This book is the second in a duology by queen of fairy-tale retellings, Marissa Meyer. Serilda continues to fight against the Ehrlekonig in her struggle to free the children held captive by him. She also struggles with whether or not to let Gild know that he is the father of the child growing inside her.

Do not read this without reading the first book. You will be completely lost. Having said that, this second book was very-well written and I loved the way the story wraps up in the end. Very satisfying!

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

I'm still sorting through my emotions on this one tbh...***mild spoilers below***

I have been eagerly anticipating this duology finale and I think I really liked it (and Rebecca Soler's peak narrating as always). The world, characters, and lore were fascinating but perhaps a bit underexplored except for the main couple? Also, I didn't get enough Gild and got too much dark lord, it felt slow plot-wise until the end when it felt really rushed and I didn't get to soak in the happy ending as much as I would have liked. There was a lot of info dropped towards the end that we didn't get to really take in before more info was revealed and it was over. Would prob fare better with a full reread back to back!

But also, maybe I just read it in the wrong mood or it has been too long since I read the first one so it had less impact... 🤷‍♀️

Cursed is book 2 in the Gilded, and while I liked Gilded, I LOVED CURSED! A BIG IMPROVEMENT!

The world-building, the magic and the storytelling as the book untangled with twists were so interesting. I loved seeing the honest admission by Serilda that it wasn't love with Gild in the beginning; it was chemistry and desire, but it grew into love, and you can see the proof.

The plot was far more interesting this time as we see the reveal of the princess, the gods, and the curse hanging over the ghosts and castle. The villains coming back and the reveal that he knew all along made me go 0_0
The description of the world and the surroundings were more of a plus for me this time, as I feel that the flow of the story and tone shift darker works with it.

Note: it could have been a tad shorter, but it's all good!

Cursed was an exciting conclusion to this duology, and I liked how everything wrapped up. However, Serilda had a lot of characteristics that really bothered me in this book. I found myself getting frustrated with her incompetence and wished she would start strategizing like the Erlkönig- that she would use both her heart AND her brain to make decisions. I had to keep reminding myself that Serilda was just a teen and not a centuries old immortal.

Even with the things that bothered me in this book, it was still an exciting take on an old fairytale.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital audio file of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley

Marissa Meyer is one of my all time favorite authors. I love the characters and worlds that she creates in each new story. Her ability to weave even the most minute of details of well-known fairy tales into her stories never ceases to amaze me.

That said, I was not pulled into the world of Gilded and Cursed like I was with Meyer’s previous books. I can’t put my finger on exactly what kept me from being swept up in the story, but I never quite felt that tug.

I have no doubt that Meyer’s fans as well as fans of fantasy, particularly fairy tale retellings, will find enjoyment with this duology. I purchased it for my library’s collection and have already found readers for it.

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I love Marissa Meyer. Her stories are always so amazing and this one was no exception. The story was the sequel to Gilded. It follows the main characters, Serilda and Gild, as they battle the Erlking and try to free themselves and others from his curse. The stakes were very high which made the story nail-biting fun. Also, the writing was wonderful, and the world building was amazing. The narration by Rebecca Soler was fantastic. She really sucked you into the story and the action.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I was so excited for this book. Marissa Meyer left us all hanging with the Gilded ending. Cursed did not disappoint. I loved this book. It is a great retelling of Rumplestilskin. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator is one of my favorites. She does a fabulous job. I loved how Serilda's story all seem to come true as she tells them.

I bought the hardcover for my library and the students have it on a waitlist. :)

I want to preface this by saying I love Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series, so when I had the chance to listen to the audiobook Cursed, I jumped at the chance. Cursed is the second book in the dark fairytale retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and the Erlking. Gilded left on a cliffhanger and Cursed picks up right where it left off. While the author does a good job of recapping Gilded, I’d recommend reading it before reading Cursed.

At the beginning of Cursed, we learn that Serilda is forced to become the Erlking’s queen though she’s in love with Gild and is carrying his child. Gild of course doesn’t know she’s carrying his child, and this is one of many secrets that Serilda carries. Her goal is to find a way to help Gild remember his name and identity, and somehow defeat the Erlking. There’re plenty of monsters, battles, secrets, lies, and of course curses that abound in this story.

Despite the interesting premise and the great narrator, this book seemed overly long to me. I felt like while there was a lot of action, nothing really happened. There were repetitive moments where Serilda rehashes her dilemma of whether she should tell Gild about the child she’s carrying and worrying over the children whom she’s trying to protect. There were also some gruesome descriptions that I could have done without.

I think the main problem is that I read a previous retelling of the Erlking that was so much more interesting and engaging. The Erlking wasn’t a one dimensional character and there was a constant question of whether he was good or bad. While his evil character in Cursed makes it easy to dislike the Erlking, there’s nothing really nuanced that would make for a more interesting story.

The narrator was quite good. She definitely put a lot of emotion and depth into her narration. I liked the way she distinguished each of the characters. The narration I would give four to five stars.

All in all, if this could have been shortened and tightened up, I think it would have been a more compelling read. The last 25% definitely had me on the edge of my seat and I wasn’t sure quite how it would end. I’ll definitely read another book by Marissa Meyer. She has a great imagination and writes an amazing story. This duology just wasn’t my favorite. I received an advanced complimentary audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

This book and the first one make great audiobooks since there is so much storytelling.
I think I might have enjoyed the first book more than this one because in this one a lot happened and if something could go wrong it did go wrong. However, I was already invested in the characters and I was happy to have a conclusion to the story. There were parts I could have done without (hence just the 3 stars) but overall it was an entertaining story.

Let me preface this review by saying I did not read Gilded. I didn’t realize this was the sequel when I requested it- I was just excited to read something by Marissa Meyer, so I’m grateful that Macmillan Audio and NetGalley gave me the opportunity!

With that being said, the author did a great job of both recapping readers of Gilded, and also introducing the characters and the story for those who haven’t read it, like myself. I didn’t feel lost and I loved that.

This was an engaging and well-written book, without a doubt. Fantasy and fairy tales and romance and adventure- it has it all. Four stars instead of five because I did think it was a bit too long- my attention wavered at times, and there was quite a bit that could’ve been trimmed down (just my opinion, of course!). However, I think if I was reading a physical copy, or had I read Gilded, I might not have felt that way. No spoilers, but it does get pretty dark, so I would look at warnings in advance if you know your triggers.

I look forward to reading more by Marissa Meyer- this was my first!

Thank you, again, to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a free ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Cursed is a fantastic follow-up and conclusion to the duopoly that began with Gilded. Where the first book I found was slow at time - this book did not. Marissa Meyer has such an amazing talent foe taking fairy tales and giving them a new and unique spin. Fans of the Lunar Chronicles will enjoy this series. Also - Rebecca Solar did a fantastic job narrating - one of my favourite narraters that also brings Meyer's books to life.

This was a great second installment. It really kept the reader on their toes.
Serilda continues to be a persistent sweetheart; throughout the book, they are trying to bring down more monsters.

I have to say that the story is pretty unique and doesn’t rely too much on tropes even though it’s a retelling. Cursed is book two of a Rumpelstiltskin retelling and expands on the untold aspects of Serilda’s curse. We found out at the end of book one that there’s more to the curse than she knew of, and this time she needs to end it. We follow along with Serilda as she uncovers the Erlking’s lies while she tries to save the children and break everyone free.

Overall, the story felt a bit slow for me — there’s a lot of world-building happening — and I think it picked up after 75-ish percent. Maybe it’s because I dreaded the fact that Serilda was keeping a secret from Gild and all that longing got repetitive. Once we uncover the Erlking’s hidden agendas, the story picks up and everything starts falling into place. And even though the book is very much a dark fantasy, the ending is a happy one. In short, not as captivating as book one but still entertaining.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for an audiobook arc to review. All opinions are my own.

We are back in the Court of Erlking in the Rumplestiltskin retelling. Serlida has to marry the king even though he only wants to use her in his despicable plan. She on the other had just wants to help Gild. This is a very amusing yet adventurous story in the beginning. It changes direction the more you read. I was throughly impressed. If you like adventure, plotting, ghosts, creatures and magic this one is for you.

Marissa Meyer is such a beloved YA Fantasy author - "Cinder" has long been one of my recommendations for YA readers. "Cursed" is another fabulous, adventurous, and creative addition to her works!

This was an incredible end to an already fantastic story. The continuing of gild and serildas relationship was thoughtful and made sense with their characters with selflessness and genuine love. The twists in the story were “weaved in” perfectly and I wish it never ended. My new favorite series! Also narration was great as always

I did not read the first book of this series, but I do not feel like I needed to. Sure, it would have added to the experience, but Meyer did a fantastic job of subtly recapping so I never felt like I was missing out.

I ADORED the characters. They were unique and spunky. I did feel like the book could have been a bit shorter, but overall I really enjoyed the read!

Since everyone else has talked about the summary I will say leave it to Marissa Meyer to make a bona fide doology surrounding the story of Rumpelstiltskin. She is taken the ultimate ark of good and evil and spun it into pure gold. I knew when I read her book Heartles, which was also narrated by the awesome Rebecca Salaire , that I would enjoy reading anything by the author and I was not wrong. Even though I knew this was the second book I didn’t care. I still have yet to read Guild The first book in the double collection I had no problem keeping up and it still turned out to be a five star listen. I loved this book so much and thought Tsuruda and her love for Gail and the children we’re going to have to win the day. Despite the fact you know going in there’s going to be a happy ending Marissa Mayer makes the journey also worth traveling. With great narration and an awesome story if you love fairytales you’ll love Cursed I am always on the lookout for great fairytales in Marissa Meyer‘s will always be my first stop. I love this book and highly recommend it! I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I absolutely LOVED the first book. ‘Gilded,’ in this duology, and have been dying to read the sequel ever since. And let me tell you, ‘Cursed’ was the perfect sequel. I did not want this to end. The stakes were high in ‘Gilded,’ but there was even more at stake in ‘Cursed.’ And the twists? SO good. I loved Serilda and Gild, of course. Their longing and angst and love just went straight to my heart. And they had me super stressed for about 95% of the book, lol, absolutely on the edge of my seat, occasionally yelling out loud. But I loved every minute. The additional characters that were introduced were great too. Just…everything about this book was perfection.

The narration by Rebecca Soler was phenomenal too, and absolutely enhances the experience of this story. She had me enraptured.

Overall, this was the an amazing sequel, better than I could have wished for, and it wrapped up Serilda and Gild’s story almost perfectly. Highly recommended!

Meyer has created a dark, magical world of gods and demons, forest folk and ghosts, and the humans who often know them only from stories. But one young girl, Serilda, an extremely gifted storyteller, discovers she is more gifted than she realizes and comes to know this world beyond the human realm as a result.

This duology is a dark retelling of the fairytale, Rumpelstiltskin and Cursed is its conclusion. I loved how the story was told in the first person by Serilda and how much of it was in the format of storytelling. It really draws you in and also firmly establishes her character.

I listened to the audiobook and Rebecca Soler’s performance really made you feel like Serilda was speaking herself. She did an amazing job of conveying the emotions of the characters and building suspense.

Another thing I loved is that its a YA novel that kept things clean for young readers.
🚨📢SPOILER📢🚨 Even though Serilda falls in love and conceives a child, the sex scene is very mild and does not go into detail. I appreciate when YA remains age appropriate.

Being this is the conclusion to the duology, I will say I felt very satisfied with the ending. There were some great surprises and reveals and loose ends were wrapped up at the end 👏 I definitely recommend this for fans of YA, fantasy and fairytale retellings!