Member Reviews
Beautiful!
A heart wrenching story full of heart, emotion and twists. An amazing ending to this saga.
I voluntarily read an advanced copy.
I really liked The Cursed King. This has been a fun series to read. Angelika and Airk are awesome and I enjoyed their story. Lots of excitement and steamy romance. The ending was amazing and I can't wait to see what's next.
I give The Cursed King 4 stars for its good read.
I would recommend this book to Paranormal Romance fans.
#TheCursedKing #NetGalley
I can't believe it's over and I don't really want to say farewell to this series that I absolutely fell in love with. I've been waiting for Angelika's story because I was so intrigued by her especially without any Phoenix powers. And Airk was not what I expected at all, lots of complexity with his character. And I was just eager for him to come around and be what he was meant to be.
As the conclusion book, I was a bit surprised to see a lot more POVs in this one. I almost wished I did a reread of the previous books before coming back to this one because I had to slow down and remember who was who. However, I loved seeing everyone, I mean it was a team effort for the endgame.
I have to say that Airk frustrated me so much, the back and forth when it came to Angelika was really waning on me. But my goodness it really did gut me every time he'd say no to Angelika. I don't think I would have been quite as quick to forgive him. Definitely would have made him work for it a little bit more.
Angelika was unexpecting as well, but I really liked her growth from beginning to end. More than anything, she wants to make her presence known and to help out in any way that she can. It's a huge insecurity for her to be dormant and not have any phoenix powers, but my goodness she was so much more than that. Fierce, so selfless, and a fighter.
I kind of saw the ending coming, but that didn't stop me from loving the outcome. It was pretty wild how everything wrapped out.
What a journey it has been with this series, I loved seeing all the connections across Abigail's PNR. Truly hope we get more from this world because I am not ready to leave it.
The Cursed King is the latest book in the Inferno Rising series. Advertised as a standalone, the book can be read alone but there is a continuing overall story arc that spans throughout each book. The last of the phoenix sisters, Angelika seems to be powerless. Airk is the rightful heir to the white dragon throne but is damaged from years of confinement and torture. Unable to shift due to his dragon being feral, Airk must rely on his fighting abilities in human form and he plans never to take a mate. Fate has other plans as Angelika is drawn to Airk and circumstances unite them in the common goal of recruiting the other clans. Heat and attraction bring the pair together in a steamy HEA that feels like the satisfying ending the series deserves. Airk is by far my favorite dragon shifter, there's something about a damaged bad boy with a heart of gold that tugs on the heart strings. The Cursed King is a steamy, fast paced, action packed paranormal love story for the ages. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
4.5/5*
This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Entangled: Amara!
The Cursed King is the fourth and final book in the Inferno Rising series and tells the story of Angelika and Airk.
I’m so happy that we finally have Angelika’s story. Ever since the beginning, I’ve always been interested in the fourth sister, and I loved her story. The Cursed King was another amazing, fast-paced and well-written book by Abigail Owen. I really love her writing style, her world builing and her amazing characters. It’s no surprise that I enjoyed reading this book because all the other books in the Inferno Rising series were amazing too.
Angelika has never seemed 'special' like her sisters and I kind of liked that about her. It made her special in her own way. Airk is an interesting character. He’s been through a lot and he doesn’t see himself together with Angelika because of what he’s been through. I really loved their story because it was not just about love but also about fighting your fears and fighting for what you want. I loved seeing Angelika and Airk grown towards each other.
The Cursed King was such a good and addictive read. I finished this book in one day, I really loved this story and the characters. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to the Inferno Rising series, I’m going to miss the characters. Luckily I still have the Fire’s Edge series left. The Fire’s Edge series is set in the same world as the Inferno Rising series. I can’t wait to start the Fire’s Edge series!
