A solid four ! This is the first in this series that is clearly inspired by the Fever series by KMM and I will admit that initially it perhaps felt a little too similar for my tastes but I persevered and I’m really glad I did. Yes the heroine finds herself in Ireland and yes strange things start happening with absolutely gorgeous men appearing to take an interest in her but there the similarities end. Becca not only finds herself torn between the friendly Ronan but also attracted to the somewhat more evasive Lochlan. Add in the fact that she starts seeing things that really should only exist in nightmares and it’s clear that something is happening to Becca and it’s putting those around her in danger !
I do love a Fae story but this one not only brings old myths about them into play but adds a gorgeous Arthurian twist ! I particularly enjoyed reading about exactly what and why things were happening to Becca and rest assured her mysteries are solved giving her a happy ending but the author cunningly offers up other characters who will each get their own happy ending in subsequent books. A slight warning here though as something rather unpleasant happens to Becca but she rises above it to carry on, embrace her new reality and play the tricky Fae at their own games. A satisfactory ending to a story that I initially had reservations about. If you are looking for something that features Merlin, Guinevere and others straight out of legends then this series could well be a winner for you !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Trigger warning: sexual assault.
	Let me start off by saying that I was not a fan of this book, and will be talking about some of the specific reasons why I did not like it. To start with, the story concept seemed reasonable, but even at the very beginning there were way too many irrelevant details that were info-dumped on the reader, and the characterization of all of the main characters bugged me because it felt like I was reading 2010s-era fanfiction. I didn’t like the alpha-centric main male characters and how they acted entitled to the main female character, and some of the terms and phrases that were used (such as “exotic” to describe the main characters looks) really bugged me because they were very offensive and insensitive. The storyline itself seemed like it had potential, but it never really seemed like it went anywhere and the main female character, Rebecca, seemed to just accept everything that happened after initially wanting nothing to do with this new Faerie world she has been thrust into; this meant that the whole thing seemed unrealistic and did not make sense. To top it all off, rape was used as a plot point and dealt with in the worst possible way, with no real resolution, processing or healing from this extremely traumatic experience.
	The book itself was also way longer than it needed to be, and the final battle that we had been working up to and preparing for the entire book was over very quickly and was extremely anti-climatic; it seemed like at that point the author did not have a plan and just quickly wrote out this end battle so that there could be resolution and the fluff that comes after saving the world. If I was not reviewing it, I would not have read past the first 50 pages because of all of the issues I had with the beginning. Although it got marginally better in the second half, the storyline, characters, writing, dialogue, and pacing were not good and I did not enjoy reading this book at all because of all of the issues I had with the content.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

I enjoyed this book tremendously! Curse & Craving is right up my alley, with a good mix of friendship, lovers, magic, Fae and smut. It is a true New Adult book. 

The first few chapters had me getting used to Jill Ramsowers writing style. This was my first time reading a book written by her.

I did stumble on some facts that didn't with me all that well sometimes, but altogether the book is well-written and a joy to read!

My personal preference would be a bit more elaborate smut, but I didn't make the book any less enjoyable to me.

Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for this ARC. 

Curse & Craving is an urban romance fantasy . There are two elements that I loved: Fae world and slow burn romance. 
The story begins with Rebecca moving from the US to Ireland to start a new job as a museum assistant. From that moment everything changes in her life. She will make new encounters that will open her eyes on the world. 
The characters are amazing and the world building is great. So I reccommend this book to all Fae fans who are looking for a unique story.

Jill did a great job of weaving together Celtic mythology, Arthurian lore, and adding her own modern twist. I typically don’t read modern fantasy set in the real world but really liked how she set it up.
The MMC gives some mafia vibes. The love interest was hot and cold and I appreciated that the FMC didn’t need to be with him constantly. She was still her own entity throughout the book. 
Also, her portrayal of recovery from trauma is spot on.
I can’t wait to read more in this series!

I'm a sucker for a good Fae/fantasy romance! This book gave all the feels! Hoping to see more from this series! The world building was great!

As an Irish-American, picked up this adventure fae novel to read for fun. Becca gets her dream job graduating from her college degree in Ireland, and after talking it over with her best friend, they head over there. After getting there, strange things start happening to her and the two start to realize the fantasy stories they grew up on as kids with fairies, brownies, etc. are all real. Enter a couple of cute guys, magic necklace, and a race to stop the end of world. If you like Discovery of Witches, this is probably your speed. My one note is the pace is on the slower side and there's a number of best friend teamwork moments like the old tv show Charmed with the three sisters. If you like that kind of thing, cute, if not, these bits will probably feel slow and just skip ahead. Either way, nice evening visit to another wilder vista.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC. This was a pretty good modern fantasy filled with Fae, magic, and romance. I enjoyed the Irish setting since I haven’t read many books set there. The romance was slow burn and there was some spice which is always good. I liked Rebecca and Lochlan even if their relationship was a little frustrating at times. I found the ending to be a little anticlimactic and thought it was resolved too quickly for the amount of build up. I also felt like it could have been a little shorter without some of the unnecessary details. Overall I enjoyed it, there are a few more books in the series focusing on other characters and I would definitely be open to reading them.

I had mixed feelings about this book. There are parts that I read and flew through and then other parts that I read and was bored. I like the concept of the book and the way that well known tales of magic have been brought to life in the world that has been built. However one of the things that I also struggled with was the info dumping - to the point where I found myself skipping sections that consisted of nothing but paragraphs of dialogue where things were explained over and over again to main character Rebecca. 

At times the dialogue felt a little naive and cringey in the way that the characters interacted with each other. I would even say that the whole first half of the book had a YA theme to it, despite it being NA. There was a lot of over explaining, which meant that when the spicy scenes did happen they felt a bit out of place.

Despite that, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy this book. I liked that the story of the characters is complete in this so it can be read as a standalone. However there are other books in the series that then follow some of the other characters!
******
"𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙, 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙢. 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬, 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙧. 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢, 𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙢. 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩, 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙧.”

Rating: 3,5 stars 
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I would first like to say that this book is very well written, we have here a real story, inspired by the myths and tales of our childhood with Merlin, Arthur etc. Unfortunately, I did not manage to really immerse myself in the story, to my greatest despair because I love urban fantasy romance. But the MC Rebecca was too neutral for me, I did not understand her reactions. I also wish we had one or two chapters from Lochlan’s point of view,to know where his mind was. The book has a particular rhythm, we have very slow moments with some chapters that go very quickly to the development of the story. These are the reasons why I didn’t hang on to the book, even though I finished it and it wasn’t a bad read, just not a favorite read for me

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read

Curse & Craving was so addicting, I finished it in one day. I loved the setting in modern Ireland and the intricate world building and magic system that Jill Ramsower created in this addicting urban fantasy romance. Curse & Craving is rich with faeries, and characters from Norse mythology and the legend of King Arthur, and I enjoyed every second of it. The tension and slow burn between the main character, Becca, and Lochlan is exquisite, it was so well written and left me wanting more. Ramsower wrote beautiful a friendship between Becca and her best friend Ash where they would do anything for each other. Curse & Craving is filled with discovery, a refreshing take on faeries, betrayal, and love, I loved how Becca and Lochlan's story was wrapped up nicely, though I wish that there was a bit more action at the end. I would recommend Curse & Craving to anyone who loves faeries, rich world building, great character development, and a slow burn, steamy romance.

It took me longer than expected to finish this book. I can't place one reason, I think life mostly and maybe my waffling between enjoying the story and being frustrated.

Let me start by saying Jill builds lovely worlds and frustrating characters. Both lend a hand in this story unfolding. And while I think the battle at the end is important it's not really what the books is about. Did I expect the ending battle to be pages and pages..? Kind of. I don't feel cheated so much as I do that Jill was in a rush to finish the book. 

Rebecca is a much deeper, incredibly hard headed and frustrated character. I kept thinking she needed to just spill the beans and consequences be damned. At some point he half truths were going to paint her into a corner. 

Lochlan was just as difficult of a character as Rebecca and so I suppose in a way they're perfect for each other. His loyalty and confidence eventually are what give Rebecca's strength that extra oomph she needs.

I spent the  first ⅓ of the book wondering if I was actually gojng to have my  first DNF of the year. I put the book down, walked away for a day and came back determined to figure out the who's and the what's. I'm really glad I did. In the end I enjoyed Curse and Craving. 

I'm ecstatic that the following books don't are standalone and this isn't a continuing saga as think that would have gotten boring. I very much look forward to future books.

I love all things Fae and this book delivered! Curse & Craving is a urban fantasy and slow burn romance, both are things I love. The characters were amazing, the world building and story were great! The feel of this reminded me of one of my all time favorites the Fever series, but yet it has its own unique story. If you’re a Fever fan, read this one!

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of Curse & Craving ebook for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I had not read this author before but was intrigued by the overview. I have recently fell in love with the fantasy genre and this one checks all the right boxes.   Faery magic, the wild hunt, urban and historical legends. Top it off with a strong female lead character and a hot romance and you’ve got me hooked!

The story revolves around Rebecca a human unknowingly interlocked with magic and the Fae. Rebecca moves to Ireland to take a dream job opportunity and discovers she can see and interact with Fae.  Rebecca was thrust into the world of Fae ultimately responsible for saving both the Fae and Human worlds. 

Rebecca can’t do this alone!  Lachlan is there to guide her throughout her journey and eventually they forge an unbreakable bond. Lachlan is a member of the wild hunt and takes Rebecca as his student of magic and combat ensuring she is both physically and mentally ready for the battle of her lifetime. 

Along with her friend Ashley and Coworker Cat, Rebecca embarks on an amazing journey that brings her face to face with some of the most legendary characters. Some you may recognize from myths and stories and others are brand new. 

Rating this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.  The only reason I didn’t give this book full value was the war/battle that is described as being centuries in the making was rather flat and uninspired. Only a few pages were devoted to the battle itself versus the build up. 

I highly recommend this book!  Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. 

#cursecraving #netgalley

I have not read anything by this author, but I fell in love with this story starting on page 1. I am a huge fantasy reader, and this book has one of the easiest-to-follow magic systems/worlds. Jill does a phenomenal job twisting together Irish culture and fae folklore in this modern-day fantasy story. 

The main issue I had with this book was the last 25%. I was mesmerized for the first 75% and so hooked that I read the majority in one night. THE SUSPENSE WAS EVERYTHING. But then it all felt anti-climatic, and the battle scene felt short and almost easy for our MC? Because of this, I started to lose interest in the characters. 

With all that being said, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a fast-paced fantasy book and Irish culture. I can not wait to read the follow-up books about the side characters. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing, for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Although this story is very reminiscent of Moaning's Faefever series, I still had a lot of fun reading it and immersing myself in the world of Irish folklore, with all those fairies that are mixed with the Arthurian cycle. Lachlan and Becca are a nice couple with a certain chemistry between them and with the intervention of Ronan there was also a healthy dose of angst and misunderstanding, which never hurts as far as I'm concerned. 

Per quanto questa storia ricordi veramente tanto la Faefever series della Moaning, mi sono comunque divertita parecchio a leggerla e a reimmergermi nel mondo della tradizione folcloristica irlandese, con tutte quelle fate che si mischiano al ciclo arturiano. Lachlan e Becca sono una bella coppia con una certa chimica tra loro e con l'intervento di Ronan c'é stata anche una sana dose di angst e fraintendimento, che non guasta mai per quanto mi riguarda. 

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Curse & Craving is a fantasy novel sets in the modern world, it has a slow pacing, the action, tension and mystery with keep you on the edge of your seat. 

The story begins with Rebecca moving from the States to Ireland to start her dream job as a museum assistant. But starting a new life in Ireland wasn't as perfect as she had pictured, strange things are beginning to occurs around her. Witnessing a strange little man jumping around her house, being tailed by a stalker, sighting peculiar creatures was she being delusional or was it all real? 

Thank you Netgalley for the review copy!

Curse & Craving, by Jill Ramsower, is an urban fantasy romance about a mortal who unknowingly enters a hidden world of fantasy, fae, and magic.
I really enjoyed this book-I loved that the author was inspired by Karen Moning’s ‘Fever’ series, and the story itself is fantastic. The character development is impressive—the lead, Becca, is super relatable and I enjoyed “seeing” things through her eyes, while the male lead, Lachlan, is magnetic, to put it lightly.
I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t mind a super slow-burn romance, and loves a happily ever after.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Thanks so much to the author/publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

"Were you following me?" "Always."

WOW. Just wow. 

I've been in a reading slump recently and this book got me fired up about reading again. 

Let's talk about: Rebecca
Rebecca, Becca, or Becs - whatever you want to call her. Imagine being thrust into a Faery equivalent of a world war without any prior knowledge, training, or abilities?? That's what Becs is up against. Don't get me wrong - her naivety and ignorance at the beginning of the book bothered me, but I later understood that the author deliberately did this to help us realize how much Becca changes by the end of her journey. 

Let's talk about: Lochlan
At first I was not a fan. Something about how the author portrayed him rubbed me the wrong way. It wasn't that he was standoffish or arrogant - he truly just did not seem like an interesting enough male for me to pay enough attention to. HOWEVER - this quickly changed. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil the book, but don't give up on him. The story starts off a little slow and then <b>BOOM</b> off to the races!

What Could Have Been Better
I think the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way about this book was how many side characters/side plots there were and how ill developed they are.

We have:
1) Bec's mom & and her dad (who is only mentioned and does not have any dialogue)
2) Ashley, Bec's BFF, who is basically a doormat. She is clearly only a plot device meant to create some tension to further Becca toward conflict. Her character was superficial to the point that all she did was drink wine, eat cheese, and get injured all the time. 
3) Merlin, WHO SHOULD BE A MAIN CHARACTER, is strangely rarely in the book. He pops up randomly to spout some B.S. and then disappears before showing up at the end with a "Thanks for saving the world" before leaving again. Talk about unnecessary - the story would have developed the same way even if Merlin was a long lost character or had died years prior to Becca moving to Ireland. 
4) Knight, aka Becca's amazing fluffy protector, just gets pushed to the side?? For someone who claims to love him, Becca sure does forget about him a lot. 
5) Ronan....Ronan, Ronan, Ronan. I won't say much because I want everyone to draw their own conclusions...But I saw no reason for his character or the drama he brought early in the story - it served no purpose to furthering the plot line of the book. 
6) Becca's trauma. I don't want to speak too much on this, but please be aware of potential triggers. I felt this served no purpose other than for us to think another character was evil and the aftermath of her trauma was handled very poorly. 

I feel most of my issues with the book will be resolved in the next books of the series - we shall see. 

Final Thoughts

This book has it all. It's a twist on Arthurian retelling, norse mythology, Shakespearian literature, and even has a hint of Viking lore. Don't be afraid - it's not overwhelming and I found myself pleasantly surprised with how well everything fit together. Lochlan and Rebecca's love story is not the central plot but it sure is sweet. I love how Lochlan calls Becca his little warrior - it's empowering and not cringey like a lot of other fantasy books. The adventure fantasy is well paced and I found myself curious to see what was going to happen next. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and will be on the lookout for book two in this series.