Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of the book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I originally was attracted to the cover. It's beautiful.

The author is a decent writer and can tell a story.

Personally, I felt a lack of connection with the characters. I did finish it without feeling forced, it's just... I felt it was missing something.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! First of all, I do not know how anybody can pass by this cover without feeling the NEED to know more. And, I'd like to say this story is just as beautiful as it appears. I really appreciate the author's note at the beginning. A kind of warning about topics that could make a reader uncomfortable. However, all these topics were covered with such class that I had no difficulty. This is based on a Portuguese story about a princess named Ysabel. Ysabel is not a typical princess and believes she is cursed. She is basically starving herself because the food she touches and tries to eat turns into flowers. However, with the help of an unexpected new arrival she learns to turn this curse into a blessing. This book has so many layers, from religious to political to the fantastical. What this comes down to is can Ysabel accept herself, all the things that make up herself, and be true to herself.

2020 has blessed us with several queer retellings of myths and fairytales, and I was admittedly concerned that A Curse of Roses would feel too similar to other books I’ve read this year to give it an objective review. Luckily, I needn’t have worried. Elements of Portuguese history and culture are both deeply interwoven into Yzabel’s story, which gave this book a unique perspective – exactly the purpose of an #ownvoices retelling.

Like most retellings, the plot is fairly basic, and Yzabel and Fatyan’s relationship follows a fairly standard cursed-mentee/wise mentor template, though both characters are interesting enough in their own right to make up for the straightforward narrative. Also, Yzabel is thirsty for Fatyan, and I loved it.

However, this book is much more a historical novel than I anticipated; Yzabel and her fiancé, Denis, are based on real Portuguese royals, and there are several references to the Reconquista. This leads to the most interesting part of the novel, for me: Yzabel struggles deeply with internalised homophobia and reconciling her desire for Fatyan with her Christian faith. I thought this book did an excellent job of pointing out the role that religion played in controlling women’s lives in the Middle Ages and the hypocrisy of various religious leaders, while also respecting Yzabel’s beliefs and the way she embodied what she saw as Christian values of charity and kindness. Pinguicha also does an excellent job at balancing the period-typical homophobia with an acknowledgment of the fact that queer women existed everywhere in history, and were often able to use gender stereotypes to their advantage in carving-out safe spaces for themselves without men getting suspicious.

If I had any issues with this book, it’s that I would have liked a slightly broader scope. This is a very tight-knit book with a small cast of characters, and almost all of the action takes place within the castle and the immediately surrounding streeting (save for one steamy scene in the local baths… ). I also think this book could have benefited from expanding a little more on Portuguese history for those of us who are relatively unfamiliar; without going into spoiler territory, some of the final conflict in this book is based on the divide between Christians and Muslims, which feels a little abrupt without a good understanding of the historical context. (I did quite a bit of Googling afterwards).

I’m not sure it’s really necessary for me to extoll the importance of ownvoices narratives to anyone who’s gotten this far into my review, but A Curse of Roses was definitely another example of how much diverse perspectives can bring to the fantasy genre.

Read full review on 11/27/2020

A Curse of Roses does a beautiful job of creating a slow burn romance mixed with the trauma that the indoctrination of the Christian church can cause for LGTBQ+ people. While the priests were telling Yzabel one thing, her feelings and even her betrothed were telling her another. The romance between Yzabel and Fatyan is so gentle and patient that it took me off guard. There are moments that Yzabel is a completely unaware idiot. During those, Fatyan never pushes her in any direction she isn't willing to go. With that aside, the relationship between Denis and Yzabel is what impressed me the most. Denis does not push Yzabel, ever. Finally, being able to experience a culture outside of my own was fantastic.

<i>I voluntarily requested an e-copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending it to me!</i>

<b>So... I very quickly realized that this was not the novel for me, but there's still a lot to like about it that I gave it a full four stars.</b>

Before I begin, I just want to mention that <b>several scenes may be distressing to someone who suffers from eating disorders.</b> I should've recognized that from the summary but... yeah. They are skippable, so as long as you know the context, but they happen very early on and have great significance to the story.

WHAT I LIKED
1. The worldbuilding. This was unbelievably lush and immersive! <i>A Curse of Roses</i> offers a deep dive into Portuguese culture, which was very fascinating. But don't mistake it for a Eurocentric read, because Pinguicha includes Muslim characters who were historically (and even now!) present in the peninsula.

2. The philosophy. There is <i>a lot</i> to grapple with in this time frame. I was honestly impressed by Pinguicha's respectful and loving discussions with regards to religion (Yzabel believes that her power is a curse from God, and she punishes herself for it), sexism, and even homophobia (the fact that being a lesbian is considered a "disease" in-universe? wow!). But while their larger society is not very accepting, Yzabel (with the help of the side characters) manages to truly accept herself and find love and light. <b>It's... wholesome.</b>

3. Yzabel's attraction to Fatyan. While I had issues with the build-up to the romance, I found Yzabel's fumbling really entertaining. Why is she embarrassed to sleep in the same room with Fatyan? Why does she feel different when Fatyan undresses her versus when her lady's maid does it? W-why do Fatyan's breasts float and hers don't? Dude, I'm not joking. I'm actually quoting a scene from the book. The cluelessness is funny.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

<b>My main issue is that I found the pacing too slow.</b> A lot of scenes bored me, and even when Yzabel and Fatyan were having A Moment... it still didn't click for me. Don't get me wrong; a lot does happen. Yzabel seeks Fatyan to break the curse, then Fatyan teaches her how to control her powers, etc. <b>But the way it was written just felt a little dull to me. I expected more action, I guess? More tension.<b> There are high stakes here... but I didn't feel it.

<b>Also, I'm not wholly convinced of the romance.</b> I can accept Yzabel's attraction to Fatyan but it didn't really give me butterflies. The romance felt under-developed. Maybe this could be fixed if the author cut out a bunch of filler scenes and focused on their relationship instead.

<b>TL;DR Read this for the Portuguese culture and the journey of self-love. But don't come looking for a fast-paced read or an epic romance.</b>

Thank you to the publisher for giving opportunity to review this book. I am absolutely appreciate it dearly.

First of all, Portuegese legend is such a rare for me to encounter. This has given me a new perspective. I got to know a very generous queen once exists in Portugal. I also learned a few historical fact from this book which was Portugal used to be under of Moors rule. Before this I only thought of Spain but not Portugal.

For the story/plot, I believed it was an attractive and captivate one. It's about accepting of yourself. Your version not others' version. Meaning that, you be you and if you went your life been others, follow the others' opinion throughly without having any original of you will end up suffering. Mental and physical health will be deterioriating if you are not being you yourself. I admired on how straightly this author wants to deliver the message of being you is important.

Other point that I found is that a ruler will always be loved by their people if they treated the people very well. Having that emphaty attitudes towards people may lead you a very strong support. It's not just about a ruler, it is also applied to people who are a leader currently.

However I don't have much opinion on MC's relationship. For me, this story is suitable for those who celebrated this love. Very suitable for those who are in religious point of view and unsure whether it is real or not. You are not weird, your love is somehwhere special which only you and the partner can understand this and God too.

Another one I would to bring up is about The Caliphate. I don't know how the Western history interprate The Caliphate but I suggest whenever we want to involved historical fact, it is highly recommended to make a research throughly. We must take on both sides so that there will be no bias.

In conclusion I find it is interesting since I only took 3 days to finish it. If I took shorter days then best to believe I like it.

I guess that's all I can say. Thanks again to the Publisher !

The author did a great job of blending their magic system with the history and myth of her setting. I really appreciated that they also included an explanation of settings, history, and myths they used for inspiration in the back of the book. I love when authors entwine magic and history and this is a great example of this type of story. I also thought they did a great job of empowering their female characters while still keeping the historic confines they faced. As the story progressed it was awesome seeing the ways the different female characters used what was expected of them and even their perceived short comings to help each other. I thought the characters were well written, particularly the way their personal histories were revealed through the story. It was so satisfying to see how everything came together in the end. The romances, and friendships of the main characters were also really well written and I appreciated the main character’s journey to understand her feelings and relationships with those around her. All around a really well written book, that I highly suggest to fans of historic fantasy.

“Kindness isn’t something you are. It’s something you choose to be, every single moment of every single day.”


🌺 A Curse of Roses is the story of Princess Yzabel, who is betrothed to the king of Portugal during a time where starvation is sweeping the country. In the midst of all the hunger, Yzabel’s magic causes her to turn any food she tries to eat to flowers, wasting even more food during a time when it’s so desperately needed. Her people and herself starving, Yzabel seeks out the Enchanted Moura named Fatyan to rid her of this curse. Fatyan agrees to help, but in an unexpected way that will draw the two women together in ways they were not prepared for.

If you’re looking for a story where a woman raised in a heteronormative patriarchy begins to question the rules she was taught to live by, A Curse of Roses is the perfect fit. This is not an easy book to read (see triggers below), but it’s an important one. Yzabel is a good and kind character who wants to do what is best for her country but is trying to find a way to do so while being true to herself. This one earns 4 stars from me! Check it out yourself when it’s released on December 1st. 🌺

TW: homophobia, internalized homophobia, self-harm, eating disorders

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All quotes/sayings were taken from the ARC and may change.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled teen for allowing me to read an ARC of A curse of roses!!!

Spoiler free review

A curse of roses immediately drew me in with the gorgeous cover and the description. It did NOT disappoint. I’d like to start this off by saying I love the author’s note that was in this book! The writing was absolutely gorgeous and flowed perfectly through the pages as I read. The plot was well crafted and based off a Portuguese tale and I was very interested to know more about it after reading the story. I loved the f/f romance with the main character! Though this book is a fantasy A curse of roses thoroughly enjoyed this book!

-PLOT-
A curse of roses centers around Yzabel. This book is a retelling of a Portuguese legend. Yzabel’s main concern is her people. People of Portugal are suffering common people are starving meanwhile richer people are having feasts and there is a plague amoung her people. Cursed or a blessing? Yzabel can turn food and really anything into flowers. She harms and starves herself because of it. She needs help to get rid of her curse... Fatyan can help Yzabel with one kiss. Yzabel is betrothed to Denis the king of Portugal. He doesn’t want her giving food to the people etc. There is much Internal conflict with Yzabel she doesn’t know if she should choose love or her duty. You can find out what happens from there. I definitely enjoyed the plot and I know many others will too. PLOT: 5/5

“I’ll try to be the princess the country needs, too”

-SETTING-
A curse of roses is based of a portuguese tale as I stated. So of course, the story’s world building takes place in early years of Portugal. The places were described quite well and It did paint that picture in my mind. It was very cultural. SETTING: 4.5/5

“I’ll not give this curse anything.” To do so would be to welcome the Devil in, to give in to the horrible relief that followed the curse’s insidious, flowery magic.”

-WRITING-
Diana wrote gorgeous work. The writing was outstanding. I really loved the way the author described moments. Words were well used together and I loved the word choice. Though this book is set in later date than now it goes through homophobia that the main character struggles with hearing. It was all handled/written very well.
The slow burn wlw romance was probably my favorite part. Definitely Loved the writing style. WRITING: 5/5

“Women shouldn’t want other women to touch them like this, shouldn’t come apart under another woman’s touch, shouldn’t be curious as to what awaited her at the end of whatever it was that Faty was doing to her.”

-CHARACTERS-
I adore Yzabel and Fatyan with my heart. I love how Yzabel’s character is so devoted. She makes mistakes but she learns from them. Ultimately my favorite character was the moura, Fatyan. Fatyan is really a role model I think she really shines. Yzabel is really questioning herself and struggling between her newfound attraction to Fatyan and her struggling to mange her ability. I loved seeing them both connect and their feelings towards each other grow. Most of the characters were greatly developed. CHARACTERS: 5/5

“Every kiss shared with you is worth remembering.”

-CONCLUSION-
Do I think you should read A curse of roses? yes of course you should! I would really recommend this story to those who like wlw romance, Fantasy, Retellings, Royalty and much more!

REVIEWED: 10/6/2020

Not only did the premise draw me in, but that cover! The best part? What’s under the cover is great. I was drawn in from the beginning and the story only got better. I loved the way the story unraveled and the inclusion of a sapphic tale. Yzabel and Fatyan’s chemistry is off the charts! I loved it!

From the beginning- Yzabel’s relationship, or should I say arrangement, with Denis was intriguing. He seemed so patient and kind, yet it seemed like she still had doubts about him. My love for Brites, her wisdom, and her wits is infinite. Although I truly think the star of the show is the Moura, Fatyan. While Yzabel’s strength gives us the greatest parts of the novel (hell yeah for badass women MC’s), Fatyan’s ability to be unapologetically herself really shines. The way she teaches Yzabel to grow into herself and her desires is such a beautiful arc. I also really enjoyed the full arc of Denis and how understanding he truly was. It was a little surprising.

What a well crafted story with beautiful, developed characters who stay true to themselves the whole time. You’ll want to read this is you love sapphic fantasy!

Thank you NetGalley & Entangled Teen for the arc and allowing me to write an honest review.

