Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured Garden of the Cursed and the same can be said of Masquerade of the Heart. At the beginning of the book, we have Marlow still trying to break Adrius' curse. At the same time, she is doing what she can to avoid being tried as guilty at her upcoming trial. She is still convinced her dad, Lord Vale, is responsible for the curse and is determined to prove it.

Marlow is searching for her friend, Swift, who has been taken by one of the gangs. She is also still strongly disliked by the Copperheads and continues to have to avoid them. Without giving too much away, Marlow discovers their is more secrets and lies among the five families and that the city of Credenza is on the cusp of destruction. Marlow seeks out old friends, new friends, and gains some unlikely allies in order to create a spell that will hopefully save the city from being taken over.

Marlow and Adrius are not at odds for the whole story, so for those of you like me who are invested in the romance, don't worry! The plot is fast paced and events from the previous book that were left open all culminate in the final book as the different families, gangs, and allies all merge together.

I enjoyed the audio and would recommend it to read alongside the novel.

This serious was did not disappoint. The second book was equally, if not better than the first book!

This novel was high on my list of anticipated sequels this year, and it didn’t disappoint. My review will be brief to avoid spoilers – it’s an especially challenging task with this one.

After the events of the Vale-Falcrest wedding at the end of the last book, the fate the head of the Falcrest family is uncertain, and tensions are high between the Five Families. Adrius’s father named him heir, a title Adrius doesn’t want, and his sister is determined to prove she’s the better choice to lead the family. Marlow learns the identity of her father, but he’s also the same man who cast the compulsion curse on Adrius in the first novel. As she gets closer to her father, Marlow begins to question if he’s the villain she’d believed.

The main focus of book one was the breaking Adrius’s compulsion curse before it became permanent. In this follow up, the curse is broken early in the story, and Marlow is unsure exactly how it happened. I was surprised that plot line wrapped up so quickly, but I can see how its resolution impacts the direction of this story. The MCs are now on a suspenseful quest to gather items for a spell. Marlow is put in some impossible situations, and she certainly makes mistakes, but her strong moral code guides her decisions. From the gangs in the Marshes to certain aristocrats, there’s no shortage of people who’d like to see her dead. I was happy to have some chapters in Adrius’s POV this time and rooted for him every step of the way. Since he and Marlow finally admitted their feelings for each other, their romance takes up a larger portion of the story, but doesn’t overshadow everything else going on. I have to admit another relationship caught me by surprise, but I fully supported it and enjoyed the dynamics.

The conclusion of this magical high stakes fantasy is very satisfying, but I’ll miss these characters. Recommended for fans of magical mysteries, found family, and enemies to lovers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved reading this book! I loved the first one, and after the ending, I needed to know what was going to happen next, so I basically pick this one up as soon as I could, and I'm glad I did, because it was an excellent read!

I loved watching Marlow deal with the events of the last book, with the reveal of her dad-and her dad being the one to lay the curse of Adrius. So that was really complicated, and so good to read. Plus she was dealing with the upcoming trial, the gangs, and a plan to stop her father's plot. There was a lot going on! Oh, and plus her and Adrius. I was really scared that he actually meant that he would find a wife, that he didn't want to be with her anymore.

Not to mention, things about her mom continue, as well as conflicting emotions. I mean, Vale did have a point, but he went about it in the worse way possible. He's her father, and that's new to her, and the Five Families have a lot of power and a lot of corruption, it's only a good system for those on top. But his methods, his plan, the costs? Too high.

This is a world where things don't always end well, don't have a happily ever after. And I loved that about this world, and in this book in how it ended. It was just such a great ending, and where we left these characters!

This was an amazing read and I can't wait to read more by Katy Rose Pool!

Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs finds herself at the heart of a deadly power struggle in the city of Caraza. In the wake of a disastrous noble wedding, Marlow is rejected from the love of her life, Adrius, who vows to marry a noblewoman. She has made many enemies in the city.

Marlow remains determined to break the powerful spell that will bend all of Caraza to a new master. As Marlow draws closer to her estranged father, she questions whether he is the villain she believed him to be. He shows her how the city could be different and makes her question if he is her ally or the villain. She is being hunted by the other factions and gangs who want to have control of the city at all costs. Marlow constantly tries to avoid danger and barely saves her own skin.

This book was fast-paced and was nearly impossible to put down. I must be clear that I did not read book one and did not have trouble getting into the story, nor did I feel lost. The book gave enough backstory to keep me moving forward. As soon as I finished this audiobook, I ordered the first book. I am genuinely invested in the characters and their story. I recommend you give it a read.

I received an ARC audiobook copy from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.

I absolutely loved this series. It had everything from laughs to twists and I’m crossing everything that we will get another book! This is a 4.2 star read for me!

No Spoilers, promise!

This series is completely different from her first (I LOVED it) So, following this series had been a treat.

The characters continue to develop, and the mystery grows deeper and deeper, sucking nearly everyone in. Marlo having to adjust to her new life has been hysterical, However, there are obviously growing pains. And growing pains are, as it says, painful. Katy Rose Pool does an incredible job showing both sides.

My only issue with the second book in this series is the amount of romance. It doubles from the first book. And this is a me thing, at times it had me rolling my eyes. I just wanted to say, enough already.

However, for most people, that will be a positive lol. I'm the only person in the world that wants romantacy to end! Lol

Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this duology to wrap up since reading ‘Garden of the Cursed’

Thanks to NatGalley for the chance to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

This series is unique, which I love to see in YA. It’s got mystery, romance, and Intensely cool world building. That said, it’s certainly not perfect. There’s a little heavy handedness in the foreshadowing, manifesting largely in Marlo’s internal dialogue. But I really enjoyed it, and the second book absolutely gives good payoff to the loose ends from the first. How to review the book without too many spoilers?
I’ll just say that this doesn’t veer too far from where we were in book one, it picks right back up in the action from the get-go.

Overall I’d absolutely recommend both these books, fun fast and immersive reads!