Spellbinder (Moonshadow #2) by Thea Harrison – Dual Review

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Description;
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…

Barb’s Review:

Spellbinder by Thea Harrison is the 2^nd book in her Moonshadow series. I am a big fan of Harrison’s Elder Races series.  Spellbinder is a trilogy within this series, concentrating on the Elder Races in Europe. In the first book of this series, Morgan le Fae was the enemy, though we did know there was a story to be had for him. 

In Spellbinder, Morgan, who is a powerful sorcerer before being bound by Isabeau, and we learn why he did the awful things we have seen him do in some previous books.  Isabeau, who is the Queen of the Light Court, is vicious and terrifying; she owns Morgan forcing him to do her bidding.   We meet Sidonie Martel, a world renowned musician, who is on tour.   Morgan, who was injured in battle, goes to earth to recuperate and be free temporarily from the hated Isabeau.  While resting, he overhears about a female musician who captivates her audience. Morgan will become enamored with her music, as it not only soothes him, but allows him to feel again, something he has not done in hundreds of years. 

One night, Sidonie is kidnapped and transported to Avalon, the land of the light court and Isabeau.  The kidnapper wanted revenge on Morgan, and sensed his feelings for Sidonie.  Poor Sidonie, she had no idea where she was, or why. When she allows her temper to rise against the Queen, she is punished with them breaking all her fingers.  Sidonie, sitting in her prison cell and feeling her ilfe is over, will wake up one evening to find some dark stranger healing her hands.

Rather than to tell too much more, as you need to read this book; what follows is an exciting and sweet slow build romance between Morgan and Sidonie, as well as an tense captivating storyline.  It was great to see Morgan slowly open his heart and love again; allowing us to learn to sympathize and care about him.   In order to find a way to escape, Sidonie will use her music to charm the Queen, allowing her to roam freely in Avalon.  She will do anything she can to find a way to free Morgan too.  The last half of the book was very exciting, with a few twists along the way.  

Spellbinder was another wonderful addition to this trilogy and the Elder Races series.  Thea Harrison once again gives us a fabulous couple, captivating storyline, evil villains, sweet romance in a wonderful world.

Sandy’s Review

SPELLBINDER is the second installment in Thea Harrison’s contemporary, adult MOONSHADOW paranormal/fantasy trilogy-a spin off from the author’s ELDER RACES series. This is sorcerer/lycanthrope Morgan le Fae, and musician Sidonie Martel’s story line. SPELLBINDER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Morgan le Fae has been a troubling character throughout a number of the Elder Races installments, and SPELLBINDER reveals the true extent of Morgan’s leashed confinement.

Told from dual third person points of view (Sidonie and Morgan) SPELLBINDER is loosely based in the Arthurian legend of Morgan Le Fay- a powerful sorceress whose name is also synonymous with Welsh folklore of shapeshifting myth.

For hundreds of years Morgan le Fae has been cursed to serve the sadistic and evil Queen Isabeau of the Light Court but her most recent acquisition, a human female and musician Sidonie Martel, finds Morgan attempting to usurp the curse byway of carefully treading around the rules that govern his cursed existence. Tortured and imprisoned, Sidonie will be befriended by a man she knows nothing about but a man with powers that can be used for nefarious purpose. What ensues is the forbidden but building relationship between Sidonie and Morgan le Fae, and their struggle to break Morgan free of Queen Isabeau’s control.

SPELLLBINDER is a slow building story line and relationship between two people thrown together by fate and circumstance. Sidonie is an award winning musician and Morgan has fallen in love with both the woman and her music. Discovering Sidonie has been imprisoned by the Queen of the Light Court Morgan tries desperately to make Sidonie’s life a little more comfortable while he struggles to find a way to set free them both.

Thea Harrison weaves folklore, myth and magic blending the Elder Races with the Moonshadow trilogy hinting at the origins of the Elder Races themselves. From fae to lycanthrope, sorcerers to dragons, gods to humans, the world of the supernatural comes alive when Thea Harrison puts pen to paper. The premise is entertaining and intriguing; the characters are colorful, dynamic and strong; the romance is seductive and intense. SPELLBINDER is a wonderful and exciting installment in Thea Harrison’s MOONSHADOW trilogy.

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