Ever Cursed is a standalone young adult fantasy by Corey Ann Haydu. I wanted to love this book so much! I was initially drawn in by the absolutely stunning cover, and then I read the summary and I thought it sounded so good! I had an advanced ecopy of the book and I started reading it before release date, and I couldn't get into the story so I set it down. Then I borrowed the audiobook from my library and I was determined to give this one another shot. It has all the makings of a great story- a great fantasy land filled with princes and princesses, witches and curses, a creepy sounding curse, a quest to break it and a really richly diverse and inclusive cast. I was super, super pumped. But I am sad to say that this book just didn't work out for me. I seem to be in the minority with my opinion (at least according to goodreads reviews) so if this summary sounds like something you would really enjoy, definitely give it a go. I hope you like it much more than I did!

In Ever Cursed we have a ton of main characters, which was one of my issues with the book. We have our four cursed Princesses of Ever- Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden and the young aitch that cursed them- Reagan all as our main characters. It was a lot of people to keep track of and to try and get to know. Jane and Reagan are the oldest of the 5 main girls so they took a little more of a center stage than the others, but most of the book has them all present on their quest to break the curse. I liked Jane and the sisters well enough, but I couldn't really get to know them very well because there were so many of them. I also found it really confusing for about the first 35% of the book. I couldn't tell who was talking and then once I could identify their voice, it was hard for me to place who they were in the big picture. Because we have the four Princesses of Ever on the cursed side and then we have Reagan and her whole extended family on the cursing side. I was initially overwhelmed, but once the book got into the actual quest part of the story at about the 40% mark, I had everyone and their curses well enough sorted out. I just felt like it took too long for the story to get going and for me to gain my bearings in the world.

The curse itself was very interesting and completely terrifying. Reagan was mad at the king and in order to try and get back at him she cast a spell on all his daughters that would take hold when they turned 13 and would become permanent when Reagan turned 18. It was called the spell of without, and it took something from each of the cursed princesses. Jane was unable to eat or drink anything (for years!) Alice was unable to sleep, Nora was unable to love and Grace was unable to remember. Eden was the last to be cursed because she turned 13 just days before Reagan turned 18, and she was cursed to be unable to have hope (I think?) At Eden's birthday Reagan shows up and tells the sisters how they can break the curse, and off they go on kind of a quest.

Here's the thing- I really liked the idea of the plot, and I loved the cast of diverse and inclusive characters, as well as all of the social themes and serious issues that the author decided to tackle in this story, but I strongly disliked the mean characters who seemed mean just for the sake of being mean. The princes and princesses from other kingdoms that laughed at the cursed princesses and who wanted a cursed princess of their own, to the people of Ever itself who seemed to delight in watching the cursed young ladies suffer. It just felt mean spirited for the sake of being mean spirited and I didn't like it as a plot point to show out the meanness in the world. I think there are many other ways to accomplish that. My other issue with the book was Regan. I found her to be incredibly rash and immature. She cast that huge spell at such a young age and didn't really even stop to think about the consequences. And even after being essentially banished for 5 years, only to return before her 18th birthday to give the Princesses the opportunity to break the spell, seemed to do nothing for her. I could not connect with her in any way shape or form. She was too impulsive and selfish for my liking and I just couldn't see her as anything but the villain, which I know is not what the point of the story was. I am a very character driven reader, and so my inability to connect with the characters led to too many frustrations for me to be able to enjoy this story. That is not to say that I can't see the appeal. I think this book will appeal to many readers who are looking for a feminist fantasy story that features a diverse cast. If that sounds like your cup of tea, give Ever Cursed a read. Tons of readers seem to really enjoy the storytelling in this one. It just wasn't for me.

I LOVED this book! It’s one that stays with you and it is so unique!!! I can’t wait to rush to buy it!!! 5/5 stars!!!

This is a very, very different type of book. It's about reclaiming power and feminism and believing, in the guise of a fairy tale.. I don't know who I would recommend it to, but I know that it will stay with me for a long time.

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for giving me access.

There are trigger warnings from the very beginning. Please be wary of reading this book is you are a victim of sexual assault or are triggered by reading such things. If you do read this, have a friend on standby for emotional support. Talk about your feelings.

This story contains so much, not only is it a wonderful fantasy read, it also brings attention to victims of sexual assault. It was written beautifully and I look forward to reading more from Corey Ann Haydu.

Ever Cursed is told from the POV of Princess Jane, the oldest princess, and Reagan, the witch who cast the spell. We learn the reason for Reagan's anger early on in the story as we follow them both as they try to break the spell. What follows is a painful, eye-opening experience for the both of them. Ever Cursed tackles rape culture, class differences, and the privilege that comes with money/power (magic). It's a lot to take on, and the book is often heavy handed when discussing these themes. Also, for a good chunk of the book, some of the characters (e.g. Abbott, Olive, and Reagan's grandmother) talk in riddles when giving advice to Reagan or Jane. It gets frustrating that the characters won't just come out and say what they mean, but eventually they get there. By the end, everyone is telling the truth and expressing their pain clearly.

Despite these frustrations, this is a great book that explores important, relevant topics through fantasy. At first I didn't understand why Reagan punished the princesses and queen when it was the king who did such an awful thing. But isn't that always the case? Women often suffer for the sins of men. Or, on the flipside, think of the woman in the fridge trope. Hurt a woman to make a man's story more meaningful. The king certainly uses the pain of his daughters to his advantage.

Jane and Reagan were fascinating characters who learned a lot and changed a lot over the course of the story. I especially liked the history of Ever and its missing princess and the way it tied into the present story. While I found the ending a little baffling, the journey was still worthwhile. I will recommend this book to readers looking for fractured fairy tales or feminist reads.

This book seems very simple and fails to stand up to the standard set by the blurb. There are some queer characters (trans MC/gay MCs), but some villains are also made queer (spoiler: someone who tries to assault the MC's sister is gay). Would not recommend to anyone without giving these warnings and trying to find a better match first.

Ever Cursed is the story of two young women: Princess Jane, the eldest of four princesses who are beloved by their kingdom but cursed to be Without one essential thing when they turn thirteen, and Reagan, the young witch who cast the curse. The princesses have the opportunity to break the spell before it becomes True and dooms them forever, but in order to do so, they might just have to team up with the witch who cast it in the first place.

I've always enjoyed reading Corey Ann Haydu's work. She writes primarily about the lives of complex characters facing complicated circumstances, magical or otherwise. And I've always found her approach to these stories to be engaging and clever. This is true of Ever Cursed as well, and I still can't get over how much I ended up being into this story.

I had hoped to enjoy Ever Cursed, but I don't think I could have predicted how much I would end up feeling so invested and moved by the experience of reading this story. It's fantastical, with strong fairytale vibes providing extra whimsy and a sense of unreality to the tale. But it's also got relatable and difficult themes grounded in very real themes. (Now might be a great time for me to mention a few content/trigger warnings for this story, specifically sexual assault and eating disorders.) I really admire how Haydu wove these things into her tale in a clever way that felt very organic, and still maintained that eerie, magical vibe that most fairytales possess.

While it wasn't an easy read, for me, Ever Cursed ended up having a very strong overall message. Both Jane and Reagan had to confront the realities of their world, including the societal divides, the treatment of other people and the bits of their past and present that they cannot (or refuse to) see at the start. And when faced with these facts, they each must decide how they can use their voice and talents to stand up for the right thing. It really felt empowering to watch them both grapple with the truths that their respective lives were serving them and to make the choices they did at the very end.

To sum it up for you, Ever Cursed was very good. I was so hooked on the way Haydu chose to tell this story that I read it all in one sitting! And the thematic content was something I found myself sitting with for days after I'd finished reading. I hope you'll consider checking out this book, and I hope it ends up being the same powerful reading experience for you that it was for me.

A story of two girls righting the wrongs inherited by years of complacency.

Jane is the eldest daughter and always puts the duties of being the future queen of Ever first. She has lived cursed longer than any of her sisters and she will only have days to break the spell before all their curses become permanent. Eden is the witch who cursed the princesses and must guide them to revelations about the kingdom and the suffering of their people.

The story transitions between Jane and Edens's perspectives, explaining the life of women confined to the kingdom and the witches banished from the kingdom. The story challenges the patriarchal system and the crimes that go unpunished in the kingdom. The plot has a moderate pace and a wide cast of characters. A lot was packed into this story and for the most part, it will be easy for readers to process. However, towards the end, a lot goes down and the plot gets complicated. The book leaves a satisfying ending.

There are themes of rape and sexual harassment.

*Review courtesy of NetGalley*

Let’s appreciate the cover for a moment shall we? It’s what lured me in and then the synopsis is really quite interesting.

