Tag: brigid kemmerer

Review: A Vow So Bold and Deadly (#3) by Brigid Kemmerer

On By Beth JonesIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

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Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.
Fight the battle, save the kingdom.
Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and a magical scraver by her side. As Grey’s deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.
As the two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and a dangerous enemy returns, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series.

A Vow So Bold and Deadly is the conclusion of the Cursebreakers series, a fantasy story loosely reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. This series has been really enjoyable so far, and I’m glad to finally be able to say I’ve finished reading it. I was also glad to find out there will be more books set in this series, in the Forging Silver Into Stars series set in the same world.

I definitely enjoyed this final book more than the second one, A Heart So Fierce and Broken. We had more of an equal balance of POV between characters, which I really enjoyed. It was great to see more chapters following Harper and Rhen, which I did miss in the second book.

I know trust is not something you win once, 

I once again really enjoyed the writing and the world-building, which gives these books a real comforting feel and is reminiscent of many YA fantasy books. I actually really enjoy this – this whole series feels unique while still feeling familiar.

I did enjoy the romance in this book, but I also felt like there was a slight lack of character development. This could be a risk of having (at least) four POV, and not being able to focus too much on specific characters.

but is instead something you must earn over and over again.

Overall, this one was entertaining but didn’t blow me away. At the end of this series, I definitely liked A Curse So Dark and Lonely the most and neither the second or the third book has quite lived up to the feeling I had from re-reading the first one. But I have enjoyed all of these books, and found them very easy to read.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (#2) by Brigid Kemmerer

On By Beth JonesIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

Goodreads | Bookshop.org

Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.
Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen–until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?
The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed re-reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely and I knew it was finally time to continue with the series (sorry it took me so long, Bloomsbury!). This one was yet again super easy to dive into and I immediately fell in love with the writing style, which is so easy to follow.

We are introduced to new characters in this sequel, which I was a little hesitant about and definitely did impact my enjoyment of the book. I really loved the main characters of Grey, Harper and Rhen from the first book, so to see new people in this one did throw me a bit.

“I am crying because you are a prince,”

However, I did find myself really enjoying Lia Mara’s chapters, and she became a great female protagonist in the absence of Harper. I also really enjoyed seeing some of the side-characters from the first book become more prominent in this one, including Harper’s brother and his boyfriend.

The biggest let down for me was the lack of focus on Rhen and Harper, and I honestly felt like Rhen was really left on the back burner. His character seemed pretty unrecognisable and went from being someone I really liked reading about to being almost non-existent and when he was mentioned, pretty unlikable. I’m hoping the final book in the series focuses more on Rhen, and he has a redemption arc from this point!

I say softly. “And I…” I let out a breath. “I am not a princess.”

The writing is definitely the best part of this series for me, and I loved the descriptions of the world. Although I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first book, I’m still looking forward to continuing with the series in A Vow So Bold and Deadly.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (#1) by Brigid Kemmerer

On By Beth JonesIn Book ReviewLeave a comment
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Goodreads | Waterstones

PRINCE RHEN, the heir to Emberfall, is cursed. Forced to repeat the autumn of his eightenth year over and over, he can only be freed if a girl truly falls for him, and fter so many failures his kingdom and its people are barely holding on.
HARPER’s life has never been easy, but she’s learned to be tough enough to survive the streets of Washington, D.C. When she is sucked into Rhen’s world, nothing is as it seems. Piwerful forces are standing against Emberfall … and it will take more than a broken curse to save it from utter ruin.

I read this book a while ago, and I finally got around to re-reading it before continuing with the series. I’m glad I re-read this one, because I didn’t remember everything about the book, and purely because I enjoyed my time re-reading it.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that does stick to the original fairytale with some unique twists. One of our main characters, Harper, actually comes from Washington DC in the real world, and is dragged into a fantasy world that exists alongside our own. Because of this, and because Brigid Kemmerer also writes contemporary, I do find her fantasy books read very easily and quickly.

We are all dealt a hand at birth. A good hand can ultimately lose – just as a poor hand can win – but we must all play the cards the fate deals.

I found A Curse So Dark and Lonely like being wrapped in a warm blanket. I just found it really comforting – partly because it does play into some tropes and YA fantasy cliches, but I honestly didn’t mind it this time. It did mean this book didn’t turn out to be quite a 5 star because it wasn’t surprising or unpredictable enough for me, but I did really enjoy it.

I once again liked our main character of Harper and found it really interesting to read about her disability throughout this book. I also loved Grey, who is so sweet and protective. I didn’t love Rhen, but I did feel a lot of sympathy for him by the end of the book, which is something Brigid Kemmerer does well.

The choices we face may not be the choices we want, but they are choices nonetheless.

I’m so glad I picked this one back up and I’m really looking forward to carrying on with the story. Although it can be a little cliche, it was so much fun to read and I really enjoyed it.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: Defy the Night (#1) by Brigid Kemmerer

On By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment
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Goodreads | Waterstones

In a kingdom where sickness stalks the streets and only the richest can afford a cure, King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist.
Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw marked for death, but she likes it that way. Together with the mysterious, handsome Weston, she robs from the rich to help the poor, distributing food and medicine to those who need it most.
As it becomes clear that the only way to save her people is to assassinate the King, Tessa must face a deadly mission that will take her to the dark heart of the kingdom . and force her to work with the very people she intended to destroy.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s been a while since I read A Curse So Dark and Lonely but I really enjoyed it when I read it and I was so excited to hear about this new release. I’ve also read a couple of Brigid Kemmerer’s contemporary books in recent years and really liked them, and this one didn’t disappoint!

This story takes place during a plague, which I was a little worried about but felt disconnected enough from the real world for me to still enjoy it. I started this book expecting it to be quite a typical YA fantasy and for it to be predictable, but I was very pleasantly surprised early on in the book. The plot quickly surprised me and I knew I would find this more of an emotional rollercoaster than I expected.

I really liked the characters and I found the multiple POV between the Prince and Tessa so interesting. Both of them have their own issues and troubles from each side of the class divide, and I could empathise with them so much. I really appreciated how this book didn’t shy away from talking about the pressures of royalty and the impact on mental health being in the royal family can have.

The plot was very fast paced and entertaining, and the writing was so easy to read. I really enjoyed the writing style and I found this one hard to put down. I feel like Brigid Kemmerer does an amazing job at writing accessible fantasy as her writing style feels very similar to contemporaries and she crosses between the two. Reading this has definitely made me excited to continue with the A Curse So Dark and Lonely trilogy!

Overall, there was a lot to love about this book and I found it such an entertaining read. If you’re looking for an easy to read fantasy with a fiery romance, great characters and a plot that will keep you guessing, look no further!

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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