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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
What i love most about this was the way it was familiar and new all at the same time. Cursed castle cursed prince, girl that needs to fall in love. But Harper is so much more than a girl falling in love and that makes all the difference. She is smart and vulnerable and human. There are consequences in this story and choices that are grey and confusing and unwinnable sometimes. And all of this breaths such a sense of newness and heart into the more familiar fantasy elements.
This was such a fantastic BatB retelling and I need the sequel now! I love that while it is a retelling it is so fresh and new and the story is going in it's own direction. Who do I contact to beg for an ARC of book 2?!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.8/5 Stars)
This book. Shit.
This book wrecks me in the best and worst ways possible. There's a few people who really know how to write YA Fantasy and Brigid Kemmerer is one of them. Her characters are so well done. They’re so well-rounded and fleshed out and even dropped right into the middle of an event that's gone on for years and years she writes well enough to make you feel like you’ve been there the entire time with them.
Once upon a time... a Prince was tricked by an evil sorceress. He was cursed to live through the season of Fall over and over and over again unless he could convince a girl to fall in love with him. But that’s not all. At the end of the season, if he hasnt found a girl to fall in love with him the season doesnt just start over. No, it wouldnt really be a curse if that's all that happened, would it? The Prince is turned into an evil monster on that final day of the season and compelled to attack and kill anyone who gets in his way. Not only his own family, but the very people of his kingdom that he's there to protect. For hundreds of seasons, Prince Rhen and the head Commander of his Guard have worked tirelessly to try and find a woman who will fall in love with Rhen. Every year, for the last hour of the season, Commander Grey transports to “the other side,” (also known as our world) to bring a girl back to Emberfall and repeat the entire process over again. Every season, they fail.
Until one day, Grey pops onto the Other Side to find another girl and is attacked by a commanding, sassy, tenacious girl named Harper. See.. Harper thought Grey was carrying the woman in his arms because he had drugged her and was going to take advantage of her. Well, Harper saves the girl... and damns herself in the process. Because Grey doesnt have long on the Other Side... and this time when he goes back to Emberfall for the final season of the curse, he’s bringing Harper with him.
Rhen.
Where to I start? Rhen is so well written. He is always growing and always changing and always struggling. He is flawed and wonderful and his growth with both Harper and Grey to help him along is the perfect cocktail of character development. The things that he’s gone through due to the curse.. the things he did.. what he saw done.. the things that happened to his own people.. its all so devastating that sometimes I can’t understand how he’s even functioning anymore let alone still trying to break his curse. Thankfully, he has commander Grey to help him through everything. Despite the fact that theyre not supposed to be friends, its obvious that that line has been crossed a long time ago— especially considering Grey is the only one left alive with him in the castle.
Harper.
She is probably one of my favorite FMC’s ever written in YA Fantasy. She, too, is flawed. But she holds onto this inner confidence that is admirable without being over-the-top. Not once does she cross over the line and into the realm of annoying or arrogant. Not once does she pander for anything. She is confident and matter-of-fact and also kind, humble and trying so hard to learn and grow along the way. Harper never stops. I don’t know where this girl gets all her energy. Even without the issues caused by her cerebral palsy, she just never stops. At one point, she legit throws a knife at a sorceress who is causing Rhen massive amounts of pain with just a touch, and gets the slash of a dagger to the face for her efforts. This girl is badass and I adore her.
I study her, weighing my thoughts. She seems to think that her wound will make her less convincing as a princess. In truth, watching her now, she has never looked more like one.
“I have underestimated you again,” I finally say.
“How?”
“I have been waiting for you to wake for hours,” I tell her. “I was certain this would...break you.”
She frowns and looks at the fire. “Its not my first scar, Rhen. I wasnt perfect before. I’ll get over it.” Then her eyes shift back to mine. “Did you say youve been sitting here for hours?”
“Yes.” I pause. “You are not angry about what Lilith has done?”
“Oh, I’m furious. But not about my face.”
“Then what?”
Her voice fills with steel. “I’m mad I missed.”
Grey.
I admit to having a small fictional crush on Grey. Talk about freaking tragic. The first time I read this book I wasnt as into Grey as I was reading this time. It’s wonderful watching him balance out both Rhen and Harper. Its wonderful watching his character go from semi-important to huge game changer. Especially knowing what happens in the next book. Grey is the one thing that holds Rhen up. He is a stead-fast presence and the one thing Rhen can count on. He does everything, everything for Rhen and for Emberfall. But not only does Grey look out for and protect his prince, Rhen also looks out for and protects Grey. Their friendship and their relationship in the wake of how they’ve dealt with this terrible curse is just wonderful to read.
The secondary cast of characters were all well-done and entertaining as well. I especially loved the introduction of Harper’s brother, Jake, and his boyfriend, Noah.
”Jake sputters as he looks at me. “Harp- what are you- just who do you think you are?”
“Princess Harper,” I say. “And you’re my brother, the Crown Prince of Disi, so you’d better damn well act like it.”
“How do I act like a prince? I dont even know where we are!
“Youre in Emberfall. And acting like a prince generally means acting like an arrogant know-it-all, so you shouldnt have any trouble at all.”
This is very very obviously a slight re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. But its so slight that you can almost forget that fact.. and thats when I think authors get re-telling right. You either commit to it fully and try to stick as close to the original fairy tale as possible, or you base it SO loosely off the original that the reader forgets it's supposed to be a retelling at all. Brigid took a very rough outline of B&TB and then threw all her ideas and differences up against the writing canvas and created a masterpiece. It was wonderful. It is wonderful.
This just made me even more excited for A Vow so Bold and Deadly coming out next week
This book. Shit.
This book wrecks me in the best and worst ways possible. There's a few people who really know how to write YA Fantasy and Brigid Kemmerer is one of them. Her characters are so well done. They’re so well-rounded and fleshed out and even dropped right into the middle of an event that's gone on for years and years she writes well enough to make you feel like you’ve been there the entire time with them.
Once upon a time... a Prince was tricked by an evil sorceress. He was cursed to live through the season of Fall over and over and over again unless he could convince a girl to fall in love with him. But that’s not all. At the end of the season, if he hasnt found a girl to fall in love with him the season doesnt just start over. No, it wouldnt really be a curse if that's all that happened, would it? The Prince is turned into an evil monster on that final day of the season and compelled to attack and kill anyone who gets in his way. Not only his own family, but the very people of his kingdom that he's there to protect. For hundreds of seasons, Prince Rhen and the head Commander of his Guard have worked tirelessly to try and find a woman who will fall in love with Rhen. Every year, for the last hour of the season, Commander Grey transports to “the other side,” (also known as our world) to bring a girl back to Emberfall and repeat the entire process over again. Every season, they fail.
Until one day, Grey pops onto the Other Side to find another girl and is attacked by a commanding, sassy, tenacious girl named Harper. See.. Harper thought Grey was carrying the woman in his arms because he had drugged her and was going to take advantage of her. Well, Harper saves the girl... and damns herself in the process. Because Grey doesnt have long on the Other Side... and this time when he goes back to Emberfall for the final season of the curse, he’s bringing Harper with him.
Rhen.
Where to I start? Rhen is so well written. He is always growing and always changing and always struggling. He is flawed and wonderful and his growth with both Harper and Grey to help him along is the perfect cocktail of character development. The things that he’s gone through due to the curse.. the things he did.. what he saw done.. the things that happened to his own people.. its all so devastating that sometimes I can’t understand how he’s even functioning anymore let alone still trying to break his curse. Thankfully, he has commander Grey to help him through everything. Despite the fact that theyre not supposed to be friends, its obvious that that line has been crossed a long time ago— especially considering Grey is the only one left alive with him in the castle.
Harper.
She is probably one of my favorite FMC’s ever written in YA Fantasy. She, too, is flawed. But she holds onto this inner confidence that is admirable without being over-the-top. Not once does she cross over the line and into the realm of annoying or arrogant. Not once does she pander for anything. She is confident and matter-of-fact and also kind, humble and trying so hard to learn and grow along the way. Harper never stops. I don’t know where this girl gets all her energy. Even without the issues caused by her cerebral palsy, she just never stops. At one point, she legit throws a knife at a sorceress who is causing Rhen massive amounts of pain with just a touch, and gets the slash of a dagger to the face for her efforts. This girl is badass and I adore her.
I study her, weighing my thoughts. She seems to think that her wound will make her less convincing as a princess. In truth, watching her now, she has never looked more like one.
“I have underestimated you again,” I finally say.
“How?”
“I have been waiting for you to wake for hours,” I tell her. “I was certain this would...break you.”
She frowns and looks at the fire. “Its not my first scar, Rhen. I wasnt perfect before. I’ll get over it.” Then her eyes shift back to mine. “Did you say youve been sitting here for hours?”
“Yes.” I pause. “You are not angry about what Lilith has done?”
“Oh, I’m furious. But not about my face.”
“Then what?”
Her voice fills with steel. “I’m mad I missed.”
Grey.
I admit to having a small fictional crush on Grey. Talk about freaking tragic. The first time I read this book I wasnt as into Grey as I was reading this time. It’s wonderful watching him balance out both Rhen and Harper. Its wonderful watching his character go from semi-important to huge game changer. Especially knowing what happens in the next book. Grey is the one thing that holds Rhen up. He is a stead-fast presence and the one thing Rhen can count on. He does everything, everything for Rhen and for Emberfall. But not only does Grey look out for and protect his prince, Rhen also looks out for and protects Grey. Their friendship and their relationship in the wake of how they’ve dealt with this terrible curse is just wonderful to read.
The secondary cast of characters were all well-done and entertaining as well. I especially loved the introduction of Harper’s brother, Jake, and his boyfriend, Noah.
”Jake sputters as he looks at me. “Harp- what are you- just who do you think you are?”
“Princess Harper,” I say. “And you’re my brother, the Crown Prince of Disi, so you’d better damn well act like it.”
“How do I act like a prince? I dont even know where we are!
“Youre in Emberfall. And acting like a prince generally means acting like an arrogant know-it-all, so you shouldnt have any trouble at all.”
This is very very obviously a slight re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. But its so slight that you can almost forget that fact.. and thats when I think authors get re-telling right. You either commit to it fully and try to stick as close to the original fairy tale as possible, or you base it SO loosely off the original that the reader forgets it's supposed to be a retelling at all. Brigid took a very rough outline of B&TB and then threw all her ideas and differences up against the writing canvas and created a masterpiece. It was wonderful. It is wonderful.
This just made me even more excited for A Vow so Bold and Deadly coming out next week
Dnf'd 50% through. I just couldn't get into the story
I am lost for words! At first I was a bit on the fence when I started reading this book. But then I could not put it down! I definitely recommend it.
Meh? 2,5-3 stars
Maybe if it was a whole book only about Grey....
Maybe if it was a whole book only about Grey....
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would recommend this book. I found the FMC a bit irritating sometimes, but overall it was good and I’ll be reading the next one
I am not generally a fan of Beauty and the Beast, or retellings of it, but this one had so much hype I felt that I had to pick it up. Overall, it was a good book, but I would probably restrict recommending it to people who already enjoy Beauty and the Beast. I found the climax to be too close to the end, and I usually enjoy some slower scenes after a climax. Despite being a massive fan of slow burn romances, this wasn’t nearly as satisfying as other books I’ve read in that area!
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
*sigh* I really wanted to love this book, but alas, the magic didn’t happen.
Let’s start with some positive thoughts, but I warn you, even those lead to my criticism because even those have flaws.
I really do believe that A Curse So Dark and Lonely gives a very original spin to the story of Beauty and the Beast. I liked the modern approach that the author chose. Our protagonist, Harper, comes from a modern day Washington, DC and she gets a full package: smartphones, gangsters and even a handicap, which was an element of diversity that I really appreciated. I liked how this created a very stark contrast with the world of Emberfall, which is the magical realm in which most of the story takes place and where the curse happens.
I have to admit though, the originality is kind of where my appreciation of this book ends.
Sometimes, it just felt too original, considered how the book is promoted as a fairytale retelling. Because the truth is, I saw very little Beauty and the Beast in this story. Despite the initial distrust that Harper feels for the prince, Rhen, the distrust fades quite quickly. As in, it fades after 24h. Even Belle takes longer to start trusting the Beast in the Disney movie, and the entire thing literally lasts only 80 minutes. I also felt like the curse, despite appearances, really wasn’t a big part of this story. It was mentioned quite a lot, but it was seen quite little. I would have easily forgotten there was a curse at all if the characters didn’t mention it every other page, and its resolution was a bit underwhelming.
I also wasn’t a big fan of the world-building. For starters, it’s never quite explained how Washington DC and Emberfall coexist. What is the relation between these two worlds? No one knows. Secondly, even the world-building in Emberfall isn’t properly explained. New territories were just thrust into the story in the middle of the book, and the conflict between these territories becomes quite important…except that I didn’t really understand why? It just felt a bit rushed and, thus, confusing to read. Confusion breeds boredom.
But I could have easily enjoyed the book even with all these flaws if the cast of characters had been compelling to read about, but this was not the case and it was probably the biggest issue I had with it. There was a lack of real exploration of the character dynamics, a lack of maturity in the characters themselves and they mostly remained the same from start to finish. I didn’t see a real growth for them.
The only character I truly enjoyed was Grey, the guard, who is not only the reason why I continued reading the book. His character was the one who broke the monotony the others were subjected to and the ending of the book really left me curious to see the direction in which his story is going.
So there you have it. That’s my review. Of course, all of these are personal opinions. As always with hyped books, there’s many people who love them and many people who don’t. Overall, this is a book I would recommend to fans of Beauty and the Beast or fairytales in general, but not to readers who prefer plot-driven books.
*sigh* I really wanted to love this book, but alas, the magic didn’t happen.
Let’s start with some positive thoughts, but I warn you, even those lead to my criticism because even those have flaws.
I really do believe that A Curse So Dark and Lonely gives a very original spin to the story of Beauty and the Beast. I liked the modern approach that the author chose. Our protagonist, Harper, comes from a modern day Washington, DC and she gets a full package: smartphones, gangsters and even a handicap, which was an element of diversity that I really appreciated. I liked how this created a very stark contrast with the world of Emberfall, which is the magical realm in which most of the story takes place and where the curse happens.
I have to admit though, the originality is kind of where my appreciation of this book ends.
Sometimes, it just felt too original, considered how the book is promoted as a fairytale retelling. Because the truth is, I saw very little Beauty and the Beast in this story. Despite the initial distrust that Harper feels for the prince, Rhen, the distrust fades quite quickly. As in, it fades after 24h. Even Belle takes longer to start trusting the Beast in the Disney movie, and the entire thing literally lasts only 80 minutes. I also felt like the curse, despite appearances, really wasn’t a big part of this story. It was mentioned quite a lot, but it was seen quite little. I would have easily forgotten there was a curse at all if the characters didn’t mention it every other page, and its resolution was a bit underwhelming.
I also wasn’t a big fan of the world-building. For starters, it’s never quite explained how Washington DC and Emberfall coexist. What is the relation between these two worlds? No one knows. Secondly, even the world-building in Emberfall isn’t properly explained. New territories were just thrust into the story in the middle of the book, and the conflict between these territories becomes quite important…except that I didn’t really understand why? It just felt a bit rushed and, thus, confusing to read. Confusion breeds boredom.
But I could have easily enjoyed the book even with all these flaws if the cast of characters had been compelling to read about, but this was not the case and it was probably the biggest issue I had with it. There was a lack of real exploration of the character dynamics, a lack of maturity in the characters themselves and they mostly remained the same from start to finish. I didn’t see a real growth for them.
The only character I truly enjoyed was Grey, the guard, who is not only the reason why I continued reading the book. His character was the one who broke the monotony the others were subjected to and the ending of the book really left me curious to see the direction in which his story is going.
So there you have it. That’s my review. Of course, all of these are personal opinions. As always with hyped books, there’s many people who love them and many people who don’t. Overall, this is a book I would recommend to fans of Beauty and the Beast or fairytales in general, but not to readers who prefer plot-driven books.