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The Classical Kingdoms #7
A Curse of Gems: A Retelling of Toads and Diamonds
Can she risk trusting a man if it means saving her sister? And what will she do when that reluctant trust begins changing into something more?
Jaelle knows better than to trust men. Every girl in Terrefantome knows that. But when her plan to escape her oppressive kingdom with her sister goes awry, she finds herself with an unwanted gift and her sister in peril. To make matters worse, she's thrust into the company of a foreign prince on a strange mission. With no one else to turn to, Jaelle must choose between trusting and aiding him in his quest and receiving his help in return or saving her sister on her own.
Prince Lucas of Maricanta is on the most important mission of his life; if he fails, his kingdom will be overrun criminals of the most violent kind. When his meddling mother follows him into enemy territory, however, dragging along some poor girl that she insists is his future wife, he must alter plans to finish his mission and protect them all.
Jaelle and Lucas know his mother's plan to betroth them is far-fetched. They also know, however, that in Terrefantome, it will be safer to play along with the sham engagement. But with enemies closing in on every side and their own affections getting muddled along the way, Lucas and Jaelle must choose between the futures they've sacrificed for and the love of which they've always dreamed.
A Curse of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms Collection, but it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Read this fairy tale retelling now to experience danger, intrigue, and passionate, clean romance as only fairy tales can give.
Jaelle knows better than to trust men. Every girl in Terrefantome knows that. But when her plan to escape her oppressive kingdom with her sister goes awry, she finds herself with an unwanted gift and her sister in peril. To make matters worse, she's thrust into the company of a foreign prince on a strange mission. With no one else to turn to, Jaelle must choose between trusting and aiding him in his quest and receiving his help in return or saving her sister on her own.
Prince Lucas of Maricanta is on the most important mission of his life; if he fails, his kingdom will be overrun criminals of the most violent kind. When his meddling mother follows him into enemy territory, however, dragging along some poor girl that she insists is his future wife, he must alter plans to finish his mission and protect them all.
Jaelle and Lucas know his mother's plan to betroth them is far-fetched. They also know, however, that in Terrefantome, it will be safer to play along with the sham engagement. But with enemies closing in on every side and their own affections getting muddled along the way, Lucas and Jaelle must choose between the futures they've sacrificed for and the love of which they've always dreamed.
A Curse of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms Collection, but it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Read this fairy tale retelling now to experience danger, intrigue, and passionate, clean romance as only fairy tales can give.
548 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2023
155 people are currently reading
428 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Fichter
72 books607 followersBrittany lives with her Prince Charming, their little fairy, and their tiny prince in a decently clean castle in whatever kingdom the Air Force has most recently placed them. When she's not writing, Brittany can be found chasing her kids around with a DSLR or belting it in the church choir. You can find more of her work at her website BrittanyFichterFiction.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 15, 2019
“Ignorance is but a generation away. If we do not teach our children to remember the wisdom that has been handed down to us over hundreds of years, we will lose it forever.”
Lucas is a younger prince of a country deeply in debt after war. When a corrupt king calls in the debt his grandfather made to fund the war, Lucas sets off on a dangerous mission to repay it.
“But war changes everyone.” His eyes returned to hers. “Especially when your grandfather kills himself because of the mess he’s made, and in an effort to keep your people safe, you find blood on your hands before your seventeenth birthday.” He looked at his hands. “The color washes away,” he said in a softer voice. “But the stain never really disappears.”
Jaelle has lived in the evil country for as long as she can remember. It’s a country of exiles due to crimes, and the corrupt king doesn’t enforce laws, making it dangerous to be without a protector.
When Jaelle is about to be kicked out of her stepmothers home, her stepsister Selina makes a deal with a witch. When Jaelle speaks, diamonds fall from her lips. But the price was brutal. When her Selina speaks, toads and frogs come out of her mouth.
Selina arranges a marriage deal with Lucas’s mother - it gets her beloved sister out of the country and gets Lucas’s country funds they desperately need.
It doesn’t go quite according to plan.
I really liked this fantasy. Lucas and Jaelle fall for each other slowly over their journey. There’s a lot of love between the stepsisters. I loved how Jaelle fights for her when the dark magic starts corrupting Selina.
She knew better, but she did it anyway. And to make things worse, she gave in and chose to embrace the darkness, even when help was offered. But…I can’t help wondering what life would have looked like for her if her world hadn’t been so dark.
It’s in an ongoing series but it’s a standalone book. Other characters make appearances but it wasn’t necessary to read their story first.
If you’re looking for a fairy tale retelling, this was a great one that’s free on kindle unlimited.
Lucas is a younger prince of a country deeply in debt after war. When a corrupt king calls in the debt his grandfather made to fund the war, Lucas sets off on a dangerous mission to repay it.
“But war changes everyone.” His eyes returned to hers. “Especially when your grandfather kills himself because of the mess he’s made, and in an effort to keep your people safe, you find blood on your hands before your seventeenth birthday.” He looked at his hands. “The color washes away,” he said in a softer voice. “But the stain never really disappears.”
Jaelle has lived in the evil country for as long as she can remember. It’s a country of exiles due to crimes, and the corrupt king doesn’t enforce laws, making it dangerous to be without a protector.
When Jaelle is about to be kicked out of her stepmothers home, her stepsister Selina makes a deal with a witch. When Jaelle speaks, diamonds fall from her lips. But the price was brutal. When her Selina speaks, toads and frogs come out of her mouth.
Selina arranges a marriage deal with Lucas’s mother - it gets her beloved sister out of the country and gets Lucas’s country funds they desperately need.
It doesn’t go quite according to plan.
I really liked this fantasy. Lucas and Jaelle fall for each other slowly over their journey. There’s a lot of love between the stepsisters. I loved how Jaelle fights for her when the dark magic starts corrupting Selina.
She knew better, but she did it anyway. And to make things worse, she gave in and chose to embrace the darkness, even when help was offered. But…I can’t help wondering what life would have looked like for her if her world hadn’t been so dark.
It’s in an ongoing series but it’s a standalone book. Other characters make appearances but it wasn’t necessary to read their story first.
If you’re looking for a fairy tale retelling, this was a great one that’s free on kindle unlimited.
July 29, 2024
Was there any doubt I’d rate this book lower then five stars? No, no, there was not. Though I did seriously wonder at those last two chapters that nearly gave me a heart attack and made me inwardly scream nooo!!!! My only comfort and saving grace was that Brittany writes only happily ever afters otherwise I would have died of sorrow if the book had ended any other way. 😭😭😭
Aside from the usual stress and angst her books put me through I. Love. This. Book! So amazing and good and swoony and dangerous and wonderful and sweet and Jaelle and Lucas are the sweetest, bestest people and couple ever and can I PLEASE be their friends in real life?!?!? (too bad they really aren’t real, boo) They are amazing and wonderful and…I’m just going to repeat myself now so I’ll stop, lol. 🥰🥰🥰 I deeply connected to both of them in so many ways it’s hard to put it into words, but suffice it to say I’m so glad I was forced to put this book down last year and didn’t pick it back up until now because I truly needed this story at this point in my life. Lucas’s mother drove me batty—Lord have mercy on the poor boy for putting up with so much from her—as she’s the kind of person I ever want to deal with, haha. And getting to see Eliana from Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers as a young girl was such a surprise but so fun since I LOVE her book!! 😍😍
The wretched kingdom Brittany made and just how you could feel the darkness and despair running rampant throughout yet also see those tiny bits of light sprinkled in between is amazing, not to mention the message of how the Maker shines light and good even into dark places if we only look and see is something I needed to be reminded of especially today as I’m writing this and battling a dizzy head for no good reason, lol.
