I absolutely LOVED the first book. ‘Gilded,’ in this duology, and have been dying to read the sequel ever since. And let me tell you, ‘Cursed’ was the perfect sequel. I did not want this to end. The stakes were high in ‘Gilded,’ but there was even more at stake in ‘Cursed.’ And the twists? SO good. I loved Serilda and Gild, of course. Their longing and angst and love just went straight to my heart. And they had me super stressed for about 95% of the book, lol, absolutely on the edge of my seat, occasionally yelling out loud. But I loved every minute. The additional characters that were introduced were great too. Just…everything about this book was perfection.

The narration by Rebecca Soler was phenomenal too, and absolutely enhances the experience of this story. She had me enraptured.

Overall, this was the an amazing sequel, better than I could have wished for, and it wrapped up Serilda and Gild’s story almost perfectly. Highly recommended!

Meyer has created a dark, magical world of gods and demons, forest folk and ghosts, and the humans who often know them only from stories. But one young girl, Serilda, an extremely gifted storyteller, discovers she is more gifted than she realizes and comes to know this world beyond the human realm as a result.

This duology is a dark retelling of the fairytale, Rumpelstiltskin and Cursed is its conclusion. I loved how the story was told in the first person by Serilda and how much of it was in the format of storytelling. It really draws you in and also firmly establishes her character.

I listened to the audiobook and Rebecca Soler’s performance really made you feel like Serilda was speaking herself. She did an amazing job of conveying the emotions of the characters and building suspense.

Another thing I loved is that its a YA novel that kept things clean for young readers.
🚨📢SPOILER📢🚨 Even though Serilda falls in love and conceives a child, the sex scene is very mild and does not go into detail. I appreciate when YA remains age appropriate.

Being this is the conclusion to the duology, I will say I felt very satisfied with the ending. There were some great surprises and reveals and loose ends were wrapped up at the end 👏 I definitely recommend this for fans of YA, fantasy and fairytale retellings!

Gather round while I tell you a tale... of love, mystery, and the entire box of tissues I went through reading this book. After the events of Gilded, we find our poor storyteller stuck within a nightmare. Serilda is with child, trapped in the Erlkings castle, with her five sweet little attendants trapped alongside her. With only months until the endless moon, she feels hopeless. Somehow she must set the children, Gild, herself, and the life growing inside her.

The Gilded Duology is my first Marissa Meyers series, and she is now an instant-buy author. The world-building, the clues left along the way, and the overwhelming sense of dread she weaves into every sentence will have readers trapped in their seats until they finish the duology. While readers may guess a couple of the twists, they are almost red herrings to the true horror to come. At no point did I have any clue what the Erlking was playing at.

Cursed is a flawless read; however, I must warn you. There were moments that had me utterly sick to my stomach. While it is a young adult novel, it is incredibly dark. The Dark Ones are horrific in their violence, and the way Serilda's body is violated, even though she's not inhabiting it, could be triggering.

Overall, I give Cursed and the whole duology five out of five stars. I went into it expecting a fun little ghost story Rumplestilskin retelling and found a harrowing story of fate, sacrifice, found family, and most surpisingly, motherhood.

As a final little gift to the readers, Marissa was very clever to mention that some of us won't be satisfied and will be left with questions still. I, for one, have many, and knowing I'll never have definitive answers will leave me thinking about this duology for a very, very long time.

This is a fantastic follow up to the story Gilded!
It picks up right where Gilded ends.
The narration is fantastic (like the first). The story is a good flow. It was so fun to see Gild again and dig more into the past.

One note, if you're expecting a ROMANCE, this book is not it. It *does* have some romance elements, however!

I really enjoyed the narrator for this book. I think she did a great job bringing each of the characters to life. Overall, I thought this book was well done. The first third seemed to move at a slow pace, but once the pace picked up, the book remained very engaging. I was a little surprised at how dark the book was at times, but I also love that Meyer was willing to go that direction. I think this was an interesting retelling. At times, it felt more like a story about Serilda and less about Rumple, but in the end it all came together.

I know I'm completely on my own here. And my feelings would not keep me from recommending the duology, because I know I'm alone in this.

Right up till the very end, Cursed was brilliant. A perfect follow-up and finish to the first in the duology.

Then <spoiler> had to happen. Right at the end, and I felt used as a reader. I felt robbed of everything my heart went through.

Another amazing book from beginning to end, from Marissa Meyer, who is an incredible storyteller, and can reach an audience of all ages. I wished the story would keep going, which is saying something as this was not a short novel!

The story picks up from Gilded, and does not miss a beat. Meyer's also makes sure to remind us of details from Gilded, in case the reader has forgotten parts of the original tale, or so a reader could pick up this second book and not be totally lost if they did not read the first one.

I was glad that I listened to this audiobook as the narrator was excellent with a great voice to listen to. They did a great job with the speed they read the story, as well as the altering of voice for the different characters. This is always appreciated by this listener.

The introduction of Gild's sister was excellent and a nice twist of character with a different experience than her brothers.

The ending was surprising and satisfying, as was each element of this story. As always, I cannot wait for whatever Meyer's thinks up next!

If you like J.K. Rowling, Stephanie Meyer and Veronica Roth - you will love this book (and every book) by Marissa Meyer.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I can't imagine a Marissa Meyer book not read by Rebecca Soler, they are the dynamic duo. They are both stars in their own right, but when they come together it is magic. I highly recommend this retelling duology, and listen to it specifically if you can.

Once again Ms. Meyer spins a fairytale on it’s head. She is really great at that. The issue here is that this book was three times longer than it needed to be. There are so many extra twists and turns that don’t add to the plot that I was worn down by the end. She is an amazing writer and Ms. Soler is clearly her vocal muse, but there are times where it all gets to be too much. When the book drags on and Ms. Soler draws out some aspects of her narration, I just felt overwhelmed.

The second in a duology, Cursed completes this gothic, paranormal and supernatural retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. In the follow up to Gilded (which ended on a marvelous cliffhanger), Serilda and Gild embark on a journey to break the curses that bind them to the Erlking and his stolen castle of Adalheid. The Erlking may have a secret and benevolent plan for the world, but Serilda has her own mission and priorities. However, She and Gild are left with only the months before the Endless Moon to defeat the Erlking, before literally all Hell breaks loose.
As with the first book, this sequel includes Germanic folklore framing around a magical story, filled with gothic undertones and just the right amount of whimsy. The Erlking is a villain unlike any other Meyer has explored before. There is no reason for his cruelty, no justification for his actions, no tiny shred of redemption, allowing him to be both terrifying and unpredictable, and just a little bit captivating.

Gilded left readers with an unspoken love between Serilda and Gild, an unborn child, and a marriage proposal from the Erlking. The romance readers loved between Serilda, and Gild continues to grow, though Serilda is now promised to the Erlking, her heart still belongs to Gild. Gild is unaware of the parentage of Serilda’s baby, and therefore assumes the circulated story that the child was fathered by the Erlking. Readers will feel both empathy and frustration at Serilda’s hesitation to share this information with Gild. The heart wrenching, secret love allows Gild and Serilda to maintain the main story line, even with the end of the world at stake.
New Adult and Young Adult are a currently merging category, including young adult readership with adult content. This duology dances the line between the two, sharing just enough gore and tension to terrify readers without going too far.
Meyer continues to prove herself as the Queen of Fairy Tale retellings by spinning yet another magical and captivating tale filled with the magic and wonder that reminds us all why we love a good story.

Accompanied by her long standing Audiobook Narrator Rebecca Soler, who delivers a beautifully told rendition!

Marissa Meyer does a fantastic job with wrapping up the duology that started with Gilded. Serilda and Gild continue to try to find ways to foil the Erlking. The emotions and actions are well developed. The narrator of the audiobook performed flawlessly.

I truly loved this audio book! I found it utterly gripping and intensely awesome. I was listening to it in the car, and my preteen wound up being so interested that she just ordered the whole set herself.

Thank you NetGalley, Marissa Meyer and Macmillion Audio for the e-ARC copy of the audiobook.

I enjoyed this so much more than the last book. There were way less filler pages and the story progressed at a good rate, unlike in Gilded, that after the first 100 pages I struggles to stay engaged in the story.

I will say I listen to my audio books a 2x speed and this audiobook got kind of robotic sounding at that speed where most books I listen to do not do that. It was kind of annoying.

I am a long time fan of Marissa Meyer since the Lunar Chronicles. Cursed, the sequel to Gilded only deepened my respect for her craft more. This is not just a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. It expands so much and the world building in Cursed is so impressive. I was really impressed with this conclusion and cannot wait to recommend it.

Cursed picks up where Gilded left of with Serilda still in love with Gild, but about to be married to the Erlking. She's keeping secrets from everyone (number one being her pregnancy).

Again, we have another LONG book, a long book that I think could seriously have benefited from shaving off a hundred pages (or so). I think Serilda devolves as a character in this book, and while I was rooting for her in the first book, I often found her annoying. I thought Serilda and Gild fed off of each other a lot better in the first book. There was A LOT going on in this book, so much so that it was exhausting at times, and I lost interest more than once. One thing I loved about this book was Serilda's wards. They were delightful. The Erlking was still wicked, but I still could not picture him in my head. Kudos to Meyer for during her research where German folklore is concerned. It's very clear that she knows what she's talking about, and I have to acknowledge that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Rebecca Soler was a fine narrator.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing me a copy of the audiobook, "Cursed" in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

Cursed is the 2nd book in the Gilded duology by Marissa Meyer and should be read after reading the first book. It continues the retelling of the tale of Rumpelstiltskin from the perspective of Serilda. I experienced this book in its audiobook format, narrated by Rebecca Soler. I really enjoyed listening to this expressive narrator who really helped the story come to life for me.

I enjoyed the first book in the duology, rating it 4 stars, but Cursed really blew me away, earning it a 5-star rating. The book was filled with wonderful details that really brought it to life. There was lots of action, and though you have a general idea about how the story will go, there are twists and turns that catch you by surprise. We are introduced to some new characters, while bringing back many of the characters from the first book. I was so invested in the story that I found it hard to stop and listened to the entire 16-hour audiobook over the course of 2 days. I don't want to give away any of the plot, but it was definitely an emotional rollercoaster. Reading this book really reinforced my love for this author's work. This duology is a must-read for fans of fairy tales and fantasy stories!

Thank you to Marissa Meyer, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the free advance release audiobook! All opinions in this review are my own.

I loved this conclusion to the duology!! The topics it handles are so great: the power of storytelling; children having a place in adventure. It was such a layered storyline. It is extremely well researched and everything came together in a logical way. The characters are so interesting and the world is incredible. This duo is a MUST READ for all fantasy lovers! Thank you SO much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The reeling moments at the end of Gilded meant I needed to read Cursed right away! When I saw the audiobook on Net Galley I was so excited.
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“Are you reading fairytales or are you living one?”
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This book was full of intrigue, secrets, lies, monsters and curses. It was such a fun and completely immersive world Meyer created. Making me a Rumpelstiltskin fan. 🎉
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Serilda is cursed, has been her whole life but especially in book 2. I recommend reading the books in order. Serilda learns more about her curse and her caring tender heart is always looking out for others. Gild is as handsome and brave as any poltergeist can be 🥴😂 tbh I didn’t think of poltergeist as handsome but I know Gild would be 😉😂 This is a tale that I would definitely reread and want a movie of! 👏🏻
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This book released this week and is available now. Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the alc. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Cursed is the highly-anticipated follow-up to Marissa Meyer's 2021-release, Gilded. I genuinely love Meyer's style of writing and her always clever take on classic stories. In my opinion, she's the queen of retellings. Because of this, Gilded, pitched as a haunted retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint!!

Initially, I was under the impression that that was a standalone novel. Reaching the final pages though, it was clear that was not the end of the story. I have been anticipating this novel, Cursed, ever since.

Following the final scenes of Gilded, Adalheid Castle is in chaos. Serilda has been trapped in a deadly game with the cruel and clever, Erlking, or Alder King.

In a classic power move, the Erlking forces Serilda to become his wife. He's hoping to be able to use her powers for his own gain. She plays along, mildly, as she has her own agenda going on under the Erlking's nose; keep your enemies close and all that. Serilda is determined to help Gild, the mysterious boy who came to her aid in the first book, solve the mystery of his forgotten past.

Meanwhile, the Erlking is plotting revenge against the seven gods who trapped the Dark Ones behind the veil. If he succeeds, it could change the mortal realm forever. The stakes are high. Can Serilda and Gild figure out how to free themselves from the Erlking's grasp before the Endless Moon finds them cursed forever?

Y'all, I'm most likely summarizing this very poorly. My apologies for that, but I do not want to give anything away. This is such a fun story to just sit back and watch unfold effortlessly before you. I think Meyer did an incredible job of building this world, the characters, the lore and the action, oh my goodness! This one had so much action, but most captivating was Serilda's character arc over the two books.

The conclusion to this couldn't have been better. It felt so complete; a true 360. I loved sort of the exploration of the idea of what is in a story, folklore, legends that are passed down over generations. Is there truth in them? From where did these legends come?

Overall, this is a fantastic duology for Fairy Tale fans. It has such a classic feel, but is wholly original; great writing and character development. Additionally, I did listen to the audiobook for both installments, narrated by the always fabulous, Rebecca Soler. I highly recommend that format for these stories. Soler's narration style lends itself perfectly to Meyer's writing. It's a match made in heaven.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm not sure what is going to come next for Marissa Meyer, but you best believe I'll be reading it!!