What do you think?
Rate this book
Curse Keepers #1
The Curse Keepers
The wall between our world and that of vengeful spirits has protected humanity for more than 400 years. It’s about to come crashing down.
Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the North Carolina settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Only the descendants of the two men who banished the spirits of an enemy tribe from the material realm know what really happened to the colony. Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keeper. Her father took pains to teach her what he knew of the curse and the responsibilities of its guardians. He taught her that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet, the curse will be lifted, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.
Despite her father’s seriousness, Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes everything she was told is true. For when they meet, it’s like the air is sucked from the room. Collin’s presence is electrifying… and it’s not just attraction Ellie feels, but the inexorable pull toward her destiny. The prophecy is real, and now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing—and passion—for each other to set things right.
The Curse Keepers are all that stand between the world and its destruction.
Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the North Carolina settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Only the descendants of the two men who banished the spirits of an enemy tribe from the material realm know what really happened to the colony. Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keeper. Her father took pains to teach her what he knew of the curse and the responsibilities of its guardians. He taught her that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet, the curse will be lifted, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.
Despite her father’s seriousness, Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes everything she was told is true. For when they meet, it’s like the air is sucked from the room. Collin’s presence is electrifying… and it’s not just attraction Ellie feels, but the inexorable pull toward her destiny. The prophecy is real, and now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing—and passion—for each other to set things right.
The Curse Keepers are all that stand between the world and its destruction.
312 pages, ebook
First published November 19, 2013
768 people are currently reading
4393 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews
November 16, 2014
I've been trying to read this book for over a week. I'm done.
You have the main character..Lawd help. She is the horniest character I've seen in a book in a good while...and dumb..don't forget the dumb.
Then her love interest/curse breaking partner. He is sometimes an ass..sometimes bully..sometimes just faint over wonderful. Bleck.
Then enters the curse..only the two of them can break it. The MC sometimes believes in the curse..sometimes not. Oh my! The dilemma.
This is some bad shit. I think younger teenagers might like it. Well, maybe if they haven't read many books.
This could have been such a great series too. I love Native American folklore. Damn.
I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
You have the main character..Lawd help. She is the horniest character I've seen in a book in a good while...and dumb..don't forget the dumb.
Then her love interest/curse breaking partner. He is sometimes an ass..sometimes bully..sometimes just faint over wonderful. Bleck.
Then enters the curse..only the two of them can break it. The MC sometimes believes in the curse..sometimes not. Oh my! The dilemma.
This is some bad shit. I think younger teenagers might like it. Well, maybe if they haven't read many books.
This could have been such a great series too. I love Native American folklore. Damn.
I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
September 10, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
There are a couple of things that immediately get my attention when I'm checking out new books.
It's no secret that I love the Fae, but they're a popular enough subject that I've had to start screening (lots-o-books = lots-o-potentially BAD books) .
Know what I love that doesn't have a surplus of books written about it?
Native American folklore.
Yep, there's JANE YELLOWROCK and MERCY THOMPSON, both of which I LOVE, and there's WALKER PAPERS (do not love), and that's about it. I'm sure there are a few more that I forgot, but the point is that there are far fewer of these kind of books than my other FAEvorite (HA!) subject, so I get far more excited when I hear about a new one. AND I'm from North Carolina, so toss in the Lost Colony, and there's not much that could keep me from that book.
Would that there was.
THE CURSE KEEPERS was filled so full of bad cliché awfulness that I wondered a time or two if it was a parody and I somehow hadn't gotten the memo.
Ellie is like a bad impersonation of Sookie Stackhouse.
"But I didn't like Sookie Stackhouse that much to begin with," you say.
Funny, neither did I (the secondary characters are what made those books so great IMO). Oh, she grew on me, and I never absolutely loathed her, but Sookie definitely had her faults. She was just . . . such a girl sometimes. And by "girl" I mean stereotypically female. But I didn't hate Sookie, b/c she could buck-up and do what needed doing. She was clever. She grew up hearing people's thoughts, so she accepted the (obvious) existence of other supernatural creatures without batting and eye.
Ellie had all of the bad Sookie parts, none of the good, and all of those bad parts were exaggerated.
She wants to marry a rich man, so she doesn't have to worry about money. She refuses to work with the other Curse Keeper (their meeting is what triggers the curse), b/c he's rude to her, even though it's THE WORLD that's at stake. She grew up learning about the curse of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, was taught to be ever vigilant, and yet when she sees the undeniable proof of the things she was told as a child, she absolutely refuses to believe it.
And once the prophesied curse is set in motion, she and Collin (other Curse Keeper) have seven days to close the gates of the Underworld/Afterlife/whatever, and SAVE THE WORLD, but Ellie keeps waitressing and doing friggin' laundry at her family's B&B, b/c "it's not real."
And Collin?
Well, he's, of course, a smokin' hot, womanizing manwhore. A smokin' hot, womanizing manwhore who is not even remotely interested in Ellie that way.
Oh wait . . . yes, he is . . . she's his one true love. *bats eyelashes*
But, wasn't he completely disgusted with her only a day or so ago? The airhead waitress who didn't take her responsibility to the gods seriously? The girl who was unprepared to fulfill her sacred duty? The girl who PAWNED her holy hand grenade, I mean ancient relic?
Speaking of Monty Python, the gods who are trying to escape the gates of the Underworld/Afterlife/whatever have messengers. Messengers who appear as balls of light and BOOM out demands in a way that was vaguely reminiscent of God appearing in the clouds to send Arthur on his quest to find the holy grail . . .
Except in MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL it was funny.
Not so much here. Just one more silly thing to throw on top of the heap of silly things. Silly things like repeating the same sentiments over and over again . . .
Ellie and Collin didn't exactly get off to a great start, so Collin suggests they start over. Only that start didn't go so well either, so Collin suggests they begin anew. Only that beginning . . .
Yeah, that happened at least four times. In fact, it happened every, single day until they started having sex, so apparently that was what Collin thought of as "the right foot." And I lost count of the times he asked her if she was an angel or an enchantress<------P U K E.
GAH, I just really, really hate this book. Patio furniture is more entertaining than Ellie and probably smarter too. Collin is detestable, until suddenly he's the perfect, doting boyfriend, and the plot is so predictable that I could have stopped reading halfway in, and still have been able to tell you EXACTLY what was going to happen. Not recommended.
There are a couple of things that immediately get my attention when I'm checking out new books.
It's no secret that I love the Fae, but they're a popular enough subject that I've had to start screening (lots-o-books = lots-o-potentially BAD books) .
Know what I love that doesn't have a surplus of books written about it?
Native American folklore.
Yep, there's JANE YELLOWROCK and MERCY THOMPSON, both of which I LOVE, and there's WALKER PAPERS (do not love), and that's about it. I'm sure there are a few more that I forgot, but the point is that there are far fewer of these kind of books than my other FAEvorite (HA!) subject, so I get far more excited when I hear about a new one. AND I'm from North Carolina, so toss in the Lost Colony, and there's not much that could keep me from that book.
Would that there was.
THE CURSE KEEPERS was filled so full of bad cliché awfulness that I wondered a time or two if it was a parody and I somehow hadn't gotten the memo.
Ellie is like a bad impersonation of Sookie Stackhouse.
"But I didn't like Sookie Stackhouse that much to begin with," you say.
Funny, neither did I (the secondary characters are what made those books so great IMO). Oh, she grew on me, and I never absolutely loathed her, but Sookie definitely had her faults. She was just . . . such a girl sometimes. And by "girl" I mean stereotypically female. But I didn't hate Sookie, b/c she could buck-up and do what needed doing. She was clever. She grew up hearing people's thoughts, so she accepted the (obvious) existence of other supernatural creatures without batting and eye.
Ellie had all of the bad Sookie parts, none of the good, and all of those bad parts were exaggerated.
She wants to marry a rich man, so she doesn't have to worry about money. She refuses to work with the other Curse Keeper (their meeting is what triggers the curse), b/c he's rude to her, even though it's THE WORLD that's at stake. She grew up learning about the curse of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, was taught to be ever vigilant, and yet when she sees the undeniable proof of the things she was told as a child, she absolutely refuses to believe it.
And once the prophesied curse is set in motion, she and Collin (other Curse Keeper) have seven days to close the gates of the Underworld/Afterlife/whatever, and SAVE THE WORLD, but Ellie keeps waitressing and doing friggin' laundry at her family's B&B, b/c "it's not real."
And Collin?
Well, he's, of course, a smokin' hot, womanizing manwhore. A smokin' hot, womanizing manwhore who is not even remotely interested in Ellie that way.
Oh wait . . . yes, he is . . . she's his one true love. *bats eyelashes*
But, wasn't he completely disgusted with her only a day or so ago? The airhead waitress who didn't take her responsibility to the gods seriously? The girl who was unprepared to fulfill her sacred duty? The girl who PAWNED her holy hand grenade, I mean ancient relic?
Speaking of Monty Python, the gods who are trying to escape the gates of the Underworld/Afterlife/whatever have messengers. Messengers who appear as balls of light and BOOM out demands in a way that was vaguely reminiscent of God appearing in the clouds to send Arthur on his quest to find the holy grail . . .
Except in MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL it was funny.
Not so much here. Just one more silly thing to throw on top of the heap of silly things. Silly things like repeating the same sentiments over and over again . . .
Ellie and Collin didn't exactly get off to a great start, so Collin suggests they start over. Only that start didn't go so well either, so Collin suggests they begin anew. Only that beginning . . .
Yeah, that happened at least four times. In fact, it happened every, single day until they started having sex, so apparently that was what Collin thought of as "the right foot." And I lost count of the times he asked her if she was an angel or an enchantress<------P U K E.
GAH, I just really, really hate this book. Patio furniture is more entertaining than Ellie and probably smarter too. Collin is detestable, until suddenly he's the perfect, doting boyfriend, and the plot is so predictable that I could have stopped reading halfway in, and still have been able to tell you EXACTLY what was going to happen. Not recommended.
May 2, 2018
A bit too much drama for my liking. Still, a worthwhile paranormal read.
Q:
She tried to fix me up with any man who walked in the door without a wedding ring.
I nearly groaned when I realized that I’d checked. (c)
Q:
For one brief moment, the entire world seemed magnified and microscopic all at once. The room faded and I was no longer me. I was the waves in the sound off the pier and the clouds in the sky. I was an ant outside on the parking lot. I was part of every tree on the street.
Before I could marvel at the vast connectedness of the universe, I felt a tear in the veil separating the earthly world from the spiritual, and the screams of hundreds of things, ugly and foul, filled my head. … People didn’t sense bugs or plants. People didn’t feel like they were one with the water a hundred feet away.(с)
Q:
He and I were polar opposites, like magnets when you try to stick the wrong ends together and they shove each other away. Not only could we not occupy the same space without repelling one another, but we flung off the people around us.
Until you flipped the magnets and set them right. (c)
Q:
He really was an attractive man. If I squinted just right. (с)
Q:
One part of me said to send him home and call it a night, but another part of me screamed Ellie Lancaster is not a quitter. Well, maybe with piano, yoga, and knitting, but I’m not a quitter in this.
I dropped my dress to the floor and sat on the sofa with renewed determination. This man was going to have sex with me whether he liked it or not. (c)
Q:
Life was too short to go out acting all stuffy and self-important. I’d rather go out singing, even if I was slightly off-key. (c)
Q:
You are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met.”
“I’ve made two of your top lists. Yay, me. I’m going.” (c)
Q:
Then the universe opened and sang. (c)
Q:
I was aware of the wind and the water, the earth and stars. The sand dunes in Nags Head, the ocean waves of the Atlantic, the storm brewing fifty miles away. I was in the center of the universe. I was outside the universe. I was everywhere at once. (c)
Q:
The birth of the world began with the earth and the water. I was the child of the water, born of the sea. (c)
Q:
“Let me get this straight. Hotter-than-hell Collin came into your apartment, took off your shirt…” She paused, raising her eyebrows and waiting for confirmation.
I nodded.
“… and then proceeded to give you a henna tattoo.” (c)
Q:
She tried to fix me up with any man who walked in the door without a wedding ring.
I nearly groaned when I realized that I’d checked. (c)
Q:
For one brief moment, the entire world seemed magnified and microscopic all at once. The room faded and I was no longer me. I was the waves in the sound off the pier and the clouds in the sky. I was an ant outside on the parking lot. I was part of every tree on the street.
Before I could marvel at the vast connectedness of the universe, I felt a tear in the veil separating the earthly world from the spiritual, and the screams of hundreds of things, ugly and foul, filled my head. … People didn’t sense bugs or plants. People didn’t feel like they were one with the water a hundred feet away.(с)
Q:
He and I were polar opposites, like magnets when you try to stick the wrong ends together and they shove each other away. Not only could we not occupy the same space without repelling one another, but we flung off the people around us.
Until you flipped the magnets and set them right. (c)
Q:
He really was an attractive man. If I squinted just right. (с)
Q:
One part of me said to send him home and call it a night, but another part of me screamed Ellie Lancaster is not a quitter. Well, maybe with piano, yoga, and knitting, but I’m not a quitter in this.
I dropped my dress to the floor and sat on the sofa with renewed determination. This man was going to have sex with me whether he liked it or not. (c)
Q:
Life was too short to go out acting all stuffy and self-important. I’d rather go out singing, even if I was slightly off-key. (c)
Q:
You are the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met.”
“I’ve made two of your top lists. Yay, me. I’m going.” (c)
Q:
Then the universe opened and sang. (c)
Q:
I was aware of the wind and the water, the earth and stars. The sand dunes in Nags Head, the ocean waves of the Atlantic, the storm brewing fifty miles away. I was in the center of the universe. I was outside the universe. I was everywhere at once. (c)
Q:
The birth of the world began with the earth and the water. I was the child of the water, born of the sea. (c)
Q:
“Let me get this straight. Hotter-than-hell Collin came into your apartment, took off your shirt…” She paused, raising her eyebrows and waiting for confirmation.
I nodded.
“… and then proceeded to give you a henna tattoo.” (c)
November 24, 2013
Ellie
Collin
The story
My feelings about the ending..
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
November 14, 2013
I was so excited the day I found out Netgalley had awarded me the opportunity to read The Curse Keepers. Everyone knows how much I love everything Denise Grover Swank writes. This book is completely different than anything she has written before. Our heroine, Ellie Lancaster, is a Curse Keeper. It is a title that comes into effect the day you turn 18. But, when she was 8 years old, she suffered the tragic loss of her mother. And through the pain of the loss, she blocked out everything she had learned of the responsibility she would someday carry.
The other Curse Keeper is Collin Dailey. He has a very sordid past and has also suffered loss. But, he has been preparing for the responsibility of his duties his whole life. The day he walked into the New Moon Diner where Ellie worked, both their lives changed forever. When he walked in, for both he and Ellie, it felt like the air was being sucked out of them. Ellie thought, "How can I be having an asthma attack? I don't even have asthma!" She could not deny that something was happening and then this man whom she had never seen before, grabbed her hand.
The curse says that when the two Curse Keepers meet and touch, the gate holding in all the evil demons will be cracked open. They will have seven days to close the gate or it will be opened wide for all the demons to escape. There are certain items that Collin and Ellie need to perform this ceremony to close the gate so they embark on a journey to get what they need. The first time these two lay eyes on each other, there are sparks. But in the beginning, they are not sparks of a good kind. They don't trust each other and bicker non-stop. Can these two learn to trust one another and will the sparks turn to sparks of another kind? Will they be able to get everything they need and perform the ceremony in time to save the world?
I enjoyed this book very much but do have to admit that at times I was a little confused with all the information pertaining to the legends. And, by the way it ended, it seems like there will be more books in the series. As always, though, Denise Grover Swank has such a way of drawing me into her stories. Thanks again to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book.
The other Curse Keeper is Collin Dailey. He has a very sordid past and has also suffered loss. But, he has been preparing for the responsibility of his duties his whole life. The day he walked into the New Moon Diner where Ellie worked, both their lives changed forever. When he walked in, for both he and Ellie, it felt like the air was being sucked out of them. Ellie thought, "How can I be having an asthma attack? I don't even have asthma!" She could not deny that something was happening and then this man whom she had never seen before, grabbed her hand.
The curse says that when the two Curse Keepers meet and touch, the gate holding in all the evil demons will be cracked open. They will have seven days to close the gate or it will be opened wide for all the demons to escape. There are certain items that Collin and Ellie need to perform this ceremony to close the gate so they embark on a journey to get what they need. The first time these two lay eyes on each other, there are sparks. But in the beginning, they are not sparks of a good kind. They don't trust each other and bicker non-stop. Can these two learn to trust one another and will the sparks turn to sparks of another kind? Will they be able to get everything they need and perform the ceremony in time to save the world?
I enjoyed this book very much but do have to admit that at times I was a little confused with all the information pertaining to the legends. And, by the way it ended, it seems like there will be more books in the series. As always, though, Denise Grover Swank has such a way of drawing me into her stories. Thanks again to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book.
May 4, 2017
A lot of Denise Grover Swank's male characters are complete asshats and I guess if that's what you like you won't be disappointed.
I've never really much liked that whole archetype but in her other books there was enough good stuff going on that I could look past the ♂ douche.
But I just wasn't liking any of the other characters and honestly I found the book to be a bust. I managed to get through it but that's about the best I can say.
I've never really much liked that whole archetype but in her other books there was enough good stuff going on that I could look past the ♂ douche.
But I just wasn't liking any of the other characters and honestly I found the book to be a bust. I managed to get through it but that's about the best I can say.
May 9, 2014
4 Stars!
“Are you an angel or an enchantress, Ellie?”
Ellie is a girl without any ambitions. She is not stupid or anything…she just hasn’t found her purpose in life. But her destiny will soon find her.
“The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was trouble.”
When a sexy stranger enters the diner she works in, Ellie immediately knows there is something different about him. She feels some strange pull towards this stranger and the moment their hands touch…everything changes. There is something like electricity that goes between them…true magic!
But something else happens when Ellie and Collin touch- a gate opens…a gate that they must close and they have exactly 7 days to do it. If they don’t succeed, horrific creatures will enter our world.
Well…easier said than done. Ellie and Collin are ‘The Curse Keepers’ and their task will not be easy especially when they argue all the time. But then Ellie must decide who she can trust in this because what they have to do is too important.
“Life was too short to go out acting all stuffy and self-important. I’d rather go out singing, even if I was slightly off-key.”
I liked the story. It was interesting, action-packed and different. Although…I think it was a little too predictable. I knew the ending long before it.
I am such a fan of stories like this- ghosts, legends, Gods (if there were few angels and vampires the story would have been perfect LOL). There are some steamy moments…so yeah…my kind of a book. However…there was definitely something missing so I can’t give it 5 stars but I hope book 2 will be better ;)
“Are you an angel or an enchantress, Ellie?”
Ellie is a girl without any ambitions. She is not stupid or anything…she just hasn’t found her purpose in life. But her destiny will soon find her.
“The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was trouble.”
When a sexy stranger enters the diner she works in, Ellie immediately knows there is something different about him. She feels some strange pull towards this stranger and the moment their hands touch…everything changes. There is something like electricity that goes between them…true magic!
But something else happens when Ellie and Collin touch- a gate opens…a gate that they must close and they have exactly 7 days to do it. If they don’t succeed, horrific creatures will enter our world.
Well…easier said than done. Ellie and Collin are ‘The Curse Keepers’ and their task will not be easy especially when they argue all the time. But then Ellie must decide who she can trust in this because what they have to do is too important.
“Life was too short to go out acting all stuffy and self-important. I’d rather go out singing, even if I was slightly off-key.”
I liked the story. It was interesting, action-packed and different. Although…I think it was a little too predictable. I knew the ending long before it.
I am such a fan of stories like this- ghosts, legends, Gods (if there were few angels and vampires the story would have been perfect LOL). There are some steamy moments…so yeah…my kind of a book. However…there was definitely something missing so I can’t give it 5 stars but I hope book 2 will be better ;)
April 4, 2016
A unique and interesting paranormal tale revolving heavily around the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Some Native American lore mixed with the paranormal make this a fascinating urban fantasy. However, this book has two of the most frustrating characters ever! So this really is a fifty/fifty book
Ellie is a waitress and helps her stepmother run the family in. Her father has dementia and the family struggles financially. She is a Curse Keeper. One of two and when she meets the other they unlock a gate that has been keeping angry Gods and spirits locked away for the past several hundred years. Now they only have 1 week to seal the gate before it is too late.
The problems? Ellie does not remember how. Her father taught her but she forgot and dismissed the lessons. They are missing key items needed to stop the vengeful from passing the gate and they have a strange despised attraction to one another.
At first Collin frustrated me the most. He is a complete jerk and has a LOT of secrets. But then Ellie is frustrating in her own right. While they only have a week to SAVE THE WORLD she at first refuses to work with him just because he rubs her the wrong way then things like job shifts, etc are still needed. UMM, you are on a tight schedule and you don't even have or know what you need yet. You just rely on Collin and assume nothing will go wrong?! Then, to top everything off, Collin keeps warning her off, saying not to trust him, yet she does and then blames him when it goes bad! I wanted to go off on her several times throughout the book. While I don't have to love every character is is hard to fully enjoy the book when the main character refuses to take off her rose-colored glasses and wake up while the world is going downhill fast. GRRR!
I do like how the author took the time to look into the legends and lore to make this book work. It gave the book a more plausible feel. The story concept is great with an interesting perspective. The writing style is okay but not great. Simple, I guess you could say. The flow works and it builds nicely to the ending.
Overall, I am curious enough to read the next book but Ellie especially needs to improve or I might not continue very far. The ending of this book better have been a wake-up call for her. Note that this is a New Adult book and is filled with sexual situations from beginning to end.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair/honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.* 2.5 stars
Ellie is a waitress and helps her stepmother run the family in. Her father has dementia and the family struggles financially. She is a Curse Keeper. One of two and when she meets the other they unlock a gate that has been keeping angry Gods and spirits locked away for the past several hundred years. Now they only have 1 week to seal the gate before it is too late.
The problems? Ellie does not remember how. Her father taught her but she forgot and dismissed the lessons. They are missing key items needed to stop the vengeful from passing the gate and they have a strange despised attraction to one another.
At first Collin frustrated me the most. He is a complete jerk and has a LOT of secrets. But then Ellie is frustrating in her own right. While they only have a week to SAVE THE WORLD she at first refuses to work with him just because he rubs her the wrong way then things like job shifts, etc are still needed. UMM, you are on a tight schedule and you don't even have or know what you need yet. You just rely on Collin and assume nothing will go wrong?! Then, to top everything off, Collin keeps warning her off, saying not to trust him, yet she does and then blames him when it goes bad! I wanted to go off on her several times throughout the book. While I don't have to love every character is is hard to fully enjoy the book when the main character refuses to take off her rose-colored glasses and wake up while the world is going downhill fast. GRRR!
I do like how the author took the time to look into the legends and lore to make this book work. It gave the book a more plausible feel. The story concept is great with an interesting perspective. The writing style is okay but not great. Simple, I guess you could say. The flow works and it builds nicely to the ending.
Overall, I am curious enough to read the next book but Ellie especially needs to improve or I might not continue very far. The ending of this book better have been a wake-up call for her. Note that this is a New Adult book and is filled with sexual situations from beginning to end.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair/honest review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.* 2.5 stars
October 1, 2013
I received an ARC of THE CURSE KEEPERS by Denise Grover Swank in exchange for an honest review. I don’t mind being honest and I endeavor not to be critical so I apologize if I cross the line. http://www.angelad.me/book-review-the...
The lost colony of Roanoke is the backdrop that provide a great known anchor for the reader. The story also introduces an ancient curse and angry Native god’s that are not only suspenseful but intriguing. These elements provided a solid story premise and so much potential which is why I was so disappointed with the character development.
The main character Ellie Lancaster read like she had multiple personalities. One moment she dry humping a guy that clearly isn’t interested and the next she is the devoted daughter taking care of her daddy. There are a few other instances but I just never felt like a had an understanding of who this person is. There were moments when I just didn’t like her but mostly, I just didn’t care.
Collin our hero and bad boy in the story is button-flying hot but a total a-hole (not to be mixed up with alpha-hole). For me, it doesn’t matter how hot a guy is; hotness does not equal sexual tension. I didn’t see enough of his “good side” to see any real redeeming qualities so to me he was just a straight up jerk. Other than some internal dialog from Ellie, I didn’t get the sense that these two even liked each other so even though their relationship felt predictable, it didn’t feel organic.
About a fourth of the way through the book, I considered stopping but I felt obligated since this was given in exchange for a review. I’m glad I finished because I do think this is an interesting story but as it reads now, I wouldn’t recommend.
Books I would recommend that take Native American legends and create a paranormal world: Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter, Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, The Walker Papers series by C.E. Murphy
The lost colony of Roanoke is the backdrop that provide a great known anchor for the reader. The story also introduces an ancient curse and angry Native god’s that are not only suspenseful but intriguing. These elements provided a solid story premise and so much potential which is why I was so disappointed with the character development.
The main character Ellie Lancaster read like she had multiple personalities. One moment she dry humping a guy that clearly isn’t interested and the next she is the devoted daughter taking care of her daddy. There are a few other instances but I just never felt like a had an understanding of who this person is. There were moments when I just didn’t like her but mostly, I just didn’t care.
Collin our hero and bad boy in the story is button-flying hot but a total a-hole (not to be mixed up with alpha-hole). For me, it doesn’t matter how hot a guy is; hotness does not equal sexual tension. I didn’t see enough of his “good side” to see any real redeeming qualities so to me he was just a straight up jerk. Other than some internal dialog from Ellie, I didn’t get the sense that these two even liked each other so even though their relationship felt predictable, it didn’t feel organic.
About a fourth of the way through the book, I considered stopping but I felt obligated since this was given in exchange for a review. I’m glad I finished because I do think this is an interesting story but as it reads now, I wouldn’t recommend.
Books I would recommend that take Native American legends and create a paranormal world: Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter, Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, The Walker Papers series by C.E. Murphy
September 20, 2013
Denise has done it again. If I could give this a million stars, I would! The Curse Keepers is undeniably one of my all time favorite stories. Let's start with Ellie. Ellie is everything you could possibly ask for in a heroine. She knows how to kick butt and take names! We don't see Ellie depending on everyone else to deal with the changes in her life. She takes charge and makes her own choices whether they are wrong or right. She has an attitude that let's you know she is stubborn, hard headed, and full of heart. Then Collin walks into her life and it got flipped turned upside down! (Did I really just use that phrase?!?! I sure did!!!) Ellie has put the Curse in the past and left it there. Then here comes Collin in his full blown glory forcing her past back to the forefront like it was nothing! Collin...Oh, Collin. Words are not enough to describe him. He is brooding and handsome and sinfully delightful. Collin is also a mystery. There is so much to his character that he walks me right to the edge before he makes me turn around a run! The emotions I felt throughout this entire story blew me away. I am still riveted by all the emotions that came rushing to the surface. Denise has this way of writing a story that will drive you mad thinking about every little detail for days, heck weeks, after you read them! This is more than just a must read; this is a story that will stick with you and make you feel a part of the characters lives forever! :)
October 19, 2017
This book was such a disappointment. It started off with promise. A 400 year old curse that needs to be broken to save humanity.
But then it spirals out into the cliche land of insta-love, having sex when bad guys are chasing you, betrayal, and the man "knowing what is best". When the guy started saying that the girl was going to regret ever meeting him, I knew what was going to happen and it was so over the top cliched that it made me mad and it turned this book from a halfway decent 3 star to a 1 star.
Nope. Never again.
But then it spirals out into the cliche land of insta-love, having sex when bad guys are chasing you, betrayal, and the man "knowing what is best". When the guy started saying that the girl was going to regret ever meeting him, I knew what was going to happen and it was so over the top cliched that it made me mad and it turned this book from a halfway decent 3 star to a 1 star.
Nope. Never again.
November 22, 2013
4 stars
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! What kind of ending that was??? *pulling my hair right now*
Dear Ms Denise Grover Swank, please tell me that you plan to write the second book about Ellie and Collin, right? How dare you write an enganging story, full of mystery, witty banter, full of Roanoke's Island history, Native American pantheon, suspense that make me somehow frustate I want to throw my hand and shout "God! Please tell me what is Collin hiding from Ellie!" and then you write the ending like that, it's like you slammed a door in front of me?????
I'm pissed Ms Swank, I'm so pissed off right now (in a good way, in case you don't get the meaning)
Anyhoo.. if you write the second book, can you write Collin and Ellie's sex scene steamier than this one? And it's okay to write a body part (such like cock, ehm), not that I complain about your handling into steamy scene. I just want sex scene in book I read so steamy, I nearly have nosebleed.
Gosh, I'm babbling! I hesitant to read this, when I know it's told from first POV. You know, Ms Swank, I always have hit and miss with this kind of POV. But, fortunately. Ellie is my kind of gal. Sure she's just an ordinary girl, with Mary Sue tendencies (please pardon me!), but girl have backbone and claws, and also guts to face her condition as the Curse Keeper.
Also, I love how Collin is just an ordinary guys with shady past. I mean, he's no vampire, also not growing furs in the middle of the night, or can charm with fae persona. Collin is a troubled hero, not a military kind of guy, but he still sexy and can charm you. He got so much mystery about him! And the ending you wrote about him and Ellie, Ms Swank, it's nearly break my heart!!
Please, please, pretty please with cherry on top, you will write the sequel from The Curse Keeper. And I hope I don't wait any longer. I'm nearly dying here to read what Ellie will do with the curse.
Need any paranormal romance with unusual take of myth and maybe kinda tired with paranormal hero but want them still sexy? The Curse Keeper is your answer. Just... beware of the ending. It's will make you screaming. Like I do before write this review.
e-ARC provided by NetGalley
Note : Since I'm so curious, I go into the author's web and.. yep, this one is part of series. There's a short story "This Place is Death" and book #2, Curse Breaker will come out in May 2014. Ugh, can you forward the release date, Ms Swank? :(
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! What kind of ending that was??? *pulling my hair right now*
Dear Ms Denise Grover Swank, please tell me that you plan to write the second book about Ellie and Collin, right? How dare you write an enganging story, full of mystery, witty banter, full of Roanoke's Island history, Native American pantheon, suspense that make me somehow frustate I want to throw my hand and shout "God! Please tell me what is Collin hiding from Ellie!" and then you write the ending like that, it's like you slammed a door in front of me?????
I'm pissed Ms Swank, I'm so pissed off right now (in a good way, in case you don't get the meaning)
Anyhoo.. if you write the second book, can you write Collin and Ellie's sex scene steamier than this one? And it's okay to write a body part (such like cock, ehm), not that I complain about your handling into steamy scene. I just want sex scene in book I read so steamy, I nearly have nosebleed.
Gosh, I'm babbling! I hesitant to read this, when I know it's told from first POV. You know, Ms Swank, I always have hit and miss with this kind of POV. But, fortunately. Ellie is my kind of gal. Sure she's just an ordinary girl, with Mary Sue tendencies (please pardon me!), but girl have backbone and claws, and also guts to face her condition as the Curse Keeper.
Also, I love how Collin is just an ordinary guys with shady past. I mean, he's no vampire, also not growing furs in the middle of the night, or can charm with fae persona. Collin is a troubled hero, not a military kind of guy, but he still sexy and can charm you. He got so much mystery about him! And the ending you wrote about him and Ellie, Ms Swank, it's nearly break my heart!!
Please, please, pretty please with cherry on top, you will write the sequel from The Curse Keeper. And I hope I don't wait any longer. I'm nearly dying here to read what Ellie will do with the curse.
Need any paranormal romance with unusual take of myth and maybe kinda tired with paranormal hero but want them still sexy? The Curse Keeper is your answer. Just... beware of the ending. It's will make you screaming. Like I do before write this review.
e-ARC provided by NetGalley
Note : Since I'm so curious, I go into the author's web and.. yep, this one is part of series. There's a short story "This Place is Death" and book #2, Curse Breaker will come out in May 2014. Ugh, can you forward the release date, Ms Swank? :(
November 20, 2013
3.5 Stars
I really liked Ms. Swank's writing style after reading her NA Contemporary Series Off the Subject and when I saw that she was writing a whole new series in a genre I already love, I just knew I needed to try it.
I am so glad I did because this truly was unique and let's face it, that is getting harder and harder to come by these days in any genre.
Not only did this have a great action packed story line but it had enough sexual tension between the two main characters (the Curse Keepers Collin and Ellie) to get your heart racing and your blood pumping. Throw in a little history about the lost Colony of Roanoke, some paranormal activity of ancient spirits and gods, and an ancient curse and Ms. Swank really did create a different kind of read that stands out in the genre.
I liked hard working tough girl Ellie from the very beginning, she knows that she wants out of life and she goes after it. Cocky arrogant Collin on the other hand, I had to warm up to. But it wasn't long before I saw underneath his cocky bad boy image and saw that he really was a good guy just doing some really bad things.
This was a great beginning to what promises to be an action packed, unique series filled with history as well as lies, betrayal and a steam tension filled romance, that I think any lover of Urban Fantasy will really enjoy.
I really liked Ms. Swank's writing style after reading her NA Contemporary Series Off the Subject and when I saw that she was writing a whole new series in a genre I already love, I just knew I needed to try it.
I am so glad I did because this truly was unique and let's face it, that is getting harder and harder to come by these days in any genre.
Not only did this have a great action packed story line but it had enough sexual tension between the two main characters (the Curse Keepers Collin and Ellie) to get your heart racing and your blood pumping. Throw in a little history about the lost Colony of Roanoke, some paranormal activity of ancient spirits and gods, and an ancient curse and Ms. Swank really did create a different kind of read that stands out in the genre.
I liked hard working tough girl Ellie from the very beginning, she knows that she wants out of life and she goes after it. Cocky arrogant Collin on the other hand, I had to warm up to. But it wasn't long before I saw underneath his cocky bad boy image and saw that he really was a good guy just doing some really bad things.
This was a great beginning to what promises to be an action packed, unique series filled with history as well as lies, betrayal and a steam tension filled romance, that I think any lover of Urban Fantasy will really enjoy.
March 23, 2014
It is clear that a lot of research has been put into The Curse Keepers. The book recounts an imaginative interpretation of the mystery of the vanishing town of Roanoke. I certainly haven't heard this version of events before!
Following the mystical events of four hundred years ago, Ellie - our unlucky-in-love heroine - has renounced her Curse Keeper heritage. All this is to change when she meets shady Collin Dailey, the other Curse Keeper.
Grover Swank interweaves Native American mythology with modern life in an American small town. Ellie struggles between her disbelief of the family's stories, daily obligations, her distrust of Collin and growing bravery. Her personal growth is nice to read; there's no instant transformation into Superman here.
As I watched the page numbers go by I began to suspect there would be a cliffhanger in the near future. Although some questions were addressed, nothing is truly resolved so I'll be treating myself to the sequel!
Following the mystical events of four hundred years ago, Ellie - our unlucky-in-love heroine - has renounced her Curse Keeper heritage. All this is to change when she meets shady Collin Dailey, the other Curse Keeper.
Grover Swank interweaves Native American mythology with modern life in an American small town. Ellie struggles between her disbelief of the family's stories, daily obligations, her distrust of Collin and growing bravery. Her personal growth is nice to read; there's no instant transformation into Superman here.
As I watched the page numbers go by I began to suspect there would be a cliffhanger in the near future. Although some questions were addressed, nothing is truly resolved so I'll be treating myself to the sequel!
November 25, 2013
This was my first time reading Denise Grover Swank’s work, and The Curse Keepers, the first novel in her new urban fantasy series is fan-freaking-tastic!
After reading the book’s description and discovering the setting was in my native state of NC, I just knew it was going to be one I liked, and it turned out to be even better than I expected.
This book appealed to me on so many different levels:
The Setting/History/Native American Myths
The Outer Banks of North Carolina holds a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite places to vacation, and Swank sets the story in Manteo on the small tourist island of Roanoke, NC. Growing up in N.C., I was very familiar with the history and mysterious disappearance of Roanoke’s lost colony (http://history.howstuffworks.com/hist...), and even after all these years, there is still much speculation about what really happened to the remaining colonists after John White returned from England three years later to find the settlement had been abandoned.
Swank provides her own unusual theory about the lost colony by weaving its history into a very creative fictitious plot involving Native American mythology, magic, and the supernatural.
She has created a complex plot centered around two descendants, Ellie and Collin, connected to the colony and their secret responsibility to guard the gate separating the earthly and spiritual worlds. The storyline is engaging and kept me enthralled during the entire book, which I figuratively devoured in one day.
The Plot
When Ellie and Collin meet in the first chapter of the book, the tension between them is palpable and Ellie’s visceral reaction to Collin is what hooked me.
Ellie has no idea their encounter has set in motion events that will endanger her life and threaten the future of humanity. Now the clock is ticking, and time is running out for Ellie who must accept the responsibilities given to her as a Curse Keeper and take the necessary measures to close the gate to keep angry, vengeful gods and spirits from entering the earthly realm. The problem? Ellie has no clue what she's supposed to do and is forced to rely upon, Collin, the second Curse Keeper whom she finds both infuriating and desirable to help her survive the next seven days.
The Characters
Ellie Lancaster is the protagonist, and the entire story is told from her POV, which is effective in building suspense since readers only get her limited viewpoint, and when secrets and revelations come to light, I was just as shocked as she as her world spins out of control right up to the very end.
I couldn’t help but like Ellie; she’s down-to-earth, funny, and witty even though she frustrated the heck out of me at first because she kept denying the truth
…that all those stories her father told her about being a Curse Keeper are true, and now she needs to step up and become the protector she is destined to be. However, when Ellie does finally get in the game and accept her magical gifts, she is a woman to be reckoned with, and she really steps up to earn my admiration and respect.
Ellie is a gutsy young woman who has the gumption to stand up to the arrogant, drop-dead gorgeous Collin, who tries to intimidate her at every turn throughout the first half of the book. She has the attitude and the snark to put him in his place when he deserves it. Their witty banter and bickering are engaging and at times downright hilarious. Even in the midst of danger and despair, Ellie finds ways to lighten the somberness of the situation and ease the tension.
Collin is a complicated character and what you see is not always what you get with him. On the surface, he’s cocky, aloof, and most definitely a heart breaker.
He’s a man with his own agenda and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He even tells Ellie not to trust him, even though he seems to always have her best interests at heart. Ellie wavers back and forth over just how much she can trust Collin and early on is so suspicious of his motives, she doesn’t want to let him out of her sight.
Collin is a mysterious man with many secrets, only some of which are revealed in this first book.
The Romance
The chemistry between Ellie and Collin is potent, especially when they link their magic together. Swank gradually builds the sexual tension between them until it becomes clear that it isn't if they will get together, but when.
The end of the book is intense, shocking, and left me greedy for the next installment! This is a series I will most certainly continue to follow.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley to review for an honest opinion. The quotes used are taken from a pre-published copy and may be changed or omitted in the published version.
After reading the book’s description and discovering the setting was in my native state of NC, I just knew it was going to be one I liked, and it turned out to be even better than I expected.
This book appealed to me on so many different levels:
The Setting/History/Native American Myths
The Outer Banks of North Carolina holds a special place in my heart and is one of my favorite places to vacation, and Swank sets the story in Manteo on the small tourist island of Roanoke, NC. Growing up in N.C., I was very familiar with the history and mysterious disappearance of Roanoke’s lost colony (http://history.howstuffworks.com/hist...), and even after all these years, there is still much speculation about what really happened to the remaining colonists after John White returned from England three years later to find the settlement had been abandoned.
Swank provides her own unusual theory about the lost colony by weaving its history into a very creative fictitious plot involving Native American mythology, magic, and the supernatural.
She has created a complex plot centered around two descendants, Ellie and Collin, connected to the colony and their secret responsibility to guard the gate separating the earthly and spiritual worlds. The storyline is engaging and kept me enthralled during the entire book, which I figuratively devoured in one day.
The Plot
When Ellie and Collin meet in the first chapter of the book, the tension between them is palpable and Ellie’s visceral reaction to Collin is what hooked me.
Ellie has no idea their encounter has set in motion events that will endanger her life and threaten the future of humanity. Now the clock is ticking, and time is running out for Ellie who must accept the responsibilities given to her as a Curse Keeper and take the necessary measures to close the gate to keep angry, vengeful gods and spirits from entering the earthly realm. The problem? Ellie has no clue what she's supposed to do and is forced to rely upon, Collin, the second Curse Keeper whom she finds both infuriating and desirable to help her survive the next seven days.
The Characters
Ellie Lancaster is the protagonist, and the entire story is told from her POV, which is effective in building suspense since readers only get her limited viewpoint, and when secrets and revelations come to light, I was just as shocked as she as her world spins out of control right up to the very end.
I couldn’t help but like Ellie; she’s down-to-earth, funny, and witty even though she frustrated the heck out of me at first because she kept denying the truth
…that all those stories her father told her about being a Curse Keeper are true, and now she needs to step up and become the protector she is destined to be. However, when Ellie does finally get in the game and accept her magical gifts, she is a woman to be reckoned with, and she really steps up to earn my admiration and respect.
Ellie is a gutsy young woman who has the gumption to stand up to the arrogant, drop-dead gorgeous Collin, who tries to intimidate her at every turn throughout the first half of the book. She has the attitude and the snark to put him in his place when he deserves it. Their witty banter and bickering are engaging and at times downright hilarious. Even in the midst of danger and despair, Ellie finds ways to lighten the somberness of the situation and ease the tension.
Collin is a complicated character and what you see is not always what you get with him. On the surface, he’s cocky, aloof, and most definitely a heart breaker.
He’s a man with his own agenda and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. He even tells Ellie not to trust him, even though he seems to always have her best interests at heart. Ellie wavers back and forth over just how much she can trust Collin and early on is so suspicious of his motives, she doesn’t want to let him out of her sight.
Collin is a mysterious man with many secrets, only some of which are revealed in this first book.
The Romance
The chemistry between Ellie and Collin is potent, especially when they link their magic together. Swank gradually builds the sexual tension between them until it becomes clear that it isn't if they will get together, but when.
“Are you an angel or enchantress, Ellie Lancaster?”
I kissed him long and slow, nipping his lower lip and licking behind it. “I’m whichever you want me to be.”
***
“You must be an enchantress. You have me under your spell.”
He kissed me this time, making my pulse rise.
“And what does that make you?” I teased.
“Yours.”
The end of the book is intense, shocking, and left me greedy for the next installment! This is a series I will most certainly continue to follow.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley to review for an honest opinion. The quotes used are taken from a pre-published copy and may be changed or omitted in the published version.
November 23, 2013
Really, DGS? REALLY? That ending?! I mean, I totally saw it coming, but hello knife in my chest!!!!! Gahhh! This book! You guys. Amazing. Holy crap. AMAZING. I loved every minute of it! I already knew Denise was one heckuva writer, as I've read and loved her contemporary romances, After Math and Redesigned. But WOW. She has completely blown me away with this one! Urban Fantasy can be a tricky genre to write, but Denise has nailed it!
I love how she combined the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke with Native American lore and her own imagination. I was so intrigued- I had never read a book like this before and I loved the idea behind it- two people, known as the Curse Keepers, who are destined to prevent the gates of hell from opening and releasing the evil spirits into this world. You can really tell DGS has done her research and I was completely fascinated when I read the Author's Note at the end and saw how much she made her own. No aspect of this story seemed forced or that Denise was reaching/grasping at straws to make her story work.
DGS mentions in my interview below with her that Ellie might very well be one of her favorite characters ever. I totally see that because I really enjoyed Ellie's character myself. She is tough as nails even though she has known great loss in her life. She isn't the type of girl to put up with any crap and I love how quick/often she calls Collin on his. She is funny, witty, and above all- she's real. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities, and even though she tries to remain tough on the outside at all times, there are times where we see her fall apart and while she sees it as weakness, I saw a scared girl who is having the fate of the world (literally) thrust upon her shoulders and basically told to have faith in something she has fought so long not to believe.
Ellie has not had much luck in the relationship department. She keeps choosing men who are stable and dependable- she isn't for living on the edge and bad boys are not her thing. However, when Collin Dailey walks through the doors to the restaurant she works at- all bets are off. Ellie didn't have a chance in hell in resisting that man.
Oh, Collin. Where do I start? I had a love/hate relationship with Collin. He is cocky, arrogant, and a bit unfeeling in the beginning. He and Ellie do NOT get along, and it's clear that after discovering they are the other Curse Keeper, that they are only spending time together for the purpose of doing their destined jobs. I loved their back and forth banter. Even though Collin makes it quite clear he isn't the least bit interested in Ellie, those two have so much sexual chemistry, I thought they would literally melt each others' faces off with the intensity in which they looked at one another. Collin continuously warns Ellie that he is not to be trusted, and while she doesn't at first, spending time together makes her rethink that choice. Watching Collin and Ellie's relationship change and evolve into so much more was such a lovely addition to the novel. Being a romance girl, I loved that the romance played a secondary role in the book. Collin is a bit of an enigma. There is so much more to him than meets the eye- while he may come across as nothing but a cocky flirt, he really does have depth to him. As the book progresses, we see his resolve towards Ellie start to crack and he can no longer hold back how he feels for her, even though he knows he should.
"I want you to remember this. What you feel with me." He kissed my mouth again, then met my gaze, his eyes bright with lust and need. "Remember that I am yours for now and forever. And no man will ever give you what I can."
One of Ellie's greatest character traits is her devotion and dedication to her friends and family. She makes tremendous sacrifices to help keep her father and stepmothers' inn running and in business, and goes to see her father every day, no matter how painful the visit may be. When she finds out she is the one being targeted by the ancient gods, she worries constantly about their safety and her best friend Claire's. Ellie is far from selfish and I liked that she thought about the consequences to her destiny.
I feel like I'm going to die waiting for the next book in the series to come out. It's not that this one left off on a cliffhanger per say, but it definitely leaves you ready to discover what in the world is going to happen next. Ellie is going to be back with a vengeance and I would NOT want to cross her. She has experienced so much in this book- from falling in love to making sacrifices for her loved ones, to heartbreak and betrayal- I admire her resilience and I am so ready to see where she takes us in The Curse Breakers!
*Received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
I love how she combined the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke with Native American lore and her own imagination. I was so intrigued- I had never read a book like this before and I loved the idea behind it- two people, known as the Curse Keepers, who are destined to prevent the gates of hell from opening and releasing the evil spirits into this world. You can really tell DGS has done her research and I was completely fascinated when I read the Author's Note at the end and saw how much she made her own. No aspect of this story seemed forced or that Denise was reaching/grasping at straws to make her story work.
DGS mentions in my interview below with her that Ellie might very well be one of her favorite characters ever. I totally see that because I really enjoyed Ellie's character myself. She is tough as nails even though she has known great loss in her life. She isn't the type of girl to put up with any crap and I love how quick/often she calls Collin on his. She is funny, witty, and above all- she's real. She has her insecurities and vulnerabilities, and even though she tries to remain tough on the outside at all times, there are times where we see her fall apart and while she sees it as weakness, I saw a scared girl who is having the fate of the world (literally) thrust upon her shoulders and basically told to have faith in something she has fought so long not to believe.
Ellie has not had much luck in the relationship department. She keeps choosing men who are stable and dependable- she isn't for living on the edge and bad boys are not her thing. However, when Collin Dailey walks through the doors to the restaurant she works at- all bets are off. Ellie didn't have a chance in hell in resisting that man.
Oh, Collin. Where do I start? I had a love/hate relationship with Collin. He is cocky, arrogant, and a bit unfeeling in the beginning. He and Ellie do NOT get along, and it's clear that after discovering they are the other Curse Keeper, that they are only spending time together for the purpose of doing their destined jobs. I loved their back and forth banter. Even though Collin makes it quite clear he isn't the least bit interested in Ellie, those two have so much sexual chemistry, I thought they would literally melt each others' faces off with the intensity in which they looked at one another. Collin continuously warns Ellie that he is not to be trusted, and while she doesn't at first, spending time together makes her rethink that choice. Watching Collin and Ellie's relationship change and evolve into so much more was such a lovely addition to the novel. Being a romance girl, I loved that the romance played a secondary role in the book. Collin is a bit of an enigma. There is so much more to him than meets the eye- while he may come across as nothing but a cocky flirt, he really does have depth to him. As the book progresses, we see his resolve towards Ellie start to crack and he can no longer hold back how he feels for her, even though he knows he should.
"I want you to remember this. What you feel with me." He kissed my mouth again, then met my gaze, his eyes bright with lust and need. "Remember that I am yours for now and forever. And no man will ever give you what I can."
One of Ellie's greatest character traits is her devotion and dedication to her friends and family. She makes tremendous sacrifices to help keep her father and stepmothers' inn running and in business, and goes to see her father every day, no matter how painful the visit may be. When she finds out she is the one being targeted by the ancient gods, she worries constantly about their safety and her best friend Claire's. Ellie is far from selfish and I liked that she thought about the consequences to her destiny.
I feel like I'm going to die waiting for the next book in the series to come out. It's not that this one left off on a cliffhanger per say, but it definitely leaves you ready to discover what in the world is going to happen next. Ellie is going to be back with a vengeance and I would NOT want to cross her. She has experienced so much in this book- from falling in love to making sacrifices for her loved ones, to heartbreak and betrayal- I admire her resilience and I am so ready to see where she takes us in The Curse Breakers!
*Received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
June 10, 2019
I was so down for this book. It had so much potential. A 500 year old mystery. Native American Folklore. A curse. A prophecy. It sounded like heaven. What more could I as for?
Apparently I should have asked for:
Characters that don't piss me off
A heroine (and I'm using the term sarcastically here cause this chick needs to brew for a while yet) who spends less than half the story with her head up her own ass
A hero (again with sarcasm) who is worthy of the title
And Some-Thing Any-Thing to elevate the story out of "oh just grow the hell up please".
How anyone could create such an interesting premise and waste the story on two dingbats like Ellie and Collin is an absolute mystery to me.
Ellie grew up knowing about the Curse of Roanoak Island. What most people don't know is that the curse is a barrier that protects the rest of the world from unimaginable evil. Her family is one of the Curse Keepers. One day the responsibility will fall on her. According to prophecy if two Curse Keeper's touch, the barrier will fall and they have seven days to prevent that evil from escaping. Does she believe it? No, unhuh, no dice. Head firmly in the sand.
One day the other Curse Keeper walks into her life. He touches her (without permission - how rude) and the air is literally sucked out of her lungs. (Can't breath, going faint, "who sucked all the air out of the room?") So does she wonder if maybe there was something weird was going on with the new smoking hot guy in town that she can't stand, cuz - manners? Nope.
And Collin?
I hope I've sufficiently established Collin's hotness. He is smokin'hot. A smokin'hot, womanizing he-whore, who is not into Ellie. Except when they have sex.
Swank had a wide open field with this one. With a tiny bit of effort she could have built a stunning setting. Picturesque Roanoake Island with it's charming Old World feel. The lush forest setting. None of those things made it onto the pages of this book.
And the curse, you know, the part of the story I found most compelling? It could have been intriguing. Might have been perplexing. Hell it could have been interesting. Was it? Nope. Mostly it was weird.
I can't remember the last time I did so much eye rolling. What should have been a seat of your pants thrill ride; how do they counter the curse and save the world? Can they do both of those things without killing each-other? turned out to be an angst ridden High School saga. All that was missing was the mean-girl head cheerleader, and an illicit make out session beneath the bleachers.
If you want to spend a whole book discovering if two people can find a way to work things out. If you love the basic YA trope and live for the I love you/no I don't/maybe I do, type of book, this is the story for you.
I wish Swank had categorized this one YA. So cranky old broads like me would know to stay far, far away.
Apparently I should have asked for:
Characters that don't piss me off
A heroine (and I'm using the term sarcastically here cause this chick needs to brew for a while yet) who spends less than half the story with her head up her own ass
A hero (again with sarcasm) who is worthy of the title
And Some-Thing Any-Thing to elevate the story out of "oh just grow the hell up please".
How anyone could create such an interesting premise and waste the story on two dingbats like Ellie and Collin is an absolute mystery to me.
Ellie grew up knowing about the Curse of Roanoak Island. What most people don't know is that the curse is a barrier that protects the rest of the world from unimaginable evil. Her family is one of the Curse Keepers. One day the responsibility will fall on her. According to prophecy if two Curse Keeper's touch, the barrier will fall and they have seven days to prevent that evil from escaping. Does she believe it? No, unhuh, no dice. Head firmly in the sand.
One day the other Curse Keeper walks into her life. He touches her (without permission - how rude) and the air is literally sucked out of her lungs. (Can't breath, going faint, "who sucked all the air out of the room?") So does she wonder if maybe there was something weird was going on with the new smoking hot guy in town that she can't stand, cuz - manners? Nope.
And Collin?
I hope I've sufficiently established Collin's hotness. He is smokin'hot. A smokin'hot, womanizing he-whore, who is not into Ellie. Except when they have sex.
Swank had a wide open field with this one. With a tiny bit of effort she could have built a stunning setting. Picturesque Roanoake Island with it's charming Old World feel. The lush forest setting. None of those things made it onto the pages of this book.
And the curse, you know, the part of the story I found most compelling? It could have been intriguing. Might have been perplexing. Hell it could have been interesting. Was it? Nope. Mostly it was weird.
I can't remember the last time I did so much eye rolling. What should have been a seat of your pants thrill ride; how do they counter the curse and save the world? Can they do both of those things without killing each-other? turned out to be an angst ridden High School saga. All that was missing was the mean-girl head cheerleader, and an illicit make out session beneath the bleachers.
If you want to spend a whole book discovering if two people can find a way to work things out. If you love the basic YA trope and live for the I love you/no I don't/maybe I do, type of book, this is the story for you.
I wish Swank had categorized this one YA. So cranky old broads like me would know to stay far, far away.
November 23, 2013
What a book! A wild adventure, constructed on an opulent foundation of mythology and Native American lore, The Curse Keepers is definitely a rollercoaster ride of a novel, that will have your heart bursting (and breaking!) as you follow Collin and Ellie on the journey of a lifetime.
October 30, 2023
Update — reread in October 2023. The series has been updated and the story itself has undergone changes. That being said, my original review is still accurate and mirrors my thoughts of the new, updated version.
Fun, interesting spin on the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony.
Ellie Lancaster and Collin Dailey are Curse Keepers - a role passed down from generation to generation. They are the current generation of Keepers and unfortunately for them, the curse has been broken. They now must work together to stop both vengeful gods and demons from wreaking havoc on humanity.
I really liked the author's paranormal twist on the disappearance of the people of Roanoke. I also like that instead of making it far-fetched (which can get weird) with the paranormal, she wove in certain aspects that had a grain of truth to them. Many speculate that the Roanoke colony disbanded and went on to live with other peaceful Indian tribes; Swank revolves her curse around Native American lore and legends, all with ties to the Croatoan tribe. She clearly put some time an effort into the research, which always deserves a high-five.
I really liked all of the characters, Ellie being one of my favorites. One aspect of Ellie that I liked was her difficulty with the curse. She was taught from a young age the importance of being a Keeper. Something happened to her and because of that, the details are fuzzy. This throws a serious wrench in things - Collin is the Keeper for the Manteo side, Ellie the Dare side. Collin only knows so much about the Dare side of the equation, as neither side was really privy to all of the opposing sides' details. He certainly isn't much help as far as guiding Ellie and telling her what to do, and unfortunately for them both, Ellie's father is in ailing health and has more bad days than good. Those parts were interesting, I kept wondering how in the heck Ellie was going to pull her weight and keep the apocalypse from happening when she can't even remember the basic, but important, words of protection.
Another fun part was the relationship between Ellie and Collin. They didn't start off as friendly, it was a gradual progression. It was truly hate (or at least aggravation) at first sight, and some of their moments of bickering were quite funny.
Be warned - the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Or at least, it ends with some unanswered questions which I assume will be answered in the book that follows, The Curse Breakers. There is also a short story/novella titled This Place is Death, which takes place 400 years ago and is the beginning of the curse. That can be read before or after the book, it's not one of those vengeful novellas that are actually 'required reads' as opposed to 'extras', which is what all novellas should be. I recommend both this book and the novella if you are looking for something a little different in the paranormal world. If you want vampires and weres instead of angry Native American gods and spirits, then this probably won't be your book :)
**I received this eARC on behalf of the publisher, 47North, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Fun, interesting spin on the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony.
Ellie Lancaster and Collin Dailey are Curse Keepers - a role passed down from generation to generation. They are the current generation of Keepers and unfortunately for them, the curse has been broken. They now must work together to stop both vengeful gods and demons from wreaking havoc on humanity.
I really liked the author's paranormal twist on the disappearance of the people of Roanoke. I also like that instead of making it far-fetched (which can get weird) with the paranormal, she wove in certain aspects that had a grain of truth to them. Many speculate that the Roanoke colony disbanded and went on to live with other peaceful Indian tribes; Swank revolves her curse around Native American lore and legends, all with ties to the Croatoan tribe. She clearly put some time an effort into the research, which always deserves a high-five.
I really liked all of the characters, Ellie being one of my favorites. One aspect of Ellie that I liked was her difficulty with the curse. She was taught from a young age the importance of being a Keeper. Something happened to her and because of that, the details are fuzzy. This throws a serious wrench in things - Collin is the Keeper for the Manteo side, Ellie the Dare side. Collin only knows so much about the Dare side of the equation, as neither side was really privy to all of the opposing sides' details. He certainly isn't much help as far as guiding Ellie and telling her what to do, and unfortunately for them both, Ellie's father is in ailing health and has more bad days than good. Those parts were interesting, I kept wondering how in the heck Ellie was going to pull her weight and keep the apocalypse from happening when she can't even remember the basic, but important, words of protection.
Another fun part was the relationship between Ellie and Collin. They didn't start off as friendly, it was a gradual progression. It was truly hate (or at least aggravation) at first sight, and some of their moments of bickering were quite funny.
Be warned - the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Or at least, it ends with some unanswered questions which I assume will be answered in the book that follows, The Curse Breakers. There is also a short story/novella titled This Place is Death, which takes place 400 years ago and is the beginning of the curse. That can be read before or after the book, it's not one of those vengeful novellas that are actually 'required reads' as opposed to 'extras', which is what all novellas should be. I recommend both this book and the novella if you are looking for something a little different in the paranormal world. If you want vampires and weres instead of angry Native American gods and spirits, then this probably won't be your book :)
**I received this eARC on behalf of the publisher, 47North, via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 26, 2014
This is a story unlike most stories I have read lately. It was a refreshing story that made me smile and laugh out right in a few spots. Ellie has lived her whole life in the same place hearing stories from her father about the curse keepers and the lost village of ROANOKE. She grew up thinking these stories were just fair tales . After her mothers death she ignores all the stories and forgets the ways . Until the day Collin Dailey walks into her life. He takes her breath away literally on their first meeting. As they realize what is happening. They go on an adventure to recover the artifacts that needs to be down before the dawn of the seventh day to close the gates to hell . Along the way they fall for each other but can they handle the betrayal that befalls them along the way .
I received this as an ARC from NETGALLEY. I started reading and couldn't put it down. The heat between Collin and Ellie is electrifying . The bad boy and the good girl knowing that they shouldn't be together . But are pulled together to save the world. The author weaves a tale mystery and native American lore all in the same book. The setting of the lost village of ROANOKE was a great add to the backstory . Wouldn't it just be great to find out exactly what happened to that village. I am also a sucker for a story that has folk lore in it. The history that is wrapped up in those folk lore stories .
Denise's characters are written with such a passion, you just want to love them. The way she mixes the lore with the characters . Weaves the past with the present. The not knowing if they are going to survive in the wake of what happens . All the characters are fun to read . You just know that something will eventually tear the characters apart.
I will tell you though the book does leave you on a big ole cliff , so I am going to get the second book cause I want to really know what happens to them. So if you don't like hanging off the cliff get both the books and have a night of reading . You will learn a bit of lore , get wrapped up in some mystery, and watch them fall in love. So check it out , I hope you won't be disappointed in this fun read
July 16, 2014
I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution. First of all, the 2 leads are both dislikable. I actually don't care what happens to them in the rest of the series and won't be reading further. I never got a real handle on either character because their personalities were unstable. Also, they are human but supernatural. What? This needs better clarification than was done here. The writing was decent but there were errors, including glaring ones.
Just didn't captivate me or hold my attention enough to continue, and while reading I kept being distracted by other things. When away from the book, I couldn't even remember the characters' names. Nothing about this captures the imagination, IMHO.
*Edit* The one thing I did like was the incorporation of real, early American history. Learned a lot about an event I don't remember ever learning about in school, did a lot of Googling, etc. Fascinating! If only the fictional curse built around the event had not been so seriously ludicrous.
Just didn't captivate me or hold my attention enough to continue, and while reading I kept being distracted by other things. When away from the book, I couldn't even remember the characters' names. Nothing about this captures the imagination, IMHO.
*Edit* The one thing I did like was the incorporation of real, early American history. Learned a lot about an event I don't remember ever learning about in school, did a lot of Googling, etc. Fascinating! If only the fictional curse built around the event had not been so seriously ludicrous.
April 20, 2016
Collin was a jerk. Ellie was an idiot. The plot was contrived and melodramatic.
We were treated to laughable dialogue like "Are you an angel or an enchantress?" which Collin asked three times, with some slight variations. We got cringe-worthy love-making prose like “I was the bee drinking nectar from flower. I was the blade of grass on a sunny meadow. I was the deer in the field.”
Sigh. I was tempted numerous times to DNF this book. But...
Reviews suggest things improve in future books. Collin isn't quite as much of a scumbag. Ellie wises up and grows up a bit. Because of those possibilities plus the fact that I've enjoyed the author's Rose Gardiner series, I probably will consider reading the next book in the series.
I'm such a masochist.
We were treated to laughable dialogue like "Are you an angel or an enchantress?" which Collin asked three times, with some slight variations. We got cringe-worthy love-making prose like “I was the bee drinking nectar from flower. I was the blade of grass on a sunny meadow. I was the deer in the field.”
Sigh. I was tempted numerous times to DNF this book. But...
Reviews suggest things improve in future books. Collin isn't quite as much of a scumbag. Ellie wises up and grows up a bit. Because of those possibilities plus the fact that I've enjoyed the author's Rose Gardiner series, I probably will consider reading the next book in the series.
I'm such a masochist.
November 17, 2019
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The Curse Keepers was a bit of a let down for me. Unfortunately, I had the entire series to work my way through, but I was optimistic it could improve.
What irked me about the story was mainly how special the two main characters were (they were literally the only ones who could stop the curse/the ending of the world). These main characters also annoyed me, as they make their way offending each other instead of getting the job done. This takes a lot of place in this book. The touches of Native American folklore were nice, since I don't know a lot about it.
What I'm hoping for in the next book is a bit more balance (more story, less will-they-won't-they).
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Curse Keepers was a bit of a let down for me. Unfortunately, I had the entire series to work my way through, but I was optimistic it could improve.
What irked me about the story was mainly how special the two main characters were (they were literally the only ones who could stop the curse/the ending of the world). These main characters also annoyed me, as they make their way offending each other instead of getting the job done. This takes a lot of place in this book. The touches of Native American folklore were nice, since I don't know a lot about it.
What I'm hoping for in the next book is a bit more balance (more story, less will-they-won't-they).
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
September 20, 2013
Denise has once again out done herself. What a great book, if you enjoyed The Chosen Series; you'll totally love this book, and bite your nails waiting for the second in the series to come out....I know I am! Watch for The Curse Keepers.... Coming soon,
September 19, 2019
A quick enjoyable read I will be reading book 2 but am not sure if the story is going to keep me interested till the end of the series but I am open to it at this point.
October 10, 2023
3.5 Stars
I did read a revised version of this book.
Not a bad start to a series. This is definitely more for YA readers, and I truly mean young readers.
This definitely took some time for me to get into for various reasons - the characters I struggled to connect with. The Native American folklore and the actual plot was what kept me going.
Ellie has always struggled with her belief in this curse for her own reasons, so I can understand her hesitancy to just suddenly go all-in on it. I did struggle with her mannerisms and reactions for her age.
Collin - not going to lie, I did not really care for him. He's a chauvinistic prick. But I also think that the author didn't want him to be this lovable, sweet companion. She nailed his personality.
Overall, it's a decent read and a nice start to the series. I definitely believe that younger readers will enjoy this more than adult readers who like YA.
I did read a revised version of this book.
Not a bad start to a series. This is definitely more for YA readers, and I truly mean young readers.
This definitely took some time for me to get into for various reasons - the characters I struggled to connect with. The Native American folklore and the actual plot was what kept me going.
Ellie has always struggled with her belief in this curse for her own reasons, so I can understand her hesitancy to just suddenly go all-in on it. I did struggle with her mannerisms and reactions for her age.
Collin - not going to lie, I did not really care for him. He's a chauvinistic prick. But I also think that the author didn't want him to be this lovable, sweet companion. She nailed his personality.
Overall, it's a decent read and a nice start to the series. I definitely believe that younger readers will enjoy this more than adult readers who like YA.
April 29, 2014
**I received this book for free from NetGalley/47 North in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Urban Fantasy Romance
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Curse Keepers is set around the fabled Lost Colony of Roanoke (1588) where 400 years ago, an entire village and its people just disappeared into thin air. There have been plenty theories going around as to where the actual Roanoke settlers disappeared to. The people of Roanoke simply left the settlement behind and moved on; the whole population of Roanoke Island was killed by a disease; the village was destroyed by a severe storm such as a hurricane; the people of Roanoke decided to leave Roanoke Island to live with the Natives; or the colonists were killed by the Native Americans. Since the English were more interested in their own histories, and not the Natives who they replaced, we will probably never know the reality of what happened to the 100 settlers who lived there.
The Curse Keepers story is told in the first POV by Elinor Dare Lancaster, a direct descendant of Ananias Dare. In Swank's version of what really happened to the Colony of Roanoke, she makes up a curse that was created by a Croatan Indian Manteo and the Son-in-Law of the governor of Virginia Ananias Dare to lock away all the demons from the face of the earth. For 400 years, there have been Curse Keepers preventing the gods, and demons from escaping into our world.
"Are you a witch, Ellie Lancaster? Have you cast a spell to entrance me? Or are you an angel sent to save my soul?" Collin from the ARC of The Curse Keepers.
Ellie, along with Collin Daily, are so called Curse Keepers from separate lines with roots that go back to the Colony. When they meet, not only does strange things start to happen like dead birds showing up on Ellie's doorstep, but Ellie is forced into believing that the curse is real after trying hard to put it behind her after a hardship loss when she was 8 years old. Now, Ellie stands in the way of preventing the demons from escaping and sucking the Manitou (the spiritual and fundamental life force) out of every living creature when the gates to the Algonquian named hell Popogusso are opened.
"Don't trust me, Ellie. You can't trust me." Words have never been spoken so honestly by a character, and yet, when Collin says them to Ellie, she summarily dismisses them because they are fundamentally connected, and she is a naive woman who refused to believe in the curse for so long, that she forgot the importance of being a Curse Keeper or the part she is supposed to play. I found hard to like Ellie at times. I found myself cringing at how hard she fell for Collin's bullcrap, and lies, and failed to look at the situation without falling for everything he tells her. I wanted Ellie to be more brave, and kickass, and not take crap from those who for some reason or the other, have an absolute obsession with obtaining her.
Collin's character is pretty much exactly what you expect from him to be. He has a very questionable past. He hangs around with undesirable people who gravitate towards Ellie when she stumbles upon things she should have avoided in the first place because she refuses to listen. He is truthful, to a point, when he tells her NOT TO TRUST her, but manages to swindle her into doing exactly what was laid out for him. He is also utterly frustrating in that he goes against his own path to protect Ellie when she needs it the most, and above all, he left me with a broken heart when all is said and done.
I sincerely appreciate it when authors do their due diligence in researching actual settings, and using factual people when telling their stories. Authors can, and do add their own two cents into the stories plot-line like adding fictional characters like Ellie Lancaster & Collin Daily, or changing the name of places that actually exist in real life to make the story even more interesting for the reader to grasp.
I will be reading the next book in the series since I already have it loaded on my Kindle. Here is hoping that we get a much more desirable and kickass Ellie.
Published November 19th 2013 by 47North
*Genre* Urban Fantasy Romance
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Curse Keepers is set around the fabled Lost Colony of Roanoke (1588) where 400 years ago, an entire village and its people just disappeared into thin air. There have been plenty theories going around as to where the actual Roanoke settlers disappeared to. The people of Roanoke simply left the settlement behind and moved on; the whole population of Roanoke Island was killed by a disease; the village was destroyed by a severe storm such as a hurricane; the people of Roanoke decided to leave Roanoke Island to live with the Natives; or the colonists were killed by the Native Americans. Since the English were more interested in their own histories, and not the Natives who they replaced, we will probably never know the reality of what happened to the 100 settlers who lived there.
The Curse Keepers story is told in the first POV by Elinor Dare Lancaster, a direct descendant of Ananias Dare. In Swank's version of what really happened to the Colony of Roanoke, she makes up a curse that was created by a Croatan Indian Manteo and the Son-in-Law of the governor of Virginia Ananias Dare to lock away all the demons from the face of the earth. For 400 years, there have been Curse Keepers preventing the gods, and demons from escaping into our world.
"Are you a witch, Ellie Lancaster? Have you cast a spell to entrance me? Or are you an angel sent to save my soul?" Collin from the ARC of The Curse Keepers.
Ellie, along with Collin Daily, are so called Curse Keepers from separate lines with roots that go back to the Colony. When they meet, not only does strange things start to happen like dead birds showing up on Ellie's doorstep, but Ellie is forced into believing that the curse is real after trying hard to put it behind her after a hardship loss when she was 8 years old. Now, Ellie stands in the way of preventing the demons from escaping and sucking the Manitou (the spiritual and fundamental life force) out of every living creature when the gates to the Algonquian named hell Popogusso are opened.
"Don't trust me, Ellie. You can't trust me." Words have never been spoken so honestly by a character, and yet, when Collin says them to Ellie, she summarily dismisses them because they are fundamentally connected, and she is a naive woman who refused to believe in the curse for so long, that she forgot the importance of being a Curse Keeper or the part she is supposed to play. I found hard to like Ellie at times. I found myself cringing at how hard she fell for Collin's bullcrap, and lies, and failed to look at the situation without falling for everything he tells her. I wanted Ellie to be more brave, and kickass, and not take crap from those who for some reason or the other, have an absolute obsession with obtaining her.
Collin's character is pretty much exactly what you expect from him to be. He has a very questionable past. He hangs around with undesirable people who gravitate towards Ellie when she stumbles upon things she should have avoided in the first place because she refuses to listen. He is truthful, to a point, when he tells her NOT TO TRUST her, but manages to swindle her into doing exactly what was laid out for him. He is also utterly frustrating in that he goes against his own path to protect Ellie when she needs it the most, and above all, he left me with a broken heart when all is said and done.
I sincerely appreciate it when authors do their due diligence in researching actual settings, and using factual people when telling their stories. Authors can, and do add their own two cents into the stories plot-line like adding fictional characters like Ellie Lancaster & Collin Daily, or changing the name of places that actually exist in real life to make the story even more interesting for the reader to grasp.
I will be reading the next book in the series since I already have it loaded on my Kindle. Here is hoping that we get a much more desirable and kickass Ellie.
Published November 19th 2013 by 47North
November 20, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
I really wanted to like THE CURSE KEEPERS. It sounded like it had everything I look for when it comes to searching out new authors: a romance, a few ghosts, curses, ancient magic – right up my literary alley. Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that pleasantly surprised with THE CURSE KEEPERS. It had its moments, but not enough to make me chair dance while I read.
One of the things that drew me to THE CURSE KEEPERS was the setting – I live very close to Dare County, NC and have been to the places mentioned. The author did a wonderful job with that part. She got the feel of the Outer Banks and it’s clear by her descriptions that if she hasn’t actually been there, she did her research well. She also got the nature of the Outer Banks residents in her secondary characters – both the hospitality as well as the love-hate relationship everyone in a tourist town feels towards the tourists themselves. For this, THE CURSE KEEPERS gets full marks.
The plotline itself is fairly tight. THE CURSE KEEPERS uses a great deal of local Native American lore and while I don’t try to be an expert on it, the stories she draws from match those I’ve heard and read since I’ve lived here. There were a few moments in the main exposition where I had to really stretch my this-is-fantasy muscles as Ellie comes into her part of being a Curse Keeper, but overall it’s an interesting dynamic.
The main thing that kept me from pushing THE CURSE KEEPERS from 3 to 4 stars was Ellie. She was at best irritating and at worst insufferable. She thinks about sex constantly, which might explain her insta-lust for Collin. The problem with someone having this much of a high-functioning libido, is that her claims later that she’d never wanted anyone like this ring hollow. Apart from her need to mention her lust every few pages, she also takes assertive young woman over that very nebulous line into stupidly reckless – something that, of course, puts her in further danger. If it was a plot device to set up that secondary danger, I could understand it; but if the intent was to show her as a strong-minded woman, it didn’t quite work for me.
I’m on the fence about whether I’ll continue the series or not. It did end on a cliffhanger but it didn’t have me letting loose a primal scream of “no!” I didn’t even really drop my jaw too much at the Big Secret Reveal in the end scene. I’m intrigued enough to be curious, so I may yet pick it back up. It won’t be an auto-buy, though.
Sexual content: Several sex scenes, minimal on the graphic description
I really wanted to like THE CURSE KEEPERS. It sounded like it had everything I look for when it comes to searching out new authors: a romance, a few ghosts, curses, ancient magic – right up my literary alley. Unfortunately, I wasn’t all that pleasantly surprised with THE CURSE KEEPERS. It had its moments, but not enough to make me chair dance while I read.
One of the things that drew me to THE CURSE KEEPERS was the setting – I live very close to Dare County, NC and have been to the places mentioned. The author did a wonderful job with that part. She got the feel of the Outer Banks and it’s clear by her descriptions that if she hasn’t actually been there, she did her research well. She also got the nature of the Outer Banks residents in her secondary characters – both the hospitality as well as the love-hate relationship everyone in a tourist town feels towards the tourists themselves. For this, THE CURSE KEEPERS gets full marks.
The plotline itself is fairly tight. THE CURSE KEEPERS uses a great deal of local Native American lore and while I don’t try to be an expert on it, the stories she draws from match those I’ve heard and read since I’ve lived here. There were a few moments in the main exposition where I had to really stretch my this-is-fantasy muscles as Ellie comes into her part of being a Curse Keeper, but overall it’s an interesting dynamic.
The main thing that kept me from pushing THE CURSE KEEPERS from 3 to 4 stars was Ellie. She was at best irritating and at worst insufferable. She thinks about sex constantly, which might explain her insta-lust for Collin. The problem with someone having this much of a high-functioning libido, is that her claims later that she’d never wanted anyone like this ring hollow. Apart from her need to mention her lust every few pages, she also takes assertive young woman over that very nebulous line into stupidly reckless – something that, of course, puts her in further danger. If it was a plot device to set up that secondary danger, I could understand it; but if the intent was to show her as a strong-minded woman, it didn’t quite work for me.
I’m on the fence about whether I’ll continue the series or not. It did end on a cliffhanger but it didn’t have me letting loose a primal scream of “no!” I didn’t even really drop my jaw too much at the Big Secret Reveal in the end scene. I’m intrigued enough to be curious, so I may yet pick it back up. It won’t be an auto-buy, though.
Sexual content: Several sex scenes, minimal on the graphic description
November 16, 2013
Synopsis: The wall between our world and that of vengeful spirits has protected humanity for more than 400 years. It’s about to come crashing down.
Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the Virginia settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Only the descendants of the two men who banished the spirits of an enemy tribe from the material realm know what really happened to the colony. Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keeper. Her father took pains to teach her what he knew of the curse and the responsibilities of its guardians. He taught her that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet, the curse will be lifted, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.
Despite her father’s seriousness, Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes everything she was told is true. For when they meet, it’s like the air is sucked from the room. Collin’s presence is electrifying… and it’s not just attraction Ellie feels, but the inexorable pull toward her destiny. The prophecy is real, and now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing—and passion—for each other to set things right.
The Curse Keepers are all that stand between the world and its destruction.
Excerpt: “A slow smile spread across his face, and my stomach performed more acrobatics that had nothing to do with the curse, and everything to do with the hormones rushing through my body. I needed to get a grip and stop acting like a teenage girl with a crush. I needed to save the world. Not find a boyfriend.
Although a boyfriend would be a nice side benefit.
As I walked toward him, I reminded myself that Collin was not boyfriend material. It didn’t take a genius to see that Collin Dailey was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. He was a guy used to getting his way with the charm he exuded now. It was easier to catch a fly with honey, and I was currently Collin’s fly.”
Review: I was given a copy of The Curse Keeper by Ashley’s Reading Bliss. I thought this book was different and had an interesting feel to it. Ellie has heard the legends but didn’t think anything of it until Collin walked into her life. She couldn’t breathe and had a hard time until he left. Collin’s presence changes Ellie’s life. Now they must battle supernatural forces and the fact they can’t stand each other and make things right again. They must keep the peace or see the world destruct. This book had a lot of action but the constant bickering was kind of frustrating to keep reading. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Ellie Lancaster has lived her whole life by the site of the mysterious Lost Colony of Roanoke, the Virginia settlement that vanished without a trace around 1590. Only the descendants of the two men who banished the spirits of an enemy tribe from the material realm know what really happened to the colony. Ellie is one of those descendants—a Curse Keeper. Her father took pains to teach her what he knew of the curse and the responsibilities of its guardians. He taught her that if the two Curse Keepers ever meet, the curse will be lifted, the gate will open, and the raging Native American spirits will be unleashed to seek their revenge.
Despite her father’s seriousness, Ellie has always taken the legend for a harmless fairy tale. Until she meets the darkly handsome, but downright infuriating, Collin Dailey and realizes everything she was told is true. For when they meet, it’s like the air is sucked from the room. Collin’s presence is electrifying… and it’s not just attraction Ellie feels, but the inexorable pull toward her destiny. The prophecy is real, and now Ellie and Collin must battle supernatural forces and their loathing—and passion—for each other to set things right.
The Curse Keepers are all that stand between the world and its destruction.
Excerpt: “A slow smile spread across his face, and my stomach performed more acrobatics that had nothing to do with the curse, and everything to do with the hormones rushing through my body. I needed to get a grip and stop acting like a teenage girl with a crush. I needed to save the world. Not find a boyfriend.
Although a boyfriend would be a nice side benefit.
As I walked toward him, I reminded myself that Collin was not boyfriend material. It didn’t take a genius to see that Collin Dailey was a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. He was a guy used to getting his way with the charm he exuded now. It was easier to catch a fly with honey, and I was currently Collin’s fly.”
Review: I was given a copy of The Curse Keeper by Ashley’s Reading Bliss. I thought this book was different and had an interesting feel to it. Ellie has heard the legends but didn’t think anything of it until Collin walked into her life. She couldn’t breathe and had a hard time until he left. Collin’s presence changes Ellie’s life. Now they must battle supernatural forces and the fact they can’t stand each other and make things right again. They must keep the peace or see the world destruct. This book had a lot of action but the constant bickering was kind of frustrating to keep reading. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
April 9, 2014
A) Roanoke Island, my guilty historical love. So that had me hooked.
B) Curses! Always fun!
C) Ancient angry gods! Even more fun.
So in cpnclusion, fun was had.
+++
I stand by the above--I had a lot of fun reading THE CURSE KEEPERS and seeing a different spin on one of history's great mysteries. I thought it was clever of Swank to weave real life happenings and coincidences into the plot to add a layer of 'hey it could be!' (though as her author's note at the end suggests, she believes a wholly more realistic idea of what happened to those colonists).
I had a bit more problem with Ellie and Collin however. I liked Ellie--I liked that she didn't accept Collin on face value, listened to her friends' advice (even if it irritated her) and wanted to do right by her father (even as she didn't believe him).
I didn't trust Collin at all. And that distrust just kept building the further the book went along. Especially after he has smexy times with Ellie. He would say things, red flag things like 'I want you to remember this' and 'no matter what else happens know I loved you' and Ellie would think 'huh, well that's a bit weird...' without following up.
To be fair he did tell her he couldn't be trusted. He was very open about his thieving ways, his womanizing, his callous disregard for how his actions hurt others. His duplicity lay in that he kept urging Ellie to give more and more of herself for her destiny without telling her everything she needed to know. Her (justifiable) reluctance to be part of the Curse Keepers world was brushed aside because there were bigger things to consider.
That rubbed me the wrong way. Even after he apologized I wanted to shank him (which is odd for me to want to do to an attractive rogue--I love them). Every time he told Ellie he wanted to put her above everything else I wanted to kick him. Every time he told Ellie she would be protected I wanted to punch him.
And in the end when everything is laid out on the table (or almost everything, his motivations still remain mostly murky) I felt nothing but crushing dread for Ellie. She didn't deserve any of the crap. She wanted to live in her town, take care of her father, work hard and make others smile.
As this is part of a series the ending is not really an ending, but a bridge to the next book. There's resolution to only a handful of the plotlines and opens up a can of worms that promise to make Ellie's life harder.
So I say this to the author--Bring it on. I'll just have to think of new ways to make Collin suffer if he didn't learn his lesson yet.
B) Curses! Always fun!
C) Ancient angry gods! Even more fun.
So in cpnclusion, fun was had.
+++
I stand by the above--I had a lot of fun reading THE CURSE KEEPERS and seeing a different spin on one of history's great mysteries. I thought it was clever of Swank to weave real life happenings and coincidences into the plot to add a layer of 'hey it could be!' (though as her author's note at the end suggests, she believes a wholly more realistic idea of what happened to those colonists).
I had a bit more problem with Ellie and Collin however. I liked Ellie--I liked that she didn't accept Collin on face value, listened to her friends' advice (even if it irritated her) and wanted to do right by her father (even as she didn't believe him).
I didn't trust Collin at all. And that distrust just kept building the further the book went along. Especially after he has smexy times with Ellie. He would say things, red flag things like 'I want you to remember this' and 'no matter what else happens know I loved you' and Ellie would think 'huh, well that's a bit weird...' without following up.
To be fair he did tell her he couldn't be trusted. He was very open about his thieving ways, his womanizing, his callous disregard for how his actions hurt others. His duplicity lay in that he kept urging Ellie to give more and more of herself for her destiny without telling her everything she needed to know. Her (justifiable) reluctance to be part of the Curse Keepers world was brushed aside because there were bigger things to consider.
That rubbed me the wrong way. Even after he apologized I wanted to shank him (which is odd for me to want to do to an attractive rogue--I love them). Every time he told Ellie he wanted to put her above everything else I wanted to kick him. Every time he told Ellie she would be protected I wanted to punch him.
And in the end when everything is laid out on the table (or almost everything, his motivations still remain mostly murky) I felt nothing but crushing dread for Ellie. She didn't deserve any of the crap. She wanted to live in her town, take care of her father, work hard and make others smile.
As this is part of a series the ending is not really an ending, but a bridge to the next book. There's resolution to only a handful of the plotlines and opens up a can of worms that promise to make Ellie's life harder.
So I say this to the author--Bring it on. I'll just have to think of new ways to make Collin suffer if he didn't learn his lesson yet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews