A review by mweir710
This Cursed Light by Emily Thiede

4.0

(3.5/5 stars, rounded up) Honestly, I was a tad disappointed in the second book of this series. I LOVED the premise of the magic system and Thiede's world-building, but I felt a bit let down by this second book. Let me start by saying that I don't love miscommunication tropes and that's all that seemed to fill This Cursed Light. Someone, or multiple someones, inevitably hold back information to "protect" others and it ultimately creates tension and disastrous outcomes that could have otherwise been avoided. Call it the drama that brings the reader into the story, but I call it an unnecessary way to draw out a book that doesn't have a ton of fulfilling content. I think I just found this book to be a bit "young" in the way the main characters pine after each other, don't communicate, and complicate literally everything.

I will say I loved the inclusion of the Ghiotte and the twists that Thiede took when talking about Crollo's army. I felt like the ending was a bit of a reach though.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emily Thiede for allowing me access to an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!