Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Every year on Redd’s birthday, a box appears, one she knows holds the answers to who she is, the answers her mother keeps from her. Every year, her mother hides the box before Redd can open it—until her 18th birthday.

This book was so incredibly well written, I am in awe. There are three point of views, and all three have such distinct voices; Redd and John and Eleanor all feel so completely their own characters, with even the writing style between the three adopting its own flavor. I’m sometimes iffy about multiple first person POV books, but this is honestly one of the best written ones I have ever read.

Plot wise, the pacing of The Curse That Binds Us is outstanding. The tension increases so fluidly throughout the story, and everything is revealed at a time that makes complete sense and that delivers such a strong punch. Redd trying to find the answers to who she really is drives the story, and John’s moral struggles mixed with Eleanor’s recollection of the past guide this along. I was constantly hooked, reading attentively waiting for the next new juicy detail to come to light.

One issue I have with a lot of books is how often the main character is the last to reach a conclusion that’s long been made clear to the reader; here, though, Redd made the connections quickly enough, and in a timeline that made complete sense with the plot. The only real reason my rating drops a bit is how frustrated I grew with how Redd reacted to these reveals. However!! This is something that is just a downfall of being someone who reviews based on emotions, because no matter how annoyed I could get, I always understood exactly why Redd reacted how she did. It was all consistent with her character, and all an understandable response based on what she’d experienced until that point.

All this to say, even the very few parts that bugged me were incredibly well done. I can’t recommend this book enough; and I can’t wait for the next installment!!!

On Redd's 18th birthday, the box appears. It's the same one that has shown itself every birthday as far back as she can remember. Every time it finds Redd, her mom hides it away, and they pack up and move to a new city to escape it. Her mom won't answer her questions about the box or where it came from, so Redd decides the find the answers herself. But opening the box brings a curse from her family's past right to her front door.

One highlight of this novel is how the storyline is laid out. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, bouncing between the past and the present. So the tension builds slowly throughout the novel, with the reader getting small pieces of the story and having to put them all together to determine what happened. It's similar to The Empirium Trilogy in how it unfolds. The readers get miniature cliffhangers at the end of several chapters, and it forces us to keep reading to see how it's resolved.

Now that we've discussed the how we have to mention the what. The what in question is the plotline itself. It's so incredibly well written that readers won't know exactly where the plot is headed until well into the novel, past the point of no return. The details in each character's dealings with the curse, how those who live in Eden have come to terms with it, and how it all came to be all combine to create a chilling, heartwrenching, high tension mystery.

Something readers may struggle with is that the story starts very slow. Because of how it's told, the readers need to get through three separate introductions to the world, rather than just one. However, once the stage has been set, it takes off fast. The second is that the romance seems a little underdeveloped. They both feel the instant connection, but it isn't given much time to deepen before they're both acting completely head over heels.

Overall, The Curse that Binds Us gets four out of five stars. The issues stated can easily be overlooked because the plotline and worldbuilding far outweigh them.

Due to the language, mild adult content, and violence, this is a novel for an audience of 18+. But if you're a fan of mysterious curses and headstrong protagonists, The Curse that Binds Us is the perfect read for you. Just be prepared to dangle off the proverbial cliff until the next installment.

I loved the blend of folklore and historical mystery that came together in this riveting story! I truly did not know what was coming next. I cycled through laughing to needing to cry to screaming at the characters while reading this book and now I NEED to preorder the sequel to get more of Redd and John in my life.

Although the romance was a little flat I still enjoyed the journey. This dark fantasy was a story of Roanoke which I am so obsessed with. I love all the stories surrounding the disappearance of all the towns people. I do wish that it wouldn't have been three POVs I think maybe two would have been plenty. It did a give a good full picture of the story but I don't think they were needed. The only other issue was that the start of this one was a little confusing but if you hold out you will fall in love with it.

I absolutely loved this book! Thank you NetGallery and Katie Hayoz for allowing me to be an ARC for this great book!

The Curse that binds us, is a great dark and twisty story that sets out to explain to the reader what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoak. As a HUGE history person, I loved this! If you love unexplained mysteries, and history you won't be able to put this book down!

Katie does a great job of giving us different perspectives, from Eleanor, John, and Redd. Redd has powers she doesn't understand. Eleanor is an original colonist who gives us information about what happens leading up to the disappearance. John is asked to bring Redd home when she leaves. He doesn't plan on doing anything more than that, but life has a way of throwing us curve balls when we least expect it!

I really loved everything about this story and highly recommend it to everyone! I can't wait for the next book!

I received an ARC of #thecursethatbindsus from #netgalley in exchange for a review.

Let. Me. Tell. You.

I spent my entire day doing nothing but read this book!

This is an amazing historical fantasy.
The world building and the characters were amazing.
The entire story was beyond engrossing.

The Curse That Binds Us will be released 12/15/21 and is currently available for pre-order.

I am already excited for book two!!!!!

Well, this was just a captivating and unique story!! It combines two of my favorites things: history and fantasy, woven into a tale that grabbed me from the beginning. The past and current threads mirror each other and tell of two very different women connected to a mystical and errie place called Eden. The modern-day thread follows Redd, living in Hidden, Wisconsin with her mother as she turns 18. Each year on her birthday, a mysterious box arrives which her mother won't let her open. Then they pack up and move in an attempt to escape the box. However, Redd has grown frustrated, angry and tired of her mother keeping secrets from her and she doesn't want to move again. So she opens the box. The other thread begins in England in 1577 and follows Eleanor Dare as she, her husband and her father prepare to move to the Colonies. They plan on settling in the Chesapeake Bay area. Unfortunate events force them to settle in Roanoke, where drought and encounters with Native tribes push the settlers to the brink of destruction.

I loved finding out that Eleanor Dare was a real person and that there really was a group of settlers in Roanoke that"vanished". Using this piece of history as a base makes this such an intriguing tale and I was hooked immediately by Redd's story. Also trying to parse out what exactly Eden is and what happens there really ups the spooky/creepy factor, plus how Redd is connected to all of it. I am so looking forward to the rest of this trilogy and how all of this is going to play out!!

4.5/5 stars

2.5 stars. Sigh. I did not find Redd likeable so that made this book difficult for me. Her belief that she knew better at every turn was mind boggling. She questioned all the wrong things, never actually waited so for answers, and ignored anything she didn't feel like hearing. Zero self awareness. And I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a trait passed down bc the devil marked a child centuries before who had done nothing? There was a lot of confusion for me around that mythology particularly around the notion of the Devil and choice and what set this down a path for a young, abused child. Anyway maybe with the setup out of the way, the next will have more emotional growth and character development since the premise is actually incredibly unique and fascinating. If the author can move into a bit more Alice Hoffman territory I could see the series rounding out nicely.

I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, BooksGoSocial & NetGalley for providing this!

As someone not well versed in the story of Roanoke, with my primary knowledge of it stemming from that one season of American Horror Story, I was intrigued by this plot but also concerned as to whether or not my lack of knowledge would be a disadvantage. It wasn’t.

This is superbly written fantasy retelling of what happened to colonists who disappeared, with multiple POVs spanning across centuries. The alternating narrators really enables the reader to understand the plot from various angles, although even after finishing the book I’m still struggling to make my mind up about a few characters.

This is a brilliant dark fantasy take on the lost colony of Roanoke. We follow the story from three different POVs: Redd, who has a mysterious past and is followed by a 400 year old box that appears every year on her birthday, John, who comes from a beautiful old-fashioned village with a dark secret, and Eleanor, who leaves England in 1587 to escape the devil (yes, the devil!!) and start a new life in America.

Normally I’m not a big fan of multiple POV stories but I think the author did this one really well. Every chapter gives a little more information and slowly you can start to put the pieces together and see the sinister side and what is really going on. The story is absolutely captivating and very dark and tackles themes such as the nuances of good and evil, the price of loyalty, and the extremes we will go to for those we love.

I particularly loved reading Eleanor’s POV. It is so vividly written that I felt as though I was really there with her and seeing her progress from an innocent child in England to a young woman with ties to the devil in America was fascinating.

This is the first book in the trilogy and finished with an incredible cliffhanger. I’ve definitely found my new favourite series and can’t wait to read the next book.

Overall, if you like history, flawed characters, devils and demons then you should definitely give this book a try!

Thank you Netgalley and Katie Hayoz for providing a free copy for an honest review! :)

I'm not gonna lie, I really enjoyed this!

50% update - So far, this story has intrigued me. After doing some research (being from the UK and never hearing of the Roanake colony before) and seeing other reviews mentioning about the ‘Lost Colony of Roanoke’ my intrigue has peaked even more. In terms of the writing, I am liking the consistent changes in the points of view, the historical and modern day aspect is a nice change, and I’m excited to see how these storylines begin to truly link, instead of vague name references here and there. It has a great build up to wanting to know the end so far.

100% update- wow! That was a great cliff-hanger ending. I really enjoyed the story so far, and the build up over the book and suspense at keeping information hidden from Redd with her desperation to get to Eden so high felt truly heart breaking.

The storyline itself has very similar aspects as “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” – don’t get me wrong, its not the same story at all, but there are similarities. The devil intrigue and historical to modern day jumps between perspectives mostly. But this is a good thing. Addie Larue is one of my favourite books, so reading this has brought back good memories as I enjoy a different take on that type of story.

One aspect of the story that I wish had a bit more development was the relationship between Redd and John. It felt very much like physical attraction only, with no actual romantic feelings. And with where the ending of the first book was leading it definitely needed a bit more of romance in my opinion...

The historical side of the book and how Hayoz has included these throughout the story was very cleverly done! I love it when an author successfully collides different aspects of history to make a story line really interesting.

(spoiler) One point that frustrated me, at around the 65% mark, I noticed Redd say that she forget to turn off the tracker on her phone when she went to that party a while back (and she left her watch at Shay’s house), so how come when she has left with John, she has destroyed her phone when she simply could have turned off the tracker app? Just a small detail niggling in my head as I was reading, is all.

Going into reading this book I didn’t know what to expect. The first novel of the Devil of Roanoke trilogy. Hayoz reinvents the tale of the lost colony of Roanoke and she has done an amazing job at it. It’s dark and sinister but it also isn’t too serious. I love the concept of split POVs as they really give the audience an understanding of what the characters bring to the table. I could not put this book down it is so wholeheartedly interesting and suspenseful with a slight romantic tone to it, I loved this, Hayoz is a magician of words. I’m really really looking forward to how this trilogy unfolds and getting my hands on a physical copy!

Inspired by 2 very popular histories, this story is a perfect mix between both leaving us with a really good dark fantasy book.
All the story develops around a mysterious old box that appears every year for Redd's birthday and what happens when she decides to open it, definitely a slow burn book with just a little romance but a lot of tension between the main characters, and surely, enough tension in all of the story that it's just hard to not finish it in one sitting.
The construction of the world, the characters, the cliffhanger and the story itself it's so good, you just can't get enough.

“Immediately, I was surrounded by the devil’s scent. It was midsummer, but the cool odor of autumn leaves, woodsmoke, and winter floated above the odor of the men. I reached out and steadied myself against the wall, my heart pounding.” - Katie Hayoz, The Curse that Binds Us

The Curse that Binds Us is the perfect mixture of dark, historical, and contemporary fantasy. Told from 3 different POVs this book delves into the nuances of good and evil, the price of loyalty, and the extremes we will go to for those we love.⁣

The author pulls so much rich history about the lost colony of Roanoke but it doesn’t feel old and over done. It feels new and exciting. If you are unaware of this story then be prepared to do some additional reading because your curiosity will be peaked!

It's a dark story but unlike anything I've read before. You are constantly kept on your toes and wondering where it's going. I truly enjoyed how the past and present were building towards each other -- to finally give us answers.

And the ending - oof! This is part of a series to expect the cliffhanger. It ends in a perfect spot to keep you wanting more.

The Curse That Binds Us has one of the best concepts i’ve ever read, but the execution could be better. I wish it could’ve been more suspenseful, We are given many mysterys of Redd only to find out what it was in the next chapter. At times the chapters were fast paced and other times they seemed to be filled with things that didn’t make sense. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite but it is a very interesting story and i’m curious to see where it goes in the next books!

BRB found a new series to be obsessed with. This book was dark and witty. It had all the aspects of a good fantasy novel- fast paced, morally grey characters, and a little bit of romance. I wouldn't just call this historical fantasy but i also wouldn't call it urban, it's truly a good mix of both. A big plus for me was the mash up of true history& made up lore for the mystery of the Roanoke colony. It was one of my favorite things to study in college. Hayoz tells a wonderful story that keeps readers begging to know what's next. I think the romance could have been fleshed out a little more, but i have faith for that in the next book. Truly a fun read, I can't wait to see what's next!

Thank you to Net Galley and Katie Hayoz for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book, there were some issues but nothing major.
I found the story really interesting and really readable and the pacing at times was perfect and really added extra depth to the story. However, at other times it seem to just chug along and felt like it was unnecessarily slow compared to the rest of the book.
Overall though I enjoyed it.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

The Curse that Binds had an interesting concept, bur lost steam long the way. Why are Redd and her mother on the run from a chest with a mask? Who are they running from?

The story tells three different perspectives that inevitably coincide. I honestly skimmed Eleanor’s sections, as they just did not hold my interest.

I got a M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” and The Lottery vibe throughout most of the book, but with magic.

I am still not sure if I liked or disliked the story. I didn’t really empathize with any if the characters or became really invested.

I would give 2.5 stars overall.

Just amazing, I enjoyed it so so so much! I just fled through the book, it was fast paced, and it kept me hooked since the start and I was not willing to stop reading this book.
This book is honestly the best start of a trilogy that I’m absolutely excited for. I loved the mixture of history, forbidden romance(very very mild though) and so adventurous, I’ll definitely recommend this book!

What an amazing book! This quickly rose to one of my top reads of the year. The story itself is addictive, the characters complex, and the pacing is perfect. I couldn't put it down. Can't wait for the second one!