Wings Once Curse and Bound may be the most surprising fantasy romance I’ve read so far this year.

Admittedly, I was fully prepared for this to be shit which makes somewhat of a difference (don’t ask me why, I think I’ve just been let down a lot by hype with some recent releases) Still! I was impressed by what I got in this book. The use of lesser well-known fairytale elements and nonwestern folktales as inspiration made this way more original than I was prepared for it to be. The story was unapologetically grim in its telling, which I loved. We also got surprising well formed characters and a (mostly) healthy romantic relationship! Utterly refreshing!!

Honestly this absolutely could have been a knockout, I just have to dock a couple points for the writing. The narration, in my opinion, was occasionally lacking a clear voice. At other times characters motives or scenes were over explained. Everything would be flowing, until suddenly you’d be yanked out of the story and beaten over the head with a recap of what was going on. Really the characters and story were well developed enough that the narrative could have been trimmed way down and ended up more enjoyable! I’ll chalk that up to this being the first of a series. It’s a little frustrating at times though.

I’ll contain any more back-handed compliments and wrap this up. It’s a little rough at times but I did thoroughly enjoy this book! I really look forward to seeing what else Piper J Drake has in store!!

This is secret society out to save the world (think League of extraordinary Gentlemen) meets all the supernatural creatures you can think of. There are Vampires, Side, Flying Fae, Werewolves, Witches and more. What makes this unique is we add in some Thai lore. Our main character, Peeraphan, is a Kinnaree, a mystical Thai bird princess.

The story starts when Peeraphan, also known as Punch, receives a beautiful pair of red dance shoes. Turns out the shoes are cursed and Bennet, the vampire, and the consortium he is a part of have been looking for the supernatural artifact. The story takes a turn for all of them when Punch is not affected by the curse the way she should be. Off they go for a way to break the curse.

From there we have kidnapping, a rescue, magical powers revealed, friendships (and romance) forged and adventure.

What I liked:

-the characters were each well nuanced and added their own flare to the story.
-the self analysis of Punch and her journey to self acceptance was a major theme that was a win. The scene in the cave where Punch faced her truths was a beautifully written way to present it.
-the world building was well done. It laid a solid foundation for what's to come.
-some good girl power (does anyone still say that?). Punch is feisty yet flawed, doesn't hide her opinions and questions where necessary even when her world has been tipped upside down.
-the additional of the Thai folklore and myths gave it a really unique edge. I want more.
-Bennet's struggle to find vulnerability, to love again and not compare the two women who were able to steal his vampire, immortal heart.
-the curse of the red shoes. It felt like something out of a children's fairy tale - the creepy Hans Christian Anderson kind - and I am here for it.

What missed for me:

- all of this takes place in like a weekend. Besides being exhausted trying to accomplish it all, the level of trust and intimacy between the characters, even when in crisis, felt a bit forced. Punch's life had been turned upside down and inside out and it all felt too easy.
-the romance went from 0 to everything in the blink of an eye in the last couple chapters. Even though it was clearly hinted at earlier, it felt like an afterthought that exploded in the back end of the book.
-there were a few scenes that felt like wasted pages - all the description of how lovely Punch's bath was for example - when there was so many directions to go with the story and the characters. There were a few scenes like that and I felt like they took the pacing off the rails just when it was taking off at a good clip.

Overall, there were parts that were great and there were parts that felt like the thoughts weren't quite finished. I liked it enough that I'll be keeping an eye out for the second instalment.

Unfortunately not for me at all, couldn’t hold my attention and the characters fell flat for me, too many flaws in plot that could have been caught. Not my cup of tea

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really liked this book! I found the plot so intersecting and loved the characters. I will give a more in-depth review soon, but I wanted to go ahead and get my initial impressions out. Definitely pick up this book!

I enjoyed this book. It's not heavy on the fantasy and world building, and it was an easy read. I think it was a great introduction into what seems to be a duology and/or series.

I do wish that the book had delved deeper into the Thai mythology it is based off of, and it is my hope that it will be further developed in the upcoming book(s). I found some aspects a little hard to believe (aka falling in love in a day), MCs reaction to certain events and some of the writing a little weird (reaction to seeing the main characters erect manhood) but overall nothing that other fantasy books haven't done.

Overall it was an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book.

I requested to read Wings Once Cursed and Bound as I was interested it the Thai mythology it explores and it was refreshing to read a fantasy romance with such a unique plot. The characters were like able and fun to read about. Overall it was a solid series opener that I would recommend to others.

Reading this book reminded me so much of the TV show Angel. Bennett, the caring Vampire, had such similar vibes to that character I would highly recommend this book to any Buddy fans!

DNF'd at 35%. Had a hard time getting into the story and thought the MMC was not my cup of tea. I loved that the character was of Thai origin and that the folklore of the Thai people would be weaved in, but I think it just fell flat.

4⭐ 1🌶️

Wings Once Cursed and Bound was my first Piper Drake book and what a place to start! I really enjoyed this epic start to what I’m sure will be a captivating series. The mythology woven into the story had me utterly hooked and the world building was so fascinating and unique. The characters were so eclectic and inviting and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the series takes them. My only complaint was that this is written in third person point of view, which I tend to have a hard time connecting to, though it’s truly just a personal preference and I’d still absolutely recommend this book to friends.

Both Peeraphan and Bennett were fantastic and I really enjoyed their banter and chemistry. Peeraphan was such a kind and caring soul, while still showing some backbone and calling Bennett on his nonsense when needed. And Bennett was the delicious vampire boyfriend I didn’t know I needed but now can’t do without. Tragically broken by his past but unable to resist Peeraphan, I simply couldn’t adore him more. Not to mention his sweet little “bromance” with Thomas…I don’t know if I’ve read an enemies to friends storyline but I’m absolutely here for these two as well.

I tandem listened/read this on audio and e-book and Cindy Kay did an excellent job. Both her male and female voices were spot on and I’ll certainly be looking for future books she narrates moving forward.

I usually love Piper J Drake's books. Her romantic suspense books are awesome and I can't put them down once I start them. So I was excited when she announced that she was doing a PNR book-I couldn't wait since PNR is my go to for most of my reading! And while I really wanted to love it, it was just ok for me. I felt like I was all over the place in this book, and I wasn't even quite sure what was going on at some points. The Thai mythology was cool, especially as I knew nothing about it. The romance portion of it just didn't gel for me. It almost felt like it was shoved into the story in order to be labeled as a PNR book, and honestly, it didn't really add anything for me. All of the pieces for a great story were there, they just didn't come together as I had hoped. So for me, it was just ok while it has the potential to be great!

Peeraphan is a self-taught dancer inspired by her Thai heritage to create her dances. When she puts on a pair of beautiful red shoes that are meant to kill her, and doesn't die - she piques the interest of a secret organization that investigates mythological artifacts. Bennett is the de facto leader of the organization and after preventing Peeraphan's kidnapping by another more sinister organization, she is brought into a world with vampires, werewolves, and fae (oh my.) This is more an urban romance than a fantasy romance and I overall I enjoyed the read. I will definitely be interested in further stories in the series (hoping for a future witch, kitsune throuple.) I loved the addition of South Asian mythology and look forward to more exploration within the diverse world. While I enjoyed the banter between the characters, as well as the side characters, the story could have benefited with more world-building, but a good first entry in a new series. I would recommend to readers who enjoy the Hollow series by Kim Harrison or Chicagoland Vampires/Heirs of Chicagoland series by Chloe Neill.

Prior to reading this book I was unaware of folklore and mythology within Thai culture. It was a lot of fun to go down a rabbit hole of learning about it. This story was an inventive way to bring classical fairytale, Thai folklore and paranormal character into one story.
My only critique is I just wish we had a little more world building to fully convey the beauty of the story. But, does a good job giving a wide range of characters to help set up later books and maybe an opportunity to further the world building.

Peeraphan "Punch" is a post-college twenty-something working for a dance company in San Francisco. While at rehearsals one night, Sirin, a friend and fellow dancer, brings her a beautiful pair of vintage red shoes. After Sirin convinces Punch to wear the shoes during rehearsals, Punch finds herself trapped by the curse of The Red Shoes. Bennet, a centuries old born vampire, was hoping to track down The Red Shoes before they found their way onto the feet of their next victim. Normally, Bennet would have allowed the curse of The Red Shoes to take its course, but there's something about Punch that compels him to try and save her life. Bennet whisks Punch away to a hidden mythological world of vampires, werewolves, and fairies where sparks fly as they work together to try and break the curse of The Red Shoes before it takes her life. Along the way, Punch comes to learn she's not quite human herself and has much more untapped power than she expects.

