I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. I love the inclusivity and the not graphic depictions of sexual assault. This book will still be triggering for many but it’s written very well   Definitely not for my middle school Library But I will suggest to my HS colleagues.

Powerful, painful, profound.

This story of survival and survivors was as beautiful as it was difficult to read. I was moved to tears, with my skin covered in goosebumps in several places. It was a wonderfully immersive fantasy world with magic and intrigue. The characters were real and flawed and vulnerable, yet brave and strong and perfect. They came to life in ways that made them people you know. The way each and every survivor dealt with and grew in their own ways was an important message in itself and one that struck me throughout. We survive how we can. It isn't always pretty and that's OK. I love the way these women came together, found themselves, and each other and their truths. The message will speak to survivors and hopefully also to those who see/support them and even more important to those who need to see them and look away. The end moved me to tears. So much love for the bravery and the one who was there to be just what was needed in the moment fear crept in.

The curses, the relationship between witches and royalty, and the missing princess are fascinating and weave around the world with a tightening grip as what you sense becomes what you fear and the pieces fall tragically into place. The magic of the world, especially as the depth of things in the history are revealed leaves you with a lot to think about as well.

Highly recommend, an important and timely message wrapped in a wonderful fantasy.

This book was received as an ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing - Simon Pulse in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this book tremendously with the drama and action included in the plot. The sisterhood bond that Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace and Eden show for one another was so refreshing to read. Eden while cast with a terrible curse that will take effect on her 13th birthday, the girls will stop at nothing to work together to stop at nothing to break Eden's curse and save their sister. In order to do that, they had to confront the witch that cast the spell in the first place of which whom may not be the villain they thought she was and that there may be more to the story for all they know. Secrets are uncovered and the truth is revealed as the sisters will stop at nothing to save their kingdom once and for all. What best describes this book is Sleeping Beauty meets Ella Enchanted and I know our teen book club will have a lot to say about it.

We will consider adding this title to our YA Collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I loved the idea of this feminist fairytale where a witch and and a bewitched princess need to unite in order to save their kingdom. The magic was unique and interesting including details of how spells are cast and the cost of them to witches. I adored the strength of Princess Jane and Reagan. They both came into the story with strong beliefs but were open to learning and changing. I also appreciated That the author provided trigger warnings regarding sexual assault that is discussed in this story. I thought it was handled in a way that really imparted the seriousness of the issue and it’s impact on victims of sexual assault. I will say that topic was prevalent throughout the story and could be difficult for some readers. 

While I enjoyed the main characters, the magic system and the message behind this book I found myself wanting something more after I finished reading it. I am not sure whether it was the pacing Of the story or wanting more detail about the residents of Ever that left me with that feeling. I’d definitely be interested in reading more from this author particularly regarding the other kingdoms mentioned.

Many thanks to Simon Pulse and NetGalley for the ARC! 

Ever Cursed is a young adult, feminist fairy tale that deals with some heavy subjects, most notably sexual assault and disordered eating. Corey Ann Haydu provides a content warning at the beginning, which immediately gave me a positive first impression of her and the book. As someone who is easily triggered by one of these, I appreciated it so much and I know a lot of other readers will too. Overall, Haydu handles the difficult topics very well. She does a particularly great job showing how people often turn a blind eye to sexual assault. A large portion of the plot is about bringing it to light and forcing the perpetrator to face consequences. 

Haydu has created a truly fascinating and unique world. The naming of the countries and various places and events contributes to the fairy tale feel of the book. Countries are called Ever and AndNot, the witches live at the Home on the Hill, and the princesses are cursed with the Spell of Without. Some could find it jarring at first, but I found it quite charming. But the true star of Haydu’s world is the magic system. When witches cast a spell, a new skirt magically appears around their waist. The material of the skirt depends on the severity of the spell cast. A minor spell results in a lightweight material while a major one with dire consequences, such as the one Reagan places on the princesses, results in a heavy material like burlap. If a witch casts lots of heavy spells, she might find herself unable to move due to the weight of her skirts, which is what happens to Regan’s grandmother. It’s so different from anything I’ve seen before, and I loved it! 

This is the closest I have ever come to seeing eating disorder representation in fantasy literature. Due to the Spell of Without, Princess Jane is unable to eat. Now, this is not actually an eating disorder since it is magically induced rather than a mental illness, but the harrowing physical and emotional consequences are mostly the same. I noticed that several of the princesses’ curses match up with some kind of disorder or mental illness, including depression, insomnia, and dementia. Sometimes it’s easy for issues like these to be romanticized in fiction, but Haydu avoids that; it is very clear throughout that these are serious and dangerous problems. In fact, she takes it a step further and critiques the  romanticization of these disorders and illnesses that occurs especially when they appear in women.     

My biggest problem with Ever Cursed is that the characters’ voices aren’t distinct enough. The first person narration switches between Jane and Reagan for each chapter. I found that their voices sound essentially the same and I frequently forgot whose point of view I was reading from. In general, all of the characters would have benefited from a little more development. It was difficult to connect with them or even care about them in some cases. Reagan in particular I really just disliked the whole time. I also found the ending rushed and anticlimactic. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how or why some things happened at the end. While one major issue is resolved, there are a whole host of smaller problems that are glossed over and suddenly all better just because.       

Overall this is a feminist fairy tale that takes on some difficult topics quite well. Despite it’s flaws, it’s definitely worth checking out.

My... oh... My

What did I just read? It took me 2 days to finish I really don't know what to feel or say about it. This book is so good. I can't put it down easily and I'm literary dead inside. Until now i'm still breaking.

Start off the chapter, i'm already wondering what is really happening to this book. It keeps the mystery like forever while I'm reading it but everything in the end is like worth it. The world building is phenomenal. It's really stunning but kinda heart breaking. I can totally feel the Ever darkest moments and good moments and I just can't forget about it. Characters' development are on point. I love the cursed girls, ALL OF THEM. But.. I really feel so bad what happened to them. When I knew about their cursed and why the witch have to cursed them because of it, it's heartbreaking. I wanted to scream and yell at the witch of her kid mind for doing it so but... what she did was also reasonable. If I'm the witch and that happens, I think I'll do the same (??) but it's cruel, really cruel. I mean, I feel the pain and anger from Reagan. Then the painful thing is I absolutely feel the princesses suffering and I shed tears because of it. I wish I could be there for them. There's a spark of romance to this book, but I really didn't pay much attention to it. But it's a good romance and I'm glad there's a little happy side on the book.

I was utterly captivated the first time I saw EVERCURSED. It sounded absolutely stunning, and looked stunning as well! As I did happen to enjoy the writing, the overall story fell a little flat.

I was fully hoping for a beautiful fairytale-esque novel. While it had elements of wonder, it also touched on some serious issues. 

I didnt necessarily connect with any of the characters either. I feel as though they were a little dull. 

Maybe this book caught me at a bad time. I'm not sure, overall it was just okay for me.

A fairy tale about sisters? Sign me up! This was such a magical book I couldn’t put it down. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy modern fairytales.

I need to start by saying that Ever Cursed isn't the easiest book to read.  Please pay attention to the author's note about sexual assault and eating disorders. 

I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting with Ever Cursed.  While it was a fantasy with witches and magic, it ended up being a pretty intense book with social issues.  I personally like those, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much was covered.

Ever has a king, queen, and princesses.  The princesses never leave their homes.  They've never seen Ever and they don't really know what happens there.  They are brought up privileged and they're taught that princesses are quiet.  Well, queens are quiet, but Jane knows she'll be the next queen.  If she lives.  5 years earlier, a young witch, Reagan, put a spell on the princesses and queen.  She said she'd be back in five years to break it.  The queen is in a box.  Jane can't eat.  Nora can't love.  Alice can't sleep.  Grace can't remember.  Eden can't hope.  The spell needs to be broken before Reagan turns eighteen.  If it's not, the spell is permanent.  Jane and Alice will die from it.  Jane has already lost so much weight and barely has any strength left.  She is already dying.  

Reagan is impulsive and her spell wasn't thought out.  When the witches cast spells, they get a new layer to their dress.  They don't come off.  The stronger the spell, the heavier the layer is.  Reagan left and went to AndNot for five years.  She's still angry when she gets back.  The spell was cast to punish the king, but she sees that he doesn't really care.  Reagan has no idea how to undo the spell, but she works with the girls to break it.  Jane's attendant, Olive, helps out, too.  She's from Ever and knows what has been going on there and at the castle. 

The chapters alternate between Jane and Reagan.  Jane needs to really see the things around her.  Reagan needs to realize that punishing people isn't always the answer and that magic carries a large burden.  Both girls need to grow and they learn things from each other.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of social issues throughout the book.  You have the royals who pretend to care and the people of Ever that are almost starving.  The king loves control in many different ways.  He needs the love and praise and doesn't really care who gets hurt in the process.  We see a massive wealth inequality.  I thought the topics were approached well (I'm obviously not an expert with this).  The only thing that I struggled with was really hearing different voices of Reagan and Jane.  There would be times I was reading a chapter and had to look back to see who it was.

I gave this book 4 stars.  Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Warnings for sexual assault, eating disorders, inequality, poverty, and grief (maybe ptsd?).  There may be others I forgot to mention.  Just know that the book covers a lot of serious topics, but in a fantasy world.  Also, the girls mature at 13 and marriages are often planned for them.  We didn't really see that happen though.

Ever Cursed is a fairytale style story of witches and royals. Don't be fooled though, there are seriously dark themes in this book, on's that need to be discussed and addressed. Several years ago a witch named Reagan cast the Spell of Without on the Princesses of Ever. Each one lost something that day - can't eat, can't sleep, can't love, can't hope, and can't remember. The Queen was trapped in a glass box. The princesses must find a way to reverse the spell, or it will stay forever. In an unlikely twist, Reagan begins to help the princesses gather what is needed to reverse the spell. But will it be enough?

This story is told through alternating POV's of Princess Jane, the oldest Princess, and Reagan. I thought Ever Curse was so well done, I finished it in just a few hours and just couldn't put it down. Firstly, I loved the writing style. Ever Cursed is written in a fairy tale format so it seems very whimsical and fairy-like, but the tone of the book is very serious and tackles matter such as sexual assault, sexism, and conquering fears. It is a hard line to walk, but Haydu does it very well. 

The characters aren't exactly redeemable. If you're looking for a book about perfect people, you won't find it here. Everyone has made mistakes or done terrible things, but I think this story is more about fixing wrongs than being perfect. The character growth is real and Princess Jane comes to realize some terrible truths about her father, the King, and Reagan learns the real consequences of actions and magic. 

I felt like the ending could have been stronger and had a better message it. The whole book ramped up to a pretty serious ending but it felt like it wasn't given enough attention. For that reason, but overall rating was pulled down but I still very much enjoyed this books.

TW: sexual assault, eating disorders, insomnia, gaslighting

**Thank you to Simon Pulse, Netgalley, and Corey Ann Haydu for an early copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

I’m on the fence about Ever Cursed. The titular curse affects Ever’s five princesses and their mom, the Queen: The Queen is frozen in a glass box, and each princess is cursed to live without one essential thing from her 13th birthday. Jane, the oldest, can’t eat; Alice can’t sleep; Nora can’t love; Grace can’t remember; and Eden can’t hope. The twist is that they’re cursed to punish their father, who seems to be dealing with his punishment remarkably well. Meanwhile, it turns out that being impossibly fragile is irresistible, and the king revels in his newfound importance while marriage proposals for his cursed daughters pour in. Reagan, the witch who cast the misguided spell, is determined to break it, but she’ll need the princesses’ help to do it — and their father has no real motivation to end the curse that’s made him popular and well-loved by his kingdom and his daughters. This is very much a #metoo novel focused on the ways that women often end up paying for men’s criminal behavior, and I liked the way it played with some of the conventions of fairy tales. But the characters felt thin — the witches and princesses were interchangeable, so much so that I’d sometimes have to flip back to see who was narrating a chapter. I think it’s an enjoyable, interesting read if you’re in the mood for a lightweight fairy tale story, but if you’re looking for something more substantial, there are better takes on the fairy tale genre. (Basically we should all just read Kissing the Witch over and over again.)

DNF’d at 52%

Five years ago, a teenage witch cast a spell on the royals of Ever, seeking revenge for crimes committed against her mother years before. The witch’s spell encased the Queen of Ever in a glass box outside the castle walls, while the five princesses were cursed with the Spell of Without. Each princess was condemned to be “without” something necessary to life; for Princess Jane, it was her ability to eat. When the witch returns from exile five years after casting her spell, she provides the princesses with an opportunity to break the curse - but only if they can complete a series of tasks before the witch’s eighteenth birthday, when the curse will become permanent. As the princesses labor to break the curse before time runs out, they begin to realize that their beloved kingdom may be hiding some dark secrets.

Ever Cursed tackles difficult subjects, and handles them well. Haydu provides trigger warnings for mature content at the beginning of the book, and explores the mental and emotional shrapnel following traumatic events. However, despite Ever Cursed seeming to be a character-driven text, I found the main characters to be one-dimensional and difficult to connect with. The characterization of Reagen and Jane felt inconsistent at times, and there was so much repetition and over-explanation of their inner thoughts that it impeded the progression of the story. Nevertheless, I appreciated aspects of Haydu’s world building. The world of Ever is built around a soft magic system and creates a society in which LGBTQ+ identities and relationships are normalized and celebrated. Ever Cursed was not for me, but I think it could be appealing to readers who prefer character-driven, slow-burn stories that tackle heavy topics. OVERALL RATING: 2.5 stars.

A huge "thank you!" to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for sending me a proof of Ever Cursed!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“There’s more than one way to survive”.

The Princesses of Ever are beloved and they are cursed. Five sisters are cursed to be without something essential (food, sleep, love, memories, and hope) on their thirteenth birthdays. When the youngest sister finally turns thirteen, the witch who cast the curse gives the princesses an opportunity to break it. To do so, they must confront a crime they had no knowledge of and befriend the witch who made it all happen.

Let me begin this review by mentioning that if you go based on this book blurb, you will be shocked, surprised, and potentially anxious. This book begins with a trigger warning (credit to Haydu for providing it) and revolves almost exclusively around a very specific abuse of women. It is not the easiest read, but it is also not extremely graphic and skims over a vast majority of details. If you’ve read Damsel, this isn’t as bad but definitely falls under the same line of work.

I did read through this book in one sitting and have ended feeling very conflicted about this review. The book is written in two POVs, Jane and Reagan. Through this narrative, you as the reader get to see a larger view of the story. However, at the same time, you also feel like you are missing huge chunks of it as well. It’s a slow burn, with pieces of lore and history coming out piece by piece. It feels like you are holding your breath waiting to understand what is happing. From the very beginning of the book we are faced with an onslaught of conversation about the Kidnapped Princess, almost to the point where it’s trying to force you to see the importance. A brief mention would have lit a kernel of curiosity around her story but the near-constant mention of her made me think “Okay, I get it. She means something. Who cares”. 

There is no quest-based, exciting push to save the sisters from their curse. Rather it feels like learning to breathe when discovering too much too quickly about the people you thought you loved and the severe abuse occurring around you. 

“We all speak the same language now. It’s the language of the secrets we’ve been holding and the wrongs that have been done”.

I wanted to love the feminist base this piece had. Here are women who have struggled, who have been abused, discarded, and a story that starkly shows how women are held in society. We are to be used, viewed as things, and are construed as hysterical or crazy when we become strong or loud or confront an issue head-on. I wanted so desperately to love and feel that because I am such a strong proponent of strong, loud women and prominent feminism. Where the story failed though, was in its plot, development, and overall narrative.

It felt like Haydu wanted to fit too many things into one book. She wanted to point out diversity, she included comments on a gender spectrum, with allusions to non-binarism and transgender peoples. She wanted a strong feminist take but did so with a great many abused women (not necessarily a strong point). She tried to end with female empowerment, but instead it felt… like there was no reward. No one was truly empowered or taken care of. Instead it felt like the people of Ever had their entire lives dismantled and everyone smiled about it. She needed to pick one strong theme and push it through all the way to the end.

The development left me with the Curse of Wanting. Everything felt cloudy and vague. I was grasping for substance but only getting vapor from this story. The magic is not completely fleshed out at all. The world itself doesn’t even seem conceivable-- from the Hill Home the witches can see all of the candles of the Kingdom of Ever and the King from his balcony. All the while the King can give speeches from this balcony and everyone in the kingdom can hear. Mind you, this is a kingdom of 537 people as Jane tells us. Moving from there, the character development is just as weak. I never had a good grasp on the personalities of the characters, nor did I feel much empathy for them and their plight. Horrible things happen to multiple women in this book, but the only one who made me feel something was Reagan’s mother. Considering the subject matter of the book, I find that to be extremely problematic.

The writing style is also very choppy and simple, definitely similar to Damsel. It takes a moment to get adjusted to awkwardly capitalized words and things that are named quite… bizarrely (I.e. The War We Won).
I ended this book not hating it, but not loving it either. This is not something I would read again, and I might recommend it to others, if only for the sake of what the book is desperately trying to accomplish. As people are abused and hurt, it is important to hear and remember that there is more than one way to survive what happens to you. Everyone handles their trauma in their own way, and it is all a type of strength. That is the most important message you can pull from this book.

Fairy tale retelling are so popular lately that I feel like I've read them all. When I started Ever Cursed I was sure what I was in for, but Corey Ann Haydu's story was not what I was expecting. Instead of retelling a specific fairy tale she created her own, There were a few nods throughout to stories I've heard but ultimately it felt new and different. I especially loved the sisters relationship and following Jane, the oldest princess, and Reagan, a witch who cursed the royal princesses of Ever gave a unique perspective of the story since we learned both sides of the plot almost simultaneously. 
This also didn't feel like an old or antiquated story like some retelling tend to do. I loved the moments of female empowerment and equality throughout the kingdom. Overall, what I really want after this is a book on the witches. I feel like that mythology really has a lot of room to grow. This story was captivating and intriguing and felt entirely new and yet still familiar.

I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Based on the book blurb, this should only be a 1,5 star review. However, I read it straight through in one sitting and enjoyed the story but did not feel it empowered women nor addressed more than surface sympathy or healing for abuses suffered throughout.
The book is written in alternating POVs - Jane (oldest princess and cursed with the To Be Without spell) and Reagan (witch who cast the spell). Readers see the full story as they connect pieces from each narrator.
Jane and her four sisters have been cursed to be without something (food, love, sleep, memories, hope) on each of their 13th birthday. The youngest turns 13 in the midst of the story so events are told wrapped around this event. Reagan returns to tell them how to unbind the spell she cast in a moment of deep emotional anger. Jane and Reagan must work together to unbind all five of the sisters. Before the end, most of the women unite to reverse the spell and then to take back their powers and conquer their fears.
The triggering person (king) and cause is obvious from early in the book but is only alluded to for much of the story. Female empowerment is hinted at and occurs near the end. Most of the characters are fairly flat and focused on themselves and their needs. Hints of attitude change are given over and over but not developed well. 
It feels like Haydu was not certain what she wanted readers to take from this book. The ending is okay doesn't really resolve the conflicts. Lives continue with a few changes but the methods for this new life are obvious and contrived.

The five princesses of Ever are cursed by a young witch. As each reaches her thirteenth birthday, she will become Spellbound with the wanting curse. When the last princess reaches thirteen, the witch will return with directions for undoing the curse, but the princesses will only have a few days before the witch herself turns eighteen and her spell becomes True, that is, permanent. Jane, the oldest princess and cursed with never eating, knows that the spell becoming True will mean her death.

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu is a wonderful fairy tale told from the perspective of Jane and Reagan, the witch. It isn't an easy read, the trigger warning at the beginning is there for a reason. However, it is timely and it does offer a hopeful message about being stronger together and speaking up. The world is interesting and well imagined, especially how witches end up with a new skirt layer every time the cast a spell. The texture and weight of the skirt matches the weight of the spell. I thought this would be a great concept in a Miyazaki film. The story is also very inclusive regarding race and the LGBT+ community and it shows how each class--royals, witches, and peasants--relate to each other and how they respond to their common problem, the king.

There is a lot of history built into the kingdom of Ever, and that history--and how it is perceived--is important to the story. It's unfortunate that the author couldn't have spent more time allowing Jane and Reagan to unravel the mysteries of the past, rather than resorting to one character giving a large amount of exposition toward the end of the story. It made an otherwise amazing tale seem rushed to reach the ending. Aside from that, the story is well put together and shows how hard it is to distinguish what we think we know with what is true.

Ever Cursed is a unique fairytale with some really great world building and. a strong message. I loved the unfolding of the way magic worked in this world and how a Curse becomes True and the power and consequences they hold. It was the small moments in this book that struck me the most whether it was the casual representation in the language of explaining who could be witches or the unspoken way the women were bonded through their shared traumas both large and small. The kingdom of Ever might have magic, but it sadly isn't unrecognizable.
I'm mixed in my struggles with this book. On the one hand, I like that the book told a complete story because it's always a relief to have everything wrapped up in one book and not have to wait for the next one. On the other hand, I do feel like the ending came rather quickly and with a lot of rushed explanations. I wouldn't have minded if the book was slightly longer to flesh more of the history out. I understand the importance of Jane and Reagan re-learning the true history of their world, but it was frustrating at times not having more information or learning the important bits piece by piece.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read I would recommend, it just left me wanting more.

I had high hopes for this book, but at the same time, I was prepared to be disappointed. I've read far too many "feminist fairytales" that either lean too far into the feminism (making them borderline unreadable) or too far into the fairytale (making them not as progressive as they likely think they are.) This book was neither of those things - feminism and inclusivity flowed naturally, and the magical elements and their recontextualization were engaging and exciting to read..

There was so much that I loved about this book that it's hard to narrow down a few elements for this review. The magic system was so clever, and the role of the witches' skirts in providing a literal manifestation of the weight of spellcraft was incredibly inventive. I also loved the sheer horror of the spelled princesses, as well as how well the author depicted the theme of female powerlessness and male desire. That the men in this world would be attracted to weak and suffering women felt both natural to the world of Ever and a clever reflection of our own culture and it's fascination with waifish unhinged young women.

If I had one complaint, it's that the ending wrapped things up very quickly. The concept of "every woman being a witch" also felt odd, considering the trappings of the fairytale, as did the ease with which the women toppled patriarchal oppression. In this regard, I feel that the book would've been better as the start of a series - perhaps the curse is broken at the end of book one, but the regime isn't overthrown until later in the plot. That being said, as I mentioned at the start of this review, if my major complaint is that a book ends too quickly, it's a damn good read. Pick this one up if you're in the mood for a clever fairytale universe that centers the feelings and interests of women, and explores how men are so often threatened by female power.

Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu

Summary

The princesses of Ever have been cursed for nearly five years when this story begins.  Their mother has literally been trapped in a clear box on display for all of the people of Ever.  Each princess has their own curse which begins on their thirteenth birthday.  Jane, the oldest daughter, hasn’t eaten since she turned thirteen almost five years ago.  Because of the nature of the spell, she continues to live a strained existence.  Once the spell becomes final or permanent, Jane will suffer the full affects of not eating.

Jane must team up with the young witch who has placed her and her sisters in such a perilous position in order to undo the spell placed on each of them.  In the process, Jane discovers what kind of queen she wants to be someday, and makes a plethora of new friends.

Thoughts

I obviously requested this book from NetGalley because the title is thought-provoking and the cover is beautiful.   The book itself did not disappoint!

Haydu begins by letting readers know about the triggers in the novel, and I think this is wonderful!  Teen girls (the target audience) are living in a trigger filled world, and this story is full of girls who overcome some difficult situations that these teen readers can relate to.  Don’t let these triggers keep you from reading.  That was not the point of the trigger warning (in my opinion) - this trigger warning should encourage girls to be strong and continue reading for inspirational purposes.

Pardon my language, but this book is filled with some badass women.  Obviously our characters all have their flaws, but together they overcome their flaws in order to better their community.  Haydu created beautiful female characters and explained the use of magic in this society flawlessly.

I will force our children’s librarian to purchase this book for our teen section.  It is an absolutely necessary read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is very similar to Damsel by Elena K Arnold! That being said- it was not an easy read at times. It’s not super detailed in those hard moments, it’s more skimmed over, but it still happens. 

I was a little disappointed overall though because the world building, character development, and magic system were all lacking for me! Things were explained, but I still felt confused and unsatisfied. It was a cute story though, just not as deep as I imagined it to be.