A review by chaos_of_kati
The Dawn of the Cursed Queen by Amber V. Nicole

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Dianna remains my all-time favorite FMC and is undoubtedly the main star of this series. I love the complexity of her character—her flaws make her perfect. She has depth and layers, caring so deeply for her loved ones that she will do anything to protect them. Even now, I’d say she is morally grey and fully aware of it, but unapologetically so. I’m excited to see where Amber V. Nicole takes her story because, while Dianna is now the Queen of Reasharim, she seems largely indifferent to the Realms. 
 
I still adore Samkiel. He’s a true hero, the epitome of a knight in shining armor. One of my favorite moments was when he reprimanded Dianna for trying to seduce him in another form, saying:  
“With all due respect, akrai, do not compare me to him or what you've experienced with your past lovers. I don't need nor want any other form but the one you wear daily. Do you understand?”  
That moment helped heal Dianna’s broken pieces, reaffirming her worth and grounding her in who she is. 
 
As per usual, Amber makes me question my sanity, because for some reason unbeknownst to me, I feel sorry for Kaden. He also never got to experience love or the feeling of being enough. If you ask me, their father is the true villain of the story. So, I’m curious to see how this is going to play out. 
 
While I enjoyed the different POVs and the side characters—like the blossoming love stories between Vincent and Camilla or Imogen and Isaiah (how is that even going to work out?)—it felt like their stories lacked depth due to frequent perspective shifts. I wish the complex emotions in these relationships had been explored more deeply, much like Dianna and Samkiel’s journey in the first two books. 
 
This constant back and forth made the story feel a bit dragged out. I didn’t race through it as I did with the earlier books, but I still appreciated its narrative richness. 
 
But honestly, I am so excited for the continuation of this series. I love the found family vibes, the tension between the characters, and the overall secrets and mysteries we’re about to uncover.  
And most importantly, I want to read more about my ride-or-die, Dianna!