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[katara]

Title: Bewitched

Series: Bewitched #1

Author: Laura Thalassa

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Netgalley, Adult, Paranormal, Witches, Magical Realism, Enemies to Lovers

Date Started: February 24th, 2023

Date Finished: February 24th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 5/5

Sypnosis: Come to me, Empress …

At age twenty, Selene Bowers desperately hopes to be accepted into Henbane Coven, an academy for young witches. Since one of the requirements for entry is to connect with her powers via a quest through the wilderness, Selene books a trip to South America. When a nefarious supernatural force tries to drag her plane from the sky, Selene's magic awakens to save her life―at a cost. Using her powers devours her memories, one by one.

Worse, when Selene braves the jungle and discovers the source of the attack, she finds herself awakening 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.

Review: Come to me, Empress...

HOLY MOLEY this book was hotter than the sun! I devoured this book within a few short hours. Honestly, I think I beat the record with this book because I could not put it down. If I had to get up for something, my Kindle went right with me. Seriously, this book is such a delicious read.

The world-building was just amazing. I loved how it blended beautifully with our world and with Selene's world. It was seamless. It was perfect. It was everything I thought Selene's world would be.

The characters were beautiful. Selene was not made out to be perfect. She was flawed. She had magic but the magic had a weakness. I also love the fact that she would not bend to Memnon. She fought against him. She refused everything he offered her and she was not some damsel in distress. She was desperately trying to make a name for herself in the witching world but the murders of witches have quite put a dent into it.

Memnon, on the other hand, had just awakened and I could understand his rage. He had been put to sleep by the woman he loved and he had really no reason behind it. Yet, when Selene awakened him all he thought of her was his queen. I could understand that confusion. You wake up and you think you are still in the past, but you are not, and the rage within you awakens. Memnon has a hard time really believing that Selene is not his queen. Not when there is so much of her likeness within Selene. He is dangerous. He is gorgeous. And he is absolutely possessive.

All the red flags in which tell us to avoid him and yet we cannot. Such a sinful man that I would love to be in Selene's shoes.

And let us not forget Nero. I love him. I have cats and they have all sorts of attitudes and this is just how I expect Nero to be.

The one thing I would love (and I am hoping to see in the next book) is the past between Memnon and his Empress Roxilana. I mean we get some clues but that is about all. I am curious here, Ms. Thalassa. You cannot dangle a carrot in front of me and expect me not to want to know everything here. xD

But seriously, I loved this book. It makes me want to pick up her other books and re-read them. I have them and have read them a long time ago, but I never managed to review them as I should have. I am definitely adding her books to my TBR for 2023.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Ms. Thalassa, and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for allowing me to read the ARC. The review given has been of my own and I am not paid for it.