This 200 pages long book took me forever to read… It wasn’t captivating at all. It put me into a reading slump. I’d pick it up, read 10 pages and find myself not caring, and not wanting to continue reading, not just this book, I didn’t want to read anymore in general. I think, the characters were pretty bland and there wasn’t much development. Because I’m a character driven reader, it kind of fell flat for me. It wasn’t bad by any means and it was well written, but there was nothing new about it that most readers haven’t seen already. I think if the book was longer and the author spent more time in the beginning on the characters, letting us to really get to know them before we dived into the action, the book would have been so much better. In the end, if I don’t care what happens to the characters, I’m not going to care about the plot, no matter how interesting it is.

I enjoyed this fresh take on the story of Maid Marion. Maz is a kid just like any other who lives in the Link, and on her 16th birthday is invited to the Palace for a celebration where she catches the eye of Crawford Reign, the Lord of Obanac. When her brother becomes wrongfully imprisoned she goes to the Lord hoping to find help and instead finds a boy who has no desire other than to own her. He tells her that he will release her brother if she agrees to stay with him in the castle. Maz knows she could never abandon her brother and sets off to find Robbie and his friends, a band of outlaws that protect people from evil raiders known as the Black Riders. They agree to help, but Maz has no idea how much Crawford Reign wants her, and the depths he will go to to ensure that her part in his master plan is played. An ancient evil, thought dead is stirring, and It will take Maz bringing together all of Obanac to make sure they get out alive.

This is great book for those in the younger YA, possibly MG age ranges. There were a few issues I had whilst reading, I felt that everything came together a little too neatly at the end and the main character came into her supposed power with little effort or training, it all seemed a little easy, and the book in general seemed a tad rushed.

There was a strength to the authors characters. I enjoyed that this is an almost Robin Hood re-telling but gender bent and Marion is the main character, the one skilled with the bow, and in the end the one who saves them all.. I did like Robbie's character, and their almost hate to love with each other fit in so well with the characters ages. The book was well paced and had a few twists and turns, mostly predictable, that keep us as the reader engaged.

I do think the world and overall storyline could have been developed further, especially since the book is only around 200 pages, but all in all it was a fun and easy read perfect for MG/YA readers.

Well, I'm gonna keep this short and sweet since this book just really missed the mark for me. I really liked the premise and thought it could be good, but honestly, it just felt like an incomplete draft. Like, the world needed a more fleshing out, and there were some definite pacing problems, and I just didn’t connect with the characters.

Overall, there were some interesting ideas there, but I just don’t think they were executed well, and there could’ve been so much more done with it. And by more, I honestly felt like so much of this story was just… “this happened, and then this happened. And then this happened….” On and on and on to the end, which just lacked tension for me. Honestly, by that point I just didn’t care, I just wanted the book to be over. Anyway. That’s enough whining on my part. It was really not for me.

So in terms of who I would recommend this one to… I just don’t think I would. It’s a quick read, and if you don't mind fast-paced books that aren't super fleshed out, check it out.

Maybe it was the names, but I thought this book was going to have strong Robin Hood vibes (Robbie, Marianne, that bow on the cover). My bad for jumping to conclusions.

Brought to the city for a special coming-of-age ceremony, Marianne goes head to head with the young Lord Crawford Reign who has her younger brother wrongfully imprisoned. Crawford's interest in Marianne is just one of the dark secrets lurking beneath the castle. With the help of her friends, Marianne must rescue her brother and find the courage to stand up to oppression and dark magic when no one else will.

I didn't connect with this story. Maybe it should've been presented as middle-grade instead of YA, but I found the characters shallow and the narrative lacking in depth. It could've used a lot more explanation for pretty much every aspect of the story, especially building up setting descriptions and the relationships between characters.

I was given a copy of The Phantom's Curse by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The plot sounded intriguing, but overall, I feel the story could have dragged a bit longer. It resolved a lot in the last few pages and the main character's love interest seemed forced and the whole relationship unsatisfying to read about. If given more pages and more tension, the whole story could have been elaborated, with more detail and explanation of the world and its systems.
The story reads quickly and is packed with action, it's just too fast paced. With elaboration, this could have been a great read. It's not quite a three star read, but also not a two star, it's somewhere in the middle.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. The pacing was off and in some parts of the story you didn't even know how much time had passed. Everything that could have gone wrong did, and then all of the solutions were just a little too convenient. At first glance, this book looks like a retelling of Robin Hood infused with magic to make it a little more interesting. It had literally nothing to do with Robin Hood except the names and the use of bows and arrows, I felt that it just made the story more confusing. The magic system is flawed and underdeveloped, the characters were flat, and if Marianne giggled nervously at an inappropriate moment one more time I was going to scream. Also Marianne absorbed all of Robin Hood's personality and made Robbie's character unnecessary. The magic was under explained and there were some many unnecessary characters that were used to attempt to draw out an emotional response that just fell flat. Personally I did not enjoy this book, and would not recommend it to a friend.

This book had so much potential. The concept was so good. However, this book fell flat for me. I would have loved a map in this book for starters. It might seem a minor thing, but I think a map would make this book so much better. Also, some background information would be nice. I had no idea what the Link was, or what the Phantom's curse was. It was like we were in a sequel or a companion novel of sorts and expected us to know what everything was, which is not the case. In my head the Link is like the Shire, but I don't know if that's even remotely the case. Like I said, some information would be nice. What this novel is lacking is world-building. In a fantasy novel world-building is essential, yet there is barely any in this book. This feels like a early draft of a book, which needs to be more fleshed out. It is a quick read, which I can appreciate.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free e-arc!

This is a great read for young readers- but as I am not a young reader, I wish there was a lot more substance to this book! I enjoyed the premise behind it, and getting to know the characters, but it just left me wanting more. I adored the relationship between Maz and her brother Newt, and the bonds she forms with other characters. The fast paced action keeps you drawn in as well. There was just so much that I wanted to know more about that kept me from loving this story.

Over all, would be great for a younger audience!

Marianne, a healer from the lower towns, visits the capital of Obanac to receive the blessing which is customary for those turning 16. When her brother is wrongfully imprisoned, instead of giving herself to the Lord as requested, she attempts a rescue. Meanwhile an old evil seems to be rising again as Marianne is discovering her powers and untold truths about herself.

Clean & crisp writing, with beautiful flourishes of descriptions and an earnest tone. A wonderfully structured world, with just the right embellishments to paint a clear picture of what the author wants to convey. A 1st person POV that still encompasses the whole story and you get to know all the characters.

Captivating from the very beginning, throughout the book I cursed and cheered, for Wilson has succeeded in getting me invested in these characters. During the action, my hand would fly to my chest and I would forget to breathe.

Appearing as the possible 'villain' of the story is Crawford Reign, a very interesting character, manipulative and certainly spoiled. With the kind of privilege you love to hate.

Our protagonist has an embedded sense of honor, while being much braver than she thinks. A natural born hero. I love her interactions with Robbie and the boys, heartfelt and often chuckle-worthy.

The use of the magic was a bit confusing. I needed a better and more explanation of the magic system. Also with so much build up there should of been a longer lasting third act.

Important themes here are compassion, justice and the inner strength you can achieve by believing in yourself.

This felt short and sweet with a nice ending (I admit I did tear up). It was quite an enjoyable read. Don't forget to read the bonus story which explains a key moment in the book, a surprise in the finale we could not 'see' for the book is written in Marianne's POV.

This story was a lot of fun, extremely fast paced and a delight to read. I enjoyed the characters, the plot and the fantastical world. While I was reading I did find myself wishing the author could have expanded on the characters and the scenes. I liked how it was fast paced, but at times it felt rushed. With a little bit more expansion I think it could have been both fast paced and well developed. I also found the scenes and dialogue a tad cheesy. But I really did love the concept of the story and the fantastical world. The romance was really good with some really sweet moments. Since the story read more on the younger side of YA I personally would recommend it to those in that demographic.

I've been reading a lot of shorter YA recently and more often then not when it comes to fantasy stories, the world building or pace suffer heavily by a shorter than normal page count. The Phantom's Curse manages to defy the odds and cover all the hallmarks of a YA fantasy heroine story in about half the amount of words it usually requires without causing the pace to sound stilted. Because of this unique ability, it would serve well as a reluctant reader read or as a reintroduction to YA for someone who's hesitant about the genre because it requires less of a time investment than books with similar plots and themes.

My first issue with The Phantom's Curse is the prologue. A lot of stories can do without them but something about this book's prologue's tone and contents really put me off and were I to have picked this up in a bookstore, I don't think I would have bought it. The tone shifts almost immediately after for the better and it just all together felt unneeded.

Also, because of the more compact nature of the book, it's hard to get as attached to MC Maz as you would to an equivalently well written MC in a slightly longer book. I'm normally a very character driven reader so I was expecting to be more bothered by this, but Maz feels like she was always designed to be a vehicle for the story to be told through, so I don't think it did much harm story-telling wise.

All in all, The Phantom's Curse is a very middle of the range book for me. It's good, but not groundbreaking. But sometimes stories just need to entertain and clocking in at less than 200 pages, this book is the perfect fun, fast escape from reality.

This had an okay premise, but everything felt rushed. Things were happening too quickly so the stakes felt low and nothing had time to properly develop. Magic wasn't explained very well, so I didn't understand if a lot of people had it or only one or two special people. The romance came out of nothing and could have used more build up.

I did like the sibling bond between Maz and Newt, she cared for him so much and it was sweet. I also thought it was cool that magical creatures existed, although we didn't see very many. Maz is strong and tries to do the right thing. She cares about her family and friends and treats people well, which I love in a main character.

I think this should have been longer so the different plot points could have been developed and explained more. It could easily have been 400 pages and still enjoyable.

I received this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

It was a good story line and I enjoyed the writing style. Overall, the story just felt kind of rushed! I felt like things happened weirdly quick. This plot line felt like it might need to be a duology so that things could have been fleshed out better. Wilson did a good job, I just wanted more so that I could connect to the characters and ideas better.

-Stone

ARC from NetGalley

DNF at 39%

This is not a well-written book. It isn't interesting. There is no showing, almost all telling. I don't care about any of the characters. I don't care about the plot. It's very amateurish, and I can't sacrifice anymore time to it.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book! The plot was unique and fun, although it often felt quite rushed. I feel as though I didn't have time to connect with the characters. The plot also moved along very quickly to the point where it was hard to follow at points. Such a fun concept for a fantasy novel, but I wish it was longer so the plot and characters could have been fleshed out some more.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Simply enjoyed this book.”⁣
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Story starts with a soldier Davis Reign and his friend Cassias, a fledgling sorcerer fighting against the dark power of the phantom that has infected the land of Obanac. “The lands ran with rivers of blood as the young friends battled the oldest evil.” They won the battle. Cities and Lower towns slowly returned to the normal life, however the fear of the phantoms curse still remained. ⁣
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On her 16th birthday Marianne ( Maz ) is invited to the city of Obanac, to receive a blessing accompanied by her little brother Noah. She meets young Lord of Obanac that shows interest in her. Towards the end of the blessing ceremony her brother gets accused in stealing from the Lord and gets thrown in a dungeon. Maz needs to find the way how to save him, but nobody wants to help her, because people are scared to leave lower town of Link, they are also scared from the Black Riders and Magic that roams outside the warded town. ⁣
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It’s a nice, easy read YA novel. I enjoyed the lightness of it and I’ve read it in one go. I will be honest here, I can’t say that the story was unique, or I’ve never read anything like this. But this book has a right to be. It’s interesting, fast paced, there are moments when you keep reading to find out the answers that have built up from the pages before.⁣
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I would recommend it to people that enjoyed reading “Cruel prince” trilogy by Holly Black. And I would rate it as 4/5 🌟. ⁣
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I received an ARC from Netgalley. The book comes out on June 11th, 2020.

Marianne is just a young girl, living her best life in the poor part of town with her younger brother. Their parents have been forcefully taken from them a few years ago, so Marianne had to grow up quick. There is a party for all young people turning sixteen and Marianne is the only one from the poor section, so she's looked down upon. She brings her younger brother because she has no one else. This proves to be a mistake because he is imprisoned, using a pretty obvious trick, and Lord Crawford wants Marianne in exchange.

At the party, she meets Theo, who is her inside man in the city. He helps not only with the rescue of her brother, but other things that Marianne needs help with inside the city walls. With Theo, Robbie and his crew, she plans a rescue. Then things take an even darker turn. Marianne isn't sure what is happening or why Crawford wants her so badly, but she will soon find out. And, no spoilers, but the situation becomes even stranger towards the end of the book.

I enjoyed the book quite a bit. It's rather short only about 200-ish pages. It was a nice, quick read. It felt like this book is the start of a series, but it could also just be a one-shot. Hopefully, it is a series because I would like more in this world. An explanation for a lot of magic (especially the Phantom itself) and other stuff would be amazing. The characters were fun and well written. Robbie and his band of outlaws were a nice addition. The romance is light, but obvious to any reader of YA fiction before. All the lovely tropes are there, and I mean that in the best way. Sometimes a tropey, easy read is the best kind of thing, especially in this time of crisis (Yes I am dating this review for future readers!).

I did like the rescue of Marianne's brother and also the rescue of someone else later in the book. It was full on Robin Hood stuff, which was a lot of fun. I sort of felt this was aimed for kids trying YA for the first time. It's a simple plot, the bad guys are bad, and the story moves quickly. Perhaps a little too quickly. The book could have been a little longer. There wasn't a lot of set up for things, they just happened. But, again, if this is someone's first YA book, then none of these things stand out. Either way, it's a fun read!

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<p>Shelley Wilson has created an engaging, fast-paced, medieval-inspired fantasy novel that artfully and vividly encapsulates the inner struggles of a hero in the making, while skillfully plunging the reader into violent situations. Both are written with empathetic, lyrical language and evokes a storm of emotions within the reader.</p>
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<p>Marianne or "Maz" sets out with her younger brother Newt to celebrate her 16th birthday in the City. They're from the Link, the lower towns protected by the City of Obanac, and must meet the Lord of Obanac, a young fellow who's succeeded his father, as part of the tradition. Maz is determined to return home after meeting the Lord in the city, with her younger brother, and continue her role as a healer in the lower towns. </p>
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<p>As usual, things don't go according to plan. Her younger brother Newt is accused of stealing from the Lord of Obanac and arrested, leaving Maz to return alone. However, she's not willing to take this lying down and gather allies to rescue her brother. Through her journey, she will discover a wealth of secrets, a curse that must be broken, and hidden identities. </p>
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<p>At the beginning of this book, I thought this would be a typical boy meets girl kind of novel, albeit with a rich/poor pairing. The two would battle the evil sorcerer, prevail against the odds, therefore breaking some pesky little curse, and rule their country in peace. Not quite how it went. </p>
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<p>Don't get me wrong, the originality of the premise was enticing and the deviation from the standard plot was intriguing and what drew me into the novel. As soon as boy meets girl, we get a hint that things aren't what they seem. Instead of some classic romance between the young Lord Obanac and Maz, we get something else. A suspicion builds from the unease our heroine experiences during the encounter. The revulsion and urge to escape the situation clue us in to the fact that something is not right with the young Lord. And we pine for the recklessly endearing Robbie that Maz left behind. Our concerns are finally solidified when Newt is accused of stealing and arrested. </p>
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<p>Shelley Wilson's dynamic, complex and highly relatable characters are the high point of the novel. Ever since her parents were exiled by the previous Lord, Davis Reign, without any warning, she has had to care for her brother. She was forced to grow up early so she could raise Newt, taking on the role of both mother and father. This is something that she struggles with, especially once Newt is imprisoned for a crime he never committed. She then struggles with the choice she must make: her life or her brother's. No matter what her choice is, the decision she makes and the actions she takes are ones that she will have to live with forever. This is a test like no other and she knows she won't come out of it unscathed. </p>
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<p>At first, she decides to save herself and her brother, but it soon dawns on her that it's not just their lives at stake. Everyone's lives might be in her hands, and that's a heavy responsibility. She gathers many allies in her fight to save her brother and her people, and in their quest she uncovers a wealth of secrets, some of which change the very foundation of all she knew. </p>
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<p>While the plot and the characters are carefully and lovingly crafted, the book seems more suited for a younger than intended audience. The novel could use some fine-tuning in terms of pacing, and grammar, but these are just minor tweaks to a fantastic novel. Overall, Shelley Wilson has created an incredibly enjoyable novel perfect for middle-readers that acts as a true testament to the power of friendship and family. </p>
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I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. The main issue for me was that I felt like there was so much more that could have been done with this story, but instead it ended up feeling rushed. Right off the bat we get a lot of background information in the prologue that was really intriguing and I felt like could have been an entire book in itself. So going into chapter 1, I kind of felt like I was picking up a book in the middle of a series instead of at the beginning. I felt the same at the end and really would have liked to know more in depth what happened to the characters. My favorite thing about the book was the main character, Marianne, or “Maz.” She was very relatable and I enjoyed the banter between her and Robbie. I also liked Theo and the friendship he and Maz built. Overall, I am glad I read this book and IF the author were to write another book with these characters, I would definitely read it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a beautiful premise and overall plot. I think this is not exactly meant for YA readers but for a slightly younger audience.

Marianne is a girl who live say in the outskirts of the Obnac city. Which was built several years ago when Davis Reign and his sorcerer friend Cassias defeat the dark phantom curse from the princess. Davis Reign is basically crowned king, marries and has a son. Cassias becomes jealous of all the attention given to Davis and plots to resurrect the phantom. David's wife dies and he becomes weak and depressed. When caasias takes advantage of young Crawford the heir and begins ruling the kingdom.
Marianne is targeted by Crawford to be the host/vessel of the phantom by putting her brother in prison under false charges. She is helped on her way by many allies.

Many secrets are revealed and Marriane comes into her own power.

This entire books feels incredibly rushed. Events unfolding at an unnatural pace. Problems getting solved very quickly. It feels as if the characters have everything handed to them in a silver platter. I was never attached to any of the characters they felt as if they didnt have enough significance even though they did. Which brings me to the character development which was barely visible or unbelievable because of how fast it was.

The description and world building though rich was again very rushed. And the journeys which feel like wouldve taken days feel like it was done in mere minutes. It took me a lot of time to read this book and I was constantly tempted with distractions.

I wish the book was bit longer. And I wish so many familiar YA plot twists weren't then together.