Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the second instalment in the Curse of Saints series.

Aya was once in her queen's inner-circle but then her magic manifested and she became everything her kingdom had been taught to fear and despise. Now she has to discover who she really is and if everything she knows has been a lie all along. She must forge her own path and, in doing so, betray queen and country and those she holds dear.

The politics of the lands featured heavily throughout this and I adored the high stakes, the plotting, the scheming, the constant threat of discovery, and the consistent idea that all was not as it really seemed to be. This book was one adrenaline-fuelled ride and I loved every second of it!

That isn't to say that it wasn't without its softer moments, as the core characters explored their relationships with one another. I loved these moments just as much but they too were overshadowed with the threat of discovery. I was dogged with the fear that everything the characters had fought for was going to be ripped away or their bonds used against each other, and it seemed I was right to own this fear!

I got lucky enough to have access to both the Audiobook and ebook of this book, and this was for me the best combo. I did the same thing with The Curse of Saint and it just worked so well, because it does have a slow start, and there were some moments when I struggled a little more into staying into the story, but I soon as I listened to a few chapters, I jumped right back to reading the books (I love being able to read and listen to a book depending on my mood, my schedule or where we are in the story). And the narration was great. I could listen to it at 1.8 or 2x speed like I usually do.
One thing that I did really enjoy is the tension between the characters, as we often didn't know for sure who Aya and Will could really trust, and how these tensions affected the dynamics between characters. Character-wise, we also get additional POVs, and I'm still not 100% how I feel about it. On one hand, I'm not a big fan of multiple POVs, as I do find that it the beat of my reading, and I often find myself struggling to stay in the story when it switches too often. On the other, I was glad to get a little more from Aidon and all, but still. That's where the audio book really helped keep me into the story and pretty much devour the book in a day.
Now, I have to say, I didn't realize this wasn't the conclusion to the story, so there was a little bit of a shock when I realize that (which was pretty in the last like 50 pages). In a way, it is a good sign, because I didn't really like it was a filler book, like it can sometime happen a middle book (though, let's be clear, there were some moments in the books that really slowed it down, and I couldn't have seen remove to keep the pace a little more to my taste). I honestly enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to the next book, because I really want to know what will happen next to Aya, Will and company.

A phenomenal sequel to The Curse of Saints full of tension, action and adventure at every term. Highly recommend both books.

The pacing was a bit off for me in this one - which I'm gutted about because The Curse of Saints was one of my top reads last year.

That being said, I did enjoy the twists and turns in this just as much as I had for the first book. It didn't suffer from second book syndrome like you see happen with some books - it was just a bit slower than I would have liked it to be.

For some reason, forgot that this was the second book in a trilogy. Now the painful wait begins to see what happens after that cliffhanger.

The Curse of Sins
by Kate Dramis
The Curse of Saints #2
Fantasy High Fantasy New Adult
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: June 15, 2024
Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House
Ages: 18+

Returning with Will, Aya is not the same, for she is the Second Saint, but she also discovers that her home isn't either. Everyone knows the Second Saint has risen, as has the threat of war.

But some seek war for their own gain, and harnessing Aya's power for themselves almost guarantees their success.


Sadly, this was less of a book than the first in this series. It was slow as the plot and characters rambled on about their faults, their feelings, who was doing what, and who was treasonous. There were a lot of things going on, which created a lot of suspects, but still, not a lot happened, and when something did, it was quick.

As this is the second book of the series, I don't want to give out spoilers, but I will say there were a couple (and only a couple) of surprises that made it worth trudging through. But the porn, ewww. It was way too much, so this book, and the series, are not suitable for readers under eighteen.

I'm not saying it's awful, but it just went on and on without much to hook the reader (or keep them awake) until the last ten pages, but... spoiler...

Yes, I would like to know how the story ends, but...

This one just fell short of the next star...

2 Stars

The Curse of Sins is packed with all the things I liked about The Curse of Saints, but then amped up tenfold! It's a little spicier, still has funny moments, and of course has twists and turns you'd never expect. I love Kate Dramis's writing style, and in particular I really enjoyed watching all the storylines tie together at the end. Can't wait for the final instalment in the trilogy!

I loved book two even more than book one - the world is so rich, I never wanted to leave.

As for the characters and plot itself, I thought my pantheon of book boyfriends was refusing applications, but that was before Will. I just can’t get enough of him. And Aya is so damaged in the best way as she tries to grapple with her powers and her so-called destiny. I’m obsessed with these two, as well as the misfits they’ve accumulated along the way.

This review is wholly mine and not influenced by anyone.

I enjoyed this book better than the first instalment. This book kept me centred in the world of Kate Dramis the entire time. Immersed in the gorgeous world building and the simmering of love between Aya & Will.

Royalty, politics and high fantasy met with sizzling romance made for a beautiful story. The ending was a cliff hanger so I cannot wait for the next instalment!!!!

The first book was slow paced in my opinion and it was a true slow burn, but that ending had me excited for the next instalment, The Curse of Sins. I don't know if it was due to my head space as I had hit a reading slump, the way this ARC was laid out on my kindle or a genuine disinterest, but I had to DNF this. I have pre-ordered it already, so I am planning on trying again once I have the physical copy, but for now, it just wasn't what I was looking for.

I wanted to love this book and I think this book as a lot of potential. Its a great story and the author is so good at stringing you along and adding twist where you least expect them. That being said a lot of the minor driving plot felt very contrived and unnecessary just to help move things in a specific direction.... will is tortured so they cant sleep together because of his back but the next chapter (or so?) he is fighting Tova but time line wise it only has been a couple of days? things like that came up regularly enough that it bothered me that they weren't more fluid. However the weaving of the story and the political system are still so interesting to me. I enjoyed this book but it didn't suck me in and I was slow to read it.

Whilst I hadn't read book 1 in the series, I didn't struggle too much with keeping up with the main plotlines and characters development.

Aya and Will are essentially committing reason against their Queen for the good of their realm. The Queen is on a power-trip and claiming to hear the voices of the banished Gods (never good when someone is hearing voices!). They have only just made new allies with Aiden and his sister Jodie. It's hard work overthrowing cruel and corrupt despots!

But now they have to attempt to fit back into their lives, keeping their new found romance a secret and try to find ways to save their realm. I have to say Gianna is a complete dictator and she had no compunction torturing Aya's friend for her own ends.

The plot is windy and twisty and I did get confused a few times. However the pacing is good and I enjoyed the variety of characters. There is representation for LGBTQIA+ and a few of them could also possibly be neuro-diverse.

I did find Tova quite hard to like, even after being tortured! Similarly Lena was a bitter pill but I quite liked her brother, even when they were on opposing sides. If Aya is going to be a SpyMistress, she really needs a lesson in subterfuge and subtlety - she is sometimes as subtle as a brick to the noggin! LOL

Y’all I absolutely devoured this book. Reading and listening was an experience.
STAY ANCHORED IN THE LIGHT, THEY TOLD HER. BUT WHAT HAD THE LIGHT EVER DONE FOR HER?
With betrayal lurking around every corner, she and Will are forced to lie, manipulate, and hide what they've become to one another as they struggle to learn the truth before dark magic destroys them all.
And with secrets and lies trailing Aya wherever she goes, she has to wonder...do the gods truly want her to save the realm...or simply watch it burn?
I loved book one so much that I couldn’t wait to get into book two when NetGalley said I was approved.
The way Kate has expanded this world is just awe inspiring to witness. The character developed with the whole cast was evenly split out so you cared for the whole cast of wildly diverse characters. And that finale, aka a cliff hanger that left me shooketh. It make me want to have book 3 in my hands so bad so I can get answers to the burning questions that I left jumping around my head.
You will love this book if you love:
•darkness vs light
•complex characters
•diverse cast
•twists and turns
•shocking finale
I would 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for a series to completely leave them destroyed and grateful for it.

Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for an audio copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

I enjoyed the first book, but I liked this book even more.
The Curse of Sins picks up right after the events of the first book. I think that we got to see a somewhat quieter moment to show where Aya and Will currently stand. It really helped to up the stakes upon their return to all the spying, plotting, and betrayals.
I'm super excited to see where everything goes from here in book 3.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Dramis, and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this book early.

I was intrigued to rediscover the drama and politics of Aya’s world and see how the story would progress from where it left off. I’m still a fan of the author’s writing style and these characters, and enjoyed seeing the dynamics changing in different relationships in the book. The wool is also pulled firmly over our eyes, with all the secrets and scheming that take place it’s impossible to unravel all of it and that certainly kept me on my toes. However, this book was incredibly long and pair that with a slow pace and minimal movement in the plot, it did make it a more difficult read than the first book in the series. I would have loved to see it condensed so it felt more like we’re moving forward, and there’s more happening, as I think that would have made it a more digestible book. I definitely enjoyed the first book more and hope the next book in the series is more a more gripping read.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Aya's smile was cold. Vicious. "I'm not an Anima, Mathias. I'm a fucking saint."

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me an e-arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

The second book of a series for me is always the most daunting one to read, because it has the ability to propel the characterisation, world building and narrative forward; or, it doesn't. Let me say this, Dramis absolutely delivered with The Curse of Sins (TCOS). I can't even begin to describe just how much I loved reading this book, the drama, the fury, the overwhelming emotion that fuels this whole book was honestly amazing. TCOS picks right back up where we left off from The Curse of Saints (TCOS). In comparison, you will find that TCOS really delves into the multiple POV a bit more widely, I really appreciate this because it allowed me to get wider understanding of each character, which given how pivotal they ALL are to how things unfold, I recon it was completely worth the direction Dramis decided to take this book in.

I loved the vulnerability between Aya and Will in this book, I love more that they aren't the run of the mill enemies to lovers narrative, and there is so much depth to them as individuals. Both of them carry tremendous amounts of grief and I think we really got to uncover in this book a lot of reasons why this was. I think they bring an ideal representation, when it comes to relationships - the good, the bad, the ugly - but they have this unwavering sense of unconditional love towards each other through it all. We also get to the heart of things that they BOTH hold back from each other.

This book is fantasy rich. We uncover so much in the second book which really sets the scene for the first. Lies, deceit, suspicion - it's full of it. We also learn more about Aya's power, and uncover that there are dark things afoot. There's also that perfect mix of romance and fantasy, which was brilliant.

I loved that we were reunited with Josie, Adion and that we got to know Liam a whole lot more (wondering whether he'll get a POV in the next book? it would be welcomed!) Also the uncovering we had with Tova?! that was something else! I'm still shook.

I loved that we were reunited with Josie, Adion and that we got to know Liam a whole lot more (wondering whether he'll get a POV in the next book? it would be welcomed!) Also the uncovering we had with Tova?! that was something else! I'm still shook. I'd say the last 50-60 pages had me in a complete state of shock, I had some suspicions, there's no denying that but oh my god I was NOT ready for that twist! also, that cliffhanger we were left on? I'm emotionally destroyed! and I absolutely cannot wait for the third book.

I loved The curse of saints, and loved the curse of sins just as much.
There is so many secrets, drama, layers, hidden truths, deception, friendships tested. That you just want to keep reading and next thing you know you have finished the book.
I love the dynamic between the characters, and that we get to visit different areas of the world, but also has LGBTQ+ rep.
It's a easy fantasy to follow, and the book comes with a glossar. The world building is easy to follow and so much character development.
And the ending oh my, I need book 3 because so much more drama and trouble is coming 😀 and I'm still like mind blown with that ending. (DO NOT SKIP TO THE END, because then you will loose the suspense of the book).

I really enjoyed it, I loved how the characters developed even more in the second book. I watched both books come alive through Kate’s TikTok’s and I’m so great full to be reading this early! I can’t wait for any more books she puts out:)

An emotional rollercoaster for our characters in this sequel, and for the reader too! So much betrayal and heartbreak, with just the tiniest glimpses of comfort and joy, we are beset by enemies on every side. I was firmly entrenched in the action of this book, frustrated alongside Aya in her quest to determine what is expected from the second saint, and absolutely godsmacked when all is revealed at the end!
Anxiously awaiting book 3!!!

Massive thanks for early access to this publication - to Kate Dramis, NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph/Penguin Random House for granting my 'wish'! I can't wait for my hard copy to arrive!

The Curse of Sins is the sequel for The Curse of Saints and picks up where that book ended.
It has a lot of action and multiple POVs we follow. I enjoyed all the POVs and grew attached to all the characters - it was great to see what all of them were doing instead of just following one character. Their journeys all added to the richness of the story and setting.
I loved seeing Will and Aya's relationship develop throughout the book, even though some of their miscommunications really hurt! I also loved seeing the friendships between some characters and the importance of that found family for them.
Kate Dramis has left us with a big cliffhanger though and I now need book 3!! I really enjoyed reading The Curse of Sins and can't wait for the next one!

Holy cannoli Batman, that ending!!! The Curse of Sins picks up right where we left off in The Curse of Saints, and takes you on a fast paced and action packed ride that you don’t ever want to hop off of. This was the perfect sequel, and I desperately need more!