RATING: 3 out of 5 Enchanted Roses
ONE-WORD REVIEW: Unleashed

TAGLINE: The vampire queen must break her curse
OPENING LINE: I sprinted across the shore.

REVIEW:


Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for an ARC of 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝓃𝒸𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑜’𝓈 𝒞𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒!

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝓃𝒸𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑜’𝓈 𝒞𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒 is a lush, high-stakes YA fantasy that leans into Filipino folklore with a gothic twist. MJ’s transformation into a manananggal—a terrifying, bloodthirsty creature—is both literal and metaphorical. As she grapples with her dual identity and the mounting pressure of ruling Biringan, the story delivers a compelling blend of horror and political intrigue.

The romance simmers with tension. Lucas, the knight who broke her heart, remains a constant presence, while Prince Qian, a charming monster hunter, introduces a new dynamic. Though I don’t like love triangles, it does add a bit of mystery to who MJ would choose in the end, though some readers might find it less compelling than the rich world-building and folklore elements.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈
✨Monster transformation / body horror
✨Love triangle with royal stakes
✨Secret identity / hidden curse
✨Found family dynamics
✨Political intrigue and court drama
✨Filipino mythology: manananggal, encanto, Mount Makiling
✨Themes of self-control, sacrifice, and destiny

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: This sequel elevates the series with darker themes and a more intricate plot. If you enjoyed the first book's blend of romance and mythology, 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝓃𝒸𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑜’𝓈 𝒞𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒 offers a deeper dive into the complexities of power, identity, and love. It's a must-read for fans of culturally rich fantasy with a gothic edge.

Happy Reading!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
Bookstagram: @TheTatteredPage
www.TheTatteredPage.com

Thanks for the ARC! The Encanto’s Curse is an intense, romantic, and gorgeously dark sequel that raises the stakes in every way. MJ's struggle with the curse is rich with tension—personal, political, and emotional. The love triangle? Delicious. The Filipino folklore? Deeply woven and refreshing. This book doesn’t just expand the world—it sinks its teeth into it. A thrilling follow-up with bite, heart, and heat.

An unnecessary sequel to an already weak beginning. The author could have deleted the epilogue in the first book which is the only reason this follow-up exists. The themes explored were very valid but sadly it all fell short.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was waiting for this book to come out and couldn't wait to read it! I was angry after how the previous book ended and really wanted answers and explanations. Without giving too much away, I was happy at how the book wrapped up and got the answers I needed. I really loved this book, and I was so addicted to it! I couldn't put it down! It was so intense. Reading this put me through an emotional roller coaster, that's for sure! I appreciated the Filipino mythology and folklore that this book presented, and I felt it also gave the reader a unique take on magic. I really love MJ and could really relate to her. I adore Lucas, even though he frustrated me as well. I was intrigued by Prince Qian, and I love Nix. Amador started growing on me, too. I really hope there's more to come in this universe! The book handled difficult themes well. I highly recommend this book!

I liked this book but it's definitely not my favorite Melissa de la Cruz book that I've ever read. If I'm being honest, I think this would have been better as a stand alone story. I liked the world but I think this book was a bit boring by comparison to the first book.

The love triangle was also a bit confusing and felt unnecessary. I really don't mean to say "this was too YA" because that's not what I think but I think I found myself frustrated with the main character's decision making at times but she is young - she's meant to make mistakes. I think this is an example of a YA book that is more suited to that age bracket. I think if I had read this as a teenager, I wouldn't have found myself nearly as frustrated with certain aspects because I wouldn't be looking at it from an adult's mindset. So, that being said, I did find parts frustrating but I think it's a me thing - it's because of my age and my own personal experiences - nothing to do with the writing.

Overall, my major issue with this book is that I think it could have easily been incorporated into the first book and felt superfluous. But, I did enjoy the world and the side characters - that's why it's still a four star read for me.

This is not the first Melissa de la Cruz book that I've read and it certainly will not be the last. I love her concepts and world building and plan to continue to read her books across any genres that she writes.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Melissa de la Cruz returns with a powerful follow-up in The Encanto’s Curse, and wow—what a ride! This sequel plunges us deeper into a lush, folklore-rich world where monsters walk among mortals, secrets have claws, and being queen is way more complicated than it sounds.

MJ is now ruling her kingdom, but ruling comes with a chilling twist: the manananggal haunting her lands… is her. Yep, talk about a curse with bite. This internal battle adds an emotional intensity that truly elevates the story, giving us a heroine torn between duty, danger, and destiny.

The world-building expands beautifully—new realms, tangled politics, and a magnetic new character in Prince Qian, the swoony and mysterious monster hunter. The love triangle between MJ, Lucas, and Qian definitely has its spicy moments, but MJ’s personal arc is the real heart of the story. Watching her embrace her power while wrestling with her darker side was both gripping and inspiring.

Sure, a few twists were easy to see coming, but honestly? I didn’t mind. The pacing is snappy, the folklore elements are fascinating, and the overall vibe is dark, magical, and deeply immersive. If you loved The Encanto’s Daughter, this finale delivers all the magic, monsters, and emotional payoff you could want.

This was just a great read. I was just drawn in to this story so thoroughly. I just had so much fun reading this story.

I just didn't love this. The monster trope isn't my favorite, and I struggled to get into the story. I felt that the author kept a few things unanswered, and perhaps tried to bring in too many elements. Thanks publishers and net galley for the free e-arc. Sorry that this one wasn't for me.

I had mixed feelings about the first book, mostly that it had a lot of potential but wasn’t as good as it could have been. This book was more enjoyable for me, with a more engaging plot and interesting developments, but it still wasn’t as good as it could have been.

The characters in this book are more fully developed than they were in the first book. Many of the main characters are dealing with complex emotions

The biggest weakness in my opinion is how fast everything happens. A relationship goes from like to hate in sentences. A relationship goes from hate to allies in a paragraph. The big dangerous thing that she’s dealing with the entire plot is resolved in minutes and she skips away with it no longer being a problem. The massive international issues are resolved almost immediately. Because of how quickly things happen without development, I finished the book feeling unfulfilled.

I also didn’t think the romance in this book was particularly satisfying. The attempted love triangle doesn’t work well, and I didn’t like when two of the characters continued to have an unfaithful relationship. In the end, it’s made “okay” because of extenuating circumstances (being vague because of spoilers), but I still don’t think those circumstances that were revealed later made their actions acceptable.

It was a fun book overall, and I appreciate having a Filipino YA fantasy book. I wish the romance and relationship shifts have been done better, but it’s an enjoyable read.

All is not right in Biringan as MJ tries to navigate her new role as queen in this sequel to The Encanto’s Daughter. The love of her life, Lucas, is engaged to be married to Amador, MJ’s arch nemesis. Then Nix’s brother comes to steal and return her to her rightful place in their land. And worst of all, MJ thinks she is cursed when she starts turning into a manananggal–a vampire type creature–and killing people in the dead of night. This story was non-stop from the start, and de la Cruz once again delivers a winning tale portraying Filipino culture.

This one picks up right after book 1 (The Encanto’s Daughter). Queen MJ, our FMC, is trying to control a deadly curse and quickly realizes the monster haunting her kingdom is actually her. The call is coming from inside the house 😂

The Philippine mythology and cultural rep are still great. I loved how the world expands, especially with the mystery of the forgotten princess and MJ’s fight to hold on to her identity. The pacing starts a little slow, but once the crew heads into the mountains, things really pick up.

There’s court drama, deadly curses, internal struggles, and a light touch of romance. Lucas and Qian both bring their own kind of tension, and MJ shows a lot of growth.

If you’re into folkloric fantasy, hidden monsters, strong heroines, and subtle romance vibes, definitely check out this duology.

I think i have to come to terms with the fact the Melissa de la Cruz is simply not for me. This book, much like the other two books I have read by her, was only ok. This series is really aimed at a younger crowd than what I normally read. I will say, a lot of my grievances with the first book were resolved in this book. Its a little bit of a slow start but it really picks up in the second half. Overall, its a decent book! (I just won't read any others)

Melissa de la Cruz is truly the queen of Filipino YA romantasy, and I was beyond excited to discover this gem of a series/duology. Growing up, I was surrounded by Philippine folklore, so it was a joy to reconnect with many of the mythological creatures that kept me up at night as a kid. Ms. de la Cruz weaves an engaging, wholesome tale set within the rich tapestry of Philippine mythology, making for an incredibly fun and immersive read.

It’s such an addicting, binge-worthy read—I couldn't put it down! It was a fantastic continuation of *The Encanto’s Daughter*, and I found myself craving more. I really hope Ms. de la Cruz continues the series because I need more of Queen MJ and her thrilling adventures.

I’m giving it four and a half stars, rounded up to five.

I enjoyed both of these books. This was a bit of a slow start but definitely picked up and I definitely could not put it down. I love when lores and tales come from other cultures and get slightly changed up a bit. I think all the retellings of things are so fun! The ending was so satisfying. It was a solid conclusion. This book showed that's there is more than one way for true love.

This was an excellent ending to this two book series. The stakes are even higher now that the vampire queen has discovered that the monster plauging her world is none other then herself. I love our mc she does a great job of searching within herself and also of putting others above her self. She wants what best for those in her life even to the cost of losing the man she loves. This was a nail biter right up to the end. Exellent story.

Fans of the first book will enjoy this one as well. The issues I found with the writing in the first novel were resolved in this one, especially the ending of chapters. One chapter flows easily into the next continuing the action. I'm glad I gave this one a try. It is still best suited to a mid-YA crowd as it is a bit dark but the romance is light.
Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam Sons Books for Young Readers for this ARC!

The Encanto's Curse delivers a captivating mix of Philippine mythology, courtly intrigue, and high-stakes romance. Melissa de la Cruz crafts an exciting tale of duty, power, and self-discovery as newly crowned Queen MJ struggles with a deadly secret—she’s the very monster terrorizing her kingdom. The tension of her internal battle, combined with looming war and a complicated love triangle, makes for a gripping read.

The worldbuilding is rich, drawing from folklore to create a setting both enchanting and dangerous. MJ’s journey is compelling as she fights against her monstrous instincts while navigating political alliances and unresolved feelings for Lucas. Prince Qian adds an intriguing dynamic, bringing charm and conflict to the story.

While the pacing slows at times, particularly in the middle, the stakes remain high, and the blend of action, romance, and mythology keeps the pages turning. The mix of supernatural horror and royal drama makes for an engaging, atmospheric fantasy. Fans of de la Cruz’s work and readers who enjoy dark, romantic fantasy with strong heroines will find plenty to love.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The story continues after MJ’s coronation as queen and still learning about her magic and trying to figure out why it’s so hard to use it. In addition, she has started having nightmares about a flying fanged monster terrorizing her kingdom, only to realize that the monster is her. MJ and her entourage, including best friend Nix, rival Amador, bodyguard Lucas, and Nix’s dashing monster-hunter brother Qian, decide to go to the Great House in the mountains, where MJ hopes the she can be healed. While there, MJ finds out there was another princess, Yara Liliana, erased from history, who also became a manananggal, and hopes to learn from her experience. Will MJ be able to break the curse before she becomes a manananggal forever?
I enjoyed this sequel just as much as the first. We learn more about the characters introduced in book 1. A great YA fantasy/romantasy and here’s hoping that the series continues.
#TheEncantosCurse #PenguinYoungReaders #NetGalley

Once again, we join our friends from The Encanto's Daughter in the continuing saga of now Queen MJ, her bestie Nix, and how she navigates the heartbreak of her love, Sir Lucas, becoming engaged to Amador, her bully.

Sir Lucas professed his love for MJ in The Encanto's Daughter, but in the end, he announces his engagement to Amador. leaving MJ doubting herself and her ability to reign as Queen over Biringan. To make matters worse, an evil, flesh-eating monster has begun appearing in the night skies, terrifying the locals, and MJ has a horrible suspicion the monster is in her.

This is obviously geared to the YA audience, with lots of mild romance and teen angst, but is a nice little action tale that includes a lot of interesting Filipino folklore. If this is the last in the series, it is a quite satisfying end.

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


This is the second book in Melissa De La Cruz’s newest series. MJ is officially queen and just when things are looking up her best friend is almost kidnapped by her brother who is a monster killer and warrior. MJ has a terrible nightmare but doesn’t think anything of it until her nightmare turns out to come true. MJ finds out that her ancestor that nobody remembers had a similar thing happen to her and that if she didn’t find true loves kiss and get married before the full moon she would become a monster forever. MJ finds another love interest in Nix’s brother Quin who after discovering what MJ has become declares war against her kingdom and decides to ride the kingdom of their monster queen. Before the army comes to destroy MJ she figures out that her powers as an alchemist and turning things into other things were turning her into a monster and once she realized and forgave herself she was fully herself again. MJ and Lucas get engaged and Amador and Nix start dating at the end of the book. The kingdom is excited for the upcoming wedding except for Amador’s mother who tells MJ that she will rue the day that she stopped her daughter’s wedding.