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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
The Curse that Binds by Laura Thalassa đ
Bewitched, Book 2.5 - Prequel
Series
âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸
Adult ⢠Romantasy
ARC Review
528 Pages
đď¸ July 1st
đfated mates
đIâll burn down the world for you
đloss
đbattle
đbetrayal
đcurse
âŁď¸ âYou are the only thing that matters to me in this godsforsaken world. I wonât let you die, Memnon. Not today.â
He would give her the world. I would give this book all the stars in the sky. It made and unmade my heart and forever changed the fabric of my very being.
Prequels are always hard on me. I canât just ignore what comes next so I also know all the heartbreak Iâm going to face before itâs all over. I had the after present on my mind the entire time but the truth is, I needed to know the before. I needed to see them falling in love, living that love, and being thrown in the middle of deep rooted betrayals.
I thought I loved them before. Ah, my sweet summer child. That was nothing compared to what Iâm feeling now. How I would cross the world and travel the ley lines for them.
A new favorite book. A favorite series. Two favorite characters.
Bewitched, Book 2.5 - Prequel
Series
âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸âžď¸
Adult ⢠Romantasy
ARC Review
528 Pages
đď¸ July 1st
đfated mates
đIâll burn down the world for you
đloss
đbattle
đbetrayal
đcurse
âŁď¸ âYou are the only thing that matters to me in this godsforsaken world. I wonât let you die, Memnon. Not today.â
He would give her the world. I would give this book all the stars in the sky. It made and unmade my heart and forever changed the fabric of my very being.
Prequels are always hard on me. I canât just ignore what comes next so I also know all the heartbreak Iâm going to face before itâs all over. I had the after present on my mind the entire time but the truth is, I needed to know the before. I needed to see them falling in love, living that love, and being thrown in the middle of deep rooted betrayals.
I thought I loved them before. Ah, my sweet summer child. That was nothing compared to what Iâm feeling now. How I would cross the world and travel the ley lines for them.
A new favorite book. A favorite series. Two favorite characters.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for sending me an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion!
After finishing the first two books in this series, I needed to know more about Roxilana and Memnonâs backstory! This was written so well, and the story had me wanting to read more and more with each page I read. Memnon is no doubt one of my favorite MMCs, the mouth on this man 𼾠Iâm excited for the last book whenever it releases! If you havenât read this series, I highly recommend that you do!
After finishing the first two books in this series, I needed to know more about Roxilana and Memnonâs backstory! This was written so well, and the story had me wanting to read more and more with each page I read. Memnon is no doubt one of my favorite MMCs, the mouth on this man 𼾠Iâm excited for the last book whenever it releases! If you havenât read this series, I highly recommend that you do!
This is the story of Roxilana, a young girl born over two millennia ago who captured the heart of the Sorcerer King of the Sarmatians and became his queen which to the fall of an empire.
The Curse that Binds is the prequel to Bespelled and Bewitched, and while you could read those books without reading this one why would you as it tells the backstory of a love that time couldnât stop despite the perceived betrayals. The world building was fabulous, and Laura Thalassaâs vivid words and descriptions made it so easy to visualise the backdrop of ancient civilisations and all the brutality of the time and the love that Memnon and Roxi shared the stuff of legend. The book was engaging easy to read, with the storyline thrilling and action-packed, and different from the norm. It had a gritty feel with an emotional vibe as, if youâve read the first two books you already know how things are going to end. While normally romantasy or paranormal romance would never be my first choice but there is just something about these Memnon and Roxilana that has me obsessed and I can't wait to read more of their story.
The Curse that Binds is the prequel to Bespelled and Bewitched, and while you could read those books without reading this one why would you as it tells the backstory of a love that time couldnât stop despite the perceived betrayals. The world building was fabulous, and Laura Thalassaâs vivid words and descriptions made it so easy to visualise the backdrop of ancient civilisations and all the brutality of the time and the love that Memnon and Roxi shared the stuff of legend. The book was engaging easy to read, with the storyline thrilling and action-packed, and different from the norm. It had a gritty feel with an emotional vibe as, if youâve read the first two books you already know how things are going to end. While normally romantasy or paranormal romance would never be my first choice but there is just something about these Memnon and Roxilana that has me obsessed and I can't wait to read more of their story.
