REVIEW: "The Cursed Soul" by K.C. Smith (Young Adult, Fantasy)

THE CURSED SOUL by K.C. Smith
	Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publication Date: October 3rd, 2023 Series: Waves of Sorcery, #1
Categories/Tropes:
Adventurers, Found Family, Magic
Description from Publisher:
Cursed. Forgotten. Reborn. Doraan and his entire crew are cursed to never walk on land again. For ten long years, they have roamed the sea, attacking and pillaging to survive. Doraan placed all his faith in his family to find a way to break their wretched curse, but when he discovers that his hope of freedom was nothing more than a dream, his world comes crashing down. Kamira is on the run from a life she never wanted. Finding shelter by stowing away on a ship docked far out to sea, Kamira disguises herself as a boy in the hope of making it to the ship's next port alive. Little does she know—their craft won’t be stopping at any port. Stuck aboard a vessel full of pirates with no destination in sight, Kamira fears they will not only discover that she is a woman but also a sorceress. Now she must face the threat of being thrown overboard–or worse, being turned in to the empire for hiding her outlawed gifts. As Kamira struggles to keep her identity hidden and gain their trust, Doraan sees her as a glimmer of hope for their cursed fate, even if it comes with a steep price. With danger at every turn, Kamira and the crew of the Cursed Soul must navigate treacherous waters in an attempt to not only save themselves but all of Emmoria.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
There are some interesting elements to this, but I think it also suffers from "Beginning Fantasy Series" syndrome where there is a lot of telling when it comes to building the world and that can drag the pacing down. It does kick up and then continue to ramp up to the end, with more action and a better understanding of the world. It ends on a cliffhanger that will be sure to drive readers a bit crazy until the next book. I really enjoyed the "found family" here with Doraan, Kamira, and Cormac. All of the characters have spirit in their own, unique ways, and they blend together well past the halfway mark when everything hits its stride. The political intrigue mixed with the adventure of pirates with heart make for an exciting tale. This is a great YA read (no triggers), especially if looking for something on the lighter side.
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author:
Born and raised in Maryland, I spent a lot of my time escaping from my childhood into fantasy worlds. My heart holds a special place for YA fantasy as it got me through some hard times growing up. I spent a lot of time writing short stories in middle and high school. The journey to completing my first book has been long, but so worth it! I hope to write many more novels in the future. Currently, I still live in Maryland with my husband and our Chihuahua, Tank! I work full time as an Accountant, spending most my free time writing and creating! When not writing or reading, I enjoy rock climbing, which I do three times a week, and traveling the world!

REVIEW: "Ruthless Vows" by Rebecca Ross (Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult)

RUTHLESS VOWS by Rebecca Ross
	Publisher: Wednesday Books Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Publication Date: April 4th, 2023 Series: Letters of Enchantment, #2 Standalone: No, Cliffhanger ending
Categories/Tropes:
Strong Heroine, Fantasy (Gods, Mythical Beings, Enchanted Objects), Creatives (Writers)
Other Books By Rebecca Ross:
#1
Description from Publisher:
The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals. Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign. Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This was certainly a very exciting book, as much or possibly moreso than the first! My favorite thing about this is the way that we get to see Iris and Roman fall in love through letters once again, this time with Roman being unaware of who was really on the other end. Iris had to wrestle with what to say and how to say it, like Roman did before, but with the added weight of the world to worry about. The way that alliances came about, many unexpected, felt authentic to a world being taken over by a tyrant. There were multiple times where I felt the descriptions of how people acted during a potentially divisive experience were so poignant it squeezed at my heart. The things most would say they would do versus the things that they actually do, and the reactions to those whose actions match their declarations. It hit home after the last few years, that's for sure. The way that the god 'romance' hit was a bit jarring at times, though it certainly made it easy enough to figure that Dacre was the villain, through and through. The way that he was annhiliating basically every city until the capital, Oath, until his unwilling bride came out of hiding was pretty extreme! This was a fantastic conclusion to Iris and Roman's story!
My Source: I purchased a hardcover copy to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Rebecca Ross
Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. She has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog.

REVIEW: "Legendary" by Stephanie Garber (Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult)

LEGENDARY by Stephanie Garber
	Publisher: Flatiron Books Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Publication Date: May 29th, 2018 Series: Caraval, #2 Standalone: Could be, yes, but first book is highly recommended
Categories:
A Whole New World, Alter Ego, Enemies to Lovers, Love Triangle? (Not really, but sort of), Strong Heroine, Not Your Hero/Anti-Hero, Magic
Other Books by Stephanie Garber:
#1 #3 #3.5 Spin-Off
Description from Publisher:
A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win. After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name. The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister's. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever... Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I was so blown away by the first book, Caraval, I started this immediately afterwards. Which was great, as this picks up just after that first book. This is Donatella("Tella")'s book. Tella is vivacious and up for adventure, though also prone to bouts of recklessness. She and Scarlett go with the Caraval crew to a special version of the game, off of the usual island, to the empress's birthday party at the capitol. I wasn't necessarily the biggest fan of her character in the first book (I'm more of a Scarlett myself), but it didn't take long for her to grow on me once I got inside of her head. Stephanie Garber continues to enthrall with the magic and vibrancy, though this book is a little darker than the first. It's still very much Young Adult, but just has a bit more edge. Tella finds herself wrapped up in a love triangle of sorts, being involved with both Dante and The Prince of Hearts (Jacks), and there are definitely a lot of questions about who the real villain is. I absolutely love this book, possibly even more than Caraval!
My Source: I rented this in both eBook and audiobook from a public library. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Stephanie Garber
#1 NYT & international bestselling author of the Caraval series and the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.