I was initially really excited by the premise of Wings Once Cursed and Bound. I went to Thailand last fall and thought it would be really cool to learn more about Thai mythology through this new fantasy series. However, I found out pretty quickly that I was not getting the story I expected. This book's pitch does not paint an accurate picture of what you're actually getting. Perhaps if I'd read Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer Armentrout before, I'd have had a better idea of what I was getting. This is not a historical fantasy centering Thai mythology with a secondary romance plot. This is an urban fantasy romance with most characters being from well-known European mythology (vampires, werewolves, witches, fairies, dragons, etc.) Punch is a Thai mythological being called a kinnaree, although the story has very little to do with that. In fact, she doesn't know what that really means nor do any of the other characters. It's teased that future books in the series will delve more into the mythology of kinnarees; however, that's not enough to keep me reading at this point. I did not enjoy Drake's writing style; I felt like I was reading YA rather than an adult book. Additionally, I am not a fan of insta-love, especially when not executed well. The whole story takes place within several days where we're constantly told the characters are falling in love with each other, but there's nothing in the writing that makes me believe this romance. I hope this book finds its audience, because I am not it.

Thank you to Net Galley for my e-arc. All views are my own.

Wings Once Cursed & Bound, by Piper J. Drake, follows Peeraphan Rahttana, also known as Punch, a woman hiding her identity as a kinnaree, a mythical Thai bird princess. When she's tricked into wearing the cursed red dancing shoes of legend, a vampire named Bennett sweeps her into a world of supernatural beings while they try to figure out how to save her from the curse. As she and Bennett grow closer and Peeraphan finds herself appreciating the chance not to have to hide her identity, she ultimately must face the truth of what she is and whether she is willing to do what it takes to keep her newfound freedom.

This book had a lot of promising aspects, but ultimately falls short in a lot of ways.

I did really enjoy the worldbuilding aspect of it. The interactions of different supernatural beings from all over the world was super interesting and wasn't really something that I had seen in urban fantasy before. While I do think the worldbuilding could have been done a little better, I do also recognize that this book works on a very compressed timeframe, taking place over the course of a day, and that those details might not have been realistic to explain.

The Darke Consortium, the organization that Bennett is part of and which deals with magical artifacts, was definitely intriguing; each of the members that we see are unique in their magic and in personality. This book is planned to be the first in a series, and I assume that missions for the Consortium would make up the bulk of the stories covered. I would be interested to see where the series goes; there's a lot of scope within the world Drake has created that there are many different ideas to be explored, and I think that it could only improve from this first book.

I think the biggest of this book's problems was that it was trying to expand a plotline into a full novel that simply did not have enough going on. Taking place over only 24 hours and without any real subplot beyond the poorly-executed romance, the book drags despite being only 300 pages long. The story of the magic shoes was quite simplistic and simply did not give the novel enough substance to work with.

The whisper-thin plot might have been okay if the characters were more interesting, but unfortunately I could not tell you a single defining trait of either Peeraphan or Bennett, our two protagonists. They quite literally have no personalities, beyond Bennett having a shred of the typical adult romantasy "alpha male" archetype. Their backstories are virtually non-existent, and there is no sign of character development. The latter is excusable due to the compressed timeline of the book—I'm not expecting full character arcs over 24 hours—but literally anything to make me care about these characters would have been appreciated. Additionally, their romance arc is far too insta-love-y for my taste; there is no development or anything, but they are still completely obsessed with each other by the end.

Overall, though this book was quite promising in its setup and worldbuilding, its execution left a lot to be desired. I think it probably could have been more successful if it was shorter in length or focused more on character; this very easily could have been a solid coming-of-age story for Peeraphan, but splitting her page time with Bennett and not actually developing that aspect of the book beyond a single chapter simply makes this book full of missed potential. I would still recommend giving it a shot if you're looking for a quick read in an interesting urban fantasy setup, Despite this book being a hot mess, it was still kind of a vibe, and I really do think that this series has potential. Ultimately, however, I can't give this installment any higher than a 3/5.

This book is totally underrated! I highly enjoyed this read, and I think the blurb is very misleading. I wouldn't comp it to SJM and JLA like the it says, but maybe KF Breene or Ivy Asher. It's definitely an urban fantasy/paranormal romance which I loved because I can never get enough of vampire love interests. I might even go as far as to label this one cozy, as there's a ton of elements that fit the type with found family, fairytale objects, and supernatural characters of all types. It's multi-POV, and each character has a distinct tone of voice which I really appreciated. There's also a ton of sexual tension, and even a few really good spicy scenes. Overall, this book was such a pleasant surprise for me, and I'm looking forward to reading more of this series!

Wings Once Cursed and Bound follows Peeraphan, a young woman living in Seattle as she comes in to contact with the Red Shoes, a mythical pair of shoes that will dance their wearer to death. But Peeraphan is not what she seems - she is a Kinnari, a mythical Thai bird princess! The story follows Peeraphan as she teams up with Benett (a born vampire ) and other members of the consortium (including a werewolf and witch) to remove the enchantment and stop the curse before she dances her way to an early grave!

I've never read anything involving Thai mythology before and this was an excellent introduction! The world-building was amazing and I loved the dream state type place they all visited along with the creatures that lived there! I would have liked for a bit more information on the Kinnari but from what I've seen not much is known so Drake did well with the little source material she had.

There is spice in the book but its all consensual and consent is discussed between the characters involved mutliple times which is refreshing for a romantasy book!

Overall a 4 star read and I look forward to the next in the series!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book but found the execution to be lacking. The characters seemed too powerful and clever, the only mistakes they seemed to make were in their relationships with each other. And the book goes to great lengths to try and convince of us how powerful and incredible and amazing the characters are compared to other people. Personally I don't enjoy reading books that treat their characters this way. Its a vampire story so I expect the vampires to the stronger and faster than anyone else to have certain territorial and possessive tendencies, but they should still be flawed and capable of making mistakes, otherwise they're boring to read about.
I also felt that the romance between the two main characters developed too quickly. Almost as soon as they saw each other they wanted to jump each other. There was no easing into attraction as they got to know each other, they just immediately were attracted to each other and in love.
The supernatural and fantasy elements were really cool and I loved that it was heavy on Eastern mythology instead of just focusing on Western mythology, but the story itself just didn't do it for me.

This was an enjoyable first book in a series. I like the idea of mythical items out in the world and supernaturals are out there hunting them down like a treasure hunt. This book started off with plenty of action and I was hooked from the beginning. The pace did slow quite a bit while characters were introduced and the world was set up. It felt like a long time had gone by but in actuality is was only a few days. This resulted in a sort of insta-love scenario but it didn't quite feel like one. I'm interested in reading more books in this series when they come out.

Four and a half stars

Peeraphan Rahttana’s cousin hands her a gorgeous pair of dancing shoes during rehearsal and she tries them on, not recognizing that they are enchanted. Bennett Andrews has been tracking these cursed shoes and is sorry to arrive just in time to see them claim a victim…

A born vampire, Bennett has centuries of experience in the supernatural world. Peeraphan’s not a creature he’s familiar with, though he if he’s honest with himself, he’s deeply attracted to her and her bright and intelligent curiosity about herself and her place in this world. A kinnaree, a bird creature from Thai mythology, Peeraphan feels as if she’s sprung fully formed from nothing, without others around to guide or inform her.

Piper J Drake’s Wings Once Cursed and Bound is the first in her Mythwoven paranormal fantasy romance series, and is a captivating adventure. Bennett and Peeraphan are thrown together by virtue of these dangerous shoes, and find more in common than they might have imagined. Bennett’s household and associates provide an excellent secondary cast, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next in this imaginative series!

Punch a dancer is thrust into a magical world that she felt but never saw by stepping into new dancing shoes. The shoes happened to be cursed and stuck to her feet but they aren't acting like they usually do with mortals which fascinates the one that followed the shoes to retrieve them.
Before this book I didn't know about the kinnaree which in their own mythology are similar to vampires. I haven't read any Thai mythological creatures before. Googling it I have seen golden statutes before of the female with the bird like body and feathers.
Punch (Peeraphan) and Bennett have a very interesting dynamic as teacher and student, predator/prey, slow burn attraction as they try to remove the shoes.
There are so many creatures in this story then a plot to steal some of the artifacts which is more a double cross within Bennetts group. I did not see that coming. I am excited to see what happens next in their relationship in the next book and what adventures they get into.

Thank you sourcebookscasa for the e-ARC for my voluntary and honest review.

I liked this book a lot! Creative world building, promising romance, plot moved at a decent clip. 5 stars.