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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You can find this review of The Curse that Binds on my blog, Heart’s Content!
A big big shout out and thank you to Laura Thalassa and her amazing PA Naomi for providing me with the amazing opportunity to read The Curse that Binds early!
A big big shout out and thank you to Laura Thalassa and her amazing PA Naomi for providing me with the amazing opportunity to read The Curse that Binds early!
From what I can recall, Laura Thalassa’s work played a large role in my falling in love with the genre of romance in fantasy. I do believe a large part of my reader heart has been shaped by her words. Also, in my opinion, Thalassasets the true standard for a fantastically written anti-hero, who—as a reader—I can attest to having the best kind of love-to-hate-to-love relationship with.
As an author, the best most enticing experience to offer a reader, is to write books between series that feel very different from one another. While it’s always amazing to be able to dive into a book and recognise the author’s metaphorical signature style in; after a point, the repetitiveness that was initially endearing, doesn’t challenge and entice as much anymore.
But when an author writes a book, that as a reader, sounds, feels and reads different from a series of theirs you just finished, there’s no greater joy and satisfaction to be had than that. Thalassa has truly aced this technique and this is one of the main reasons I will always always come back to her writing each and every time.
Each series has its own tone, theme and storyline and if I had done a blind reading I would’ve never have ever guessed who the author was. Thalassa’s writing, thus, will always be her most powerful skill that she wields with precision. This particular book in the series reads as a prequel, even though it is not to be read before starting the series. It has an interesting position within the series and reads with a depth of emotion and pain that stays with you long after the last page. (Do check out the author’s page for the suggested order of reading.)
Books one and two, Bewitched and Bespelleddig a deep well of curiosity within the readers, leaving little hints and large hollows of longing to know the whole truth. Bespelledreveals the very end of what happens in The Curse that Binds and it expertly lays waste to the reader with just that short, but devastating reveal. Despite knowing that, the fact that wanting to read TCtB wasn’t even a question I had to ask myself, is further credited to Thalassa’s storytelling technique. The connections across the series, the foreshadowed dialogues, the references, the call-backs were all so wonderfully intertwined. So much so, that not a moment was left forgotten or overlooked. To be honest, this book was so well done that it might hold a place in my heart that rests just a little higher than the rest of the books in this series so far.
All this is only because of Thalassa’s plotting, writing and narration style and I’m so very grateful to have stumbled upon her work so early in my reading journey.
The world building in this book is written in a way that reveals just how much research has preceded it, to make it so richly detailed in cultural, social and historical content. I marvelled that, outside of the fact that the book can very much be read as a standalone with absolutely no prior knowledge about the series, it can also be enjoyed from a historical standpoint. The rules, lives and events in the book are etched with emotion, painstaking detail and acts as a fantastic foundation upon which the whole series can rest. The author leaves a wonderful note towards the end explaining the places in which she took some artistic liberties and where she leaned into the knowledge she gained from extensive research. I was so so grateful to be able to experience The Curse that Binds in all its true glory and all its imagined beauty. Additionally (as mentioned before), the world building in this book is required to extend beyond just this one novella and into the threads that make Bewitched and Bespelled and I love how Thalassa has ensured that while the tone of this book suits its time and circumstances, the essence of it can be found through the rest of its series, be it in the dialogues or in the personalities of the MCs.
Other than the two primary characters, this book boasts of a whole new cast. I absolutely enjoyed meeting all the new faces, watching the chemistry of all the budding and pre-existing relationships and of course all the emotional complexities these new characters add, given the nature of the set-up. Thalassahas done a fantastic job introducing all the secondary and tertiary characters at the perfect intervals, with just the right amount of scene space. Add to this some hard hitting dialogues by some of those characters and you’ll find you’ve signed your soul away for the most delicious deal. (If you’d read the Bargainer series by Thalassa, you’d have applauded this pun.)
The plot of this book in truth spans the length of this whole series (including its prequel). However, the interesting aspect about this series is that while the sequels have their own unique storyline, there’s also a strong thread of connection between them and the story laid out in TCtB. The author has done a truly remarkable job of both, keeping the two very visibly distinct, even while surprising the readers with a hint of information that they just might be more intertwined than was initially presumed.
The best way I can compare the pace of this book is to the rhythm of hoofbeats as it nears you. Initially it’s a subtle drum that slowly draws your attention, until it becomes something that captures your curiosity and has you spinning to see in which direction you’re being approached. Eventually, it becomes loud enough that it’s the only thing you hear and see until it’s over. The Curse that Binds is like that, except that first chapter isn’t subtle in the way that it’s easy to miss, but in a way that it sneaks into your heart and stays forever in your memory. From there, there’s no looking away. You’re enraptured through and through, until the threads of the book tighten and tighten and tighten around you and you’re turning the last page, absolutely shattered.
Please do check trigger warnings for this book—for this whole series, for that matter—before starting. The book truly does deal with heavy themes that may be difficult for some and I do not recommend going in blind.
A five star read, without a single doubt.
adventurous
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
THAT IS HOW YOU WRITE A PREQUEL.
I absolutely *loved* this book. It's a perfect story of how Roxi and Memnon began and how their love and dedication and obsession change over time.
It starts out sweet and innocent then moved to totally devoted before going full on "burn the world down for you". Both characters have to suffer and learn the consequences of their actions and intense love for each other. The ending is devastating, as we knew it would be. The heartbreak is so real and it really explains a lot of things that happen throughout the other two books.
LOVED it and I can't wait for the rest of the series.
THAT IS HOW YOU WRITE A PREQUEL.
I absolutely *loved* this book. It's a perfect story of how Roxi and Memnon began and how their love and dedication and obsession change over time.
It starts out sweet and innocent then moved to totally devoted before going full on "burn the world down for you". Both characters have to suffer and learn the consequences of their actions and intense love for each other. The ending is devastating, as we knew it would be. The heartbreak is so real and it really explains a lot of things that happen throughout the other two books.
LOVED it and I can't wait for the rest of the series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
4 Little Witch Stars ⭐️
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
Spicy Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
“This is not how we end,” I whisper. “We are eternal.”
This reads like a historical romance, you know, the inexperienced virgin and her man experience their first night together and grow together, but then it's also got the fantasy element... Which was interesting since it made me realise how much I actually enjoy reading historical romance.
Note: This is technically a prequel to Bewitched and Bespelled. HOWEVER, even though this story is set 2000 years in the past, I highly recommend reading it after the first two books. That way, you'll already have a solid understanding of the characters and their eternal love story.
SOOOO... I’m assuming you’ve read them already if you're reading my review. Otherwise, proceed with caution!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Roxilana’s village is attacked when she is a little girl, and she is taken captive by the Romans. She’s sold to a tailor and works as her assistant. One day, she begins to hear a voice in her head... an older boy named Memnon, who insists he isn’t imaginary. He tells her that because she can hear him, it means they both have magic and are soulmates. The two become secret friends, and just like Memnon said, their powers eventually awaken. One day, Memnon promises to come and rescue her from her life. Years later, on the day Roxilana is to be sold married off to someone in her village, Memnon finally keeps his promise. He arrives to rescue her. Not just as the boy in her head, but as the Sorcerer King of the Sarmatians, come to Rome to claim his bride.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
So, I have A LOT of thoughts and feelings, so buckle up...
Firstly... the romance felt very insta-lovey. Now, having read the first two, I have seen what they go through... I’ve grown to know these two characters and had glimpses of their past lives in the previous books, so I already know they’re destined for each other and that their love is eternal. It was almost sweet to see how their bond started as children and, through being each other’s confidant, this bond grew into friendship and eventually into lovers. It just happens very quickly because he says they are soul mates, so they are...
Everything is mostly from Roxy’s POV, and because this is set 2,000 years ago, she comes across as naive, innocent, and sheltered. Technically, this is historically accurate as women at the time had very specific roles in society, and Roxy’s limited knowledge and experience reflect that. But it also means she’s not really involved in much of the political intrigue the men are plotting, so we miss out on some of the deeper layers that could have added more complexity to the story.
It also made me miss the Roxy of her current life. Seeing her as this demure, shy, “seen-and-not-heard” kind of woman who is expected to obey, to act like a trophy for a man was is jarring. It’s a massive contradiction to the badass she becomes. At times I just wanted to shake her and say, “Be like new Roxy, not this old ancient one.”
Memnon irritated me at times because he came off as power-hungry and selfish. He claims he wants to give Roxy the world, but he doesn’t actually listen to her when she says she doesn’t need anything except him. That said, it is sweet to see how devoted he is to her. He’s so careful, considerate, kind, and soft with her, which is a huge contradiction to him being this powerful warlord, but he's "only gentle for her." I was almost able to look past his obsession with power and his refusal to listen, because it definitely gives some context to the redemption arc we see later in the future books.
Now, lets talk about the pacing... it was a little off. In that it’s slow and repetitive. It follows the same pattern of there’s a battle, one of them nearly dies, they win, and then they have sex... again and again and again. It’s just battle after battle, and then a death scare, and then sex. Then repeat. I also wanted to see more people with magic. Besides, 2 other characters, Memnon and Roxy seem to be the only ones with any power. I would have loved a magic battle or more magical dynamics woven into the story. Most of the fighting is with swords and horses, with only a hint of magic thrown in.
I also would’ve killed for more of Memnon’s POV. We only got one chapter , and I feel like we lost out on a lot of the story because of this... especially toward the end. If you’ve read the previous books, you already know what happens in that final chapter. But given we had a dedicated book to the build up to this, I expected it to be more drawn out. It felt like it just... happens. I wanted to see the scheming between Eislyn and Memnon, and how she planted that doubt in him more to make him turn against Roxolana and believe that she's the one who cursed him. I wanted to feel the betrayal that turned him into the man we meet in Bewitched.
That said, I do appreciate the depth of research and worldbuilding. It’s so clear that a lot of thought went into making the setting and character dynamics authentic to the era. And that’s probably why I can’t bring myself to hate who Roxy and Memnon were in this time. It’s accurate to 43 AD. It gives a REAL and ACCURATE reflection of the warlords, the nomadic way of life, the societal structure, and the love and power they were chasing.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Historical Fantasy Romance
▶ Soul Mates and Written in the Stars
▶ Virgin FMC and MMC
▶ Political Intrigue
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Strangers to Friends to Lovers
▶ He Fall's First
▶ Unique Magic System
▶ Witches and Sorcerers
▶ Animal Companion
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "On my knees for you" and "Kneel for no one but you"
▷ It Won't Fit
▷ Take's Care of Her
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ Uncontrollable Power
▷ Primal Play
▷ "Mine"
▷ "Stop the Wedding"
▷ One Tent and Horse
I know I sound a bit critical, but that’s only because I genuinely love these characters so much. I care about their story and the world they’re part of. Even with my nitpicks, I still loved this and I’m forever invested in Roxy and Memnon’s story. Their love is eternal... and so is my obsession with this series.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Netgalley and Laura Thalassa for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Note: This is technically a prequel to Bewitched and Bespelled. HOWEVER, even though this story is set 2000 years in the past, I highly recommend reading it after the first two books. That way, you'll already have a solid understanding of the characters and their eternal love story.
SOOOO... I’m assuming you’ve read them already if you're reading my review. Otherwise, proceed with caution!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Roxilana’s village is attacked when she is a little girl, and she is taken captive by the Romans. She’s sold to a tailor and works as her assistant. One day, she begins to hear a voice in her head... an older boy named Memnon, who insists he isn’t imaginary. He tells her that because she can hear him, it means they both have magic and are soulmates. The two become secret friends, and just like Memnon said, their powers eventually awaken. One day, Memnon promises to come and rescue her from her life. Years later, on the day Roxilana is to be sold married off to someone in her village, Memnon finally keeps his promise. He arrives to rescue her. Not just as the boy in her head, but as the Sorcerer King of the Sarmatians, come to Rome to claim his bride.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
So, I have A LOT of thoughts and feelings, so buckle up...
Firstly... the romance felt very insta-lovey. Now, having read the first two, I have seen what they go through... I’ve grown to know these two characters and had glimpses of their past lives in the previous books, so I already know they’re destined for each other and that their love is eternal. It was almost sweet to see how their bond started as children and, through being each other’s confidant, this bond grew into friendship and eventually into lovers. It just happens very quickly because he says they are soul mates, so they are...
Everything is mostly from Roxy’s POV, and because this is set 2,000 years ago, she comes across as naive, innocent, and sheltered. Technically, this is historically accurate as women at the time had very specific roles in society, and Roxy’s limited knowledge and experience reflect that. But it also means she’s not really involved in much of the political intrigue the men are plotting, so we miss out on some of the deeper layers that could have added more complexity to the story.
It also made me miss the Roxy of her current life. Seeing her as this demure, shy, “seen-and-not-heard” kind of woman who is expected to obey, to act like a trophy for a man was is jarring. It’s a massive contradiction to the badass she becomes. At times I just wanted to shake her and say, “Be like new Roxy, not this old ancient one.”
Memnon irritated me at times because he came off as power-hungry and selfish. He claims he wants to give Roxy the world, but he doesn’t actually listen to her when she says she doesn’t need anything except him. That said, it is sweet to see how devoted he is to her. He’s so careful, considerate, kind, and soft with her, which is a huge contradiction to him being this powerful warlord, but he's "only gentle for her." I was almost able to look past his obsession with power and his refusal to listen, because it definitely gives some context to the redemption arc we see later in the future books.
Now, lets talk about the pacing... it was a little off. In that it’s slow and repetitive. It follows the same pattern of there’s a battle, one of them nearly dies, they win, and then they have sex... again and again and again. It’s just battle after battle, and then a death scare, and then sex. Then repeat. I also wanted to see more people with magic. Besides, 2 other characters, Memnon and Roxy seem to be the only ones with any power. I would have loved a magic battle or more magical dynamics woven into the story. Most of the fighting is with swords and horses, with only a hint of magic thrown in.
I also would’ve killed for more of Memnon’s POV. We only got
That said, I do appreciate the depth of research and worldbuilding. It’s so clear that a lot of thought went into making the setting and character dynamics authentic to the era. And that’s probably why I can’t bring myself to hate who Roxy and Memnon were in this time. It’s accurate to 43 AD. It gives a REAL and ACCURATE reflection of the warlords, the nomadic way of life, the societal structure, and the love and power they were chasing.
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Historical Fantasy Romance
▶ Soul Mates and Written in the Stars
▶ Virgin FMC and MMC
▶ Political Intrigue
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Strangers to Friends to Lovers
▶ He Fall's First
▶ Unique Magic System
▶ Witches and Sorcerers
▶ Animal Companion
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "On my knees for you" and "Kneel for no one but you"
▷ It Won't Fit
▷ Take's Care of Her
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ Uncontrollable Power
▷ Primal Play
▷ "Mine"
▷ "Stop the Wedding"
▷ One Tent and Horse
I know I sound a bit critical, but that’s only because I genuinely love these characters so much. I care about their story and the world they’re part of. Even with my nitpicks, I still loved this and I’m forever invested in Roxy and Memnon’s story. Their love is eternal... and so is my obsession with this series.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Netgalley and Laura Thalassa for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility, Death of parent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Having read the first two books in the series, I already knew how this would end, but I was still SO invested. I absolutely loved getting Memnon’s and Roxilana’s full history, and WOW did it make this series so much more heartbreaking.
So many of the problems in this book can simply be boiled down to the greed of men. Memnon and Roxilana really could’ve had it all, but Memnon got greedy for power under Eislyn’s manipulation. Another moral of the story: listen to your damn wife!! Roxi’s intuition told her that Eislyn and Zosines were bad, but Memnon trusted them both for some reason, and everyone paid the price. Despite reading the ending of this in bespelled, my heart was hurting so much for the way everything went down and had me wishing for an alternate ending. It was so much harder to read having actually gotten to know the characters in this book.
This has made me so much more excited for the third book, and I’m DEVASTATED that I’ll have to wait until 2026 to read it.
dark
emotional
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
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
🇫🇷French & English reviews🇬🇧
*Cette chronique est basée sur un NetGalley ARC en échange d'un avis neutre et honnête*
Attention : ceci est une préquelle qui nécessite la lecture des autres tomes ! En théorie vous pouvez le lire sans avoir lu les autres tomes mais en pratique, c'est mille fois plus intéressant si vous avez déjà lu les deux premiers tomes avant !
Genre & Tropes : Romantasy x Roman Empire x Ancient History x Witch x Barbarian vibes x Conquest plot x Childhood friends to lovers x Both Virgins x Spicy
Une préquelle que j'attendais avec TELLEMENT d'impatience et que j'ai dévoré
Quand j'ai su que j'allais avoir ce tome en avance j'étais FOLLE DE JOIE !! La série Bewitched est l'une de mes préférées et j'étais impatiente de découvrir comment les personnages s'étaient rencontrés il y a près de 2000 ans ...
Tout l'univers autour des Romains et des Sarmates était absolument passionnant (et en tant que prof d'histoire fan d'Antiquité, je vibrais presque d'enthousiasme en lisant les descriptions des coutumes des Romains, des Sarmates ET la mention de la civilisation Moche !!)
L'intrigue était TELLEMENT prenante ! Autour de la montée en puissance des Sarmates, des ambitions de Memnon face aux Romains et bien sûr toutes les manigances et les trahisons (j'avais TELLEMENT envie de tuer une certaine personnage !!!) Même si on sait déjà comment ça termine, ça rend les choses encore plus tendues !
Les personnages !! J'ai particulièrement adoré Roxilana et la voir grandir et gagner en confiance, passer de la petite fille romaine craintive et soumise à une reine forte et sûre d'elle-même ! Et c'était passionnant de voir comment Memnon est devenu le sorcier cruel et manipulateur que l'on connait (petite mention spéciale pour le fait que les DEUX personnages sont vierges et ils ont leur première fois ensemble ce que j'ai trouvé hyper romantique et mignon !)
OK je sais que ce tome fait plus de 500 pages MAIS en vrai, j'aurais aimé quelque chose de plus long >< Je voulais plus de détails sur TOUT ! Sur le père de Memnon, sur le fonctionnement de la vie quotidienne des Sarmates, sur Néron ...
Et je dois avouer que même si j'ai beaucoup aimé Roxi et Memnon ensemble, je crois que je préfère la romance entre Memnon et Selene que j'ai trouvé plus équilibré !
Bref, une préquelle d'une série de romantasy que j'ai adoré et dévoré !
Je recommande sans hésiter ce tome pour les fans de la série mais si vous ne l'avez pas lu, je vous recommande la série qui est absolument addictive !!
PS : to the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*This review is based on a NetGalley ARC in exchange for a neutral and honest review*
Warning : This is a prequel that requires reading the other books ! In theory, you can read it without having read the other books, but in reality, it's a thousand times more interesting if you've already read the first two books !
A prequel that I was SO eagerly awaiting and that I devoured
When I found out I was going to get this book early, I was SO EXCITED !! The Bewitched series is one of my favorites, and I couldn't wait to find out how the characters met nearly 2,000 years ago ...
The whole world around the Romans and the Sarmatians was absolutely fascinating (and as a history teacher who loves Antiquity, I was thrilled reading the descriptions of the customs of the Romans, the Sarmatians, AND the mention of the Moche civilization !!).
The plot was SO gripping ! Surrounding the rise of the Sarmatians, Memnon's ambitions against the Romans, and of course all the scheming and betrayal (I SO wanted to kill a certain character !!!) Even though we already know how it ends, it makes things even more tense !
The characters !! I particularly loved Roxilana and seeing her grow and gain confidence, going from the fearful and submissive little Roman girl to a strong and self-assured queen ! And it was fascinating to see how Memnon became the cruel and manipulative sorcerer we know (special mention for the fact that BOTH characters are virgins and they have their first time together, which I found super romantic and cute !)
OK, I know this book is over 500 pages long, BUT honestly, I would have liked something longer >< I wanted more details on EVERYTHING ! About Memnon's father, about the daily life of the Sarmatians, about Nero ...
And I must admit that even though I really liked Roxi and Memnon together, I think I prefer the romance between Memnon and Selene, which I found more balanced !
In short, a prequel to a romance series that I loved and devoured !
I definitely recommend this book to fans of the series, but if you haven't read it, I highly recommend the entire series, which is absolutely addictive !!
PS: To the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D
*Cette chronique est basée sur un NetGalley ARC en échange d'un avis neutre et honnête*
Attention : ceci est une préquelle qui nécessite la lecture des autres tomes ! En théorie vous pouvez le lire sans avoir lu les autres tomes mais en pratique, c'est mille fois plus intéressant si vous avez déjà lu les deux premiers tomes avant !
Genre & Tropes : Romantasy x Roman Empire x Ancient History x Witch x Barbarian vibes x Conquest plot x Childhood friends to lovers x Both Virgins x Spicy
Une préquelle que j'attendais avec TELLEMENT d'impatience et que j'ai dévoré
Quand j'ai su que j'allais avoir ce tome en avance j'étais FOLLE DE JOIE !! La série Bewitched est l'une de mes préférées et j'étais impatiente de découvrir comment les personnages s'étaient rencontrés il y a près de 2000 ans ...
Tout l'univers autour des Romains et des Sarmates était absolument passionnant (et en tant que prof d'histoire fan d'Antiquité, je vibrais presque d'enthousiasme en lisant les descriptions des coutumes des Romains, des Sarmates ET la mention de la civilisation Moche !!)
L'intrigue était TELLEMENT prenante ! Autour de la montée en puissance des Sarmates, des ambitions de Memnon face aux Romains et bien sûr toutes les manigances et les trahisons (j'avais TELLEMENT envie de tuer une certaine personnage !!!) Même si on sait déjà comment ça termine, ça rend les choses encore plus tendues !
Les personnages !! J'ai particulièrement adoré Roxilana et la voir grandir et gagner en confiance, passer de la petite fille romaine craintive et soumise à une reine forte et sûre d'elle-même ! Et c'était passionnant de voir comment Memnon est devenu le sorcier cruel et manipulateur que l'on connait (petite mention spéciale pour le fait que les DEUX personnages sont vierges et ils ont leur première fois ensemble ce que j'ai trouvé hyper romantique et mignon !)
OK je sais que ce tome fait plus de 500 pages MAIS en vrai, j'aurais aimé quelque chose de plus long >< Je voulais plus de détails sur TOUT ! Sur le père de Memnon, sur le fonctionnement de la vie quotidienne des Sarmates, sur Néron ...
Et je dois avouer que même si j'ai beaucoup aimé Roxi et Memnon ensemble, je crois que je préfère la romance entre Memnon et Selene que j'ai trouvé plus équilibré !
Bref, une préquelle d'une série de romantasy que j'ai adoré et dévoré !
Je recommande sans hésiter ce tome pour les fans de la série mais si vous ne l'avez pas lu, je vous recommande la série qui est absolument addictive !!
PS : to the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*This review is based on a NetGalley ARC in exchange for a neutral and honest review*
Warning : This is a prequel that requires reading the other books ! In theory, you can read it without having read the other books, but in reality, it's a thousand times more interesting if you've already read the first two books !
A prequel that I was SO eagerly awaiting and that I devoured
When I found out I was going to get this book early, I was SO EXCITED !! The Bewitched series is one of my favorites, and I couldn't wait to find out how the characters met nearly 2,000 years ago ...
The whole world around the Romans and the Sarmatians was absolutely fascinating (and as a history teacher who loves Antiquity, I was thrilled reading the descriptions of the customs of the Romans, the Sarmatians, AND the mention of the Moche civilization !!).
The plot was SO gripping ! Surrounding the rise of the Sarmatians, Memnon's ambitions against the Romans, and of course all the scheming and betrayal (I SO wanted to kill a certain character !!!) Even though we already know how it ends, it makes things even more tense !
The characters !! I particularly loved Roxilana and seeing her grow and gain confidence, going from the fearful and submissive little Roman girl to a strong and self-assured queen ! And it was fascinating to see how Memnon became the cruel and manipulative sorcerer we know (special mention for the fact that BOTH characters are virgins and they have their first time together, which I found super romantic and cute !)
OK, I know this book is over 500 pages long, BUT honestly, I would have liked something longer >< I wanted more details on EVERYTHING ! About Memnon's father, about the daily life of the Sarmatians, about Nero ...
And I must admit that even though I really liked Roxi and Memnon together, I think I prefer the romance between Memnon and Selene, which I found more balanced !
In short, a prequel to a romance series that I loved and devoured !
I definitely recommend this book to fans of the series, but if you haven't read it, I highly recommend the entire series, which is absolutely addictive !!
PS: To the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
In my eyes, Laura Thalassa can do no wrong when it comes to romantasy. I absolutely adore the Betwitched series and couldn't wait to read this prequel. I read The Curse That Binds in one sitting because of how hooked I was.
While the previous two Bewitched books have mentioned the relationship between Roxi and Memnon, and we've been given snippets of events that have occurred, this was the first time that we were able to see it all unfold. It is by no means a peaceful nor gentle romance between the two of them, but the strength of both characters lends them to be an amazing couple. Their relationship is just as passionate and spicy as would be expected (even though I could've done with even more spice lol)! But it's also a very deep relationship and I loved seeing the two of them fall for each other and truly get to know each other. The only thing I wished for this book was that we could've gotten more chapters from Memnon's POV, as I love a true dual POV romance.
I loved getting more of a background for the characters as well as for their setting. I immediately felt immersed into the historical world and I would love to read even more about it.
The Curse That Binds was amazing and I already can't wait for the next book in the Bewitched series!
In my eyes, Laura Thalassa can do no wrong when it comes to romantasy. I absolutely adore the Betwitched series and couldn't wait to read this prequel. I read The Curse That Binds in one sitting because of how hooked I was.
While the previous two Bewitched books have mentioned the relationship between Roxi and Memnon, and we've been given snippets of events that have occurred, this was the first time that we were able to see it all unfold. It is by no means a peaceful nor gentle romance between the two of them, but the strength of both characters lends them to be an amazing couple. Their relationship is just as passionate and spicy as would be expected (even though I could've done with even more spice lol)! But it's also a very deep relationship and I loved seeing the two of them fall for each other and truly get to know each other. The only thing I wished for this book was that we could've gotten more chapters from Memnon's POV, as I love a true dual POV romance.
I loved getting more of a background for the characters as well as for their setting. I immediately felt immersed into the historical world and I would love to read even more about it.
The Curse That Binds was amazing and I already can't wait for the next book in the Bewitched series!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Love, magic and violence
I loved, loved this prequel to the Bewitched series. While the other books in the series have flashbacks of the end of Roxilana and Memnon’s love story, this book gives us the whole tale from beginning to end. And phew what an exciting tale it is - exhilarating adventure, palpable tension, unexpected twists, life-threatening danger, powerful magic, and spicy romance. Roxilana is a child from Brittania who ends up in the Roman Empire at age 7 after her family is massacred. At the age of 12 she begins to hear the voice of Memnon, a young male, in her head. While only psychically connected, first Roxilana’s witch magic awakens and then Memnon’s sorcerer magic does. Despite there being only a mental link between them at first, this is where their deeply connected relationship starts and ultimately leads them to meet, fall in love, and become the Sarmatian king and queen. The world building and storyline is so rich and vibrant, I felt like I was there with the characters feeling their feelings and living their lives. It also made the history nerd in me so happy. The story is full of all these juicy details of ancient Rome and Sarmatia - the people and the cultures all wound around the story of Memnon and Roxilana’s love story and the effect of power, violence, magic, and betrayal on them and their people. While I have read the two books in the Bewitched series, I do not think you would be lost in this story if you have not. Although, reading this will spoil a bit of Bewitched. 4.5 stars.