A great thriller that mixes in old tropes and revives them with mystical female centered magic!

Liv Edwards is engaged and living a great life when she hears that her high school best friend is missing. Against her best interests, she travels to her home town to find out what happened to Sam. She finds a strange trail that leads her to the girls in high school that she worshipped - two of them have created a prestigious bridal boutique and Sam has begun working with them. It's not long before Liv falls into old habits and finds herself spending time with the women who have created a beautiful business that celebrates marriage. But there is a dark side to the business and Liv finds herself drawn to it.

Really fun, twisty and interesting- where is that store, I need to go!
#randomhouse #ballantine #underherspell #klcerra

Her friendship with Sam helped Liv make it through senior year at a new school in a new town. Sam was a mix of kindness and control. And ultimately her controlling nature and a secret relationship between Liv and Sam’s twin brother Everett caused a rift in their friendship. However, when Liv receives a strange letter from Sam suggesting she is in trouble, and attempts to contact her are unsuccessful, she heads back to Guilford to check on Sam.

Soon after arriving in Guilford, she learns that Sam has been reported missing. She is also very surprised to learn that the roommates who reported her missing are Eden and Cora, two members of the Sisterhood, a high school clique. Sam had disliked the Sisterhood, with special disdain for Eden, the leader. Liv discovers that Eden and Cora (and Sam) operate an exclusive bridal boutique. They extensively research the customers, and when they come across a relationship that is troubled, they use their unique “talents” to help the bride-to-be “see” what their fiancé is really like and “give” her the initiative to end the relationship before becoming stuck in a stifling relationship (or even an abusive relationship). Liv finds the Sisterhood both intriguing and disturbing, and she believes that Eden and Cora know more about Sam's disappearance than they admit. Liv is determined to stay close to Eden and Cora but joining the Sisterhood requires significant sacrifices, ones that Liv is not sure she wants or can make.

One of my favorite characters is Cora. Eden is clearly the leader of the Sisterhood and Cora is passive and somewhat subservient in her interactions with Eden. Eden can also be quite mercurial (a trait she shares with Sam), while Cora is genuinely kind and friendly. However, at times the reader will sense a fierceness and strength in Cora that belies the persona she shows the world, and contrasts with the dynamic between her and Eden.

It is very easy for thrillers to feel recycled and unimaginative. Although predictable, this book had such a unique twist on the traditional missing woman thriller and had fun witchy vibes. It explored topics of what it means to be a woman, wife, and mother. It was a quick read that I didn’t want to put down. I didn't love the ending and didn't feel that connected to any of the characters, which made me dock a star. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the eARC!

"Under Her Spell" by K. L. Cerra is a spellbinding read that blends dark magic with a thrilling mystery. Liv Edwards returns to her small New England hometown to uncover the truth behind her childhood friend Sam’s mysterious disappearance, and what she finds is both captivating and chilling. Cerra’s writing beautifully captures the eerie atmosphere of a quaint town hiding dark secrets, and the layers of tension and intrigue are deftly woven into the narrative. I was particularly drawn to Liv’s character—her struggle with her hidden darkness and her quest for redemption are portrayed with depth and nuance. The dynamic with Eden and Cora, the enigmatic women from Sam’s past, adds an intriguing mix of glamour and menace. The contrast between the enchanting façade of the bridal boutique and the sinister undertones of the story is both striking and effective. The way Cerra explores themes of guilt, self-discovery, and the lure of dark magic makes this book a compelling and immersive read. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a touch of the supernatural and strong, relatable characters, "Under Her Spell" is a fantastic choice!

This is a dark, twisty, creepy novel. Liv Edwards returns home when she gets a note from her high school best friend Sam, whom she hasn’t spoken to in years. However, but the time Liv arrives in town, Sam is missing. As Liv digs deeper into finding Sam, she encounters old high school classmates and lots of memories. When Liv finds out two of her former classmates, Eden and Cora, who called themselves the Sisterhood in high school were the roommates of Sam, she unwittingly gets involved in more than she anticipated.

This is a freaky story and mystery and by the time, the author reveals what has happened to Sam, the reader has gone down a twisty path with some eerie results. I enjoyed this tale, the disappearance of Sam was well written and the characters especially Eden and Cora were downright creepy. If you enjoy a good old fashion, gives me the willies but I want to know more kind of read, then this book is for you. Just read it during the daylight.

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

Both incredibly disturbing and completely enlightening. Glad I came across it and had the opportunity to read it.

Wow! This was fantastic. I really enjoyed reading it and didn’t want to put it down. The cover is stunning! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I recieved an ARC of K.L. Cerra’s Under Her Spell, and boy was it a wild ride! When Liv’s childhood best friend goes missing she returns home to join the search for her, only to end up in a witchy cult. This was a very intriguing suspense/thriller, and may have prompted some of my own nightmares of beetles crawling over my skin. 👀 Not only was it a mystery, it explored themes of what it means to be a woman, wife, and mother. It was a fast read, truly no dull moments making it hard to put down. I enjoyed the time changes between present and past. It will be published in September and I highly recommend! 💍🔪🔮

Not my cup of tea I found the story to convoluted and just didn’t like any of the characters. And the plot rambled too much
Thanks for the review copy to net galley and the Publisher

K.L. Cerra's writing style truly holds my heart. I loved this book! The story had me hooked from the beginning, and I stayed up until the early hours of the morning to finish it. I do feel like the pacing could have been a bit better, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. Definitely recommend!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I have conflicting emotions regarding "Under Her Spell" written by K. L. Cerra. The book successfully evoked an unsettling atmosphere, particularly in the initial two-thirds of the narrative. The utilization of two timelines was mostly effective. However, my interest waned when reading about the Sisterhood. Additionally, the conclusion left me somewhat dissatisfied. As a result, I have given it a three-star rating.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

I tried really hard with this book, but found myself having to start over multiple times. None of characters were likable, and I don't think the author did a great job of explaining the "sisterhood" and the psychic part of this book. What spell did they have over the police? Why leave if they had that much control?



Most of the time I was frustrated with all of the characters and questioning their decisions. The ending was also very underwhelming. Also, moving on a few years later and not really giving a true idea of what happened in the interim was not the best choice.

You did not find yourself caring about the missing person, or any of the other people surrounding her. This was also one of those instances where flashbacks did not work.

Sadly this was not my best read, but I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to give an honest opinion.

I couldn't get into this one. I tried quite a few times, with no success. Fell somewhat flat for me.

I was hooked from the description of this and was excited to read the book. The dual timelines of past and present made the story compelling. The characters were well done but I would have liked more back round/motivation for each of them. The ending was lacking but overall a good witchy vibe.

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!