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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
2024 reads: 170/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the sequel to garden of the cursed.
as tension rises between the five families and trouble brews in the marshes, marlow finds herself in the middle of all the chaos. adrius has stopped speaking to her to focus on finding a wife, but despite her heartbreak, marlow still wants to help break his curse. she’s willing to do whatever it takes, including playing the role of loving daughter to the man who cast said curse. as she gets closer to her father, she begins to wonder if he’s really the villain he’s been chalked up to be.
garden of the cursed really took me by surprise last year (in a good way, of course), so i was eagerly anticipating this sequel! i loved all the angst in this book. as i mentioned, adrius and marlow aren’t talking, there’s tension because of who marlow’s father is, and so on. i liked seeing how these plot points were explored.
i’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book, and i hope to read more of katy rose pool’s books soon!
narration: jennifer blom did a wonderful job bringing this story to life! i highly recommend the audiobook.
narration: jennifer blom did a wonderful job bringing this story to life! i highly recommend the audiobook.
adventurous
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
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-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:
No
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
medium-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
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-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:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I devoured garden of the cursed last year and was really looking forward to the continuation of this story. I have to say, I love the way these books are written. The story is just so tight, every scene propels the story and it’s one of the few books where I can very easily visualize the world (rare for me) so I just have a great time reading these.
My biggest complaint is now that our two main characters are together (even though we’ve got that Romeo and Juliet families keeping them apart thing going on ) the yearning isn’t there like it was in the first book that really hooked me. So this one ends up being a lot more politics driven and I just found myself itching for the conclusion rather than invested in the characters, their development and desires, but that could be me thing.
One huge bonus is that the author spends more time with the side characters in this book, and I love found family. There were times when Swift was the main reason I kept reading.
Overall really love this duology and would recommend it to anyone.
My biggest complaint is now that our two main characters are together (
One huge bonus is that the author spends more time with the side characters in this book, and I love found family. There were times when Swift was the main reason I kept reading.
Overall really love this duology and would recommend it to anyone.
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Masquerade of the Heart is the sequel to Garden of the Cursed and begins where the first book ends. It’s a fast-paced duology, it’s atmospheric, I love the description of the city, it’s magical but with a touch of mystery, feels a little gothic. The magic system is interesting, it's very witchy, with dangerous grimoires, unbreakable curses, and action. The setting is bright and shiny outside, but inside it's darker and more dangerous. It feels like a noir thriller, with luxurious parties, auctions of magical artifacts, and lots of secrets.
This time it's a double POV. Marlow is a great main character, but I loved that there are Adrius chapters and more scenes with the secondary characters. Marlow is not alone, she always has support from her friends, and when danger threatens, they are ready to respond. The more dangerous the mission, the more ready they are. I love all the characters, Marlow is smart but suspicious, she likes to do everything on her own and has problems, but she is not selfish, she saved Adrius at her expense. Adrius may seem like the typical rich kid, but he really cares about Marlow. There is more tension in the first book, but again, I enjoy how their relationship progresses and the twists and turns, it's a slow burn, trust, forbidden romance and I would do anything for you, they are cute together.
The first book was more about the magic and Marlow's character development, in the sequel, we see her interacting more with her family, friends, and Adrius. I love the camaraderie and the way they investigate, there is action, the uncovering of secrets and lies and there is always something happening.
The writing style reminds me a bit of the 2000s/10s series, I love the atmosphere, vibes. The ending is satisfying though and is a good conclusion to the duology, where the plot focuses on the disappearance of his mother and her relationship with Adrius; Marlow is a curse breaker which lends itself to seeing new mysteries. A spin off would be fun, even if it was not about Marlow, the supporting characters are great too, they are all a disaster but likable, funny, intelligent, and brave. Overall, it's an entertaining duology that reads quickly, with action, romance, drama, and family secrets, and it hooks quickly.
Thanks to Turn The Pages for making me part of the tour.
Read it if you like
- Paranormal Mystery
- Romance
- Magic
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not really sure what my thoughts are, but I'll try to summarise them.
This book, or maybe I should say the duology as a whole, is a fun time, it isn't revolutionary or great, but it was a way to pass the time. The story is really caricature-esque, in the way many things are not believable and if you stop to think about it you'll laugh out loud about the ridiculousness, but if you just go with it you will have a good time. It is really fast to get through, action packed and there's always something going on, perfect to read in one sitting.
I've never wished more for a book to be multi pov, I wanted to know more about silvan, gemma, swift and even amara. I am satisfied with the ending, but I just wished for more. The story doesn't feel incomplete I'm any way, but I feel like the characters were not explored enough, especially the side ones, that were some of my favourites.
In short, it is a good, fun time. I recommend it.
This book, or maybe I should say the duology as a whole, is a fun time, it isn't revolutionary or great, but it was a way to pass the time. The story is really caricature-esque, in the way many things are not believable and if you stop to think about it you'll laugh out loud about the ridiculousness, but if you just go with it you will have a good time. It is really fast to get through, action packed and there's always something going on, perfect to read in one sitting.
I've never wished more for a book to be multi pov, I wanted to know more about silvan, gemma, swift and even amara. I am satisfied with the ending, but I just wished for more. The story doesn't feel incomplete I'm any way, but I feel like the characters were not explored enough, especially the side ones, that were some of my favourites.
In short, it is a good, fun time. I recommend it.