TW: Non-consensual sex that is very much pretended to be consensual and fine. No, really. Mostly in the first book, but I have some issues in the second book with this as well.

I do not recommend this book for anyone. I absolutely do not recommend it for teenagers. This mentality can become downright dangerous for teenagers to read about, and the relationships are not healthy. Not a single relationship is healthy, and there is not one time that it is addressed. This is not okay.

My full review will be posted on my blog on April 16th, which will include some of the finer details like the unrealistic history and how it's written. Yes, I know this is fantasy. I digress.

Cassandra is 22, but she does not read as 22. She reads to be 16 at most times, and sometimes 14 at others. Even after her escape from the prisons in Londinium, she still throws tantrums like a child. Quite literally stamping her feet when she doesn’t get her way, which, if I ever saw a 22-year-old do that I’m not sure I would know what to do. Devyn is angry and moody, and rarely ever has anything likable about himself. He posed as a 12-year-old when he was 16, so I would imagine that I would be grumpy in those circumstances too. If you’re wondering, yes, it is weird that Cassandra and Devyn’s age difference is 4 years- not when they’re in their 20’s, but since he’s been following her around since she was 12. It’s weird. Marcus was the only likable character of the trio, and O’Connor decided that was not acceptable, either.

My issue with this book, however, is not directly with any of these things. It’s the way O’Connor chose to write about consent and women. In the first book, Cassandra is given bridal tea. This is a drug. She is drugged to feel more sexually aroused to feel more inclined towards her betrothed (Marcus). This is the first time she and Devyn become physically intimate, and they both are aware she is drugged. Despite Devyn playing chivalrous every other moment, he does not when she is drugged. In the first 25% or so of this sequel, Devyn is then drugged with the same tea. The same thing occurs, and no one acts like this is a particularly terrible thing for either of them to have participated in. I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t want my partner to have relations with me when we both know I’m under a drug I did not consent to take.

Cassandra is used as a pawn for marriage, repeatedly. No matter who ends up with her, they are trying to marry her off to someone for power. This book is set in the future of some kind, and honestly, this trope is tired. The handfasting cuffs that Marcus and Cassandra both have to cause them to feel aroused when one or the other is experiencing it. Marcus does this to intentionally cause Cassandra to feel out of control around Devyn. While this is not marked as okay, Cassandra forgives Marcus because he didn’t ask to be put in this situation. I mean, neither did Cassandra, but fuck it when it comes to her ability to consent, I guess.

I want to further explore how terrible of a job O’Connor does of addressing consent, sex, and women. Especially because this is supposed to be a YA. I do so in my Goodreads review, however, this would be considered a spoiler and I did not include it here.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Since I finished the first book, and I already had this lovely sequel, well there was no hesitation to dive into Curse of the Celts. Ever since the first book ended on a god awful cliffhanger, seriously these will be the death of me, I just had to figure out what was going to happen next. Well, I wasn't expecting the cliffhanger ending in this one either. Hot damn.

Now just like the previous book, this one did have some of it's boring moments throughout the book. Mostly because nothing was really happening in the first book for me. I mean, stuff happened but nothing was really catching my attention. Plus the characters were okay and I was still getting hints about the horrible love triangle.. which is meh.

In the end, the ending was probably the best part and probably the only reason as to why I will continue to the next book. I also just really want to see how this will all end.

Thank you NetGalley, author Clara O'Connor, and One More Chapter for giving me an Arc of this book in exchange for an review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
This is the second book in this series. This book picks up right where the first book ended. The reader finds Devyn, Marcus, and Cassandra in the middle of the arena to stand trial by public vote. Cassandra knows they need to escape in order to warn the Celts of the impending threat from not only disease, but also the imperial council. Will they be able to warn the Celts before the threats reach them? Who will win Cassandra's heart, the man she loves or the man society chose for her?
This book was so much better than book 1. The writing and pacing held my interest enough to finish this book in one day! Cass is a much more developed character! She became to stand on her own and make choices for herself that most would deem selfish, but allowed her to take charge of her own fate. Devyn and Marcus are still swoon worthy heroes. I felt sorry for the whole situation between Devyn and Marcus being pulled towards Cassandra. Both had reasons for wanting her, but only one was really interested in her for the right reason. That ending had me in shock and wished for book 3 right away! Overall, I am glad to continue this series!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter sending me an eARC of Curse of the Celts By Clara O'Connor exchange for a fair and honest review.

Curse of the Celts is the second book on the The Once and Future Queen series, and it starts off right where Secrets if the Starcrossed finished.

The Roman empire meets technology dystopian setting continues to be interesting enough, and the writing of this second book is definitely more mature than of the first one, however I still feel it is too much centered in the love story between Cass and Devyn with it is irritating at times.

Looking forward to read the next instalment.

I was kindly given an ARC of this book my NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had not read the first book in the series but the author does a good job of explaining some of the plot of the first book so that I knew some of the main facts.

The world is one where the Roman Empire was never destroyed and instead took over a lot of the world. There is modern technology within the Empire alongside the traditional things like colosseum where criminals are judged. The people of the Empire wear hand cuffs that control their thoughts - who they feel attracted to, a strong urge to please ones parents and the Empire itself. In the world outside of the Empire (Briton), the people wield axes, swords etc. and live a very different life - think more Viking/Saxon England. Magic is everywhere but only a few people can really use it. Our main characters can use magic. The story follows our main characters escaping the Empire across Briton in the hope that they can discover more about themselves and be allowed to love who they want to. I felt sorry for the main characters who were duty bound to love certain people or have certain life paths ahead of them.

The characters were a little bit immature for me despite the 'new adult' themes. There is a lot of sex in this book but it's intertwined by childish thoughts and decision making. It almost had the typical 2 boys loving the same girl trope but managed to avoid this. I did feel invested in the love story despite my issues with the main female protagonist.

Without giving too much away, if you're into fantasy I'd say this book is worth a read. It's more YA in it's story and writing but the characters are obviously 'new adult' due to the sex. The ending of the book was good and definitely left me wanting to read the next book.

Wow. Woooooooooooooooow.

Love the story. Love the continuation. What a freaking curveball.

I’m speechless...

Hate hate Cass’ change. I don’t understand why a lot of female characters are written to act stupid after big secrets are revealed. In book 1, Cass found out about magic, but I felt like she reacted ok. She kept her calm. Even with handfast cuff and bridal tea. In book 2, she has no further knowledge about magic and is out there making all kinds of stupid mistakes and assumptions. Sometimes making things worse for them all. Hello, hounds! What gets me is that she’s AWARE of how stupid she’s being and yet does it anyway.

The other thing that bothers me about Cass 2.0 is how bipolar she is about her feelings towards Devyn. Devyn has made it very clear since book 1 that things are very complicated and she SOMETIMES gets it but others she says “f it all I do what I want” and then ends up emotionally distraught. Cass is so much better than this! The events in the end make me hopeful for Cass 3.0 to be stronger than ever.

Weirdly enough, it’s a newcomer who “gets” Cass more than the two men in her life. Gideon, although very VERY prickly, is so observant and figures out what the trio is hiding and somehow is able to get through to Cass when no one else can.

Filled with angst, secrets, danger, and heart wrenching event(s). Days after finishing the book and I’m still having a hard time digesting all that went down! I definitely have conflicting feelings about Gideon and what his role will be in the next book…

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I’m so happy that I got a chance to read this book in advance, seeing as the first one ended on such a cliffhanger! However, while my previous statements on the intricately beautiful and well developed world still stand, there were a couple of aspects in this that left me a touch disappointed.
Indeed, with the change of setting from the technologically advanced Roman city of Londinium to the surrounding lands where Celts and druids cohabit, magic is still alive and ancient traditions survive, I was expecting to see a lot more of it than I got.
Aside from a significant exception starring the main character and a bit of healing magic on the side, there is almost no magic activity at all present. The whole of the first part of the novel is primarily focused on the description of the journey out of the city, while little to no page time is given to Cassandra’s, albeit short lived, magical training once she reaches the city of Oxford. From then on, the plot picks up rather quickly and it definitely kept me glued to the page, but I felt as though that were a bit of a wasted opportunity, also in regard to the exploration of the world on this side of the city walls.
Another issue I had was with Cassandra’s introspection which seemed to be running in circles a lot of the time, while she appeared to sometimes be utterly unaware of the evidence that was staring right at her. Similarly, the relationship with Devyn, which was really the cornerstone of book one, seemed to take a bit of a step back in the sequel, as I felt that the chemistry between the two was sometimes lacking and Cassandra appeared to be the only one hell bent on keeping it going, to the detriment of everything else going on around her, including some pretty important plot points.
The best part of the novel was by far the ending, by which Clara O’Connor can do no wrong. Between a plot twist I would never have seen coming and the consequent unravelling of one shocking development after the other, I found myself almost holding my breath up to the very last sentence. Now I really cannot wait to have the third and final book in my hands, because I genuinely cannot imagine how it all will resolve itself!

I really like that the sequel starts exactly where book 1 left off. Things are more complicated than we thought, the trio of Cass, Devyn & Marchus unknowingly part of a bigger conspiracy, caught in the middle of several powerplays.

Another thing I like in sequels is that we learn more of the world we are 'visiting'. A good thing is that it expands on the magic system so we can have a better understanding of it. A lot of questions are answered as others are raised. And we still have the mystery of who Cassandra really is. Why she needs protecting and why she is forbidden.

Complimented by vibrant figurative speech with O'Connors's signature ability to bring together unexpected words for her descriptions. The POV might be Cassandra's, but the narrative helps us observe the trio and the events unfolding in an all-enveloping way. It's good that the main characters are so well developed, engaging and likeable since the whole story revolves around them and their interactions. Interactions that are sometimes awkward or tense or endearing, passionate and so much more.

The villains are delightfully despicable and there are new interesting and entertaining characters like Gideon.

Cass now sees the truth of the injustice of her society, now that she is on the other side. We feel her inner turmoil that is depicted so well. She continues to evolve. "I am the owner of my own fate" she says displaying how crucial destiny and duty are in this tale. Can love conquer all? When your world is turned upside down can you follow the right path? Will you want to? This is a testament to never giving up.

Sometimes the protagonist's thoughts are repetitive or she's being captain obvious by telling us again what just happened. There are also parts where the action and the reactions are a bit muddled.

Full of excitement, jaw-dropping revelations that change everything, shocking truths, machinations for political gain and power, heart-crushing ultimatums and a foreboding feeling from the threat of war. An ultimate betrayal has you seething, leading to a point where I had to restrain myself from throwing my phone (my tablet was on the fritz) to the wall. You will never see that ending coming and it will surely be divisive for the readers. Need book 3 NOW!!

This is a fantastic sequel. I was on edge through most of the book. Cassandra, Devyn, and Marcus are on the run. And it was pretty intense for a good portion. There were a few moments that made me kind of annoyed at the characters and a little at the plot. Somethings felt just a little too, convoluted and melodramatic at times. The "I love you and want to be with you" to "No, we can't be together." often in the same scene got a little tiring. Especially with how things ended.

I loved all the expanded worldbuilding in this book. Seeing the world outside the walls of the Empire. The empire came across as really sterile and bland. The rest of the continent felt more vibrant.

There were several reveals in this book, and I didn't expect most of them, one was something I was suspected but wasn't sure about, and one did surprise me at first, but after thinking about it for this review I could see some of the foreshadowings. I knew something big would have to happen because there is a whole third book to go, but I wasn't sure what it would be.

There were a number of new characters introduced in this book that I look forward to learning more about in the next book. And I am both excited and nervous for the third and final book.

The ending of this book is a massive cliffhanger, and it was something that I was not expecting and is the thing that makes me very nervous for the third book.

<b>*I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.* </b>

Cass, Devyn, and Marcus are returned to the massive arena in the center of Londinium due to their crimes against the Code. The three must escape the city and travel to the Celtic ruled lands if they want to survive. Along the way, Cass learns something about her past that could put her, and those close to her, in danger.

I was not a huge fan of most of book 1. I actually gave that book 2 stars, but I gave this one a chance because the last book ended so strong. I was glad I did. The writing is much better, Cass is much more bearable, and new threats are around every corner. The world building in this book is great! Since we were introduced to the lands outside Londinium, there were new customs and laws we had to learn. O'Connor did a great job of weaving those into the story without it seeming like information overload.

The twist at the end killed me. I did not see that coming and was shocked when it happened. I found myself crying, which doesn't happen often when reading. I keep hoping there's some way to fix what happened at the end in book 3. I am so excited to see how this story concludes!

The second book. I was excited to read this as I loved the first one, but the first half of the book was a bit boring, they were just traveling and nothing read happened. But the second half soon picked up pace and oh my did it throw some curve balls in there!
3.5 ⭐

The second book follows straight on from book one and with that first sentence I was transported back into the world of Cassandra, Devyn and Marcus. It's really hard to give a full review of book two without giving any spoilers. The three of them find themselves in the arena to stand trial. Had the signal blockers worked? How much did the council know? What happens next?

I loved this as much as the first book. Brilliantly written. Very fast paced and addictive reading. I am a Hunger games fan and this is certainly a hit with me. The similarities are with the love triangle and the barbaric way Londonion is run. But the rest is fresh and exciting. The badlands were terrifying. I am already looking forward to reading book 3.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and Clara O’Connor for providing me with an ARC of ‘Curse of the Celts’ – the second instalment in “The Once and Future Queen” series – in exchange for an honest review.

As a sequel to ‘Secrets of the Starcrossed’, ‘Curse of the Celts’ did not disappoint! Following on from the cliffhanger at the end of ‘Secrets of the Starcrossed’, the reader immediately reconnects with the star-crossed protagonists and their plight from the very beginning of ‘Curse of the Celts’ as they embark on a gripping adventure.

Despite leaving Londinium and the Empire, Cassandra’s world continues to exist in a constant state of conflict. Torn between her friend and her lover – as well as her wish to know who she truly is – Cassandra embarks on an epic journey that tests all involved.

From ancient bloodlines, to unveiled secrets and conflicts of duty (all entangled in a web of danger), ‘Curse of the Celts’ kept me hooked from the very beginning and was a fantastic read! Once again, I am left hanging off the edge of my seat to find out what happens next. O’Connor has created a throughly immersive world that takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions! I cannot wait to read ‘Legend of the Lakes’!

Curse of the Celts builds more tension and momentum than the first book. Revealed secrets, questionable loyalyies, and mysteries surrounding questions of the past set an exhilarating pace in the second installment of The Once and Future Queen series.
The books picks up at the moment the first book ended, throwing you immediately into the center of the action, and leads you on a journey beyond the wall deep into the territory of the Britons. The new land is full of complex politics, and intriguing new characters.
After mild disappointment in the first book, I was glad to have taken a chance on the second. It did not disappoint.

I received a copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Alright guys, this sequel did not disappoint. Starting off right where we left off, We are with Cass, Devyn and Marcus as they face the sands of Londinium. Cass and Marcus are still handfasted by the cuffs. Devyn and Cass are still a romance to die for.

Cass, Devyn and Marcus escape the sands through some unlikely help. They continue their quest for a cure to the illness infecting latent magic citizens and a druid who can removed the cuffs from Marcus and Cass. The trio travel through the various kingdoms heading towards Mercia. The dynamics of the trio change and while Devyn is the one who can navigate these lands that are unknown to Cass and Marcus. He is also the most well known and if recognized he could get into trouble because of his broken oath to his lord. He must navigate the trio to allies that may or may not want him dead in hopes to persuade them to help them reach Mercia. Cass and his relationship is strained because of their roles but there are definitely some swoony scenes. Marcus, along for the ride, finds himself the third wheel at times, and the star of the show at others.

The characters all grow and come into their roles and maturity more. The new character introduced are interesting and I can't wait to find out more about who they are and their intentions, especially Gideon. Claa also brings back from interesting characters from Secrets of the Starcrossed to hep the trio reach Mercia, like Devyn's cousin Bronwyn. Curse of the Celts introduces more of the Celtic side of this world and they world building brings the Roman and Celtic histories and cultures together in a seamless way. The pacing is just as good, if not better than the first book. There is betrayal, heartbreak and a hint of hope for the future, but not the way Cass dreamed of. I cannot wait to get my hands on the third and final book in The Once and Future Queen series to find out the conclusion of Cassandra's story.

This was about equal to book 1 for me - interesting but nothing I haven't read before. Still, I'll be keeping an eye out for the third and final book!

Rarely do I find a sequel as strong as the original but that is not the case with Curse of the Celts. I thought this book far exceeded the first in the series both in plot and pacing.

I don't want to give away any spoilers for those who haven't read the first book, but this is the story I was wanting when I picked up the first book in the series. The first book spent a lot of time laying down the world: how it functioned, who was in charge, how various empires played together. This book was about the action.

Curse of the Celts picks up right where Secrets of the Starcrossed left off - and throws us right into the action. In this book we not only get to know more about Londinium but we also get introduced to the world of the Celts, their individual factions, and more of the history between the Romans and the Celts. We meet all new characters and get reintroduced to some that we met briefly in the first book. The twist at the end was great and perfectly sets the stage for the next book in the series.

My biggest problem with the first book as the instalove between Cassandra and Devyn. It seemed unnatural and I couldn't feel the pull between the two, especially since they kept pushing the other away. While I still felt some of that in this book, I was able to quickly move past it as the relationship between the three leads (Marcus, Cassandra, and Marcus) was more clearly written in this book.

If you left the first book thinking it didn't quite live up to it's tagline or that it was slow - pick up this book. It had exactly what I was expecting from the first: Celtic lore, Arthurian legends, new world history with the Roman Empire still ruling. I can't wait to read the next one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I received an ARC from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

In this book we are reunited with Cass, Devyn and Marcus. Here we see them fleeing Londinium, facing obstacles along the way. 

Although closed off at times, we see the relationship between Devyn and Cass grow,  yet for every step forward, there are often two or three steps back. 

There is betrayal, heartbreak and maybe a small hint of hope for the future, but not the way Cass would have hoped for.

Loved this so much I immediately pre-ordered the next book in the series. Cassandra and Devyn's story continues, set in an alternate Britain where the Roman Empire never fell, and the magic of King Arthur endures, Cass and Devyn seek out the answers to the mystery surrounding her birth outside the walls of London in the Briton heartlands. There's a flavour of Noughts and Crosses here but the writer has put an original and exciting twist on the doomed romance theme - don't miss it! There are unexpected and tragic twists in the story which leave a suspenseful cliffhanger ending and I can't wait to see what happens next!

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC from HarperCollins UK Once More Chapter team in exchange for an honest review after reading Clara O'Connor’s debut novel Secrets of the Starcrossed. Needless to say, I am completely enthralled in this world!

The Once and Future Queen series has never failed to make me hungry for more answers. In the second installment, Curse of the Celts, we follow Cass, Devyn, and Marcus as they embark on a journey to a world well known to just one of them. Anxious to find out the truth about her past and family, Cass finds herself searching for answers and a sense of belonging that she has never felt before in her life. As she explores her magical capabilities, she finds herself caught up in the midst of a murder attempt and a political divide, all while trying to keep her true identity hidden.

I really enjoyed the world building in this novel and the character development of Cassandra. She’s settled into her new role effortlessly and refused to let others decide her fate which is what I really admired. The ending really solidified my eagerness to finally find out what will happen to all the characters involved, and with the way the world is set up, I can only imagine what is in store for them all. That being said, I felt like not a lot happened in this book and I find myself wanting the plot to unravel at a quicker pace. Perhaps that’s a good thing since the final book comes out later this year! I can’t wait to read Legend of the Lakes!