Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
An interesting enough fantasy story about a cursed girl that turns all that she touches into crystal. A bit slow moving, the plot doesn't really pick up and hit its peak interest until the very end, which seems to set up for a better sequel.
This is a story about cursed souls, rivalry kingdoms and family. Wil is the only daughter of the Northern Arrod king. A king who hates her because she almost killed her mother in child birth. She is closest to her younger brother Gertie, who is often sick, but has a brilliant mind. Like her mother she has a wandering heart and loves to sneak away from the palace. On one of these escapades she swindles a black marketeer. When the black marketer catches up to her on another day he almost kills her. It is as she is dying that her curse comes to the surface – she turns any living thing into gemstones. When disaster strikes her father banishes her from the kingdom and declares her dead. She has one advantage – no one knows what she looks like. The royal family is extremely secretive and everyone in the kingdom thinks she has golden hair and blue eyes. Wil is able to wander without anyone being the wiser.
The world is a combination of old and new. The characters have almost the traditional fantasy set up of swords, long dresses, tunics and castles with warring kingdoms. However, thrown in are modern items, like data goggles, telephones, automobiles and wind turbines. It is almost jarring in a way when something modern shows up. Although as you read it get less so. The book is a twist on Midas’s Golden Touch. At times it is a little too formulaic – cursed princess meets cursed prince, but he doesn’t know who she is. He also happens to be the only person immune to her touch. However, there is just enough originality to keep you invested. I would consider this an additional purchase where fantasy, or fairytale twists are popular. Grades 7 and up.
The world is a combination of old and new. The characters have almost the traditional fantasy set up of swords, long dresses, tunics and castles with warring kingdoms. However, thrown in are modern items, like data goggles, telephones, automobiles and wind turbines. It is almost jarring in a way when something modern shows up. Although as you read it get less so. The book is a twist on Midas’s Golden Touch. At times it is a little too formulaic – cursed princess meets cursed prince, but he doesn’t know who she is. He also happens to be the only person immune to her touch. However, there is just enough originality to keep you invested. I would consider this an additional purchase where fantasy, or fairytale twists are popular. Grades 7 and up.
I'm marking this down as DNF, only because I started to get confused about spares and characters and Wil's travels. Also the world of story did not compel me all that much besides Wil's unexplainable power.
Was this a fantasy, or a bad teen romance disguised as fantasy?
I wasted so much time reading this. I should have DNF this one, but I didn't. I did not care about a single character, the plot was so slow and ridiculous, and that "romance"... Can it actually be called a romance?
So much time wasted.
I wasted so much time reading this. I should have DNF this one, but I didn't. I did not care about a single character, the plot was so slow and ridiculous, and that "romance"... Can it actually be called a romance?
So much time wasted.
Wil is the fourth child of the royal Heidle family and as such she is considered a spare along with her two brothers. Being a spare has allowed Wil to lead a life much different then that of her oldest brother the heir. until she discovers a potential curse and everything changes after a series of life altering events. I really enjoyed this book, although I found some sections a bit slower These however allowed for deeper characters and worlds rich in detail.
The cover and the prologue of this are both quite remarkable. But after that, I was so bored. I just can’t get into it. DNF.
I bought this as a kindle daily deal purchase and stored it away in my library. I had way too many things going on with my Currently Reading and I couldn’t let myself slip into the deep dark abyss that is “you have 11 books in your Currently Reading”. Now, with that being said, we know that’s unavoidable right? So, forget that rule. Has anyone(everyone) read Destefano’s little tidbit on Goodreads under this book? Yes? No? Okay. Let me explain. I loved The Chemical Garden series. I mention this often and to everyone who will listen. Even after 6 years (it needs a revisit). Unfortunately, the misfortune being mine, I had not read anything else from Lauren, like ever. After having read the backstory for the creation of this I felt like I had to pull this one out of my TBR and tackle it immediately.
Here’s the good:
The cover! It was beautiful and I am so excited that the covers will match for this and The Cursed Sea and look so freaking beautiful together!
I love how this royal family was created to be more than selfish, snotty, money-hungry assholes. They had character and personality. Each royal offspring was distinct. Owen was the perfect big brother despite his reach upon the throne and power. While Baren was created as a nasty, festering, jealous shell of what a brother should be despite his ranking.
Gerdie was one of my favorite characters in the book solely for his originality. A sickly yet strong, useless spare. He proves time and time again that title holds no value. He is a gem (no pun intended). I love his nerdy-ness and how alchemy is tied into the book without witchy vibes. Gerdie is all science all the time.
Zay’s ferocity of love for her child and the motherhood tied into this book pulled my own mommy heart strings. She is badass and full of a fierce love that every mother can understand.
Lastly, I loved the uniqueness of the relationship between both Zay and Loom. It was beautiful and well written.
Now here’s what I didn’t love:
I did not love how Loom was no one and then someone so very quickly. I wanted more building for him than I received. Something overall was lacking. I liked him the last fourth of the book but didn’t really have much of his character built. He was nice though, I guess. Minus the kidnapping and forced Stockholm Syndrome.
Now this one may just be me but didn’t that ending need more *BOOM*? It was so anticlimactic. I wanted Loom to find out Wil’s origins or some amazing piece of the puzzle to shock me. Cursed are attracted to cursed wasn’t what I expected would be revealed.
Overall, I gave this book a 4/5! I enjoyed it and thought about getting back to it often and that is always a good sign. The story was different, and I will definitely be picking up The Cursed Sea, (as in, I already have).
Here’s the good:
The cover! It was beautiful and I am so excited that the covers will match for this and The Cursed Sea and look so freaking beautiful together!
I love how this royal family was created to be more than selfish, snotty, money-hungry assholes. They had character and personality. Each royal offspring was distinct. Owen was the perfect big brother despite his reach upon the throne and power. While Baren was created as a nasty, festering, jealous shell of what a brother should be despite his ranking.
Gerdie was one of my favorite characters in the book solely for his originality. A sickly yet strong, useless spare. He proves time and time again that title holds no value. He is a gem (no pun intended). I love his nerdy-ness and how alchemy is tied into the book without witchy vibes. Gerdie is all science all the time.
Zay’s ferocity of love for her child and the motherhood tied into this book pulled my own mommy heart strings. She is badass and full of a fierce love that every mother can understand.
Lastly, I loved the uniqueness of the relationship between both Zay and Loom. It was beautiful and well written.
Now here’s what I didn’t love:
I did not love how Loom was no one and then someone so very quickly. I wanted more building for him than I received. Something overall was lacking. I liked him the last fourth of the book but didn’t really have much of his character built. He was nice though, I guess. Minus the kidnapping and forced Stockholm Syndrome.
Now this one may just be me but didn’t that ending need more *BOOM*? It was so anticlimactic. I wanted Loom to find out Wil’s origins or some amazing piece of the puzzle to shock me. Cursed are attracted to cursed wasn’t what I expected would be revealed.
Overall, I gave this book a 4/5! I enjoyed it and thought about getting back to it often and that is always a good sign. The story was different, and I will definitely be picking up The Cursed Sea, (as in, I already have).
An artsier person may have tried to break glass for this photo, but I’m not all about cleaning that up. Anyway, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this month’s Owl Crate pick (yes, I finally read one on time!).
Wilhelmina (Wil) is the fourth and only daughter of a royal family. Everyone tells her she was born cursed, and she knows the scar that runs down her body is proof of it. She does not know exactly how she is cursed until she is faced with major danger. Upon exile from her kingdom, she sets out to find basically a magician to heal her. She stumbles into the rival kingdom’s hands and, of course, falls in love and dooms herself further. I definitely recommend this for high school collections and look forward to the sequel!
Wilhelmina (Wil) is the fourth and only daughter of a royal family. Everyone tells her she was born cursed, and she knows the scar that runs down her body is proof of it. She does not know exactly how she is cursed until she is faced with major danger. Upon exile from her kingdom, she sets out to find basically a magician to heal her. She stumbles into the rival kingdom’s hands and, of course, falls in love and dooms herself further. I definitely recommend this for high school collections and look forward to the sequel!
A middle of the road book. I would reccomend you want something light to read. A palate cleanser as it were.