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

You had me at the first sentence.

First of all, the first thing I thought of while reading the blurb was that Aelia's name is too close to Aelin, my all-time favorite character from the Throne of Glass series. Still, FMC in hiding? With cool powers? Sign. Me. Up.

However, Aelia's days as a mercenary weren't dwelled on in this book - it only spanned the whole of Chapter 1. Still, at that point, I was very curious about her back story and why she ended up like that when she was supposed to be a queen (and human).

I did not expect my heart to hurt so much for Aelia for most of this book because of everything she went through. I understand why she was drowning herself in some unhealthy ways to forget and to be numb. There's also the angst and mixed feelings regarding Caiden (which I loved and hated). Her guilt about her deeds in the past. The whole abuse she went through and her demons still taunting her. I'd feel broken too if I was her.

Meeting Tharan gave me some hope for her - finally, someone who has been through the same pain she had and who could fully understand her. Tharan is awesome! Is it obvious that I am rooting for them to end up together? Ship name: ThaLia 😂. If not, then doing a menage would be totally fine with me as well (as an RH girlie, we could even include Lucius in the harem, yes? 👉🏻👈🏻)

<blockquote> "I am damaged, Tharan. And I may never be whole again."

"You are beautiful to me, Aelia Springborn. Your scars are a testament to your strength. Wear them with pride."</blockquote>

So yes, the book was enjoyable and well-written. What I didn't like about it though are the following:
- Finding out that this is another fae book and that "sylphs" was just a substitute term for "fae" disappointed me because I avoid fae books especially ones with court intrigue, and this one has some of that
- It's a story that I can easily forget because none of the scenes left a huge impression on me or made me feel extreme emotions
<spoiler>- I hate when the MMC develops feelings or gets in a relationship with another woman while claiming to be in love with the FMC, regardless of the reasons. I can maybe understand the reasons, but it still hurts and I still hate it</spoiler>
- Fight scenes were meh

I still recommend it for fans of fantasy romance, though. The series seems promising especially with an ending like that.

This book had SUCH a strong and propulsive start! I was instantly sucked into the action and kept reading to seek answers to the many questions that had already come up for me. I immediately wanted to know more about Caiden and Aelia's love story, more about what King Gideon did to Aelia, and more about the world in which they all lived. As the story continued, so too did the action, but unfortunately, many of my questions were left unanswered. I can only hope for more information and backstory in the second book in the series.

Although the book was quick and easy to read (and a lot of exciting things happened), I wish there had been more world-building and character development. I truly think this book would have been better as TWO books, because there was so much that was skipped over or condensed. I needed more backstory and world-building, but also more development in Aelia's relationships with both Caiden and Tharan. Many of her intimate interactions with both men seemed to appear out of nowhere rather than as a natural climax to building tensions.

Also, there is a LOT going on in terms of the magic and mythical creatures in Moriana. It seems like sylphs, elves, and humans are the key players, but we are also introduced to wraiths, vampires, hobglobins, basilisks, a kraken, cave trolls, centaurs, satyrs, fauns, fae, unicorns, and harpies. I love mythological beings as much as the next fantasy reader, but this seemed excessive to me. Many of these creatures received only a passing mention and did not drive the plot at all. I would have preferred fewer that received more page time and were absolutely necessary to the story.

I may sound overly critical, so let me reiterate: this was a fun read and a great debut. Do I think many fantasy lovers will love it as is? Absolutely. Do I think the story could be even better with a few more rounds of revisions? Also yes.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book! I enjoyed the read and look forward to seeing what comes next from this author.

I wanna start by saying that I strongly advise author/ publisher to remove comparisons to the other famous series such as A Court Of Thorn And Roses because it sets certain expectations that unfortunately were not met. However if you don’t compare it to anything else it’s a great novel!

It has a diverse cast of lovable characters and unique world-building which I really enjoyed. I liked the fact that characters were on a bit older middle-age side and for that reason I expected a bit more spice, however it wasn’t the case and it’s totally fine, it’s just not that type of book. Chemistry between the characters was palpable and I liked the banter.

It was nice to see very “imperfect” main character for a change! Former queen and now outcast with an addiction and sharp tongue - love it!

Overall great book and I’m looking forward to reading the upcoming ones in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc!

I’m in my romantasy era and this one did not disappoint! I loved the FMC, she was strong and very likes me. I enjoyed the love triangle and how quick I switched sides! Can’t wait for the bext book!

A Curse of Breath and Blood by K. W. Foster
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 17 September 2024

Once a queen, now a mercenary, Aelia Springborn survives in a world where her kingdom is destroyed and her family lost. Her former lover, Caiden Stormweaver, finds her and proposes they stop her estranged husband, King Gideon, from gaining the Alder King’s deadly army. They strike a deal: she helps him, and she will erase his memories of their past once the mission is complete.

Bound by magic and supported by allies, they embark on a journey to save their continent, rekindling old feelings along the way. In the perilous realm of Moriana, breaking deals can be deadly. Amidst the chaos, Aelia encounters Tharan Greenblade, a charming rogue, complicating their quest as the trio faces a high-stakes challenge that tests their loyalties and stirs ancient evils. They must navigate a dangerous path where every decision is crucial, and breaking their fate could unleash horrors.

The protagonist of this fantasy romance is Aelia, who starts as a young girl in love but later, at age 30, finds herself broken after enduring hardships.

"A Curse of Breath and Blood" features a captivating love triangle between Caiden and Tharan. Readers are drawn into Aelia's dilemma, torn between the passionate history she shares with Caiden and the fresh, budding romance she finds with Tharan. Her struggle to choose between the two unfolds compellingly throughout the series.

The villain is portrayed in a compellingly detestable manner, while both main and supporting characters are distinctly crafted and endearingly brought to life.

The book seamlessly weaves world-building into its narrative, showcasing a rich tapestry of magical creatures such as centaurs, satyrs, and elves. There was no big information dump in the beginning which I absolutely loved.

Overall, this romantasy blends elements of adventure, romance, and suspense effectively, earning a solid four-star rating and leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, RCB Creative Inc, and the author, K.W. Foster, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

"𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙨, 𝘼𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙖. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙬. 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚."

"𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚, 𝘼𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙖 𝙎𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝. 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚."

Another great debut!! I could tell from the first few chapters that I was going to love it.
This is the second book I've read recently with a love triangle and I am OBSESSED.
If you're a Nesta stan (and I am 😌), you'll probably love Aeila. I was initially rooting for Aeila and Caiden. They were breaking my heart in the beginning, but I switched up so fast when Tharan was introduced 😂. Soooo conflicted, but we'll see! I really appreciated that the FMC is in her 30s. Looking forward to the next book!!

AND THAT EPILOGUE!! 😤😤😤

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
🌸 love triangle
🌸 second chance
🌸 one bed
🌸 "who did this to you?"

Love love love to read stories like this one! It sends me to another world with a snap of fingers and dreamerland got me so right! Loved!

A fun romantasy featuring a strong magical heroine Aelia trying to thwart her former husband at the request of her former lover, Caiden. She falls for Tharan, a charming rogue along the way.

Quite a lot of characters (maybe slightly more than I preferred) and a big magical world. Aelia is terrific though and really like her. Big point for her being older than 30 yrs old! Of course I enjoy the love triangle too.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Title: A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster

Release Date: September, 17th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

In A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster, Aelia Springborn, once a queen, now lives in the shadows as a mercenary.

With her kingdom destroyed and family presumed dead, she uses her mind-bending abilities for hire. Her quiet life is shattered when Caiden Stormweaver, her former lover, tracks her down with an offer she can't refuse: help him stop her ex-husband, King Gideon, from harnessing the deadly army of the Alder King.

Despite their painful past, Aelia and Caiden strike a deal—after the mission, she will erase his memories of their relationship. Bound by magic and supported by friends, they embark on a perilous journey to save their continent. As they battle enemies and navigate treacherous landscapes, old flames reignite, complicating their mission.

Enter Tharan Greenblade, a charming playboy who captures Aelia’s heart, adding another layer of complexity to their quest. As the trio faces deadly threats and tests of loyalty, the stakes couldn't be higher. To be honest, I’m not usually a fan of love triangles, but this one was interesting.


What I Loved:
* Aelia Springborn: From a traitorous queen to a badass mercenary, Aelia’s character development is a wild ride. Her resilience and complexity kept me hooked from page 1.

* Rekindled Romance: The tension between Aelia and her former lover, Caiden Stormweaver, is amazing. Their journey to save the continent while dealing with their tumultuous past is a ride of emotions.

* High-Stakes Plot: The mission to thwart the deadly army of the Alder King kept me on the edge of my seat. The blend of magic, danger, and ancient evil reborn was thrilling and added a unique side to the plot.

* Love Triangle: Enter Tharan Greenblade, the charming playboy who adds a delicious layer of complexity to the story. Aelia’s entanglement with Tharan and Caiden created a dynamic that was both tense and captivating. I was confused at times who I was rooting for!

* Found Family Dynamics: The camaraderie and loyalty among the characters had me smiling. This aspect added depth and warmth to the story.

* Dark Fairytale Atmosphere: The setting and tone of the book are reminiscent of 'Nettle and Bone,' with its enchanting yet ominous world-building. The author masterfully creates a dark and magical ambiance.

* Sacrifices and Loss: The story tackles heavy themes with grace, exploring the sacrifices made for love and the pain of loss. This wasn’t just put there , but was detailed beautifully and managed in such a way, that it made for great character development. Aelia's journey through these trials made her an even more compelling character.

A Curse of Breath and Blood is a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. K.W. Foster has made a world rich in magic and danger, with characters that leap off the page and into your heart. Aelia’s transformation from a broken queen to a powerful force is inspiring, and the romantic entanglements left me smiling and even tearful at times.

If you're craving a dark fantasy romance that packs a punch, A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster is your next must-read.

Thank you to The Publisher RCB Creative Inc | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles ,The Author K.W. Foster & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

This was a solid 3/3.5 star read until I hit the 35% mark where some head hopping happens. For context, head hopping is an instant DNF for me.
The few typos and repetition I found I could deal with since this is an ARC and will likely still go through some changes, but I don’t expect head hopping to be fixed in time for release, unfortunately, but I would be very willing to give this book another go if it were.
If it doesn’t bother you too much and you like Romantasy with an older protagonist you will most likely enjoy this book.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

It was a very fun romantasy read that would definitely fit the mold of those looking for something similar to SJM Novels or Fourth Wing. The world was massive and I could tell the author put a lot of thought into the world building for the novel. I'm always a sucker for "second chance" tropes and lovers to enemies kind of vibes so I enjoyed that aspect of it. I also felt for the FMC and her reasonings and I could understand and believe her choices and the reasonings behind them.

I had to take off a star because there were just so many characters and new things being introduced constantly that I had to go back and think "wait, what is this?" or "what are they talking about?" before it was explained later down the line - or often times just brushed over to never fully be explained again. I'm sure if I read it again it might be something I catch later down the line, but I don't like being overly confused during my first read through.

I took another star off because some of the conversations and things that were introduced seemed forced - it was unnecessary or just a thing that the author put to kind of make the plot "interesting" and move it forward, rather than having a specific reason for it. It was a bit jarring at times and broke the flow of the novel.

Either way, I did really enjoy the book overall and I can't wait to see the paper copy of the book in the stores!

A Curse of Breath and Blood has the gritty magical street smarts of Dresden Files combined with a grown up, glamorous Six of Crows (and a little Court of Thorns and Roses for spice).

We love to see a heroine over 30 kicking ass and taking names (and breaking minds along the way). Aelia is like nothing I’ve ever seen before from a female character in fantasy. She’s beautiful but messy, scared and imperfect, kind and cruel. She lived through difficult times and made bad choices and dealt with the aftermath. Heck, she’s still making imperfect choices and I can’t tell you how fun that is to read. If she was ever sunbeams and rainbows, she isn’t anymore and I ADORE that. The way K W Foster writes Aelia makes not just the character but the world itself feel so gritty and real and lived in.

A quick read and a fun one! I enjoyed every part of this from the simmering love triangle to the decadent balls. A great summer afternoon. Highly recommend.

A breathtaking journey! The fantasy elements were beautifully woven into this engaging romantasy. I couldn’t get enough of the characters and their magical world. Highly recommending it and would definitely be in the lookout for the next book by the author.

I'm keeping this spoiler-free but I just need to SCREAM about it.

The author broke me with:

“Your past is just a story, Aelia. Anytime you wish, you can start a new chapter.” 😭😭😭😭😭

I have never felt so seen in a book! A 30 year old kick-ass telepath MC in charge of her own destiny? Two love interests and they are both good, kind, respectful men?? Are you kidding? I may never go back to YA again!

It's hard to believe this is the author's debut! I can't wait to read the sequel!

To be read while drinking a turbo-charged quadruple espresso hazelnut latte with whip, because you will not be able to put it down until you're done!

This book was so good! It has everything you could want in a romantasy. I also really enjoyed the first and third pov changes, which I normally don't; I think it fit the story really well. And a 30+ FMC??? Yes please! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the world, and that ending!! I cannot wait to see what happens next