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: "The Other Side of the Mirror" by Dana Evyn (Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR by Dana Evyn
	Publisher: City Owl Press Genre: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance Publication Date: April 9th, 2024 Series: The Mirror Trilogy, #1 Standalone: No
Categories/Tropes:
Found Family, Magic, A Whole New World (Fae Realm), Strong Heroine, Forced Proximity (One Horse, Camping), Fae, Finding Yourself
Description from Publisher:
What if the fairytale was always a lie? Seven years after her family’s murders, Eva is attacked by a magical creature and abducted to the faerie realm. When a handsome fae saves her, Bash reveals that he must bring Eva to her faerie soulmate to stop a world-ending Curse. She relents, but only for the opportunity to find answers about her parents’ deaths. As their journey progresses, Eva delves into her previously hidden magic—and grows steadily closer to Bash. But when she meets her prince, she soon learns that all is not what it seems. While mystery and intrigue surround her, Eva takes it into her own hands to uncover the truth. But what she discovers is beyond her imagination, as she unravels the fae’s web of lies. Don’t miss this romantasy into the fae realm with hidden secrets, steamy romance, and true fantasy adventure.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK, NOW!! Okay, so now that that is out of the way, I can get to my review. ;) There's a cliffhanger ending to this, as you would expect from a trilogy, and it is a doozy! When I started this, I wasn't necessarily feeling the first couple of chapters. Eva just seemed so much like she was refusing to actually LIVE because her family had perished in a housefire SEVEN years before, and something about that just didn't really grab me. HOWEVER, enter a muddy golem attack and banter with a handsome, freckled redhead and the tendrils of the Faewilds, Bash & Eva pulled me in. I just couldn't stop reading this, and stayed up all night (No regrets!). Eva has grown up in the mortal world, completely oblivious to the fact that not only does another realm exist, but that she and her family are Fae that had to flee their realm during a war. She has been basically on her own, with only her best friend, since both of their families died within a short time. When she meets Bash, a random stranger who thinks she needs protection and also that she is some sort of key to ending a world-ending curse, everything changes. Bash is a favorite type of hero of mine: Strong, mischievous, respectful, loyal, and willing to show some vulnerability. He's not into unnecessary violence, but will not hesitate to right a wrong when he sees one (like someone he cares about being hurt... ;) ). I loved the banter between Bash and Eva, and the slow burn that you want to turn into the inferno they deserve. There was so much chemistry between them, both physical and emotional! I'm not a fan of instalust or instalove, and there was none of that here. There was a good (welcome) amount of spice in the last half. The world itself, with its lore and magic, felt the right amount of fleshed-out for the first book in the series. The explanation as to why Eva didn't know about any of it worked for the story, as did the way it all got to come out. I liked the way everyone's magic was always around in some way, a bit playful at times, but not with a mind of its own (just an extension). This book isn't for the faint of heart, as the author gives fair warning of in the beginning. There is some darkness and grit, and the characters find themselves dealing with some truly despicable villains. There is some really great dialogue after some dark times, which I feel elevated the romance and the depth of the characters. I didn't expect to love this as much as I did, but it was one of those books that I was tempted to immediately re-read!
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: Dana Evyn
Dana Evyn is a romantasy author who has been lost in her daydreams for as long as she can remember, though she only recently started writing them down. When she’s not writing, she’s usually reading a good book—especially one with an indomitable female lead, a unique magical world, and a dark twist you don’t see coming. She lives in Kirkland, WA with her two tiny humans, ever-supportive husband, and giant golden retriever.
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