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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
1. The cover was so pretty, it was absolutely a GRABBER
2. However, I do find the storyline a bit confusing due to the constant switches in pov, but what can I say? I’m a reader who wants a straightforward storyline with one pov. I have to constantly keep checking which pov he chapter is in, and that’s honestly a bit tedious. (-1⭐️)
3. I still like this book because it’s interesting and (somewhat) touching I feel. I mean it didn’t make me cry but it was quite heartwarming!
2. However, I do find the storyline a bit confusing due to the constant switches in pov, but what can I say? I’m a reader who wants a straightforward storyline with one pov. I have to constantly keep checking which pov he chapter is in, and that’s honestly a bit tedious. (-1⭐️)
3. I still like this book because it’s interesting and (somewhat) touching I feel. I mean it didn’t make me cry but it was quite heartwarming!
Check out the original review and more on NovelKnight!
This book was provided by the publisher (via NetGalley). This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Highlights:
— Feminist and unapologetic, with important messages
— Complex characters
— Needed way more world-building
— Short, but heavy, so it took me a while to get through
I feel like I need to preface this review by saying that, personally, I'm a little over these kinds of books. I'm not saying they aren't important, because they are, and I think they are 100% necessary. I can think of dozens of readers I would recommend them too. But for me, I'm just tired, and the real world sucks a lot, so reading another book about a society that's oppressive toward women really just weighs me down right now. I'm not sure that I would have even said this six months ago, but like I said, I'm just tired now. So, that said, I think personal preference played a huge part in what I liked and disliked about Ever Cursed, and it's why I just didn't have as much fun reading it as I'd hoped I would.
Let's start with the characters. Reagan and Jane are the main characters, and they alternate chapters in the story. I liked both, can't say that I had a favorite. They were really interesting. All of the characters in Ever Cursed were interesting, but getting a much closer look at Reagan and Jane, at what was going on in their heads, was pretty fascinating. They were so complex, and I appreciated that they were very flawed in their own ways. It made them both feel very real and very relatable. I don't know if it was intentional, but I felt like those two characters were the best tools used in the book to get important messages across. More than the story, more than the setting, more than the villain, Reagan and Jane were the true heart and soul of this book.
The world building on the other hand... it just didn't do it for me. It felt very much like a fairy tale, all surface and no depth. Facts were presented, the basis for a story was laid, and that was it. Nothing about the world building made it memorable or outstanding. It all felt very glossed over and bland to me. The book is pretty short, and I feel like minimal world building was the big contributor to that, but it didn't work for me. It didn't even help it to be a faster read, I just felt bored by the lack of depth.
The pacing was pretty good. I felt like the story was always moving forward steadily. Like I said though, it's a really heavy story at times, so despite being fast-paced, I definitely had moments where I had to step away. So I would definitely recommend keeping that in mind. This is a book I needed to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy and I just don't think I was.
Overall, Ever Cursed wasn't bad. It had great messages that really have stuck with me over the last few weeks. But I can't really say I enjoyed reading it. I just think that, with who I am and where I'm at now, this book wasn't for me.
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The Highlights:
— Feminist and unapologetic, with important messages
— Complex characters
— Needed way more world-building
— Short, but heavy, so it took me a while to get through
I feel like I need to preface this review by saying that, personally, I'm a little over these kinds of books. I'm not saying they aren't important, because they are, and I think they are 100% necessary. I can think of dozens of readers I would recommend them too. But for me, I'm just tired, and the real world sucks a lot, so reading another book about a society that's oppressive toward women really just weighs me down right now. I'm not sure that I would have even said this six months ago, but like I said, I'm just tired now. So, that said, I think personal preference played a huge part in what I liked and disliked about Ever Cursed, and it's why I just didn't have as much fun reading it as I'd hoped I would.
Let's start with the characters. Reagan and Jane are the main characters, and they alternate chapters in the story. I liked both, can't say that I had a favorite. They were really interesting. All of the characters in Ever Cursed were interesting, but getting a much closer look at Reagan and Jane, at what was going on in their heads, was pretty fascinating. They were so complex, and I appreciated that they were very flawed in their own ways. It made them both feel very real and very relatable. I don't know if it was intentional, but I felt like those two characters were the best tools used in the book to get important messages across. More than the story, more than the setting, more than the villain, Reagan and Jane were the true heart and soul of this book.
The world building on the other hand... it just didn't do it for me. It felt very much like a fairy tale, all surface and no depth. Facts were presented, the basis for a story was laid, and that was it. Nothing about the world building made it memorable or outstanding. It all felt very glossed over and bland to me. The book is pretty short, and I feel like minimal world building was the big contributor to that, but it didn't work for me. It didn't even help it to be a faster read, I just felt bored by the lack of depth.
The pacing was pretty good. I felt like the story was always moving forward steadily. Like I said though, it's a really heavy story at times, so despite being fast-paced, I definitely had moments where I had to step away. So I would definitely recommend keeping that in mind. This is a book I needed to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy and I just don't think I was.
Overall, Ever Cursed wasn't bad. It had great messages that really have stuck with me over the last few weeks. But I can't really say I enjoyed reading it. I just think that, with who I am and where I'm at now, this book wasn't for me.
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adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
There were some plot holes here -such as why the Queen was so adoring and loving to the King when she was alive and then once she is unboxed she turns on him. That is never answered.
Overall a decent story that will probably resonate with young adults under 15.
Overall a decent story that will probably resonate with young adults under 15.
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Let’s appreciate the cover for a moment shall we? It’s what lured me in and then the synopsis is really quite interesting.
Once upon a time there was a witch who was so angry she cursed the entire royal family, so that on their thirteenth birthday they become cursed. It’s a dual POV so we get to see the oldest princess, Jane, and our witch Reagan and how they’re dealing with issues. Jane is cursed to never eat, and only the curse keeps her from dying. But on her Eighteenth birthday, if it shouldn’t be fixed, she will die from the curse.
Jane is naive and particularly a weak character since she gives in to her father’s goodness, which we are often reminded he is so good (but we never see why he is? Just told quite frequently by her) She is soft, and allows herself to be humiliated because apparently future queens do that.
Reagan is a hot headed witch, who is conflicted because the spell didn’t turn out how she wanted. She loves her family and wants to protect them as well as witches too. She was ok I guess. I just have some issues with the writing which really didn’t help with me enjoying the story.
The writing style never allowed for me to dive in and understand or even enjoy the world. It’s as if we are only being told half stories at a time. We are told things and we are to believe them, which automatically makes me not believe them. The king is good, but the witch hates him, so clearly there is a story there which is seriously only hinted toward for a majority of the book. Actually so much of the book is vague and it begins to tell a story only for it to stop and change directions. It just frustrated me. Half explanations from characters, all telling and no showing. I didn’t know what the heck was going on in a good portion.
Eventually you learn the truth, but at that point I was reading for morbid curiosity.
I give it a 2 for originality and creativity.
Once upon a time there was a witch who was so angry she cursed the entire royal family, so that on their thirteenth birthday they become cursed. It’s a dual POV so we get to see the oldest princess, Jane, and our witch Reagan and how they’re dealing with issues. Jane is cursed to never eat, and only the curse keeps her from dying. But on her Eighteenth birthday, if it shouldn’t be fixed, she will die from the curse.
Jane is naive and particularly a weak character since she gives in to her father’s goodness, which we are often reminded he is so good (but we never see why he is? Just told quite frequently by her) She is soft, and allows herself to be humiliated because apparently future queens do that.
Reagan is a hot headed witch, who is conflicted because the spell didn’t turn out how she wanted. She loves her family and wants to protect them as well as witches too. She was ok I guess. I just have some issues with the writing which really didn’t help with me enjoying the story.
The writing style never allowed for me to dive in and understand or even enjoy the world. It’s as if we are only being told half stories at a time. We are told things and we are to believe them, which automatically makes me not believe them. The king is good, but the witch hates him, so clearly there is a story there which is seriously only hinted toward for a majority of the book. Actually so much of the book is vague and it begins to tell a story only for it to stop and change directions. It just frustrated me. Half explanations from characters, all telling and no showing. I didn’t know what the heck was going on in a good portion.
Eventually you learn the truth, but at that point I was reading for morbid curiosity.
I give it a 2 for originality and creativity.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
To everyone who doesn't open books before they purchase them (like me oops), trigger warning for sexual assault. The author does give a trigger warning for this at the beginning of the book, but I didn't see this until after I'd bought it.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Minor: Eating disorder