Spellbound Masquerade

Witches of Moonhaven #1

by Melissa Bellis

In the forgotten magical city of Moonhaven a grand masquerade ball is held every century on Halloween night. Young witch Elara receives an invitation from an unknown sender. Intrigued, she attends the ball only to discover that a forbidden spell has been cast, trapping all the attendees in their costumes.

To reverse the spell, Elara must navigate the labyrinth in the palace, solve riddles and face her deepest fears. All before the clock strikes midnight and the witching hour begins. When she meets Cassius, a human boy, she must decide if she can trust him enough to defeat the evil spellcaster.

Genres: Fantasy, Halloween, Witches

69 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2023

Reviews

[Vickie Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story.

[Fruzsina Bagin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Elara, a young witch, is set in the small town of Moonhaven, where every century a grand masquerade is held on Halloween night, open only to graduated students. This event becomes the main focus of the book when Elara and her two best friends receive an unexpected invitation to this mysterious event.

Elara's character is uniquely brave and adventurous, which fits perfectly with the mystical and magical atmosphere of the story. The theme of the ball and the mysterious invitations add a special excitement to the story, and once Elara and her friends decide to take the risk of attending the ball, the reader becomes part of an exciting adventure.

The turning point of the book is the moment at the ball when Elara realises that she is the only one who has not fallen victim to a forbidden spell that has trapped the other witches in their costumes. The author does an excellent job of illustrating Elara's struggle as she tries to find Maelis, the evil witch, and break the spell to save her friends. As this extraordinary journey begins, we also begin to learn about Elara's inner strength and determination.

Melissa Bellis' novella is not without its shortcomings, however. The character of Cassius, the human boy who appears within the story to be a helper to Elara, is poorly explored. The character's lack of backstory, and the lack of development of his relationship with Elara, reduces the depth of the novel and the reader's emotional engagement to a certain point.

Nevertheless, "Spellbound Masquerade" is a fascinating young adult novella that takes you into a magical world full of witches. Melissa Bellis's world-building is rich and detailed, and her storytelling is exciting and full of twists and turns. This book should be an ideal choice for those who love the fantasy genre and are curious about a modern witch story full of excitement and adventure.

I received a free copy of Melissa Bellis's "Spellbound Masquerade" through StoryOrigin.

[April Flach · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth a read, really. I wish there was more to it. The masquerade ball lasted for like a second, then Elara spent the rest of the book in a labyrinth. Isn't that supposed to be like a maze, or something? If so, she didn't take any wrong turns, and any obstacles she encountered were too easy for her to get by. There wasn't any suspense. And the human boy she encountered was suspicious as heck. I was extremely disappointed. The blurb makes it sound better than it actually is. This is definitely geared towards teens. I do not see me continuing the series.

I received a free copy and this is my honest opinion.

[Chere Gruver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, short read of good versus evil!



Again, I really feel any story by author Melissa Bellis would be a wonderful Disney movie and this story is no exception to that. This one has the addition of a human boy though, not just witches. Of course, there’s a curse that the main character Elara has to break in order to save everyone attending the Halloween Masquerade. Like in all Disney movies, Elara has to reach deep within herself to overcome her fears and find the courage and strength to break the curse. Highly recommend anything by this author.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! A dark spell has left the entire Halloween party stuck in costume. Elana must conquer her deepest fears and complete tests to break the spell , this is going to need help but can she trust a human boy to help in her quest ? Delving through a labyrinth of the palace to defeat the evil spellcaster and free the masqueraders from their costume shackles. Great writing . Immersive and compelling storytelling

[Colleen Dammeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but missing some things.

I really enjoyed this story. However there were a few things that should have been explained earlier in the story like Elara's dreams, the fact that both she and Cassius carried daggers (to a ball?) and the significance of a witch's hair to her magical power.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story, I only wish the author slowed down the progress through the book. Talk about a fast read!! I think if the author fattened up the story some, then they would have a winner on their hands. That being said, I was still glad I got the opportunity to read this book. Check it out!

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally enjoyed it! This is a well written and has well developed characters. The story is catching and with the strong characters makes for a very enjoyable read. Great Reading Everyone!

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet story about a young witch who is coming of age. Magic abounds in this tale of endeavour. A pleasant easy read, well suited to teenage readers.

[Georgie.bookss · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was definitely too old to be reading this, this seems like smth id enjoy in like yr5-6 but i didnt like the writing style and it overall seemed very childish

[Krista Messer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! Definitely YA and you can tell, but I enjoyed the adventure of Elara and her friends to break the curse on their school!

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A quick and entertaining read. Perfect to read in one stretch. The story is full of magic, Fall and Halloween vibes, and a bit of romance.

[Alexia Brunson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this novella in one go. I couldn't stop, I loved it! If you're looking for a fun witchy read for the Halloween season, look no further. It has magic on every page, likable characters, a fast plot, and a sweet romance.

[Anna Ketels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbound Masquerade is a sweet romantic fall story, set in the magical city of Moonhaven. Elara is scared of humans, but she needs to accept the help of one boy to break a curse. I enjoyed this story a lot.

[Ellen Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elara is a funny little witch with her own insecurities. Although the story is short, you quickly like her and want her to overcome her fears. I rooted for Cassian, the human boy, who helped her grow. Oh, and the magic is cool.

[Rob Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short witch story. Perfect for Halloween. Some romance, some magic, some friendship, ... it has a bit of everything. Feel good story.

[Sem Eriks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enchanted immediately by the magical city of Moonhaven. Its magical and witchy vibe pull you into the story and along with the characters. I would love to read more stories in this world.

[Candace Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice witchy short story. I read it during lunch break. Perfect for escaping the office day and fleeing into a magical world.

[Lila Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is magical. Read if you need a fast magic shot in the cozy fall season. I liked the once-a-century Halloween ball and the curse where people were trapped in their costumes.

[Lena Bambust · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a nice seasonal read. I love University settings. The touches of magic in everyday life really set the scene. Great for a quick escape into a fantasy world during a boring day.