4 Stars

This book took me a little while to get into and entirely too long to read overall.

I liked the dynamic between Will and Aya, especially with Will’s relationship with Gianna. It was a very romantic, secret lovers plot line that I enjoyed.

Beyond that I wasn’t super invested in the story and though it picked up about half way through I didn’t feel like it was a satisfying read. The ending left me of two minds as to whether I’m keen to continue or not.

Aya was once in her queen's inner-circle but then her magic manifested and she became everything her kingdom had been taught to fear and despise. Now she has to discover who she really is and if everything she knows has been a lie all along. She must forge her own path and, in doing so, betray queen and country and those she holds dear.

I'm not going to say too much about the plot of the book (since it is the second book in a series), but the book was a great continuation to the first book. It did feel like it was a little slower at times, more so during the second half of the book. But overall the story was phenomenal and the characters were just as great as the first. The politics of the lands featured heavily throughout this and I adored the high stakes, the plotting, the scheming, the constant threat of discovery, and the consistent idea that all was not as it really seemed to be. I also adore Kate’s writing style, I think it perfectly delivers the emotional punches: I felt everything the characters were feeling.

The only thing I have a small gripe with in this second installment, is that I feel that it could've been slightly shorter. It feels like it drags in certain places, particularly in the second half of the book, which I previously mentioned.

Overall, I had so much fun reading this book and I will definitely be looking forward to the last installment in the series!

As with most second books in a series their are times when you feel it's a little slow. However that is to be expected so I did take that into account.
A unique and addictive fantasy series that is very different than a lot of fantasy out there.
Well developed characters, excellent world building, well thought out plot.
I am dying for book 3!!

A fantasy romance series that I want to live inside.

This is. Book 2 in a high stakes, highly captivating and soul changing series. Book 2 gave me the same feels as book 1 and kept me intrigued as always.

I loved the map & internal art! I will always be a sucker for maps and art.

Love your work!

Book Name: The Curse of Sins
Author: Kate Dramis

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca

Stars: 2

- Thoughts.
- Everything I hoped we’d get past on book 1 … still here….
- everything i liked in book 1 …. gone…

I had such high hopes… and they just fell apart.. its slow and flat and I don’t know how she did that with everything possible to go …. the plot is great execution is horrible.

"Perhaps it was the thought of something ruining this— the thought of them finding each other only to not have a life together— that terrified her. So much had threatened it already. So much that they still hadn’t sorted through. But she didn’t care. Not tonight. She wanted him. Perhaps that made her selfish, too."

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dresamscape Media for e-ARC and audiobook copies of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Curse of Saints was one of my favorite books of last year, one that I haven't been able to stop thinking about since, so I was checking nearly daily for this to pop up on Netgalley and managed to snag this during a 'read now' timed giveaway!

Trying as much as I can to avoid spoilers for book 1, The Curse of Sins follows Will and Aya as they return to Tala after their many discoveries and ordeals, Aidon as he struggles to settle into his new role, and a few other chapters from bonus character POVs that add to the story as well. After leaving Aidon, Will and Aya are almost immediately separated as well, leaving us wondering if the three of them separately will be able to handle Queen Gianna, the politics between neighboring kingdoms, the impending war with their overpowered enemy, and the prophecy involving Aya and the gods.

One of my favorite things about this series is how much I care about every single character, no matter how minor. I would read a novella about almost anyone here, and I screamed when something terrible happened to someone WHO DESERVED BETTER!!!!!! I was also pleasantly surprised (although in emotional turmoil) by how the ending wrapped up some untied plots I didn't even remember from the beginning of book 1 even! I also like how the setup of who is left together at the end of book 2 will make for a fascinating start to book 3.

I didn't notice any issues with the logic in the plot, although I still have a lot of questions about the limitations of Aya's powers and want answers to what the origin of her powers means after the ending. I enjoyed that we got POVs in at least three kingdoms this time, and felt the atmosphere and different environments were well-written.

If I had to have a complaint, it was that my intrigue was a little low in the middle where everyone was still separated and mostly going through separate types of training. That's par for the course with a fantasy book, however, and I was purposely trying to go slow with this book to savor it (plus I had to move home and a couple of big life events), so I think I wouldn't have felt this if not for dragging it out myself as well. The narrator for the audiobook also really grew on me this time. I actually preferred listening to the audiobook for the sequel!

I can't wait for The Curse of Gods, and really, really hope Fairyloot completes the series with its special editions. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves slow-burn romance, found family, and cliffhangers!

Literally what else can I say other than this book is freaking amazing... I absolutely adored The Curse of Saints and I was so thrilled to be able to get my hands on a copy of this early... I did however forget to write my feedback on Netgalley for the longest time so my apologies for that. I adore the direction that Kate takes in the book, delving into each of the characters individually and giving us new views and things to think about going into the third novel in the trilogy. I really did have so much fun reading this as much as it tore my heart apart to finish it. I love watching each of the characters interact with each other - their characters are well fleshed out and distinct making it easy for me to follow dialogue which I sometimes struggle with as a dyslexic reader.

Kate Dramis killed it in this sequel. The book was a great continuation to the first book. It did feel like it was a little slower at times (especially during part two of the book), but overall the story was phenomenal and the characters were just as great as the first. I really did love the plot twist in the end and I am excited to see what happens in the third!

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the second instalment in the Curse of Saints series.

Aya was once in her queen's inner-circle but then her magic manifested and she became everything her kingdom had been taught to fear and despise. Now she has to discover who she really is and if everything she knows has been a lie all along. She must forge her own path and, in doing so, betray queen and country and those she holds dear.

The politics of the lands featured heavily throughout this and I adored the high stakes, the plotting, the scheming, the constant threat of discovery, and the consistent idea that all was not as it really seemed to be. This book was one adrenaline-fuelled ride and I loved every second of it!

That isn't to say that it wasn't without its softer moments, as the core characters explored their relationships with one another. I loved these moments just as much but they too were overshadowed with the threat of discovery. I was dogged with the fear that everything the characters had fought for was going to be ripped away or their bonds used against each other, and it seemed I was right to own this fear!

I hesitate to say too much about the plot of this book, due to it being a sequel, but what I can say is that it immediately follows the events of the first, focusing mainly on Aya and Will, as well as Aidon and Josie, as each of them tries to settle into their new roles for the upcoming war.

This was definitely an improvement on the first book, though the pacing suffered the most from Dramis’s attempt at balancing relationships with plot. I could see a good 100 pages being chopped without any particular loss to this book or series. But I’m also baffled by Aya’s lack of thought towards her father for the last 25% of the book, especially given everything that happens. And I’m skeptical on the whole Mathias thing.

With that being said, I’m here for more wolf content, Aidon and Josie’s struggles, both individual and with each other. Will continues to be the most fascinating character of the bunch, though not for being hopelessly in love with Aya, since that gets to be a bit much for me, personally. I really liked having Liam back in this book and watching him grow into a very interesting character. Wish him and his sister had a weightier moment together. Gianna is definitely a worthy opponent, also really liked seeing her scheming in action, even though I wanted to deck her for the entirety of this book. Well done, author.

As for Aya, she’s okay. Her reasoning suffers a bit in this book, particularly in two instances—when she finds out what Will is doing, and when she goes after a specific person around 75%, and specifically in how these two events correlate to each other. A bit hypocritical of her, though I suppose we all have our blind spots.

On the other hand, Tova’s plotline felt a bit drawn out and simultaneously underutilized, and while I like Aleissande by herself, I certainly don’t like her with Josie, so I hope book 3 puts an end to that. And also answers what will happen to Ryker. I can’t have been the only one who got a vibe from him?

Anyway, that cliffhanger was mean. Feelings have been hurt.

I regretfully had to DNF this one. I made it about 33% in and I just felt stuck and bored. There wasn't much character development/progression at this point and I found it hard to care. It was also hard to the main characters name in EVERY sentence.

I gave it an extra star because she is thicc and I know this author worked hard on this book. It just wasn't for me at this time.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

this series is SO DAMN GOOD.

i am genuinely not sure why it took me so long to find Kate, but i am so shocked because i love these characters so much.

the twists & turns in this book had me gasping out loud, i at one point did throw my kindle across the room, and yet still came back for more. it only took me a while to finish it because i was sad for it to end.

the webs of lies, trust, deception, family, found family, and friends is so intricate and well-written. when Aya hurts, i hurt. hells, when Will hurts i hurt.

this series is SO DAMN GOOD.

I am genuinely not sure why it took me so long to find Kate, but i am so shocked because I love these characters so much.

the twists & turns in this book had me gasping out loud, I at one point did throw my kindle across the room, and yet still came back for more. It only took me a while to finish it because I was sad for it to end.

the webs of lies, trust, deception, family, found family, and friends is so intricate and well-written. When Aya hurts, I hurt. Hells, when Will hurts I hurt. SO. damn. GOOD!

do yourself a favor and read it immediately

I got lucky enough to have access to both the Audiobook and ebook of this book, and this was for me the best combo. I did the same thing with The Curse of Saint and it just worked so well, because it does have a slow start, and there were some moments when I struggled a little more into staying into the story, but I soon as I listened to a few chapters, I jumped right back to reading the books (I love being able to read and listen to a book depending on my mood, my schedule or where we are in the story). And the narration was great. I could listen to it at 1.8 or 2x speed like I usually do.
One thing that I did really enjoy is the tension between the characters, as we often didn't know for sure who Aya and Will could really trust, and how these tensions affected the dynamics between characters. Character-wise, we also get additional POVs, and I'm still not 100% how I feel about it. On one hand, I'm not a big fan of multiple POVs, as I do find that it the beat of my reading, and I often find myself struggling to stay in the story when it switches too often. On the other, I was glad to get a little more from Aidon and all, but still. That's where the audio book really helped keep me into the story and pretty much devour the book in a day.
Now, I have to say, I didn't realize this wasn't the conclusion to the story, so there was a little bit of a shock when I realize that (which was pretty in the last like 50 pages). In a way, it is a good sign, because I didn't really like it was a filler book, like it can sometime happen a middle book (though, let's be clear, there were some moments in the books that really slowed it down, and I couldn't have seen remove to keep the pace a little more to my taste). I honestly enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to the next book, because I really want to know what will happen next to Aya, Will and company.

This book was everything that I had hoped for in a sequel. It does not suffer from middle book syndrome. It was action-packed, contained exquisite character development, and toyed with the reader with some unexpected twists and turns - especially that ending. It’s hard to tell how heart-broken I am when I am still suffering from shock, even weeks after having finished this book. I am eagerly (and impatiently) awaiting the conclusion to this series. Dramis’ world building was palpable - I felt like I was completely immersed in the world and did not want to leave. The magic system continued to impress. The characters are really what pull at the heart strings and have you rooting for each one at every turn. She created a story that I was so invested in that I did not see the depth to the treachery until it was too late and I was holding back from throwing my reader across the room. I desperately need someone to talk to about everything that I experienced.
I highly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys a high-stakes fantasy that you want to get lost in. I already have a special edition physical copy of the book on its way to me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an e-arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

"The Curse of Sins" is the follow-up to Kate Dramis's "The Curse of Saints," and while it didn't quite hit the same high notes as the first book, it was still an enjoyable read.

The world-building remains impressive, and Dramis does a great job of expanding on the lore introduced in the first book. That said, there were times when the plot felt a bit predictable and didn't carry the same sense of urgency and surprise as its predecessor.

Despite these issues, Aya's journey is still compelling, and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep readers engaged. If you enjoyed the first book, "The Curse of Sins" is definitely worth a read, even if it doesn't quite live up to the original. It sets up an intriguing premise for what comes next in the series.

It's been a while since I felt like I had to pick up the next book in a series right away. The problem is that I'll have to wait a year for the next book even after that cliffhanger! The book also held a lot of mystery and suspense throughout the story that kept me reading. This is also one of the best sequels I've read. Some of those plot twists have me reeling.

I love Aya, Will, and all of their friends with all my heart. Aya and Will are beautifully written complex characters in their own scenes, and together they have the best chemistry. I even hated at first when it was Aidon's or Josie'spoint of view because I just wanted to read about Aya and Will. However, Aidan and Josie's characters were amazingly developed throughout the book and were very fun to read. The book's best parts are when at least two of them are together because the character dynamics are exceptional. Kate Dramis is just amazing at writing the characters to make a reader hate or love them, especially the villains of the story. The best example is Tova who I had a love-hate relationship based on what side she was currently believed to be on.

My favorite part of the series is probably the world-building. Everything from the kingdoms to the religious systems is very well written. My favorite part is that both Will and Aya have bonded wolves called Athatises.

The Curse of Sins was pretty high up on my most anticipated releases for the summer season. I enjoyed the first book and looked forward to expanding on Aya and Will’s relationship, as well as the lore and upcoming war. I think the first half of this book lacked plot movement and purpose, but once I got through it and things picked up, I couldn’t put this book down! I really enjoyed the twists and the ending cliff hanger. I just know we’re going to get some top tier angst in the third book and I’m already stoked. I hope the author is able to keep momentum going so I’m not so bored while she develops the plot, since that’s my biggest complaint with The Curse of Sins. Overall, this trilogy has been a ton of fun and I’ve really enjoyed it so far!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for providing me an early copy!

Sometimes sequels in a trilogy make me apprehensive. That the characters will get lost in translation as the plot thickens in a sophomore book. Rest assured, I was immensely relieved to find that was not the case here.

Will and Aya had found the way to each other’s hearts at the end of book one but they have a lot to work through in the journey ahead. And it’s rough and messy but their love perseveres. My heart especially hurt for Will. Oh sweet Will 😭. The absolute dedication he has to Aya is to his own detriment. I just want to wrap him in a blanket and hide him in my closet from any more pain. Aya experiences so many painful hurdles and I love her character growth through it all. I loved seeing her ruthless side making an appearance again.

I knew I was gonna love Liam from the first time he made an appearance in this one. But his name is giving me PTSD IYKYK and I’m trying not to get too attached 😅. Tova…it’s complicated but I did love her by the end. I’m so happy we got POVs for our friends across the sea and I was so looking forward to that reunion!

The plot!! Oh man. I had my suspicions but I did not see things unfolding the way they did towards the end. Master stroke. I have no idea how the characters are going to overcome these new challenges but I absolutely cannot wait to find out in the next book.

Thanks to the publisher and author for the eARC.

The Curse of Sins has surpassed my expectations for a sequel. Dare I say, I like it more than book 1? The answer is yes! We're still following Aya and Will as they return to Tala following the bombshell from The Curse of Saints. Normally I don't particularly enjoy when a book splits off into multiple POVs for extended periods of time but I really liked it in Sins. I loved getting more from Aidon and Josie along with the introduction of new characters like Aleissande. I am still reeling from the ending but am truly excited for the next installment!