Under Her Spell by K. L. Cerra ~ a Review

by MK French

Liv Edwards has a fiancé, an apartment in Boston, and plans to launch a career in law. Her façade falters when her childhood best friend Sam asks for help years after Liv destroyed their friendship. Liv wants to repair the damage and returns to her small New England hometown, but Sam is gone under mysterious circumstances. Sam changed since high school, living and working with former odd girls Eden and Cora. Liv reconnects with them hoping for answers and learns more about their fairytale bridal boutique. A dark reality could be lurking not just in the boutique, but within Liv herself.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

September 2024; Bantam; 978-0593500279
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); thriller

We have a dual timeline, between the present and searching for Sam, and the past where Liv and Sam connected after Liv moved to Guilford from Denver. Liv sometimes had intrusive and dangerous thoughts and chalked it up to anxiety along with all her nervous habits. She can't help but ask around trying to figure out what happened to Sam, and at the same time is roped into doing wedding planning at Eden and Cora's boutique. Everyone around her has a bleak outlook on life as a wife and mother, which Liv finds disconcerting. Between the two timelines, we see the way Liv gets so involved in her friendships, and the fascination with Eden and Cora, the witchy sisterhood, and the vows they made to each other. We find out exactly what had happened to Sam years ago and now, and what the Sisterhood actually is. The thriller aspect of the story is bound up in the magic and the threat of marriage, with an epilogue that contains a creepy enough edge to make you think that the story isn't quite over after all. This kept me up late just to finish it, and will definitely entertain those who enjoy a sinister side to magic.

Buy Under Her Spell at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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