Disclaimer: I’m a Portuguese girl who likes girls and loves learning about her history/mythology, so this book means a lot to me. Even if it wasn’t so close to my heart, I’d still love it because it is amazing. It’s so good, in fact, that this review does not do it justice. Sorry.

The first thing you’ll notice about A Curse of Roses is the beautiful writing. The word choice, the rhythm, the metaphors, it’s all full of magic, lyrical but not pretentious. It gives depth and emotion to every scene.
Next, we have Yzabel, future queen and saint, selfless and kind to the point of self-destruction. Despite and because of her position, Yzabel’s main concern is the people, and she’ll do anything to help them. Even stand up to her future husband, the King.
Cursed to turn food into flowers, Yzabel starves and punishes herself for what she considers evil magic. The only way to survive is to control it, but it will take a lot from her.
In comes Fatyan, Moura Encantada and hot, fat lesbian. Summoned to help Yzabel break her curse, she turns her world upside down instead. She is a clever, confident girl who knows what she’s doing and who won’t take shit from anyone. In more ways than one, Faty is both a foil and a match to Yzabel.
Brites is the mentor/motherly figure we all need in our lives. Failing that, I’ll settle for this fictional lesbian witch and all-around badass. She’ll call you out and hug you too. Listen to Brites, she knows best.
Finally, Denis: poet, king, decent guy. Occasionally a good guy. Too often a jerk. I loved how he is not only respectful of Yzabel (when he wasn’t an asshole) but also included her in the affairs of the kingdom and valued her opinion. He truly cares about his people.
The people of Portugal are suffering. The red plague is ravaging the country. The common folk starve while the rich feast. It isn’t just unfair, it’s literal theft. This is the main concern of both Yzabel and Denis, which brings them together and breaks them apart. One chooses power and intimidation, the other prefers goodness and forgiveness. They complete each other in a non-romantic way. Husband and wife, king and queen, partners on the throne.

A Curse of Roses is, above all, Yzabel’s story. It’s about her growing into the queen she’ll become, it’s about her finding her own power in every sense of the word, and it’s about her falling in love with someone the religion she’s devout to says it’s a sin.

And remember, there is strength in softness.

Beautiful story about self acceptance in the face of a sometimes unwelcoming world. This is the story so many teens may be hunting for, although I found it to read too much like Christian fiction for my preference.

Honestly? I found Curse of Roses incredibly dull. The premise is wonderful, but the execution is so bland.

There are some incredible moments - I particularly loved how Fatouma helped Yzabel question the version of Christianity she's been taught, the idea that suffering brings you closer to God. But for the most part, things happened so quickly, so easily, and there was just nothing to stand out once the initial premise had sunk in. I kept mixing up the characters because they just didn't have any real presence on the page.

Although the reader is told that Yzabel has suffered for years, she finds Fatouma so quickly after we start the book that it felt too easy. I was initially completely confused by what an Enchanted Moura was - I thought it was going to be some kind of Portuguese magical creature I'd never heard of. But no - 'moura' is just the feminine of 'moor', as in the people of North-Western Africa (although this was not explained clearly in the book and I had to look it up myself). Once I knew that, I found it strange whenever the text referred to Fatouma as 'the Moura' or 'the Enchanted Moura' instead of simply using her name. But how quickly and easily things fall into place for Yzabel to find her? It just felt ridiculous, and completely undercut any tension.

There also wasn't any real explanation of how Yzabel ended up the kind of princess who cares about the peasants - something royalty has historically been pretty bad at. I thought she was a wonderful person, but she didn't fit into her own context. It really would have helped if there'd been some explanation as to how she'd ended up a decent person. Was it supposed to be her religious devotion?

The link made between Yzabel's enforced fasting and the famine her people are suffering was well done, as was Yzabel's guilt at being praised for holiness when her fast wasn't something she was actually choosing. Pinguicha did a great job at showing how messed-up the institution of religion was (or is) in its encouragement and appreciation of suffering.

Altogether, I don't think this is a bad book as such, and I expect a lot of people to absolutely love it. I may love it, if I come back to it in a few years. But right now it's not the right book for me.

Beautiful cover and intriguing plot. It kept me engaged and almost all the characters were well distinguished from one another. Tropes are common but the story telling makes up for it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was absolutely delightful, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once. Reinventing the story of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, A Curse of Roses borrows from real-world faith while including very real wlw emotions and internalized homophobia Yzabel must come to terms with before the end. I tend to shy away from anything that includes a lot of religion (because of my own negative experiences with zealots), but ACoR presents it as simply another aspect of the world, as a faith that has been twisted and warped by powerful men for their own purposes (which...yes) but at its heart is all about helping others when you have the means and methods. I very much like how Yzabel's faith doesn't hinge on a cruel deity who only wants people to suffer and if you're not suffering, well, you're clearly not devout enough *eyeroll*

ANYWAY! The heart of this book is Yzabel coming to terms with her feelings towards other women, that her aversion to men physically/romantically is just another part of her. Fatyan as first her friend, then as more, helps her navigate the same feelings she herself went through; it's a very lovely thing to read about two people who only want for each other's happiness.

While Yzabel tries to manage her ability (which she sees as a curse), her relationship with her husband-to-be (whom I waffled on many times before I reminded myself he's a product of the time and his station and I can't expect him to be a perfect villain or ally, which I appreciate now as I think back), her relationship to her own health, her attraction to Fatyan, her crisis of faith, and her self-loathing at "not doing enough", I *felt* all of it. I understand feeling inadequate when nothing you do, no matter how good or well-intentioned it is, seems to be enough, when you drive yourself into the ground focusing on others to your own detriment. And Yza makes mistakes, but she's always kind. That makes all the difference.

I stayed engrossed in this story from start to finish. It may be fantasy, but I've always believed that fiction can show the real world in some ways better than anything. Reconciling faith as one understands it against how it's taught, accepting oneself as they are without self-hatred, and how hard times can lead to great blessings are things I think most everyone wants/wants to believe in. ACoR delivered that for me.

P.S. I would not be mad if Diana included a Lucas in every one of her books in the future. I love him so much! 🥰

A Curse of Roses is an interesting hybrid of a wholly new fairy tale, and reminiscent of something we have all seen before.

TLDR Tropes:

- Queer F/F romance
- Fairy tale retelling
- Young woman learning to control her powers
- Positive friendship representation
- Portuguese setting

A Curse of Roses is a fantastical story of a princess who is cursed. When she attempts to eat anything, the food will turn into flowers. With a country on the edge of starvation, Princess Yzabel is desperate to learn how to control her magic. She seeks out a Moura, a magical being who can help her control and reverse her magic to turn flowers into food, but as the pair fight to understand Yzabel's magic, their feelings grow as well.

I made the mistake of reading this only about 2 months after Girl, Serpent, Thorn, and if I need to be honest, the plot is nearly identical. Girl, Serpent, Thorn was an unexpected surprise for me, and A Curse of Roses was also very lovely, but everything from the unpleasant male love interest, to the sassy and sly magical being that helps the main princess embrace who she is and her magic is...eerily similar.

I want to be completely clear here, I do not think that this was intentional, but it was jarring and did impact my ability to read this book objectively.

That being said, there is a lot here to love. Yzabel's growth is a wonderful and healthy "coming of age" portrayal of a young woman understanding her purposes and desires. She's rightfully inspired the love and care of those around her. The romance, though rushed in my opinion, was charming nonetheless- and the monster girlfriend/mentor relationship is always fun to see!

I really liked the fairy tale that this book was based on, and Diana Pinguicha's lyrical writing suited it perfectly- never breaking that feeling like this story is being told to you by your mother in bed.

If you are a fan of sapphic romance and fantasy, I would absolutely recommend picking this graceful little standalone up.

**Trigger Warnings**: includes themes, imagery, and content that might be triggering for some readers. Discussions of religious-based eating disorders, and religious-based internalized homophobia appear throughout the novel.

A magical ability that causes flowers to spew forth and turning all your food into flowers... a looming death...and a mystical being who could fix your curse... and the problem? One kiss from her might not be enough. This was a wonderful retelling of the Portuguese legend. princess Yzabel is cursed with the ability to turn anything she touches into flowers, forcing her into the predicament in which she herself is forced to starve since she cannot eat anything. Meanwhile, there is a plague happening around her and the people are also starving. In order to reverse or even try to manage her powers she gets a beautiful enchanted Moura named Fatyan to help her. Yzabel is betrothed to the King of Portugal who continues to forbid her to give more food or money to the people... Yzabel must struggle with committing treason with her magical gifts and her looming feelings for Fatyan. Their love could spell destruction for both of them but will they fight for it? I immensely enjoyed reading this book. The struggles and issues that Yzabel faced not only with her religion but her internalized homophobia is very well depicted. The story was well told and wraps up wonderfully. I would definitely recommend this wonderful fantasy romance for anyone who enjoys a great story!

*Thank you so much to Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*