Once upon a time there was a witch who was so angry she cursed the entire royal family, so that on their thirteenth birthday they become cursed. It’s a dual POV so we get to see the oldest princess, Jane, and our witch Reagan and how they’re dealing with issues. Jane is cursed to never eat, and only the curse keeps her from dying. But on her Eighteenth birthday, if it shouldn’t be fixed, she will die from the curse.

Jane is naive and particularly a weak character since she gives in to her father’s goodness, which we are often reminded he is so good (but we never see why he is? Just told quite frequently by her) She is soft, and allows herself to be humiliated because apparently future queens do that.

Reagan is a hot headed witch, who is conflicted because the spell didn’t turn out how she wanted. She loves her family and wants to protect them as well as witches too. She was ok I guess. I just have some issues with the writing which really didn’t help with me enjoying the story.

The writing style never allowed for me to dive in and understand or even enjoy the world. It’s as if we are only being told half stories at a time. We are told things and we are to believe them, which automatically makes me not believe them. The king is good, but the witch hates him, so clearly there is a story there which is seriously only hinted toward for a majority of the book. Actually so much of the book is vague and it begins to tell a story only for it to stop and change directions. It just frustrated me. Half explanations from characters, all telling and no showing. I didn’t know what the heck was going on in a good portion.

Eventually you learn the truth, but at that point I was reading for morbid curiosity.

Ever Cursed was such an interesting read! The world is so unique and creative!

The concept of witches was so different from anything I've read and the rules of the spells were so cool!
I loved the topics it addresses. Some are very uncomfortable and hard to talk about but they are important and they need to be addressed. I felt the power behind this story as things came to a close and I was ready to applaud for the outcome!

I did not connect with the characters as deeply as I had hoped. The characterization was a little less than what I usually like to see but that's something specific to my preference so I don't think all readers will feel this way.

I did really appreciate the growth of the relationship between Reagan and Jane. I also did not see some of those plot twists coming at all.

Overall, Ever Cursed tells a great story that is wildly unique and incredibly relevant to today's world.

I immediately fell in love with this book when I saw the cover. And oh boy, it did not disappoint. I loved this book! The audiobook for this is also phenomenal. The story line was so fascinating, I couldn't stop reading it because I just needed to find what would happen next!

The characters in this are SO GOOD. I will say, the princes sucked, like omg. I haaaaaaate them. I did love Jane. She is awesome. She is probably my favorite character. This world was so cool. With the Witches and magic, it was just awesome. This book was a little slow-paced, but not in a bad way. I usually avoid slow-paced books because they make me sleepy, but this one was done really well.

So, if your looking for a captivating, somewhat slow-paced, standalone fantasy read, then this is the book for you!

The kingdom of Ever is cursed. Their princess went missing over 80 years ago. The curse encased the Queen in glass box, trapped for almost 5 years. The princesses of Ever are cursed on their 13th birthday. Jane cannot eat. Alice cannot sleep. Nora cannot love. Grace cannot remember. Eden will soon lose hope. They are determined to break the spell when Reagan the young witch who cursed them returns before the spell turns true on the witch’s 18th birthday. This challenge takes them on a quest to visit their kingdom instead of admiring their subjects from afar, to see their father and other royals for who they really are, and take a strong stand against oppression and compliance. Will they break the spell in time for the undoing or will they be Ever Cursed?

I would give this book a 3.5. I was intrigued by the dual perspectives and stream of consciousness narration alternating between Princess Jane and Reagan the Witch. It felt like the story dragged at times for me. It wasn’t very subtle in exposing the issues it wanted to tackle like eating disorders, insomnia, and abuse. But I was intrigued enough to finish it.

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review,

This book was heavy hitting, so you should proceed with caution. It had trigger warnings, which intrigued me the most (apart from that beautiful cover). It has a good set of characters and a plot that gives a strong feminist vibes in every page. Please give this book a chance. I know you will love it and hold it close to your heart.

Let's start with the first thing I knew about this book and what dragged me in - I am obsessed with the cover! That cover is really gorgeous! I was pleasantly surprised that I did enjoy the story very much. However, this book was HEAVY and a tough read. I highly recommend it, but with caution.

There’s a lot of things about Ever Cursed that I should have loved. Princesses and witches, weird magical curses, a feminist fairy tale about the bewitched and the bewitcher. But honestly? It never felt right.

