What do you think?
Rate this book
Born Upon a Curse
Alina Rose’s fiercest battle isn’t with her promiscuous alter ego, Machina, but against the darkness within herself—a darkness that's about to spill over into the real world.
When Alina hits the local club to shake off her Taco Bell shift—a job she classifies as legalized torture—the last thing she expects is her life to flip from fryers to fireballs. But when a handsome stranger reveals she’s not an ordinary nineteen-year-old, but a demon, everything she thought she knew about herself is turned on its head. She lacks the clichéd horns and tails, but her powers can bring any man to his knees.
After an elemental battle to secure her passage, Alina steps into Astaroth Academy, a prestigious school for demons. Cradled in a mountainous region with the allure of France, the academy boasts grand chateaux and vast, party-filled gardens. Here, Alina seeks the academy’s arcane knowledge, hoping to permanently silence Machina once and for all.
But a brazen other self isn’t her only concern. Aran May, the brooding captain of the Flag Fall team, is as alluring as he is untouchable. As their forbidden desire intensifies, Alina uncovers a sinister plot that threatens not only her stay at the academy but her very life. The stakes are higher than ever, and in a world where lies are the norm, trust is the ultimate gamble. Making peace with Machina isn’t just an option—it’s everything.
When Alina hits the local club to shake off her Taco Bell shift—a job she classifies as legalized torture—the last thing she expects is her life to flip from fryers to fireballs. But when a handsome stranger reveals she’s not an ordinary nineteen-year-old, but a demon, everything she thought she knew about herself is turned on its head. She lacks the clichéd horns and tails, but her powers can bring any man to his knees.
After an elemental battle to secure her passage, Alina steps into Astaroth Academy, a prestigious school for demons. Cradled in a mountainous region with the allure of France, the academy boasts grand chateaux and vast, party-filled gardens. Here, Alina seeks the academy’s arcane knowledge, hoping to permanently silence Machina once and for all.
But a brazen other self isn’t her only concern. Aran May, the brooding captain of the Flag Fall team, is as alluring as he is untouchable. As their forbidden desire intensifies, Alina uncovers a sinister plot that threatens not only her stay at the academy but her very life. The stakes are higher than ever, and in a world where lies are the norm, trust is the ultimate gamble. Making peace with Machina isn’t just an option—it’s everything.
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2024
30 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Michael Dane
11 books69 followersM. Dane was raised in outback Australia, where he grew up on a farm with cattle, pigs, and his siblings—who were just as wild. In his isolation, he fell in love with novels as they offered unlimited adventures at the turn of a page. After finishing school, he traded fields for far-off lands, joining the army and embarking on a journey that took him around the world.
His foray into writing wasn’t a sudden leap, but a gradual shift that began with scribbles that evolved into his debut novel, The Traitor in the Trees. While he jokingly says his writing career started with struggling to spell his own name at fifteen, the truth is, the seeds of storytelling were planted long before then, in the dusty paddocks of his childhood.
Seventeen years in the army taught him more than just discipline; it opened his eyes to the wonderful cultures and experiences that shape our world. Now, having switched the uniform for a writer’s desk, his focus is on writing stories that capture the essence of his travels and the diverse beauty of the places he's seen. He hopes to bring a piece of the world to his readers, encouraging a curiosity and appreciation for the diverse cultures that enrich our planet.
His foray into writing wasn’t a sudden leap, but a gradual shift that began with scribbles that evolved into his debut novel, The Traitor in the Trees. While he jokingly says his writing career started with struggling to spell his own name at fifteen, the truth is, the seeds of storytelling were planted long before then, in the dusty paddocks of his childhood.
Seventeen years in the army taught him more than just discipline; it opened his eyes to the wonderful cultures and experiences that shape our world. Now, having switched the uniform for a writer’s desk, his focus is on writing stories that capture the essence of his travels and the diverse beauty of the places he's seen. He hopes to bring a piece of the world to his readers, encouraging a curiosity and appreciation for the diverse cultures that enrich our planet.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
April 4, 2024
Do you like books like “Harry Potter” but wish they were in more of an adult setting? Look no further than “Born Upon a Curse” by M. Dane. This book is about a girl named Alina who believes she has a mental problem because sometimes her body is overtaken by an entity inside her head, whom she calls Machina. When this happens, Alina has no recollection of anything that happened to her and is prone to waking up in unfamiliar beds. She is constantly trying to stop Machina from taking control of her body. It isn’t until one night when she is whisked off to a fantasy world, that Alina discovers she is a demon. She is invited to attend Astaroth Academy, a college for demons.
I enjoyed the academy setting. It was like “Harry Potter” because there were four dormitories you could get chosen to live in, with a sport similar to “Capture the Flag” played between each quad on campus. Since it is a college setting, parties are like frat parties with drinking, celebrating team wins, and bonfires.
The first-year classes are about figuring out what kind of magic you have, whether Terre or Aeria, since the college is located in Cronix, one of the four realms. The realms of the demon worlds are linked to Earth through shadow gates, but these realms are at war, trying to gain sole control of the gates. The demon politics between these realms were interesting and added another layer to the story. However, not everything in this book is concerned with serious topics. It wouldn’t be a M. Dane book without the funny similes.
Though I’ve heard other ARC readers compare this series to “Zodiac Academy,” this book is tamer on the spice level, which was fine with me. There are only a few spicy scenes, so I wouldn’t want readers to expect something more risqué and be disappointed by comparing it to the Zodiac Series. In my opinion, “Born Upon a Curse” would be better compared to “Fourth Wing,” an adult “Harry Potter,” or even my series, “The Jelf Academy Series.” My only critique of the romance is that I wish the characters had more meaningful conversations before the physical connection. If you love tropes with magic academies, discovering where you belong, college settings, school sports, romance, and some political conflict, “Born Upon a Curse” would be the book for you!
“Born Upon a Curse” will be released on May 1 and is book one in “The Cost of Magic” series.
I enjoyed the academy setting. It was like “Harry Potter” because there were four dormitories you could get chosen to live in, with a sport similar to “Capture the Flag” played between each quad on campus. Since it is a college setting, parties are like frat parties with drinking, celebrating team wins, and bonfires.
The first-year classes are about figuring out what kind of magic you have, whether Terre or Aeria, since the college is located in Cronix, one of the four realms. The realms of the demon worlds are linked to Earth through shadow gates, but these realms are at war, trying to gain sole control of the gates. The demon politics between these realms were interesting and added another layer to the story. However, not everything in this book is concerned with serious topics. It wouldn’t be a M. Dane book without the funny similes.
Though I’ve heard other ARC readers compare this series to “Zodiac Academy,” this book is tamer on the spice level, which was fine with me. There are only a few spicy scenes, so I wouldn’t want readers to expect something more risqué and be disappointed by comparing it to the Zodiac Series. In my opinion, “Born Upon a Curse” would be better compared to “Fourth Wing,” an adult “Harry Potter,” or even my series, “The Jelf Academy Series.” My only critique of the romance is that I wish the characters had more meaningful conversations before the physical connection. If you love tropes with magic academies, discovering where you belong, college settings, school sports, romance, and some political conflict, “Born Upon a Curse” would be the book for you!
“Born Upon a Curse” will be released on May 1 and is book one in “The Cost of Magic” series.
April 8, 2024
My mother told me if I had nothing nice to say… Well, that’s rarely stopped me before.
_______________
I want to thank the author for adding me to the arc group for this novel. I enjoyed watching the author on TikTok share his excitement for the book in the last month. Unfortunately, that’s where my enthusiasm dies.
The largest issue with this story was the disregard for how American young adults act or speak, especially in the South, followed by the complete disregard for following folklore. Psst: Google can tell you what a Golem is if you don't know ;) just like 2 minutes of research.
As mentioned in other reviews, there are far too many references to pop culture and other stories. We have Taco Bell, Barnes & Noble, Harry Potter and so much more that I can not begin to list. It comes off as trying too hard to be relatable. Relatability is what this book lacks and timing issues.
First off, the concept of “terms of endearment” in the South. People are not going to call someone they just met “honey” unless it is sarcastically. In this book though, the main character who suffers from social anxiety calls someone she JUST MET “honey” (and meant it nicely), just no.
Honestly, at the end of it all, this book could have stayed in a Whattpad/fanfic of Harry Potter and needn’t try to be more.
Many of my notes while reading were “ew” or “eye roll” and my fav “Straight to jail”
I could say a lot more but let me summarize it for you.
Picture a bunch of teens and young adults with no supervision.
Seriously, where the F are all the adults?
Not a single person has any substance to them (poor Oliver)
It’s one big raging party, lots of alcohol and sex only separated by flag football described as “like quidditch” - see right there, gag, it’s nothing like the sport.
And then BAM big battle to end the book because we had to make it into a fantasy book somehow.
My only liked line of the book was when Audrey tells Alina she wished she wasn’t so pathetic, me too Audrey, me too.
If you want another Overpowered, dumb woman who fumbles around life. With weak connections to serious mental health conditions and odd American political opinions thrown about, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER!
Rest in Peace to the only character I liked, and it wasn’t even a human/daemon.
_______________
I want to thank the author for adding me to the arc group for this novel. I enjoyed watching the author on TikTok share his excitement for the book in the last month. Unfortunately, that’s where my enthusiasm dies.
The largest issue with this story was the disregard for how American young adults act or speak, especially in the South, followed by the complete disregard for following folklore. Psst: Google can tell you what a Golem is if you don't know ;) just like 2 minutes of research.
As mentioned in other reviews, there are far too many references to pop culture and other stories. We have Taco Bell, Barnes & Noble, Harry Potter and so much more that I can not begin to list. It comes off as trying too hard to be relatable. Relatability is what this book lacks and timing issues.
First off, the concept of “terms of endearment” in the South. People are not going to call someone they just met “honey” unless it is sarcastically. In this book though, the main character who suffers from social anxiety calls someone she JUST MET “honey” (and meant it nicely), just no.
Honestly, at the end of it all, this book could have stayed in a Whattpad/fanfic of Harry Potter and needn’t try to be more.
Many of my notes while reading were “ew” or “eye roll” and my fav “Straight to jail”
I could say a lot more but let me summarize it for you.
Picture a bunch of teens and young adults with no supervision.
Seriously, where the F are all the adults?
Not a single person has any substance to them (poor Oliver)
It’s one big raging party, lots of alcohol and sex only separated by flag football described as “like quidditch” - see right there, gag, it’s nothing like the sport.
And then BAM big battle to end the book because we had to make it into a fantasy book somehow.
My only liked line of the book was when Audrey tells Alina she wished she wasn’t so pathetic, me too Audrey, me too.
If you want another Overpowered, dumb woman who fumbles around life. With weak connections to serious mental health conditions and odd American political opinions thrown about, THEN LOOK NO FURTHER!
Rest in Peace to the only character I liked, and it wasn’t even a human/daemon.
April 17, 2024
(Arc copy)
Unfortunately this didn’t hit for me (dnf @60%)why?
- too much time spent on the social scene (did they ever just chill and eat? Or was it all beer?)
- the MFC was very wishy washy and really needed to grow a backbone (other characters had to do the defending and come to her rescue)
- Aran the mmc who she’s obsessed with even though they haven’t really spent time with each other and spoken only a few times (not enough for a connection to be made but apparently we are obsessing over him hhhmmmm 🤔)
- the friend dying and literally the next day she playing some new sport and is a natural and goes for drinks & fun
But her friend was a good person ☺️ so sad they passed.
Overall what got me the most is the plot - they bring ppl to the academy to help them with their gifts and how to fight evil so when the leave the academy they will go to war with the other demons.
Yet we have non stop parties & booze
With a female main character just following along and not excepting herself or even working on her internal self
Too much fluff and at 60% still with nothing really going on.
Had to dnf just not for me might be for others just not me.
Unfortunately this didn’t hit for me (dnf @60%)why?
- too much time spent on the social scene (did they ever just chill and eat? Or was it all beer?)
- the MFC was very wishy washy and really needed to grow a backbone (other characters had to do the defending and come to her rescue)
- Aran the mmc who she’s obsessed with even though they haven’t really spent time with each other and spoken only a few times (not enough for a connection to be made but apparently we are obsessing over him hhhmmmm 🤔)
- the friend dying and literally the next day she playing some new sport and is a natural and goes for drinks & fun
But her friend was a good person ☺️ so sad they passed.
Overall what got me the most is the plot - they bring ppl to the academy to help them with their gifts and how to fight evil so when the leave the academy they will go to war with the other demons.
Yet we have non stop parties & booze
With a female main character just following along and not excepting herself or even working on her internal self
Too much fluff and at 60% still with nothing really going on.
Had to dnf just not for me might be for others just not me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
I was lucky enough to have been one of the ARC readers for this book.
I really enjoyed Born upon a curse by Michael Dane . Loved the characters and the fact that they were from all over the world.
I love that it touches on important topics of addiction and mental health .
Overall i really enjoyed this book , and i’m excited to see more future works from this author.
I really enjoyed Born upon a curse by Michael Dane . Loved the characters and the fact that they were from all over the world.
I love that it touches on important topics of addiction and mental health .
Overall i really enjoyed this book , and i’m excited to see more future works from this author.
March 27, 2024
I was really looking forward to this book and maybe built it up too much in my head. But it was to much with the metaphors in every other paragraph it seemed. And I read fantasy to escape reality and mentioning political parties in it just did it for me and made me not finish it. The overly southern characters annoyed me. And just made it seem kind of cheesy.
April 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to read this as an arc read! It took no time to get sucked in and I had a hard time stopping once I started to read it. The magical elements and world building made me want to attend the academy. The ending seemed a little rushed with quite a few loose ends but hopefully we’ll get more in the future.
Also, Raven’s death destroyed me 💔😭
Also, Raven’s death destroyed me 💔😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2024
A very fun dark academia novel which has elements of both Zodiac and Vampire Academy. Deals with important conversations around addiction and mental health issues. Very enjoyable.
October 8, 2024
3⭐️
2🌶️
I received an ARC for this book by the author.
I had a great time reading this book! Is it the best book ever? No, but it was fun and I really enjoyed the concept in it. The duel personality that represented the half that let’s lose and embraces their wants and darkness. I also appreciated the world building in this, it wasn’t as fleshed out as I usually like, but I enjoyed the complexity the author tried to introduce and I’m excited to see where they will take it from here.
I’m also a sucker for academia romances so this one scratched an itch while I was on vacation.
Overall an enjoyable and easy read with a cool world and an interesting concept.
2🌶️
I received an ARC for this book by the author.
I had a great time reading this book! Is it the best book ever? No, but it was fun and I really enjoyed the concept in it. The duel personality that represented the half that let’s lose and embraces their wants and darkness. I also appreciated the world building in this, it wasn’t as fleshed out as I usually like, but I enjoyed the complexity the author tried to introduce and I’m excited to see where they will take it from here.
I’m also a sucker for academia romances so this one scratched an itch while I was on vacation.
Overall an enjoyable and easy read with a cool world and an interesting concept.
March 29, 2024
Title: Born Upon a Curse
Author: Michael Dane
Publish date: May 1, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
I recently finished reading Born Upon a Curse by Michael Dane, and I have to say, it was an amazing experience. The writing style, the characters, and the overall plot kept me hooked right from chapter one until the very end.
One of the things that stood out to me the most was the author's writing style. It was engaging, and descriptive, it kept the story moving at a perfect pace. I found myself immersed in the world they created, eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next.
The characters were also incredibly well-developed. Each one felt real and multidimensional, with their unique personalities and motivations. I enjoyed following their journeys and seeing how they evolved throughout the story.
