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3.38 AVERAGE
3.38 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Please review content warnings before deciding to go ahead with this book. I didn't get any from descriptions online, but luckily the audiobook had a warning at the beginning that allowed me to steel myself. The book is interesting from the perspective of shared trauma and recovery from traumatic events. The plot is largely based on character development surround these ideas. I think that the book's focus is on how people who are abused, those who are aware of the abuse, and those who are bystanders to the abuse deal with these events in a fantasy perspective, which was a take that I hadn't really seen before.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders
The book centers on uncovering family secrets strongly rooted in the content warnings.
Such a powerful story! I loved this so much, the fantasy crossed with social issues was so unexpected and so well done. I felt so hopeful while reading this story, we could all achieve so much if we could see and hear other people and their struggles and take back our power as women.
Reread February 2025, still 5 stars, even more powerful with the state of the world and the shitty men that are running it into the ground.
Reread February 2025, still 5 stars, even more powerful with the state of the world and the shitty men that are running it into the ground.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
A witch has cursed the queen and the 5 princesses of the kingdom of Ever. Each princess succumbed to the curse on their 13th birthday, losing something vital when it hit. Jane, the oldest princess, is unable to eat or drink and is slowly getting thinner and thinner. Now that the youngest princess has turned 13, the princesses have 3 days to break the curse before it becomes a True curse. If that happens, Jane and one of her other sisters will die because of the nature of their particular curse. As the sisters set out to break the curse, they learn things about their kingdom and their father that they have always believed are not true. For instance, their father is not truly a Good and Gentle king. Witches and magic are not necessarily bad/evil.
**Trigger warning for sexual assault. Also for eating disorders/disordered eating. I appreciate that the author begins her book with a warning to readers about this content.
The assault is not graphic in description but is referred to repeatedly. Jane's eating disorder is also prevalent but is described much more vividly
It is an interesting premise about how to confront your reality that is proven to be untrue but I never really got into the writing and/or characters.
A witch has cursed the queen and the 5 princesses of the kingdom of Ever. Each princess succumbed to the curse on their 13th birthday, losing something vital when it hit. Jane, the oldest princess, is unable to eat or drink and is slowly getting thinner and thinner. Now that the youngest princess has turned 13, the princesses have 3 days to break the curse before it becomes a True curse. If that happens, Jane and one of her other sisters will die because of the nature of their particular curse. As the sisters set out to break the curse, they learn things about their kingdom and their father that they have always believed are not true. For instance, their father is not truly a Good and Gentle king. Witches and magic are not necessarily bad/evil.
**Trigger warning for sexual assault. Also for eating disorders/disordered eating. I appreciate that the author begins her book with a warning to readers about this content.
The assault is not graphic in description but is referred to repeatedly. Jane's eating disorder is also prevalent but is described much more vividly
It is an interesting premise about how to confront your reality that is proven to be untrue but I never really got into the writing and/or characters.
I read this book in two days, in a total of four sittings. I don't often read books about witches and princesses but the cover definitely attracted me to this one and the angle was quite refreshing, which is why I could not put this book down.
Reading experience:
Ever is a kingdom with 5 princesses, cursed by a witch. As each princess turns 13, the Spell of Without executes and the princess loses something. For Jane, it is her appetite; she cannot eat, has not eaten in five years. For her sisters, it is their memory, love, and sleep. On the day of the 13th birthday of the youngest sister, the witch that cursed them arrives to help them break the spell, give them one last chance to undo their suffering and change the royal ways.
Narrated from two point of views, those of Jane (the eldest princess) and Reagan, the witch that cursed, I loved how Ever Cursed elaborated on the concept of royalty, the stories that different groups of people tell themselves and the history which is the truth. I loved this story and look forward to reading the author again. I also appreciated the content note about sexual assault and past trauma.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Find the full review on my blog on publication day - July 28th!
Reading experience:
Ever is a kingdom with 5 princesses, cursed by a witch. As each princess turns 13, the Spell of Without executes and the princess loses something. For Jane, it is her appetite; she cannot eat, has not eaten in five years. For her sisters, it is their memory, love, and sleep. On the day of the 13th birthday of the youngest sister, the witch that cursed them arrives to help them break the spell, give them one last chance to undo their suffering and change the royal ways.
Narrated from two point of views, those of Jane (the eldest princess) and Reagan, the witch that cursed, I loved how Ever Cursed elaborated on the concept of royalty, the stories that different groups of people tell themselves and the history which is the truth. I loved this story and look forward to reading the author again. I also appreciated the content note about sexual assault and past trauma.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Find the full review on my blog on publication day - July 28th!
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review here and on my blog Samwise Reviews. I really loved how original this story was, and I wish it had been longer. I felt the characters were a bit flat and I would have liked to get to know each of them on a deeper level to really understand how they felt and what they went through. The story started out a bit slow with a lot of things being hinted at but never explained, and while it picked up the pace better part way through it never felt like a wild ride to me. I was expecting intense drama and a race to the finish line and while things did come to a head, it meandered its way there. The conclusion did tie up most of the ends, but it just didn't feel completely satisfying. Overall it was good and clever, I just expected... more.
There are trigger warnings in the very beginning so please read and take care of yourself.
There are two point of views and they are explosive. Jane and Reagan are two girls from completely different walks of life and the parallels that Haydu drew between the two main characters were absolutely amazing. The book was very timely.
The #metoo movement is still going strong and Ever Cursed takes that movement and puts it in a way that perhaps is a bit more palatable to younger audiences while not taking anything away. Jane was turning a blind eye towards everything until it happened right in front of her. The way that a lot of people often turn away until it affects them.
Which is probably why it took so long to sound the alarm. Reagan probably didn’t do it correctly but she did something. She was the catalyst. Ever Cursed draws a lot of comparison from the world. The vocabulary used reminded me of the discussions after the protests, that are still going on by the way, where a lot of people were saying that doing so many protests and doing some drastic things to bring unrest to the country wouldn’t amount to anything.
Both in the book and in real life, change was brought. It gives you a bit of an inside peek into the #metoo movement. I loved it.
There are two point of views and they are explosive. Jane and Reagan are two girls from completely different walks of life and the parallels that Haydu drew between the two main characters were absolutely amazing. The book was very timely.
The #metoo movement is still going strong and Ever Cursed takes that movement and puts it in a way that perhaps is a bit more palatable to younger audiences while not taking anything away. Jane was turning a blind eye towards everything until it happened right in front of her. The way that a lot of people often turn away until it affects them.
Which is probably why it took so long to sound the alarm. Reagan probably didn’t do it correctly but she did something. She was the catalyst. Ever Cursed draws a lot of comparison from the world. The vocabulary used reminded me of the discussions after the protests, that are still going on by the way, where a lot of people were saying that doing so many protests and doing some drastic things to bring unrest to the country wouldn’t amount to anything.
Both in the book and in real life, change was brought. It gives you a bit of an inside peek into the #metoo movement. I loved it.
Book 225 towards my goal of 280! 4/5 stars for this YA Fantasy read! *TW if you have issues with food/eating. Really enjoyed the dual narration. Beautiful cover! A unique magic system. Really enjoyed the setting. I thought it was really beautifully written. Highly recommend if you need a YA Fantasy standalone!
"I am not that kind of witch, no matter how many years they locked me away in AndNot and begged me to be better. I am not who they want me to be. So I turn my fury on the kingdom." ~ [b:Ever Cursed|52767394|Ever Cursed|Corey Ann Haydu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585286799l/52767394._SY75_.jpg|73727817]
This novel is perfect for fans of [b:Red Hood|43721070|Red Hood|Elana K. Arnold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561406538l/43721070._SY75_.jpg|68041410], [b:Cinderella Is Dead|43900612|Cinderella Is Dead|Kalynn Bayron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574698353l/43900612._SY75_.jpg|68309452], [b:The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea|51710973|The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea|Maggie Tokuda-Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592729153l/51710973._SY75_.jpg|58305868], and [a:Amanda Lovelace|15225448|Amanda Lovelace|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1533076817p2/15225448.jpg]'s poetry. This is a standalone feminist fantasy story in the style of a fairytale. The story basically combines all the concepts of European fairytales and reworks the plots into a new story. Think of it as a feminist fairytale retelling of any Disney movie.
I loved the character Reagan especially. She gives off such strong Maleficient vibes and I'M LIVING FOR IT! It's so cool how author [a:Corey Ann Haydu|5414574|Corey Ann Haydu|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1462801584p2/5414574.jpg] took the well-known story of a witch (Maleficient) cursing a kingdom and princess (Sleeping Beauty) and then explaining what the witch's motivations and reasoning were behind this decision. Another aspect of this novel I thoroughly enjoyed is that nobody is who they seem. I could've never predicted the twist at the end! This book deals with dark subject matters aka sexual assault, rape, sexism, oppression, victim shaming, etc. and I thought the author did an amazing job writing about these topics with grace and maturity.
I struggled to remember and comprehend all of the worldbuilding. The family tree is vast and I couldn't pinpoint how all the characters were related. While I love that this novel is a standalone story, it feels like there are 3+ novels worth of worldbuilding in just one book. The kingdom of Ever is well-developed, but there's so much backstory explanation that it made it difficult for me to keep up with the plot.
Overall I am beyond impressed with the author's use of metaphor in this novel. There are allusions to modern issues that we all deal with, but it's not written in such an obvious way that takes away from the magic of the book. Also, can I just say how awesome it is that Ever welcomes people of all gender identities, sexualities, and races??? I love it!
Some of my favorites quotes:
"Witches were our partners in keeping Ever safe. We protected them. They protected us. Perfect symbiosis. Everything about this witch, from her age to her words to the spell itself, was wrong."
"The voice belongs to Abbott Shine. He is not a princess or a witch or Spellbound. He is handsome and tall; he has a voice that is lower than I ever thought his voice would reach. He is just like them, except he knows a different king than they do."
"'You are not a king,' the Queen of Ever says, her first words in five years, but still they sound sure and easy, a little like music. 'Give us the crown.'"
"We grew up thinking queens were quiet women and kings were gentle, good men, but all of that was wrong."
"Every woman in every kind of body, and others, who identify only as witch."
This novel is perfect for fans of [b:Red Hood|43721070|Red Hood|Elana K. Arnold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561406538l/43721070._SY75_.jpg|68041410], [b:Cinderella Is Dead|43900612|Cinderella Is Dead|Kalynn Bayron|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574698353l/43900612._SY75_.jpg|68309452], [b:The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea|51710973|The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea|Maggie Tokuda-Hall|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592729153l/51710973._SY75_.jpg|58305868], and [a:Amanda Lovelace|15225448|Amanda Lovelace|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1533076817p2/15225448.jpg]'s poetry. This is a standalone feminist fantasy story in the style of a fairytale. The story basically combines all the concepts of European fairytales and reworks the plots into a new story. Think of it as a feminist fairytale retelling of any Disney movie.
I loved the character Reagan especially. She gives off such strong Maleficient vibes and I'M LIVING FOR IT! It's so cool how author [a:Corey Ann Haydu|5414574|Corey Ann Haydu|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1462801584p2/5414574.jpg] took the well-known story of a witch (Maleficient) cursing a kingdom and princess (Sleeping Beauty) and then explaining what the witch's motivations and reasoning were behind this decision. Another aspect of this novel I thoroughly enjoyed is that nobody is who they seem. I could've never predicted the twist at the end! This book deals with dark subject matters aka sexual assault, rape, sexism, oppression, victim shaming, etc. and I thought the author did an amazing job writing about these topics with grace and maturity.
I struggled to remember and comprehend all of the worldbuilding. The family tree is vast and I couldn't pinpoint how all the characters were related. While I love that this novel is a standalone story, it feels like there are 3+ novels worth of worldbuilding in just one book. The kingdom of Ever is well-developed, but there's so much backstory explanation that it made it difficult for me to keep up with the plot.
Overall I am beyond impressed with the author's use of metaphor in this novel. There are allusions to modern issues that we all deal with, but it's not written in such an obvious way that takes away from the magic of the book. Also, can I just say how awesome it is that Ever welcomes people of all gender identities, sexualities, and races??? I love it!
Some of my favorites quotes:
"Witches were our partners in keeping Ever safe. We protected them. They protected us. Perfect symbiosis. Everything about this witch, from her age to her words to the spell itself, was wrong."
"The voice belongs to Abbott Shine. He is not a princess or a witch or Spellbound. He is handsome and tall; he has a voice that is lower than I ever thought his voice would reach. He is just like them, except he knows a different king than they do."
"'You are not a king,' the Queen of Ever says, her first words in five years, but still they sound sure and easy, a little like music. 'Give us the crown.'"
"We grew up thinking queens were quiet women and kings were gentle, good men, but all of that was wrong."
"Every woman in every kind of body, and others, who identify only as witch."