Ever Cursed is about the Princesses of a kingdom called Ever. A young witch casts a spell on the princesses to make them go without something; food, love, sleep, memories, or hope. After five years of this misery, the witch returns and gives them a way to break their curse in just a few short days. I hoped this would be a thrilling adventure of girls banding together in a kingdom they’ve never seen, but it was a slow paced, wrong-voiced read.

The way Ever Cursed is written, you’d think it was a middle grade story. It reminded me a lot of Wizards of Once and Dark Lord Clementine. And usually, that would be a good thing. But Ever Cursed is meant to be a YA; and a dark one at that. There’s sexual abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, sexism, and more hinted at through the early parts of the book. So when a character said “fuck” for the first time, I was really thrown off because I just thought this whole time, I was reading a middle grade. The voice just never clicked for me.

The writing also circled around itself several times. Chapters one after another would repeat information we’d already gotten twice before and it felt slow. Like a whole lot of nothing going on. I appreciate the trigger warning we got right at the beginning, but it still didn’t really prepare me for all the abuse we underwent. It made me feel hopeless as a reader because I didn’t see a way things could improve with all the terrible things going on.

Ever Cursed also dragged on quite a bit, despite being a fast read. I could get a quarter of the way through the book in one stretch of before bed reading. The prose itself read quickly, but the story dragged its feet. It was enough to keep me interested to finish, but I didn’t like doing it. The whole time I was reading, I just wanted to get to the next book on my TBR.

The cover is simply stunning, and I’m sure there are plenty of people who would fall head over heels for Ever Cursed, but unfortunately, I’m not one of them. The narrative style felt wrong for this book; too whimsical to counteract the dark themes. I’m sure it could have worked with a more careful hand, but to me, it didn’t.

I really wanted to like Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu. The trigger warnings intrigued me, plus I love a good story about magic and princesses. Unfortunately, it is nothing but a rehash of an oft-told story.

Men control women. Women silently suffer in an attempt to keep the peace. Something changes to make women aware of the control and lack of power. Women fight to protect their rights and wrest control from the men. The end. Throw in some magic, long-held family secrets, and misguided attempts at doing the right thing and you essentially have the plot to Ever Cursed.

As for the trigger warnings, I understand why the author includes them. That being said, the reasons for the warnings are not nearly as explicit as I expected. Because there are such warnings, I expected the danger scenes to involve details that would be difficult to read. They are not. In fact, they are very tame, in my opinion. They are in no way graphic. Personally, I think the warning about eating disorders is more appropriate because Ms. Haydu spent more time talking about Jane's hunger and mealtimes than she does going into specifics about any violence.

Ms. Haydu does one thing right, however. She does a decent job of portraying the sense of betrayal the girls feel towards their father once his actions come to light. After all, the only father they know is a loving, attentive father who not only played with them but was also progressive about their upbringing. So, their disbelief at the information they learn about him feels authentic and is one of the highlights of the story.

Overall, there is nothing new about Ever Cursed. There are many novels about the power struggles between men and women across all genres and age levels. The addition of cursed princesses adds a little something extra to the story even as it does not change anything at its most basic level. It is the same with forcing the cursed to work with the cursing - a fun addition but it adds nothing. So, Ever Cursed is just another disappointment in a string of them.

Wow this book tackled a lot in a diverse rom-com package. Liya has severe PTSD from the horrible experience she had as a child. The fact that she is still paying for this mistake from her parents and religious community made me so mad. I loved the contrasting upbringing that Jay had. He was a part of the same religious community but was raised by more progressive people. The meeting of these two was a constant battle but enjoyable to read. I'm glad there was a showdown at the end and they chose to make their own happy ending.

This title looked so promising and I was very excited to read some sapphic rep in fantasy, but I was unaware until opening the ebook and getting a few pages in that this book could be triggering for people who suffer with eating disorders. While I appreciate the trigger warning before the beginning of the novel, I am unable to review this title.

Beautifully and almost lyrically written!

And can we talk about the absolutely SWOONWORTHY cover!?!?

Great characters, fun plot, quick and amazing read!

* I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own*

I will admit, the cover of this book drew me in before I ever even looked at the story. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the story as well. A family of princesses are cursed by a witch as revenge for what their dad did to her mother. They don't know why they were cursed or if they are going to be able to break the curse, and the book focuses on how rape can affect not just the victim but all of the people around the victim and the rapist. It was a tough read, for personal reasons, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be recommending it to patrons!