The first book in this new series. Christina Bauer is one of the best authors at character development and surrounding each character with the drama of life. This young woman has 5 years to strike her would be killer before his curse removes every trace of her future. CB's stories always leave you wanting more.....like the next book in the series.

Slow start but about a third of the wAy in, it took off like a bat outta hell and didn't let go. I couldn't put it down after that and now Rowan is firmly planted in my book boyfriend list. How dare he. That list is long enough!
On to book 2!!!

I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Cursed is book one in the Beholder series by Christina Bauer and didn't fail to deliver. Elea is feared by many due to her being a necromancer and after her best friend dies from a curse that is now attached to her due to him loving her, she will stop at nothing to break it. I loved how strong Elea's character was and how fierce and defiant she was that nothing and no one would get in her way. Rowan is sent to Elea to enable her to break said curse and the two fall for each other along the way. I really hoped for more within the romance between the pair, but I'm hoping that book two will fuel a slow burn into a flame! Both characters are amazing, and I can't wait to see how they develop within this series. The author does a fantastic job of not only setting the scene of a new magical universe, but bringing two amazing characters to life.

I think this is a great magical fantasy for all those interested in this genre! With a strong female main character, Bauer has done an amazing job with this book by establishing an exciting premise backed up with excellent story developments. The ending left me wanting for more and I cannot wait for her upcoming works!

Rocky beginning, but interesting world once you fall into it. I related more to supporting characters, like Nan, Ada, and Laurell, than I did did to the protagonist, Elea. This book was provided to me free of charge by NetGalley, in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.

This is book # 1 in the Beholder series. In this one. Elea has recently been told her farm is hers when she gets news that her best friend is in trouble. The friend dies in front of her and this is the start of her travels on raising the curse from both her friend and herself.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

CURSED started out pretty slow but quickly started catching my attention and once it did, I was interested until the end.

The events in CURSED happen really fast. We get some background, then jump into the action pretty quickly. Elea knows what she needs to do and doesn't let anything—even personal danger—pull her off course. Which really isn't surprising considering if she doesn't stay on course she will die. She works hard and I could definitely see that in everything she did.

It is clear pretty early on that Elea and Rowan will fall for each other. They were sent to each other to achieve their mutual goals and their connection grows really fast. Unfortunately I didn't get the amount of romance I wanted out of these two. Hopefully book two will bring that out.

I enjoyed the Beholder series world. Bauer has a great imagination and her words really brought everything to life. Once you get past the slower beginning the flow of the story picks up and I had no problem staying in the scenes. There are quite a few things left up in the air after CURSED ended and I will be keeping an eye out for book two, CONCEALED, so I can find out what the characters will be up to next.

First off, I am a sucker for any story that centers witches or magic using people in general. Bauer does a great job implementing a unique magic system that is intricate and interesting. I found myself wanting to know more about the different kinds of magic users and how they interacted.

I also really enjoyed the country setting. The atmosphere throughout Bauer's book is enticing and engaging. With a flood of urban fantasy books, I found this change of pace refreshing.

The reason I knocked off a few stars was the overall rushed pace of the novel. I wanted to sit the characters more before being thrown into the main plot. I also wished for further world building before getting into the action, as this caused some confusion.

Overall, I think this is a promising beginning to a fun series!

Elea is massively powerful, you could even consider her the most powerful necromancer in history. While she doesn't plan on using her powers to become a Grand Mistress Necromancer (which is apparently like the biggest deal there can be for a necromancer in this world), she can't deny how strong she is. When her best friend is killed and cursed by the Tsar, and then Elea is sentenced with the same curse, Elea has to decide if and how she'll break it.

As with any good curse, the only way to break it is to kill the one who casts it. Luckily for Elea, she meets Rowan, a Caster with the same mission to kill the Tsar. Though their chemistry is undeniable, it is definitely a slow burn that I hope to see turn into a wildfire in Book 2.

It took me a while to get into the story, but I think that it's a worthwhile read for sure. The 5-year time jump that takes place between chapters 1 and 2 was a little disorienting, but it wasn't unmanageable to understand. I do wish readers could see just a little bit of the changes that occurred in Elea over this time period, as it might have helped with understanding some bits. The characters are compelling and I found myself curious as to how this would set things up for the next book in the series, which you can see my review of here. Elea's resiliency was definitely a big factor in my enjoyment and I am excited to see how this continues through the rest of the series.

Overall Rating: 2.5/5 (rounded to 2)

Cursed is available for purchase now, so be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Christina Bauer's website!

I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book is an excellent start to a new series and the author is new to me. I loved the storyline and how believe and engaging the characters were. I can't wait to read more by this author!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Monster House Books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I believe this is the first book in a new series. I found it intriguing and interesting. There were some slow spots and I admit I skimmed a few fight scenes. But overall I liked Elea and Rowan and found it a bit convoluted but good. 3.5 stars

For me, this book was nothing super special. I liked the magic and the fighting and everything but there was just so stuff I personally felt that was missing. At some points it really captivated me but then at others I found myself bored and skimming over stuff. I don’t know what book two is gonna hold but I’ll read it in hopes of it being better!

Most days, Elea couldn’t care less about being a witch, Everything changes when the evil Necromancer Tsar curses Elea. Now, she only has five years left before she burns as a ghost, tortured for all eternity. Embracing her Necromancer ability, Elea trains as a magical assassin.to kill the Tsar before his curse kills her. After years of preparation, Elea’s finally ready to strike. A handsome warlock named Rowan steps up to help. Elea wants him as an ally, but she can’t ignore the mixed-up feelings that come with every one of Rowan’s crooked smiles. An assassination mission is no time to fall in love, but Elea’s heart may have other ideas…

Lots of romance, adventure and lots of magic. It is very fast-paced and no dull moments. The heroine is great... she is strong, determined and just wouldn't quit. Quite an enjoyable book. I finished it in one day.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC.