She’s anxious for a cure. He has the answer. With mutual magical enemies, will their sizzling chemistry survive a dangerous betrayal?
New Orleans. Hailey Knox needs a miracle. Born to a long line of powerful witches, the fire-haired bartender has tried everything to break a curse that stifles her magic. So when a mysterious, sexy bloodsucker claims he can crack the spell, she throws caution to the wind for the sake of her deathly ill granny.
John is frantically pursuing a deeply personal agenda. So the vampire seizes the opportunity to further his desperate aims by offering the despairing green-eyed goddess a deal too sweet to be true. But despite his hunger for the lovely redhead, he refuses to be distracted as he vows to pursue his goal to the treacherous end.
Knowing all things come at a price, Hailey fights her yearnings for the dark-haired man as her suspicions mount. And while John can practically taste the soft throat of the bold beauty, he fears they will both burn as he prepares to do the unthinkable.
Dare they yield to their forbidden passion, or will they succumb to darkness?
A Curse soWicked is the darkly sensuous first book in the Cursed Bloodline paranormal romance series. If you like courageous heroines, tangled webs of intrigue, and plenty of steam, you’ll adore River Ash’s fatal attraction.
River Ash is a writer of paranormal romance novels. Her stories are filled with passion and fantasy and all have HEAs. Her latest book in the Cursed Bloodline world, "Cursed Memory" is out.
Her love for reading began when she was a young girl sneaking into the school library, and grow into adulthood.
When River's not reading, she is writing passionate fantasy with romance twist. Or else, she can be found solving sudoku puzzles. River loves traveling, is obsessed with energy drinks, and has several relationships with fictional characters.
Rive loves to hear from her readers. You can email her at RiverAshAuthor@gmail.com
A short, fast paced story about a witch who can’t access her powers and a vampire who wants to help her for some reason.
Hailey Knox comes from the Terra Coven, which has been cursed for centuries no to be able to use their powers and therefore dying slowly. When her grandmother falls sick, she’s forced to strike a deal with a handsome vampire even though everyone warns her not to. As attraction forms between them, she gets more inclined to trust him, but John may have his own agenda after all…
It was a quick read and I enjoyed it. Hailey was determined to save her grandma at any cost and her character was sweet and endearing. The plot was great, and the ending really intrigued me.
Nothing tastes as sweet as forbidden love, even more so when it’s between vampire and witches.
A CURSE SO WICKED is the first in a new paranormal romance series starring Hailey Knox, a powerless witch from a cursed bloodline, and John, the vampire she shouldn’t trust but who could help her and her clan regain her magic. When John approaches her, Hailey doesn’t trust him or his motives, but when her beloved granny falls ill and magic seems to be the only way to save her, Hailey makes what one would call a deal with the devil.
The book was fast paced, full of mystery and intrigue, which was my favorite aspect of the book. What are John’s motives? We have a few clues but not the full picture yet and the mystery lover in me is intrigued. As for the romance, there was definitely a lot of tension and steam in this one. I liked that Hailey and John, despite their attraction to each other, still lean more on the hate, which makes for an interesting and realistic dynamic given how distrusting witches are of vampires and the numerous warnings Hailey has received about them as well as her own mother’s history with vampires.
I do wish for things to have been explored a little more in depth, like Hailey’s relationships with her friend and her absentee mother, and her family’s struggle of being witches without access to their magic. I do adore her deep bond with her grandmother, though.
Rating: 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐💫 Spice: 3 peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for providing me with an e-ARC to review. Opinions are my own.
This was such a fun and short read, it was fast paced with some mild spice but a great plot. I loved the cursed coven play on things with Hailey and her grandma having such a great bond.
John had a very interesting personality, different from most vampires, so he was entertaining to read.
The ending definitely left me interested in the next book!
*eARC review* The plot sounds amazing. As soon as I read the premise of the book, I did want to read it. What took away my enjoyment was many grammatical and spelling mistakes. There were just so many that it was an actual distraction during the reading process. Most of the time I can read right over it and keep going and maybe not even notice - but these mistakes were numerous-it just seemed like during formatting, rushing was involved and so a space in the wrong spot changed words around, etc. Even fhe authors acknowledgements had a different MMC name than what he is called in the book. Jack vs John The switching between the points of view was executed in a confusing manner. Most of the time, when there is a dual point of view : switching between characters is very distinct. Whether it be new paragraphs or a new chapter, etc. But this would have the conversation and the switching back-and-forth even in a paragraph and It became very confusing at times and I had to stop and re-read areas to understand who was talking. I also wished this book would have been longer. It felt more like a novella in length due to the brevity of information. The plot and backstory is there but it needed more. More length, more information on the characters. Even more background. It felt like it wasn’t complete, like a draft or outlines being expanded on. I loved the idea for the plot. I really hope in future books that more is brought in and depth is added along with a longer book so it doesn’t feel so rushed. I enjoyed it. But I *could* have enjoyed it a LOT more.
I did not see that ending coming! I love when a book keeps you guessing, and right when you think you’ll get the answer, the cliff hanger just makes you stare into space. Like, WTF? 😅 I can’t even predict what will happen next.
Haley Knox is born in a long line of powerful witches with a curse that stifles her magic. And the cure that she’s looking for, a mysterious and handsome vampire, John, claims he has the cure. I loved that his bite can restore her magic. That was such a unique and interesting factor. As you can imagine, it made the tension and spice between these two 🔥🔥.
Overall, this was a fun and quick read. I recommend it especially if you enjoy these tropes: 💫 Forbidden romance 💫 Deadly bites 💫 Vampire/witches 💫 Curse witch 💫 Elemental witch 💫 Vampire MMC 💫 Witch FMC 💫 His bite can restore her magic
Thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for the ARC and review opportunity! 🥰🫶🏼
Arc review- This book definitely had me on edge & full of suspense the whole time. If you like witches, vampires, magic & lots of mystery then this may be up your alley! I loved the chemistry between Hailey & John, the banter was funny & the spice was definitely there! 🥵 This story was a good quick read & I enjoyed the characters, it does tug on your heartstrings, I got a bunch of feels just dying for Hailey to find her answers✨️ There are alooot of unanswered questions, and I am going crazy dying to know what happens in the next book! Damn cliffhangers 😂 I do hope we get to learn more about John 😍 and Hailey's magic too!
tropes you’ll sink your teeth into: 🧙♀️ witch with a curse 🦇 mysterious vampire ally 💥 forbidden attraction 💔 deal with the devil vibes 🔮 dark magic + family loyalty
this book had me in a chokehold from the first pageeee. hailey is bold, determined, and a little reckless in the best way. johns dark, brooding, and irresistible, even if you know he’s hiding something.
the tension between them is sooo good. the plot twists? jaw drops. the ending? cliffhanger pain 😭.
perfect for anyone who loves steamy paranormal romance with plenty of angst. bring on book 2, river ash i’m ready!
This was a quick and interesting read. Hailey longs to get access to her magic but her entire family has been cursed, and many have died trying to reach it. With the offer from a vampire, Hailey must choose what to do next.
Her grandmother has been her guiding light, and when she's in the hospital, Hailey feels desperate and reaches out to the vampire that's been following her. Through dangerous situations, magic and forbidden desire, Hailey navigates this new world in the hopes of breaking the curse once and for all.
This is such a quick read because the story is so fun and the characters' emotional states are so well written! The difference between how the FMC acts and analyzes the world around her when she is a child, when she's scared, when she's drunk etc... is truly masterful. I also found that the psychology of the absent/addict parent (not a spoiler) was really well handled.
This is definitely a spicy book, but the spice is not overwhelming nor does it detract from the overall narrative. It's definitely 18+ HBO level.
In terms of what detracts from this book, very clear and present are numerous grammatical and spelling mistakes. There were just so many that it would often cause me to pause my reading and lose interest in a scene. It honestly would make this a 3 star book for me, but I gave it 4 stars in the hope that an editor will be hired to 1. re-proofread this book and 2. fix the acknowledgements to reflect the new names of the characters (and not what presumably were their original names prior to publishing).
I also felt like this book should have continued longer. The plot and world building is there but this book spans the course of at most a week, and significantly more character development and plot could have been added in subsequent chapters. This feels very much like half a book, but one where I'd want to read the second part.
The plot of the book follows a cursed family of witches. They are aware of their powers but are unable to use them. our FMC is Hailey Knox, since she was a little girl she has researched and tried many different spells to unlock her potential and powers. As luck will have it someone has offered to help remove the curse but the catch is they must help each other.
now this sounds amazing and the main story was okay, I think the ending was rushed and sadly felt like there wasn't an answer or true conclusion.
I was provided an ARC & a finished copy of this title for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hailey & John.
She’s a witch without access to her magic and he’s the vampire who offers her a deal she can’t possibly resist; a deal that could give her access to that magic right when she needs it most.
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐 Thank you so much to @riverashwrites & @bookofmatchesmedia for my gifted review copy of 𝘼 𝘾𝙐𝙍𝙎𝙀 𝙎𝙊 𝙒𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙀𝘿! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
A Curse So Wicked was a quick read full of elemental magic, witches, vampires, and forbidden romance between our two main characters!
I was hooked from the very first page and absolutely loved the tension and chemistry between Hailey, our witch FMC, and John, our vampire MMC. The banter between these two was absolutely amazing, made all the better with their enemies to lovers romance. Totally swoon worthy! Hailey is trying desperately to break the curse that is stifling her magic and the magic of her entire coven. Enter John - a vampire she meets that wants to help her. And so they begin down a path to find the cure, and the path is fraught with forbidden romance, witty banter, spice, heartache, betrayal, secrets, and plot twists.
The plot of this book was captivating and kept me really intrigued as I read through the book. I loved the characters, especially Hailey. The twist at the end had me absolutely feral because I didn’t see it coming, and I’m definitely invested in the series at this point and am chomping at the bit for the next book!
This was a great read, perfect for spooky season, and would be fantastic for anyone who is a fan of paranormal romances with witches and vampires!
📋𝐓𝐋𝐃𝐑: Definitely read this one! Such a great book!
Whether you’re a lover of vampires or witches, A Curse so Wicked is a book that should be on your radar, especially now that it’s the spooky season.
The story follows Hailey Knox, born into a line of powerful witches who had their magic bound by a curse. Like others before her, she’s tried unsuccessfully to access her magic. So when her beloved granny falls ill, Hailey needs a miracle. In comes John, a dangerously alluring vampire who says he knows how to access her powers. Hailey has been warned not to trust a vampire, but with her granny’s life on the line, she’s willing to try anything. Even trusting a vampire whose motives are shrouded in mystery.
This was a fast read that I binged within the weekend. What I found most fascinating is the power dynamics between vampires and witches, and also within the witch clans themselves. This lends itself perfectly to the mistrust Hailey feels toward John and offered a very interesting light to their enemy to lover dynamic that hasn’t shifted far from hate, despite the tension and spicy moments between the two. I absolutely love that! An enemies to lovers trope works at its best when there are slow burn feelings. However, while I believe there were certain character dynamics that were explored well, like Hailey and her grandmother or John and Soraya, perhaps a slightly longer book would have allowed to dive deeper into other character dynamics, as well as made the angst between John and Hailey stand out more.
Rating: 3.5 | Spice: 3 (explicit and on page)
Thank you to the author for gifting me an e-ARC to review. Opinions are my own.
Tropes: 🧛🏼Forbidden Romance 🧙🏼♀️Enemies to Lovers 🧛🏼Deadly Bites 🧙🏼♀️Steamy Spice 🧛🏼His Bites Restore Her Magic 🧙🏼♀️Vampires 🧛🏼Witches 🧙🏼♀️Paranormal Fantasy 🧛🏼TENSION!
-
Just finished reading A Curse So Wicked and wow, this was one fast-paced book, and definitely an engaging read! The way the author captures Hailey's emotional shifts depending on her circumstances—whether she's scared, drunk, or reflecting on her past—is riveting. The dynamics between vampires and witches kept me hooked [yah girl LOVES her some TVD and TO!], especially with Hailey’s mistrust of John (the broody, mysterious vampire). The enemies-to-lovers tension between them was well done, and the spicy moments were a perfect touch without taking away from the storyline. Perfect for fans of witches, vampires, and a bit of slow-burn romance… again LOVE me some TVD and The Originals!
That being said, the book could definitely use a good round of edits. There were numerous grammatical and spelling errors that pulled me out of the story a bit too often, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. It felt like the book needed just a tad bit more TLC before publishing/printing—there's so much potential in the world-building and character dynamics that could’ve been explored if the story had been a bit longer. I gave it 4 stars because the plot, characters, and the world just has so much promise, but I’m really hoping for an update that fixes these issues and eventually adds more depth to the characters [even if it’s in future books].
Forbidden love between a vampire & witch. She’s cursed, he can help her get her magic back. Morally grey MMC, spice 🌶️🌶️
The plot was interesting enough for me to be intrigued! I think that this as a series could develop to a better story!
Some hot takes : - this book wasn’t long enough! I feel like it could have been double the size in order to give more relationship building between the MMC & FMC. I felt like their chemistry & relationship was rushed/forced. I also didn’t feel satisfied with the ending. I felt kind of confused and disappointed with the ending, we didn’t get enough.
- There were lots of grammatical errors that easily could have been avoided. One here and there is easier to look over but they were pretty obvious & consistent that it became a little annoying.
SPOILER : I feel like it could have been 10x thought out and planned to saving the ending of her visiting her younger self to warn herself about the vampire way later down the road after a more grand betrayal
Ready for a weekend read that’s a perfect mix of spooky and swoon-worthy and forbidden? Meet Hailey, a fiery witch cursed to be powerless, and John, the dashing vampire who’s trouble with a capital T.
Dive into this New Orleans tale featuring Hailey, a fiery redhead witch who’s cursed and powerless—cue the drama! Enter John, the dashing vampire you’re definitely warned about. With her grandmother’s health hanging in the balance, Hailey’s ready to make some questionable deals. Will she fall into the dark side like her mother, or rise above it all?
Fast-paced, tension-filled, and dripping with forbidden romance, this book will keep you hooked! And that ending? Total twist! Grab it and get spellbound! 📚💖
Perfect for fans of: 🩸 Deadly Bites 🧛♂️ Vampire/Witches 🔮 Curse Witch 🌬️ Elemental Witch 🧛♂️ Vampire MMC 🔥 Witch FMC ✨ His Bites Can Restore Her Magic
Special thank you to R&R Book Tours for allowing me a feature this week for this beautiful book!
Witches, vampires, magic, enemies to lovers + forbidden love & spice ✨
Born into a family with a generations long curse, Hailey has never been able to use her magic. Although she is able to feel it lingering inside her, aching to be used. When her grandmother falls ill, Hailey makes a deal with a vampire named John that says he can break the spell that curses her familial line. He seems to have his own reasons for wanting to work with Hailey & she doesn’t want to end up like her mother, addicted to a vampire’s bite, She goes against all warnings as tries to fight against her feelings & burning desire for this alluring vampire.
There were some grammatical mistakes throughout the book & sometimes lacking in detail that would’ve helped with world building instead of it just being assumed that the reader knows, but nonetheless it didn’t really take much away from the story overall.
There were lots of unanswered questions & a major cliffhanger, that seems we will get answers to in the next book. I still thoroughly enjoyed the premise & story as a whole so much so that it has me wanting to read the next! I liked the reflection on the FMCs past trauma & her relationship with her grandmother but I need more on the MMC. I need answers!! 🤣😫
I received this book as an ARC & am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I have WAY too many questions. We still have no information about John, and I’m losing my mind trying to figure it all out. This is a nice quick read, but I feel like it could have been longer to fit in more details. I get the mysteries to keep you hooked for book 2, but man there is soooo much that wasn’t covered. There could have been a little more backstory for John without losing the hype for book two. I like Hailey, but again I’m kinda confused with some of it. I know book 2 should have answers but Ahhhh. My brain is a whirlwind. I recommend this book, but only if you are prepared for the questions with no answers.
The characters are well written, and personal struggles are very well fleshed out giving a very nice touch, making the characters more alive.
The pace of the plot (which is also well though out) is fast, and while for some it can be a deterrent, I actually enjoy it, because the genre IMHO is not well built for irrelevant blah-blah, so the book is not tedious at all.
For those who are looking at something significantly more deep than a simple love/hate/betrayal/biteme story, this is a definitely a book for you (even if a tiiiny bit on the short side, but hey, there will be more, so in the end it will all play out well enough).
Easy read with beautiful tension, world building and character development. This was a perfect weekend read and a great way to enjoy the spooky season!!!
This story is set in New Orleans and follows Hailey, a redheaded witch with a temperament to match, whose bloodline has been cursed to be powerless. The comes John, the dashing vampire she has been warned to stay away from, who offers the salvation she so desperately wants but is leery of his motives (because why wouldn’t he have his own agenda). When her grandmother falls ill with magic being the seemingly only way to help her, Hailey is determined to save her at any cost, even if it means making a so called ‘deal with the devil”. Will she end up like her mother… addicted to the bite, or will she rise above and resist?
Fast paced, mysterious and alluring, with forbidden love between a vampire and a witch. The spice was beautifully done. I do have some unanswered questions about John and his mysterious past but I am excited to see them answered in the next books.
This book starts off with us meeting a young Hailey who just wants her mom to be ok and stay with her. Once the book gets started we learn that Hailey is a witch who is cursed to feel but not able to use her magic. She wants break the curse so bad. When she crosses path with a vampire named John and her Granny gets sick she makes a deal to find a way to get her magic back. i really likes Hailey and everything she was willing to do. John could have told her more then he did. This books ends a cliff hangar but is a quick read and great for this time of year. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
If you like vampire-themed tv shows, this is the perfect book! Hailey Knox comes from a strong line of witches who have become cursed. All she wants in life is to help her family, and give her grandmother strength. Enter a determined vampire named John who wishes to use her powerful familial line for his own mission. Both characters with their own agendas and urges and we get to enjoy how that plays out. Hailey has her reasons for being weary of John, while it seems like John has no qualms about Hailey. This book will continue in a series, which you will need to read to find out what happened with John, and with the magical curse. I can’t wait read more!
Thank you to author River Ash for the opportunity to ARC read A Curse So Wicked!
The premise of the story seemed like one right up my alley: Vampires and Witches, and forbidden romance.
There were so many grammatical and formatting issues that it was distracting. There were a few times where the chapter heading would say “Hailey” POV, but then after a page, it would switch to John’s POV without any notation. A few grammar issues I can usually look past, but this really took me out of the story.
The story could have been fleshed out a lot more. The ending felt very rushed. I think if this was longer and edited more, it could have been a great story.
A Curse So Wicked is an easy to read, fast-paced story. The chapters are nice and short, which helps you fly right through. I could have binged this one in a single sitting, and almost did. This paranormal romance contains elemental witches, vampires, a centuries old curse, forced proximity, and a bit of mystery! I enjoyed getting to know the characters. I adored Haileys bond with her Grandma and her friendship with Rosie. John is a bit mysterious and has piqued my interest. There are questions I'm still left wondering about, and I'm looking forward to picking back up with book two when the time comes!
His Bites are the one thing that can bring her magic back, but his bites are deadly
Tropes: -She is an Elemental witch -He is a vampire -Forbidden love -Forced Proximity -Betrayal -Strong FMC
This is an shorter but lovely read, that totally fits the vibes of October if you ask me. Hailey is born into a cursed witch coven, where all the members can’t use there magic. Many have tried to break the curse but died trying. When Hailey meets John, a vampire that wants to help her restore her magic, she is off to a journey full of betrayal and heartbreak.
I loved this story, it’s not the longest book, but a total page-turner and I read It in a day. The magic, the backgrounds and the overall setting making it a perfect read for everyone that loves paranormal romance books.
I can’t wait for book 2 because the ending made me gasp for air!
This book was super interesting, full of ups and downs and I really liked it. It didn’t feel like a short book, the story was really well developed, and it was the perfect introduction to this world and the hardships that Hailey and John still need to face.
As it was a short story, we were left with a lot of questions and with an ending that got me screaming for book 2!
I really hope that the next part of this story is a little longer so I can have more in depth knowledge of this world and the covens that rule it.
🌱 I just love every scene on this book and can't wait for the sequels! The banters, man, love a good banter between MCs especially when its enemies to lovers kind of book. Didn't quite expect how the plot had a 360 on the last few chapters but I am loving the thump thump on my heart when I read it.
If you vibe with the following along with some mild spice, check out the link in my story to order one: ✨️ elemental witch ✨️ vampires ✨️ centuries old curse ✨️ forced proximity
She is a witch, he is a vampire and their love is forbidden? Sign me in! I was waiting to read this book! And i am so glad i could read it because i fell in love with the characters. The dynamic, the tension between Hailey and John was delicious, i love their hate! I can't wait to find more about John and his secrets, what are really his intentions?
It was my first book from River Ash (love the name!!!) and i can't wait to see her next book and to find more about the characters. Thank you @riverashwrites and @bookofmatchesmedia for my copy!
- Witches - Vampires - Family Curse - Forced Proximity - 1st in a series - Cursed Bloodlines: Book 1
This book was perfect for witchy season! Hailey is from a long line of powerful witches who have had their magic muted. She is determined to break the curse once and for all. So when a handsome Vampire shows up and says that he has a way to help her break it, she decides to go against her family’s wishes and form an alliance with him.
This book sets the stage for what is sure to be an epic series!