Action, romance and steamy goodness!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛🖤🤍❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📒
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 👩🏼🧑🏼🦱👩🏼🦱👱🏻♂️👱🏻♀️
The heroine: Angelika - One of the quadruplets born of the Phoenix and the White King before both were murdered by the evil Red King Pytheios. Angelika’s three sisters are now mated to the Gold King, Blue King and Black King. Unlike her sisters, Angelika is dormant and has no Phoenix powers. Though she wants to join the fight agains High King Pytheios.
The Hero(es): Airk - He was next in line to the white throne after Pytheios killed Angelika’s father and Grandparents. Pytheios would have killed him as well but for a curse that said whomever killed Airk would be consumed by his own fire. So instead Pytheios put Airk in his dungeon near the top of Mount Everest and kept him there for over 500 years in a dragon steel cell where he couldn’t shift.
The Story: Airk escaped the dungeon in the last book when one of Angelika’s sisters was taken captive and put in the dungeon alongside Airk. Now Airk is staying at Mount Ararat with Samael the Black King, Queen Meira and the black clan. They want him to talk to villages from the white clan to turn them away from Pytheios so they can help fight against the false High King. Angelika wants to help.
I love the way they travel using mirrors as portals, she is able to move (or move people) anywhere in the world as long as a mirror is handy. It is Angelika’s sister Meira who has that ability so she always has to be present when someone is coming or going through a mirror. Angelika’s sister Kasia has the sight. Kasia gets visions like their grandmother used to. Their grandmother was the one who told the prophecy about Airk which got him locked in the dungeon for 500 years instead of killed. Skylar has the power of teleportation and is able to teleport anyone but herself long distances.
I really like the fact that though Angelika is either dormant or human and has no Phoenix powers, she is able to use her wits and her personality to help the fight against the Red King as much if not more than any of her sisters that have phoenix powers. She is strong in her own way without any powers to help her.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
An emotionally epic ending to the Rotting King Pytheios reign
*****
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 3 flames
Genre: Dragon Shifters / PNR
*****
And then there was one remaining unmated phoenix left. Angelika… can she tame the broken, feral dragon shifter, Arik?
Oh. My. Goodness! This book was everything I had been waiting for since I first picked up The Rogue King and watched as each phoenix had found it’s true mate… and the battle for the true High King raged on. Now it is Angelika’s turn, but what will happen to the last unmated phoenix that has none of the special phoenix gifts.
Arik is “Broken. Cast aside. Forgotten.” After over 500 years in the Rotting King’s dungeon, with his dragon trapped, he no longer feels worthy of affection, love, or tenderness. His dragon is feral and a risk to all those around him. He feels he is expendable and he has one mission, to end the rotting king's reign.
Arik and Angelika together… WOW! Angelika is calm to Arik’s storm. The soothing balm to his soul, if he would just take a chance. But can he risk his dragon taking control and potentially ending the only good that has ever touched him?
The Cursed King takes us to the final battle between good and evil and the series has been leading to this moment. All our favorites are in this book, the sisters Kasia and her mate Brand, Skylar and her mate Ladon, Miera and her mate Samael, all ready to battle for what is right.
Once I started this final journey, I was fully engaged until I turned the final page. I laughed, cried, and my heart swelled with joy and heartache.
I do not want to spoil anything so I will leave you with this,,, the Inferno Rising Series is an amazing tale filled with secrets, suspense, sisterly love, and steam and The Cursed King was a fantastic conclusion to a series I never wanted to end. If you are looking for protective dragons, and the strong women that fall for them, this is your series! A five star series and a five star book in my opinion and I recommend this without hesitation!
I went in this story blind without reading revious books the characters were rich and had depth the story flowed easily and kept me entertained.
This series was amazing and action packed. The heat was just enough to add a little spice but not overwhelm the story itself.
I was given a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Cursed King is the culmination of two different series and while it could be read as a standalone, the number of plotlines and characters from other books would be unappreciated if the reader hasn't read the previous books.
I've read multiple books that were written during this pandemic and this is the only one that has a genuine half-full, rose colored, creature of silver linings. A refreshingly likeable lead character partnered with a grumpy, old-fashioned dragon. It looks like an opposites attract story until it turns into something so much better.
