Spellbinder - Thea Harrison

Spellbinder

By Thea Harrison

  • Release Date: 2017-07-18
  • Genre: Paranormal Romance
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 115 Ratings

Description

From author Thea Harrison comes the latest story in the New York Times bestselling Moonshadow trilogy….

Kidnapped while on tour, musician Sidonie Martel is transported to the mystical land of Avalon. A human without magical ability, she is completely vulnerable to the deadly forces surrounding her.

When she defies her captors and refuses to share her music, an act of violent cruelty leaves her broken, her ability to play silenced, maybe forever. Her only hope is a whisper in the dark, gentle hands that offer healing, and a man who refuses to show her his face yet who offers advice she dare not ignore.

One of the most feared and powerful sorcerers in history, Morgan le Fae serves a Queen he despises, Isabeau of the Light Court. Once a famous bard and an advisor to kings, Morgan has been enslaved to Isabeau for hundreds of years, acting as enforcer and the commander of her deadly Hounds.

Sidonie's music touches Morgan in places he had abandoned centuries ago, and her fiery spirit resurrects feelings he had believed long dead. For Sidonie, trapped in captivity, passion offers a comfort she cannot resist.

But Isabeau holds Morgan bound in magical chains that only Death can break. And in the court of a cruel, jealous Queen, the only thing that burns hotter than love is revenge…

Reviews

  • I love Thea Harrison!

    4
    By This Person -.-
    I love everything by Thea Harrison, and was eagerly awaiting the newest installation of her new Elder Races storyline. I loved seeing a different side of Morgan, and how he changes your mind about him and his actions. I loved seeing Puck again, and Dragos. Honestly, though, I wasn’t crazy about the interaction between Sid and Morgan. I don’t know if most of it was while she was (spoilers) Locked up and he was trying to help her, or if I just didn’t like her as much as I liked the female lead in the last story. I also didn’t like seeing Puck hurt an innocent person like he was hurt. I usually rate her books 5 stars, but this one’s only a 4 star one just because of those issues. I really liked seeing how the author wove in some King Arthur mythology into the storyline, as I used to read King Arthur books all the time. Overall, a good sequel if not as good (in my opinion) as Moonshadow. Eagerly awaiting the next addition.
  • Yet another hit!!

    5
    By C_Doll034
    Spellbinder is the second book in the Moonshadow series, a spinoff of the Elder Races books. Thea Harrison has penned another hit that adds to the Elder Races world. If you have enjoyed any of the previous Elder Race's books, then you will love Spellbinder. Morgan le Fae, the unwilling lapdog of the Light Fae Queen, Isabeau, is looking for an escape from his centuries long enslavement. After a careless command issued by Isabeau, he has time away from her constant demands and hopefully time to find a way to gain his freedom. While on his hiatus he develops a fascination for musician Sidonie Martel, which will forever change her life. Sidonie, a talented musician gets dragged into a conflict that may end her career and consequently her life. Abducted and whisked away to Avalon, she must learn to survive by any means necessary. Even if it means giving in to the whims of a narcissistic queen. Morgan and Sidonie are book royalty. They are as wonderful a match as Dragos and Pia or Grace and Khalil (basically every Elder Races couple). The only disappointment I experienced was with Robin's flawed logic. I understand that our wonderful puck Robin was terribly wounded physically and emotionally in the first book, but Sidonie was just as innocent as Sophie in this war. Thankfully, Robin attempted to make amends for his misdeeds. If you think about this dynamic character you will find the key to Thea's stories. No one character is all good or all bad. They are often the victim of circumstances and as "human" as a member of the Elder races can get. As a wonderful bonus, fans of her previous books will find a revelation about Dragos postulated in Oracle's Moon given more credibility. (I will not post a spoiler, you have to read both books to figure it out.) I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
  • A great read!

    4
    By bookworm_21
    After reading Moonshadow, the first book in this series, I was curious where the second book was going to take us. Rest assured, Spellbinder is a great second installment! Thea Harrison always does a masterful job of balancing the two stories of her main characters. It’s no mean feat when one character is so much older, and so much more powerful--at least on the surface--yet Harrison always writes to ensure the characters are equally talented and equally flawed in ways that draws the reader in. Spellbinder is all that and more! I loved seeing the main characters learning to trust each other. I was rooting for Sidonie, just a measly human, as she fights her own battles, and my heart was breaking for Morgan. If you are a fan of Arthurian legends, you get a few nods of that here. The book wraps that history and tradition in gently and it just adds another poignant layer to the overall story. Highly recommend!
  • Sexy and Emotional Paranormal Romance

    5
    By AUenUrsa
    "There was no surviving some loves. No matter what happened to the love affair, whether it flourished or failed, those love struck mortal blows one carried for the rest of one's life. This love she felt for him. This love was like that." FINAL DECISION: Dark and difficult and I absolutely loved it. One of my favorite couples from the Elder Races series (and its spinoff) in a story that kept me engaged for every moment. A true redemption story. THE STORY: Morgan le Fae has been forced to serve the Queen of the Light Court for generations doing despicable deeds for her against his will. Morgan believes that he has become hardened to everything and everyone until he hears the music of a human woman Sidonie Martel. His budding obsession with her does not go unnoticed unfortunately and Sid is captured and turned over to the Queen who has her tortured and maimed. In prison, a man comes to her in darkness healing her and offering her comfort even as he warns her not to trust him. Both trapped in different ways, Morgan and Sid find peace and hope in one another. OPINION: I loved this couple. There was so much pain and loss and drama for them to navigate. Sid is a woman who is a musical genius but also suffers from OCD. I loved how everything in her is broken and rebuilt in this story. There is something so beautiful about her spirit as she deals with the magical realm in a way that she never expect or wanted. There is something very compelling in this story about this woman who just wants to live her life being swept up in the larger forces which irrevocably change her life. Sid makes this story feel real and grounded -- where a story about magical realms and battles might otherwise feel too fantastical. The quirks in her character made her a fun character to read and balanced the darkness in the story. She is intelligent and reasonable and has a good handle on her own limitations. Watching her world get destroyed made my heart hurt but the redemption in the story was beautiful. And speaking of redemption, Morgan was a superior hero. I love stories about the villain who is redeemed by love. And while it turns out that Morgan isn't as much a "bad guy" as he appeared, he is certainly haunted by his actions even though he was forced into committing them. His character is so nuanced that I absolutely fell in love with him. Those tortured and tormented heroes are like catnip to me and Morgan is definitely one of those. He has been a "bad guy" who has made a couple of appearances in the series and now his story is revealed as more complex than it appeared. Morgan's background is founded on the Arthurian legend and this book puts an interesting twist on the legend. For those who are familiar with the legend, this book takes a different angel that feels fresh. For those who are not as familiar, this book doesn't require any prior knowledge. It is merely intriguing flavoring to the story. The relationship between Morgan and Sid builds in such a quiet and gentle manner. The two are thrown into intense events and yet their relationship builds from little gestures and quiet moments. This book is such a wonderful combination of these quiet and deeply emotional moments and these big wild adventures. It was refreshing to have a story where the romance was slowly developed. Time passes in this book and yet it didn't feel like it was slow in its pace. Indeed, there is a lot packed in this book. Much happens to these characters in a short time but their relationship has time to breathe and develop. By the time this book was done, I wasn't done with these characters. I hope that we will see them again in future books. I would love to see how their relationship develops in the future. WORTH MENTIONING: Elder Races fans will get a welcome surprise by the end of the book. CONNECTED BOOKS: SPELLBINDER is the second book in the Moonshadow series which is a spin-off of the Elder Races series. This book can be read on its own but is better as part of the series. STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars. NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from the author in order to have the opportunity to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
  • Legend come to life. Stunning!

    5
    By Jannie3381
    I love it! An eloquent weaving of legend and fantasy. Trapped in Queen Isabeau's Light Court, Sidonie remarks: "Hell is empty and all the devils are here." Truly, Heaven it is not, as there are many challenges to overcome, but there are many beautiful moments within. Through the course of this story, I've run the gamut of emotions, ending on a note of sheer joy!
  • Can you say intense emotional connection?

    5
    By Tome Tender
    Spellbinder was a 4.5 star read for me. I love the strength and intelligence behind Sid's character, not to mention that the assumed evil guy gets to the girl. Can you say intense emotional connection? Oh boy, was the Harrison's pen whipping out some seriously strong feelings. Intense, heartfelt and action filled, SPELLBINDER had me white knuckle reading from start to finish. I received this ARC copy of Spellbinder from Teddy Harrison LLC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Comments