Overall, Born Upon a Curse is a great book that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a captivating read. I'm excited to see more from this author and eagerly await their future works.
Author: Michael Dane
Publish date: May 1, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
I recently finished reading Born Upon a Curse by Michael Dane, and I have to say, it was an amazing experience. The writing style, the characters, and the overall plot kept me hooked right from chapter one until the very end.
One of the things that stood out to me the most was the author's writing style. It was engaging, and descriptive, it kept the story moving at a perfect pace. I found myself immersed in the world they created, eagerly turning pages to see what would happen next.
The characters were also incredibly well-developed. Each one felt real and multidimensional, with their unique personalities and motivations. I enjoyed following their journeys and seeing how they evolved throughout the story.
Overall, Born Upon a Curse is a great book that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a captivating read. I'm excited to see more from this author and eagerly await their future works.
March 28, 2024
Fantastic story! I devoured this book. Alina/machina is probably one of the more unique characters Ive come across and it is done well. While the pacing seemed a little quick at times, it still flowed really well. I loved the little hints throughout. Some of the unfortunate events that occur really hit hard. The ending was a perfect balance of being tied up, but also left wide open with the potential to more. I really do look forward to seeing more from M. Dane and its always great to see an Aussie writer along with a pretty accurate portrayal of an Aussie country personality.
March 27, 2024
Absolutely loved this book!!!! It's not my usual genre that I like reading, so I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it! The story is the perfect mix of fantasy, action, adventure and romance, with humour throughout. Absolutely loved it!!!! A must read!
March 28, 2024
This book was amazing. I enjoyed the writing and the characters. I kept my attention from chapter one. Excited to see more from this author. Overall great book.
March 30, 2024
I was really excited about this book.
I did end up loving it for the most part, but it could’ve been so much better.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, and it feels like there are still a lot of loose ends that didn’t get tied.
Alina’s story about accepting that part of herself that was always hidden away really speaks to a person. You can almost feel yourself struggling with her during the book.
Spoiler…
Whyyyyyy Raven?!😭
I did end up loving it for the most part, but it could’ve been so much better.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, and it feels like there are still a lot of loose ends that didn’t get tied.
Alina’s story about accepting that part of herself that was always hidden away really speaks to a person. You can almost feel yourself struggling with her during the book.
Spoiler…
Whyyyyyy Raven?!😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2024
LOVED LOVED LOVED it! I read it on 2 days. I love that the main character is a demon. It's so different from anything else I've read. I really hope to read more from this author.
April 9, 2024
Absolutely loved it! Really does give YA/Adult Harry Potter vibes with Demons & I'm here for it!
April 1, 2024
I wish I could say it was great but it was slow going at the start and it felt like too much time spent on the social life of the academy and The romance and petty jealousy issue Then shifted to battle, out of no where the traitors divulged, the family secret divulged, people dying, she becomes all powerful and then it’s over. Felt rushed and simplistic. Light reading but not a story that you finish and say ‘wow that was great’.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
I fell in love with this book from page one. The author did such a fantastic job weaving the paranormal with everyday life.
The magic aspect of the book was not what I was expecting.
I loved the main character and her journey of self-discovery.
A fantastic read, recommend to all who love magic, romance, beautifully described worlds, and action.
The magic aspect of the book was not what I was expecting.
I loved the main character and her journey of self-discovery.
A fantastic read, recommend to all who love magic, romance, beautifully described worlds, and action.
April 12, 2024
I adored this book!! My first Michael Dane novel and I was fortunate to read this as an ARC. I love the story of Alina/ Kali and how she evolves and grows throughout the book. Aran is a true blue Aussie and I LOVE the Aussie slang that's used 'dead dingoes donga' being my absolute favourite 😂
I went through many different emotions while reading this and Eban's story affected me greatly.
This was truly brilliant and I can't wait to see if there will be a second instalment, especially with how it ended!
Michael Dane, you are an Aussie legend 🇦🇺❤️
I went through many different emotions while reading this and Eban's story affected me greatly.
This was truly brilliant and I can't wait to see if there will be a second instalment, especially with how it ended!
Michael Dane, you are an Aussie legend 🇦🇺❤️
April 1, 2024
Solid 4.6 for me.
If you love Harry Potter, you will enjoy this book. I'm hoping for more books to this because their is still ALOT of plot left out there. I wanna know A&N story; why work both sides and in the end come back to what you knew. I knew characters would die but I feel Es story needed more. Level of spice is 🌶🌶 and it's a slow burn (Chapter 29) so be prepared for it. Grammer issues are minimal in Born Upon a Curse and I am so amped to be apart of the first 500 to read this book!
If you love Harry Potter, you will enjoy this book. I'm hoping for more books to this because their is still ALOT of plot left out there. I wanna know A&N story; why work both sides and in the end come back to what you knew. I knew characters would die but I feel Es story needed more. Level of spice is 🌶🌶 and it's a slow burn (Chapter 29) so be prepared for it. Grammer issues are minimal in Born Upon a Curse and I am so amped to be apart of the first 500 to read this book!
June 17, 2024
All I can say is that this book was amazing. My mom told me about it and I was extremely interested in it. I started it, and it was one of the books that were extremely hard to put down. It's fast-paced, there is tons of action, and it makes you fall in love with the characters extremely fast. At least I did. The war was well written, and there was so much going on that you turned and read the pages as fast as you could. It's definitely one of my most favorite books I have read, and I hope there are more books to come. Overall rating for me is more than 5 stars 🌟
April 27, 2024
This is an amazing book. Hands down, it had me on the edge of my seat for the whole read. I really am looking forward to the next book
Whilst it was a serious book it had the right amount of funny sprinkled throughout it. Smut was also at a good level
Thank you M Dane for a fab book and allowing me to read an ARC 🥰 I truely look forward to reading any further books in the series
Whilst it was a serious book it had the right amount of funny sprinkled throughout it. Smut was also at a good level
Thank you M Dane for a fab book and allowing me to read an ARC 🥰 I truely look forward to reading any further books in the series
April 8, 2024
I had the privilege of reading this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this entire book it had me hooked from beginning to end.
If you loved Harry Potter growing up, you'll love this book! This was everything I didn't know I needed!
I loved this entire book it had me hooked from beginning to end.
If you loved Harry Potter growing up, you'll love this book! This was everything I didn't know I needed!
April 26, 2024
An interesting read, that drew me in.
Alina’s character is of a typical teen who is guided by her inner voices rather than having the wisdom to seek advice or ask ‘what’s going on’ in her relationships with those around her. That’s not the sum of her character though, she’s a fighter that’s lead by a strong moral compass and a will to prevail.
Ultimately, this book is most teens dream fantasy, go to school in an alternative universe with minimal supervision, lots of paries and hooking up! Throw in some enchanted magical animals, friendships that grow in spite of adversity and you have your self a very enjoyable read.
Alina’s character is of a typical teen who is guided by her inner voices rather than having the wisdom to seek advice or ask ‘what’s going on’ in her relationships with those around her. That’s not the sum of her character though, she’s a fighter that’s lead by a strong moral compass and a will to prevail.
Ultimately, this book is most teens dream fantasy, go to school in an alternative universe with minimal supervision, lots of paries and hooking up! Throw in some enchanted magical animals, friendships that grow in spite of adversity and you have your self a very enjoyable read.
April 29, 2024
This book was such a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world! 🐉✨
I legit couldn't put it down. The author's descriptions? Pure magic. 🌌
And his writing style? BEAUTIFUL!
There is a library shaped like a glass rose 🌹 with EVERYTHING your heart desires! I want to live there!!!! 🥰
It's like Harry Potter, but way more adult, and instead of wizards, they're demons (the good kind... sort of) LOL. 🧙♂️👹
There's this super intense, dangerous sport kinda like Capture the Flag that had me stressing my balls off! 🏁🏆😱
I loved how the author touched on depression and insecurities. Most fantasy books make the FMC a badass who handles everything perfectly, but Alina? She's a badass with relatable issues. 🖤
The MMC is obviously a walking red flag but HOT AS HELL with an Australian accent 🚩🔥
They all seem to have an alcohol problem, but hey, they're basically in a magical college/academy so it's not that weird, right? 🍻🔮
She has an awesome new bestie named CJ who I absolutely adore! 👯♀️
And don't even get me started on the adorable creatures in the book! 🐾💕
I had a moment or THREE where I cried, but okay, I guess it's a fantasy author thing. 😭
I NEED BOOK 2 LIKE YESTERDAY!!! 📚⏰
I legit couldn't put it down. The author's descriptions? Pure magic. 🌌
And his writing style? BEAUTIFUL!
There is a library shaped like a glass rose 🌹 with EVERYTHING your heart desires! I want to live there!!!! 🥰
It's like Harry Potter, but way more adult, and instead of wizards, they're demons (the good kind... sort of) LOL. 🧙♂️👹
There's this super intense, dangerous sport kinda like Capture the Flag that had me stressing my balls off! 🏁🏆😱
I loved how the author touched on depression and insecurities. Most fantasy books make the FMC a badass who handles everything perfectly, but Alina? She's a badass with relatable issues. 🖤
The MMC is obviously a walking red flag but HOT AS HELL with an Australian accent 🚩🔥
They all seem to have an alcohol problem, but hey, they're basically in a magical college/academy so it's not that weird, right? 🍻🔮
She has an awesome new bestie named CJ who I absolutely adore! 👯♀️
And don't even get me started on the adorable creatures in the book! 🐾💕
I had a moment or THREE where I cried, but okay, I guess it's a fantasy author thing. 😭
I NEED BOOK 2 LIKE YESTERDAY!!! 📚⏰
April 29, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
This has been the fastest fantasy book I have read ever.
I’ll admit my head felt like it was spinning a bit at the start of the book, which almost felt like the main character Alina must have been feeling like. But it fell into a good rhythm which made reading the rest so much fun.
Highly recommend.
This has been the fastest fantasy book I have read ever.
I’ll admit my head felt like it was spinning a bit at the start of the book, which almost felt like the main character Alina must have been feeling like. But it fell into a good rhythm which made reading the rest so much fun.
Highly recommend.
March 30, 2024
Holy wow! What a ride. Thoroughly enjoyed this and almost managed it in one sitting. Had 40 pages left and dropped my kindle on my face at 2am…
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Born Upon A Curse and oh boy it didn’t disappoint. From chapter 2 I was hooked and needed to know exactly what was happening.
I only wish it was longer and could be more in depth. Absolutely amazing
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Born Upon A Curse and oh boy it didn’t disappoint. From chapter 2 I was hooked and needed to know exactly what was happening.
I only wish it was longer and could be more in depth. Absolutely amazing
May 17, 2024
I flew through this book!!! I loved the concept and was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author (Thank you) I rate my books using a mood rating as well as a proper review I couldn’t put it down but I didn’t feel connected the the characters like I usually would in a fantasy
The love interest and relationships seemed to happen almost instantly and feel like there could have been more build up
Will I read the next one? Absolutely 💕
The love interest and relationships seemed to happen almost instantly and feel like there could have been more build up
Will I read the next one? Absolutely 💕
May 1, 2024
Format: 📱 eBook 📱
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️
I really wanted to love this book. The premise was outstanding, and the way the author had advertised it on social media made it sound like it was right up my alley. Add to that the fact the author is Australian, and was an instant need to read.
Unfortunately I struggled with reading this. I found it very hard to get into the story; it felt like it took a long time to get anywhere, and there's almost a part of me that felt a little of it could have been condensed. I was hooked on the character of Alina and this second personality of hers, and knew that would clearly play a pivotal role. But I feel it took a very long time for us to understand what that "personality" truly meant.
I loved the real world perspective, however, I was also mildly surprised with the setting. I felt that Alina being a Southern girl would play more of a role in the story, seeing as it had been brought up a few times in the opening chapters. But this was almost forgotten about as soon as she hit Astaroth (also, had mild flashback to watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks here with the name 😅).
The Academy itself I enjoyed. I loved the descriptions of the classes, of the places Alina and her friends visit through the days there. And that library? Sign me up to live there, please. But with the Academy and it's classes came some... struggles, let's say, with the story. In the marketing, Dane promised us a new adult PNR/fantasy romance akin to Harry Potter - and I feel as if some of the scenes within Astaroth drew too heavily from HP - the "beast" class, the intricate sport that is held above all else on campus, the four houses that compete in a competition... let's not mention the outright comparisons Alina makes to HP in her dialogue/thoughts. And the spicy parts we were told of? One mild scene. I was honestly a little let down by this, but at the same time, any more wouldn't have worked, either.
My other major issue is that all these students ever seem to do in their spare time is drink. End of Flag Fall game? Drinking. Going to the local town? Drinking. I thought this Academy was preparation for this foreboding war going on in the background - which again, gets lost multiple times throughout the book.
Alina. Our FMC. I enjoyed her, honestly. Her growth throughout the book was really interesting to read, going from this woman who did all she could to hide Machina from the world, terrified of what she would do if she didn't, to embracing that other side of her, once she realised what it truly meant. There are moments I wish she didn't run from conflict quite as she did. There are also moments I questioned her emotional intelligence - And it's really dumb, but it irked me during the spice scene that she was almost... juvenile with her words.
Aren. Okay, Dane did an excellent job in introducing him to us, because from the second I read his first dialogue, I could hear the Aussie accent in my mind. That is an absolute skill to have, so bravo to Dane. I really liked him as a character; he was quirky, he was fun, but you also know there's more hiding beneath the surface. I'm honestly sad that we didn't get to know more than surface level stuff about him, though. He literally serves the purpose of being a love interest; and at times, I struggled to feel any chemistry between him and Alina. And the whole Sophie stuff at the beginning kind of rubbed me the wrong way - I really wish we got to understanding what was happening more there.
I loved CJ, filling in the role of best friend - and her British mannerisms were down pat, I won't lie. I enjoyed that she rose to the occasion when things mattered, despite events in the book.
When the book did pick up was around the first Flag Fall game for me. I devoured those chapters, and almost wanted more of that first game. It sounds so interesting, and the way Dane painted the narrative of the action, and the suspense of whether or not Michael would win was amazing.
The twists and turns in this book were good, and a few of the surprises I did not see coming. Dane drops little hints throughout that you really have to pay attention to, because when all is revealed, I found myself going "how did I miss that?". The build up of the climax of the story was amazing, so much action in those last few chapters. But then I feel as if it kind of petered out to give us the HFN ending - which left us with a lot of unanswered questions - but to be fair, this is book one of the series! It's definitely left me wanting to read the next entry in the series, and seeing where Alina's story takes us from here.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️
I really wanted to love this book. The premise was outstanding, and the way the author had advertised it on social media made it sound like it was right up my alley. Add to that the fact the author is Australian, and was an instant need to read.
Unfortunately I struggled with reading this. I found it very hard to get into the story; it felt like it took a long time to get anywhere, and there's almost a part of me that felt a little of it could have been condensed. I was hooked on the character of Alina and this second personality of hers, and knew that would clearly play a pivotal role. But I feel it took a very long time for us to understand what that "personality" truly meant.
I loved the real world perspective, however, I was also mildly surprised with the setting. I felt that Alina being a Southern girl would play more of a role in the story, seeing as it had been brought up a few times in the opening chapters. But this was almost forgotten about as soon as she hit Astaroth (also, had mild flashback to watching Bedknobs and Broomsticks here with the name 😅).
The Academy itself I enjoyed. I loved the descriptions of the classes, of the places Alina and her friends visit through the days there. And that library? Sign me up to live there, please. But with the Academy and it's classes came some... struggles, let's say, with the story. In the marketing, Dane promised us a new adult PNR/fantasy romance akin to Harry Potter - and I feel as if some of the scenes within Astaroth drew too heavily from HP - the "beast" class, the intricate sport that is held above all else on campus, the four houses that compete in a competition... let's not mention the outright comparisons Alina makes to HP in her dialogue/thoughts. And the spicy parts we were told of? One mild scene. I was honestly a little let down by this, but at the same time, any more wouldn't have worked, either.
My other major issue is that all these students ever seem to do in their spare time is drink. End of Flag Fall game? Drinking. Going to the local town? Drinking. I thought this Academy was preparation for this foreboding war going on in the background - which again, gets lost multiple times throughout the book.
Alina. Our FMC. I enjoyed her, honestly. Her growth throughout the book was really interesting to read, going from this woman who did all she could to hide Machina from the world, terrified of what she would do if she didn't, to embracing that other side of her, once she realised what it truly meant. There are moments I wish she didn't run from conflict quite as she did. There are also moments I questioned her emotional intelligence - And it's really dumb, but it irked me during the spice scene that she was almost... juvenile with her words.
Aren. Okay, Dane did an excellent job in introducing him to us, because from the second I read his first dialogue, I could hear the Aussie accent in my mind. That is an absolute skill to have, so bravo to Dane. I really liked him as a character; he was quirky, he was fun, but you also know there's more hiding beneath the surface. I'm honestly sad that we didn't get to know more than surface level stuff about him, though. He literally serves the purpose of being a love interest; and at times, I struggled to feel any chemistry between him and Alina. And the whole Sophie stuff at the beginning kind of rubbed me the wrong way - I really wish we got to understanding what was happening more there.
I loved CJ, filling in the role of best friend - and her British mannerisms were down pat, I won't lie. I enjoyed that she rose to the occasion when things mattered, despite events in the book.
When the book did pick up was around the first Flag Fall game for me. I devoured those chapters, and almost wanted more of that first game. It sounds so interesting, and the way Dane painted the narrative of the action, and the suspense of whether or not Michael would win was amazing.
The twists and turns in this book were good, and a few of the surprises I did not see coming. Dane drops little hints throughout that you really have to pay attention to, because when all is revealed, I found myself going "how did I miss that?". The build up of the climax of the story was amazing, so much action in those last few chapters. But then I feel as if it kind of petered out to give us the HFN ending - which left us with a lot of unanswered questions - but to be fair, this is book one of the series! It's definitely left me wanting to read the next entry in the series, and seeing where Alina's story takes us from here.
April 21, 2024
Born Upon a Curse is an interesting read and overall, I rather enjoyed it. That does not mean that I didn't have issues with the plot and character development, but there was enough to keep me engaged and interested in the story and the characters. I particularly liked Alina's inner conflict with Machina, what she though it was, and what it actually meant. It was a bit of a twist I wasn't expecting and I was rather intrigued by the concept.
First of all, Alina. She is the only character I could honestly say got some character development in this story. While I didn't necessarily like her all the time, and I didn't care for how she treated people at times, I did like her growing realization that the reason she has a lot of problems is because of her own behaviour and attitude. It totally turns me off when an author places all the blame on others for one's own actions, and while this did happen at times, Alina's friends weren't so complacent with her and let her know when she was a problem. To be honest, I don't think it went deep enough as Alina could be horrible at times and deserved a lot of what she got. When she realized she wasn't necessarily suffering from associative disorder, I would think the mental games that would play on you would be difficult, especially when you believed one thing all your life only to be told it was something completely different. When she asked her friend to help her with her problem, I definitely understood where she was coming from, but being so new to magic and all it entailed, perhaps doing some more research yourself and making sure everyone would be safe should be your main concern. Unfortunately, Alina acted very selfishly quite often, getting people around her hurt or killed.
The other characters were quite cliched, including the love interest. I wish more time had been spent developing some of the secondary characters, but except for Raven and Oliver, I didn't really develop any empathy for any of them, even her best friend CJ. I actually thought the author treated CJ terribly in this book, having her party and seem only interested in boys, so when an incident happened, I could see why Alina reacted the way she did. Maybe develop CJ's character instead and the whole thing would be more satisfactory than it was.
Now the love interest. Not a fan AT ALL And why, for the love of whatever, when Alina is first escorted to the chateau, would a teacher take her to a male's room for her to shower and get ready for the selection, or whatever it was called. Honestly, there would be dozens of FEMALE rooms for her to do so and be more comfortable. That whole scene left a bad taste in my mouth. And naturally, what happened next was so predictable. Enter the....gasp....girlfriend. Let's just say I wasn't a fan of the romance and the book would have been fine without it. I should probably mention that I am not a fan on insta-lust either. Let's just leave it there.
The plot itself though, was fine. While a bit slower at the beginning, I thought it was interesting to learn about the new world and the academy as well as the people. Yes, it had similiar feeling to Harry Potter, but so many boarding school books that I have read, so nothing new there. I even loved the game they played. What I didn't like was the constant parties and alcohol sessions. And where were the supervisors? Some of these kids were 12 years old. And it was constant. Play a game, have a couple of beers. Go to class, have some beers. Win a game, have some alcohol. Have a bad day, drown your sorrows in alcohol. Alcohol everywhere. Even the teachers show up drunk, smoking cigarettes. What?
Born Upon a Curse had a lot of good things going for it, things that I hope the author will continue to focus on in the next book. There was some interesting world building, even if it is only in the infancy stages, and I would love to learn more about the other cities and people that inhabit the world. And while the ending was satisfactory, there are definitely a lot of threads that need further development in the next book. I am still waiting to find out exactly why all the demons want Alina and there were some cryptic allegations made during the battle that made me curious enough to want to read the next book it is released. If you enjoy books about demons, then this book may be for you.
I received this ARC copy from the author.
First of all, Alina. She is the only character I could honestly say got some character development in this story. While I didn't necessarily like her all the time, and I didn't care for how she treated people at times, I did like her growing realization that the reason she has a lot of problems is because of her own behaviour and attitude. It totally turns me off when an author places all the blame on others for one's own actions, and while this did happen at times, Alina's friends weren't so complacent with her and let her know when she was a problem. To be honest, I don't think it went deep enough as Alina could be horrible at times and deserved a lot of what she got. When she realized she wasn't necessarily suffering from associative disorder, I would think the mental games that would play on you would be difficult, especially when you believed one thing all your life only to be told it was something completely different. When she asked her friend to help her with her problem, I definitely understood where she was coming from, but being so new to magic and all it entailed, perhaps doing some more research yourself and making sure everyone would be safe should be your main concern. Unfortunately, Alina acted very selfishly quite often, getting people around her hurt or killed.
The other characters were quite cliched, including the love interest. I wish more time had been spent developing some of the secondary characters, but except for Raven and Oliver, I didn't really develop any empathy for any of them, even her best friend CJ. I actually thought the author treated CJ terribly in this book, having her party and seem only interested in boys, so when an incident happened, I could see why Alina reacted the way she did. Maybe develop CJ's character instead and the whole thing would be more satisfactory than it was.
Now the love interest. Not a fan AT ALL And why, for the love of whatever, when Alina is first escorted to the chateau, would a teacher take her to a male's room for her to shower and get ready for the selection, or whatever it was called. Honestly, there would be dozens of FEMALE rooms for her to do so and be more comfortable. That whole scene left a bad taste in my mouth. And naturally, what happened next was so predictable. Enter the....gasp....girlfriend. Let's just say I wasn't a fan of the romance and the book would have been fine without it. I should probably mention that I am not a fan on insta-lust either. Let's just leave it there.
The plot itself though, was fine. While a bit slower at the beginning, I thought it was interesting to learn about the new world and the academy as well as the people. Yes, it had similiar feeling to Harry Potter, but so many boarding school books that I have read, so nothing new there. I even loved the game they played. What I didn't like was the constant parties and alcohol sessions. And where were the supervisors? Some of these kids were 12 years old. And it was constant. Play a game, have a couple of beers. Go to class, have some beers. Win a game, have some alcohol. Have a bad day, drown your sorrows in alcohol. Alcohol everywhere. Even the teachers show up drunk, smoking cigarettes. What?
Born Upon a Curse had a lot of good things going for it, things that I hope the author will continue to focus on in the next book. There was some interesting world building, even if it is only in the infancy stages, and I would love to learn more about the other cities and people that inhabit the world. And while the ending was satisfactory, there are definitely a lot of threads that need further development in the next book. I am still waiting to find out exactly why all the demons want Alina and there were some cryptic allegations made during the battle that made me curious enough to want to read the next book it is released. If you enjoy books about demons, then this book may be for you.
I received this ARC copy from the author.
April 26, 2024
Thank you to the Author, Michael Dane, for the ARC! :)
Fav Quote- "I reckon you're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for"
This quote...really hit me. If the death's didn't make me tear up, this quote did.
Let's start with, I did enjoy a good amount of this book...but there was times when I started to skim. 50% to 77% was really hard to get through. Once I got to like 80% I flew through the rest.
I was interested from the beginning, yet there were too many references to our real world. When I read, I don't want to be reminded of my world...that's the whole point of reading- to escape.
I'm not talking about taco bell and barns and nobles haha (love me some quesadilla's and books) it's the talk of political parties >.<. It was one line...but it kind of put a bad taste in my mouth.
Also, the multiple comments on harry potter.
Alina asking if Flag Fall is like Quidditch...
Alina making a remark about Harry himself...
It was too much.
I have a love hate relationship with Alina, the FMC. She is all over the place but makes sense once you get to know her more. Majority of the book she didn't have a backbone and needed everyone else to stand up for her...and that's why I- (only look at spoiler if you read)
It drove me nuts that Alina kept calling the male anatomy a thing, winky, or anything other than words we would use.
Alina also lost someone she said she cared about but the very next day was playing sports?
(Flag Fall)
I loved when Raven showed up! LOVE RAVEN!
Aran, I liked him from the beginning...and I'm a sucker for an accent.
CJ- great friend. She always stood up for Alina
GIF pertains to spoiler
I loved Eben. He made me smile when he came on the page.
A good amount of people are killed off...sadly, I didn't get emotional about any of them except one...
Astaroth Academy is supposed to train you- prepare you for war...but majority of the time it was partying/drinking
It just didn't seem very important for these students to learn if the professors allowed such behavior. Most of this book is classes, partying, and repeat those maybe throw in some sports then BAM...I won't say due to spoilers.
The ending isn't what I thought it was going to be...I really thought it was going a certain way then it went the opposite. Kind of disappointed...but it could be a me thing
Altogether, a decent read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews