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Of Curses and Moonlight
She hates him. He loathes her. But a curse binds them together.
Cursed to live as a swan during the day, Odette is held captive by the powerful sorcerer, Rothbart. She’s determined to do whatever it takes to gain her freedom. While pretending to gain his trust, she gets pulled into the sorcerer’s desperate attempts to solve a mystery involving Odette’s mother. If they succeed, it could either save her or doom her to live as Rothbart’s swan forever.
As they work together to unveil the mystery, the line between real and pretend becomes blurred. She can’t resist the hate-filled desire in the sorcerer’s eyes. Is it because she knows she deserves his punishment? Or is there something about his heated rage that makes her want him even more?
Of Curses and Moonlight is a slow-burn, steamy, dark fantasy retelling of The Swan Lake. It is part of a collection of standalone stories that reimagine the roles of the villains and the heroes. If you like dark alluring men along with tough, stabby women who can’t resist them, then this book is for you! Perfect for fans of Tessonja Odette and Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Cursed to live as a swan during the day, Odette is held captive by the powerful sorcerer, Rothbart. She’s determined to do whatever it takes to gain her freedom. While pretending to gain his trust, she gets pulled into the sorcerer’s desperate attempts to solve a mystery involving Odette’s mother. If they succeed, it could either save her or doom her to live as Rothbart’s swan forever.
As they work together to unveil the mystery, the line between real and pretend becomes blurred. She can’t resist the hate-filled desire in the sorcerer’s eyes. Is it because she knows she deserves his punishment? Or is there something about his heated rage that makes her want him even more?
Of Curses and Moonlight is a slow-burn, steamy, dark fantasy retelling of The Swan Lake. It is part of a collection of standalone stories that reimagine the roles of the villains and the heroes. If you like dark alluring men along with tough, stabby women who can’t resist them, then this book is for you! Perfect for fans of Tessonja Odette and Jennifer L. Armentrout.
265 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2023
42 people are currently reading
533 people want to read
About the author
J. Ann Curtis
10 books209 followersJ. Ann Curtis is an award-winning author who has been making stories up in her head for as long as she can remember. Her YA Fantasy debut novel, Lies of the Haven, won best YA Fiction in the state of Nevada through the Indie Authors Project.
When she is not writing, she is reading, spending time with her husband and two amazing daughters.
To learn more about J. Ann Curtis and her writing, You can also check out her website at www.jacurtisbooks.com
When she is not writing, she is reading, spending time with her husband and two amazing daughters.
To learn more about J. Ann Curtis and her writing, You can also check out her website at www.jacurtisbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
March 14, 2024
Well, it IS a retelling so I don't know why I feel disappointed by it. The author did a good job really but when I came across it I thought it would be closer to the original story. I blame myself because I didn't read the synopsis as I was sold just with the swan lake retelling thing and got into it. I really should pay more attention. Overall it was quite an interesting story.
December 3, 2023
Rating: 4.25/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: Swan Lake retelling for the WIN!; gorgeous, descriptive prose; spicy...but only JUST; complex, believable character arcs; morally grey MMC AND FMC; "villain" gets the...guy?!
HUGE thanks to J. Ann Curtis for the ARC copy of this title! My review of this book is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
As always, the mixed feelings crashed through her when she thought of her dead mother, leaving her wondering whether she loved or loathed the woman. Perhaps that was love--some crazy mix between selfless caring and self-preservation.
This is a gorgeously written retelling of Swan Lake and y'all. When I tell you I went practically FERAL signing up to read this ARC? Oh my sharp, shiny beak. The Swan Princess is one of my favorite animated movies. I have pretty much every line memorized by heart. But THIS?!?! This is the GROWN UP version I never knew I needed, and I am SO HERE for it!
J. Ann Curtis went to great lengths to bring creativity and a unique eye to a fairly well-known tale. I adored the elements of magic. The idea that our captive swans are actually assassins and, therefore, potentially more morally grey than our wizard MMC who captured them was above and beyond anything I could have dreamed. The characters and their motivations (and...UNmotivations, in certain instances) are fully believable, and I found myself almost just as ensnared as our swans (except...ensnared by the magic of the read, not by transformative magic itself).
"I stabbed you," she muttered.
He chuckled, his warm breath washing over her face. "That was very naughty of you, Odette." He pressed even closer, his arms coming on either side of her, his gaze darkening. "Perhaps you'd like to find out what happens to those who stab me under the ribs."
I definitely recommend this to retelling obsessionists, fairy tale enthusiasts, and those looking for an adventure they can really get sucked into! I'm sure it doesn't hurt that there's also some spicy lurking between these pages. Will you break the curse, Penguins...or will you let it take control? Are you brave enough to find out?
Quick Reasons: Swan Lake retelling for the WIN!; gorgeous, descriptive prose; spicy...but only JUST; complex, believable character arcs; morally grey MMC AND FMC; "villain" gets the...guy?!
HUGE thanks to J. Ann Curtis for the ARC copy of this title! My review of this book is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
As always, the mixed feelings crashed through her when she thought of her dead mother, leaving her wondering whether she loved or loathed the woman. Perhaps that was love--some crazy mix between selfless caring and self-preservation.
This is a gorgeously written retelling of Swan Lake and y'all. When I tell you I went practically FERAL signing up to read this ARC? Oh my sharp, shiny beak. The Swan Princess is one of my favorite animated movies. I have pretty much every line memorized by heart. But THIS?!?! This is the GROWN UP version I never knew I needed, and I am SO HERE for it!
J. Ann Curtis went to great lengths to bring creativity and a unique eye to a fairly well-known tale. I adored the elements of magic. The idea that our captive swans are actually assassins and, therefore, potentially more morally grey than our wizard MMC who captured them was above and beyond anything I could have dreamed. The characters and their motivations (and...UNmotivations, in certain instances) are fully believable, and I found myself almost just as ensnared as our swans (except...ensnared by the magic of the read, not by transformative magic itself).
"I stabbed you," she muttered.
He chuckled, his warm breath washing over her face. "That was very naughty of you, Odette." He pressed even closer, his arms coming on either side of her, his gaze darkening. "Perhaps you'd like to find out what happens to those who stab me under the ribs."
I definitely recommend this to retelling obsessionists, fairy tale enthusiasts, and those looking for an adventure they can really get sucked into! I'm sure it doesn't hurt that there's also some spicy lurking between these pages. Will you break the curse, Penguins...or will you let it take control? Are you brave enough to find out?
December 28, 2023
ARC reader
It was a well written spicy fairytale retelling of the Swan lake. The characters were realistic and believable.
“She was beautiful. Beautiful and deadly, as all lovely things were.”
Excerpt From
Of Curses and Moonlight
J. Ann Curtis
I really loved Odette and her fight with herself about whether or not she wants to be assassin. The guilt she was feeling made her more sincere and made me sympathise with her.
My favourite quote from this book is something Odette told about love:
“Perhaps that was love—some crazy mix between selfless caring and self-preservation.”
I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes fairy tale retellings with spice.
It was a well written spicy fairytale retelling of the Swan lake. The characters were realistic and believable.
“She was beautiful. Beautiful and deadly, as all lovely things were.”
Excerpt From
Of Curses and Moonlight
J. Ann Curtis
I really loved Odette and her fight with herself about whether or not she wants to be assassin. The guilt she was feeling made her more sincere and made me sympathise with her.
My favourite quote from this book is something Odette told about love:
“Perhaps that was love—some crazy mix between selfless caring and self-preservation.”
I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes fairy tale retellings with spice.
December 10, 2023
Of Curses and Moonlight Review
J. Ann Curtis
Rating 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 4🌶🌶🌶🌶
This is a gorgeously written retelling of Swan Lake. I absolutely adore the swan princess/swan lake plot, so an adult version of this where the villain gets the girl, there's more action and danger, and there's morally grey characters is a dream come true.
This book is dark, steamy, fast paced and enchanting. The heated slow burn enemy to lover romance is brilliant, the story is darker and full of twists, and it still has the nods to the original fairytale of being cursed to be a swan transformed by moonlight, and pledges of undying love.
The author went to great lengths to bring creativity and a unique eye to a fairly well-known tale. I adored the elements of magic. The idea that our captive swans are actually assassins and, therefore, potentially more morally grey than our wizard MMC who captured them was above and beyond anything I could have dreamed.
The characters and their motivations are fully believable, and I found myself almost just as ensnared as our swans. Odette is a great character, and the sorcerer is even more fantastic. Both you root for, for different reasons. And their interactions and building relationships is great to read.
This is a beautiful retelling with steamy scenes and it keeps you hooked. I definitely recommend this to retelling obsessionistas, fairy tale enthusiasts, and those looking for an adventure they can really get sucked into!
J. Ann Curtis
Rating 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 4🌶🌶🌶🌶
This is a gorgeously written retelling of Swan Lake. I absolutely adore the swan princess/swan lake plot, so an adult version of this where the villain gets the girl, there's more action and danger, and there's morally grey characters is a dream come true.
This book is dark, steamy, fast paced and enchanting. The heated slow burn enemy to lover romance is brilliant, the story is darker and full of twists, and it still has the nods to the original fairytale of being cursed to be a swan transformed by moonlight, and pledges of undying love.
The author went to great lengths to bring creativity and a unique eye to a fairly well-known tale. I adored the elements of magic. The idea that our captive swans are actually assassins and, therefore, potentially more morally grey than our wizard MMC who captured them was above and beyond anything I could have dreamed.
The characters and their motivations are fully believable, and I found myself almost just as ensnared as our swans. Odette is a great character, and the sorcerer is even more fantastic. Both you root for, for different reasons. And their interactions and building relationships is great to read.
This is a beautiful retelling with steamy scenes and it keeps you hooked. I definitely recommend this to retelling obsessionistas, fairy tale enthusiasts, and those looking for an adventure they can really get sucked into!
December 28, 2023
Of Curses and Moonlight by J. Ann Curtis is a Swan Lake retelling. I have been having such an addiction to dark fantasy retellings, but this one was chef kiss. I will be counting with the rest of J. Anna Curties’ The Villian’s Kiss.
XXX- Laura
XXX- Laura
April 29, 2024
Great retelling
I gave this book five stars in the Fantasy category.
This is a great retelling. It gonna take you to the world of swans, love and magic. ¿You can tell that I just finish and I love it? Well, I love it.
I enjoy a good villain in a book. But I love so much more the fact that in this story the characters weren’t truly villains. In fact, they were the only ones who know the true self about each other.
I gave this book five stars in the Fantasy category.
This is a great retelling. It gonna take you to the world of swans, love and magic. ¿You can tell that I just finish and I love it? Well, I love it.
I enjoy a good villain in a book. But I love so much more the fact that in this story the characters weren’t truly villains. In fact, they were the only ones who know the true self about each other.
October 31, 2023
Oh my goodness. This book. THIS BOOK! I absolutely loved it!! The Swan Lake retelling was awesome and the darker differences from the childhood story I once enjoyed as a child, were absolutely perfect for adult me!! I feel honored to have been given this ARC.
I absolutely loved Odette and her journey of her life and her overcoming her trauma. You could literally feel her emotions evolving from chapter to chapter.
Don’t even get me started with Rothbart. *fans self* oh my, he is my current new book boyfriend. I absolutely love him. I love his personality, his lightness and his darkness. His sexiness is just yum. And I am obsessed with the evolving of his emotions through the whole book.
The ending of this book absolutely wrecked me in good ways and bad ways. I went from shocked, to crying, to happy, to crying, and then the HEA made me totally melt. It was the perfect ending to a perfect story.
I most definitely recommend this book to anyone who loved the Swan Lake fairytale as a child and is as obsessed with the darker side of romance as an adult. This book is the perfect combination of both!
I absolutely loved Odette and her journey of her life and her overcoming her trauma. You could literally feel her emotions evolving from chapter to chapter.
Don’t even get me started with Rothbart. *fans self* oh my, he is my current new book boyfriend. I absolutely love him. I love his personality, his lightness and his darkness. His sexiness is just yum. And I am obsessed with the evolving of his emotions through the whole book.
The ending of this book absolutely wrecked me in good ways and bad ways. I went from shocked, to crying, to happy, to crying, and then the HEA made me totally melt. It was the perfect ending to a perfect story.
I most definitely recommend this book to anyone who loved the Swan Lake fairytale as a child and is as obsessed with the darker side of romance as an adult. This book is the perfect combination of both!
December 11, 2023
I absolutely loved this book so much! Odette and Rothbarts story was nothing short a magical, dramatic, suspenseful, and spicy. They started as enemies... enemies with lots of spicy tension. Then became lovers, only to face portrayed betrayal. They fought against it, but love won. It's a bit of a slow burn, but it's still so spicy, I didn't even mind one bit. And that ending! What a rush, I was sitting on the absolute edge of my couch, speed reading to find out what's gonna happen! There was tears involved. I enjoyed every minute of this book! If you like fairytale retellings, enemies to lovers, magic, suspense, and a spicy slow burn? This book is for you, I HIGHLY recommend!
November 2, 2023
this book is a retelling of swan lake, with the classic Odette and Rothbart.
Tropes/POVs
• enemies to lovers
• dual 3rd person POV
• badass selfless FMC
• slow burn
this book truly kept you on your toes until the very end. i truly did enjoy the storyline and there are not many well done retellings of swan lake. i do not read 3rd person POV very much if at all, so that made it a little difficult for me to follow at some points, however that is just a personal opinion. Odette has an innocent feel to her throughout the book, however that innocence is also two sided. The ending was a little rushed but there is a HEA! I truly did enjoy this book and am looking forward to reading future stories from this author.
Tropes/POVs
• enemies to lovers
• dual 3rd person POV
• badass selfless FMC
• slow burn
this book truly kept you on your toes until the very end. i truly did enjoy the storyline and there are not many well done retellings of swan lake. i do not read 3rd person POV very much if at all, so that made it a little difficult for me to follow at some points, however that is just a personal opinion. Odette has an innocent feel to her throughout the book, however that innocence is also two sided. The ending was a little rushed but there is a HEA! I truly did enjoy this book and am looking forward to reading future stories from this author.
January 2, 2024
A lovely empowering take on the swan princess.
I went into this book knowing it was a romance with a fairy tale twist and was pleasantly surprised with the take on Odette and her captor. This is not a tale of some helpless girl but of an empowered woman taking action in her life for herself, but also the people she cares for. The happy ending put a smile on my face and was a great start for the new year.
I went into this book knowing it was a romance with a fairy tale twist and was pleasantly surprised with the take on Odette and her captor. This is not a tale of some helpless girl but of an empowered woman taking action in her life for herself, but also the people she cares for. The happy ending put a smile on my face and was a great start for the new year.
December 3, 2023
I’ve always loved swan lake so when I saw this book I just had to read it. And I love it. They were true enemies to lovers and it was wonderful. And the twists. You almost got me but I figured it out. 😁 and the spice was just immaculate. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for more from this series.
November 18, 2023
I absolutely adore the swan princess/swan lake plot, so an adult version of this where the villain gets the girl, there's more action and danger, and there's morally grey characters is a dream come true.
This book is dark, steamy, fast paced and enchanting. The heated slow burn enemy to lover romance is brilliant, the story is darker and full of twists, and it still has the nods to the original fairytale of being cursed to be a swan tranformed by moonlight, and pledges of undying love.
This is a beautiful retelling with steamy scenes and it keeps you hooked.
Read this if you love fairytale retellings that are dark.
This book is dark, steamy, fast paced and enchanting. The heated slow burn enemy to lover romance is brilliant, the story is darker and full of twists, and it still has the nods to the original fairytale of being cursed to be a swan tranformed by moonlight, and pledges of undying love.
This is a beautiful retelling with steamy scenes and it keeps you hooked.
Read this if you love fairytale retellings that are dark.
December 5, 2023
I have always loved Swan Lake and this creative retelling is so good! This is a dark, fast paced read with great character development. This book has enemies to lovers, a good plot, dual pov and morally grey MMC and FMC! There is tension and some spicy scenes that are well written.
I was lucky to receive this arc from the author, but my review is entirely voluntary and honest.
I was lucky to receive this arc from the author, but my review is entirely voluntary and honest.
December 7, 2023
A beautiful swan lake retelling.
I'm a sucker for Fairy tale retellings and I absolutely fell in love with J. Ann Curtis take on the swan lake.
Curse, swan shifter, dual POV, assassin's, sorcerers, royalty, Ennemis to lovers.
I'm a sucker for Fairy tale retellings and I absolutely fell in love with J. Ann Curtis take on the swan lake.
Curse, swan shifter, dual POV, assassin's, sorcerers, royalty, Ennemis to lovers.
December 29, 2023
I received this as an ARC and I'm so honored that I was able to get an advanced copy of this because I couldn't put it down! The unique retelling of Swan Lake was fantastic! As a former ballerina the story and music of swan lake holds a special place in my heart, and I went into this retelling a little worried. It had me kicking my feet at certain parts and I dreaded putting it away when it was time to go to work. I highly recommend this to anyone.
October 23, 2023
I received this book as an arc read xxx I read this book in a day cudnt put it xxx the story line was brilliant n kept u reading to see how it wud end xxx will definitely recommend and will be reading any future books xxx
December 4, 2023
A true enemies-to-lovers – how much more can it be when your family is an assassination target?
I liked how the portals were used, yet were still a subtle aspect. They added to the cozy mystery…
Next by the author is ‘Veiled in Stars and Silver’ (Enemies Ever After) – expected in May 2024.
I liked how the portals were used, yet were still a subtle aspect. They added to the cozy mystery…
Next by the author is ‘Veiled in Stars and Silver’ (Enemies Ever After) – expected in May 2024.
December 7, 2023
The Swan Lake was one of my favourite fairytales growing up. I have seen the ballet twice now as an adult, and I believe that it's the best Barbie film (iykyk). This was a lovely, darker re-imagining of the classic fairytale, and even though the original will always have my whole heart, I did enjoy reading this.
November 6, 2023
This book was SO GOOD! It has you hooked right from the first page! Thank you so much to the author who gave me the ARC E-Reader version of this book!!!!!
January 9, 2024
An absolute must read!
This book took me a minute to get into initially, what with names like Rothbart and Odette. After getting into the story, I became utterly enthralled.
Odette is the daughter of an elite assassin, forced to prove herself through traumatic means. The elite assassins are sent on a mission to kill Rothbart’s mother and sister by an unknown benefactor. Things go terribly wrong and the assassins are left trapped in not only one curse, but two that they must figure their way out of.
This book is filled with twists, turns, sadness, lust, action, and mystery. Of curses and moonlight thoroughly encapsulates every possible thing you could wish for in a romantasy book!
This book took me a minute to get into initially, what with names like Rothbart and Odette. After getting into the story, I became utterly enthralled.
Odette is the daughter of an elite assassin, forced to prove herself through traumatic means. The elite assassins are sent on a mission to kill Rothbart’s mother and sister by an unknown benefactor. Things go terribly wrong and the assassins are left trapped in not only one curse, but two that they must figure their way out of.
This book is filled with twists, turns, sadness, lust, action, and mystery. Of curses and moonlight thoroughly encapsulates every possible thing you could wish for in a romantasy book!
March 9, 2024
Of Curses and Moonlight by J. Ann Curtis. I enjoyed reading this well written retelling of Swan Lake and recommend. In this book Odette, who has been cursed to live as a swan during the day by Rothbart, work together to unveil the mystery of who hired her mother. She is determined to do whatever it takes to gain her freedom. If they succeed it could save her or doom her to live as a swan forever.
January 16, 2024
so good and amazing
This is a great start to a series and I am excited for anyone to read it. I love the spin on Swan lake with a darker spin. I love that Odette is an assassin and Rothbart is her counterpart.
This is a great start to a series and I am excited for anyone to read it. I love the spin on Swan lake with a darker spin. I love that Odette is an assassin and Rothbart is her counterpart.
June 5, 2024
Intricate
I loved the creativity and twists of this story. Personally skipped most of the spicy bits, so I’m not sure how well written those were, but the world building was wonderful and the characters felt nuanced and real.
I also have a tendency to skip over conflict, depending on my mood, so once I figured out who the killer was, and I watched Odette and Rothbart’s relationship progress to a satisfactory spot, with personal growth and them seeing one another better and having the first kiss, etc, I went to the last page.
That’s of no fault to the author, I’m just in the mood where I don’t have the patience to sit through a whole story and the angst in the wrap up. For similar reasons, I don’t like romances that take up more than one book. Stand-alone is my go to.
The only author who really holds my attention all the way through is KM Shea, because her characters are so funny. Humor is something you have to experience in person, you can’t just guess it / fill it in like plot. Humor is not the point of this story, though, so I won’t rate it based off of that or the result of its lack, which is me skipping to the end.
I love fairy tale retellings. Also always appreciate a diverse presenting cast of characters. Hope more and more fairytale retellings can have that element. Their skin tones weren’t really tied to any cultural identity, but as it’s fantasy that is acceptable. Race relations don’t have to exist in a made up world, and sometimes it’s nice to imagine a world outside of that.
Anyways. Wonderful read for someone who wants a plot, very twisty twists on the original story, and fairly spicy spice that lasts maybe a chapter? Didn’t quite count. And those chapters are very short. There is foreplay throughout, certainly, but it didn’t feel like that was the main point of the plot.
Anyways, depends on why you read books. My reason changes, but I was here for the clever, intricate twist on one of my favorite Barbie movies lol. (Jk I know it’s way older than Barbie. Still, I wouldn’t know or like the folk tale otherwise.)
Thanks for your story, J! 😊🫰🏽
I loved the creativity and twists of this story. Personally skipped most of the spicy bits, so I’m not sure how well written those were, but the world building was wonderful and the characters felt nuanced and real.
I also have a tendency to skip over conflict, depending on my mood, so once I figured out who the killer was, and I watched Odette and Rothbart’s relationship progress to a satisfactory spot, with personal growth and them seeing one another better and having the first kiss, etc, I went to the last page.
That’s of no fault to the author, I’m just in the mood where I don’t have the patience to sit through a whole story and the angst in the wrap up. For similar reasons, I don’t like romances that take up more than one book. Stand-alone is my go to.
The only author who really holds my attention all the way through is KM Shea, because her characters are so funny. Humor is something you have to experience in person, you can’t just guess it / fill it in like plot. Humor is not the point of this story, though, so I won’t rate it based off of that or the result of its lack, which is me skipping to the end.
I love fairy tale retellings. Also always appreciate a diverse presenting cast of characters. Hope more and more fairytale retellings can have that element. Their skin tones weren’t really tied to any cultural identity, but as it’s fantasy that is acceptable. Race relations don’t have to exist in a made up world, and sometimes it’s nice to imagine a world outside of that.
Anyways. Wonderful read for someone who wants a plot, very twisty twists on the original story, and fairly spicy spice that lasts maybe a chapter? Didn’t quite count. And those chapters are very short. There is foreplay throughout, certainly, but it didn’t feel like that was the main point of the plot.
Anyways, depends on why you read books. My reason changes, but I was here for the clever, intricate twist on one of my favorite Barbie movies lol. (Jk I know it’s way older than Barbie. Still, I wouldn’t know or like the folk tale otherwise.)
Thanks for your story, J! 😊🫰🏽
July 30, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Swan lake retelling with a very moody vibe. Fun, twisty, filled with curses, magic, & romance! Not to mention, the physical copy is absolutely gorgeous and Ms Curtis deserves her flowers for this one. Yay for a local author read!
June 12, 2024
Riveting
What a unique twist on an old tale. J. Ann has a wonderful imagination and can put an old story into a new light. A page turner for sure!
What a unique twist on an old tale. J. Ann has a wonderful imagination and can put an old story into a new light. A page turner for sure!
June 27, 2024
Rothbart 💛 Odette
Kilig 🦋🦋🦋
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Laugh😆
Sad😢😢😢
Angry/irritated😒😒
Magical✨✨✨✨
Possessiveness 🖤🖤🖤
Kilig 🦋🦋🦋
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Laugh😆
Sad😢😢😢
Angry/irritated😒😒
Magical✨✨✨✨
Possessiveness 🖤🖤🖤
November 4, 2024
A quick, engaging read.
3.5✨
3.5✨
November 21, 2024
Fun retelling!
If you like stories with female assassins, strong women, magic, hate to lovers, spice and a HEA this is for you!
If you like stories with female assassins, strong women, magic, hate to lovers, spice and a HEA this is for you!
February 11, 2025
A twisty enemies-to-lovers Swan Lake retelling - loved it!
What if the swans were not as innocent as they looked? What if the prince was manipulated to make a vow of undying love? What if evil sorcerer Rothbart wasn’t quite evil and not that old?
Odette is captured by Rothbart when she and her family of assassins tries to take down his parents and stepsister. He places them under the swan-curse and somehow ends up including Odette in the investigation of his parents’ murders. Their interests are aligned as the mark on her wrist will only disappear if she finishes the job or kills the benefactor who ordered it. And the hunt commences.
I loved this retelling of Swan Lake which has everything turned on its head - the innocent Odette (not so innocent), the valiant prince (a bit vacant, if you ask me), the evil sorcerer (tormented and not so evil, actually) and the switcharoo of the girls at the ball - that, actually had the same purpose as in the ballet - not to let the prince make a vow of undying love to Odette, but the reasoning was different. When watching the ballet, I’ve often thought - is 3 nights enough to fall for someone and why did Rothbart really not want to let Odette go? Hint: what could be another good reason besides controlling a gaggle of pretty swans? <3 <3 This book provides great gap-filling answers. Page-turning, attention -gripping and for once, I wasn’t rooting for the prince to get the girl.
Recommended for lovers of 18+ spicy twisted fairytale retellings (there are schmexy scenes with names of parts).
What if the swans were not as innocent as they looked? What if the prince was manipulated to make a vow of undying love? What if evil sorcerer Rothbart wasn’t quite evil and not that old?
Odette is captured by Rothbart when she and her family of assassins tries to take down his parents and stepsister. He places them under the swan-curse and somehow ends up including Odette in the investigation of his parents’ murders. Their interests are aligned as the mark on her wrist will only disappear if she finishes the job or kills the benefactor who ordered it. And the hunt commences.
I loved this retelling of Swan Lake which has everything turned on its head - the innocent Odette (not so innocent), the valiant prince (a bit vacant, if you ask me), the evil sorcerer (tormented and not so evil, actually) and the switcharoo of the girls at the ball - that, actually had the same purpose as in the ballet - not to let the prince make a vow of undying love to Odette, but the reasoning was different. When watching the ballet, I’ve often thought - is 3 nights enough to fall for someone and why did Rothbart really not want to let Odette go? Hint: what could be another good reason besides controlling a gaggle of pretty swans? <3 <3 This book provides great gap-filling answers. Page-turning, attention -gripping and for once, I wasn’t rooting for the prince to get the girl.
Recommended for lovers of 18+ spicy twisted fairytale retellings (there are schmexy scenes with names of parts).
November 25, 2023
“She hates him. He loathes her. But a curse binds them together.”
J. Ann Curtis has taken the fairytale A Swan Lake and made this story completely her own in her book Of Curses and Moonlight. As I love retellings I was very eager to read this book.
Odette is cursed and is very determined to get her freedom, no matter what. Meanwhile the sorcerer wants to get revenge on those who murdered his family. Reluctantly they have to work together.
From the start I was pulled into the story. The writing style is so fantastic, I could not stop reading. The story just flows. The different POV helps the story get along faster. The storyline is just brilliant and so well thought out. You can see the original fairytale, but J. Ann Curtis has done so much more to the tale in a totally unique way. I just loved how she invented an assassins tale in it.
Odette is a great character, and the sorcerer is even more fantastic. Both you root for, for different reasons. And their interactions and building relationship is great to read.
Of Curses and Moonlight has blown me away. This story is just fantastic. It is a slow burn enemies to lovers story, it’s a bit dark and has some spice in it, but the storyline is so great! This book has it all: suspense, magic, betrayal, great worldbuilding, a fast paced writing style and great characters. I loved it and can absolutely recommend this book to all fantasy- and fairytale lovers.
J. Ann Curtis has taken the fairytale A Swan Lake and made this story completely her own in her book Of Curses and Moonlight. As I love retellings I was very eager to read this book.
Odette is cursed and is very determined to get her freedom, no matter what. Meanwhile the sorcerer wants to get revenge on those who murdered his family. Reluctantly they have to work together.
From the start I was pulled into the story. The writing style is so fantastic, I could not stop reading. The story just flows. The different POV helps the story get along faster. The storyline is just brilliant and so well thought out. You can see the original fairytale, but J. Ann Curtis has done so much more to the tale in a totally unique way. I just loved how she invented an assassins tale in it.
Odette is a great character, and the sorcerer is even more fantastic. Both you root for, for different reasons. And their interactions and building relationship is great to read.
Of Curses and Moonlight has blown me away. This story is just fantastic. It is a slow burn enemies to lovers story, it’s a bit dark and has some spice in it, but the storyline is so great! This book has it all: suspense, magic, betrayal, great worldbuilding, a fast paced writing style and great characters. I loved it and can absolutely recommend this book to all fantasy- and fairytale lovers.
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