I enjoyed this book! This is a good read for anyone interested in fantasy & romance. Bonus for those that are interested in a love triangle or second chance.

When I first started this, I will admit that hearing the names of the different courts and territories was very confusing. I couldn’t piece together what the structure of this world was and wanted to understand their magic systems as well. I wish that I had read The History of Moriana on the author’s website before I started this as it did help clear up some of the confusion. I heard that this may possibly be included on the final print, which I think is a great idea. I also suggest that you check it out on her website regardless, before the book releases!

This story was very fast-paced and at times I felt like I blinked and missed something. I would go back to confirm that I hadn’t missed anything, and I didn’t. I do wish there had been more character/relationship/world development so it didn’t feel as rushed at times or leave me with more questions. I think ultimately I just wanted more!

All of that aside, I had a good time with this read. I admired Aelia - a flawed and relatable older FMC working through her trauma. I definitely want to know more about her past. I can’t wait to reread when officially published and to see Aelia’s journey in book 2.

Please note that there are some sensitive topics including drug use/abuse/addiction, emotional trauma, physical trauma.

This book has potential but the world building was extremely lacking and every scene was so fast that it was impossible to focus. The last 20% of the book was probably the best part because it felt actually focused for the first time.

I wanted to like the main character but she was all over the place with her feelings. As for the other characters, for as long as the book was, I feel like I learned almost nothing about anyone else.

Trigger warnings for: drug use, alcoholism, abusive marriage, emotional abuse, physical abuse,

I had difficulties fully getting into this book, especially with phrases such as “lap up the fresh sanguine” which … just because blood can be described as sanguine doesn’t make it a synonym. The writing leans heavily into style, with ornate, florid phrasing — and sometimes repetitive phrasing with, for example, several characters use the same “single tear trickled down” their cheeks or “tucked an unruly piece of hair behind [his/her] ear”. There are several copy issues, such as: in a chapter narrated by Caiden, the line is: “Caiden buried his face in my hands.”

These are small things, but they do stand out, and not in a good way. They’re immersion breaking; every time I see them I stop to notice them, and then it’s a struggle to get back into the story. Personally, This just isn’t a book that worked for me on a technical, written level.

The plot itself is fine, but the pace is ridiculously fast. They go from planning a heist at a party to the party to the aftermath in maybe a dozen or so pages. The character moments are filled with a great deal of Aelia reflecting on her nightmarish past — which could have been interesting — but it’s always brushed aside to get to the next scene, so there’s no emotional weight to it. These moments, like the party, are there and gone and I’m whisked off to another chapter.

There are moments here and there that almost work; the scepter of the dead, the hints and shapes of the various courts and their politics, the mythology … but it was never given enough time. The book reads like the second book in a series, especially the relationships, as characters mention a past without the book having to show it, all of which makes the romance feel tepid. I have no connection, yet, to the characters; I haven’t seen them grow and change, I’m only seeing them fully formed with every alliance and romance taken for granted, and — as someone who prefers a character-centric book — it just didn’t work for me.

If you like plot driven books with bitter characters going through dramatic motions, you might have fun with this one. I regret that I didn’t. However, I do want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for granting me access to an advanced reader copy

I had a really hard time connecting with this book. The premise of the novel had me very intrigued to dive in. However there were so many elements that fell flat. No world building, Character development lacked to such a degree that I didn't feel invested in any. Many elements of the authors writing style left me scratching my head as some scenes would "happen" but not be explained on page. With more time focused on character development, world building, language terms used in proper context, and overall sequence of what the plot is condensed this novel could have been something special.

Unfortunately a very tough and confusing read. This is the first book in a series. I am hoping for better come next book.

i must be honest, this wasn’t 100% for me. the themes are really interesting, and the whole concept really drew me in. i think the multi POVs pulled me out of the story a bit. i had a hard time following what was happening a good chunk of the time i spent reading. the love triangle was super fun, and i appreciate that the FMC was in her 30s - which i think we can all admit is very rare!!!

K.W. Foster is a brand new author to me, so I was definitely intrigued to start this one. Unfortunately, I just did not connect with this. I didn't love the characters, and I didn't think this brought anything "new" to the Fantasy genre for me. This had a lot of tropes I usually like, but I didn't love the way they were done in this. I think this had potential, but didn't pan out the way I hoped.

I liked its premise and potential, but this book is a bit chaotic. It feels like we started in the middle of the story, like this book is the second book of the series and not the first. There is so much going on in this book that I just don't feel invested in any of it? And there's a love triangle.

Also. Can we talk about the characters' treatment of magical deals? Let's just go around making magically binding deals without a thought in the world. What could go wrong? These people make magically binding deals like hot cakes. Whatever happened to "if everything is special, nothing is"? What is someone's word worth if they give it so freely over frivolous but binding agreements?


Content: explicit s*x, drug addicts, smoking, language

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

Firstly, I would like to ask where I can send my therapy bill for K.W. Foster. Because the way this book ended has me very upset.

I was completely lost when I started reading this book. The world building could have been better described. The magic system was not very smoothly described. However, while reading the book some things started to make sense but I was still left very confused by descriptions of their "gods" what "sylphs" and "magus" are.

It seems like so much has happened to Aelia in the past and we get to meet her at a point in her life when she is at her lowest. I feel like we could have benefited from having some kind of a novella that would set the setting for this world and for us to connect with Aelia and all of the other characters we got to meet.

The romances gave me whiplash in the best way. The relationship between Aelia and Caiden was so sweet. I hope they have a happier ending. However I feel like things that happened with Tharan were best for Aelia. They are so comfortable and just in sync with each other. I can't wait to see where things go with Tharan and Aelia.

Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful Arc Netgally and well done writing this wonderful book K.W. Foster.

I enjoyed this book. I assumed with our FMC and MMC, that the romance part of the romantasy happens between them, especially in this case when they were already in a relationship before. Then out of nowhere another guy comes in and steals our FMC's heart. It made it interesting though, the characters were all interesting as well. I do feel like an intro to the world, or more details about it could have been helpful, it feels like you're just kind of tossed in there and you have to figure things out as you go. Overall, it was a nice read and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next one.

The novel's strength lies in its complex characters and the emotional depth of their relationships. The stakes are high, with a blend of magical elements and personal vendettas that keep the reader engaged. As alliances shift and bargains are tested, the story promises a gripping read filled with twists and turns.

Wow, what a ride! This debut is a thrilling blend of romance and fantasy The story’s packed with epic battles, sizzling romance, plus, the characters are vivid and complex, especially the fiery Aelia. The stakes are sky-high, with a plot that twists and turns, making every page a nail-biting experience. A must-read for fans of intense romantic fantasy and high-stakes adventures. i can’t wait enough for the next instalment.

This debut New Adult fantasy novel follows Aelia Springborn, a telepath who can infiltrate and break minds – provided the price is right. The reappearance of her past lover Caiden Stormweaver takes her from a life of addiction and deceit into one of purpose. Fighting to save her sister Baylis from her evil ex-husband King Gideon, Aelia is drawn into a journey which reawakens her love for Caiden – and his for her…but at what cost?
Drawing the reader through a colourful and diverse fantasy world of sylphs, telepaths, witches, elves, mermaids and green kings, this novel is a good stepping stone for readers who have enjoyed the romantasy of ACOTAR and would like to start exploring the more “high fantasy” worlds of writers such as Tolkien and Patrick Rothfuss.

Although slow to pick up the pace, once the main characters had been introduced and set off on their quest, the action moved quickly from ballroom to battlefield and back again. I found the character of Aelia relatable in light of her flaws and the author’s accurate depiction of the pain of lost love. At times I felt a little confused by some of the elements of the characters’ quest – e.g. I am still unsure as to why Aelia had to make the choice that she did when it comes to her future with Caiden. I would also love to see more of the supporting characters, particularly the witch Amolie, and to get some more in-depth world-building.

There is some spice in this novel but definitely not so much as to overpower the story. Tropes include Found Family and Second Chance Romance (of sorts!).

I’m not sure whether this is set to become a series or not but I would love to read more about Aelia and Caiden’s world.

3.25/5 Stars ⭐️

"A Curse of Breath and Blood" by K.W. Foster presents a storyline brimming with potential. The plot, centered around Aalia's confrontation with her fears and the traumas inflicted by her evil husband Gideon, is compelling and keeps the reader engaged.

However, I found the relationships between the main characters to be somewhat rushed and not fully fleshed out. There were moments where deeper character development could have enriched the narrative significantly. Additionally, as a lover of richly detailed fantasy worlds, I felt that the descriptive elements of this universe were lacking. More vivid world-building would have enhanced the immersive experience.

Despite these points, the book was still enjoyable, and I am interested in following the story into the second novel. With some tweaks or additional details, I believe this could transform into an excellent series.

To note, there are themes of drug use, drug abuse, addiction, and physical/sexual assault.

Thank you for NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

I spent a lot of time while reading this ARC waiting to be hooked. That’s not to say there weren’t any intriguing moments within the story, there definitely were some high intensity moments but for some reason I never connected with it in a meaningful way and I really wanted to.

I think there was a lot happening politically in this book that went right over my head and drove me away from the glimpses of connection I was beginning to have with the characters. It just felt like two separate storylines were happening at once for me and I was constantly looking to tie them together in a way that made me root for the MC’s.

I rate this 3 stars because I really wanted to like it and also I think a lot of time and thought did go into these characters in the backend, but in my opinion it was a bit overambitious for the page length. The ending to me felt a little rushed as well. I know we were leading up to it the entire book but the way it was done in somewhat of a hurry on the last page made me feel like there wasn’t much depth to it or thought behind it. I really imagined that moment in my head to be a lot bigger and it seemed to just be a passing thing that was brushed over.

All of that being said, although I didn’t personally connect with this book, I definitely appreciate the level of writing and skill behind this story. I think K. W. Foster is a brilliant writer and I can tell that they are well versed in literature. I look forward to hopefully reading more of their works in the future and connecting with them in a way that I might not have this time around.

Thank you NetGalley and Aethon books for giving me this opportunity to read, review and give feedback on this story <3

I really enjoyed the book, but I did struggle with it a bit, and I think that was more of a personal issue than a flaw in the writing. The storytelling and writing quality are impressive. While I had some difficulties connecting with certain aspects, I still appreciated the effort and skill that went into this book. Overall, it’s a solid read and worth checking out if you're interested in a well-crafted story.

A queen turned mercenary. A long-lost love. An ancient evil reborn.

With her home kingdom destroyed and her family considered dead, Aelia Springborn makes a living, using her abilities to break minds for anyone with enough coin. Content to live a life in the shadows, her world is turned upside down when her former lover, Caiden Stormweaver, tracks her down at the edge of the world with a proposition she can’t refuse…. help him thwart her former husband, King Gideon, from obtaining the deadly army of the Alder King.

With a chasm of hurt between them, the pair strikes a deal; once their mission is complete, Aelia will wipe his memories of their relationship, releasing them both from their tumultuous past.

Bound by magic and aided by friends, Caiden and Aelia set off on a journey to save the continent from ultimate destruction. However, as their mission progresses, Aelia and Caiden find themselves reigniting the flames of their past.

But in Moriana, breaking a bargain is deadly.

Things become even more complicated when Aelia meets Tharan Greenblade, a charming playboy whom she cannot help but fall for. With the threads of their fates entwining, the trio will be forced into a high-stakes game that will test their loyalties and raise the dead.

Don't miss this adult romantasy debut combining the dark fairytale atmosphere of Nettle and Bone with the heart-stopping romance of A Court of Thorns and Roses and the found family dynamics of Divine Rivals. With tension at every turn, this novel explores the sacrifices we make to save the ones we love.

I was given this through netgalley and FB arc group. I really didn't find anything special or interesting about it. Even the cover is bland

DNF @20% 1.5 stars

I was intrigued by the blurb, and it had me in the beginning. However, the writing is so choppy/jarring. The world building and character development didn’t feel fully fleshed out. There really isn’t a whole lot I could explain about this world… I couldn’t visualize the characters, wardrobe, scenery at all.
On top of that, there’s no way to differentiate anyone’s personality/hardships/backgrounds which made it difficult to care about any of the characters.
There are also just pacing and physical writing issues. One minute we’re over there then a body part is doing something that makes no sense—very jarring. As for the pacing, things needed to be slowed down and given more depth for sure.

While I thought that some things happened a bit too fast, I enjoyed this story. I wish the last half of the book didn't feel like it was so rushed but I love all the characters so I'll just hope book 2 is a bit slower.
There is a lot going on from the first page to the last.
We have a 2nd chance at love that gets bargained away and a new start for everyone.
Betrayal, secrets and more.
If you like instalove, magic, and redemption you will like this.
I received an advanced reader copy and these thoughts are my own.

This book started so good, I was really intrigued by the plot and characters and got stuck in, about 50% in though the plot started hopping about and really lost my rhythm with it. Overall a cool story and real promise but just missed the mark a little for me but definitely going to be popular with fantasy readers!