Review by kyrenora - Beneath the Cursed Veil

kyrenora 's review for:

Beneath the Cursed Veil by Aurelia Jane, Kel Carpenter

4.5

adventurous funny lighthearted 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: Complicated

In this romantasy, the two main characters have been dreaming of one another for years. She thought he was only a fantasy, but he’s been searching the worlds for her the whole time. When they do finally meet, it happens in the worst way possible. His reputation for cruelty precedes him as well. She can’t believe he could possibly be her fated mate. She just wants to do her job and go home, but it’s not going to be that simple.

This book is like literary candy for any voracious readers of the genre. In fact, the female main character (FMC) is a big reader of fantasy romance. This leads to a lot of subtle but really fun fourth-wall nods to the readers when well-known tropes arise. While much of the narrative takes place in the Faerie Realm, there’s also a rich urban fantasy world. That’s where our FMC is from. Even though she has magical powers and isn’t human, this makes her still relatable for the reader.

The characters were another strong point. Each had their own distinct voice, even when traits were shared. One of my personal favorites was Corvo, the sarcastic magical talking cat. Having grown up on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, I was strongly reminded of Salem and very happy for it.

There’s a hefty dose of well-done spice in here too. You’ll want to read this one before bedtime. Plus, that ending is going to leave you aching for the next book. I know I can’t wait to see what comes next. Thankfully, it’s already scheduled for release on June 13th. The title is Beyond the Winter Kingdom. I’ll want to get my hands on it for sure.

(Review originally posted to https://writing.hallidaynelson.com/reading-recap-another-april-week/)

Content Warnings