Bewitched by Laura Thalassa: A Spoiler Free Review
Working Title: Thalassa pushes the enemies-to-lovers trope into mind f*ck territory due to a touch of amnesia in said mind.
This article was edited on March 25, 2024 to conform to the new formatting I’m using for reviews. Please let me know if you like it in the comments!
An American witch whose magic eats away her memories. An ancient warrior lord, cursed to eternal sleep in a tomb hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. An academy of witches living on a campus with Hogwarts vibes. A case of mistaken identity, in which a young woman is mistaken for a Roman Empire era witch.
Bewitched by Laura Thalassa is the first volume of a duology featuring Selene Bowers, a young witch desperate to be accepted into Henbane Coven to continue her magical studies. Her efforts at acceptance have been thwarted thus far because the coven crones worry her magical practice may produce more harm than good. Of course our young heroine is determined, armed with her journals and sticky notes that serve as a back-up memory.
Normally, this type of story would not appeal to me. Any type of amnesia in a blurb screams “welcome to unreliable narrator land”. The hype surrounding Girl on the Train and Gone Girl was lost on me.
After devouring this book, I must issue a correction. I do not enjoy an unreliable narrator in a contemporary thriller. I absolutely ADORE an unreliable narrator when there is a big, bad shadow daddy, the threat of forbidden magic around every corner, and a number of murdered witches on a small, supposedly warded campus. Oh yes— I could not put this book down. I kept turning pages asking “oh my Goddess, what is actually happening here????”
Read on for for insights into the romance and fantasy elements of Bewitched.
Bewitched by Laura Thalassa Ratings:
Romance: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️4.5 out of 5 hot peppers.
Worldbuilding/Fantasy Elements: 🐉🐉🐉 3.5 magic dragons out of 5.
Meeting Romantasy Reader’s Expectations: 💖💖💖💖💖5 sparkly hearts out of 5.
Trigger Warnings: Violence against women on a campus; stalking, BDSM in the form of edging.
The Romance: Bewitched, Besotted, or Toxic?
Confession time. I read more steamy scenes than the average person because its a part of my job (#winning). You would think that means I could have a bit of detachment from said scenes. If I was editing or coaching—yes absolutely.
However, I went into Bewitched as a reader and—oh my. Thalassa sure does know how to write the interiority of a character in the middle of near maximum pleasure. Or should I say, the very edge of pleasure. This is repeated over several scenes, and Thalassa had my undivided attention.
May I introduce Memnon the Cursed, the aforementioned warrior lord who was woken from his 2000 year slumber by Selene. Upon seeing her, Memnon is convinced Selene is his dead wife. Which, of course, is impossible considering the time gap.
And yet their imagined and physical interactions are incredibly sexy because Memnon has the ability to play Selene’s body like an instrument. If this is all you’re looking for in your steamy scenes, you’re already adding this to your TBR.
But some readers were uncomfortable with the dynamic between Selene and Memnon. Theirs is what would be called an unhealthy relationship by a modern therapist. There are many times they appear to be pitted in a battle to control the actions of the other. Selene is a 20-year-old who prides herself on being kind, but she maintains boundaries and refuses to be pushed around. Memnon has had 2000 years to brood/pine for his wife. Additionally, Memnon is written as a character with a 2000 year out-of-date worldview. All the baggage of patriarchy is embodied inside of his corded muscle frame. His actions on page read like those of a stalker at times, making him an asshole as far as Selene is concerned. A hot, muscle-bound asshole.
Writers reading this book might also notice that Memnon has a flat character arc. He does not change or become likable. Nope—even though this couple is clearly into each other physically, he cannot get beyond his memories to act on what is fully happening in Selene’s present. My theory behind this has to do with the underlying structure of the story and the overt hints provided in the book blurb to the second volume. Bewitched is a full book, but it is only half of the story. If you imagine this as a Broadway show rather than a novel, the book ends with the curtain coming down and now we’re in intermission. Many reviewers found this frustrating, because the book truly leaves us on the EDGE of our seats.
As a book coach, I think using the structure of your novel to underscore your major romance/bdsm beat is FUCKING BRILLIANT.
I am also looking forward to seeing how Memnon AND Selene change in the upcoming sequel.
The Fantasy Worldbuilding of Henbane Coven
As much as I adore second-world fantasy settings, there is something light and easy when reading books set in the real world. Without that steep learning curve, I can dive right into the narrative. That’s what I was able to do with this book, and it swallowed me whole.
For readers who have read Thalassa’s entire catalog, this book is set in the same universe as the Bargainer series.
Selene’s world is our world, but with magic, sorcerers, and werewolves. Most of the supernatural happenings on page revolve around witches and Selene’s time in the Coven. I thought this was really well-done, though I was hoping for a little more on page time for the werewolf storyline. The same could be said for the classroom scenes. However, some of the gaps in the worldbuilding are likely the result of writing from the POV of a person with memory loss. Selene is introduced to interesting people and places, but she doesn’t always follow-up on those plot points because she has forgotten them.
I am so curious to see how this plays out in the second book.
Is there room in this series to expand on the magical elements? Perhaps. I’d like to see the familiars have a more central role in the story or the inclusion of other supernaturals, especially Nero. However, they aren’t necessary to the overall story and folks who lean more towards dark academic will likely adore the worldbuilding in Bewitched.
A final note on what may have inspired this book. I’m wondering is Memnon’s name is a play on Agamemnon, the ancient king of Mycenae who was a soldier in the Trojan War. His story ends when, upon returning from Troy, he is betrayed by his wife. There are different versions of the myth, but I don’t want to get into them here in case it leads the reader (or myself) into spoiler territory. However, as a former art history instructor who specialized in art of the ancient world—SQUEE!!! AMAZING!!!
My Favorite Steamy Quote
“You don’t know who I am?” His eyebrows lift in disbelief. Then he laughs, the sound chilling. “I have been inside you more times than there are stars to count. I am no more a stranger to you than your own skin is.”
How to Buy Her Books
Laura Thalassa began her writing career as an indie, but is now published by Bloom Books. As such, this title is sold at all major booksellers. The sequel is not out until May, so you have an opportunity to purchase a signed copy of Bespelled through Laura Thalassa’s website.