I truly cannot recommend this book enough, it’s just as amazing as all her other books I’ve read! 😍😍😍
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: mental/emotional/physical abuse
Language: damnable
Violence: a girl is cornered in an alley by men (nothing happens); fighting with weapons, hand to hand, and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a pond of worms attack characters; worms burrow into a woman’s feet and have to be pulled out (not detailed); a woman tries to knife characters; people are shot with arrows and die (not detailed); a character falls in a pit; a boy is shoved off a balcony; worms are lit on fire
Sexual: in a kingdom women are often taken/kidnapped by men and treated as property; a woman threatens and possibly plans to sell her stepdaughter; kissing (not detailed); mild suggestive hints
Drugs/Alcohol: people drink alcohol; sleeping and memory herbs are used on people; a character is bit by a poisonous snake
Other: magic; magical abilities/objects; mermaids; a witch; girls are cursed to have gems and snakes/toads fall from their mouths; a girl is kidnapped and tied up; death and grief; characters are captured, tied up/gagged, and thrown in a dungeon; mental/emotional/physical abuse
Aside from the usual stress and angst her books put me through I. Love. This. Book! So amazing and good and swoony and dangerous and wonderful and sweet and Jaelle and Lucas are the sweetest, bestest people and couple ever and can I PLEASE be their friends in real life?!?!? (too bad they really aren’t real, boo) They are amazing and wonderful and…I’m just going to repeat myself now so I’ll stop, lol. 🥰🥰🥰 I deeply connected to both of them in so many ways it’s hard to put it into words, but suffice it to say I’m so glad I was forced to put this book down last year and didn’t pick it back up until now because I truly needed this story at this point in my life. Lucas’s mother drove me batty—Lord have mercy on the poor boy for putting up with so much from her—as she’s the kind of person I ever want to deal with, haha. And getting to see Eliana from Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers as a young girl was such a surprise but so fun since I LOVE her book!! 😍😍
The wretched kingdom Brittany made and just how you could feel the darkness and despair running rampant throughout yet also see those tiny bits of light sprinkled in between is amazing, not to mention the message of how the Maker shines light and good even into dark places if we only look and see is something I needed to be reminded of especially today as I’m writing this and battling a dizzy head for no good reason, lol.
I truly cannot recommend this book enough, it’s just as amazing as all her other books I’ve read! 😍😍😍
‼️Content‼️
TRIGGER WARNING: mental/emotional/physical abuse
Language: damnable
Violence: a girl is cornered in an alley by men (nothing happens); fighting with weapons, hand to hand, and magic (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a pond of worms attack characters; worms burrow into a woman’s feet and have to be pulled out (not detailed); a woman tries to knife characters; people are shot with arrows and die (not detailed); a character falls in a pit; a boy is shoved off a balcony; worms are lit on fire
Sexual: in a kingdom women are often taken/kidnapped by men and treated as property; a woman threatens and possibly plans to sell her stepdaughter; kissing (not detailed); mild suggestive hints
Drugs/Alcohol: people drink alcohol; sleeping and memory herbs are used on people; a character is bit by a poisonous snake
Other: magic; magical abilities/objects; mermaids; a witch; girls are cursed to have gems and snakes/toads fall from their mouths; a girl is kidnapped and tied up; death and grief; characters are captured, tied up/gagged, and thrown in a dungeon; mental/emotional/physical abuse
July 16, 2019
I've read very few retellings of Toads & Diamonds and I LOVED the depth of character development Brittany brought to this! Bringing in characters from previous stories meant less time needed to reveal who they are and more opportunity to show them being themselves & growing/changing. This was a really powerful read. DEFINITELY rereading this!!
July 4, 2019
This is a unique and rich retelling of the not-so-common tale Toads and Diamonds. I'm personally rather fond of the quirky tale, but this...this is a whole new story. And as is Fichter's trademark, she turned this tale inside out and upside down and made it her own.
Hold onto your hats, y’all, this one’s gonna be a lil long. (Isn’t that cover stunning?! Oh, and guys! You can get Jaelle’s necklace! How cool is that!)
I'm going to do my best to review this outstanding book, but truthfully, there are no words that can adequately convey the depth at which this book reached me. Fichter is good at what she does. She’s really good. She takes her readers on whirlwind rides, tugs on our emotions—hard—and weaves tales like none other I’ve ever read. But something in this particular story hit me like a ton of bricks. Fichter writes real. She exposes the dark—and she really dug into the darkness for this one, on more level than one—and shoots out a blinding light of hope, love, and peace in her works. It’s why I love her so much. But this time, this time she found my dark and she yanked it out. This book may be a lovely fairy tale retelling for you, but for me, there were bits inside of this that I truly, deeply needed to hear. I had a heart to heart in my own personal life because of one particular scene and I will never forget this book because of that. That was a God moment.
That aside, let me fangirl and gush like normal.
Dear Lord above. Lucas. I thought I fell hard for Ever and Michael. But Lucas. Guys. I can’t even. Lucas wormed his way into my heart and stole it completely. I connected with him, with his pain and his mask. He made me laugh and goofed off like he did in Silent Mermaid, sure, but this exposed a whole new side to him that enraptured me. I ate him up. And sometimes, I wanted to slap that boy silly! Lucas, come on! Get with the program here, dude! And then Jaelle. Confession time. I don’t know why (there really isn’t a reason), but I just didn’t think I’d like Jaelle nearly so much as I have Fichter’s previous heroines. *shrug* No clue where that preconceived notion came from. But it was false. Jaelle was a ray of sunshine. That girl had heart, and I liked her. I liked how she kept up from the moment she met Lucas and gave him a run for his money. I like how stubborn she was and how she took the lead and genuinely sought truth and justice. She wanted what was right, even at her own expense. But she also fought. She warred with herself and she had things to overcome that just made me cheer all the more for her. Jaelle was a treat for me. Drina…wow, Drina. Drina, I want to know more about you. I hope to see you cameo and see your heart. You added a whole new layer to this novel that never would have been if you’d been left out. This story happened because of you and, just wow. From your antics and your pout to your panic and your silent tears, you were the undiscovered gem to shine in this one.
And of course, I ate up every single minute of my cameos! Michael and Arianna, you will always have my heart! I love the relationships and dynamics Fichter portrays. That brotherly love between Michael and Lucas is precious and worth its weight in gold. I’d have read just for that. But watching the way Arianna and Lucas moved together touched my heart, too. To be so fully loved and accepted and assimilated into a family. Wow. Then our heroes, our staple, Ever and Isa. *Squee!* It’s always so much fun to see them again, especially together and in action! I enjoyed seeing how Lucas felt and saw them. Again, all the dynamics!! So much love! Even Elaina and the Admiral made an appearance. (Thank goodness, too!)
The setting for this story was vastly different from the previous ones! This was a straight up adventure land! I bet Fichter had fun playing with Terrefantome. I sure enjoyed being so fully immersed in this new culture, learning its history and tragedy, and hoping for its future. The political intrigue was well-suited and the villain was a total psychopath! It was awesome! XD I also really enjoyed the portrayal of the sisters. Again, Fichter kind of turned the traditional story on its head by writing two sisters who loved each other so much. It was different and clever, and it fit right into her world very well. Oh, also, I loved the mask idea! It took me a minute to separate the significance of the mask and the wrist mark, but I eventually got it and I really thought it was a super neat part of the land and culture!
The plot was engaging, clearly. I was hooked from the first three pages. I mean, I normally enjoy Fichter’s books, but right from the get go I was clutching my heart with wide eyes. She pulled them heart strings early this time! Furthermore, the deeper in I got, the harder I fell. This woman tore me up! There were several bits that I truly didn’t think I’d make it out of. My chest physically tightened. I struggled to breathe through much of this book! And at one point, I dropped the kindle like a hot rock and scrambled back. I hid. Yup, like a little girl. Pillow on top of my face, eyes squeezed shut. I thought my heart would never survive this book and I certainly panicked at that line. You know exactly what I’m talking about, Brittany! I almost had a mental breakdown! And the whole book just kept pummeling me and pummeling me over and over. With ever twist and turn I was desperately yearning to pick up all of the pieces and force them together. This was the wildest ride yet from Fichter and all I can say is that if this is what sleepless nights and nap time escapades leads to, I can’t imagine you in full force.
I found a more than a few errors and typos, but I was reading an advanced copy and expect those to be sorted out for publication. None were so bad I couldn’t race past them. Besides, I was far too invested in the story and the characters.
There were no swear words and no graphic violence. There was one particular scene I had to force myself through (By the way, there are only two things that gross me out, I mean legitimately gross me out, and of course Fichter finds them and merges them together. I thought I was gonna have nightmares after Drina’s experience. *shudder*). It was slightly disturbing, but not extremely graphic and perhaps just turned my stomach because of what it was. There is no explicit romance whatsoever, but the culture of the country does revolve heavily around men claiming women as their own with no hinderances. Again, there’s nothing graphic, and not even as much is hinted at as easily could have been. Fichter delves into the heart of her characters and challenges them, but even the themes she explores in this one were lighter than some of her previous ones I felt.
Fichter, you’ve turned my world upside down with your tales and I will follow them relentlessly all of our days. Thank you for inviting me into this amazing world of yours. I can’t wait to see where you take me next!
Note: I was given a free advanced reader copy of this book and am providing my very blunt, very opinionated review with gusto all of my own accord.
Hold onto your hats, y’all, this one’s gonna be a lil long. (Isn’t that cover stunning?! Oh, and guys! You can get Jaelle’s necklace! How cool is that!)
I'm going to do my best to review this outstanding book, but truthfully, there are no words that can adequately convey the depth at which this book reached me. Fichter is good at what she does. She’s really good. She takes her readers on whirlwind rides, tugs on our emotions—hard—and weaves tales like none other I’ve ever read. But something in this particular story hit me like a ton of bricks. Fichter writes real. She exposes the dark—and she really dug into the darkness for this one, on more level than one—and shoots out a blinding light of hope, love, and peace in her works. It’s why I love her so much. But this time, this time she found my dark and she yanked it out. This book may be a lovely fairy tale retelling for you, but for me, there were bits inside of this that I truly, deeply needed to hear. I had a heart to heart in my own personal life because of one particular scene and I will never forget this book because of that. That was a God moment.
That aside, let me fangirl and gush like normal.
Dear Lord above. Lucas. I thought I fell hard for Ever and Michael. But Lucas. Guys. I can’t even. Lucas wormed his way into my heart and stole it completely. I connected with him, with his pain and his mask. He made me laugh and goofed off like he did in Silent Mermaid, sure, but this exposed a whole new side to him that enraptured me. I ate him up. And sometimes, I wanted to slap that boy silly! Lucas, come on! Get with the program here, dude! And then Jaelle. Confession time. I don’t know why (there really isn’t a reason), but I just didn’t think I’d like Jaelle nearly so much as I have Fichter’s previous heroines. *shrug* No clue where that preconceived notion came from. But it was false. Jaelle was a ray of sunshine. That girl had heart, and I liked her. I liked how she kept up from the moment she met Lucas and gave him a run for his money. I like how stubborn she was and how she took the lead and genuinely sought truth and justice. She wanted what was right, even at her own expense. But she also fought. She warred with herself and she had things to overcome that just made me cheer all the more for her. Jaelle was a treat for me. Drina…wow, Drina. Drina, I want to know more about you. I hope to see you cameo and see your heart. You added a whole new layer to this novel that never would have been if you’d been left out. This story happened because of you and, just wow. From your antics and your pout to your panic and your silent tears, you were the undiscovered gem to shine in this one.
And of course, I ate up every single minute of my cameos! Michael and Arianna, you will always have my heart! I love the relationships and dynamics Fichter portrays. That brotherly love between Michael and Lucas is precious and worth its weight in gold. I’d have read just for that. But watching the way Arianna and Lucas moved together touched my heart, too. To be so fully loved and accepted and assimilated into a family. Wow. Then our heroes, our staple, Ever and Isa. *Squee!* It’s always so much fun to see them again, especially together and in action! I enjoyed seeing how Lucas felt and saw them. Again, all the dynamics!! So much love! Even Elaina and the Admiral made an appearance. (Thank goodness, too!)
The setting for this story was vastly different from the previous ones! This was a straight up adventure land! I bet Fichter had fun playing with Terrefantome. I sure enjoyed being so fully immersed in this new culture, learning its history and tragedy, and hoping for its future. The political intrigue was well-suited and the villain was a total psychopath! It was awesome! XD I also really enjoyed the portrayal of the sisters. Again, Fichter kind of turned the traditional story on its head by writing two sisters who loved each other so much. It was different and clever, and it fit right into her world very well. Oh, also, I loved the mask idea! It took me a minute to separate the significance of the mask and the wrist mark, but I eventually got it and I really thought it was a super neat part of the land and culture!
The plot was engaging, clearly. I was hooked from the first three pages. I mean, I normally enjoy Fichter’s books, but right from the get go I was clutching my heart with wide eyes. She pulled them heart strings early this time! Furthermore, the deeper in I got, the harder I fell. This woman tore me up! There were several bits that I truly didn’t think I’d make it out of. My chest physically tightened. I struggled to breathe through much of this book! And at one point, I dropped the kindle like a hot rock and scrambled back. I hid. Yup, like a little girl. Pillow on top of my face, eyes squeezed shut. I thought my heart would never survive this book and I certainly panicked at that line. You know exactly what I’m talking about, Brittany! I almost had a mental breakdown! And the whole book just kept pummeling me and pummeling me over and over. With ever twist and turn I was desperately yearning to pick up all of the pieces and force them together. This was the wildest ride yet from Fichter and all I can say is that if this is what sleepless nights and nap time escapades leads to, I can’t imagine you in full force.
I found a more than a few errors and typos, but I was reading an advanced copy and expect those to be sorted out for publication. None were so bad I couldn’t race past them. Besides, I was far too invested in the story and the characters.
There were no swear words and no graphic violence. There was one particular scene I had to force myself through (By the way, there are only two things that gross me out, I mean legitimately gross me out, and of course Fichter finds them and merges them together. I thought I was gonna have nightmares after Drina’s experience. *shudder*). It was slightly disturbing, but not extremely graphic and perhaps just turned my stomach because of what it was. There is no explicit romance whatsoever, but the culture of the country does revolve heavily around men claiming women as their own with no hinderances. Again, there’s nothing graphic, and not even as much is hinted at as easily could have been. Fichter delves into the heart of her characters and challenges them, but even the themes she explores in this one were lighter than some of her previous ones I felt.
Fichter, you’ve turned my world upside down with your tales and I will follow them relentlessly all of our days. Thank you for inviting me into this amazing world of yours. I can’t wait to see where you take me next!
Note: I was given a free advanced reader copy of this book and am providing my very blunt, very opinionated review with gusto all of my own accord.
September 23, 2020
The fairytale this book is based on is a childhood favorite. (Thank you, Adventures on Odyssey!) Because it's a favorite, I had very high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, not all those high expectations were met...
This book was fine overall, but it felt flawed.
Things I liked were
--An expansion of the kingdom/characters from The Silent Mermaid.
--Lucas as a main character.
--Ever and Isa appearances, yay!
Things I'm on the fence or neutral about were
--The setting. It was unique, but very bleak feeling.
--The Terrifaine people. First they were implied villains then they weren't with very little transition.
--Jaelle
Things I did not like were
--Jaelle constantly testing or wanting Lucas to "fight" for her without ever "fighting" for Lucas. This was a big dislike for me! Love is a two-sided partnership, not a one-sided test of devotion. Jaelle would have walked away forever if Lucas hadn't come for her AGAIN.
--Angst and misunderstandings galore for the main couple
--The length of this book. It was one long disaster or setback after another for almost 500 pages. HEA only came in the last 5 pages of the book.
This book was fine overall, but it felt flawed.
Things I liked were
--An expansion of the kingdom/characters from The Silent Mermaid.
--Lucas as a main character.
--Ever and Isa appearances, yay!
Things I'm on the fence or neutral about were
--The setting. It was unique, but very bleak feeling.
--The Terrifaine people. First they were implied villains then they weren't with very little transition.
--Jaelle
Things I did not like were
--Jaelle constantly testing or wanting Lucas to "fight" for her without ever "fighting" for Lucas. This was a big dislike for me! Love is a two-sided partnership, not a one-sided test of devotion. Jaelle would have walked away forever if Lucas hadn't come for her AGAIN.
--Angst and misunderstandings galore for the main couple
--The length of this book. It was one long disaster or setback after another for almost 500 pages. HEA only came in the last 5 pages of the book.
March 21, 2020
If you need something lengthy to read during your extended self-quarantine, A Curse of Gems by Brittany Fichter is a terrific option. I was aware of this "Diamonds and Toads" retelling since its release last year but had little interest in reading it until it was offered it as a deal for National Fairy Tale Day and am so grateful I did. The book contained one of the most compelling love stories I ever read and built an incredibly robust world that was like a mature version of the Isle of the Lost from Disney's Descendants. It had a lot of the usual torture and religious subtext that Brittany Fichter is prone to including in her stories, but it didn't bother me as much it did in some of her other books. I was so engrossed in the characters, world, and elegant literary style that I couldn't wait to complete the uphill climb to the end.
Like many people, I was familiar with the "Diamonds and Toads" fairy tale from the adaptation Gail Carson Levine published in her Princess Tales series. It's a very story that has tropes in common with other fairy tales such as a wicked stepmother and stepsister and an abused girl who marries out of her unfortunate situation thanks to a magic spell. I was surprised that Brittany Fichter could convert such a simple story into so long of a book until I dove into her rich and detailed world of Terrefantome, a place where dangerous criminals from other fairy tale kingdoms are exiled to for generations. The main character, Jaelle, was born of such a criminal, but she committed no crimes herself and had a good heart. That is why her stepsister, Selina, was determined to help her escape and find a place that would be more suitable for someone as pure as Jaelle. I appreciated that Brittany Fichter made the stepsister a close and loving ally of Jaelle because it made this book unique and reversed one of the overdone "Cinderella" tropes from the original fairy tale. The book follows the Charles Perrault story during when Selina makes a deal with a witch that causes her to release snakes and toads from her mouth whenever she speaks and Jaelle to release gems. From there, the story heavily diverts into its own mythology.
A Curse of Gems takes place in the same universe as Brittany Fichter's other fairy tale books and immediately follows the timeline of Silent Mermaid, her retelling of "The Little Mermaid." However, this book had none of the shortcomings that I found with Silent Mermaid. Unlike the weak-willed Arianna, Jaelle is an incredibly strong and sympathetic protagonist. She works as a healer, an art that she learned from her wicked stepmother, Chiara. As a result of living among criminals, she keeps her guard up at all times by shielding her face with an enchanted mask that reminds me of something from a Studio Ghibli film. At first, I thought the mask that Jaelle wore was a Victorian physician's mask to represent her status as a healer, but when I read on about how it is tradition in Terrefantome for young girls to wear masks to hide their beauty from lustful men until they find a husband, I realized that the mask was a symbol for virginity. It was made a point throughout the book that Jaelle was particularly stubborn about ever removing her mask unless she found a man that she loved with all her heart, which was considered unusual in Terrefantome. With all the religious subtext throughout the book, it became clear that this was a metaphor for Jaelle saving herself for marriage, something that Brittany Fichter would never say outright due to her clean style of storytelling.
Prince Lucas, the love interest, was the brother of the love interest from the prequel, Silent Mermaid. Lucas was every bit as developed as Jaelle. The book begins with a letter in which Lucas learns that the father of the girl he was pining for refuses to give him his blessing. Between his determination to win over the princess of his dreams and Jaelle's distrust of men, the two protagonists must jump through many hoops in order to prove themselves to each other. As she demonstrated in her Autumn Fairy trilogy, Brittany Fichter loves to torture lovers. In A Curse of Gems, most of this torture was simply a matter of the main characters opening themselves up from their misguided perspectives and allowing themselves to be loved. I grew invested in Jaelle and Lucas's romance early on, and it quickly became my primary motivation to complete the book. It was so satisfying to see a woman who grew up being told that all men are evil to be treated with kindness and finding a man to protect her in spite of her constant unfounded accusations of him. What they shared by the end of the book was so beautiful that it made the entire journey worthwhile.
A Curse of Gems surprised me. I was expecting an overly drawn-out adaptation of "Diamonds and Toads" filled with preachy religious torture. Even though it did contain many of the tropes I've come to expect from Brittany Fichter's writing, it was fully worth the time commitment in th eend. The love story was so pure and moving that it broke my heart on multiple occasions and inspired my imagination. I loved how much thought she put into the world of Terrefantome, including interesting little details such as its residents having the ability to turn invisible and innocent women being assigned protectors from lustful criminals. Though many of Brittany Fichter's previous books have been hit or miss for me, I fully recommend this one to anyone who loves princesses and romance.
Like many people, I was familiar with the "Diamonds and Toads" fairy tale from the adaptation Gail Carson Levine published in her Princess Tales series. It's a very story that has tropes in common with other fairy tales such as a wicked stepmother and stepsister and an abused girl who marries out of her unfortunate situation thanks to a magic spell. I was surprised that Brittany Fichter could convert such a simple story into so long of a book until I dove into her rich and detailed world of Terrefantome, a place where dangerous criminals from other fairy tale kingdoms are exiled to for generations. The main character, Jaelle, was born of such a criminal, but she committed no crimes herself and had a good heart. That is why her stepsister, Selina, was determined to help her escape and find a place that would be more suitable for someone as pure as Jaelle. I appreciated that Brittany Fichter made the stepsister a close and loving ally of Jaelle because it made this book unique and reversed one of the overdone "Cinderella" tropes from the original fairy tale. The book follows the Charles Perrault story during when Selina makes a deal with a witch that causes her to release snakes and toads from her mouth whenever she speaks and Jaelle to release gems. From there, the story heavily diverts into its own mythology.
A Curse of Gems takes place in the same universe as Brittany Fichter's other fairy tale books and immediately follows the timeline of Silent Mermaid, her retelling of "The Little Mermaid." However, this book had none of the shortcomings that I found with Silent Mermaid. Unlike the weak-willed Arianna, Jaelle is an incredibly strong and sympathetic protagonist. She works as a healer, an art that she learned from her wicked stepmother, Chiara. As a result of living among criminals, she keeps her guard up at all times by shielding her face with an enchanted mask that reminds me of something from a Studio Ghibli film. At first, I thought the mask that Jaelle wore was a Victorian physician's mask to represent her status as a healer, but when I read on about how it is tradition in Terrefantome for young girls to wear masks to hide their beauty from lustful men until they find a husband, I realized that the mask was a symbol for virginity. It was made a point throughout the book that Jaelle was particularly stubborn about ever removing her mask unless she found a man that she loved with all her heart, which was considered unusual in Terrefantome. With all the religious subtext throughout the book, it became clear that this was a metaphor for Jaelle saving herself for marriage, something that Brittany Fichter would never say outright due to her clean style of storytelling.
Prince Lucas, the love interest, was the brother of the love interest from the prequel, Silent Mermaid. Lucas was every bit as developed as Jaelle. The book begins with a letter in which Lucas learns that the father of the girl he was pining for refuses to give him his blessing. Between his determination to win over the princess of his dreams and Jaelle's distrust of men, the two protagonists must jump through many hoops in order to prove themselves to each other. As she demonstrated in her Autumn Fairy trilogy, Brittany Fichter loves to torture lovers. In A Curse of Gems, most of this torture was simply a matter of the main characters opening themselves up from their misguided perspectives and allowing themselves to be loved. I grew invested in Jaelle and Lucas's romance early on, and it quickly became my primary motivation to complete the book. It was so satisfying to see a woman who grew up being told that all men are evil to be treated with kindness and finding a man to protect her in spite of her constant unfounded accusations of him. What they shared by the end of the book was so beautiful that it made the entire journey worthwhile.
A Curse of Gems surprised me. I was expecting an overly drawn-out adaptation of "Diamonds and Toads" filled with preachy religious torture. Even though it did contain many of the tropes I've come to expect from Brittany Fichter's writing, it was fully worth the time commitment in th eend. The love story was so pure and moving that it broke my heart on multiple occasions and inspired my imagination. I loved how much thought she put into the world of Terrefantome, including interesting little details such as its residents having the ability to turn invisible and innocent women being assigned protectors from lustful criminals. Though many of Brittany Fichter's previous books have been hit or miss for me, I fully recommend this one to anyone who loves princesses and romance.
July 7, 2019
Brittany Fichter has returned us to her "Classical Kingdoms" world of retellings with an amazing new installment, a retelling of the little-known fairy tale, "Diamonds and Toads"!
Pros:
1) A Curse of Gems brings back Lucas (Michael's brother in "The Silent Mermaid"), giving him his own story and also dealing with some of the fall-out from events in the previous book. He is met with Jaelle, a young woman who has grown up in a land of nightmares, yet has kept a sense of hope. They are joined by Drina (Lucas’s mother), Selina (Jaelle’s step-sister), the Taistille people (the original inhabitants of Terrefantome) and their leader Esmeralda, and a bunch of other friends and foes. Everyone seemed very well-rounded and had believable goals and motives.
2) The book had several twists, some exciting, others heart-wrenching. But through it all, the characters remained consistent. Some of the twists I could see coming because they fit the characters so well.
3) In A Curse of Gems, we’re introduced to Terrefantome, a walled nation where the surrounding countries have been exiling their criminals and traitors. After several generations of this, Terrefantome has become a dangerous and hostile land, to say the least. I loved how Ms. Fichter conveyed the sense of how horrible and dangerous it was, without falling back on gratuitous violence to show us it’s a bad place to be.
Bonus: This book was filled with cameos and appearance from characters in previous books! We get a glimpse of a young Elaina Stark ("Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers"), Ever and Isa from "Becoming Beauty" play a large role towards the end, and, of course, Michael and Arianna come back.
Cons:
When I rate a book as five stars, I usually have a hard time finding issues to put here, so forgive me if these seem a bit knit-picky.
1) A major component of the book is the curse that causes gems to fall from Jaelle's lips with she speaks and frogs and snakes to fall from Selina's. The physics of this can be a bit vague--it's mentioned that they have a hard time speaking (especially with the snakes), but it's also rather easy to forget this is going on.
2) As I loved the book that preceded this one, The Silent Mermaid, I was rather disappointed to see so little of Arianna. It makes sense, as much of the book takes place away from her location, but there is still some disappointment.
3) This is definitely a book where you need to read the epilogue, as the epilogue acts more like it should have been labeled "Chapter 59".
I received a complimentary copy of A Curse of Gems to review. All opinions are my own.
Pros:
1) A Curse of Gems brings back Lucas (Michael's brother in "The Silent Mermaid"), giving him his own story and also dealing with some of the fall-out from events in the previous book. He is met with Jaelle, a young woman who has grown up in a land of nightmares, yet has kept a sense of hope. They are joined by Drina (Lucas’s mother), Selina (Jaelle’s step-sister), the Taistille people (the original inhabitants of Terrefantome) and their leader Esmeralda, and a bunch of other friends and foes. Everyone seemed very well-rounded and had believable goals and motives.
2) The book had several twists, some exciting, others heart-wrenching. But through it all, the characters remained consistent. Some of the twists I could see coming because they fit the characters so well.
3) In A Curse of Gems, we’re introduced to Terrefantome, a walled nation where the surrounding countries have been exiling their criminals and traitors. After several generations of this, Terrefantome has become a dangerous and hostile land, to say the least. I loved how Ms. Fichter conveyed the sense of how horrible and dangerous it was, without falling back on gratuitous violence to show us it’s a bad place to be.
Bonus: This book was filled with cameos and appearance from characters in previous books! We get a glimpse of a young Elaina Stark ("Cinders, Stars, and Glass Slippers"), Ever and Isa from "Becoming Beauty" play a large role towards the end, and, of course, Michael and Arianna come back.
Cons:
When I rate a book as five stars, I usually have a hard time finding issues to put here, so forgive me if these seem a bit knit-picky.
1) A major component of the book is the curse that causes gems to fall from Jaelle's lips with she speaks and frogs and snakes to fall from Selina's. The physics of this can be a bit vague--it's mentioned that they have a hard time speaking (especially with the snakes), but it's also rather easy to forget this is going on.
2) As I loved the book that preceded this one, The Silent Mermaid, I was rather disappointed to see so little of Arianna. It makes sense, as much of the book takes place away from her location, but there is still some disappointment.
3) This is definitely a book where you need to read the epilogue, as the epilogue acts more like it should have been labeled "Chapter 59".
I received a complimentary copy of A Curse of Gems to review. All opinions are my own.
July 1, 2019
I've read a few of this author's books before and I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this one. I was a bit hesitant, thinking it could not be as good as the ones I've read earlier, but it put my fears to shame.
Our heroine in this book grew up in a place full of miscreants, thieves, murderers and the other dregs of society, where women are viewed as belongings. A dark and terrible place where a woman going anywhere by herself without bearing the mark of a protector can find herself being kidnapped and claimed by any man who is in want of a breeding mare.
She and her sister have one dream, to escape that prison of terror and to live their lives free of fear and they are working towards their goal, slowly but surely, when something happens that has them accelerating their plans and that has the sister making a terrible choice to save her.
Finding herself in the care of a prince on a mission and with his queen mother in tow our innocent heroine might find more adventure than sister bargained for as the prince's mission takes them into the heart of the viper's nest that is her country. Can they beat the odds and find happiness? You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.
Our heroine is well written, catching the perfect blend of innocence and a more down to earth worldview. You can understand her reasoning, even if you might not agree with all of it.
Our prince might just be the epitome of chivalry, striving for the comforts and well being of others and tending to forget his own needs in the process.
The book takes us on a wild ride, leaving you aching to know what will happen next, turning the pages as fast as you can read until the end, when the book is finished and the sudden realization hits that you've just spent another all-nighter reading.
Can't wait for the next book this fabulous author will dish out, hoping that the next one will also be as well written as this one was. Here's to hoping.
-Elle
Our heroine in this book grew up in a place full of miscreants, thieves, murderers and the other dregs of society, where women are viewed as belongings. A dark and terrible place where a woman going anywhere by herself without bearing the mark of a protector can find herself being kidnapped and claimed by any man who is in want of a breeding mare.
She and her sister have one dream, to escape that prison of terror and to live their lives free of fear and they are working towards their goal, slowly but surely, when something happens that has them accelerating their plans and that has the sister making a terrible choice to save her.
Finding herself in the care of a prince on a mission and with his queen mother in tow our innocent heroine might find more adventure than sister bargained for as the prince's mission takes them into the heart of the viper's nest that is her country. Can they beat the odds and find happiness? You'll have to read the book to find out for yourself.
Our heroine is well written, catching the perfect blend of innocence and a more down to earth worldview. You can understand her reasoning, even if you might not agree with all of it.
Our prince might just be the epitome of chivalry, striving for the comforts and well being of others and tending to forget his own needs in the process.
The book takes us on a wild ride, leaving you aching to know what will happen next, turning the pages as fast as you can read until the end, when the book is finished and the sudden realization hits that you've just spent another all-nighter reading.
Can't wait for the next book this fabulous author will dish out, hoping that the next one will also be as well written as this one was. Here's to hoping.
-Elle
July 12, 2019
(Just a note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.) THIS. THIS! This is why I love Brittany Fichter. A complicated world with glorious, rich details(her Classical Kingdoms universe), beautiful, kind, realistic, characters, and a plot that seems easy but is actually complex. I loved Lucas' character, although I should have read Silent Mermaid because this book spoiled some plot secrets from that book. (What happened in that book was explained well, though, so you don't NEED to read it.) Jaelle was wonderful and realistic, with a bit of classic Brittany-Fichter-fire and grace. Her love for her sister, her innocence, and her thoughts all showed a deep character, which goes for Lucas as well. The ending was also great, as it built upon itself to become something much bigger, which is classic for Mrs. Fichter. Keep in mind that while her endings are happy, getting there is no walk in the park, nor is it light and fluffy. There is some serious stuff to unpack here, which I do feel should have been handled differently.
For my notes on improvement, I feel that there would be more resentment and trauma from the ending. And Jaelle and Lucas DEFINITELY should have communicated more. While a bit of internal wondering is good for drama, too much is annoying; that's how I felt near the end, where it just didn't make sense. Lastly, I know that the curses on Jaelle and her sister play a part in this story, but I wish more had been done with it. At times I forgot that they were cursed, which made me a little skeptical.
Other than that, though, I adore Lucas and Jaelle, their relationship develops from friendship and trust (which I can not not not get enough of), the plot thickens in an easy and intriguing way, and it ends happily but not without trial. Overall, my new favorite from Mrs. Fichter. She absolutely hit it out of the park with this one.
For my notes on improvement, I feel that there would be more resentment and trauma from the ending. And Jaelle and Lucas DEFINITELY should have communicated more. While a bit of internal wondering is good for drama, too much is annoying; that's how I felt near the end, where it just didn't make sense. Lastly, I know that the curses on Jaelle and her sister play a part in this story, but I wish more had been done with it. At times I forgot that they were cursed, which made me a little skeptical.
Other than that, though, I adore Lucas and Jaelle, their relationship develops from friendship and trust (which I can not not not get enough of), the plot thickens in an easy and intriguing way, and it ends happily but not without trial. Overall, my new favorite from Mrs. Fichter. She absolutely hit it out of the park with this one.
February 3, 2020
My heart did a hundred flip-flops while reading this beautiful, unique story! I've never read the original Toads & Diamonds fairy tale, so everything in this story was completely new to me. And I LOVED it!! There were nights when I seriously could NOT put this book down, and I didn't want to!! Every chapter ended in a gripping cliffhanger and I lost more than a few nights of sleep because of this book! Lol! The main characters were SO fun to read and get to know throughout the story, and I was hanging on every word waiting to see if and how they would get their happily ever after. I've already been a huge fan of Brittany Fichter's books for a while now, but every time I read a new book of hers, I always wonder if I'll really love it as much as I do her other books...and she always surpasses my expectations BY FAR! This book was no exception! I LOVE that the book dealt with some very heavy, deep spiritual issues of evil/sin, faith, trust, loyalty, hardship/suffering, self-sacrificial love, and pain, but these issues were addressed in such a realistic and beautiful way that made me connect with and feel for the characters so deeply. In all honesty, I don't think any other author tugs on my heart strings as much or as wonderfully as Brittany does. Her books always stay with me long after I've finished reading them, and this one most definitely will as well!
April 9, 2020
I basically started this book yesterday and haven't been able to put it down since! And this is no short story! I was immersed in the tale right from the start and kept reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and then picked it back up as soon as I awakened.
Over the last few years I've been stepping out of my comfort zone and trying more fantasy books. In the process I've found some great stories and new favorite authors. While A Curse Of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms series it's the first one that I've read. I loved it! Brittany Fichter has not only created an amazingly detailed fantasy world but she also managed to retain the heart of the original fairytale while telling a story that is fresh and new. The blending of magic and Christian themes was done very well, not heavy handed, and I appreciated having both elements in the story.
A Curse Of Gems is an excellent story one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to YA to adult readers. I enjoyed this story immensely and I look forward to reading more from Brittany Fichter and her The Classical Kingdoms series.
Over the last few years I've been stepping out of my comfort zone and trying more fantasy books. In the process I've found some great stories and new favorite authors. While A Curse Of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms series it's the first one that I've read. I loved it! Brittany Fichter has not only created an amazingly detailed fantasy world but she also managed to retain the heart of the original fairytale while telling a story that is fresh and new. The blending of magic and Christian themes was done very well, not heavy handed, and I appreciated having both elements in the story.
A Curse Of Gems is an excellent story one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to YA to adult readers. I enjoyed this story immensely and I look forward to reading more from Brittany Fichter and her The Classical Kingdoms series.
July 8, 2019
A new way to see an old tale
I'd only read a short version of this faith tale, so it was fascinating to see the curse/gift working out in their every day life.
We met Lucas in a previous tale, and in this one he gets to find the man the Maker meant for him to be, and it won't be easy. He goes to the prison island to pay the debt his grandfather accrued from the king, a very wicked king. The island is a very wicked p!ace, and when his mother tags along with the woman she found to be his wife, his life is thrown into one struggle after another, but love finds a way into his battered heart.
I gave it four stars because there was a lot of "cogitating" , or thinking going on, and often leading the thinker in the wrong direction - very frustrating for me.
This is a clean read, but there is a word near the end that caused me to pause to make sure it was used correctly and not as a curse word - I felt it was used correctly, but I didn't like it. Just me.
I'd only read a short version of this faith tale, so it was fascinating to see the curse/gift working out in their every day life.
We met Lucas in a previous tale, and in this one he gets to find the man the Maker meant for him to be, and it won't be easy. He goes to the prison island to pay the debt his grandfather accrued from the king, a very wicked king. The island is a very wicked p!ace, and when his mother tags along with the woman she found to be his wife, his life is thrown into one struggle after another, but love finds a way into his battered heart.
I gave it four stars because there was a lot of "cogitating" , or thinking going on, and often leading the thinker in the wrong direction - very frustrating for me.
This is a clean read, but there is a word near the end that caused me to pause to make sure it was used correctly and not as a curse word - I felt it was used correctly, but I didn't like it. Just me.
June 30, 2019
I reviewed a free copy of this book, and I am voluntarily posting my review.
Wow! This book dragged my emotions in so many directions (in a good way). One of my pet peeves is when I can tell that an author is deliberately playing with my emotions just to get a reaction. Fichter excels at writing organic drama. It's not contrived, and I appreciate that so much. This book has everything: adventure, drama, horror, humor, romance, good vs evil, etc., And these elements are so well rendered. The horror scenes are frightening, but not graphic. While the romance takes place over a short period of time, it's a slow burn, and the relationship between Lucas and Jaelle is one of the most unique I've encountered. This book took twists and turns that I did not see coming, and I love it when a book surprises me like that.
Wow! This book dragged my emotions in so many directions (in a good way). One of my pet peeves is when I can tell that an author is deliberately playing with my emotions just to get a reaction. Fichter excels at writing organic drama. It's not contrived, and I appreciate that so much. This book has everything: adventure, drama, horror, humor, romance, good vs evil, etc., And these elements are so well rendered. The horror scenes are frightening, but not graphic. While the romance takes place over a short period of time, it's a slow burn, and the relationship between Lucas and Jaelle is one of the most unique I've encountered. This book took twists and turns that I did not see coming, and I love it when a book surprises me like that.
July 6, 2019
Wow. Just wow. This story was a ride from the moment I picked it up. Constant twists, constant turns, and worlds colliding all turned this novel into quite the adventure. Jaelle is not your typical heroine. She’s been beaten down by circumstances out of her control, and constantly fighting just to survive. Then there’s Lucas, a prince who’s whole life is spent trying to help keep peace, and make others happy. When a gift goes awry, the two have to figure out how to trust each other in a world that seems to be conspiring against them. Plus, the growth of both characters was very enjoyable to watch, even if there were some nail biting moments. Lots of cliffhangers, danger, and intrigue mixed with the hope, and this book was hard to put down. I love this series, and this novel was no exception, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
July 8, 2019
Different
The fairytale this is based on is a bit less known than most and the take on it in this book was surprising. Overall, I thought it was a unique approach and I enjoyed the characters, the world, and the romance. The only thing I didn't like was that, unlike the other books in the series, I felt that the religious aspect came off really preachy in this book, enough so that it pulled me out of the story a few times. The other books also include a religion that is really similar to Christianity, but in those books it see to be more in the background as an innate part of the world that enhanced the story. In this book there were several places where I felt like the author was pushing religion on the reader more than it just being a vital part of the story. But aside from that, I would say this book was nearly perfect.
The fairytale this is based on is a bit less known than most and the take on it in this book was surprising. Overall, I thought it was a unique approach and I enjoyed the characters, the world, and the romance. The only thing I didn't like was that, unlike the other books in the series, I felt that the religious aspect came off really preachy in this book, enough so that it pulled me out of the story a few times. The other books also include a religion that is really similar to Christianity, but in those books it see to be more in the background as an innate part of the world that enhanced the story. In this book there were several places where I felt like the author was pushing religion on the reader more than it just being a vital part of the story. But aside from that, I would say this book was nearly perfect.
March 10, 2020
Fun unique and clean retelling
First off, I haven't read the becoming beauty trilogy that has main characters being side characters in this book. But I think this story does well as a stand alone.
It's clean, no swearing/language, some mild kisses and some more passionate kisses between a married couple but no sex. Some religious elements "the Maker", and "Holy Man"
I liked Janelle and Lucas. I thought the story dragged a little at parts, but I wondered and thought about the characters and wanted their happy ever after.
Spoiler: I was a little annoyed that one of the main characters after gripping about the other not fighting for them failed in the exact same way. Come on! You have words too! You can say "I love you!" And "because I care for you I want you to be happy so I was thinking...." Communication goes both ways!
First off, I haven't read the becoming beauty trilogy that has main characters being side characters in this book. But I think this story does well as a stand alone.
It's clean, no swearing/language, some mild kisses and some more passionate kisses between a married couple but no sex. Some religious elements "the Maker", and "Holy Man"
I liked Janelle and Lucas. I thought the story dragged a little at parts, but I wondered and thought about the characters and wanted their happy ever after.
Spoiler: I was a little annoyed that one of the main characters after gripping about the other not fighting for them failed in the exact same way. Come on! You have words too! You can say "I love you!" And "because I care for you I want you to be happy so I was thinking...." Communication goes both ways!
April 15, 2025
It was quite long. But it was very clean and without cursing. Only kissing a couple times.
The whole storyline is based upon men that can just claim women whenever I feel like that was harped on quite a bit so it’s definitely dark story. There is death and murder. I do feel like she was being extra strange about her mask. There’s also descriptions of cutting and things like that during healing.
It seemed like everyone was a villain. Mother in law, other kings, her sister, her step mom, every man she came in contact with, the prisoners, the other tribes etc…
The ending really made me mad until I read that dialogue. The last hundred pages or maybe 50 or so before the epilogue I felt like weren’t really necessary.
I had to read the beginning a couple times because I was confused with all the new characters. I got this book for free so I didn’t read the first six books.
The whole storyline is based upon men that can just claim women whenever I feel like that was harped on quite a bit so it’s definitely dark story. There is death and murder. I do feel like she was being extra strange about her mask. There’s also descriptions of cutting and things like that during healing.
It seemed like everyone was a villain. Mother in law, other kings, her sister, her step mom, every man she came in contact with, the prisoners, the other tribes etc…
The ending really made me mad until I read that dialogue. The last hundred pages or maybe 50 or so before the epilogue I felt like weren’t really necessary.
I had to read the beginning a couple times because I was confused with all the new characters. I got this book for free so I didn’t read the first six books.
September 19, 2020
Unique and wonderful
A very imaginative retelling of this fairytale. The island where the story takes place fit into the world that the author has created with her books. This island was a terrible and evil place; women stolen if they were alone, murderers roaming free, and creepy crones living near worm pits! The author definitely out did herself in making the bad guys really bad. Jaelle and Lucas went through some great character development, and the side characters were well done. A very sweet romantic story. My only qualm is that the ending was drawn out too much.
Overall a story I am glad I read and I am sure I will be visiting it again, but never in real life would I ever go to this island if it were real... you couldn’t pay me..I mean it.
A very imaginative retelling of this fairytale. The island where the story takes place fit into the world that the author has created with her books. This island was a terrible and evil place; women stolen if they were alone, murderers roaming free, and creepy crones living near worm pits! The author definitely out did herself in making the bad guys really bad. Jaelle and Lucas went through some great character development, and the side characters were well done. A very sweet romantic story. My only qualm is that the ending was drawn out too much.
Overall a story I am glad I read and I am sure I will be visiting it again, but never in real life would I ever go to this island if it were real... you couldn’t pay me..I mean it.
July 6, 2019
This was such a beautiful story! I’ve never read of retelling of this particular fairytale so I was pretty excited to give it a shot. I am, however, very familiar with this author and had faith she would do an excellent job with this and I wasn’t disappointed! One thing that I love about Brittany Fichter books is the character growth. There is always a journey for the main characters to overcome some particular struggle and I absolutely love seeing them grow through faith and the encouragement and support of loved ones! If you love a clean, heart-warming story with a happy ending, you will love this!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
October 3, 2019
I've read Fichter before. I know she's religious.
But ... hoo boy.
I read a bunch of the earlier books in this series - not the little mermaid one.
[Didn't realize it was a switch in the ~timeline/takes place earlier than book 4 or whatever?]
ANYWAY.
This book was SUPER preachy. Then also a lot lot lot lot LOT was all "just leave it up to the maker"
the celebration of "torture porn" - the whole "you're not worthy/you don't deserve it/aren't pure unless you suffer terribly."
really static characters, utterly TSTL ... very YA but like the worst of YA.
It didn't read at all like the other books I read.
F
But ... hoo boy.
I read a bunch of the earlier books in this series - not the little mermaid one.
[Didn't realize it was a switch in the ~timeline/takes place earlier than book 4 or whatever?]
ANYWAY.
This book was SUPER preachy. Then also a lot lot lot lot LOT was all "just leave it up to the maker"
the celebration of "torture porn" - the whole "you're not worthy/you don't deserve it/aren't pure unless you suffer terribly."
really static characters, utterly TSTL ... very YA but like the worst of YA.
It didn't read at all like the other books I read.
F
May 1, 2020
Notable Content: The setting is a culture where forced marriage, sexual assault, and rape are common and even societally acceptable (at least by the males). A mention of drugs. Taverns. Cleanly dealt with violence.
I've had an up-and-down relationship with this series, but I overall enjoyed this and would read more of it. I found it a bit predictable, and I liked the alternate ending better than the actual ending (sorry!), except for that the actual ending was more spiritual. I generally liked the characters, although Lucas rubbed me the wrong way, especially how he didn't respect the female lead's desire to not ever be touched.
I've had an up-and-down relationship with this series, but I overall enjoyed this and would read more of it. I found it a bit predictable, and I liked the alternate ending better than the actual ending (sorry!), except for that the actual ending was more spiritual. I generally liked the characters, although Lucas rubbed me the wrong way, especially how he didn't respect the female lead's desire to not ever be touched.
November 2, 2025
DNF. Well, this book has a nice premise, I just felt like it was taking too long to get anywhere. I think it’s more of a traveling adventure book. Because she ends up in the forest with the prince and the queen and they’re just moving from one adventure to the next. I got 41% of the way through. The fact that she is cursed and spewing gems could just solve all their problems, lickety split if they just realize this, but no, they’re just running around in the woods. I know I had to stop reading it when I was starting to skim, hoping to get to some different action. I also did not feel the chemistry with Lucas and Jaelle.
July 14, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! From the moment I started it I had a hard time putting it down. I read every chance I got eager to find out what would happen with Jaelle and Lucas.? At one point I nearly threw my phone out of frustration because the story was becoming so suspenseful. Another time I actually yelled out loud with joy. This book had me on the edge of my seat right up till the last page! Highly recommend this series especially this book I think it might be my new favorite from this series.
Disclaimer I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review
Disclaimer I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review
July 1, 2019
For the record, I have not read any of this author's previous fairy tale retellings. I will be seeking to remedy this heinous oversight immediately! This book was a fascinating look at one of my favorite fairy tales. The storytelling was delightful and the writing solid. The world sucked me in and I can't wait to discover more of it.
I received a complimentary ARC; my opinion is freely and honestly shared.
I received a complimentary ARC; my opinion is freely and honestly shared.
July 6, 2019
Another fascinating story from one of my favorite authors. She kept me spellbound with the twists and turns and the details of the world she had created. I also loved getting to see some of my favorite characters from her previous books. I'm not very familiar with the original story, but she wove a beautiful tale from it.
I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2019
A Gem
Brittany is an amazing storyteller. She tied a lot of the original version nicely into her book. It was fun to see the younger prince of Maricanta ( hopefully I spelled that right) get his own happily ever after. His mother though... words can’t describe how much she bothered me in both this and the silent mermaid. I enjoyed also the ties to the other books Brittany has written. Always clean and wonderful please keep it up it is always a joy!
Brittany is an amazing storyteller. She tied a lot of the original version nicely into her book. It was fun to see the younger prince of Maricanta ( hopefully I spelled that right) get his own happily ever after. His mother though... words can’t describe how much she bothered me in both this and the silent mermaid. I enjoyed also the ties to the other books Brittany has written. Always clean and wonderful please keep it up it is always a joy!
August 5, 2019
Retellings are something that can be a hit or miss.
Here we have a hit! This story is not exactly a popular one - I heard of it and that's all.
Ms. Fichter took the story and created a completely new one with great characters, complex settings and connected strongly with her other stories in Classical Kingdoms.
The story was captivating and I wanted to read it as fast as I could, but I wanted to last the longest as well.
Here we have a hit! This story is not exactly a popular one - I heard of it and that's all.
Ms. Fichter took the story and created a completely new one with great characters, complex settings and connected strongly with her other stories in Classical Kingdoms.
The story was captivating and I wanted to read it as fast as I could, but I wanted to last the longest as well.
October 30, 2019
Really enjoyed this book! The ending was super unforgettable because I was throwing fits until I read the final chapter and epilogue..... but that’s what a good story is all about. That it’s so good and you hope this outcome is what is going to happen so when the author throws a wrench into the mix it, it just tears out my heart until it repairs as I finish the book. Highly recommend if you desire to get lost in a book!
May 4, 2021
Another hidden gem!
Book 7 is this series seemed so sad and hopeless at first, yet it turned out to be a hidden gem, full of insights , which gleamed like fragile moonbeams hitting a dark forest floor or a stray ray of sun shining through the clouds. I read A Curse of Gems after book 5, and it was a seamless experience, as the previous tale had been about Michael, Lucas's older brother. I love reading a decent, full length novel, and this one was just right!
Book 7 is this series seemed so sad and hopeless at first, yet it turned out to be a hidden gem, full of insights , which gleamed like fragile moonbeams hitting a dark forest floor or a stray ray of sun shining through the clouds. I read A Curse of Gems after book 5, and it was a seamless experience, as the previous tale had been about Michael, Lucas's older brother. I love reading a decent, full length novel, and this one was just right!
October 28, 2025
Complicated plot
Outwardly straightforward, the plot contains a number of unexpected twists, though I found the dithering and uncertainty of the leads exasperating at times, I did find the story entertaining, and I liked the ending.
Thete were some places where more editing coukd have been used when sentences didn't scan correctly owing to missing words, or words out of order and repeated, but that didn't happen too often thankfully.
Outwardly straightforward, the plot contains a number of unexpected twists, though I found the dithering and uncertainty of the leads exasperating at times, I did find the story entertaining, and I liked the ending.
Thete were some places where more editing coukd have been used when sentences didn't scan correctly owing to missing words, or words out of order and repeated, but that didn't happen too often thankfully.
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