I do not know if there are words to express how much I am in love with this series and Laura Thalassa's writing, but I will try. I knew the moment I picked this book I had to cancel all my plans because nothing else was getting done until this book was read! I legit read it in practically one sitting, that's how deep I'm in with Roxilana and Memnon story. This prequel was a rollercoaster journey that gave so much more meaning to this series. There were so many chapters that were included in the first two books that was great to read in context of a continually timeline. The love that literally crossed across continents. THIS MAN MARCH HIS WHOLE ARMY TO COME AND GET HER. Like please that man could have had anything he wanted lol.
With this book, the writing and the way the stories just flow together. There has been no point while reading this series where my mind wandered or I got distracted. Something about it just pulls me in and immerses me in the world as if I am watching a movie. (Speaking of, these rights need to be sold asap!)
Overall it made me look at book one in a whole new light. Obviously Memnon did not know what happened in those final hours before his sleep but damn Roxilana legit went through hell and that's the thanks she gets??? Still love them down though I just wish he did more groveling in book 2 lol. As long as my girl gets her happiness because the pain and the loss that she experienced had me tearing up multiple times.
With this book, the writing and the way the stories just flow together. There has been no point while reading this series where my mind wandered or I got distracted. Something about it just pulls me in and immerses me in the world as if I am watching a movie. (Speaking of, these rights need to be sold asap!)
Overall it made me look at book one in a whole new light. Obviously Memnon did not know what happened in those final hours before his sleep but damn Roxilana legit went through hell and that's the thanks she gets??? Still love them down though I just wish he did more groveling in book 2 lol. As long as my girl gets her happiness because the pain and the loss that she experienced had me tearing up multiple times.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to Laura Thalassa, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Curse That Binds in exchange for my honest review.
The Curse that Binds is the prequel to the Bewitched series. It tells the story of Roxiliana and Memnon. It gives readers a look into what their relationship looked like and what happened leading up to the curse. When this book was first announced, I was skeptical. I was unsure why we really needed this book when we seemingly had all the information that we needed. However, the insight this book gives us is invaluable. We get to know Roxilana as a character, what she was like, and what she has been through. I think this is going to be essential because even though in Bewitched we follow Selene, Selene is Roxanne and has her memories. What is even more invaluable is getting insight into Memnon as a character. What was he like, what were his quirks, and what were things that Roxilana noticed during their time together when they were happy? I think these insights are going to make the reading experience for book 3, whenever it comes out, invaluable. We now get to understand Memnon in a way that we didn't before, and we know a bit more about how his brain works. We get to wonder how that will translate into the modern world. I will say that I struggled at times, not because I was not having fun, but because I knew the ending. I knew what would happen in the end. It took time for me to get invested enough in the characters and the side characters that I wanted to learn more about them, even though I knew how it would end. I will say that for those who have not read this series at all, this should be the first book you read. Even though it is 2.5 in the series, I think knowing the background before going into BeWitched will not only make the reading experience for BeWitched better, but also your overall experience with this book, because you won't know what is going to happen.
The Curse that Binds is the prequel to the Bewitched series. It tells the story of Roxiliana and Memnon. It gives readers a look into what their relationship looked like and what happened leading up to the curse. When this book was first announced, I was skeptical. I was unsure why we really needed this book when we seemingly had all the information that we needed. However, the insight this book gives us is invaluable. We get to know Roxilana as a character, what she was like, and what she has been through. I think this is going to be essential because even though in Bewitched we follow Selene, Selene is Roxanne and has her memories. What is even more invaluable is getting insight into Memnon as a character. What was he like, what were his quirks, and what were things that Roxilana noticed during their time together when they were happy? I think these insights are going to make the reading experience for book 3, whenever it comes out, invaluable. We now get to understand Memnon in a way that we didn't before, and we know a bit more about how his brain works. We get to wonder how that will translate into the modern world. I will say that I struggled at times, not because I was not having fun, but because I knew the ending. I knew what would happen in the end. It took time for me to get invested enough in the characters and the side characters that I wanted to learn more about them, even though I knew how it would end. I will say that for those who have not read this series at all, this should be the first book you read. Even though it is 2.5 in the series, I think knowing the background before going into BeWitched will not only make the reading experience for BeWitched better, but also your overall experience with this book, because you won't know what is going to happen.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Wow! Simply put, this prequel was epic! DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE REST OF THE SERIES!!!
We learn so much about Roxi's life from a young age and how it shaped her. We see how Memnon came into her life and those few years they had together. So intense, passionate, and so much rage and anger that fuels the beginning of the end. You will meet all the people in his life, and hers, and what they mean to them. It's heartbreaking, and I did not want it to end.
The wait for the final book in their story is going to be so long!!!!
We learn so much about Roxi's life from a young age and how it shaped her. We see how Memnon came into her life and those few years they had together. So intense, passionate, and so much rage and anger that fuels the beginning of the end. You will meet all the people in his life, and hers, and what they mean to them. It's heartbreaking, and I did not want it to end.
The wait for the final book in their story is going to be so long!!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A CURSE THAT BINDS is Laura Thalassa at her best. This has all the best parts of her writing. I really enjoyed this book and think it adds to this series in a massive way. The characters, the story, and the pacing are all well done and make this story the best one in this series to date.
One of the larger issues I have with the Bewitched series is that the audience has to learn with the characters the connection between the characters. And because of that, I felt like large parts of the story were missing in a way that wasn't cohesive to the plot. But this book fills in all the gaps and showcases why I love Thalassa as a writer. Everything about the story came together here that created an engaging story that filled in all those gaps. I actually wish this came out before or was the first book in the series. It reminded me of the first book in The Bargainer series, which is one of my favorite series.
On top of that, the pacing was well done. I was hooked the whole time.It was action packed and had some of my favorite tropes of touch her and die and fated mates. I also really loved the characters. I understood their love story better, and I understood their connection way more than in the series previously. That made the story extremely enjoyable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I thought it added to the series. I was hooked and it has some of the best parts of the romantsy genre. I definitely think it is worth the read!
Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First of all, thank you so much to Laura Thalassa and Netgalley for sending me this ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Wow... Just... Wow... This is the ultimate love story and I think Memnon is the man every woman secretly craves.
When reading Bewitched I wasn't sure of what I was thinking about Memnon and the relationship between him and Selene. But after reading The Curse That Binds everything just falls into place and I can't get over how amazing their bond and love for eachother is (although slightly toxic).
The character building in this book was top tier. The fact that I got to know them both from a young age all the way through young adults was so fun and to read about how their bond and love evolves was amazing.
I love the fact that so many events were based on true historical events.
Even though I already knew how this book was going to end, the plot twist was heartbreaking and I felt so bad for Memnon and Roxilana.
The Curse That Binds is absolutely beautifully written and I had the best time reading it.
Wow... Just... Wow... This is the ultimate love story and I think Memnon is the man every woman secretly craves.
When reading Bewitched I wasn't sure of what I was thinking about Memnon and the relationship between him and Selene. But after reading The Curse That Binds everything just falls into place and I can't get over how amazing their bond and love for eachother is (although slightly toxic).
The character building in this book was top tier. The fact that I got to know them both from a young age all the way through young adults was so fun and to read about how their bond and love evolves was amazing.
I love the fact that so many events were based on true historical events.
Even though I already knew how this book was going to end, the plot twist was heartbreaking and I felt so bad for Memnon and Roxilana.
The Curse That Binds is absolutely beautifully written and I had the best time reading it.
medium-paced
Thank you Laura Thalassa, Bloom Books, Sourcebooks Romance, and NetGalley for the free gift!
A god-touched soulmate, ancient magic, and an empire caught in the crosshairs of love and power, Laura Thalassaâs latest prequel conjures an epic tale of fate and fire.
Set two thousand years before Bewitched, The Curse That Binds dives into the forgotten story of Roxilana and Memnon, star-crossed lovers with magic in their veins and war in their wake. I havenât read Bewitched yet, but this prequel easily stands on its own and piqued my interest for whatâs to come.
The ancient Roman setting is refreshingly different from the usual medieval fantasy fare, and Thalassa does a beautiful job blending historical detail with mythic atmosphere. The opening chapters were electric. Roxilanaâs Awakening, the fated bond, and Memnonâs sudden arrival brought high stakes and irresistible tension.
That said, the middle of the book dragged a bit for me. The âfight, fuck, downtime, repeatâ cycle became repetitive and slowed the pacing. Still, the emotional payoff at the end, combined with the strong premise and rich world-building, made it a worthwhile read.
If youâre a fan of fated love, morally gray heroes, and fantasy rooted in historical power dynamics, this is one to check out, especially if you loved the Bargainer series.
Final Thoughts: A sweeping, sensual, and lore-rich story that deepens the Bewitched universe. Despite a sagging middle, the immersive world and mythic romance kept me hooked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Violence, War