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Under Her Spell
Terra may not be the best at magic, but she is the best at loving Athene Werth, her lover and best friend. They don’t ever want to part, but a threat to their romance is right on the horizon—a magical quest for Athene’s hand in marriage. So Terra goes undercover, disguised as a man, and she joins the quest. What other choice does she have?
Once the quest begins, there are many surprises along the way, including an enchanted stone that allows Terra to visit Athene, because neither woman wants to be away from the other’s lips for very long. Back on the quest, a man with flaming horns is hot on Terra’s trail, and he will stop at nothing to end her quest…and end her life. But Terra will also stop at nothing to win the quest, because Athene’s loving embrace lies at its end.
Once the quest begins, there are many surprises along the way, including an enchanted stone that allows Terra to visit Athene, because neither woman wants to be away from the other’s lips for very long. Back on the quest, a man with flaming horns is hot on Terra’s trail, and he will stop at nothing to end her quest…and end her life. But Terra will also stop at nothing to win the quest, because Athene’s loving embrace lies at its end.
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 10, 2013
3 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Morton
23 books24 followersMaggie Morton lives on the California coast with her partner and their two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 9, 2016
If you’re looking for a rich, full-bodied text ripe with descriptive imagery leaving a residue of the imagined, look elsewhere. The text of Under Her Spell is simplistic, at best, and while the potential is there within the book’s theme to summon up an epic love story (complete with a quest) the storyline falls short.
The writer’s style is maddeningly schizophrenic; the character’s erratic, fragmented speech bouncing from old English endearments to disjointed modern colloquialisms. The writing technique is unvarying and one-dimensional, dominated by short, choppy sentences and void of any expression of complex thoughts and ideas seemingly indicated in the topic of forbidden, taboo love between women in a world dominated my magical beings.
Pushing past sexual boundaries in experimentation involving mild BDSM and magically-enhanced eroticism, the prerequisite boudoir scenes are, admittedly, a turn-on… That is, until one of the two main characters speaks. The phrase, “Well, DUH” can never be found to enhance lovemaking. It could be argued that the simple speech was tailored to the reader, enabling her self-identification with the lovers, Athene and Tera, I but prefer erotica that makes my heart pound and my breath quicken over identifying with someone I’d pretend I didn’t know when our paths crossed.
Interesting subtle themes of sexual fluidity, particularly in the character, Hephastae, who’s gender has its own ebb and flow, the language of water, and the sensuous vibration of magic give the book a pleasingly “Through the Looking Glass” feel, and though the technical aspects writing are poor, the lush, imaginative world Under Her Spell is set in is, by all counts, delicious. My hope is that in her next novel, the writer, Maggie Morton, set the bar a little higher for herself and create some structure within the framework of her impressive imagination; the potential is there for luminous writing and for her to write something truly breathtaking.
A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher for purposes of review.
The writer’s style is maddeningly schizophrenic; the character’s erratic, fragmented speech bouncing from old English endearments to disjointed modern colloquialisms. The writing technique is unvarying and one-dimensional, dominated by short, choppy sentences and void of any expression of complex thoughts and ideas seemingly indicated in the topic of forbidden, taboo love between women in a world dominated my magical beings.
Pushing past sexual boundaries in experimentation involving mild BDSM and magically-enhanced eroticism, the prerequisite boudoir scenes are, admittedly, a turn-on… That is, until one of the two main characters speaks. The phrase, “Well, DUH” can never be found to enhance lovemaking. It could be argued that the simple speech was tailored to the reader, enabling her self-identification with the lovers, Athene and Tera, I but prefer erotica that makes my heart pound and my breath quicken over identifying with someone I’d pretend I didn’t know when our paths crossed.
Interesting subtle themes of sexual fluidity, particularly in the character, Hephastae, who’s gender has its own ebb and flow, the language of water, and the sensuous vibration of magic give the book a pleasingly “Through the Looking Glass” feel, and though the technical aspects writing are poor, the lush, imaginative world Under Her Spell is set in is, by all counts, delicious. My hope is that in her next novel, the writer, Maggie Morton, set the bar a little higher for herself and create some structure within the framework of her impressive imagination; the potential is there for luminous writing and for her to write something truly breathtaking.
A digital copy of this book was provided by the publisher for purposes of review.
January 18, 2014
This is a marvelous tale of being loved and loving within a sparklingly magical, whimsical land whose brilliantly mythical qualities seemed cracklingly realistic. And the humor was as curiously delightful as were the battles with the bête noire. Quite simply, the author is a woman of special talents, using her captivating bewitchment and creative bedazzlement to paint a world that is outstanding, salient, and mystifying. I so wanted to be completely at one with Terra, the warrior, as her powers grew almost in concert with her ever growing love for Athene. The book is scintillating and I loved it to pieces! A winner!
Terra is the daughter of a powerful witch who has passed into the "next emanation". Terra had dreams where her mother told her she would realize her witch's skill as she grew older. However, Terra didn't put a great deal of faith in these childish dreams. Terra's father is still alive but he is a completely human as it initially appears to be predominantly his daughter's fate, too. But as the book opens with the lovers deeply enthralled with each other's physical portals to orgasmic bliss, Terra's minimal magical talents are a non-issue. Athene has skills enough to protect them during their hours of passionate lovemaking. In fact, the lovers have concocted a delicious ruse to possibly bond their lives together and there in begins the preparation for the "Quest"!
Athene is the daughter of Zeus and Cer, powerful and wealthy magical beings whose daughter has reached the age for her to be properly mated. That is where the Quest comes into play. Athene is simply delicious on all levels. The way she assists her lover Terra to enter and hopefully triumph during this Quest is an extra delightful element in this tale of beautiful magic, loving folk alongside terrifyingly powerful wicked creatures and magic that can consume the enemies along with the magician. Wow! Athene as lover and as surreptitious magical assistant transforms Terra's form into Saturn, Athene's scintillating magical creation covering all the bases. Oh, I want in on this magical stuff! If I cannot, I'll meld into minds and hearts of these characters and feel magic within my heart and fingers. Athene is a treasure!
If this book has any failing at all and perfection is pretty darn hard to create, some of the characters and the scenes during Terra's four tasks that make up her path on this Quest did not on occasion flow easily or understandably from one element to the next. Frankly, it didn't really matter to me with all the action happening from one imaginative setting to the next, but I made a small note and chalked it off to the idiosyncrasies of magic! By and large I found the changes of locations and villains very exhilarating, amusing, tantalizing, and breathtaking. This book was one of those "treasures beyond measure" and I heartily recommend it to all readers. Thank you, Maggie Morton, and Bold Strokes Books!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Terra is the daughter of a powerful witch who has passed into the "next emanation". Terra had dreams where her mother told her she would realize her witch's skill as she grew older. However, Terra didn't put a great deal of faith in these childish dreams. Terra's father is still alive but he is a completely human as it initially appears to be predominantly his daughter's fate, too. But as the book opens with the lovers deeply enthralled with each other's physical portals to orgasmic bliss, Terra's minimal magical talents are a non-issue. Athene has skills enough to protect them during their hours of passionate lovemaking. In fact, the lovers have concocted a delicious ruse to possibly bond their lives together and there in begins the preparation for the "Quest"!
Athene is the daughter of Zeus and Cer, powerful and wealthy magical beings whose daughter has reached the age for her to be properly mated. That is where the Quest comes into play. Athene is simply delicious on all levels. The way she assists her lover Terra to enter and hopefully triumph during this Quest is an extra delightful element in this tale of beautiful magic, loving folk alongside terrifyingly powerful wicked creatures and magic that can consume the enemies along with the magician. Wow! Athene as lover and as surreptitious magical assistant transforms Terra's form into Saturn, Athene's scintillating magical creation covering all the bases. Oh, I want in on this magical stuff! If I cannot, I'll meld into minds and hearts of these characters and feel magic within my heart and fingers. Athene is a treasure!
If this book has any failing at all and perfection is pretty darn hard to create, some of the characters and the scenes during Terra's four tasks that make up her path on this Quest did not on occasion flow easily or understandably from one element to the next. Frankly, it didn't really matter to me with all the action happening from one imaginative setting to the next, but I made a small note and chalked it off to the idiosyncrasies of magic! By and large I found the changes of locations and villains very exhilarating, amusing, tantalizing, and breathtaking. This book was one of those "treasures beyond measure" and I heartily recommend it to all readers. Thank you, Maggie Morton, and Bold Strokes Books!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
January 19, 2014
I wasn't wowed by this. I actually found it quite boring and the world-building left a lot to be desired. The only reason I didn't completely dislike this were Terra and Althene's sex scenes. They were hot and filled with passion.
September 21, 2014
Just a little to jumpy. The actions simply happen without a chance for the reader to see why or how. Almost as if it is an excerpt and not the fully developed story.
Sadly the author concentrated mostly on the bed scenes for they are well written, but left the quest to be merely more than keynotes.
Sadly the author concentrated mostly on the bed scenes for they are well written, but left the quest to be merely more than keynotes.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews