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Of Kingdoms and Curses
Trapped in a realm where magic is ruthless, memories are stolen, and every choice comes at a deadly cost, Bridget Adams just wants to go home.
For seven agonizing months, Bridget has been stuck in the Kingdom of Elyria, a land where magic strips away all memories, leaving its human captives lost and broken. Stripped of her past, she is forced to serve Cora, the merciless leader of a nomadic Witch coven.
When Cora enters Bridget in a brutal tournament to win the Fae Prince Cade’s hand, Bridget sees a chance at freedom. But a binding contract traps her on the palace grounds, forcing her to compete. As she navigates deadly challenges, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Cade, who holds secrets of his own—secrets that could help Bridget return to the human realm.
As their bond deepens, Bridget uncovers dark truths about Elyria and the tournament. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes the greatest curse of all may not be the magic that binds her—but the dangerous love growing between her and Cade.
In this thrilling, heart-pounding tale of forbidden magic, dark secrets, and a love that could change everything, Bridget must navigate a world where every choice could be her last.
For seven agonizing months, Bridget has been stuck in the Kingdom of Elyria, a land where magic strips away all memories, leaving its human captives lost and broken. Stripped of her past, she is forced to serve Cora, the merciless leader of a nomadic Witch coven.
When Cora enters Bridget in a brutal tournament to win the Fae Prince Cade’s hand, Bridget sees a chance at freedom. But a binding contract traps her on the palace grounds, forcing her to compete. As she navigates deadly challenges, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Cade, who holds secrets of his own—secrets that could help Bridget return to the human realm.
As their bond deepens, Bridget uncovers dark truths about Elyria and the tournament. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes the greatest curse of all may not be the magic that binds her—but the dangerous love growing between her and Cade.
In this thrilling, heart-pounding tale of forbidden magic, dark secrets, and a love that could change everything, Bridget must navigate a world where every choice could be her last.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2024
46 people are currently reading
3646 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
July 26, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.
This one wasn’t for me, even if the premise sounded right up my alley.
I think it should’ve been marketed to the very young side of YA (12-15yo).
An info dump is thrown your way in the first 10% of the book - and I had to reread twice what I had just read. I wanted to DNF but I can’t rate a book I haven’t read. We get an info dump - but crucial informations to further your understanding of the world are withheld.
The thing I struggled with the most is that we get a very slim glimpse (barely 2 pages) of her life with Cora before Bridget is thrown in the tournament. It’s not enough to understand where she’s coming from and her backstory moving forward. She was with Cora for 7 months and their dynamic was off on paper. It would’ve helped if this book started a few days prior to sending Bridget away. Because now you don’t really understand the type of relationship Cora and Bridget have and you don’t get the attachment either.
Bridget is utterly clueless in all of this and I had severe second hand embarrassment a few times. She doesn’t ask questions? This was so weird to me. It felt like she purposely wanted to be kept in the clueless section. It definitely didn’t pass the Bechdel Test. There was a lot of pitting women against women.
I couldn’t warm up to the FMC. She was extremely whiny. She kept wanting to run away but as soon as the prince rejected her - she wallowed in self pity when it wasn’t even the plan and she hadn’t even talked to him yet. So many inconsistencies.
There’s a few more things that intensely icked me but I will stop there.
Reading is subjective and you might like this one. I personally didn’t.
This one wasn’t for me, even if the premise sounded right up my alley.
I think it should’ve been marketed to the very young side of YA (12-15yo).
An info dump is thrown your way in the first 10% of the book - and I had to reread twice what I had just read. I wanted to DNF but I can’t rate a book I haven’t read. We get an info dump - but crucial informations to further your understanding of the world are withheld.
The thing I struggled with the most is that we get a very slim glimpse (barely 2 pages) of her life with Cora before Bridget is thrown in the tournament. It’s not enough to understand where she’s coming from and her backstory moving forward. She was with Cora for 7 months and their dynamic was off on paper. It would’ve helped if this book started a few days prior to sending Bridget away. Because now you don’t really understand the type of relationship Cora and Bridget have and you don’t get the attachment either.
Bridget is utterly clueless in all of this and I had severe second hand embarrassment a few times. She doesn’t ask questions? This was so weird to me. It felt like she purposely wanted to be kept in the clueless section. It definitely didn’t pass the Bechdel Test. There was a lot of pitting women against women.
I couldn’t warm up to the FMC. She was extremely whiny. She kept wanting to run away but as soon as the prince rejected her - she wallowed in self pity when it wasn’t even the plan and she hadn’t even talked to him yet. So many inconsistencies.
There’s a few more things that intensely icked me but I will stop there.
Reading is subjective and you might like this one. I personally didn’t.
August 15, 2024
I had a fun time reading this one. It was filled with a bunch of plot twists that just kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
My favorite part was definitely the “before” section. I really enjoyed reading about how Cade and Bridget met and fell in love. It was also crazy how different Bridget’s life was before everything went downhill for her.
I also still really enjoyed the “after” sections. I couldn’t get enough of the scenes where Cade would come to the rescue and save Bridget from whatever mess she got herself into.
I definitely gotta say that the book ends and leaves you wanting more. The ending hurt 😭 I honestly can’t wait to find out how the story will continue.
Thank you so much Amy Woodruff and Book of Matches Media for the ARC 🫶
My favorite part was definitely the “before” section. I really enjoyed reading about how Cade and Bridget met and fell in love. It was also crazy how different Bridget’s life was before everything went downhill for her.
I also still really enjoyed the “after” sections. I couldn’t get enough of the scenes where Cade would come to the rescue and save Bridget from whatever mess she got herself into.
I definitely gotta say that the book ends and leaves you wanting more. The ending hurt 😭 I honestly can’t wait to find out how the story will continue.
Thank you so much Amy Woodruff and Book of Matches Media for the ARC 🫶
July 27, 2024
eARC Review:
If you like ACOTAR, The Serpent and the Wings of Night & When the Moon Hatched, you will love this!
The story follows a human woman called Bridget, who has been in the Fae realm for some months. When crossing the gate, humans lose their memories and Bridget has no idea how she ended up there. She has been part of a witch coven for the past several months, until she is enlisted into a tournament. The tournament decides who will marry Prince Cade, but with no magic in her veins, it's a deadly dance of survival for Bridget. Not all is what it seems though.
I loved this book. I honestly think that this will blow up on social media once it's released. The writing is great, the plot is unique, the characters are so lovable and the world building is amazing.
Bridget - Even though she's human, she puts up a fight. She cares deeply about the ones she loves and would do absolutely anything to save and care for them. She's a great FMC and I'm really excited to watch her grow.
Cade - He is not your typical brooding prince... he is a softie, a cinnamon roll but has huge 'I will burn the world for her' vibes. You will need to open up a spot for him on your favourite book boyfriends list...
I genuinely cared about the side characters in this. It had me smiling and crying and is truthfully one of my favourite reads of 2024. I'm so excited for the next book!
If you like ACOTAR, The Serpent and the Wings of Night & When the Moon Hatched, you will love this!
The story follows a human woman called Bridget, who has been in the Fae realm for some months. When crossing the gate, humans lose their memories and Bridget has no idea how she ended up there. She has been part of a witch coven for the past several months, until she is enlisted into a tournament. The tournament decides who will marry Prince Cade, but with no magic in her veins, it's a deadly dance of survival for Bridget. Not all is what it seems though.
I loved this book. I honestly think that this will blow up on social media once it's released. The writing is great, the plot is unique, the characters are so lovable and the world building is amazing.
Bridget - Even though she's human, she puts up a fight. She cares deeply about the ones she loves and would do absolutely anything to save and care for them. She's a great FMC and I'm really excited to watch her grow.
Cade - He is not your typical brooding prince... he is a softie, a cinnamon roll but has huge 'I will burn the world for her' vibes. You will need to open up a spot for him on your favourite book boyfriends list...
I genuinely cared about the side characters in this. It had me smiling and crying and is truthfully one of my favourite reads of 2024. I'm so excited for the next book!
August 3, 2024
3.5 Star
I’m left kind of unsure as I finished this book. A human girl is trapped in the fae realm without any memory of how she got there. She then is forced into a tournament to for the prince to choose a bride. There was soo much I loved and so much I was confused by. I felt there were a lot of questions left unanswered, but I think a lot of that will be addressed in the second book. There were some details that seemed to come out of no where but I suppose were explained earlier in the book but I must have missed the significance at the time (like Bridgette always wearing gloves)
I did enjoy the author’s concept of breaking up the story as Before, After & Now - it added different dynamics for sure. And there is a major cliffhanger that definitely left me needing to know what happens next. This book is a YA romantasy with unique magic and a lot of crazy events that happen!
I did enjoy it and am interested to see where the next book takes us.
Thank you NetGalley & City Owl Press for the ebook ARC!
Watch for it when it releases August 6th, 2024!
I’m left kind of unsure as I finished this book. A human girl is trapped in the fae realm without any memory of how she got there. She then is forced into a tournament to for the prince to choose a bride. There was soo much I loved and so much I was confused by. I felt there were a lot of questions left unanswered, but I think a lot of that will be addressed in the second book. There were some details that seemed to come out of no where but I suppose were explained earlier in the book but I must have missed the significance at the time (like Bridgette always wearing gloves)
I did enjoy the author’s concept of breaking up the story as Before, After & Now - it added different dynamics for sure. And there is a major cliffhanger that definitely left me needing to know what happens next. This book is a YA romantasy with unique magic and a lot of crazy events that happen!
I did enjoy it and am interested to see where the next book takes us.
Thank you NetGalley & City Owl Press for the ebook ARC!
Watch for it when it releases August 6th, 2024!
August 3, 2024
Firstly, the cover of this book is a thing of beauty! I can't wait to get my hands on a shelf trophy.
The story itself? Wonderful. When I turned the page and it read, "epilogue" I was distraught! This isn't the end?? Surely??
Our FMC Bridget is not having a good time. She's been stuck in Elyria for 7 months, with amnesia, all while being held hostage and forced into submission by a Cora; the leader of the Virgo Coven.
Tropes:
Forbidden love
Games and trials
Found family
Forgotten memories
Witches, fae and humans.
Dark magics
The story has some great twists and turns, you find yourself rooting for the main characters early in the story. The villains are well developed, and their motives are laced within earlier events, like little easter eggs, and as a result the events line up perfectly for a crushing ending.
Zero smut. Zero. If you need smut, this is not the book for you. Otherwise, if you loved Crescent City and Serpent of Wings and Night, you will love this story.
The story itself? Wonderful. When I turned the page and it read, "epilogue" I was distraught! This isn't the end?? Surely??
Our FMC Bridget is not having a good time. She's been stuck in Elyria for 7 months, with amnesia, all while being held hostage and forced into submission by a Cora; the leader of the Virgo Coven.
Tropes:
Forbidden love
Games and trials
Found family
Forgotten memories
Witches, fae and humans.
Dark magics
The story has some great twists and turns, you find yourself rooting for the main characters early in the story. The villains are well developed, and their motives are laced within earlier events, like little easter eggs, and as a result the events line up perfectly for a crushing ending.
Zero smut. Zero. If you need smut, this is not the book for you. Otherwise, if you loved Crescent City and Serpent of Wings and Night, you will love this story.
August 25, 2024
Wow -- I really loved this one!
Bridget Adams is stuck in the after (but not, like, the afterworld), and she's unsure how she got there. Without any memory of the before, she's trying to figure out how she got to Elyria and why. Stuck with a witch coven as a human, Bridget is forced to enter the king's tournament, where the grand prize is marriage to the crown prince, Cade. However, Bridget has an ulterior motive for agreeing to participate in the games and may need to recruit the help of said crown prince (and a few of her tournament opponents).
It's lighter on romance (for now -- I feel it'll pick up as the series continues) but has lots of action. This perfectly paced fantasy debut left you turning the pages well into the night. If you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas, you'll enjoy this one just as much as I did. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out!
Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the ARC.
Bridget Adams is stuck in the after (but not, like, the afterworld), and she's unsure how she got there. Without any memory of the before, she's trying to figure out how she got to Elyria and why. Stuck with a witch coven as a human, Bridget is forced to enter the king's tournament, where the grand prize is marriage to the crown prince, Cade. However, Bridget has an ulterior motive for agreeing to participate in the games and may need to recruit the help of said crown prince (and a few of her tournament opponents).
It's lighter on romance (for now -- I feel it'll pick up as the series continues) but has lots of action. This perfectly paced fantasy debut left you turning the pages well into the night. If you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas, you'll enjoy this one just as much as I did. I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out!
Thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for the ARC.
October 26, 2024
This was such a fun read! I highly recommend. Excited for the next book!
August 28, 2024
4,5✨ - It’s been a while since I’ve read any fantasy with a contemporary setting. So at first I wasn’t too sure about it. But Amy made it work so well!
This book was a rollercoaster like no other. Twists, turns and almost more surprises and secrets than my human mind can comprehend.
The story is told in 3rd person and as a reader, you are as clueless as our main girl Bridget. So you’re truly along for the ride as she discovers more about her life, dangerous secrets and the boy she feels instantly attracted to.
The further you get, the faster the pace seems to be. At the end of the book I felt as if my heart was going to beat out of my chest. And that ending… When do we get book 2?!?!?
Add this to your TBR if you like:
❤️🔥 starcrossed lovers
💎Powerful Artifacts
🔮Mind Magic
💕Found Family
🩸Blood Magic
⚔️High Stakes Trials
🪄Magically Binding Bargains
🌎Contemporary Setting
🚪Magical gates
This book was a rollercoaster like no other. Twists, turns and almost more surprises and secrets than my human mind can comprehend.
The story is told in 3rd person and as a reader, you are as clueless as our main girl Bridget. So you’re truly along for the ride as she discovers more about her life, dangerous secrets and the boy she feels instantly attracted to.
The further you get, the faster the pace seems to be. At the end of the book I felt as if my heart was going to beat out of my chest. And that ending… When do we get book 2?!?!?
Add this to your TBR if you like:
❤️🔥 starcrossed lovers
💎Powerful Artifacts
🔮Mind Magic
💕Found Family
🩸Blood Magic
⚔️High Stakes Trials
🪄Magically Binding Bargains
🌎Contemporary Setting
🚪Magical gates
November 15, 2024
This book!! The storytelling is beyond creative, to get the narrative in the order as After, Before and then Now makes you fall in love with these characters all over again in such different settings.
This book has some of my favorite Romantasy elements; he falls first, a courtly tournament, fae / witches / nymphs and a love story surrounding memory loss and getting to puzzle with all the missing pieces.
My only critique would be that there are a lot of different side characters to keep track off. I’d love to get to know them more, what drives the friends / nemesis beyond the story as it is right now. So I am basically asking for more puzzle pieces since clearly I can’t get enough of these worlds and their inhabitants.
I have laughed, cried and fell victim to giddy leg-kicking. When a book makes you feel all the feels AND has a surprising plot twist it is an automatic win for me. I know this book needs to get released first, but please when can we expect the sequel?
I received this book as an eARC for free courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you for the review opportunity!
This book has some of my favorite Romantasy elements; he falls first, a courtly tournament, fae / witches / nymphs and a love story surrounding memory loss and getting to puzzle with all the missing pieces.
My only critique would be that there are a lot of different side characters to keep track off. I’d love to get to know them more, what drives the friends / nemesis beyond the story as it is right now. So I am basically asking for more puzzle pieces since clearly I can’t get enough of these worlds and their inhabitants.
I have laughed, cried and fell victim to giddy leg-kicking. When a book makes you feel all the feels AND has a surprising plot twist it is an automatic win for me. I know this book needs to get released first, but please when can we expect the sequel?
I received this book as an eARC for free courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you for the review opportunity!
August 5, 2024
3/5⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this eARC!
This book unfortunately did fall a bit short for me, I felt that the storyline could’ve been executed better. I think that the way these characters were written just didn’t grasp my attention much, not to mention it was hard to really connect with some of them.
However, I can definitely say I loved Cade and Bridget’s romance, the way they fell in love multiple times despite the odds that were against them really was a big part of this book that I loved💗. Also I really liked that the author gave us before and after chapters so we could understand the timeline better and the change in dynamics between the characters so that was definitely helpful in avoiding confusion but also just overall interesting to see how everything started and where everyone ended up.
While this book wasn’t what I hoped it would be, I was still impressed nonetheless, and after reading that epilogue I will DEFINITELY be reading the next book in the series for sure!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this eARC!
This book unfortunately did fall a bit short for me, I felt that the storyline could’ve been executed better. I think that the way these characters were written just didn’t grasp my attention much, not to mention it was hard to really connect with some of them.
However, I can definitely say I loved Cade and Bridget’s romance, the way they fell in love multiple times despite the odds that were against them really was a big part of this book that I loved💗. Also I really liked that the author gave us before and after chapters so we could understand the timeline better and the change in dynamics between the characters so that was definitely helpful in avoiding confusion but also just overall interesting to see how everything started and where everyone ended up.
While this book wasn’t what I hoped it would be, I was still impressed nonetheless, and after reading that epilogue I will DEFINITELY be reading the next book in the series for sure!!
August 12, 2024
This book did exactly what the first book in any series should do, it hooked me and left me wanting more!
I can’t wait for the next book Amy Woodruff graces us with! She did an exquisite job of bringing together an action packed love story, that revolves around one human woman’s survival in a world full of magical beings against her. This was unputdownable!!
I can’t wait for the next book Amy Woodruff graces us with! She did an exquisite job of bringing together an action packed love story, that revolves around one human woman’s survival in a world full of magical beings against her. This was unputdownable!!
August 12, 2024
First I would love to thank @lovebookstours for Sinding me an early ARC 💕simple thank is not enough to describe how I have loved that book and can't wait to read the second one 🔥.
What a great start for a very amazing series ❤
From the start page of the book you will find yourself completely absorbed by the story 😍.
Story about Bridget the girl who is seeking to retrieve her stolen memories while being held captive to one of the zodiac coven ♍.
I'll start with the most impressive characters that attracted me to the book 💖.
Our first character is non other our fire girl Bridget 🔥.
Bridget is a girl who found herself in a strange place with no memories of her past memories 😢.
Bridget is a head strong girl who never give up on her quest to retrieve her memories and escape her cruel coven that mistreated and torture her.
And like her red hair she is easily aggravated and easily angered 💢 which cause her lots of troubles and she misunderstand the people around her making her an easy target.
but don't be mistaken she is not weak 😏.
There where this scene in the tournament where the FAE soldier underestimated her because she is human , oh man that was a HUGE mistake because Bridget proved her wrong , dead wrong.
The thing that I loved about Bridget is she never gave up, and never turned to evil in the face of all the horror she saw, no she is kind, caring and loving person ❤, specially for the moment she made when didn't want Her tormentor to dye and when she tenderly she closed cora's eyes when she died ☠.
The thing I dislike about her character is that she is rush and always jump to judge Cade quickly without listening to him completely.
Second character is non other our Fae prince Cade 👑.
at the beginning I hated Cade for treating Bridge so cruel that it broke my heart 💔.
But one by one his character becomes unfolding IN front of me , that he was scared for her that he was only cruel to her to protect her ❤.
I knew he truly loved her that he sacrificed so much for her and was very patient with her 💕.Cade was the home that Bridget never knew 🏠.
There relationship is simply breathtaking , although its threaten to go in flames due to the lots of secrets and threats that surround them.
SECOND the book itself, At the beginning it felt like everybody knew about Bridget past and even played a part in it, why did they keep all this secrets from her to protect her or to deceive her?.
with the story going I found them all in Bridget side and never wanted to harm her in any way .
the most shocking character was Cora she treated Bridget horribly but in the end she sacrificed herself to save Bridget and even returned the ring to Bridget .
archer is hiding something big and I feel like he is unwillingly doing the bad things , I'm excited to know if he and Finn will be a thing or not ?.
Delphine is the most kindest person I ever seen , I bet if she learned anatomy and medicine she will be the best doctor in the whole Fae realm .
I truly loved every single moment of reading this book 📕 and let's be honest the cliffhanging in the end is killing me and can't wait to read the next book.
thank you so much
for this great book it was amazing and I bet the next one will be even better 💖
August 29, 2024
OF KINGDOMS AND CURSES - AMY WOODRUFF
Let's get this out of the way: this book truly exceeded every expectation I could've had. It's the first book of a new fantasy series - Blood and Curses - and you'll definitely want to be adding this to your TBR. Here's a snapshot of the plot:
There’s only one thing Bridget Adams wants: to get home. After being trapped for seven months in the Kingdom of Elyria, where magic is ruthless, permanent and always comes with a price, she’s tired of dealing with curses, especially ones that take everything from her. In the name of helping the coven that owns her, Bridget is forced to join a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. As they grow closer, it becomes clear things aren’t as they appear.
Firstly, I love that the main character, Bridget, is a human. This ups the stakes significantly, as she feels particularly fragile within a unique magic system, where magic use has severe limitations and consequences. There are fae, witches and nymphs, and Amy Woodruff does some incredible worldbuilding of this otherworldly realm that Bridget finds herself in.
But, from the start, we're told that Bridget has lost her memory in order to enter the realm, and this mystery of who she was or how she came to be in Elyria is something that simmers below the surface of the novel. At some point, we even see our own familiar world, and this blend of the familiar and unfamiliar works so well to help us see what's really at stake.
As if that isn't enough, there's a tournament too, where participants complete tasks to vye for the role of being Prince Cade's betrothed. The action is non-stop but also not overwhelming, and I found myself thoroughly engaged from the first page to the last. I cannot wait for the second book!
Thank you to Amy Woodruff, NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!
Review score: 5/5
TW: Blood, violence, injury, memory loss
Let's get this out of the way: this book truly exceeded every expectation I could've had. It's the first book of a new fantasy series - Blood and Curses - and you'll definitely want to be adding this to your TBR. Here's a snapshot of the plot:
There’s only one thing Bridget Adams wants: to get home. After being trapped for seven months in the Kingdom of Elyria, where magic is ruthless, permanent and always comes with a price, she’s tired of dealing with curses, especially ones that take everything from her. In the name of helping the coven that owns her, Bridget is forced to join a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. As they grow closer, it becomes clear things aren’t as they appear.
Firstly, I love that the main character, Bridget, is a human. This ups the stakes significantly, as she feels particularly fragile within a unique magic system, where magic use has severe limitations and consequences. There are fae, witches and nymphs, and Amy Woodruff does some incredible worldbuilding of this otherworldly realm that Bridget finds herself in.
But, from the start, we're told that Bridget has lost her memory in order to enter the realm, and this mystery of who she was or how she came to be in Elyria is something that simmers below the surface of the novel. At some point, we even see our own familiar world, and this blend of the familiar and unfamiliar works so well to help us see what's really at stake.
As if that isn't enough, there's a tournament too, where participants complete tasks to vye for the role of being Prince Cade's betrothed. The action is non-stop but also not overwhelming, and I found myself thoroughly engaged from the first page to the last. I cannot wait for the second book!
Thank you to Amy Woodruff, NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!
Review score: 5/5
TW: Blood, violence, injury, memory loss
July 27, 2024
Bridget Adams is stuck in the fae land of Elyria with no memories of her life before she got there. She's desperate to get back to the human world. And the only way through is through a portal. She's always watched by her coven's leader Cora, and they're constantly on the move. In the seven months she's been in Elyria, she's tried to escape and failed several times. But then Cora forces her to enter into the tournament where she will compete against other girls to try to marry the fae Prince, Cade. But when Cade lays eyes on her, his expression sends shock and confusion through her. Struggling to decide who to trust in this tournament, she tries to get answers for herself. How can she get through the portal to the human world? With recurring nightmares and visions that happen through the tournament, she gets momentary ideas of who she was as a human, before she came to Elyria. And Cade is trying to help her, but why? Who is he really?
I would say this book is probably geared towards young adult. Bridget is 21, and I'm not sure how old Cade is. There is no spice, with one steamy scene throughout the whole book. Is it closed door? I'm not so sure, it doesn't hint or lead to anything that would make it closed door in my opinion. So if you're looking for a fantasy with lots of spice and smut, this is not the book for you. But it didn't need all that in order to keep me reading and enjoying the story.
This book has a lot of world-building dumping at the beginning, but it's short lived. We don't get much of a backstory of how Bridget came to be with Cora, but I have a feeling in the sequel we'll find this out. And on that note, the ending is a huge cliffhanger. I won't give away spoilers. But there has to be another book, I hope.
This book is told in third person, but from Bridget's POV. I'm not a huge fan of third person, but it read like first person. I think it would have worked better if it was told in first person from Bridget's POV.
The character development over time is good. We don't get all the information up front and it's gradual, which keeps you reading. I will try to patiently wait for the next book in this series.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I would say this book is probably geared towards young adult. Bridget is 21, and I'm not sure how old Cade is. There is no spice, with one steamy scene throughout the whole book. Is it closed door? I'm not so sure, it doesn't hint or lead to anything that would make it closed door in my opinion. So if you're looking for a fantasy with lots of spice and smut, this is not the book for you. But it didn't need all that in order to keep me reading and enjoying the story.
This book has a lot of world-building dumping at the beginning, but it's short lived. We don't get much of a backstory of how Bridget came to be with Cora, but I have a feeling in the sequel we'll find this out. And on that note, the ending is a huge cliffhanger. I won't give away spoilers. But there has to be another book, I hope.
This book is told in third person, but from Bridget's POV. I'm not a huge fan of third person, but it read like first person. I think it would have worked better if it was told in first person from Bridget's POV.
The character development over time is good. We don't get all the information up front and it's gradual, which keeps you reading. I will try to patiently wait for the next book in this series.
Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2024
ARC Review
Of Kingdoms and Curses is the first book in Blood and Curses series and is the debut book from Amy Woodruff.
Bridget Adams is a human that ended up in the Kingdom of Elyria. She has been trapped for the last seven months and has no memories of her past. She was taken in by Cora, the leader of the Virgo Coven. Cora refuses to let Bridget out of her sight and has only told her bits and pieces of her life before she crossed the gate. Bridget soon finds out that Cora has placed her in a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. She agrees believing this is her chance at freedom. When she stumbles upon the prince, he offers to help her get back to the human realm so long as she provides him information about the covens. As they grow closer, Bridget can’t help but feel like things are not as they appear.
I loved this book! I thought Amy did a great job with the world building, the characters, and the storyline. I liked that she incorporated the real world as the human realm. I like how the story was set up. We first see Bridget after she crossed the gate, how she ended up in the tournament, the trials, and her growing relationship with the fae prince. Then we are taken back to Bridget’s past and we see the events that led her to crossing the gate into the Kingdom of Elyria. I loved seeing how Bridget and Cade’s relationship grew. I loved the friendships that were made as well. The ending was so action pact, I still haven’t recovered! I can’t wait until the next book comes out. I can’t wait to see the characters develop more, get more insight to what happened to Bridget during the seven months she was with Cora, and in general see how the story unravels!
Thank you Amy Woodruff, City Owl Press, and MTMC Tours for the ARC!
Of Kingdoms and Curses is the first book in Blood and Curses series and is the debut book from Amy Woodruff.
Bridget Adams is a human that ended up in the Kingdom of Elyria. She has been trapped for the last seven months and has no memories of her past. She was taken in by Cora, the leader of the Virgo Coven. Cora refuses to let Bridget out of her sight and has only told her bits and pieces of her life before she crossed the gate. Bridget soon finds out that Cora has placed her in a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. She agrees believing this is her chance at freedom. When she stumbles upon the prince, he offers to help her get back to the human realm so long as she provides him information about the covens. As they grow closer, Bridget can’t help but feel like things are not as they appear.
I loved this book! I thought Amy did a great job with the world building, the characters, and the storyline. I liked that she incorporated the real world as the human realm. I like how the story was set up. We first see Bridget after she crossed the gate, how she ended up in the tournament, the trials, and her growing relationship with the fae prince. Then we are taken back to Bridget’s past and we see the events that led her to crossing the gate into the Kingdom of Elyria. I loved seeing how Bridget and Cade’s relationship grew. I loved the friendships that were made as well. The ending was so action pact, I still haven’t recovered! I can’t wait until the next book comes out. I can’t wait to see the characters develop more, get more insight to what happened to Bridget during the seven months she was with Cora, and in general see how the story unravels!
Thank you Amy Woodruff, City Owl Press, and MTMC Tours for the ARC!
July 25, 2024
An intriguing start to a series that has Serpent and the Wings of Night, The Hunger Games, and Trial of the Sun Queen Vibes. This unique story features love, betrayal, mystery, suspense, and lots of fight scenes. The book is definitely has more romance than fantasy, making it perfect for fans of the romantasy genre.
Bridget is a human in a world full of magic. She has no memory of how she ended up in this world or anything from her past. Enslaved to a witch named Cora, Bridget is forced to enter a competition to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. Sent to gather information from Cade, Bridget instead plans to use this as an opportunity to escape the witches. Only, things don’t go quite as planned, and Bridget soon finds herself caught in a mystery that only Cade seems to be able to help her unravel. Enemies lurk at every corner while Bridget fights to get back home and regain her memories while battling her growing feelings for Cade.
This book features a contemporary romance plot in a world full of nymphs, fae, magic, special powers, and witches. It’s an urban fantasy partially set in a non-urban setting full of characters you’ll quickly want to befriend. Are there characters you’ll dislike? Of course. But what’s a good competition without a few characters you root against?
The whole story takes place from Bridget’s point of view, but there are places where the story jumps in time to fill in information. There are twists and turns along the way that you might not see coming and some that you will that help fuel the later conflicts.
This start to the series ends in a huge cliffhanger that will leave you anxiously awaiting the next installment.
Thank you to Amy Woodruff, City Owl Press, and MTMC Tours for an ARC of this book!
Bridget is a human in a world full of magic. She has no memory of how she ended up in this world or anything from her past. Enslaved to a witch named Cora, Bridget is forced to enter a competition to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. Sent to gather information from Cade, Bridget instead plans to use this as an opportunity to escape the witches. Only, things don’t go quite as planned, and Bridget soon finds herself caught in a mystery that only Cade seems to be able to help her unravel. Enemies lurk at every corner while Bridget fights to get back home and regain her memories while battling her growing feelings for Cade.
This book features a contemporary romance plot in a world full of nymphs, fae, magic, special powers, and witches. It’s an urban fantasy partially set in a non-urban setting full of characters you’ll quickly want to befriend. Are there characters you’ll dislike? Of course. But what’s a good competition without a few characters you root against?
The whole story takes place from Bridget’s point of view, but there are places where the story jumps in time to fill in information. There are twists and turns along the way that you might not see coming and some that you will that help fuel the later conflicts.
This start to the series ends in a huge cliffhanger that will leave you anxiously awaiting the next installment.
Thank you to Amy Woodruff, City Owl Press, and MTMC Tours for an ARC of this book!
July 29, 2024
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Finish date: 7/28/24, Release date: 8/6/24
This had me hooked from the very beginning until the end! I even cried a bit there.
There weren't a whole lot of surprises and I guessed most of what was going to happen, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment. It just kept me reading quicker and quicker to get to the ending to see it all come about.
I loved the blend of fantasy world with contemporary city and how things from the modern world could cross into the Fae lands. It was very unique!
The romance between Bridget and Cade was sweet and sort of lightly touched on. Like the romance brewing was a big part, but the memory loss and Bridget trying to get her memories back were more important.
I'm so tense now that I've reached the end and will have to wait a while for book 2!
Read if you love:
-Powerful artifacts
-Deadly Magic
-Contemporary fantasy
-Witches & Fae
-Memory Loss
-High stakes trials
Finish date: 7/28/24, Release date: 8/6/24
This had me hooked from the very beginning until the end! I even cried a bit there.
There weren't a whole lot of surprises and I guessed most of what was going to happen, but it didn't lessen my enjoyment. It just kept me reading quicker and quicker to get to the ending to see it all come about.
I loved the blend of fantasy world with contemporary city and how things from the modern world could cross into the Fae lands. It was very unique!
The romance between Bridget and Cade was sweet and sort of lightly touched on. Like the romance brewing was a big part, but the memory loss and Bridget trying to get her memories back were more important.
I'm so tense now that I've reached the end and will have to wait a while for book 2!
Read if you love:
-Powerful artifacts
-Deadly Magic
-Contemporary fantasy
-Witches & Fae
-Memory Loss
-High stakes trials
September 2, 2024
Human, fae, nymph, witches, what more could you want in a fantasy book???
Bridget lands herself in another realm she does not know. She also has no idea who she is or why she is there. Bridget gets fed little bits of information from the head of the witches coven, Cora. Cora informs Bridget that due to the curse, human's lose their memories when they enter into Elyria.
Cora believes there is another gate in to the human realm that is not protected by the king. But why is Cora looking for a 2nd gate? That is something I would like to know. Cora sends Bridget into the realm for a tournament to marry the Fae Prince. However, Cora has an ulterior motive.
Just a little snippet into this amazing book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I could not put it down. I loved every single one of the characters, especially Bridget & Cade. It was the perfect mixture of fantasy, mystery, and love. I can't wait for the 2nd book to be released (I hope to get an ARC again <3).
Bridget lands herself in another realm she does not know. She also has no idea who she is or why she is there. Bridget gets fed little bits of information from the head of the witches coven, Cora. Cora informs Bridget that due to the curse, human's lose their memories when they enter into Elyria.
Cora believes there is another gate in to the human realm that is not protected by the king. But why is Cora looking for a 2nd gate? That is something I would like to know. Cora sends Bridget into the realm for a tournament to marry the Fae Prince. However, Cora has an ulterior motive.
Just a little snippet into this amazing book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I could not put it down. I loved every single one of the characters, especially Bridget & Cade. It was the perfect mixture of fantasy, mystery, and love. I can't wait for the 2nd book to be released (I hope to get an ARC again <3).
August 7, 2024
This book was excellent. I loved this so much. It was a great story and it was a real page turner for me. It was so good. I loved that Bridget was a human stick in Elyria with no memories before the seven months of her time there. As everything slowly unravels it's just so special and heart warming. You wonder why Cade is the way he is at first but then it all makes sense. It was written in third person from Bridget's POV. This worked well too. The characters were all wonderful except Alette. She was so smug and annoying!! I did say previously this was coming across as YA suitable. I don't think that now. There's mild spice, gun use and mild violence.
August 10, 2024
Wow - honestly my jaw is still on the floor. The journey this book takes the reader on is absolutely amazing and will leave you shocked at every turn.
Truthfully the first third of the book I was left frustrated and confused by the plot holes and relationship building between characters that seemed unrealistic and too fast paced.
But boy was I wrong!! As you keep reading you realize that was 1000% intentional and the author took a romance & fantasy book and made it also feel like a great mystery/thriller!!
Such a great read and I truly can’t wait for the next book in the series!!
Truthfully the first third of the book I was left frustrated and confused by the plot holes and relationship building between characters that seemed unrealistic and too fast paced.
But boy was I wrong!! As you keep reading you realize that was 1000% intentional and the author took a romance & fantasy book and made it also feel like a great mystery/thriller!!
Such a great read and I truly can’t wait for the next book in the series!!
September 10, 2024
First, thanks NetGalley for the arc! Second that cliff hanger was MEAN!! It took me a little bit to get into this book but I’m so glad I stuck it out!! Once I got through the world building (which was well done, I’m just impatient and want to instantly know all of the things) I couldn’t put it down. I have so many questions and can’t wait for the next one to come out!
July 26, 2024
I absolutely loved this story I have officially falling in love with the characters and I was super happy with how the story ended.
August 13, 2024
➳❥༻🔮🌿🔮༺➳❥
➳༻❀☕️🅱︎🅾︎🅾︎🅺•🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆☕️❀༺➳
Oꜰ Kɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍs ᴀɴᴅ Cᴜʀsᴇs ʙʏ Aᴍʏ Wᴏᴏᴅʀᴜꜰꜰ
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🔮𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙳 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝚄𝚁𝚂𝙴𝚂 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
🌿𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
🔮𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝙰𝚄𝙶𝚄𝚂𝚃 𝟼𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
🌿𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗬 𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘𝗦: 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻; 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴; 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺
🔮𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗡𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥: 𝟹𝟹𝟾 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
🌿𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘: 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁 𝙲𝚁𝙾𝚂𝚂𝙴𝙳 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂; 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲; 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈; 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶; 𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙻𝚂; 𝙿𝙾𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙰𝙲𝚃𝚂
🔮𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
🌿𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
➳❥༻🔮🌿🔮༺➳❥
✨✨𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠✨✨
Thank you so much to 𝐀𝐦𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐟𝐟 & 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 for my Advanced Reader Copy of 𝐎𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
Amy Woodruff DELIVERS in Of Kingdoms and Curses! I was hooked from the very start of this one and I couldn’t put it down. The world building and lore was seamlessly woven into the narrative, the characters were so wonderfully easy to connect to, especially my girl Bridget, and the plot had my attention from page 1 until the last. I
I think one of my favorite parts is the storytelling prose - we have a few different timelines going with the After, Before, and Now. I think this narrative style laid everything out perfectly for the readers and told us everything we needed to know about Bridget at the right time! And I always love when fantasy blends a little bit with a contemporary setting! It definitely gave me some CC vibes and we see things from the modern human world make its way over to Elyria!
I loved seeing Bridget and Cade’s relationship grow as the story and the trials progressed, and you can really feel the chemistry between these two. You can feel Bridget’s internal battle as her feelings for Cade deepen, all the while she wants to return home to the human world. The emotional complexity of their relationship is such a powerful part of the plot, and is beautifully woven into the fantasy elements to create a really wonderful, enthralling, and emotionally impactful story!
I absolutely cannot wait for Book 2 in this series as the ending of this one had me screaming at my kindle! I can’t wait to learn more about all the characters and see where the story goes!
➳༻❀☕️🅱︎🅾︎🅾︎🅺•🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆☕️❀༺➳
Oꜰ Kɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍs ᴀɴᴅ Cᴜʀsᴇs ʙʏ Aᴍʏ Wᴏᴏᴅʀᴜꜰꜰ
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🔮𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙾𝙳 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝚄𝚁𝚂𝙴𝚂 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
🌿𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
🔮𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝙰𝚄𝙶𝚄𝚂𝚃 𝟼𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
🌿𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗬 𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘𝗦: 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻; 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴; 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺
🔮𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗡𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥: 𝟹𝟹𝟾 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
🌿𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘: 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁 𝙲𝚁𝙾𝚂𝚂𝙴𝙳 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂; 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲; 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈; 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝚂𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶; 𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙻𝚂; 𝙿𝙾𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙵𝚄𝙻 𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙰𝙲𝚃𝚂
🔮𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
🌿𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦
➳❥༻🔮🌿🔮༺➳❥
✨✨𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠✨✨
Thank you so much to 𝐀𝐦𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐟𝐟 & 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 for my Advanced Reader Copy of 𝐎𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
Amy Woodruff DELIVERS in Of Kingdoms and Curses! I was hooked from the very start of this one and I couldn’t put it down. The world building and lore was seamlessly woven into the narrative, the characters were so wonderfully easy to connect to, especially my girl Bridget, and the plot had my attention from page 1 until the last. I
I think one of my favorite parts is the storytelling prose - we have a few different timelines going with the After, Before, and Now. I think this narrative style laid everything out perfectly for the readers and told us everything we needed to know about Bridget at the right time! And I always love when fantasy blends a little bit with a contemporary setting! It definitely gave me some CC vibes and we see things from the modern human world make its way over to Elyria!
I loved seeing Bridget and Cade’s relationship grow as the story and the trials progressed, and you can really feel the chemistry between these two. You can feel Bridget’s internal battle as her feelings for Cade deepen, all the while she wants to return home to the human world. The emotional complexity of their relationship is such a powerful part of the plot, and is beautifully woven into the fantasy elements to create a really wonderful, enthralling, and emotionally impactful story!
I absolutely cannot wait for Book 2 in this series as the ending of this one had me screaming at my kindle! I can’t wait to learn more about all the characters and see where the story goes!
August 2, 2024
✨️ARC Review ✨️
Of Kingdoms and Curses
By @Amy Woodruff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Overview
There’s only one thing Bridget Adams wants: to get home.
After being trapped for seven months in the Kingdom of Elyria, where magic is ruthless, permanent, and always comes with a price, she’s tired of dealing with curses, especially ones that take everything from her. In Elyria, all humans are cursed. Whenever one enters the magical realm, they lose their memories. Forever.
The only things Bridget knows about her past are the small tidbits Cora tells her, which isn’t much. The leader of the nomadic Witch coven is merciless, and with Bridget essentially owned by Cora, she always keeps Bridget by her side. No matter how many times Bridget tries to escape her grasp, she always fails.
In the name of helping the coven, Cora places her in a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. Believing her freedom is in sight, Bridget agrees to join and plans to sneak away before it starts. However, an unexpected binding contract restricts her to the palace grounds. Forced to participate, Bridget navigates the dangerous tasks of the tournament until she accidentally stumbles upon the prince. Cade has secrets of his own, though, including ones that involve the human realm, and when he offers to help Bridget return there, she decides to trust him.
As they grow closer, it becomes clear things aren’t as they appear. She discovers her presence in Elyria, and the tournament is part of a greater plan, one that has deadly consequences. As secrets, history, and conspiracies unravel around her, Bridget begins to realize the greatest curse of all: love.
If you like..
Witches
Warlocks
Fae
Nymphs
Magical Contracts
Deadly Tournament
Fiesty FMC
Betrayal
Mystery
Suspense
Action
Adventure
Cinnamon roll MMC
Twists
Powerful Artifacts
Cliffhanger
Ya Romantasy
Secrets
Then this book is definitely for you.
I absolutely devoured this book from beginning to end. This is Hunger games meets Acotar, and I was here for it all.
The world building was seamlessly done, with lovable characters and such a unique plot that I didn't sleep just so I could see what was going to happen next.
Thank you so much, Amy Woodruff, for this amazing story, and I can't wait for book two it's gonna be epic ✨️
This book will be available on amazon on the 6th of August, so go run and get it pre ordered. I can't wait to get a physical copy on my shelf.
Of Kingdoms and Curses
By @Amy Woodruff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Overview
There’s only one thing Bridget Adams wants: to get home.
After being trapped for seven months in the Kingdom of Elyria, where magic is ruthless, permanent, and always comes with a price, she’s tired of dealing with curses, especially ones that take everything from her. In Elyria, all humans are cursed. Whenever one enters the magical realm, they lose their memories. Forever.
The only things Bridget knows about her past are the small tidbits Cora tells her, which isn’t much. The leader of the nomadic Witch coven is merciless, and with Bridget essentially owned by Cora, she always keeps Bridget by her side. No matter how many times Bridget tries to escape her grasp, she always fails.
In the name of helping the coven, Cora places her in a tournament to compete to marry the Fae Prince, Cade. Believing her freedom is in sight, Bridget agrees to join and plans to sneak away before it starts. However, an unexpected binding contract restricts her to the palace grounds. Forced to participate, Bridget navigates the dangerous tasks of the tournament until she accidentally stumbles upon the prince. Cade has secrets of his own, though, including ones that involve the human realm, and when he offers to help Bridget return there, she decides to trust him.
As they grow closer, it becomes clear things aren’t as they appear. She discovers her presence in Elyria, and the tournament is part of a greater plan, one that has deadly consequences. As secrets, history, and conspiracies unravel around her, Bridget begins to realize the greatest curse of all: love.
If you like..
Witches
Warlocks
Fae
Nymphs
Magical Contracts
Deadly Tournament
Fiesty FMC
Betrayal
Mystery
Suspense
Action
Adventure
Cinnamon roll MMC
Twists
Powerful Artifacts
Cliffhanger
Ya Romantasy
Secrets
Then this book is definitely for you.
I absolutely devoured this book from beginning to end. This is Hunger games meets Acotar, and I was here for it all.
The world building was seamlessly done, with lovable characters and such a unique plot that I didn't sleep just so I could see what was going to happen next.
Thank you so much, Amy Woodruff, for this amazing story, and I can't wait for book two it's gonna be epic ✨️
This book will be available on amazon on the 6th of August, so go run and get it pre ordered. I can't wait to get a physical copy on my shelf.
August 16, 2024
Overall reading: 4.5 / 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotions: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
Star-Crossed Romance
Powerful Artifacts
Found Family
Deadly Magic
Contemporary Setting
*received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I’m slowly catching up on posts, and boy am I excited to talk about this book! The author wrote an AMAZING story that had me on my toes the entire time trying to figure out what was going on.
This book follows a human girl who lost her memory in a world full of magic. She’s stuck with a coven of witches and tries her best to escape at any given opportunity. She’s forced into a tournament, where different girls are competing to marry the prince. Only…things aren’t as it seems.
From the beginning, I was trying to figure out who tf this girl was. I was starting to put things together but it could not have prepared me for what was actually happening. The book is split into three sections: the present, her past, and then her present again once she has her memories back.
This book was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions! I was laughing along - although I don’t think that was the author's intention - and I was feeling so sorry for the FMC. Everyone around her seemed to know what was going on, and she was completely lost the entire time. I haaaate that feeling, so I can only imagine how she was feeling!
The MMC was trying his best. While I don’t agree with some of the stuff he chose, I can acknowledge that he was simply trying his best. I grew to like him as the story progressed and was rooting for him.
This story ends on a massive cliffhanger I didn’t realize I was at the end, and when I couldn’t go to the next page I was devastated. I cannot wait for the next book! If cliffhangers aren’t your thing, I would hold off until the series is complete.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotions: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
Star-Crossed Romance
Powerful Artifacts
Found Family
Deadly Magic
Contemporary Setting
*received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I’m slowly catching up on posts, and boy am I excited to talk about this book! The author wrote an AMAZING story that had me on my toes the entire time trying to figure out what was going on.
This book follows a human girl who lost her memory in a world full of magic. She’s stuck with a coven of witches and tries her best to escape at any given opportunity. She’s forced into a tournament, where different girls are competing to marry the prince. Only…things aren’t as it seems.
From the beginning, I was trying to figure out who tf this girl was. I was starting to put things together but it could not have prepared me for what was actually happening. The book is split into three sections: the present, her past, and then her present again once she has her memories back.
This book was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions! I was laughing along - although I don’t think that was the author's intention - and I was feeling so sorry for the FMC. Everyone around her seemed to know what was going on, and she was completely lost the entire time. I haaaate that feeling, so I can only imagine how she was feeling!
The MMC was trying his best. While I don’t agree with some of the stuff he chose, I can acknowledge that he was simply trying his best. I grew to like him as the story progressed and was rooting for him.
This story ends on a massive cliffhanger I didn’t realize I was at the end, and when I couldn’t go to the next page I was devastated. I cannot wait for the next book! If cliffhangers aren’t your thing, I would hold off until the series is complete.
August 2, 2024
Can I give this book more than 5 stars please?
I loved it so much. It pulled me in from the first chapter and by the fourth chapter I was seriously considering ditching the office to finish it, it's that good. To add on, it does not read like a debut novel.
The book has magic, romance, action, strong characters esp Bridget, a human, who is trained by a witch and is a badass.
Writing is on point, I didn't want to put it down, I wished I had all the books in the series at once so that I could finish it NOW. Another unique thing that the book has is the After, Before and Now section. I can't really tell what's what without spoiling it, but the book feels like a journey, where you are thrown in the past and you are present with the characters.
The tournament is another intriguing plot, which reminded me of Harry Potter (because why not?), and the fact that Bridget is the only human in the tournament raises the stakes so much.
I have a hole in my heart that only the next book can fill (PS: next book is not announced yet).
I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved it so much. It pulled me in from the first chapter and by the fourth chapter I was seriously considering ditching the office to finish it, it's that good. To add on, it does not read like a debut novel.
The book has magic, romance, action, strong characters esp Bridget, a human, who is trained by a witch and is a badass.
Writing is on point, I didn't want to put it down, I wished I had all the books in the series at once so that I could finish it NOW. Another unique thing that the book has is the After, Before and Now section. I can't really tell what's what without spoiling it, but the book feels like a journey, where you are thrown in the past and you are present with the characters.
The tournament is another intriguing plot, which reminded me of Harry Potter (because why not?), and the fact that Bridget is the only human in the tournament raises the stakes so much.
I have a hole in my heart that only the next book can fill (PS: next book is not announced yet).
I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 15, 2024
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First, I want to say: what a gorgeous cover!
This is more of a 2.5 for me, though I rounded up. I really, really thought I was going to enjoy this more by the description. I think too much information without context was given. In the beginning, I even thought maybe there was a first book I was missing?
There’s a mystery aspect to this book - Bridget is a human who has lost her memories so she is unsure of how exactly she ended up in the Fae world. But.. with an info dump, crucial information / context missing, I didn’t find myself intrigued and wanting to learn more… I just found myself thinking “why should I care?”
Over time, you get more glimpses but I think the pacing could’ve been a little better. I enjoyed the romance between Cade and Bridget and the action towards the end. Overall though, this one fell a bit flat for me. 🙁
First, I want to say: what a gorgeous cover!
This is more of a 2.5 for me, though I rounded up. I really, really thought I was going to enjoy this more by the description. I think too much information without context was given. In the beginning, I even thought maybe there was a first book I was missing?
There’s a mystery aspect to this book - Bridget is a human who has lost her memories so she is unsure of how exactly she ended up in the Fae world. But.. with an info dump, crucial information / context missing, I didn’t find myself intrigued and wanting to learn more… I just found myself thinking “why should I care?”
Over time, you get more glimpses but I think the pacing could’ve been a little better. I enjoyed the romance between Cade and Bridget and the action towards the end. Overall though, this one fell a bit flat for me. 🙁
March 9, 2025
this ending was soooo unexpected but sooo enjoyable. i went into this not expecting much but i really enjoyed this. the storyline was so interesting and i loved the ‘after, before and now’ sections of the book, specifically the before section. i would say this book is targeted for more YA which is why i didn’t rate it higher as some parts were a bit boring but a very entertaining read.
August 3, 2024
CW: some gore, references to t0rture
Thank you to the author and MTMC for the ARC! “Of Kingdoms and Curses” releases August 6, 2024!
Silly me, I thought I’d be able to read a few chapters to get started and then go to bed. It’s been 6 hours, I’ve only gotten up once, and I’ve finished the entire book. I regret nothing.
Bridget Adams only remembers the last 7 months of her life. Everything before that is completely blank. This would be concerning if it didn’t mean she’d come from the human realm. And for the last 7 months, Bridget’s only thought has been to escape the coven holding her captive and to get back to the human world. When her coven leader tells her she’ll be entering a bridal tournament, Bridget sees her best chance to escape. What Bridget doesn’t know is that the fae prince knows more than he’s letting on about the human realm Bridget’s forgotten, and he may just be her best shot at getting back to a home she can’t remember.
Magic has a price, books are magic, and the price is my sleep schedule. I’ll make that trade any day, especially when the book is this good. It is absolutely not an exaggeration when I say I couldn’t put this one down; every page had me completely riveted and dying to know what was going to happen next.
A disclaimer— I usually want to know every little detail about the fantasy worlds in my books. I’m nosy, and I like to know what these worlds look like. We don’t actually get a lot of detailed information about what this world looks like, which would normally be a downfall to me. In this case, it actually works really well. Though told in the 3rd person, the story revolves around Bridget, and she doesn’t know anything. Not about this world, and not about the human world. Combined with her less-than-expansive introduction to the realm, it makes a lot of sense that she doesn’t know or understand many things. Since the focus is her, it translates well to the reader also not knowing a lot of things. We get to learn alongside our MC, and it does an excellent job at making the story really pop in a really distinct fashion.
I loved Bridget as an MC. She’s really confused about a lot of things, and she makes some mistakes, but she’s ultimately a strong, resilient character who’s doing the best she can with what she’s been given. She’s brave and fierce and she knows when to be independent and when to get help. The side characters are entertaining, and I’d like to see a lot more of them in the future.
Far and away the strongest part of this story is the plot itself. That might sound like common sense because, well, it’s a book. But sometimes the best parts are the characters, and sometimes it’s the setting, and sometimes (like now) it’s the actual story. Chapter after chapter, I could never find a good place to stop and walk away because it just never stopped. Even the down time between action points was really interesting. The pacing was fast without feeling breakneck or chaotic, and there was never a moment where it felt like something was bogging it down. While there were some key points that were more predictable (at least for the fantasy genre), they were always delivered in incredibly interesting, unique ways. These were also balanced out by some positively delightful twists, so you never really get a chance to go “ooo I know what’s going to happen next!” I loved everything about this book, and I think it had some really nice spins on what’s ‘expected’ from this type of story.
Look, I don’t know what to tell you if you haven’t figured out that I highly recommend this book. I haven’t exactly been subtle. It’s somehow the usual ‘other world’ fantasy’ a portal fantasy, and an urban fantasy all in one go. It’s got a little bit of mystery, a little romance, and a little found family. It’s got all the goodies one could expect in a fae story packaged and delivered in a marvelously unique manner, and it caused both stress and laughter while I was reading it. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough, and I’m already dying to get my hands on book 2. You really, really need to read this one.
Thank you to the author and MTMC for the ARC! “Of Kingdoms and Curses” releases August 6, 2024!
Silly me, I thought I’d be able to read a few chapters to get started and then go to bed. It’s been 6 hours, I’ve only gotten up once, and I’ve finished the entire book. I regret nothing.
Bridget Adams only remembers the last 7 months of her life. Everything before that is completely blank. This would be concerning if it didn’t mean she’d come from the human realm. And for the last 7 months, Bridget’s only thought has been to escape the coven holding her captive and to get back to the human world. When her coven leader tells her she’ll be entering a bridal tournament, Bridget sees her best chance to escape. What Bridget doesn’t know is that the fae prince knows more than he’s letting on about the human realm Bridget’s forgotten, and he may just be her best shot at getting back to a home she can’t remember.
Magic has a price, books are magic, and the price is my sleep schedule. I’ll make that trade any day, especially when the book is this good. It is absolutely not an exaggeration when I say I couldn’t put this one down; every page had me completely riveted and dying to know what was going to happen next.
A disclaimer— I usually want to know every little detail about the fantasy worlds in my books. I’m nosy, and I like to know what these worlds look like. We don’t actually get a lot of detailed information about what this world looks like, which would normally be a downfall to me. In this case, it actually works really well. Though told in the 3rd person, the story revolves around Bridget, and she doesn’t know anything. Not about this world, and not about the human world. Combined with her less-than-expansive introduction to the realm, it makes a lot of sense that she doesn’t know or understand many things. Since the focus is her, it translates well to the reader also not knowing a lot of things. We get to learn alongside our MC, and it does an excellent job at making the story really pop in a really distinct fashion.
I loved Bridget as an MC. She’s really confused about a lot of things, and she makes some mistakes, but she’s ultimately a strong, resilient character who’s doing the best she can with what she’s been given. She’s brave and fierce and she knows when to be independent and when to get help. The side characters are entertaining, and I’d like to see a lot more of them in the future.
Far and away the strongest part of this story is the plot itself. That might sound like common sense because, well, it’s a book. But sometimes the best parts are the characters, and sometimes it’s the setting, and sometimes (like now) it’s the actual story. Chapter after chapter, I could never find a good place to stop and walk away because it just never stopped. Even the down time between action points was really interesting. The pacing was fast without feeling breakneck or chaotic, and there was never a moment where it felt like something was bogging it down. While there were some key points that were more predictable (at least for the fantasy genre), they were always delivered in incredibly interesting, unique ways. These were also balanced out by some positively delightful twists, so you never really get a chance to go “ooo I know what’s going to happen next!” I loved everything about this book, and I think it had some really nice spins on what’s ‘expected’ from this type of story.
Look, I don’t know what to tell you if you haven’t figured out that I highly recommend this book. I haven’t exactly been subtle. It’s somehow the usual ‘other world’ fantasy’ a portal fantasy, and an urban fantasy all in one go. It’s got a little bit of mystery, a little romance, and a little found family. It’s got all the goodies one could expect in a fae story packaged and delivered in a marvelously unique manner, and it caused both stress and laughter while I was reading it. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough, and I’m already dying to get my hands on book 2. You really, really need to read this one.
August 8, 2024
Of Kingdoms and Curses is a captivating plunge into a world where magic comes at a devastating cost, and love might be the deadliest curse of all. Amy Woodruff crafts a tale that pulls you in from the first page, weaving a story of survival, mystery, and reluctant romance in a realm where nothing is as it seems.
Bridget Adams, our fierce and determined protagonist, is trapped in the Kingdom of Elyria, a place where humans lose their memories the moment they enter. This haunting premise sets the stage for a narrative steeped in uncertainty and peril. Bridget’s only tie to her forgotten past is the enigmatic and merciless witch, Cora, who keeps her under tight control. The stakes are immediately high—Bridget is desperate to escape, to reclaim whatever life she left behind, and this desperation is palpable in every choice she makes.
The plot thickens as Bridget is thrust into a high-stakes tournament to win the hand of the Fae Prince, Cade. The tournament is a masterstroke of tension, filled with dangerous tasks and cunning rivals, but what truly elevates this story is the unexpected bond that forms between Bridget and Cade. Cade himself is a fascinating character—layered with secrets and complexities that make you question his true motives. As he offers to help Bridget return to the human realm, their alliance becomes the story’s emotional core, complicating Bridget’s mission and her heart in equal measure.
Woodruff’s world-building is immersive, painting a vivid picture of Elyria’s treacherous beauty. The rules of this world—where magic is ruthless and memories are lost forever—add a layer of tension to every interaction, keeping you on edge as Bridget navigates this treacherous land. The themes of control, freedom, and identity are explored in ways that resonate deeply, making Bridget’s journey as much about self-discovery as it is about survival.
What I particularly loved about Of Kingdoms and Curses is how it balances the magical and the emotional. The story is rich with enchanting, dangerous magic, but it never loses sight of the characters’ internal struggles. Bridget’s longing to return home, her growing connection with Cade, and the looming threat of a larger conspiracy make for a story that’s as heart-wrenching as it is thrilling.
As secrets unravel and the true nature of Elyria and its inhabitants come to light, you can’t help but be drawn into the web of intrigue that Woodruff spins. The final revelation—that the greatest curse might be love itself—hits hard, leaving you eager for the next installment in the series.
If you’re a fan of stories where magic has teeth, where characters fight not just for their lives but for their very souls, Of Kingdoms and Curses is a must-read. Amy Woodruff delivers a tale that’s dark, romantic, and utterly enthralling. Bridget’s journey is far from over, and I, for one, can’t wait to see where it leads next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bridget Adams, our fierce and determined protagonist, is trapped in the Kingdom of Elyria, a place where humans lose their memories the moment they enter. This haunting premise sets the stage for a narrative steeped in uncertainty and peril. Bridget’s only tie to her forgotten past is the enigmatic and merciless witch, Cora, who keeps her under tight control. The stakes are immediately high—Bridget is desperate to escape, to reclaim whatever life she left behind, and this desperation is palpable in every choice she makes.
The plot thickens as Bridget is thrust into a high-stakes tournament to win the hand of the Fae Prince, Cade. The tournament is a masterstroke of tension, filled with dangerous tasks and cunning rivals, but what truly elevates this story is the unexpected bond that forms between Bridget and Cade. Cade himself is a fascinating character—layered with secrets and complexities that make you question his true motives. As he offers to help Bridget return to the human realm, their alliance becomes the story’s emotional core, complicating Bridget’s mission and her heart in equal measure.
Woodruff’s world-building is immersive, painting a vivid picture of Elyria’s treacherous beauty. The rules of this world—where magic is ruthless and memories are lost forever—add a layer of tension to every interaction, keeping you on edge as Bridget navigates this treacherous land. The themes of control, freedom, and identity are explored in ways that resonate deeply, making Bridget’s journey as much about self-discovery as it is about survival.
What I particularly loved about Of Kingdoms and Curses is how it balances the magical and the emotional. The story is rich with enchanting, dangerous magic, but it never loses sight of the characters’ internal struggles. Bridget’s longing to return home, her growing connection with Cade, and the looming threat of a larger conspiracy make for a story that’s as heart-wrenching as it is thrilling.
As secrets unravel and the true nature of Elyria and its inhabitants come to light, you can’t help but be drawn into the web of intrigue that Woodruff spins. The final revelation—that the greatest curse might be love itself—hits hard, leaving you eager for the next installment in the series.
If you’re a fan of stories where magic has teeth, where characters fight not just for their lives but for their very souls, Of Kingdoms and Curses is a must-read. Amy Woodruff delivers a tale that’s dark, romantic, and utterly enthralling. Bridget’s journey is far from over, and I, for one, can’t wait to see where it leads next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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