Wow, what a conclusion!
I don't want to say too much so I don't spoil the first one, but this book was the perfect spooky finale to the Gilded duology.
Serilda is trapped with the Erlking, constantly looking for a way to save herself and her friends.
I love her determination, and her smart-ass answers to the Erlking in her attempt to piss him off every time he speaks to her 😂
I enjoy that the Erlking is just evil. Like, sure he has motivations, but they're completely self-serving and nefarious. It makes him easy to hate.
There were twisty turns in this one and I enjoyed watching everything unfold, especially the elements of the Rumpelstiltskin story!

Marissa Meyer, you've done it again!

Cursed is the second and final book in the series by Marissa Meyer….and what a book!!

The story follows straight on from Gilded, where Serilda is determined to free herself and Gild from the curse that tethers them to the castle. But in a cruel twist of fate, Serilda must marry the Erlking and give him her baby to appease his one true love Perchta, who he hopes to free from the underworld on The Endless Moon. Can Serilda and Gild break the curse and live happily ever after?

The story is much darker than Gilded, with lots of blood and gore…I loved it! It makes a nice change from the usual ‘nice’ fairy tales!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so happy! I was so unsatisfied by the conclusion of the previous book in the series (mostly because I didn't realised it was a dualogy) but 'Cursed' rounds everything up in such a satisfying way. I had tears in my eyes more than once.

What I really, truely love about 'Cursed' is the character of Erlkonnig. It would be so,so, easy to make a love interest out of the murderous king who manipulates the main character but Meyer never crosses that line, which I appreciate a lot.

As the conclusion to a duology it couldn't be more satisfying.

Starting from where we left off in book one we are transported straight back to the fabulous world building of Marissa Meyer, the castle in my opinion is the most amazing scene for this story, it’s so vast, spooky and full of secrets which really helps the plot twists along, I had a favourite scene in a hidden room of the castle that made me laugh, swoon and almost cry all in the same chapter and a lot of that was to do with setting the scene and the building of tension.
Tension did take a little while in the beginning, I found the same with book one and it’s 100% a slow burner.
It definitely takes a little time to get going and when it does it’s up and down a lot so I found that sometimes I wasn’t in the mood for it and other times I couldn’t put it down but on the whole it’s a good story with great and at times unpredictable characters.

The creatures of this book got me good, so good, I loved the creativity and the hunt continues in book two and as for characters the ghosts and dark ones remain interesting, funny, charismatic and really add to the story.

Really pleased I continued with this but venture in if your for a slow burn, horror based fantasy, I would say it’s comparable with something like A Duel with the Vampire Lord by Elise Kova.

Thank you so much for providing me with an early copy

It was total madness. it gave me SO much anxiety. felt like I was being dragged to hell and back. the beginning was a little bit boring, the pacing was too slow to my liking. I almost dropped it but then I remembered that THIS was written by Marissa Meyer and I had to trust the process and so I did. But at 30ish percent it all started to feel unbearable--i'm not used to read horror (yes I'd say that this is a horror-fantasy) and I was SO terrified I thought I couldn't even handle it. but then one of my bookstagram friend finished the book and they said that it was good so I asked what kind of ending did it have. she answered and THAT'S the only motivation for me to finish the book

but, you know, Marissa Meyer's kind of book. it ALWAYS shed tears and THIS wasn't an exception. THIS BOOK DROVE ME INSANE AND I AM THOROUGHLY UNWELL

not my fav series from MM but it's fine tho. just won't reread it again. it really frightened the hell out of me BYEEEEEE. 4,5⭐️

📚 r e v i e w 📚
Cursed - Marissa Myer

There is something very comforting about Marissa Myer’s books, whether you’re reading about super heroes, fairy tales with a twist or european folklore like Gilded and Cursed, you always feel like you’re among friends which is why after finishing gilded earlier in the year i kept my eyes peeled for arcs of Cursed - I just had to know how Serilda and Gild’s story ended.
As this is a sequel I don’t want to spoil anything for you - just know that the erlking continues to be dastardly (in such an enjoyable way), gild and serilda continue to fight for freedom and we meet a whole host of creatures from european folklore.
Like all of marissa meyer’s fantasy books this is a fun ride which will keep the thrills coming. Its the perfect book for snuggling up with a big blanket and ignoring the wind and rain outside.
Thank you @netgalley for the early copy

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Cursed
Gilded #2
Sci-fi/Fantasy, YA
Marissa Meyer
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This is the sequel to Gilded. It follows Serilda and her mission to end the curse that binds herself and other characters to the castle.

There were plenty of plot twists, new characters and secrets in this book. I felt like the pacing was off at times though and it wasn't consistent which made it harder to stay engaged and interested.

I was hoping that this one would be better than the first book, but I thought it was about the same, which was a little disappointing.

I did like the world building, Marissa Meyer is always creative with descriptions etc. I do think it could be condensed slightly but that being said, I did find the ending satisfying.

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publishers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I'm quite new to the fantasy genre, and haven't read the predecessor to this, but because it is a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale it felt very familiar, which really helped get into it. And I don't think there was too much that I couldn't follow by not having read the first one.

I enjoyed the fairy tale location, and had enough frame of reference to picture it and the characters, I'm really looking forward to going back and reading Book 1, Gilded. to find out more about Serilda.

I really liked Marissa Meyer's writing style and may look out for others of hers to read, she definitely has a passionate fan following.

I've never been the biggest fan of fairy tale retellings but I have absolutely loved this series.

I've enjoyed that it was dark rather than fluffy and spooky rather than nice.

A great mish mash of a few different fairy tales and I love how Serilda goes from being ordinary to extremely important with her gobbledegook fortellings and slightly loopy adorableness.

The writing was so excellent I really felt Serilda's panic over wanting to get her body and baby back from her ghostly state.

I have no idea why I needed a little extra push to start this duology. I have no idea why I had to be granted a review copy from Cursed by Faber and Faber through Netgalley to read the first book. I love fairytale retellings. I love everything Marissa Meyer has written so far. I have an endless fascination for the wonderful classical Schubert song about the Erlkönig. This series was a perfect fit! And I indeed loved the first book and I was even happier that I could read on after finishing that one.

I've rarely read a book where everything comes so beautifully together as in this book. The first book was mainly one big build up and even in this second book it takes a long while before we get the feeling our characters are getting somewhere when it comes to their happily ever after. But once the finale starts, once we know what's going on and what everyone's fighting for, it's impossible to put the book down. And while reading the last chapter I even shedded a few tears.

Where the first book was very much a Rumplestiltskin retelling, this book is more about the wild hunt and the power of our heroine's storytelling. I don't want to give too much away, I actually think the blurb already does, but there is so much mythology, such an amazing mix of myth and legend and it's amazing how the author builds everything up. She left so many hints and gave us so much information and yet I only puzzled things together once they were almost revealed.

I also loved the emotional journey of our heroine and her prince. During this book my heart has been shattered at least five times, but most of the times the author also glued my heart back together again. I love how this romance isn't consuming the entire book, how both characters also function without each other and yet it's so clear that they love each other and they firmly believe that one way or another there is a future for them where they can live together.

This is a story about stories and maybe it's the author who has been blessed by the God of storytelling. Who knows with legends.

I cannot get enough of the retelling of fairy tales.
The imagination and creativity that the authors come up with are just so magical.
I am loving this series you really want Serilda and Gild to win.
This enchanted adventure is full of magic and surprises it is not one to be missed!

4.5 stars

Meyer did not disappoint me. There's a reason I consider her one of my all-time favourite authors and this just blew me away. I read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I'll be honest, I did have a feeling about a certain plot point and we got something similar to my feeling but the execution of that moment and the way stuff happened - it still had such a huge impact on me.

I love the characters and that's a huge reason why I enjoyed this so much - I just loved Serilda's characters. The only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is that I do have some small things I wasn't the hugest fan of and the ending wasn't quite as good as the rest but that might change when I reread because I did read this is one sitting and I feel like I maybe didn't give the ending as much attention as the start. So, I'm curious to see whether my thoughts change.

Finally, I adored the way Meyer chose to retell the original story - it was clever and worked so well and I really enjoyed the retelling. Overall, super glad I read this. A great duology that I will reread and I'd recommend.

Meyer does re-tellings so well and this second installment in the Gilded world does not disappoint. I adore Meyer's writing and this continues throughout this one. Meyer has managed to finish the twisted tale she started in book one and leave me feeling satisfied with the ending. I cannot wait to receive my beautiful copy from Fairyloot!

Cursed is the sequel to Gilded, the Rumpelstiltskin retelling by NYT best-selling American author, Marissa Meyer. It’s the summer solstice, some seven weeks since Serilda has been cursed by the Erlking, her spirit tethered to Adalheid Castle, just as Gild’s has been, and the day she is to wed His Grim. She’s carrying Gild’s baby, due on the Winter Solstice, but holds back that information from the Erlking and Gild both, afraid of the reaction.

Each full moon when the Erlking takes the dark ones out to hunt, Gild and Serilda search the castle for their not-quite-dead corpses although, even if Serilda finds hers, could she free her spirit and leave? While the ghosts of five children so dear to her, killed by the Erlking, are still under his control and prevented from eternal rest in Verloren, she has to stick around, see out the deal she made: marry the Alder King, pose as the happy Alder Queen, hand over the baby at birth.

Except the baby was promised to Gild in payment for gold-spinning…

The conclusion of this tale is just as enthralling as the start, taking several twists in the lead up to a nail-biting climax, before a satisfying resolution and the requisite happy ever after. There’s plenty of magic, villainous demons, monsters of all stripe and colour and inclination, and this half features a feisty young self-crowned queen. There are revelations and reunions, shocks and surprises.

