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The Stolen Royalty #1
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses: Beauty & the Undead Beast
A woman broken in grief. A villain with a curse. What will happen when their paths cross?
The prince is a bloodthirsty soldier who enjoys death, fine wine, and the company of beautiful women. Until one fateful night, when everything changes. 80 years later, the king's barrister, Marius, discovers a reference to the prince and is immediately sent upon a mission of discovery by the king, much to the dismay of his three daughters. At the chateau, Marius makes a deadly mistake, and now someone must pay the price...
For fans of Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, and romantic fairytales, this is for you. A gothic tale as old as time...
Content
Attempted sexual assault
Drunkenness
Non-violent death of a child
Blood
Decapitation
The Stolen Royalty Series is a series of fairytale retellings where each book can be read in any order and are standalones within the series.
The prince is a bloodthirsty soldier who enjoys death, fine wine, and the company of beautiful women. Until one fateful night, when everything changes. 80 years later, the king's barrister, Marius, discovers a reference to the prince and is immediately sent upon a mission of discovery by the king, much to the dismay of his three daughters. At the chateau, Marius makes a deadly mistake, and now someone must pay the price...
For fans of Beauty and the Beast, Dracula, and romantic fairytales, this is for you. A gothic tale as old as time...
Content
Attempted sexual assault
Drunkenness
Non-violent death of a child
Blood
Decapitation
The Stolen Royalty Series is a series of fairytale retellings where each book can be read in any order and are standalones within the series.
349 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2023
25 people are currently reading
498 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
October 23, 2023
1.75 out of 5 stars. This book is a travesty of potential for an established storyline that is mashed together with inspiration for another. I am giving the second star simply due to the love for the originals. Let me preface this by saying I bought two limited box sets for this book due to my excitement for this. I was that excited. It takes the bare bones or Beauty and the Beast and puts some vampiric aspects to it. You get the same beats. You get similar characters by that the book mostly writes itself. It feels very disconnected due to the pacing. Lots of fights Descriptions are barely there. You have to go multiple chapters in to get an idea of what the Fml looks like, and it is less than two sentences. The description you do get, there is information there without really showing anything. It might be the most beautiful dress the character has ever seen, but that doesn't lead to much. There are so many tropes in this, ones that I honestly love when they are done well, but these are done as more of a slapped on bandage for explanation. Fated love. Enemies to lovers, mistaken identity, sybling jealousy, mistaken cursed, fairy intervention, fairy kingdoms, death from saving a loved one x2. Blessing of Greek gods and more! All things I adore when done well.
Suddenly, 2/3 of the way into the book, a whole third story is dropped in with no real validity. It is done in such a manner that you question if the word count was not met and needed more to be added so boom lost hidden fairy princess storyline is suddenly in there! Completely changing everything about the general foundation of the characters with again minimal description. It has amazing potential, horrible execution. I have read Amazon reviews for sugar-free gummy bear experiences that had more substance to it. If this had been labeled as a parody, I could see it being amazing.
Suddenly, 2/3 of the way into the book, a whole third story is dropped in with no real validity. It is done in such a manner that you question if the word count was not met and needed more to be added so boom lost hidden fairy princess storyline is suddenly in there! Completely changing everything about the general foundation of the characters with again minimal description. It has amazing potential, horrible execution. I have read Amazon reviews for sugar-free gummy bear experiences that had more substance to it. If this had been labeled as a parody, I could see it being amazing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
Ratings: ⭐️/5 🫑/🌶5
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses is book one of the Stolen Royalty Series by Autumn Kaufer. I received this book as an ARC and I was so looking forward to it, however, I was thoroughly disappointed with my lack of involvement with this book. Kingdom of Forgotten Curses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling if the beast were a vampyre. I did enjoy that twist on the classic tale, however for me the writing was a little too fast-paced and was set up pretty much exactly the same as the original. I was thrown off by the snappiness of the banter and the pacing of the conversations and interactions between the characters. In my opinion, there was no clear transition from one setting to the next, and with how frequently the MMC teleported, I was getting very twisted and confused in my understanding of what was going on. It was so all over the place, I was really struggling, and that was only about 30% into the book.
As for character development, with the story being told in third person and being more conversational than insightful, I felt a real disconnect with the characters. I feel like I didn’t know the characters at their core, or understood who they are as individuals. Being told in third person and having as much conversationalism as it did, I feel like there wasn’t a whole lot of omniscient information that we were getting to know, and that disconnects the reader from establishing a connection with the MC. In turn, how are we able to truly see character development if all we’re getting out of the story in terms of their character and personality is the basics? There is no way to understand why Bells keeps rejecting the beast, or why she feels like she is undeserving of love, because we don’t know her at her core to understand why she processes her past the way she does. I didn’t understand until over halfway through the book why she was refusing to love the beast until I put two and two together, and it still felt like she was just making excuses because I didn’t understand and connect with her character. I felt like I was hearing the story and watching it more than feeling it and living it. She was telling the story more than showing the story, and there was too much back and forth to become invested in the characters in my opinion.
For the overall book, it was a little cheesy in my opinion. For starters, I really didn’t like how Bells was holding on to things over halfway into the book that the beginning of the book barely scratched over. The things she was getting upset over in her reasoning to reject Dracke were things she had never even mentioned being upset over or anything. I felt like she was literally making things up to be upset with him at a certain point. During another scene in the book, she literally acts like she is dying and Dracke, the beast, comes to her side to save her. Out of all the things it could be, this girl started her period. Around a vampyre. Who continues to give her the talk of “periods are nothing to be ashamed of” and “trust me, I’m not interested in that blood, you have nothing to worry about with my bloodthirst in this situation” (btw this is not word for word from the book, just summed up of how I took this conversation). As for spice, since we all know I don’t read books without it, I was really excited for the spice here. And I was let down. You can tell this book attempted to be spicy, but it was so haphazard in it’s telling and so all over the place, I couldn’t differentiate between what was true spice and what was Bellamina’s imagination. She and Dracke have some sort of blood bond (another thing I don’t fully understand) and they are able to sense each others fantasies in a way. Because of this Bells has frequent fantasies about Dracke, even though she swears she doesn’t care for him and ends up rejecting him over and over, and it is hard to tell these fantasies from the real thing when it does happen. I ended up DNF’ing this book around 74% of the way in. I really wanted to love it, and this is nothing against the author, but this one just wasn’t my cup of tea. Let me know yall’s thoughts on this one.
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses is book one of the Stolen Royalty Series by Autumn Kaufer. I received this book as an ARC and I was so looking forward to it, however, I was thoroughly disappointed with my lack of involvement with this book. Kingdom of Forgotten Curses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling if the beast were a vampyre. I did enjoy that twist on the classic tale, however for me the writing was a little too fast-paced and was set up pretty much exactly the same as the original. I was thrown off by the snappiness of the banter and the pacing of the conversations and interactions between the characters. In my opinion, there was no clear transition from one setting to the next, and with how frequently the MMC teleported, I was getting very twisted and confused in my understanding of what was going on. It was so all over the place, I was really struggling, and that was only about 30% into the book.
As for character development, with the story being told in third person and being more conversational than insightful, I felt a real disconnect with the characters. I feel like I didn’t know the characters at their core, or understood who they are as individuals. Being told in third person and having as much conversationalism as it did, I feel like there wasn’t a whole lot of omniscient information that we were getting to know, and that disconnects the reader from establishing a connection with the MC. In turn, how are we able to truly see character development if all we’re getting out of the story in terms of their character and personality is the basics? There is no way to understand why Bells keeps rejecting the beast, or why she feels like she is undeserving of love, because we don’t know her at her core to understand why she processes her past the way she does. I didn’t understand until over halfway through the book why she was refusing to love the beast until I put two and two together, and it still felt like she was just making excuses because I didn’t understand and connect with her character. I felt like I was hearing the story and watching it more than feeling it and living it. She was telling the story more than showing the story, and there was too much back and forth to become invested in the characters in my opinion.
For the overall book, it was a little cheesy in my opinion. For starters, I really didn’t like how Bells was holding on to things over halfway into the book that the beginning of the book barely scratched over. The things she was getting upset over in her reasoning to reject Dracke were things she had never even mentioned being upset over or anything. I felt like she was literally making things up to be upset with him at a certain point. During another scene in the book, she literally acts like she is dying and Dracke, the beast, comes to her side to save her. Out of all the things it could be, this girl started her period. Around a vampyre. Who continues to give her the talk of “periods are nothing to be ashamed of” and “trust me, I’m not interested in that blood, you have nothing to worry about with my bloodthirst in this situation” (btw this is not word for word from the book, just summed up of how I took this conversation). As for spice, since we all know I don’t read books without it, I was really excited for the spice here. And I was let down. You can tell this book attempted to be spicy, but it was so haphazard in it’s telling and so all over the place, I couldn’t differentiate between what was true spice and what was Bellamina’s imagination. She and Dracke have some sort of blood bond (another thing I don’t fully understand) and they are able to sense each others fantasies in a way. Because of this Bells has frequent fantasies about Dracke, even though she swears she doesn’t care for him and ends up rejecting him over and over, and it is hard to tell these fantasies from the real thing when it does happen. I ended up DNF’ing this book around 74% of the way in. I really wanted to love it, and this is nothing against the author, but this one just wasn’t my cup of tea. Let me know yall’s thoughts on this one.
March 21, 2024
Solid beauty & the beast retelling with a vampire & fae twist.
Drake, a cruel prince, is cursed to a beastly form, that of a vampire. Nearly 100 years pass when a man stumbles into his castle and unwisely picks a rose for his beloved daughter, Bells (aka Bellamina, aka Mina). When her father is imprisoned Mina takes her father’s place in the castle of the heartless Drake. Yet through the sharing of 🩸a bond forms between them. Mina and Drake struggle with this unfathomable connection, all while navigating long held secret that could change both their fates.
Overall, it was an enjoyable novel. As a beauty and the beast fan I enjoyed the retelling and layered in fae/vampire lore.
My biggest reasons for a 4 instead of a 5 was the pacing. It was very fast paced moving quickly from one scene to the next without a lot of breathing room to process what happened. There were also some anachronisms that kept popping up that felt out of place for a dark gothic kingdom.
Would recommend if you like:
Fast paced
Will they/wont they
Beauty and the Beast retelling
HEA
🌶️🌶️ spice
Drake, a cruel prince, is cursed to a beastly form, that of a vampire. Nearly 100 years pass when a man stumbles into his castle and unwisely picks a rose for his beloved daughter, Bells (aka Bellamina, aka Mina). When her father is imprisoned Mina takes her father’s place in the castle of the heartless Drake. Yet through the sharing of 🩸a bond forms between them. Mina and Drake struggle with this unfathomable connection, all while navigating long held secret that could change both their fates.
Overall, it was an enjoyable novel. As a beauty and the beast fan I enjoyed the retelling and layered in fae/vampire lore.
My biggest reasons for a 4 instead of a 5 was the pacing. It was very fast paced moving quickly from one scene to the next without a lot of breathing room to process what happened. There were also some anachronisms that kept popping up that felt out of place for a dark gothic kingdom.
Would recommend if you like:
Fast paced
Will they/wont they
Beauty and the Beast retelling
HEA
🌶️🌶️ spice
May 23, 2023
Man where to begin!?
I am obsessed with beauty and the beast, to the point I have chip tattooed on my leg. This right here, THE BEST RETELL EVER! I am blessed to be a beta reader for her books and let me just say this story did not disappoint. Her characters were once again relatable, the twist and turns where felt to the bone and I could relate more than I would like to admit.
The love from the pages you can feel with every turn, the betrayal and pain oozes out as you continue on their journey. It brought tears to my eyes and I couldn't put it down. I got so lost in their world, they made it into my dreams.
You won't regret giving this book a read. It's so worth the time and the money! Trust me:)
I am obsessed with beauty and the beast, to the point I have chip tattooed on my leg. This right here, THE BEST RETELL EVER! I am blessed to be a beta reader for her books and let me just say this story did not disappoint. Her characters were once again relatable, the twist and turns where felt to the bone and I could relate more than I would like to admit.
The love from the pages you can feel with every turn, the betrayal and pain oozes out as you continue on their journey. It brought tears to my eyes and I couldn't put it down. I got so lost in their world, they made it into my dreams.
You won't regret giving this book a read. It's so worth the time and the money! Trust me:)
October 19, 2023
There are so many unique and creative twists on the classic Beauty and the Beast story that I seriously applaud the author for having the ability to craft such a tale. There are many twists and turns I did not see coming, and while the book took a pretty hard turn from what I expected it to be, I still enjoyed the ride. There were a few plot points I wish would have been fleshed out a bit more, and the pacing was quite fast, to the point where I sometimes felt like I didn't have time to fully process what was going on before the next thing started happening. But all-in-all, I love a good fairy tale retelling and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series.
June 27, 2025
I really liked the premise of Beauty & The Beast meets Dracula. I enjoyed the world building and aesthetic of the scenery we are given.
I HATED Mina as a character. She was always fleeing rooms—sometimes more than once in a chapter. 🤦♀️ That ruined it for me. Just constantly being pissed off about something. She was extremely immature and all over the place emotionally. Like she fought against falling in love almost the entire book then suddenly when Dracke dies she’s like “I love you”, like when girl?! You were hateful to him nonstop how are we supposed to believe you love him.
I HATED Mina as a character. She was always fleeing rooms—sometimes more than once in a chapter. 🤦♀️ That ruined it for me. Just constantly being pissed off about something. She was extremely immature and all over the place emotionally. Like she fought against falling in love almost the entire book then suddenly when Dracke dies she’s like “I love you”, like when girl?! You were hateful to him nonstop how are we supposed to believe you love him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
I am a die hard beauty and the beast fan. This author put her on twist on it and I truly loved every sec. She brings you vampires and faes, but still kept elements of beauty and the beast. Ugh this is on my one of fav reads of this year for sure! I recommend reading! Find out if they can break the curse while trying to navigate the relationship. There's spice, twists, and betrayal all wrapped up beautifully in this book.
January 22, 2024
Being a beauty and the beast fan (to the extreme I’m sure it’s not healthy 🤣) I just had to have this book on my shelf. Although it shows that it took me a week to complete, it actually took me less than 24 hours. I absolutely loved this retelling of beauty and the beast, the mix or belle & Dracula is an amazing twist and I thank autumn the author for this brilliant read ♥️
January 7, 2024
Literally read this book in one sitting. I love.the retellings and as an avid beauty and the beast fan this was so fantastic to read. This will be a book I reread many times. 10/10 recommend. I won't give any spoilers but if you loke.retelling this is for you. The twists were amazing.
February 16, 2024
This dark Beauty and the Beast inspired story has such a unique Dracula twist to it. I love the back and forth pull between Dracke and Mina. It's a fantastic enemies to lovers story but it's not rush. The author takes her time bringing the two together. It's wonderful! The book has many nods to Beauty and the Beast with a more surprising twist at the end that I did not expect when first reading this story. If you're looking for a fantasy romance, then this story is for you!
June 21, 2024
DNF.
All over the place-- couldn't get a real fix on WHAT was going on. Other book series do a good job of introducing a TON of Backstory and Place without taking away from the narrative...there was no attempt to do that here for a first time reader.
All over the place-- couldn't get a real fix on WHAT was going on. Other book series do a good job of introducing a TON of Backstory and Place without taking away from the narrative...there was no attempt to do that here for a first time reader.
September 15, 2023
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses by A.R. Kaufer is a unique blend of classic tales that introduces an intriguing twist on the beloved story of Beauty and the Beast. Kaufer's ability to stay true to the original narrative while incorporating elements from Bram Stoker's Dracula is unique and impressive. It's a testament to the author's skill that the story manages to maintain the essence of the original tale while adding a fresh layer of complexity.
One of the standout features of this book is the well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope. The dynamics between the characters create a sweet and spicy tension that keeps the reader hooked. The push and pull between them add depth to their relationship, making it a compelling aspect of the story. Moreover, the plot is a fast paced page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns that continually challenge the reader's expectations.
However, while "Kingdom of Forgotten Curses" has many positive attributes, it's not without its drawbacks. One notable issue is the pacing. The story's swift pace can at times leave the reader feeling that there's not enough time for the plot to breathe. Additionally, the book's complexity is a double-edged sword. While I enjoyed the blending of all the different elements, it felt that the story lost focus due to the multitude of side plots and genre shifts. It sometimes created moments of confusion and made it challenging to follow the overarching narrative.
Regarding the characters of Mina and Dracke, their persistent indecisiveness became a source of frustration and repetition for me as the story unfolded. At times, it felt like a relentless tug-of-war between their emotions, with rapid shifts in feelings sometimes triggered by seemingly minor factors. It left me with a sense of emotional whiplash, where I yearned for moments of stability and introspection that would have allowed the characters to delve deeper into their feelings and contemplations.
I couldn't help but wonder if a more thorough fleshing out of the story might have provided additional opportunities to expand upon these emotional moments. Allowing the characters to linger on their feelings and providing them with more time to ponder their choices could have added depth to their development and created a more immersive reading experience.
In conclusion, "Kingdom of Forgotten Curses" is a book with numerous strengths, including its inventive take on classic tales, engaging character dynamics, and unexpected plot twists. However, it does suffer from pacing issues and a sometimes overly complex plot that may not be to everyone's taste. Nonetheless, if you're a fan of reimagined fairy tales and enjoy a mix of different story elements, this book may be worth a read.
One of the standout features of this book is the well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope. The dynamics between the characters create a sweet and spicy tension that keeps the reader hooked. The push and pull between them add depth to their relationship, making it a compelling aspect of the story. Moreover, the plot is a fast paced page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns that continually challenge the reader's expectations.
However, while "Kingdom of Forgotten Curses" has many positive attributes, it's not without its drawbacks. One notable issue is the pacing. The story's swift pace can at times leave the reader feeling that there's not enough time for the plot to breathe. Additionally, the book's complexity is a double-edged sword. While I enjoyed the blending of all the different elements, it felt that the story lost focus due to the multitude of side plots and genre shifts. It sometimes created moments of confusion and made it challenging to follow the overarching narrative.
Regarding the characters of Mina and Dracke, their persistent indecisiveness became a source of frustration and repetition for me as the story unfolded. At times, it felt like a relentless tug-of-war between their emotions, with rapid shifts in feelings sometimes triggered by seemingly minor factors. It left me with a sense of emotional whiplash, where I yearned for moments of stability and introspection that would have allowed the characters to delve deeper into their feelings and contemplations.
I couldn't help but wonder if a more thorough fleshing out of the story might have provided additional opportunities to expand upon these emotional moments. Allowing the characters to linger on their feelings and providing them with more time to ponder their choices could have added depth to their development and created a more immersive reading experience.
In conclusion, "Kingdom of Forgotten Curses" is a book with numerous strengths, including its inventive take on classic tales, engaging character dynamics, and unexpected plot twists. However, it does suffer from pacing issues and a sometimes overly complex plot that may not be to everyone's taste. Nonetheless, if you're a fan of reimagined fairy tales and enjoy a mix of different story elements, this book may be worth a read.
February 26, 2025
"I told you I'm broken."
DRACULA meets BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in this magical retelling by Autumn Kaufer. Fast-paced and full of banter, this book draws you right in and keeps you turning the pages.
The story was really enjoyable, though heavy on dialogue—which I loved, but someone else might not. Both protagonists are dealing with a heavy load of trauma and pain, but they slowly work through it together.
I liked toward the end and found myself in love with the fae and their lore, though I feel like too much information was explained in too few pages; I was yearning to learn more about them.
What I didn't enjoy as much was the constant back-and-forth between the main couple. I understand that they were dealing with a lot in their minds, and Mina struggled with her own grief and trauma, but she kept being cruel to Dracke, even though he kept reminding her that he was there for her and that he wanted to help her.
Overall, it was a great book that I highly recommend to all romantasy lovers, especially BEAUTY AND THE BEAST fans.
P.S. I'll never see strawberries the same way again! ><
February 6, 2024
This book was, for starters, one of the physically most beautiful I have seen, inside and out. I mean, every page was exquisite because the author took time to choose pretty fonts, the layout, and the cover! Even the page breaks were visually appealing. But oh, the story was an ingenious merging of "Dracula" and "Beauty and the Beast." I liked that the author used some Romanian words, so I learned some things I didn't know.
The writing was easy to read and engaging, but again, so eloquent and beautiful. Every word was painstakingly crafted. This is a passionate story by a passionate writer! Highly recommend.
The writing was easy to read and engaging, but again, so eloquent and beautiful. Every word was painstakingly crafted. This is a passionate story by a passionate writer! Highly recommend.
July 20, 2024
I love finding a new take on a Disney classic, especially if it’s a little dark and a little twisted. And Kingdom of Forgotten Curses did not disappoint as it blended Beauty and the Beast with Dracula. How cool is that?
However, I won’t lie and must admit I did struggle with this book. While the story is interesting with its twists and turns, I couldn’t really connect with Mina. I won’t go into detail because I don’t wanna dissuade any readers, but also because everyone has their own tastes in books and this is just one person’s opinion.
Alas, the story had its interesting aspects and was still very much an interesting read.
However, I won’t lie and must admit I did struggle with this book. While the story is interesting with its twists and turns, I couldn’t really connect with Mina. I won’t go into detail because I don’t wanna dissuade any readers, but also because everyone has their own tastes in books and this is just one person’s opinion.
Alas, the story had its interesting aspects and was still very much an interesting read.
January 6, 2025
This is one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast retellings. I really enjoyed the authors writing style. There is a vampire and a Fae twist that makes this story intriguing. Bellamina takes her father's place as Dracke's prisoner because Marius stole a rose to take home to Bellamina. Through a deep connection, both Dracke and Bellamina can feel what the other feels and desires. The whole story has unique twists that kept me engaged in the story. I am excited to start the second book in the series A Court of Lies and Cinder, which is the Cinderella retelling.
February 4, 2024
fun retelling of a beloved classic
I really enjoyed reading kingdom of forgotten curses. It was decently paced, left me wanting to read more. Sometimes I felt like it was paced too fast with certain scenes/transitions, but overall it was enjoyable. If you like classic fairy tales, and spicy romance with vampires, then this is the book for you.
I really enjoyed reading kingdom of forgotten curses. It was decently paced, left me wanting to read more. Sometimes I felt like it was paced too fast with certain scenes/transitions, but overall it was enjoyable. If you like classic fairy tales, and spicy romance with vampires, then this is the book for you.
January 9, 2024
This was beautiful twist on Dracula and beauty and the beast. The author did a fabulous job blending the two into thrilling and engaging story with characters you are drawn to. And beg for a happily ever after for. I really enjoyed this book.
May 28, 2023
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
October 6, 2023
This story was definitely a roller coaster of emotions to read from start to finish! I really enjoyed it! Did frustrate me in some spots but enough kept me entertained.
October 19, 2023
I finished this book a couple of months ago. But I truly loved reading this. I loved the way Beauty and the Beast was retold only with more paranormal backing. I thought this was masterfully written.
October 6, 2023
I wanted so badly to love this book. I was not let down at all. The character and world building were AMAZING! I couldn't put this down andam promoting to anyone looking for a good retailing with a twist vibe.
August 9, 2023
I was Kindly provided this arc from the author for an honest review. I so desperately wanted to love this book because Beauty and the Beast holds such a special place in my heart. Sadly, this book was not for me in the end.
To start, this book has a lot of promise and it also started out promising for me. The author's writing is VERY fast paced, which sucks you in. She whisks you away withe the tale-as-old-as-time plot from the very beginning with the curse of our leading man - Prince Dracke. I loved how the curse is a "vampyr", which is an interesting take for the beast character. From there, the authentic plot we all know and love of the traditional plot takes of, with a few creative twists. Maurice stumbles upon the cursed kingdom and finds himself trapped by the cursed prince, vampyr. Then - you guessed it, Bells or Bellamina, finds herself tasked with finding her father missing. She ends up entangled in Dracke's clutches to free her father. From here, the two are thrust into a push-and-pull slow-burn. And when I say push and pull, I mean I literally felt the tug-of-war rope between the two characters for the majority of the book. It drove me bananas at times and I wanted to throw my kindle lol. I found myself at times rooting for the two, and then absolutely pissed off at one or the other. This was my first flaw with the story.
The other flaw for me was the pacing. It was fast. Almost too fast at times where I felt like there wasn't enough time for the story to breathe. The indecisiveness of the characters drove a lot of the plot decisions, which resulted in a rapidly changing story where the reader felt like they were in a hamster wheel going round and round.
I also felt like I was just waiting and waiting the spice the characters kept dangling like a carrot. By the time I got it, there was too much going on with the Fae aspect of the plot and worldly politics.
With all that said, the potential of this book stems from the author's creative world. I just felt like it needed to be fleshed out a tiny bit more from the beginning. There were times when it teetered on a 3 star read for me. I am glad I gave the book a go! If you like fast-paced plot lines, characters who deny you satisfaction in the romance department, and an ever-evolving fantasy world, give it a go!
To start, this book has a lot of promise and it also started out promising for me. The author's writing is VERY fast paced, which sucks you in. She whisks you away withe the tale-as-old-as-time plot from the very beginning with the curse of our leading man - Prince Dracke. I loved how the curse is a "vampyr", which is an interesting take for the beast character. From there, the authentic plot we all know and love of the traditional plot takes of, with a few creative twists. Maurice stumbles upon the cursed kingdom and finds himself trapped by the cursed prince, vampyr. Then - you guessed it, Bells or Bellamina, finds herself tasked with finding her father missing. She ends up entangled in Dracke's clutches to free her father. From here, the two are thrust into a push-and-pull slow-burn. And when I say push and pull, I mean I literally felt the tug-of-war rope between the two characters for the majority of the book. It drove me bananas at times and I wanted to throw my kindle lol. I found myself at times rooting for the two, and then absolutely pissed off at one or the other. This was my first flaw with the story.
The other flaw for me was the pacing. It was fast. Almost too fast at times where I felt like there wasn't enough time for the story to breathe. The indecisiveness of the characters drove a lot of the plot decisions, which resulted in a rapidly changing story where the reader felt like they were in a hamster wheel going round and round.
I also felt like I was just waiting and waiting the spice the characters kept dangling like a carrot. By the time I got it, there was too much going on with the Fae aspect of the plot and worldly politics.
With all that said, the potential of this book stems from the author's creative world. I just felt like it needed to be fleshed out a tiny bit more from the beginning. There were times when it teetered on a 3 star read for me. I am glad I gave the book a go! If you like fast-paced plot lines, characters who deny you satisfaction in the romance department, and an ever-evolving fantasy world, give it a go!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2024
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses |
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Fave quote: “I would cross oceans of time to find you.”
🥀🌹🍓📚🖤🧛🏻🧚🏻♀️✨
Let me start out by saying I really love all things Beauty and the Beast, so I was so excited to read this one as an ARC read! The author, Autumn Kaufer was even so sweet to send me the PR box with a hardback of this book which is so BEAUTIFUL! THANK YOU! Kaufer puts a unique spin on the tale by adding in vampires, fae, and magic. I loved watching the characters overcome their separate traumas together! I do recommend reading it, however, the only thing that could have made it a more desirable read personally for me was a tad more spice, but that is just my smut loving heart speaking 😂 The plot really wraps you up in the story and has so many twists, turns and secrets revealed! Prince Dracke was well written and left me wanting more in a GOOD WAY 🥵. Overall, I recommend this one if you are looking for a creative retelling of Beauty and the Beast or Dracula!
As far as the main characters:
Bells/Mina: family oriented, unsure, heart wrenching, traumatic pasts that she struggles to overcome, but she really develops into an independent woman as the story progresses!
Dracke: grumpy, 99 year old vampire, who did this to you, he falls first, touch her you die vibes, so sweet to Bells as the story progresses and the reader just wants him to be freed from the curse!
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Fave quote: “I would cross oceans of time to find you.”
🥀🌹🍓📚🖤🧛🏻🧚🏻♀️✨
Let me start out by saying I really love all things Beauty and the Beast, so I was so excited to read this one as an ARC read! The author, Autumn Kaufer was even so sweet to send me the PR box with a hardback of this book which is so BEAUTIFUL! THANK YOU! Kaufer puts a unique spin on the tale by adding in vampires, fae, and magic. I loved watching the characters overcome their separate traumas together! I do recommend reading it, however, the only thing that could have made it a more desirable read personally for me was a tad more spice, but that is just my smut loving heart speaking 😂 The plot really wraps you up in the story and has so many twists, turns and secrets revealed! Prince Dracke was well written and left me wanting more in a GOOD WAY 🥵. Overall, I recommend this one if you are looking for a creative retelling of Beauty and the Beast or Dracula!
As far as the main characters:
Bells/Mina: family oriented, unsure, heart wrenching, traumatic pasts that she struggles to overcome, but she really develops into an independent woman as the story progresses!
Dracke: grumpy, 99 year old vampire, who did this to you, he falls first, touch her you die vibes, so sweet to Bells as the story progresses and the reader just wants him to be freed from the curse!
September 15, 2024
This book is incredible! I am captivated by the love connection between Mina and Dracke. I really admired her determination to fight for everything and for the people she loved and cared about. It frustrated me how her father treated her poorly, especially since he was aware of everything before she was, and no one informed her. I appreciate that she ultimately achieved her happy ending, having fought hard for it. On the other hand, I was disheartened by the cruelty displayed by certain characters and their hurtful words towards her throughout the story. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read. It's a remarkable tale!
March 21, 2024
After her father is taken prisoner for stealing from a cursed prince's castle, Bellamina chooses to take his place and serve his sentence. What starts as a cold, callous relationship between prisoner and captor soon blossoms into a steamy romance. But Mina is conflicted. Overwhelmed by grief from her past, she feels unworthy of love. Only by overcoming her sorrow can she find peace and break the many curses that dominate her life.
It's the tale you know and love, but with so much more magic (and spice galore). I loved this author's take on what has always been one of my favorite stories, and the addition of vampires and fairies only added new layers of fun and mysticism that made the book that much more enjoyable. While I did get frustrated with Mina's character at times, I thought this was a testament to how well the author crafted her characters and made them flawed and believable. Great book — can't wait to read more by this author!
It's the tale you know and love, but with so much more magic (and spice galore). I loved this author's take on what has always been one of my favorite stories, and the addition of vampires and fairies only added new layers of fun and mysticism that made the book that much more enjoyable. While I did get frustrated with Mina's character at times, I thought this was a testament to how well the author crafted her characters and made them flawed and believable. Great book — can't wait to read more by this author!
August 16, 2023
ARC REVIEW!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️
This story is a beauty and the beast retelling with a few twists. If you love beauty and the beats, vampires and Fae then you'll love this story. Mina and Dracke don't start their relationship in the best of ways. Mina trades her life for her 'fathers' and Dracke accepts. His curse is different so rather than being turned into a beast he is turned into a vampyr.
The story has alot of back a fourth between the MMC and the FMC, I found it dragged a little but that's just my opinion! There are a few twists and turns along the way and whilst mina and Dracke try to navigate their relationship they must stand the test of all time and prove their love is eternal.
Will the curse be broken in time? Can Mina love Dracke after everything he has said and done?? Is the cost of love too high? Read the story to find out!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️
This story is a beauty and the beast retelling with a few twists. If you love beauty and the beats, vampires and Fae then you'll love this story. Mina and Dracke don't start their relationship in the best of ways. Mina trades her life for her 'fathers' and Dracke accepts. His curse is different so rather than being turned into a beast he is turned into a vampyr.
The story has alot of back a fourth between the MMC and the FMC, I found it dragged a little but that's just my opinion! There are a few twists and turns along the way and whilst mina and Dracke try to navigate their relationship they must stand the test of all time and prove their love is eternal.
Will the curse be broken in time? Can Mina love Dracke after everything he has said and done?? Is the cost of love too high? Read the story to find out!
August 22, 2023
All in all I loved the story. Mina the MFC quite often annoyed me in her constant mood swings... but Dracke quite often did the same. Quite the love story! Love this version of a retelling though!
February 23, 2024
Kingdom of Forgotten Curses -fantasy/romance ▪️2.5/5 rating. This Beauty and the Beast remake is a quick read because of the banter with the characters, but also moves from scene to scene quickly. The spin to have a vampire as the beast was a good take, but I wish the fae weren’t added to the end. I feel like a lot of details were left out, but was still able to follow because I know of the original storyline. I also wish it displayed more chemistry between the characters. They had childish fights and then were in love and nothing mattered anymore instead of seeing the growth. I still gave this a 2.5/5 because it was something I finished but needed more to feel complete
August 8, 2023
A wonderful story where Belle meets Dracula!
This absolutely amazing Beauty and the Beast retelling was full of twists and turns! Our strong FMC Bellamina sacrifices herself to save her father. She is bound to stay with the dreaded Dracke. Dracke is cursed to be a vampire and must atone for his past sins, or is all not as it seems? This tale was a wild ride. As soon as you thought we made it to happily ever after a great plot twist would emerge. If you love true love, magic, vampires, curses, adventure and a whole lot of angst add this amazing story to your TBR now!!
This absolutely amazing Beauty and the Beast retelling was full of twists and turns! Our strong FMC Bellamina sacrifices herself to save her father. She is bound to stay with the dreaded Dracke. Dracke is cursed to be a vampire and must atone for his past sins, or is all not as it seems? This tale was a wild ride. As soon as you thought we made it to happily ever after a great plot twist would emerge. If you love true love, magic, vampires, curses, adventure and a whole lot of angst add this amazing story to your TBR now!!
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