Set in an alternative universe London.
I loved this a lot!

You have adventure, mystery and romance in a hilarious way.
I really loved the styled of the written and will def check out her other books

Continuing on my journey of fantasy based romance, can’t use that single word to describe it it just feels wrong!

‘Cursed Under London’ find us in an alternative Elizabethan era (Elizabeth the First that is), and the world is inhabited by various types of the undead, dragons, and fae as well as your usual run of the mill humans. Then a new type of undead show up and smell ‘off’ and it is the story of these two, Fang and Lazare that we follow through gangland fights, befriending a dragon, and other escapades.

Fang and Lazare get ‘turned’ into whatever they are and have to find out what caused this and this leads them through Upper and Deep London getting into lots of different scrapes and developing a ragtag found family.

The ending is really well played and turned the hero/villain narrative a little bit, but the very last chapter set the Cursed series up for more high jinx of a royal nature.

This was a fun and light romp, liberally sprinkled with humour that was a nice addition to the story line, especially zombie Kit Marlowe!

In all the light humour one of the bits I did like was the inclusion of intelligent and human sized Swans and Ravens as the Royal constabulary and guard to the Tower.

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The description of this book caught my eye, and sounded like something i would enjoy, however I do not feel it accurately portrayed the book. I had a hard time getting into this story and staying hooked. I felt as though the world could have been flushed out more and there were points of confusion within the book. Overall I feel that this concept had potential but fell short.

Fun and cozy queer Romantasy that lives off the endearing characters, interesting world building and overall mystery of what the hell happened to our protagonists and why on earth they aren't dead.

In a world that seems outright cruel with blatant racism against magical races (division of Upper and Under London), the blossoming romance between Lazare and Fang is tender, soft and heart-warming, while also being gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. Their interactions and especially Lazare’s swooning will make you kick your feet in giddiness, while Fang’s rebuttal and overall grumpiness will make you roll your eyes and want to scream at him!

If you liked Legends & Lattes be sure to give Cursed Under London a try but be prepared for an extra ounce of quirky flourish, quick-fire banter and a solve-the-mystery plot line, that will keep you up and guessing.

Thank you to Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, Farrago Books, and NetGalley for a galley of this in exchange for an honest review.

Cursed Under London is a wild romp of a book, filled with humour and affection.

In an alternative Elizabethan London magicals and non-magicals live in tenuous harmony, divided into two Queendoms: Upper London, the domain of Queen Elizabeth and living, non-magical subjects; and Lower London, the domain of the fearsome Queen Redthroat, populated by zombies, vampires, werewolves, dragons and assorted magicals. Strict rules separate the London's, and allow the citizens of both to co-exist in relative peace, but things are changing in Upper London. First Lazare, and then Fang fall victim to an unusual curse, gangs become more brazen, strange happenings abound, and soon all of London becomes a powder-keg waiting to light.

This was a delightful read. I loved the humour, and the way our characters interacted. There was a strong sense of found family, and and intriguing through line that propelled the story forward even in the lulls. Lazare and Fang were fully realised, and deeply lovable characters. London itself, both above and below, managed to become a lovable character all of its own. I thoroughly enjoyed all the Renaissance references, and particularly the appearance of two Renaissance drama superstars!

I think this is going to be an amazing series, and I am really looking forward to reading more about Fang and Lazare and their adventures! 3.5 stars.

I loved this! I love the setting of Elizabethan England and the Upperside and Deep London. a really well written story full of lovely, relatable characters and I absolutely love the found family trope which this book is filled with! ! really enjoyed the way each character brings something different. definitely looking forward to the next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I really like this, a great read with brilliant characters all of whom I loved straightaway., especially of course Lazare and Fang., It's generally quite light hearted and very funny in places - particularly the scene in Chicory's guest house when the vampires break in - who hasn't had that reaction when someone bends over lol..

The plot is good ( I did wonder if the fae child might be a baddy) and it cracks along at a good pace. There is some tension in the book in the underwater river scenes and the end of that episode is most vividly described

The book is set in an alternative London which, for some reason is dated as if it is happening in the times of Elizabeth I. We do meet famous characters from that time and maybe we will see (or perhaps even have seen already), the magician John Dee.

I am only sorry that the other books in the series are not out yet.

A light, funny and very enjoyable read.

A historical fantasy with humour, queer romance, zombies, vampires, dragons, fae, and a separate underground London for all of said magical creatures? Sign me up!

This is a light, fun romp with a lot of heart. The vibes are cozy, but I think the stakes and violence are a bit much for it to truly sit in the "cozy fantasy" category. Fang and Lazare find themselves pulled together and into the wacky world of London's magical side when they're both cursed after near-death experiences - but what, really, are they? Aided by apothecary Nell and "small urban dragon" Amber, they set off to find out, and end up interfering in a dastardly kidnapping along the way. It's a will-they-won't-they love story set in the midst of a magical caper and journey of self-discovery.

I laughed out loud with this book multiple times. It was a wonderful surprise - I'm not sure I realized it was a comedy when I signed up for it. This is the first book in a series and I can't wait to dive into more of them as they're released.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is an urban fantasy set in an alternative Elizabethan London where supernatural creatures live amougst humans (Upper London). But don't be looking for the tudor dialogue as you'll not find it here.
Fang and Lezare awaken from their deaths and are not human anymore. Thrown together by the curse they share, the two strangers set out with a Welsh woman and a dragon to find a way to reverse the curse.
I loved this. This is the first time I had read anything by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch - one of the Horrible Histories writers.
There's a lot of dark humour, which I love, especially the scene where Fang and Lazare are fighting vampires, and it's hilarious. I was laughing out loud at this.
Oh yeah, and Christopher Marlowe is a zombie. 😄
I'll definitely be reading the next one.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC

I DNFed this at around 50 pages. While this definitely sounded like something I would have loved, the execution was unfortunately lacking for me. I simply was not invested in the story at all, due to the writing style. I'm not sure what it was that bugged me about the writing, but I couldn't get into the book because of it. I might give it another go in the future, but for now I have to put it aside.

🫀🩷🫀🩷🫀🩷🫀🩷

The hilarious first novel in a cosy and inclusive historical romantasy series by the writer of Horrible Histories.

In an alternate Elizabethan London, Fang and Lazare, residents of Upper London, awaken from death to a startling revelation: they are no longer entirely human.

Despite gaining immortality, they find themselves distinct from vampires, zombies, or werewolves that populate Deep London, the underground city. Bound by a shared curse, these strangers embark on a quest to undo its effects while grappling with an undeniable bond burgeoning between them.

Amidst their journey through the mysterious depths of Deep London, they uncover a perilous conspiracy in which they are inexplicably entangled.

After defying death but without transforming into typical denizens of Under London, Fang and Lazare are caught in a puzzling state between mortality and immortality. Their quest to decipher this anomaly and lift the curse leads them into myriad adventures, accompanied by newfound allies like Amber, a dragon, and Nell, an apothecary.

The novel shines not only through its compelling protagonists but also through its richly drawn secondary characters. Lazare and Fang's journey is interwoven with humour that feels organic and effortless, ensuring an engaging and brisk-paced read.

This book is for you if you like...

🧡Romance
💛Queer/LGTBQI storylines
💚Supernatural
🩵Play-on history

Such an enjoyable read, I love fantasy already and when I saw this book was available for review I jumped at the chance.
I’ve also already read every else by this author so it’s an automatic please yes!
This is London during the Kit Marlowe, Shakespeare era with fantasy elements added that there are all creatures here.
We start with Fang being attacked and hoping to finally die but instead something strange happens he finds himself waking up instead which is most upsetting to him.
We meet Lazare leaving current employment and finding out there is another like him who should be dead but isn’t. Amber the small and helpful dragon brings Fang and Lazare together then while being attacked by the same people that killed them initially we then meet Nell who’s Fang’s friend.
Upon finding out fae weapons have been stolen then intend to return them and hope it lifts this curse they are under.
This is full of fun and hijinks which is typical of Gabby’s books. I’m happy to see this appears to be a new series she’s developing so bring on book 2!
I was provided an ARC for an honest review and I’m so happy I did.

Fang is dying when a little urban dragon from Deep London, Amber, comes up to him in the alley and calls baggsie (or dibs) on his corpse. Lazare is struggling after being dismissed from his tutoring gig for being turned into an undead creature. Neither man can die, but neither is a normal undead. Lazare has vampiric wings but doesn’t need to eat like a vampire; neither has been bitten by a zombie or any other creature, so now they’re stuck.

Set in an alternate universe of 1599 London, ‘Cursed Under London’ is the first book in the Cursed series that focuses on Fang, Lazare, and their companions as they discover the curse that keeps them alive and maybe find love along the way.

The foreshadowing in this book is, at times, laid a bit thick, and the use and discussion of sexual slavery and rape come out of nowhere towards the end. Additionally, the author’s origin in fan fiction can be seen through her style, which may not be enjoyable for some readers.

Overall, ‘Cursed Under London’ is a promising first book in the forthcoming fantasy rom-com series, which features a richly developed world and magic system. I’d recommend this book to fans of Cassandra Clare, particularly her Infernal Devices series, and anyone who enjoys societies of magical beings/creatures.

In short, it’s an easy to read urban fantasy, with likeable main characters, a vividly realised world, offbeat humour, and a sweet heart.

The book’s set in an alternative version of Elizabethan London. Where the undead and mythological creatures inhabit a lower level of the city, and humans live in the above-ground world we know. We soon meet Lazarre, an actor who’s found himself down on his luck, and not quite human. He soon meets Fang, who’s similarly in limbo between human and not. The pair form an unlikely team with Fang’s self-titled best friend Nell, and the dragon Amber, and try to solve the mystery of their affliction.

The setting by is familiar to anyone who knows London, Shakespeare, or Elizabethan England. There’s alleys, noise, and gangs, with a vividly realised world that touches all the senses. Including smell. (Thank god this is a book!) The supporting characters are also well realised, from Wulfric the tavern owner, to Honkensby the copper. Fans of this period will also get a kick from finding familiar figures from the era!

The main characters shine in this world, with clear personalities and motives. They’re all distinct from one another, with internal monologue and dialogue to match. The prose skips between each’s internal dialogue, as well as the descriptive narrative, which made the narrative style feel a little inconsistent.

The style is conversational and easy to read. Although a few rare word choices in the narration were jarringly infantile. But given this is an advance copy, those rare blips may well be solved. 🤞

I really enjoyed this read, and will keep an eye out for the next instalment.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for this review!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy of this novel!

I want to start off by saying that I don't think the book's description is giving it any favors. This book isn't particularly funny, nor would I call it "cosy" or label it as a romantasy. I recognize that humor is subjective, but I didn't think this book was funny at all. The handful of scenes that read as "funny" to me were just cringey and kind of annoying. All the other reviewers seem to think it's funny though, so what do I know. Also, I'm not particularly in on the cozy trend, but I didn't think this book felt cozy at all. The stakes felt pretty high to me. There was also a lot of running around violence. I guess maybe the first chunk is "cozy" since very little happens, but I don't know, maybe I just don't know what cozy means. I also wouldn't call this a romantasy either. Yes, there is romance, but I wouldn't say the romance and the plot held equal weight in the story.
Now, marketing aside, I didn't really get into this book until about 70% of the way into it. I just wasn't particularly invested for the majority of the book. I don't really know why, I just found it kind of boring. I did find the end quite engaging, but it did kind of come out of nowhere. I also thought this book was a stand-alone, so I was quite disappointed by the abrupt ending. Oh! I found Fang's descriptions kind of icky. I feel like we were constantly being reminded how "pretty" Fang was. Every time Fang would come up in the text it had to be mentioned that he was attractive. And pretty much every male character that is introduced thinks Fang is super attractive and wants to get in his pants. And Fang was very clearly not into it. It just felt kind of voyeuristic, I guess.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for this review.

Cursed Under London is a fantastic read. Witty and heart-warming with fully realised characters. Many funny texts have cardboard characters or clunky plots, but in this book Crouch shows a real mastery of story-telling. We are drawn into the world with clever descriptions that are not burdensome, and connected to the characters through a series of believable encounters and dilemmas.

The characters were the highlight of this book, with complete personas, recognisable internal dialogue, and understandable drives. Including historical personas like Christopher Marlowe (as a lascivious rake) and Shakespeare (as a morose loser) were wittily included.

A great read that contains more heart than one expects.

This was a fun cute nice fantasy read :)
Great characters, great writing and a great start to a series.

I went into this book with mixed feelings, but ended up having a pretty nice time actually!!!
Slight spoilers ahead, beware
I loved Fang and Lazare, their dynamic and banter were a joy and I really liked their relationship!!
Nell and Amber were a delight!! Both well rounded characters and I adored Amber and her eternal hunger!
I do feel like the world could have been fleshed out a little more, and I was confused at first about the timeline, but it smoothed out during the story!
I also very much enjoyed Kit and Bill (the undead playwrights) and Wulfric, the vampire, thousand-year old kid and tavern keeper!
Overall, a pretty enjoyable book and I am lookingforward to the next in the series!!

Thank you NetGalley and Farrago Books for the ARC!!

DNF
I unfortunately could not finish this book. It had all the things I usually like, dragons, vampires, magic etc. But I couldn't stand the childish writing and humour as well as the language used which was not correct for the time period. There was also a wording error on page 1! Not for me unfortunately.

Interesting world building and very cute characters but unfortunately it just didn't reel me in. Still a cute book for a chill read.