Meyer manages to insert humour and heartache, and gives her characters some wise words and insightful observations about human nature and life. Often, Serilda sees her gift as a curse: “Have you been cursed by the god of stories? Does every word out of your mouth somehow land everyone you love in danger?” When she is finally able to make that complaint to Wyrdith in person: “I do understand,” said Wyrdith. “Stories are powerful.” They threaded their fingers through Serilda’s. “What you don’t understand is that you have not yet written the ending.”

While there is some recap, it really is essential to read the first volume before embarking on this one: assuredly not a hardship. Encompassing two volumes, Meyer’s retelling of this folk tale runs to almost a thousand pages, yet the reader is never bored; rather, impatience to learn where the story will next go keeps the pages rapidly turning. So enjoyable, this is Marissa Meyer at her best.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by the publisher

Gild and Serilda are finally together, yayyy! Buuuttt, it's locked in a castle and half-dead. Forever together, right? No? Death can’t do them part?

Marissa Meyer is an auto-read author for me and I loved all of her books. Her characters are always loveable and outstanding and well-developed, her world-building is immersive, atmospheric and always worthy of a fairytale, and her plots are so engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Or in my case, desperate to finish my university work so I can get back to reading.

“You should know by now," she whispered, pressing down a lock of his fluffy blond hair, "that the best stories are never truly over. I would argue that 'happily ever after' is one of my more popular lies."

I forgot how much I enjoyed Gild’s snarky humour and dry wit. And he’s mischievous shenanigans!!! I wish George and Fred from Harry Potter could meet up with him.

"Please," he said, "remove the knife from my back. I would hate to ask Manfred to have to do it. Again."

"I'm fine. Except he took my soup ladle, greedy bastard. Never let’s me have anything."

I’ve been a Meyer fan for years and I do have a weakness for fairy tale retellings. I enjoyed the first book and this was a great conclusion. Serilda, the storyteller, is a dynamic and engaging character and the rest of the cast are equally compelling. Overall I really liked it. I just think I might be getting past reading a certain shade of YA.

I'm convinced no one does retellings like Marissa Meyer. The cliffhanger at the end truly shocked me and this picks up immediately where we left off. When I got into this I was hooked, the pacing was great and I couldn't predict where the story was going. I just love Serilda and Gild and couldn't stop rooting for them. Everything tied together perfectly at the end (thought I was SWEATING those last few chapters) and it just solidified to me that Marissa Meyer doesn't miss. I learned a lot from this duology, not knowing much about german folklore and I just loved it so much.

Marissa meyer does it once again, never did I think the story could be concluded in just one more book and yet it gives you everything you needed after the last one and more. The characters, the plot, the folklore/mythology - strong, solid and oh so entertaining! After reading the first I felt calling them rumpelstiltskin was too obvious and quite cringe worthy but once again the author pulled out all stops and made the inevitable sweet and wholesome. The tangled tales bringing together another amazing fairytale based story

In this second and last installment of the fairytale-inspired Gilded, Adalheid Castle is in chaos. The Erlking is forcing Serilda to hold all sorts of pretences in front oh his court of Dark Ones while Serilda is trying her best to free the souls of her beloved ghost children and help Gild solve the mystery of his forgotten history.

As the story progresses, it's revealed that what the Erlking really want is to use Serilda to bring back the love of his eternal life, the great huntress Perchta. If he succeeds, they will take revenge against the seven gods who trapped the Dark Ones, get rid of the veil protecting the mortal world and wreak havoc and desolation amongst humans forever.

Serilda will need to use her storytelling gifts for good and break the curse that holds Gild and her to the dark side of the veil, all before the Endless Moon.

I loved this books. This is a wonderfully crafted story, with a complex yet very accessible world-building (foolishly, I didn't realise this was a second installment and hadn't read 'Gilded'! And yet I had no trouble getting into the world and the story, quickly being gripped in very intense and suspensful events!). Each character is believable and fascinating, all motivations carefully laid out for the readers making them sway from one feeling to another.
Marissa Meyer is justly seen as a queen of fantasy writing with a world that draws you in, attaching characters, high stakes and twists that make this story an irresistible page-turner.

I absolutely enjoyed this book, if it felt a bit too long. But when I think back to every part of this book, I liked every part and everything is important and is there for a reason, so I can't think of anything that shouldn't be there. And then I think it might be that this duology would have feel better as a trilogy as Gilded also felt a bit too long.
Other than that this was great, so very emotional, I spent most of this book with bated breath, both wanting and dreading the next page. It was actually a moment that after giving us so much hope it was completely crushed again and I stopped reading for a whole day until I was able to pick it up again.
All this story despite being a retelling is so creative, and descriptive, the world building, magic system and characters so perfect. I still love that the handsome villain remains the handsome villain by the end, without finding the goodnes in him or failling in love with oht hero, as is so common lately. I loved the gods and their interpretations, and the ending was so satisfying, after so many hardships, I was ready for a bittersweet ending but I have to say I am very happy this was a HEA.