Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book for the first 4/5. I thought it was compelling and really drew me in. The writing was good and it and the plot keep you hooked. However, characters seemed to lack clear motivation or background for decisions or actions. When we got motivations, it felt too out of place in the general theme of the book. It had a hard time toeing the line between magical realism and other forms of fiction. The social commentary was very good until it felt like it jumped the shark or felt out of place. I still very much enjoyed the bulk of the book.

I have mixed reviews on this book. I enjoyed the spooky witchy vibe of the book. I thought the dual mysteries, with one being in the past that helps reveal what happened to the relationship between Liv and Sam, and the current mystery, was the best part of this book.

I do feel like the pacing issues of the book diminished my enjoyment and then I felt like the ending of the book was lackluster.

Overall I thought it was an enjoyable read and the mystery fantasy aspect drew me in from page one.

I just didn't connect with this one. The story was moderately interesting, the characters pretty one-dimensional for me. The magic element was probably the most successful part of the book, and although things got a little horrific near the end, that aspect was pretty successful.

I think the cover was striking and very well done. I can see how a lot of people will like this - it just didn't appeal to me.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

I apologize in advance for the choppiness of my review.
I gave this book 3 stars but honestly believe it is closer to 2 stars.

This book was categorized as a mystery/thriller, which it kind of was but it read as more mystical or witchcraft-y. The writing honestly reminded me of a YA book due to the angst of the main character.

Switching the timeline between past & present provided a nice explanation of the relationships between the characters. The pacing seemed unbalanced.
The conclusion was disappointing and made a frustrating book even less enjoyable.

The main reason I didn't care for the book was the inconsistency and lack of follow up or explanation regarding many issues or plot points. I wish I could name them, but don't want to spoil anything. I can mention that the bubbling darkness within her is either a complete letdown or was mentioned casually as a thought and then ignored.

I do think older teens will enjoy this and would recommend it to that audience as well as some that enjoy fantasy.

I started this book expecting a thriller with a touch of magical realism but found myself in much darker territory — and at first, it was an addicting intersection of mystery, gothic suspense, and some mystical witchiness.

The dual timeline kept me engaged throughout. I appreciated how the past and present narratives intertwined, revealing the friendships & relationships at the story's core, and the atmospheric writing really impressed me!

However, inconsistent pacing and an underwhelming conclusion detracted from my overall enjoyment. Only around the 80% mark did things really start accelerating, yet that was when I started losing interest because it just got chaotic so fast.

For fans of witchy mysteries with a chilling edge, this book is definitely worth considering, though!

This was an interesting story. I liked the storyline, but I struggled to connect with the characters. Liv felt like there was something missing. Eden and Cora were weird and it made me wonder why Liv was so obsessed with these mean girls who wanted nothing to do with most people. I liked Noah right up until he changed and started pushing Liv into something that was not quite normal or acceptable in this day and age and after 8 years of being with her and not having a conversation about it before.

Sort of being under a spell, I struggled to understand why Liv wanted to drop everything to hang out with Eden and Cora. I also wondered why she wanted to be friends with Sam back in high school, because the book really only mentioned the bad things about Sam and her temper was something else. The flashbacks helped round out the story, but more might have been nice, showing the reason why Liv put up with Sam in the first place.

The story kept me engaged, even though it got a little slow at times.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Liv has the outward appearance of a woman with her life on track. Engaged to her college sweetheart, Boston apartment, applying for law schools, all a girl could hope for at 26 right?

Then why does she struggle with the dark thoughts that plague her? Why does she feel like she is suffocating each time she thinks of her impending wedding/marriage/future?

When Liv's best friend Sam from high school sends a cryptic letter asking for help, Liv heads home to find her missing and for there to be little information on her possible whereabouts. The intense need to solve this mystery drives her to dig deeper, bringing out the darkness in herself and the others involved Sam's life.

This story takes some wild turns and has a few dated opinions on women's rolls in the world/family life. It makes it seem as if you can only pick one or the other when it comes to Family or Career. Adding in creepy crawlers, flashbacks, and magic, you've got one different kind of story being told.

Liv has her darkness from the past hiding even from her. When her best friend Sam disappears, she knows she has to find her and help her. When she finds that Sam has been involved with two women she knew in high school, known as the Sisterhood, she can't believe it. She suspects they might know something about Sam's disappearance. As Liv tries to follow a non-existent trail toward Sam, she gets involved with the Sisterhood girls, and that could be a fatal mistake. It's a frightening horror story with fascinating and dark characters. But it was a great read, and I couldn't put it down, even when I wanted to. Very thought provoking.

Liv Edwards returns to her hometown after she receives a mysterious letter from her former best friend, Sam.
When she arrives, she learns that Sam has disappeared. As Liv seeks to discover what happened to Sam,
the reason for their falling out is revealed. Told in dual timelines, senior year in high school and the present,
more is learned of the backgrounds of those involved. Is the group known as the Sisterhood from high school
involved?
Well paced spooky story.
#UnderHerSpell #Ballantine #RandomHouse #NetGalley

This reminded me of Bunny mixed with the new remake of The Craft. I really appreciated the division into Then and Now sections, as I felt like it really fleshed out the characters’ backgrounds, relationships, and motivations. I was a fan of the authors debut and feel like this was a really solid follow up. All in all, it was a strong mystery with fascinating paranormal elements.

I had some mixed feelings on this one. I thought it was a good story that sucked me in right away. Some commentary on society’s view of motherhood that I thought was really good. But there were a few sticking points in the mystery that really bothered me. Overall it was a good read!

An interesting question about what women want—and can have—in both their own eyes and society’s. There’s more than one way to lose yourself in others . . .

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Liv has everything going for her. When she receives a letter from a friend she is unable to get ahold of her. She is missing. This book was well written.

Liv Edwards is living life, a job at a local law firm, a luxury home and planning her marriage to long time fiancé Noah. But this all changes when Liv receives a letter from her best friend from High School asking Liv for her help as (Samantha) feels she is in danger and doesn’t feel safe. Liv immediately returns to New England seeking her friend but finds instead herself caught up in a strange Sisterhood. All signs point to Sam belonging to this same group of girls, but they deny that they know where Sam has gone. Soon Liv is drawn into joining the same Sisterhood and to once again design jewelry and give up her dreams of marriage and having children. But once Liv gives herself over to her desires, she discovers something very sinister going on and it’s much darker than she has ever imagined.

3.5 ⭐️!

Every time I read a K. L. Cerra book the first word that comes to mind if eerie! These thrillers are always so intriguing and never what I expect and I can never get enough. Under Her Spell is the second book I’ve read from Cerra and I throughout enjoyed it.

Liv Edwards is living in Boston with her fiancé and on the outside seems to have a near perfect life. She makes a decision to return to her hometown after receiving a suspicious message from an old friend, Sam, who she fell out of contact with after Liv did something unforgivable. When she arrives in town she finds herself in the middle of the investigation into Sam’s disappearance and getting caught up in the charming and intriguing Eden and Cora.

As usual, Cerra creates characters that are so mysterious and alluring and that is part of what always really holds my interest because I am constantly trying to figure them out. I loved the creepy, witchy vibes and I felt that the overall pace of the book was great for the story and always kept me guessing. I did find myself wanting more from the ending, it felt a bit rushed and vague, but overall I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Under Her Spell was a very unique novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. While trying to learn what happened to her missing friend, Sam, Liv comes under the influence of Sam’s two roommates, who were also classmates from high school. The flashbacks to high school were well intertwined into the story plot. The darker side of the bridal boutique was a surprise twist to the story, I will not go into spoilers. This novel will appeal to fans of paranormal mysteries.

This book was slightly crazy but I enjoyed it for the most part.
The ending wasn't super satisfying but I'm glad the main character survived. I couldn't believe what Liv had done to Sam her best friend. Maybe she had a darkness inside her after all.
The writing was intriguing enough to keep me reading and finish in one day.

After years of estrangement, Liv receives a message from her high school best friend Sam--Sam thinks she is in danger and needs Liv's help. Liv leaves her fiancee and travels back to her home town in Connecticut, where she re-meets some of her high school classmates, who run a bridal business. As Liv searces for clues to Sam's disappearance, she begins to learn more about what her former classmates have been up to. And what they've been up to is--well, not good.

This book kept me reading, and while I'm not adverse to a little witchcraft this book just got too creepy and ugly for me, especially the final third. There's an interesting message here, but it's buried under a bit too much horror for me.

this just wasn't for me. this would be better classified as YA Novel as opposed to Mystery or Womens Fiction.

Under Her Spell follows Liv back to her hometown to help find her old high school friend who has now gone missing after send Liv a note about needing help.
Liv is about to get married to Noah and she is feeling pressure to do so. She goes to dark places sometimes and has to use a ring she designed to scold herself. Liv is going back to her hometown to see what kind of trouble Sam, her old high school friend, is in. Sam had sent Liv a note saying she didn't know who else to turn to. On her way there a news report says Sam has gone missing. Liv is determined to do anything to find out what happened to Sam.

I could tell from the beginning that there was going to be some kind of witchcraft involved. It was like the movie The Craft but not so obvious. I liked the story but didn't feel like the ending was great. I just think that there should have been more closure. Liv was naive throughout the whole story which at times was slightly annoying. She wanted so badly to fit in with Eden in high school and it transfers over into her adult life. Noah to me was just over the top. I could understand how after losing a family member who was so young you would want to reconsider your life but what he wanted from Liv was way too much. Cora, that poor girl, she was so in love with Eden that it was hard to even see her as anything other than a lost little puppy dog. Although I felt bad for Sam her character kind of sucked. What we learn about her is that she was a bossy, rude, and manipulative brat. I also think that she had a thing for Eden and later Liv but that may be speculation. It would make sense on why she was so willing to join Eden and Cora at the bridal boutique. I know the author was trying to say that Sam's beliefs about men were her reasoning but honestly, I think Sam was in love with Eden this whole time.
I gave it 3 stars just because I didn't love a lot of things about it. The ending was a big one for me. Not that I needed a happily ever after, but some real closure would have been nice. I also would have liked to see more character development. I feel like Liv still didn't have much growth in the after math of it all. I did like that we got to jump back and forth from the present to the past. And that it was pretty fast paced. I think readers who enjoy thrillers with a little bit of witchy vibes will like this story.