw in a little snarky humor, and you have the makings of an excellent novel. The chemistry between Selene and Memnon was definitely steamy and the pace was fast. My only complaint is about the ending. I get that there will most likely be another book to follow, but the abrupt ending felt like slamming into a brick wall.

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