I only read Bewitched recently and MAN I am haopy I didn't have to wait for the sequel. The way that this story just nestled perfectly into my head was incredible.

This paranormal fantasy romance was exactly what I needed to get me out of a reading slump. Memnon truly puts 'morally grey' to shame, and he is truly a gorgeous and vicious monster who has slowly chipped away at Selene's heart and mind. The pacing of this story really kept me intrigued and I really loved the procedural/crime-solving elements of this story.

I did find some elements a little predictable but overall this was a seriously amazing paranormal fantasy romance! I need more more more.

** review posted to Amazon, goodreads and instagram. I think Laura really nailed the spice in this book because it was spicy but still had s great story and wasn't to the point where it pulled away from the story. I think even more crime solving elements would be amazing in the next book! I loved watching Selene's character development and felt a lot more connected to who she was in this story.. I also think a cool edition to this would be some cool spells or derails at rhe front of the book. I'm really excited to get my physical copy this week and will post more to my followers then.

Thank you!

There was a cliffhanger in the last one luckily I could drive right into this one!
So much action, so many full blown characters and relationships. Love the huge backstory we finally get and Memnon and Selene’s relationship just keeps growing and changing.
This book is just non stop the murders, the romance, the classes. I love Memnon and love all the messages he would send her.

I had another great time reading the follow up to Bewitched!
Memnon, while trying to make up for his betrayal of Selene, just can seem to get it right. I do think he is pretty cunning in what he is doing and the way this story is going though, so I’ll give the guy credit. Being a forgotten emperor from 2,000 years ago some things just stick with you. He’s pretty funny at times, too. Comparing Cocoa Puffs to goat shit will probably get me every time.
Selene, poor Selene.. this girl has been broken, battered, beaten, and healed just to suffer all over again too many times in this story. I would have given up on life, but then again I’m not a witch nor do I have healing magic.
I think their story is definitely interesting and I’m curious to see where it goes in the next book with what Selene knows now.

Bespelled is the second book in the Bewitched series. The book continues where the first book ends. I definitely recommend reading the first book. This story was epic. Once again, the reader is pulled into this world, full of witches and shifters, and the epic love story of Memnon and Selene. I loved that the MMC is an unapologetically monstrous evil man and he doesn't deny it when asked. He loves his soulmate Selene that he would literally bring down empires and burn the world for her. So swoon worthy! I couldn't help cheering for him even when he was doing evil things. I absolutely highly recommend this book for those who want the bad guy to win, epic soul mate hella spicy romance!

Rating: 4 Stars ⭐️

I like this authors story telling and world building. I love reincarnated soulmates, and the magic is a bonus. There is mystery, love triangle, and a familiar! Selene and Memnon’s backstory as King and Queen should be interesting.

Thank you to the publisher for providing the ARC.

Bespelled by Laura Thalassa
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 4 chilis
Pub date: 5/28

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks for my complimentary copy.

Bespelled is the second book in Laura Thalassa’s Bewitched series, and I have to say that I liked it better than the first book! Although I hated Memnon in book one, I was in love with him by the end of book two and loudly rooting for him and Selene to get their HEA.

This book has everything I was hoping for! Magic, suspense, mystery, lots of action and drama, a full recounting of Selene’s past, and a ton of groveling from Memnon. Not to mention a very scary villain and a surprise character I didn’t see coming. It’s also VERY steamy, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Selene really came into her own in this one. She was fierce without her memories, but with them back, she’s a true force to be reckoned with. I love the way Memnon speaks to her like she’s a queen (which technically she once was), and his belief in her makes her even stronger. These two would literally burn the world down for each other, and I am here for it.

This book is a little darker than the first one, so check trigger warnings before diving in!

With its addictive writing, strong MCs, and unique plot, this series has me hooked! I’m hoping that Selene and Memnon continue to be a united front in the next one because I have a feeling there is more drama to come! If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to obsess over, I highly recommend this one! Bespelled is available now.

“Neither magic nor time can keep us apart. We are like the stars. Eternal.”

An eternal love, a loyal familiar, enemies both near and far, and a battle that rages within are all the things that Selene Bowers will find herself facing in this story. I love Memnon and Selenes story so much. The love/hate, will they/won’t they aspect is the best. Anytime they’d squabble back and forth I’d find myself laughing at the relatability of their interactions and the things they’d say. I was equally frustrated with both of them at times while also being able to understand where they were coming from, It was so easy to step into their shoes and find points to connect on because of how Laura writes them, but that tension and chemistry between them was everything, and when the spice hits…oh my goodness it’s just perfection! Easily one of my top five favorite reads for the year.

Book Name: Bespelled
Author:  Laura Thalassa

ARC
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books  for an ARC of Bespelled by Laura Thalassa

Stars: 5
Spice: 4

Book 2 of Unfinished Series
Cliffhanger -ish
Fast Paced
Urban Fantasy Romance

- Thoughts.
- Enemies to…
- Sorcerer Witch Werewolf Love Triangle
- Murder Mystery
- All the Magic and Excitement of the Bargainer Series
- MMC is Imhotep from the mummy and Khal Drogo coded
- It included a “previously on” section… Thank you!!!!
- Loads more SPICE than prior series

Laura Thalassa has proved she is an impressive author with The Bargainer series and The Four Horsemen. I enjoy her creative direction, character building and storytelling. I was disappointed by the first book in this series, Bewitched, however I was willing to look past it and continue on hoping the many issues I had would flesh themselves out as a rocky start. This was not the case.

Bespelled is the second book in the Bewitched series following Selene Bowers/Roxilana's life in the aftermath of her recovering her memories of her current life and past life as well as dealing with waking up her husband from her past life, Memnon, that she had a falling out with. In the last book the carrot was dangled before us, what did Memnon do? Why did Roxilana curse him to an eternal slumber? After Bespelled we are still wondering why this happened and I am over it. Instead of creating intrigue and stoking curiosity this teasing has completely doused any interest I still harbored. In addition Selene is perhaps turning into the worst version of herself and it's becoming increasingly difficult to root for her/follow her story.

When the main character becomes this unlikable I find it difficult to recommend this book to anyone. Instead I would say to read The Bargainer series, it's leagues better.

Long time reader of Laura Thalassa and I read this after the first book, bewitched.

Honestly, I love this series! Laura writes incredibly well and the story is so unique! When supernaturals continue to end up missing or dead, Selene makes it her mission to bring down the whole operation and enlists her lover/ husband/boyfriend/fiance /soul mate from a thousand years ago? Who doesn’t want a shadow daddy who is the most powerful wizard in millennia and who is also completely obsessed with you….yes please!

I love the past lovers/amnesia romance between the two main characters, it makes for a few extra spicy scenes 😏🌶️🌶️. The continuation of the last book into this one was seamless and the story of Selene and Memmon is always breathtaking and tumultuous in the best possible way. The plot was steamy and action heavy but the balance between the two was perfect!

My only complaint here is that the FMC Selene can get a bit repetitive and she just does the same stupid thing over and over again and her behaviors/Memmons reactions become predictable and a bit boring. Still 100000% worth the read, I just hope Selene grows up a bit in the next book 🙏🏼

Laura knows how to write a cliffhanger and book 1 was no exception. This book sucks you in from the very beginning, giving you some of the answers you were looking for. Memnon, my dude. Groveling bestie say it with me. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship start to change and take form. The magic system in this book is really interesting and i love the little nod to her rhapsodic series that we get. You've got enemies to lovers, witches, wolves, sorcerers, ghosts, and fae running around. If you love romantasy and spice this one is for you.

Bespelled by Laura Thalassa is a paranormal romance. I have been waiting for this sequel since I read Book 1. Laura Thalassa truly is a very talented author who can pour magic into her work. The plot is intriguing and keeps you up at night wondering what is going to happen next. I am not one to write fluffy reviews so when I say all this I truly mean I stayed up all night reading this.

Selene is starting to adjust to Memnon. Of course as with all books this means there is going to be a shake up. Memnon wouldn’t be the morally grey character he is without a little shaking of his own. Just when you think they are even ground the cliffhanger re appears.

I can not wait to see what else Laura Thalassa has in store. I really enjoyed this book and will be waiting with anticipation for the next.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bloom for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm so sorry, but I do not like where the plot is going in this series. This plot seems so whacky and I feel like I have missed chuncks of the book even though I have not skimmed a single page. The tension between Memnon and Selene is weird to me and their sex scenes honestly feel like they come out nowhere because I do not believe the romance between the two. I will not be continuing on in this series going forward.

First of all I want to say thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC of Bespelled by Laura Thalassa. Bespelled is a delectable witchy brew that throws enemies-to-lovers romance, second-chance sparks, and a dash of murder mystery into its bubbling cauldron.

What I Loved -
The amnesia trope takes a fresh turn, and the mystery surrounding Selene's past life keeps you guessing until the very end. What truly shines is the banter between Selene and Memnon, the brooding ancient sorcerer who also happens to be her soulmate.

Overall Impression -
Laura Thalassa masterfully weaves a unique plot that's far from predictable. With its witty dialogue, empowering heroine, and suspenseful plot, it will leave you spellbound and eager for more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

“𝙉𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘, 𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙀𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡.”

Bespelled picks up right where Bewitched left off! Selene has her memories back and Memnon spends the entire book groveling to earn back her trust and love, which I thought was going to be a turnoff for me. Buuut the banter was still there and it didn’t change his personality too much! Not sure why I doubted Laura, I’ve loved every book I’ve read from her thus far and she knows how to write morally grey men. There was a ton of mystery and suspense in this one and I loved seeing Selene come into her power! I also loved watching her and Memnon’s relationship grow and evolve 🥹 The cliffhanger?? I didn’t realize there were more books to come in this series, so the ending really threw me!!

Overall, I really enjoyed it! I do wish we got to see more of their past life together, but I believe there’s a novella coming out that will cover that.


𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✨ fated mates
✨
 morally grey MMC
✨ lovers-to-enemies-to lovers
✨ groveling

✨ murder mystery 

✨ magic

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloom Books, and Laura Thalassa for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 🌟3 🌶️

Witches. Werewolves. Banter. Spice. Fantasy. Flashbacks. Betrayal. Torture.

This book was fantastic! The banter between the two main characters in this book is so great. 🙌
One of my favorite things were the flashbacks to the past that the main character has.
Memnon 🥵 I mean I am so obsessed with him.
I cannot wait for book three!!

The sequel to “Bewitched” not only exceeds all expectation, but is more magical than its predecessor!

“Bespelled” picks up where book 1 leaves off—with Selene Bowers trying to make sense of her restored memories and the unbreakable marriage pact she was coerced into by her soul mate Memnon. However, once Memnon learns the truth behind why Selene betrayed him long ago, he is horrified by his own actions and desperate to make amends, Memnon offers Selene the unthinkable: a magic bond that will give her full control over his will. And Selene is desperate enough to accept it. There’s still a killer out there targeting the witches at Henbane Coven and if Selene wants to stop them, she’ll need Memnon’s help.

I love books with groveling and grovel Memnon did! Once Selene retained her memories, she put him in his place and I thoroughly enjoyed watching him make up for his mistakes. While I didn’t necessarily like that Memnon relinquished his free will to Selene (it made me question what was consensual), I did like how he gave her the space she needed to sort through her feelings while also being by her side when she needed him most. He is protective of her, but also constantly reminds Selene of how fierce and capable she is on her own. Their dynamic of being caught between hate and love is incredibly entertaining and I adored that they eventually found a way to unite their pasts and present selves to rekindle their romance.

Heartbreaking as it was, I really liked the direction this book took with regard to the murder mystery sub-plot. Thalassa handles sensitive subjects (specifically pertaining to the victims) with care and adds elements of suspense, both of which further invested me in the storyline. With the introduction of new supernatural creatures and villains, I am interested in seeing how things play out in book 3.

I am going to borrow the word Laura Thalassa used in author's note to describe this book. Pure indulgence. The author let her imagination and creativity flow free and I could only hold onto the story with my dear life. This plot is complex to say the least. The author was balancing the supernatural world suspense and drama with a millenia old soulmate love. I was treated with all the extremes. The magic and fantasy and darkness. The chemistry. The soul crushing love. I was taken to a real rollercoaster and now that I have gotten down, I am thinking did that really happen?

This is book two of a series and ends in a cliffhanger. The all powerful sorcerer and conquerer Memnon thought that Selene (who used to be his soulmate Queen Roxilana) has betrayed him and so he wanted revenge. That means hurting her. But Selene's memory has been unblocked by him and she knows she never ever did it. Memnon knows too. Now it's his turn to earn forgiveness and love of his mate. Selene needs to know who is behind the murder of her fellow witches and hurting of the supernaturals. And she knows she need help of her enemy. Can she stop falling in love with Memnon?

This book is Memnon's redemption arc or at least I believe so. Because I don't think we have seen the last of the cunning dark side of Memnon. Of course, he is ruthless for his enemies and he would do and did anything to save Selene. But the ending shocked me as much as Selene. She matured a lot here. We have to remember she was just a witch student at the beginning of the series and now she has suddenly been thrown into a mess with a huge knowledge of past and of her past power. She cannot forgive Memnon so easily. He hurt her so much. I know the forged bond will be controversial but I feel this is the only reasonable defense she had against the all powerful Memnon. He would have barged through all her efforts if she didn't have the bond. Trust was broken and the bond was a tether. There is a lot of action and drama going on around. Forced bond( not to be confused with forged bond). Auction of unwilling supernaturals. Lycanthropes getting involved. And Selene being target of the vicious evil group of supernaturals. Memnon did the grovel so beautifully but he is still the antihero and he literally cracked through Selene's armour. It was like a game of chess. Every fulfilled promise, every dedicated act, every act of protection, every bit of support, every bit of necessary cruelty..brought him back in Selene's heart. This book is hotter than first book, for obvious reasons. I love how Selene has discovered her long buried ancient powers but she still holds a refreshing naivety and innocence. She is a perfect mix of dangerous and sweet now. This one is full of plot mines so play attention!

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Bespelled picked up right where Bewitched left off. Selene's feelings toward Memnon experience a roller coaster as she reconciles her past life, her memories, and his work.

This second book has a lot of twists and turns as Selene and Memnon try to solve the murders and attacks. The tension with the lycanthropes, especially with Kane, and determining who to trust continues in this book.

There are times in this book where it feels like Selene is caught in a whirlpool. She makes the same mistakes and is slow to learn. And I have to remember that she's a college-aged young adult who will inevitably make dumb decisions. We did get more backstory on Roxilana and see the universe expand. Like Bewitched, this one ends on a cliffhanger, and while I enjoyed reading Bespelled, I don't know how many more books I'd want to read with few conclusions at the end.

This book!! Let’s just say, i stayed up until 3am reading this and didn’t even realize it was that late. I was hooked so fast and just couldn’t put it down. Give me all of the morally grey Memnon and the touch her & die vibes please! 😮‍💨😮‍💨