Thank you netgallery and LaManna Books for providing a E-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Attention Romantasy Lovers: Your next cozy urban fantasy is here!

This was a nice treat! A palate cleanser if you will filled with modern fairytale whimsy and a lighthearted tone that carries our whisked away bride off on an adventure where she must uncover the mystery of this cursed land.

This book has:
Banter
Shadow Daddy Silas
Wedding kidnapping
Mystery
Magic
Cozy Vibes

A treat to read and a fun set up! A tad insta lovey for my taste but curious to see where Gina will take this!

Alessia is at the altar, about to commit to a marriage she has been pushed into by parents and a fiance who don't seem to see her as a person, when a man appears out of thin air to whisk her away. She arrives in a magical land that is also being destroyed by a curse. This was a little…superficial? I don't know how to word it, but it felt like there was no depth to anything that happened. Just here's Alessia plopped down into a fantastical situation, learning to use magical powers conveniently quickly and saving the day with no real struggle, no big deal. The romance also had no substance. Typical story, Alessia and Silas barely interact except to bicker and irritate each other but also they are passionately in love and eventually act on it, blah blah. It was obvious they were going to end up together because of course, but it didn't feel like there was really any stake it in for either of them. Finding out they were somehow fated to be "mates" felt gross. Even Alessia's parents and fiance were like caricature villains in a way, making it hard to believe that someone so easily cowed by them could suddenly become something of a hero with barely any character development to back it up. The plot itself was good, but I didn't like how it all came together. 2.5 stars rounded to 2.

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book, in return for an honest review.

Cursed follows Alessia as she’s ripped from her normal life into a world of magic, where she has to confront her true past and this curse that’s threatening it all.

I really like the premise of this book, and I think the author has some really good ideas - the execution of it all just wasn’t the best. Unfortunately, the book falls into the habit of telling instead of showing a lot of the time. It doesn’t feel like Alessia has to work for anything that happens, it all conveniently falls into place and works for her. There are some very unnatural pieces of dialogue that are obviously just there to give the reader exposition, which completely ruins the flow of the conversation and scene.

The main relationship here, between Alessia and Silas, was quite disappointing. I’m a massive fan of a slow burn romance, so these two ‘falling in love’ after only knowing each other a few days was such a let down. They know literally nothing about each other, yet I’m supposed to believe they’re in love? Not happening.

As this is the first book in the Court of Isles series, I’m curious as to where the author will take the story next (although I can probably guess) - however I’m not sure I’ll be picking up any more books in this series.

Oh boy, this book had me hooked from the early pages. A remnant scene of ACOMAF where the wedding is crashed by Mr Dark and Handsome. But as this story and plot continued, as did the uncovering of Silas and Alessia- it just became more convoluted and the story was too hard to keep up with. There was moments where the fantasy didn’t feel like a fantasy book- it felt too modern with the cross over of real worlds and fantasy worlds. Some books can write and immerse these two components well, but this book just didn’t do it for me. I wished to love it more.

Really enjoyed this book and the banter between Silas and Alessia. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. A nice combo of romance and fantasy. No spice.

Wondering if there’s history between Atlas and Millie and if they’re going to get their own romance? Also, need to know more about the baby unicorns.

You will ABSOLUTELY love this book if you are a OUAT fan! This story definitely had those vibes and I am so here for it! I had a great time reading this one. I think the only thing keeping me from giving a 5 star review is that it felt like it could have been a little bit more fleshed out.

Wow what a fun addicting fantasy with a sprinkle of romance! I was pulled into this story right away!!! I was rooting for Alessia the entire time and it was sooo awesome to see what happened in the ending, which I kind of figured it would happened just didn’t know how, but it lived up to my expectations and had a few twists and surprises that I wasn’t expecting too!! If you like “cozy” fantasy stories or even just romantasy or fantasy stories then you will love this one!!! I am saying this is more of a cozy fantasy because it didn’t have a ton of action or things going on but it was still an awesome story that I ended up loving! I can’t wait to read the rest of the series once they are released!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a cost fantasy with a dark and broody mmc. The fmc was relatable and you really saw her blossom throughout the book. I wish it had of been a bit longer just to expand on some bits but otherwise this was a great palette cleanser. 3.5 stars

*NetGalley ARC Review*

⭐️⭐️⭐️| 🫑

This was a cozy, quick read fantasy with a need to find yourself FMC and a “I will give my life for her” shadow-ish daddy. Those new to fantasy or those that tend to avoid dark romance/fantasy may enjoy this book. For those avid romantasy fans, this one might fall a little flat.

The characters were enjoyable, and the Isle was whimsical. Loved Millie and Lily’s characters. I actually like that Alessia had to go back home to face her family and truly decide to return to the Isle.

While I enjoyed the premise of the book, it felt like this could have been a trilogy within itself or even a longer story. It felt rushed and predictable. Like super predictable. Things were just spelled out so clearly that you didn’t really have to guess. And with the pacing of the story, you’d soon see how it all unfolded. I just felt like some scenes missed some needed tension and mystique. Maybe even a little more build up or backstory.

The ending just ended. Like she stitch him up with her super magic faeness and reemerged a White Castle out of the water. And we get “I’m not your queen, I'm your mate. The end.” A little epilogue with the residents returning and setting the scene for the next installment would have been nice. Maybe even a quick scene of Silas and Alessia make the castle a home. Anything. Needed a little more, but that was my genuine sentiment constantly while reading Cursed.

Overall, this was a cute, quick read. This is bell pepper spice y’all. You might get like a kiss or two. Hard to call it slow-burn because the book moves so quickly. But you get fae, fated mates, curse/cure, a whimsy magical island, and a smidge “touch her or die”. I’m interested enough to see how the series unfolds.

Cursed by Gina LaManna was such a fun, cozy escape! With its Gilmore Girls-esque charm (but make it magical), this book swept me away to The Isle, a place full of mystery, fascinating creatures, and one seriously stubborn curse.

Alessia is the kind of protagonist I love—smart, skeptical, and deeply passionate about helping people (hello, she prescribes Pepto to a vampire with heartburn!). Her journey from no-nonsense doctor to reluctant magical savior was equal parts entertaining and heartwarming.

I do wish we got more backstory on who she really is and how her life ended up the way it did—everything wrapped up a little too neatly. But do I actually care? Nah. The world is enchanting, the characters are charming, and I’ll 100% be reading the next book. If you love fish-out-of-water heroines, reluctant magic, and a swoony, powerful love interest, Cursed is absolutely worth the read!

Im sorry to say I didn’t like this book. There was something missing in the story. It progressed way to quickly and lacked a depth to it.

A quick enjoyable read but for me the plot was predictable.
But I will continue the series for sure.

'Cursed' is a wonderful story of self discovery and belonging. With a modern fairytale vibe, this novel is set on a lush and vibrant magical island filled with mystical creatures, spells and potions. Our main character Alessia is whisked away from her dreaded wedding day by the mysterious Silas, and thrown into a cursed world on the brink of collapse; where she learns of her true self and the hidden power she holds. I loved that the healing power Alessia finds within her has a connection to her biggest passion in life; of being a doctor in training, and her calling to help people.

The magic system in this novel was really interesting; and the authors writing was beautiful. This is the first book in the series to come, and there's still so much to learn about the unique land Alessia has become a part of, and the dangers lurking ahead.

My only criticism is of the pacing of the book at the start. I wish there had been more time for the main character to process what was happening, and to learn how to use the magic she had discovered, rather than immediately being able to use it. However for the length of the book, I think it works okay, as this is a quicker read than some heftier fantasy novels.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!

*I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*

This was an enjoyable, short, fast paced read. If you like books with easy to comprehend world building, ACOMAF style wedding crashing, with a sprinkle of romance here’s your next read!

While the book is mostly predictable it’s an enjoyable read with some fun characters (and a baby unicorn!), a great toe dip into the romantacy world with no spice

I don’t read a lot of fantasy books, however the synopsis of this book drew me in and I had to read it. And I was not disappointed. Gina’s writing and imagination is out of this world. I will be picking up more of her books! Once I started reading this, I couldn’t stop. I loved reading about Allie discovering magic, faes and the curse!!! Thank you NetGalley, and Gina LaManna!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc. This was a pretty good entertaining story. The first chapter had be hooked but it slowly started going into the stereotypical fantasy romance tropes. Not sure if I’ll continue with the series but overall it was a quick enjoyable read.

''𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞,'' 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞. ''𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐰𝐞'𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭, 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢'𝐯𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧.''
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 2.5 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖
⤷ ARC review! ⋆ˎˊ˗

''people weren't looking for a cure. they were looking for patience and kindness and trust and understanding. they wanted someone to listen, to believe them, to give them hope. you did that because you're you. not because you were born wealthy or born with special magical abilities.''


⤷ 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 ⊹.˚
𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢, 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩. 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘵. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭-𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘦, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵...

⤷ 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 ⊹.˚
the writing is very fast-paced which is perfect if you're in the mood for a quick comforting magical read. however, i found myself struggling to connect with the characters and the story because the writing felt very rushed at times and it was basically a lot of telling and not showing, so i didn't feel as immersed in the characters and the world as that i had wanted to. i think this novel has a lot of potential if the author maybe took some more time in flashing out the characters and the worldbuilding. but the writing did feel comforting. it wasn't that serious, it's magical, full of whimsy, fae, curses, and that comforting romantasy feeling. there are also many comforting little messages woven throughout the book, a lot being about kindness and being enough as you are. i realize i have already said comforting a lot lol, but that's just how i could best describe this book tbh!

⤷ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 ⊹.˚
i really enjoyed the characters in this book, including the side characters. everyone is so kind and good-hearted, and even the male main character, who is described as handsome, dark, and slightly mysterious with his onyx eyes, doesn't fit the typical problematic broody tall fae love interest. instead, he is incredibly kind, supportive, understanding, and gentle throughout the entire book. he never forces the female lead or takes away her freedom and choices, which felt refreshing and safe. and how he wants to help everyone, especially because of his background, makes him really charming. the author has truly created wonderful characters to read about. i really liked seeing the fmc open up her heart towards magic and magical creatures. watching her going from not believing in those things to slowly beginning to believe was really cute and evoked a childlike wonder. i found it beautiful and inspiring to see her break free from her expectations and live the life that makes her heart happy instead. to becoming free and embracing herself and finally finding a home, which also means the people around her. just like silas, i really liked how she wanted to help everyone (even a mermaid/siren). however, because of the fast pacing of the book, i felt that we didn't get much backstory on some of the characters, and i would have really liked to learn more about them. and the fmc accepts reveals really really fast without getting to know much of her thoughts and emotions, especially at the ending of the book, which at times felt a bit too rushed.

⤷ 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 ⊹.˚
i feel like we don’t get to know much about the worldbuilding in this story. we learn some details about how the fae ceased to exist in this world, and there are mentions of greek mythology, but I'm not entirely sure what that signifies for the setting. there are various creatures introduced, including dragons being mentioned, a vampire who doesn't want to drink blood shortly appearing, and a baby unicorn appears, which was by far the cutest part of the book, in my opinion—oh my goodness! there are also explanations about curses and the magical island, but i’m struggling to connect all the pieces and still have so many questions and still feel quite curious due to the lack of information, which honestly feels quite frustrating to me because i really want to understand things!

⤷ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 ⊹.˚
there isn't really any build-up or tension before they have their first kiss and become a thing together, and even the kiss feels very rushed and emotionless. i didn't really feel their chemistry and the romance didn't feel that convincing to me, however, the interactions they had with each other were cute and felt safe and healthy. honestly, i missed the experience of rooting for the love interests as feelings start developing and building up, but the pacing is too fast for that to happen and for being able to really feel the romance romancing.

''you are a precious thing to me, in so many ways.'' a hint of apology tinged silas's words softer, pleading, desperate. ''you are beautiful just the way you are.''


⤷ 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ⊹.˚

''𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩,'' 𝘪 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, ''𝘪 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘪'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.'' ''𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦,'' 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥. ''𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸.'' ''𝘪'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵. 𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘪 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.''

''𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢.'' 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. ''𝘪'𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶.''

⤷ 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 ⊹.˚
overall, i have mixed feelings about this book. the plot and setting are perfect, and if the world-building were more cohesive and the characters and romance better developed, it could have been a truly great read. however, the novel does feel comforting, magical, and cozy. if a second book is released, i will definitely read it. because i did really enjoy the book, but am left feeling a bit frustrated because of all the questions left unanswered.

don’t go into this book expecting a fully fleshed-out world and characters or very detailed writing. that said, the characters are wonderful, the world is enchanting, and the writing is soothing. i would recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced magical romantasy with gentle messages woven throughout the story.

''𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗁 𝗂𝗍. 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍.''

thanks to netgalley, the publisher, and author for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book has been quite an adventure! From the very first page, I was completely immersed in the story, unable to put it down until the very end. Despite its short length, it delivers a gripping and intense experience that kept me hooked throughout.

The characters are well-crafted, and the pacing is impeccable, making every twist and turn even more thrilling. I only wish it had been a bit longer—I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this world just yet! Hopefully, a second, extended version will come out someday because I would love to dive even deeper into this universe.

Congratulations to Gina LaManna for crafting such an exceptional and captivating story! I can't wait to read more from her.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me. It had an amazing premise but it just feels like the jump from reality to fantasy was too abrupt and the details were not flowing. The fantasy world building fell flat for me

Cursed by Gina LaManna was a quick read that left room for a sequel or series. My rating of the book changed as I was reading. Initially, I thought this was going to be a 1-2 star read. The publishers tout “perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls… with magic!” I set my hopes pretty high with that statement. The only GG connections to be made are a strong importance made on coffee and rich, detached parents.

The first chapter of Cursed was pure misery with the main character Alessia being so weak minded that every person in her life walks over her and makes decisions for her. I considered not finishing the book.

The Isle, Isle characters, and Silas carried me through the rest of the book. Cursed is more of a vibes book than a logic book. There is little explanation to magic and zero method of Alessia learning to do anything - she just *knows* how to do things. The fourth star was granted because I found myself not wanting to put the book down and wanting to know how the story ended.