While I was somewhat expecting that ending, I was still shocked how it all went down.
SO MUCH HAPPENS in the last 100 pages. I wish more action had been sprinkled throughout the story as I did pick up and put down this book multiple times in the last month due to a slow start. But once I got about 55% in, I just kept going.
Poor Aya has been through the damn ringer, and it's not gonna let up any time soon.
I'm very glad we got to see more of their bonded wolves in this book as they felt like an afterthought in book 1.
I loved that we got POVs from Aya, Will, and Aiden. We also got Josie's POV, but I felt like it was unnecessary most of the time. Her POV didn't add any depth to the story.

The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life. I do wish it was dual narration so Aya/Josie and Will/Aiden had different voices.

3.5/5 rounded up.

I was able to get an advanced listening copy from Dreamscape Media and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my rating.

This is the sequel to the curse of saints.

This was Book 2 in The Curse of Saints series. Prior to requesting this arc I had not read the first book. I realized about 10 percent into this book that I was going to love it and immediately listened to the first book prior to continuing this one.

This hit all of the tropes I look for in my Fantasy romance books.

Morally grey characters
Powerful FMC
intriguing power system
Bonded wolves - loved this
Royal courts
Political intrigue
Power Grabs
Single narrator, Devon Sorvari
Multiple POV

Loved this fantastic fantasy romance, that cliffhanger left me wanting the next one right now.

Curse of Sins is the second book in a trilogy. Very much like the first book, not much happens until about the 60% mark. There is a classic misunderstanding trope plus the continued search for "the supplier" that has been missing since the opening scene of Curse of Saints. I don't really understand why Will and Aya would even have returned home knowing the queen was not as just a ruler as she pretended to be.
I'll admit, I did not see the twist coming at the end of this one. It was an impressive ending that left me intrigued enough to potentially stick with this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC!

Well, I’m not sure how many books are planned for this series, but I doubt I’ll be finishing it. After giving 3 stars to the first in the series, The Curse of Saints, I had hoped that this would be a situation where the first book was setting the stage and the second book was where the series took off. Sadly, this one never got off the ground for me. All the same problems I had with the previous book were present here and nothing I had hoped to see in this one came to fruition. I fear I must go against the majority with this series to say that I just don’t get the hype.

This book was long. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no stranger to fantasy fiction, so long books don’t scare me, but this one bored me. It was easily put-downable and completely forgettable during any breaks from reading (listening to) it. For such a long book (640 pages, 20 hours), not much happened. We see more posturing of the characters, lots of talking about the same things over and over, and not much action or forward plot progression. For what it accomplished, it should easily have been cut down about 150-200 pages.

Honestly, this whole series has been kind of the same. I struggled to remember anything from the first book before starting this one. While I should have done a re-read of the first book for a refresh, I did not have any desire to devote that much time to re-read then to read this one after. So, I recapped my own review from book 1 and grabbed a detailed synopsis from online to jog my memory enough to continue. I’m going to review this in a similar breakdown as the first for a comparison.

Magic System
I was less confused about the magic system created this time around, but I still definitely got confused on who was who. The whole Diaforaté, Decachiré, and Dyminara still got mixed up in my head frequently. I still don’t understand how the wolves fit into everything. It’s kind of like when she was plotting out what aspects to include in the story, she said “wolves, I must have wolves! I don’t know what for, but I must have them!” Still, I like them, so I guess the appeal is there.

Political and Religious Intrigue (Plot)
This definitely picked up more this book, which I was glad to see. Where in the first book this aspect felt too transparent, there were more layers in this one that made things a bit more opaque.

World-Building
As in the last book, if you separate out the magic system and the political/religious intrigue from the world-building, you’ll find that there is very little left. There was only one other new setting added here and it was as vaguely described as the other two settings in the first book.

Female Spymaster
While most of the story was Aya training, researching, and interacting with Will and Tova, I was happy to see a bit more of the badass spymaster in this book that wasn’t present in the previous book. I just wish it wouldn’t have taken more than half the book to see it.

Enemies to Lovers
Okay, I’m still not really sure I understand Will any better than I did in the first book, but I’ll buy the romance in this book. Their fledgling relationship is barely off the ground but being tested in ways that would break even a steadfast love once they return home. At least there was no love triangle possibility in this book. They finally consummate their relationship, but it was pretty tame by most romantasy standards, 2 flames.

POVs
We are given multiple POVs this time. While I felt Aidon’s POV was superfluous in the last book, I am glad it was included here along with his sister, Josie’s. Honestly, Josie was the most interesting character to me in this story.

Audio Narration
While I didn’t listen to the first book on audio, I was able to listen to this one. I found the narration to be good, no complaints. The narrator spoke clearly and transitions were smooth between takes so that I couldn’t differentiate much between them.

There was a pretty decent twist at the end, but I just don’t know if I have it in me to continue with this series. Again, this series is targeted toward SJM fans, but it is just not for me. I still think the author has potential, but in my opinion, she’s not there yet.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an audio-arc from Net Galley to review.

Continuing the story from book 1, that left off on a huge cliffhanger, our main characters continue on in their quest to sort out the political issues surrounding them. Understandably hard to do when everyone is keeping secrets and the stakes are so high. Our main couple, Aya and Will, return home and to the service of their leader, Gianna. Not only does our happy couple need to keep info from Gianna, but they are also still keeping some info from each other. There are definitely a lot of new roles for everyone to settle into and figuring out who to trust makes this so much more difficult. Specifically with Will and Aya, we went from enemies to something so much more - how do you go from seemingly wanting to kill each other to finding comfort and support in each other.

As a secondary story, we are also following Aidon and Josie who have their own political drama and secrets. This book provides the readers with more answers but still ends in a way that will keep readers coming back for the next installment.

Rated 4 stars

"Perhaps it was the thought of something ruining this— the thought of them finding each other only to not have a life together— that terrified her. So much had threatened it already. So much that they still hadn’t sorted through. But she didn’t care. Not tonight. She wanted him. Perhaps that made her selfish, too."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dresamscape Media for e-ARC and audiobook copies of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Curse of Saints was one of my favorite books of last year, one that I haven't been able to stop thinking about since, so I was checking nearly daily for this to pop up on Netgalley and managed to snag this during a 'read now' timed giveaway!

Trying as much as I can to avoid spoilers for book 1, The Curse of Sins follows Will and Aya as they return to Tala after their many discoveries and ordeals, Aidon as he struggles to settle into his new role, and a few other chapters from bonus character POVs that add to the story as well. After leaving Aidon, Will and Aya are almost immediately separated as well, leaving us wondering if the three of them separately will be able to handle Queen Gianna, the politics between neighboring kingdoms, the impending war with their overpowered enemy, and the prophecy involving Aya and the gods.

One of my favorite things about this series is how much I care about every single character, no matter how minor. I would read a novella about almost anyone here, and I screamed when something terrible happened to someone WHO DESERVED BETTER!!!!!! I was also pleasantly surprised (although in emotional turmoil) by how the ending wrapped up some untied plots I didn't even remember from the beginning of book 1 even! I also like how the setup of who is left together at the end of book 2 will make for a fascinating start to book 3.

I didn't notice any issues with the logic in the plot, although I still have a lot of questions about the limitations of Aya's powers and want answers to what the origin of her powers means after the ending. I enjoyed that we got POVs in at least three kingdoms this time, and felt the atmosphere and different environments were well-written.

If I had to have a complaint, it was that my intrigue was a little low in the middle where everyone was still separated and mostly going through separate types of training. That's par for the course with a fantasy book, however, and I was purposely trying to go slow with this book to savor it (plus I had to move home and a couple of big life events), so I think I wouldn't have felt this if not for dragging it out myself as well. The narrator for the audiobook also really grew on me this time. I actually preferred listening to the audiobook for the sequel!

I can't wait for The Curse of Gods, and really, really hope Fairyloot completes the series with its special editions. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves slow-burn romance, found family, and cliffhangers!

This book was an absolute emotional rollercoaster! It evokes a range of feelings from happiness to anxiety, shock, and then relief. The journey through the plot was so immersive and deeply engaging. So far this series has been quite under hyped but I think it’s a must-read for fans of fantasy. The narrator in the audio version did an excellent job of portraying the various characters and their emotions. Her inflections were on point throughout the story.

'The Curse of Sins,' significantly improves upon its predecessor. The plot is much more refined and cohesive, with the romance between Aya and Will being a standout element. Their chemistry and the tension between them are masterfully written. The author made their relationship both believable and captivating. Aya's struggles and Will's protective nature add more depth to their characters, which enhances the overall story.

Aidon and Josie provide a fun dynamic as siblings, with their interactions adding conflict and charm. However, their storyline sometimes felt like a side note compared to the main plot. Despite this, their development holds promise for future installments.

The author excels at portraying the characters' emotions, making the reader feel every high and low. The multi-perspective narrative allows a comprehensive view of the characters' reactions and growth. Liam, a new favorite, brings an exciting energy to the story, and Gianna is a formidable and badass villain.

The book's pacing is relentless, especially in the last 150 pages, which are packed with unexpected twists and turns. The political aspects of the plot, though sometimes confusing, added a whole other layer to the narrative.

Overall, this book was a thrilling read! It was full of emotional depth and well-crafted characters. The plot twists are unpredictable, and while I’m not a huge fan of such “kick you in the face” cliffhangers, the ending definitely leaves you craving more! Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good fantasy with strong character development and a gripping storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with the audio version in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Curse of Sins by Kate Dramis and narrated by Devon Sorvari is Book 2 of the Curse of Sins and a great advertisement to get into this series! Beautifully narrated by Devon Sorvari, I was enthralled by both the storyline and the narration. Highly recommended!

Full review to follow

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, the author Kate Dramis and narrator Devon Sorvari for this incredible ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

well damn... that's way to end it... CLIFFHANGER ENDING... you've been warned lol

Overall, this was a good 2nd installment in this series, but the pacing was not great for me. The first 20% and last 25% were awesome, but the middle reallyyyy dragged. But damn that ending had a lot of shocking elements that had me shouting "NO" outloud! Def going to continue on in the series because I am INVESTED in Will and Aiya, and I love this friend group so much.

Rating: 3.5 stars

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.

This book was a treat to read indeed. Right from the starting till the ending, it had mentioned hooked to the core. This was my first read from the author's work and I love it.
The characters were well drafted and penned down, along with the scenes and background which were absolutely mesmerizing too.

This is the sequel to The Curse of Saints and overall I thought it was a solid book 2.

Since we had a lot of world-building in book 1, it meant that we got more twists and turns in this book which was nice and built on what we already knew.

I enjoyed the extra POV in this one, I thought that rounded out the story better rather than just focussing on Will and Aya. I liked seeing more of all of the characters in this and seeing the relationship dynamics change throughout the book.

Just with book 1, I thought the narration was very good and clear. I didn't struggle listening at all even when sped up.

The main downside to me was that it just felt a bit too long but this wasn't a major problem.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this audio arc.

The follow-up to The Curse of Saints, I found this much more interesting than its predecessor and more high-stakes. Aya and Will are back home but the threat of a devastating war is closer than ever and with some greedy for power, the danger is closer to them than they realize with all of the realm at stake.
I felt the first half of this was a bit slow and hard to get into but that second half really brought me in and I couldn’t stop reading. Great for fans of Throne of Glass! The narrators were great at bringing the sense of urgency and panic to life in the characters, leaving me holding my breath on more than one occasion.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

When I originally requested this audiobook, I completely overlooked the fact it was the sequel to The Curse of Saints. Thanks to a fellow bookstagram (projectbookish) for telling me so, and then KU for having it there ready to read.

What I liked: I really enjoyed what world building there was. That's not me saying there wasn't a lot or too little, just my phrasing. In some ways, I wish that there was more, as there were some parts that needed further explanation. I do enjoy the character's affinities aka powers. Wishing there was a little more expansion on the connection with their wolves though. There was character development, especially expanding the POVs from just the two main characters from book 1 to now 4 key characters. I did enjoy that there was a clear villain in the story. And the ending of some characters is well to be expected in a story like this. There's got to be some death for story development and story lines.

What didn't settle with me: within the first 10% of the book I was like, there's going to be another book after this isn't there? Yup. A little less than 50% of the way in it was clear that there was going to be another book. Now, remember, I am not one to always jump to author's social media/website/or whatever to look up if there is more down the pipeline before going into a book. So, yeah... I was a little disappointed that the story wasn't coming to a conclusion here. From the audiobook standpoint, it was borderline painful the amount of time that it took for me to finish even with listening to it at 1.75x speed, sometimes 2x.

Overall: I was excited to continue the journey that began in book 1. I'm not sure if I will read book 3. It hurts my brain a bit to try to recall what happened in finer details. There is one area of the book that I was super confused about what was happening, and if someone wants to talk with me about it, let's discuss. And is there spice? Yes. And it's semi-realistic because at least the characters say like "I need to shower" or acknowledge that they are covered in filth from fighting/traveling. Oh yeah, the ending/plot twist, not surprised, because again there was no other logical ending that would have led to another book. Again.... my opinion here.

Rating: a solid three stars out of five.

Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book for a review.

I will be posting to Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

this is the sequel to the curse of saints.

after discovering she’s prophesied to save the realm, aya’s duty should be clear: return home with will to serve their queen in the coming war. but aya’s not so sure about this duty, and has questions about the prophecy and her queen. as she and will are forced to lie to everyone, they work on uncovering the truth before dark magic destroys them all.

i really loved the curse of saints last year, so i was very excited to get to this sequel! the plot was so captivating, and the tension between aya and will was incredible. they have to keep their relationship a secret, and i’m such a sucker for the secret relationship trope. i can’t wait to see where the story goes in book three!

narration: devon sorvari returned to narrate this book. i think her narration fits so well for the story and for aya!

A perfect addition to the world of Curses!! Aya and Will continue on their path of finding their place in the world and discovering who is using them and why. The twists and turns were just as amazing in this one as the last. The characters continued to grow and become more complex as the story progressed and I absolutely loved watching them grow. Narrator is amazing.

This book was better than book 1, but it still didn’t capture my attention or interest in a way I hoped. I really struggled to continue reading and found my attention wandering often meaning I’d missed much of the chapter. Luckily, I was able to catch on to what I missed quickly and didn’t have issues following along. I made some predictions at the beginning of the book based on how book 1 ended and most of them ended up happening.

I loved having the POV of Aiden (? Idk spelling for anyone since I listened on audio) and getting to see what was happening in the other kingdom after Will and Aya left. We also got the POV of Aya and Will as in book 1. I really struggled to like Aya. The tension between her and Will felt contrived and could have been relieved by a simple conversation. There were some twists and turns that added to the tension but it still wasn’t enough to keep me invested like I wanted. I really don’t think the book needed to be so long and I think that’s why I struggled to keep attentive.

The narration is done by the same narrator as book 1 which is amazing. My only issue with the narration (and this came up in book 1) is that occasionally, the narrator’s voice for Aya sounded like some of the male characters and it threw me off! I’m not sure if it was due to me listening on 3x speed or if what, but it really confused me and pulled me out of the story. Luckily, it only happened a few times. Overall, the narration was great.

I think romantasy lovers will enjoy this series. I’m undecided on if I’ll finish the series or stop here.

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

As for the audio component - coming into book two in audio form made for some interesting moments. You ever start pronouncing something one way only to realise that’s not right at all? 😂 that was me! The pacing was excellent and I could feel the emotion of the characters in the narration.

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.

Wow! I didn’t see that coming. 4⭐️
I was excited about listening to this and I did enjoy it. It was narrated by Devon Sorvari she did a great job. I loved the romance and I thought the world building was good. The only problem I had with this is that I thought it was too long. This also ended on a cliffhanger so I will definitely be reading the next one.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

After the discovery of Aya's power, her role now seems to be straightforward, be the saint that saves the realm and fulfil the prophecy. But why does she feel there is more to her destiny than this? Long gone are the people she could trust, this fight seems to need to be fought alone.

Affinity - is such an interesting concept for rendering energy of various forms and it also plays a key role in the plot twists of the story. Personally I enjoyed the trio and was waiting for things to settle down between them 😍. The queen was a well-crafted villain character we can all despise. However, the steamy scenes have increased in this book which was a mild discomfort to non-smutty readers like me.

Just like book 1, this too ended on a cliffhanger and that just was a stab in the heart after 20+ hours of listening to the audiobook. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the story and maybe in the grand scheme of things this might be okay, but right now I just feel devastated.