Scan barcode
jodiesbookishposts's review
3.0
This was just an average read for me. There was a lot of potential here, I found the atmosphere quite mystical and foggy - but the story itself didn’t have the bones to make it exception.
I liked what the author tried to do. But, it was predictable. Which made it a bit of a chore to get through.
I liked what the author tried to do. But, it was predictable. Which made it a bit of a chore to get through.
brittrivera's review
3.0
Ever Cursed is a unique fairytale with some really great world building and a strong message. I loved the unfolding of the way magic worked in this world and how a Curse becomes True and the power and consequences they hold. It was the small moments in this book that struck me the most whether it was the casual representation in the language of explaining who could be witches or the unspoken way the women were bonded through their shared traumas both large and small. The kingdom of Ever might have magic, but it sadly isn't unrecognizable.
I'm mixed in my struggles with this book. On the one hand, I like that the book told a complete story because it's always a relief to have everything wrapped up in one book and not have to wait for the next one. On the other hand, I do feel like the ending came rather quickly and with a lot of rushed explanations. I wouldn't have minded if the book was slightly longer to flesh more of the history out. I understand the importance of Jane and Reagan re-learning the true history of their world, but it was frustrating at times not having more information or learning the important bits piece by piece.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read I would recommend, it just left me wanting more.
*Thank you to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the e-arc of this book.*
I'm mixed in my struggles with this book. On the one hand, I like that the book told a complete story because it's always a relief to have everything wrapped up in one book and not have to wait for the next one. On the other hand, I do feel like the ending came rather quickly and with a lot of rushed explanations. I wouldn't have minded if the book was slightly longer to flesh more of the history out. I understand the importance of Jane and Reagan re-learning the true history of their world, but it was frustrating at times not having more information or learning the important bits piece by piece.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read I would recommend, it just left me wanting more.
*Thank you to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the e-arc of this book.*
belellcollins's review
4.0
Fairy tale retelling are so popular lately that I feel like I've read them all. When I started Ever Cursed I was sure what I was in for, but Corey Ann Haydu's story was not what I was expecting. Instead of retelling a specific fairy tale she created her own, There were a few nods throughout to stories I've heard but ultimately it felt new and different. I especially loved the sisters relationship and following Jane, the oldest princess, and Reagan, a witch who cursed the royal princesses of Ever gave a unique perspective of the story since we learned both sides of the plot almost simultaneously.
This also didn't feel like an old or antiquated story like some retelling tend to do. I loved the moments of female empowerment and equality throughout the kingdom. Overall, what I really want after this is a book on the witches. I feel like that mythology really has a lot of room to grow. This story was captivating and intriguing and felt entirely new and yet still familiar.
This also didn't feel like an old or antiquated story like some retelling tend to do. I loved the moments of female empowerment and equality throughout the kingdom. Overall, what I really want after this is a book on the witches. I feel like that mythology really has a lot of room to grow. This story was captivating and intriguing and felt entirely new and yet still familiar.
aliciareadsit's review
2.0
2 STARS
⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. The premise was good, the pacing of the book was good, but I just did not care about these characters or their world at all. The world-building left me unsatisfied, and the characters didn't go deeper than surface level which was disappointing. The magic system was also quite confusing and never quite fully explained. The synopsis proclaimed to be a feminist fantasy, but other than the fact that all the protagonists were female, I didn't really get a feminist vibe from it. Overall, I did not enjoy this one.
Follow Me!
Instagram | Alicia Reads It - Blog | Twitter
⭐️⭐️
Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. The premise was good, the pacing of the book was good, but I just did not care about these characters or their world at all. The world-building left me unsatisfied, and the characters didn't go deeper than surface level which was disappointing. The magic system was also quite confusing and never quite fully explained. The synopsis proclaimed to be a feminist fantasy, but other than the fact that all the protagonists were female, I didn't really get a feminist vibe from it. Overall, I did not enjoy this one.
Follow Me!
Instagram | Alicia Reads It - Blog | Twitter
taegen's review against another edition
4.0
I totally judge books by their cover. All the time. I try not to but it can't be helped. I mean, just look at this- it's ridiculous. Completely stunning. So I bought it. BUT in this case, the inside is just as spectacular.
This was a unique experience; some prominent real world issues thrown into a fantasy world with kingdoms and witches, magic and curses.
Don't be fooled by the pretty cover though, this book has dark themes. When the author includes a warning at the beginning, you better pay attention.
As a woman, reading this hit close to home. It read like a fantasy retelling of "Catch and Kill" by Ronan Farrow. A lot of the story line revolves around women being silenced so it felt heavy at times knowing a lot of this "fictional story" is frighteningly real but Corey gives us hope for a better world (even if we don't have magic)
This one will stay with me for a while. Maybe forever...
unchainedreader's review
5.0
Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu
Summary
The princesses of Ever have been cursed for nearly five years when this story begins. Their mother has literally been trapped in a clear box on display for all of the people of Ever. Each princess has their own curse which begins on their thirteenth birthday. Jane, the oldest daughter, hasn’t eaten since she turned thirteen almost five years ago. Because of the nature of the spell, she continues to live a strained existence. Once the spell becomes final or permanent, Jane will suffer the full affects of not eating.
Jane must team up with the young witch who has placed her and her sisters in such a perilous position in order to undo the spell placed on each of them. In the process, Jane discovers what kind of queen she wants to be someday, and makes a plethora of new friends.
Thoughts
I obviously requested this book from NetGalley because the title is thought-provoking and the cover is beautiful. The book itself did not disappoint!
Haydu begins by letting readers know about the triggers in the novel, and I think this is wonderful! Teen girls (the target audience) are living in a trigger filled world, and this story is full of girls who overcome some difficult situations that these teen readers can relate to. Don’t let these triggers keep you from reading. That was not the point of the trigger warning (in my opinion) - this trigger warning should encourage girls to be strong and continue reading for inspirational purposes.
Pardon my language, but this book is filled with some badass women. Obviously our characters all have their flaws, but together they overcome their flaws in order to better their community. Haydu created beautiful female characters and explained the use of magic in this society flawlessly.
I will force our children’s librarian to purchase this book for our teen section. It is an absolutely necessary read.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Summary
The princesses of Ever have been cursed for nearly five years when this story begins. Their mother has literally been trapped in a clear box on display for all of the people of Ever. Each princess has their own curse which begins on their thirteenth birthday. Jane, the oldest daughter, hasn’t eaten since she turned thirteen almost five years ago. Because of the nature of the spell, she continues to live a strained existence. Once the spell becomes final or permanent, Jane will suffer the full affects of not eating.
Jane must team up with the young witch who has placed her and her sisters in such a perilous position in order to undo the spell placed on each of them. In the process, Jane discovers what kind of queen she wants to be someday, and makes a plethora of new friends.
Thoughts
I obviously requested this book from NetGalley because the title is thought-provoking and the cover is beautiful. The book itself did not disappoint!
Haydu begins by letting readers know about the triggers in the novel, and I think this is wonderful! Teen girls (the target audience) are living in a trigger filled world, and this story is full of girls who overcome some difficult situations that these teen readers can relate to. Don’t let these triggers keep you from reading. That was not the point of the trigger warning (in my opinion) - this trigger warning should encourage girls to be strong and continue reading for inspirational purposes.
Pardon my language, but this book is filled with some badass women. Obviously our characters all have their flaws, but together they overcome their flaws in order to better their community. Haydu created beautiful female characters and explained the use of magic in this society flawlessly.
I will force our children’s librarian to purchase this book for our teen section. It is an absolutely necessary read.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
darcislibrary98's review
3.0
Ever Cursed
‘THE PRINCESSES OF EVER ARE BELOVED by the kingdom and their father, the king. They are cherished, admind. Cursed. Jane, Alice, Nara, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit or even know about. They are each cursed to be without one essential thing- the ability to eat, sleep
love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box. But when Eden's curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell--Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought--as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom ... and family:
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane-the witch and the bewitched--this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.’
It is told from the perspectives of the eldest princess Jane and the witch who cast the curse Reagan. I would have liked to have got to know each princess a little more and how their curse impacted them. However, I still enjoyed getting to know Jane and Reagan and how their lives intertwine. This book touches on toxic masculinity and the evils of patriarchy and how to break and over come these curses and battles.
The plot of the book, is fast paced and easy to ready. I would have liked more tension between Abbot and Reagan but understand that the book wasn’t written for that to be entertained.
Overall a great and easy read.
4/5*
#books #bookshelf #bookblogger #bookreview #books #bookstagrammer #bookshelves #igreads #goodreads #booklover #reader #evercursed #coreyannhaydu
‘THE PRINCESSES OF EVER ARE BELOVED by the kingdom and their father, the king. They are cherished, admind. Cursed. Jane, Alice, Nara, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit or even know about. They are each cursed to be without one essential thing- the ability to eat, sleep
love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box. But when Eden's curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell--Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought--as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom ... and family:
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane-the witch and the bewitched--this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.’
It is told from the perspectives of the eldest princess Jane and the witch who cast the curse Reagan. I would have liked to have got to know each princess a little more and how their curse impacted them. However, I still enjoyed getting to know Jane and Reagan and how their lives intertwine. This book touches on toxic masculinity and the evils of patriarchy and how to break and over come these curses and battles.
The plot of the book, is fast paced and easy to ready. I would have liked more tension between Abbot and Reagan but understand that the book wasn’t written for that to be entertained.
Overall a great and easy read.
4/5*
#books #bookshelf #bookblogger #bookreview #books #bookstagrammer #bookshelves #igreads #goodreads #booklover #reader #evercursed #coreyannhaydu
cecerachel's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I picked up this book because of the cover and was intrigued after reading the back of it. I appreciated the information provided at the beginning of the book about how Ever works and the significance of the witches and their use of magic.
For me,the creepiness truly began at Eden’s thirteenth birthday when Jane was harassed by the prince, and her father didn't even bother to help. After that, everything went downhill, and it felt a bit exaggerated. I understand that the author wants to address these topics, but the descriptions felt very intense. Apparently, every royal guy and girl, every prince and princess, wants to harass the main princesses. The quantity of it felt out of place in the story, which is unfortunate because it's a very serious subject that should be discussed.
I really enjoyed the rest of the story. The right amount of history is shared at appropriate times, and the relationship between the two main characters was well-written.
For me,
I really enjoyed the rest of the story. The right amount of history is shared at appropriate times, and the relationship between the two main characters was well-written.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment