Ive never read Wuthering Heights myself, so I can't really compare. The synopsis of this book caught my eye and the cover is spectacular. Unfortunately, the first half of the book was too slow paced to grip me and I couldn't hold out long enough to get to the good parts (though I knew they were there.) Im giving it 4 stars to makeup for my own impatience and the fact that by other reviews it seems to be a magnificent story.

Pearl is a girl who loves the sea just like her mother did. Growing up on stories of the ancient gods and the magic they provided she’s fascinated by it even if she truly doesn’t believe in something until she sees it. She loses her mother to the sea but never loses that wonder even after her father forbids her to go to the ocean. Then there’s Hake, the monster boy, not quite human but not quite other. He finally escapes his father, The Old One, to meet Pearl on the beach. Pearl offers him a home in exchange for magic even though Hake knows it’s not what she believes.

The first half of this story is Hake and Pearl as younger children and I honestly loved it. It was a bit slow but the adventures they went through and the experiences they had made up for it. I really enjoy these childhood adventure stories but that may just be me. The second half was where it picked up the pace. Even though I didn’t really believe Pearl would betray Hake in the way she did, it created a big enough rift that the two’s fight seemed realistic. The whole adventure and magic of the ending was exciting and had me at the edge of my seat the entire way.


Pearl was the girl I honestly wished I could have been when I was little. She was adventurous, a bit wicked, and in love with nature. Her personality was just mean enough that you could see how she didn’t know how to interact with other children. It wasn’t necessarily that she was truly wicked but just unsure how to truly play (her pitchfork antics are quite funny though). As she grows older you can see her struggling about how to grow; her two sides split between her mother and father cause not only a rift in her personality but also between her and Hake. She does stay true to her curious nature but does mature as she grows older. It was obvious when she tried to be the perfect daughter that her father wanted that she wasn’t happy(poor Otto’s feet). By the end she truly finds her peace and the perfect balance.

Hake was just as cute although weird. With his magic cloak, he was a monstrous, sad little boy. He grew as a character just as much as Pearl did if not more. He is a bit more standoffish compared to Pearl as a narrator but that was due to his upbringing. Hake trusted Pearl more than anyone and it really hurt to see him going back to The Old One. As he grew into a more confident young man and half deep dweller his personality really shone. I honestly wish there was more about him enjoying the ocean. His ravenous appetite for Alma’s evil mince pies is also absolutely adorable.

All of the side characters are also well written from Alma and Jasper to the Lotham siblings. Alma is well balanced between being the loving mother figure to Pearl and the nursemaid that her father actually needs her to be. Plus, who doesn’t want an italian count to whisk you away into the countryside. Jesper does the old superstitious farmer perfectly but I kinda wanted more background into his character. Why exactly was he the way he was. The Lotham had a good but small role in this book. Eleanor was a bit annoying but again, that was her upbringing.


The world building of this book is where it really shines. It’s offered up as a gothic retelling and gets that vibe perfectly. While I can’t say much about the actual retelling since I haven’t read the original Wuthering Heights it is an enjoyable story. The seaside with the storms and manors, even the name The Tempest, all set you deep into the mood. I do wish there was more about the deep dwellers. The rituals and maybe more about the other dwellers seems like they would be incredibly fascinating, I wouldn’t mind reading about these in another book. *hint* *hint* It is an enriching, mystical, and slightly creepy world that enraptures you.


Tempest Cursed was a fascinating and creepy gothic story. It is perfect for fans of classics who may want a bit of a lighter read or something with magic, yet these aspects don’t take away from the story at all. I honestly fell in love with this world, I might end up a sacrifice to the deep dwellers in two seconds, but I wouldn’t mind joining it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Xpresso Books Tours for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Tempest Cursed: A Wuthering Heights Retelling. I think Wuthering Heights is one of the only classics in this genre that I haven’t read. So I only have a passing knowledge of the storyline. So I’m not the best judge to tell you how accurate this book compares.
I really love the slightly spooky gothic feel of the story. It’s set in an old house on the cliffs of the seashore. Where there are whispers of the old gods whom the people have forgotten. So now the waters are cursed. People drown, boats sink and fishing is impossible. Then a young girl meets a young boy who’s not completely human. He promises to teach her the ways of the old magic to help her find her lost mother. Spooky right?!?
This book has a wonderful atmosphere. It really puts you in the mood for a good gothic romance. There were times I didn’t really like Pearl. I felt like she was bratty and sometimes mean. But I did enjoy the romance and the story was very engaging.

This book was so good! I love romance books that make your heart stutter. I flew through this book in one day and I was so sad when it was over! I will be recommending this book to all of my friends.

I really loved the setting of this book. The descriptions of the sea and the moors were amazing and really set the tone for the house and the story well. I also thought the characters were well done, I did enjoy the second half of the book when they were older a bit more but thought they were consistently interesting and drew me into the mystery surrounding their lives. I did however wish that there was more explanation given as these mysteries were explored. I wanted to know more about the old gods and the history of the house. I also found that this threw off the pacing as just when we were finally getting the answers things began to feel rushed. Overall though this book is still a really enjoyable read.

I would suggest it would be fairer to call this book a work inspired by Wuthering Heights, rather than a retelling. Fans of the original work will see the parallels, but only in a general way. Overall, the premise was appealing and both Hake and Pearl came across well as characters. The second part of the story, when they are teenagers, was more engaging than the earlier section when they are children. I felt the story got going more then, although the finale felt a little rushed. The world building was okay; however, I would have liked to have found out a little more about the Deep Dwellers than I was given. In the end, I would give this book three stars. It was an enjoyable read and will appeal to fantasy fans and readers who like retellings of the classics, but it's not a book that completely captured my mind or my heart -- a middle-of the-road read.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read Wuthering Heights, so I did not know what to expect when I started this book. I also can't appreciate how alike both stories are, so my review will focus solely on my thoughts regarding Tempest Cursed.
I thought the characters were well constructed. Hake, the love interest, shared many traits with Selkies. I love Scottish mythology, and seeing it come to life in this novel was delightful. It's quite unusual for selkies, or even merfolk, to appear in YA nowadays.
But, besides this, I found myself caring less about the plot as I was reading. It took nearly half of the book for the narrative to get going, building up. And later, when we see the characters have grown up, they behaved so toxically towards one another. Instead of their repetitive fights, I would have loved to learn more about the Old Gods and their powers, or about Hake, and who he is.
Nonetheless, the atmosphere created by Lannon was gothic at its peak. A creepy house, by the cliffs, with only the raging sea beyond. I could feel the salty breeze on my skin as I was reading those scenes by the cove.
Overall, I thought it was a creative story, the major issues being the slow plotline and whiny teenagers.

The book titles itself a Wuthering Heights retelling but it reads more like it was heavily inspired by it. Not a bad thing but having read my copy of Wuthering Heights so much that it fell apart, this feels much more like a story inspired by it.

The characters are well done and invoke Catherine and Heathcliff strongly. Pearl and Hake are very solid characters who inhabit the story beautifully.

Taking place on the cursed island of Moon Tithe, it's a dark, gothic tale complete with an Eldritch monstrosity.

A curse was laid down by the Old Gods, the Deep Dwellers, of which there is only one left. And while I really loved this, the mythos of the Old Gods isn't ever fully explained. We don't learn more about them, just a bit about the one who is left.

Hake is a boy hurt by the Old One, the last Deep Dweller who escapes and meets Pearl. Watching them grow up was amazing. It felt good to read. I will say however, that any time there was a kiss it fell flat for me.

There's also the issue of pacing. This book was impossible for me to put down for the first 55%. Then it became a bit of a slog. The pacing would slow down, pick up, slow down. It was a bit off putting at times.

When we get descriptions of things they're done well and you really do get to see it well and feel immersed in it, especially when the pacing is up.

There was one instance however, where I sort of felt let down as a reader. It was a moment where an important revelation was made and the characters "just knew". It cheapened the reading experience for me in that moment.

Almost all of the characters are really well done and their relationships work. There was no hamfisting two characters to make time seem genuine around each other.

A fun read I could see myself recommending to a few people.

🌊

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books, and even though I read it many years ago it marked me so much that I still remember the story a lot.
And even though this book was just a retelling, I loved reading and taking the small similarities and inspirations that the author brought to the story.
For me, this book had the same atmosphere as the original book but managed to bring a totally different story where magic and mysteries together with the atmosphere of the wuthering heights makes it an incredible book.
I loved Pearl and Hake, I liked how the personalities resemble Cath and Heathcliff but are the same time bring their own characteristics and different from the original story here the characters grow and learn.
The romance was also incredible, the way the emotions were portrayed in a raw and real way, as in the same way that happens in the wuthering heights, the author here manages to write a cruel romance, that hurts and that is not at all beautiful but here the difference is that the love of Pearl and Hake has evolved into something beautiful.
I really liked this book and I recommend it even more but if you like wuthering heights.

This one is a take it or leave it for me. I wanted to really enjoy it but the pacing and plot just didn't work out fully. There were a lot of repetitions thought the story and it really slowed it down. I liked the characters and the story overall but the writing just didn't work for me.

The Tempest Cursed is marketed as A Wuthering Heights retelling, which if you are familiar with the tale then some themes and points in the book might be predictable. Because of this, the pacing felt slow. However the characters were great and you really see the allusion the author nodded to the original characters so I appreciate that.

I have a thing for retellings so since I saw this was a Wuthering Heights retelling I just knew I had to read it. I got to say the retellings I enjoy above all others are the ones where the author makes the story their own and in my opinion K.C. Lannon did that brilliantly. Yes the similarities were there, but it didn't stop the story from feeling new and fresh.


This book might have started off a bit slow which is why I rated it 4 stars instead of 5 but once I got to a certain point I was totally engrossed. The atmosphere created by K.C. Lannon was amazing the feelings I had while reading this was truly an experience. Another thing I really liked was the characters. I admit they frustrated me at times, but that didn't stop them from being very likable, and Hake especially really made an impact on me.



This was absolutely not the book I was expecting ; actually I don't know what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed what I got. I'm looking forward to reading more from K.C. Lannon in the future.

AN INTERESTING 'WUTHERING HEIGHTS' INSPIRED YA FANTASY NOVEL 👏

Taking on a classic like Wuthering Heights is quite a feat and in my opinion there's only one way you can do it - by making the story completely your own. If you ask me, Lannon managed this perfectly. She stays within some of the central plot lines, but the rest is all Lannon. And those parts were great! I only had a little trouble with the pace of the plot, but the rest was great.

👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍

Wuthering Heights: Wuthering Heights is not one my favourite books, I'll admit that. But it also not a book that I have seen many retellings of, so it was very interesting for me to see how someone would go about reshaping this story. Like I said earlier, I think that Lannon did very well in staying within some of the central plot lines but still making the rest of the story - as well as the universe - her own.

Selkies: I love selkies and merfolk and I really don't feel like they get enough attention especially in YA literature. So seeing them come to life here was very refreshing and nice. Also, I think they added just the right amount of gothic horror to this story, which was very appropriate.

Hake: Our 'Heathcliff' character, Hake, was a great character. I was never a fan of Heathcliff because I didn't really understand him, but Hake was different. Hake has a tough life, so many things are against him - his past and people's perception of him, especially - but he still manages to be a decent person and, perhaps most importantly, he is still capable of love.

👎 WHAT I DISLIKED 👎

Plot and place : As much as I loved the setting, the fantasy and the characters, I was slightly let down by the pace and the plot. It seemed to move very slowly at times and there were unnecessary repetitions that just slowed it all down even more.