Will I buy a paperback copy of this book (because authors can't buy groceries with book reviews)? Absolutely.
That said, at the beginning of the book there is a link to a website listing possible psychological triggers. After thinking how thoughtful that was, I forgot about it until I came to the reason for it. It's a very common trigger and I admit that I usually avoid this one. Yet, it doesn't completely apply because of the paranormal aspect of this book. Since I don't know how to warn readers without being spoilery, you should use the website IF you have strong feelings about triggers and are willing to have parts of the story spoiled, but a conversation should be had about it by readers.
I loved this book. As a series finale it is epic. With a phoenix that is without power to a white dragon who refuses to shift this story runs the gamut of emotions. Death, betrayal and deceit are around every corner. Sifting through the characters you are often unsure of their allegiance. This is a riveting read with an awesome ending that I did not see coming. Love when that happens.
Angelika is not only the last unmated phoenix she is the only one that does not have any powers. All her sisters have theirs but she has never shown signs of any. What she does know is that she wants Airk at her mate even though he has isolated himself and keeps his dragon caged inside of himself because he fears his dragon is feral and will destroy everything and everyone. Angelika is not going to let anything hold her back from helping her people and she isn't going to take NO for answer from Airk. She does everything she can with the help of her sisters to make him realize that is his mate. Good story and a great ending in this series.
The fourth and final book in the Inferno Rising series, The Cursed King is an epic conclusion and a fantastic read. It’s such an engrossing story – emotional, action-packed, and riddled with danger, romance, friendship, and sisterly love. The romance focuses on Airk, who has been held captive by Pytheios for over 500 years, and Angelika, the youngest of the quadruplet phoenixes. Both Airk and Angelika are on the side of the Black, blue, and Gold dragon clans to defeat Pytheios and his corrupt followers. However, the clans do not have enough power to win the eventual war, so Angelika volunteers to gain supporters. With Airk in tow, Angelika travels to various clans and attempts to gain allies while also trying to show Airk how perfect they are for each other.
Airk is a complex and wounded male. Imprisoned and abused for centuries, Airk’s a tortured hero who is good at shutting off his emotions. He fears losing control, knows he is a feral dragon, and struggles to adjust to his new reality. He also is slow to trust and befriend others, which, again, is not shocking considering his background. It seems like whenever Airk takes two emotional steps forward, he ends up taking at least one step back. He fights his feelings and struggles with his conflicting feelings. I felt so bad for Airk and so wanted him to find happiness and peace. He’s been through so much, and even in this story, he faces judgment, distrust, and more. Angelika is the only one Airk really allows to get close. Like everyone else, Airk is drawn to Angelika’s compassion, kindness, and innate understanding of others.
Angelika is a strong person who hates being coddled and left out. As the youngest sister and the only one without powers, Angelika feels like she’s always been overprotected, which frustrates her to no end. However, she isn’t the type of person to give up on what she wants, which she proves over and over again in the story, especially when it comes to her feelings for Airk and her determination to help defeat Pytheios. Angelika sees the good in others and looks for the bright side in every situation. She has an energy about her that draws people to her, and she is an amazing mediator and diplomat. I like that she realizes that even though she doesn’t have her sisters abilities, she has her own kind of power, and she can use it to help their cause.
Airk and Angelika don’t have an easy road, but their love story is wonderful! Airk has no idea what he wants and struggles with his feelings and desires. Luckily, Angelika is the most patient being alive because Airk puts her (and himself) through an emotional roller coaster. Angelika is so understanding and so certain of her love for Airk that she determines to give him the time and space he needs. They are both self-sacrificing with each other, and they are each other’s anchors and help steady their tumultuous feelings. I love how they grow closer, and how Airk comes to realize how deeply he cares. They have fantastic chemistry, and their romantic scenes are sexy and swoon-worthy!
I adore this supernatural world of dragons and phoenixes, wolves, witches, gargoyles, deadly adversaries, power-hungry antagonists, and a love story to end all love stories. The sisters and their hunky alpha dragon mates all have prominent roles in the story as well, and they are a force to be reckoned with. I love stories with strong female protagonists, and this series has four bad-ass women who exemplify wisdom, strength, courage, and kindness. Alone they are amazing, but together they are awe-inspiring.
The novel includes epic battle scenes, suspenseful and intense journeys and conflicts, and the threat of danger looms over everyone. No one is safe, and many twists and turns and revelations keep you guessing. I was shocked on more than one occasion, and I stayed up so late to finish the story! I just couldn’t stop reading until I found out how these dynamic characters were going to defeat Pytheios and his allies. I wasn’t disappointed. The ending exceed my expectations and even brought me to tears (more than once!). There are some really emotional, poignant, and moving scenes that show how strong the characters’ family ties are, and they were equally beautiful, heart-warming, and heart-breaking.
This story is not a standalone, and I definitely recommend reading the first three books in the series before you read this one. That being said, the series is fantastic, and I highly recommend it to readers of paranormal romance. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and Abigail Owen for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
The Cursed King is the absolute perfect way to close out this spectacularly epic adventure! This journey focuses on the incredible, highlights the improbable, and then demands the impossible that will shift and alter their world forever. This story starts out meek and gentle and then morphs into something altogether new. Until you read it for yourself, you would never believe it. Above all, this story will shake you up just as much as the characters within it. We can never lose sight of the worth and the value of each other much less ourself. We all matter and we all count because we all have a part to play in this life. It's just a matter of time, patience, and love that will eventually mold and shape the part we were born to play.
Airk Azdajah's rescue from the rotting false high king Pytheios grants him freedom, but only enough not to be restrained in his cell. His mind and his heart are still bound by the horrors of his past, and until he can move past them no one around him can do the same. Angelika Amon lives in a prison of her own making. She is a phoenix who has been found lacking. She needs to find purpose, and when she sets her sights on Airk, their lives will never be the same again. Can the Fates use one such as Angelika to fulfill their ultimate will, or is she merely a pretender trying to force change where it can never happen?
What a joy it was to watch Angelika pry open Airk's heart and mind to endless possibilities! She is like a soft temptation that he can't get rid of nor does he truly want to since she brightens his otherwise dark world. Airk might fight her at every turn, but he is only fighting himself due to his deep seated fear. When light meets his darkness he scrambles for a way to protect himself because he knows that once it takes hold of him, he will have no way of escape nor will he want one. The unfailing warmth and unwavering love from Angelika is the only thing that truly keeps Airk afloat and moving forward. Once he realizes that, his whole world transforms before his eyes.
Abigail Own is a literary superstar in my eyes! She has superbly created, masterfully developed, and stunningly eclipsed through incredibly vibrant and completely unforgettable characters. This has become one of my all time favorite series because of how she brilliantly incorporates other series that she has written that intertwines with this overall plot. When she writes a story she does so with her whole heart and mind. There is no halfway for her. It is all or nothing. I truly can't wait to see what she creates next!!
The Cursed King (Inferno Rising, #4) by Abigail Owen
This is the fourth book and final book in the Inferno Rising series and it did not disappoint! This is the story of Angelika Amon (the last unmated phoenix) and Airk Azdajah (rightful King of the White Clan). She has no powers and he can't shift after half a millennium being tortured by the false High King Pytheios. This story has the other three phoenixs and their kings as well as the others who keep them safe after Pytheios killed their mother. This book can be read as a stand alone - but you should read the other three just because they are so good. This book has all the angst, violence, terror, gore, kept you on the edge of your seat, some laughter, tears, love, evil hate and lots of steam and fire to get us to a HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Tear-jerker Funny Easy-to-read Action-packed Romantic Great word building Scary Happily Ever After Steamy Unpredictable Page-turner Entertaining Wonderful characters Twisted Tragic
One of my favorite dragon series, the final book of the Inferno series was full of surprises!! I will concede Airk frustrated me with his wish-washy feelings for Angelika more times than I’d care to count, however, I kept telling myself she had good reason to hold out hope for him. Like, I really, really, hoped she had good reason. Angelika was my favorite character of the series, (although the hellhounds rank a smidge above her). I loved her sunshine outlook and hopefulness for change, her tenacity, and her total faith in tapping in to the goodness of people. The Cursed King was a wonderful finale to a fantastic series!
I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book from the Entangled Publishing/Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A wonderful conclusion to what has been an absolutely delightful series!
I loved seeing all of our previous main couples make significant appearances in this final installment. It was also great to see them tying in other shifters, species, and witches because it left potential for some interesting spin-offs as well.
I've said this directly on the author's Facebook page. The ending was not what I expected. But in the best sort of way. When it comes to books with guaranteed happy endings they can sometimes feel too rushed or too predictable. That was not the case with this book, which I love. I like it when an author manages to surprise me.
All-in-all I adored this series. It is fun, sexy, and easily binge-able.
Very interesting end to a good series. Both Airk and Angelika had great arcs and I liked getting to see snippets from her sisters' points of view. I wish that there had been more details regarding her transformation into a phoenix and what a full phoenix's powers look like. Also, are her sister's dragon shifters now?
Oh. My. Gosh. This book. I do not give 5 stars often but this book hits all the buttons, emotion, SO many twists and turns, the right amount of spice, and it was the perfect ending to this series. I absolutely love this world that Abigail Owen has created. I've read hundreds of paranormal romances and they tend to run together sometimes, but I know exactly which universe I'm in when I open one of Abigail's dragon books. Now, since I love her books and this universe, I went into The Cursed King knowing I was probably going to love it, but I also thought it would be another predictable PNR. I was completely wrong. This book has surprise after surprise throughout the entire story. You're sure XYZ is going to happen? Maybe, but maybe not, and definitely not the way you think. I almost screamed out loud in my office, "Freaking Dragon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I have so much to say about this book but I don't know how to without spoilers!!!!! The main characters, Abigail and Airk, are so perfect for each other and I'm so glad they were saved for last. They both grow so much through their journey. Abigail also did a great job bringing in characters from many of her past books as well as new characters we haven't met before. Without giving anything away, I have to say that I need more Madrigan in my life. I hope .we get so many more stories out of this world. More dragons, different types of shifters, even the gargoyles.
Bottom line is, I cannot recommend this book and author enough.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“He will burn. She will rise “
True story my friends and it was fu••ink awesome !
This starts where the 3 rd book left off with the Black, Blue, and Gold Clans rising up against the corrupt regime in place for five hundred years: the Red, Green, and White Clans that supported Pytheios , the no-longer-rotting King of the Red Clan. The mated phoenixes and their kings are having a hard time getting more allies in this final battle and here is where our main characters come into play.
But first things first.. Do you remember Airk ,the white dragon that was locked in the dungeons 500 years by that rotten red high king? Yeah , he is the rightful king of the white clan and a badass at that even with spending all his life locked and tortured. He also has a feral dragon inside due to his lack of never shifting but let me tell you, that man is glorious. I've always had a soft spot for tortured heroes and this guy hit the spot. Loved him ❤
Angelika is the last of the 4 sister, the doormat Phoenix, but this girl is no lady in distress. She is pretty adamant she takes her place in this last scene against Pytheios and is doing everything in her power to prove her assets.
As a couple,Airk and Angelika had their ups and downs ,mostly because Airk holds himself back for almost half of the book, but common 😅 the guy never stood a chance in the face of persuasive Phoenix.
I liked that we got other main characters pov chapters too, kinda missed being in the other guys heads😁,also wouldn't mind a spin off for other intriguing characters actually.
Why 4 stars? Although I am ok with how the author wrapped everything up I'm not sure it was evenly fair for everyone, although it makes sense for the powerless one to get her moment of shine.😋
Overall this is an engaging series, with complex characters and solid plot , dragons lovers should not miss it that's a fact!
***Thank you NetGalley and the author for this ARC in exchange of a honest review***