Tempest Cursed is a Wuthering Heights retelling, set on the Island of Moon Tithe. Pearl and Hake become hopelessly tangled in both feelings and the island's secrets. The story is split into two perspectives, and two halves of the story - the first being the two protagonists as young children, the second as young adults.

I really enjoyed Tempest Cursed! I adored the gothic atmosphere the author created, and the subtle nods to Cathy and Heathcliff's story. I thought the plot was very interested, and kept me mostly hooked throughout. I thought the author managed to keep their voices distinct and separate in their alternative points of view, which I was vary of at first, but pleasantly surprised.

The pacing seemed a little slow at the start, and rushed at the very end, but that aside, Tempest Cursed is an enthralling read. I would recommend it more for middle grade readers than perhaps young adults, due to the writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley and K.C. Lannon for this advanced copy!

Anything that is gothic vibes by the shore, I'm all in! It's seriously a weakness. The blurb had me very curious since it talked about a cult and old gods. A few other things I enjoy reading about. There were definitely some great aspects to this book and ones that I wish got more attention.

This book is split into two point-of-views: Pearl and Hake. Each one comes from a different background and each has had their share of hurt.

The book is also split into two parts. The first part is when the two main characters are ten years-old. I really wasn't a fan of the first half. Since this is a YA book I just expect the characters to be a certain age. I don't mind flashbacks but with this being half of the book, it just wasn't my thing. It does help to solidify the friendship between the two so I do understand why it is the way it is. It was also at a slower pacing.

The second part is when they are teens and now the impact of the old gods comes into light. It definitely picks up pace wise as there is a lot to cover. The ending did feel a bit rushed with the old one.

When it came to the plot overall, I wish there would have been more about the Deep Dwellers/old gods. It was always briefly mentioned but nothing that kept me super intrigued about them. There is more in the second part but by then everything is already starting to be revealed and I still had questions.

The plot is more about the friendship/relationship between Hake and Pearl. It's a fine and nicely done but it just didn't give me all the feelings.


The gothic atmosphere is definitely the part I liked the most about this book. Pearl lives in a creepy old house and has a lighthouse nearby. Plus, the ocean is nearby. It is the perfect setting.

I also can't comment on the retelling aspect since I haven't read that book.

Overall, it was good but just lacking where I would want more.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Tempest Cursed: A Wuthering Heights Retelling in exchange for an honest review.

I'd argue that Tempest Cursed is more 'Wuthering Heights inspired' than 'Wuthering Heights retelling'. A lot of plot points and characters are mashed together and the plot line is followed loosely which definitely worked in Lannon's favour here. It's just Wuthering Heights enough to instill familiarly and nostalgia but also unique enough to stand on it's own and keep you curious and invested.

Wuthering Heights with monsterous gods? It was incredible how well that worked here. Our two leads were really distinctive and it was fun to watch how their relationship develop. All in all this was a really good read, my one complaint being that the middle section had a few scenes that didn't feel entirely necessary and dragged a bit but who knows? Maybe they'll be important for the sequel.

"A girl who became a ghost story, a boy who became a monster."
100% transparencies, I have never read Wuthering Heights. It has been on my list literally my whole life and then of course I am loosely versed on the tragic story of Heathcliff and Catherine. I enjoyed this story very much and especially loved the dark, magical twist to the classic tragic tale. This follows the lives of Hake and Pearl from the time they meet at ages 10 and 11 up until their teenage years. It's listed as a YA read but I would say that's it's more of a middle grade novel. There is a lot of dark content but it doesn't really go into detail so I'd say the age range for this book is 10 and up. Overall I did enjoy the story and I even went and watched Wuthering Heights to get an idea of the story and I could definitely see how the bones are the same but still has it's own identity. It is the first in a new series of Gothic retellings from this author so I will be interested to see what is up next in this series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC to review.

This review will be available on my blog 8/5/20