Heart of the Villain

Cursed Gods #1.5

by Dany Crooks

Every villain has a story.

This is Marlena Caelum’s.

Born to rule, Marlena is thrust into a world of politics and power before most children have even manifested their gods-given ability. With traditions passed down through the generations, Marlena becomes subject to her mother and father’s grueling lessons and nearly unattainable expectations.

After years of burying her parents’ cruelty, Marlena snaps, and nothing can stop her from seeking revenge. Until the unexpected happens, and Marlena falls for a powerless girl who shows her who she could have been.

But love is fleeting, and nothing good lasts forever.

Obsessed with proving the people who doubted her wrong, Marlena does the unthinkable, and this time, her heart won’t get in the way.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2025

About the author

Dany is an over-caffeinated adult romantasy author currently living in southwest Michigan with her husband and four fur babies. Revenge of the Forgotten is her first book. Whenever she's not stuck in a fictional world, she enjoys being outdoors, diving into books that make her cry, and belting songs anywhere she goes like it's her own concert. She's been writing for fun since the late 2000s and recently started writing professionally to show herself and others like her that they can do hard things!

Find her at:

Instagram: @danycrooksauthor

TikTok: @authordanycrooks | @author.danycrooks

Reviews

[GheridenTheBookBard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been hyping up Heart of the Villain by Dany Crooks to all my bookish friends! This novella delivered a fresh, emotional perspective on a character I didn’t expect to connect with.

Marlena, the "villain," gets an origin story that pulled me in. From her preteen years to young adulthood, we witness the journey that shaped her. I never thought I’d feel so much sympathy for someone with her dark reputation, but Dany Crooks masterfully peels back the layers.

I also loved reconnecting with familiar characters and seeing their relationships before the first book. The pacing was spot on, balancing heartbreak, anger, and resilience.

If you love morally gray characters and stories that challenge your perspective, this novella hits all the right notes!

[christineann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this, as Dany did such a damn good job making me absolutely hate Marlena to where I didn't want to potentially feel sympathy for her. But, damn, I did.
I also love a novella that gives you a deeper look into the characters and their motivations, the secrets they keep. It made me excited to reread the first book in a new light.
I also enjoyed that this was a sapphic book and a beautifully complicated relationship. I feel those are few and far between in literature subgenres.
Don't sleep on this series- I'm already eager for the next one. Will our villain get a redemption?

[Luna ꪆৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

Before I begin I want to thank the author, Dany Crooks, for giving me this ARC.

This is the most valid crash out. She had every right to become the villain. I really liked the buildup of the story and the development of the characters. I did not read the previous book but I could follow along with the story.

Overall I really liked this and I'll definitely read the previous and next books.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect novella for this series. Oftentimes, we don’t get to see how the villain of a story became that way. This novella perfectly captures the duality of Marlena and has us really thinking about how it makes a lot of sense that she is the way she is now. Themes are very heavy in this one so I suggest you take a look at the warnings if you need to before diving in. I really enjoyed getting an extra insight into the story, and I’m so excited to see what happens next in this series as Vengeance comes out tomorrow!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If villain why hot?


This was everythinggggg I could have wanted and more.

I absolutely love Dany’s writing. Her world building, her characters, her stories. How did she make us fall in love with a villain so easily? I hated Marlena in the first book but here I am being like ???? Ok I get it ???? (I can’t forgive her yet but ….) I can’t wait to be back into the world of Tolevarre in book 2

Thank you thank you thank you Dany for the ARC!!!

If you are looking for a new fantasy/romantasy series THIS IS YOUR SIGN to pick this series up!!!!

[Virginia Scruggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: “They were seeing the Marlena who was rising from the ashes, the girl who was no longer allowing herself to be treated as less than who she was—no longer standing in her parents’ shadows.”

A Phoenix Blurb: Marlena was the good girl her entire life. She did everything that was expected of her. She pushed her body, mind, and soul to the brink of death for them. All the while, her heart was left to fend for itself against the harsh, brazen ice of her parents cruelty. Now, Marlena will show all those who dared to betray, doubt and ignore her just who she is and just how powerful she became.. right under their noses. If only they had shown her even an ounce of love, perhaps their blood wouldn’t be coating her hands.

What I enjoyed: I could NOT put this book down and absolutely devoured it in a day. I didn’t think Dany Crooks could change my mind about the villain we all came to hate in Revenge of the Forgotten. I WAS WRONG. I have never fallen in love with a villain quite like this. I have never HURT for a villain quite like this. I have never ROOTED for a villain quite like this. Though only a novella, Dany Crooks does a phenomenal job at placing the ground work and piecing together the events in Marlena’s life that led her to that fateful day in her induction day. Did I mention a forbidden romance that will rip out your heart as you watch it unfold? And yes I said “watch”. Dany Crooks is unbelievably masterful at using just enough and the right descriptions to immerse you into the growing world of Tolevarre. I’m not a visionary person, so it isn’t very often that I can imagine scenes as I read them. But Dany has the special touch. Please do not skip out on this amazing read!

Any struggles?: Only in wiping my ugly crying tears away.

Would I recommend?: ABSOLUTELY! If you are a fan of the romantasy genre- this is a must read! Please read Revenge of the Forgotten first though for full impact. (Trust me- it’s just as good!)

[Cayla Pitts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I even begin 😭

I hated Marlena so much in book one. I could not understand why she was so… evil… when Vega was so kind and caring. Now that I know her backstory all I can say is..I get it Mar 🥺

This book was only 200 something pages but it was a roller coaster of emotions. The way her parents treated her made me fucking sick. And then for them to turn around and be the polar opposite to Vega was a mind fuck. I also did not see Marlena’s love interest coming.. and that broke my heart all over again.

I was sucked into this story from the beginning and I hope Marlena is able to get her happy ending at some point in this series. 😭 would definitely recommend!

[Sav | SavtheBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to be honest, I didn't know if I would like this one due to my hatred for Marlena... but alas. I ate it up. In like 2 hours. This sapphic, spicy, heartwrenching novella had me unwell and I loved every minute of it.

We follow Marlena's journey to becoming the evil ruler she now is. It goes through her life as she was growing up and all of the significant events that made her make the decisions that she has.

This does not end on a HEA I just have to let you know but it's so worth it and I cannot wait to see where the rest of this series goes!

[Carolyn Jane Gantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars - Marlena might be my new favorite book character EVER. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I wanted to give her a hug and also shake her by her shoulders. Don’t tell Vega but Marlena is my new favorite sister… I am even more excited to see how this story progresses and o hope and pray we get more of Marlena’s POV and side of the story.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explicit. Who doesn't love an insight into how the villain became the villain? This was a bit repetitive, but I love reading about Marlena's childhood and how all the relationships were built and changed. I wish Vega had been given a slightly bigger role, but all in all it was great!

[Sofia Hartell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to get Marlenas POV. Even though I understand that she was hurt as a child and what trauma can do, I don’t think all her actions are justified. I’m interested to continue understanding her and what the curse really means. I like the LBTQ rep!

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am about to become my parents' worst nightmare, and it's exactly who they raised me to be."

This novella is everything I needed to cure my Tolevarre hangover. After reading Heart of the Villain, my understanding of all the characters becomes more clear and I am looking at Revenge of the Forgotten from a different viewpoint, which is really fascinating.

We are taken back to the early years in the Calleum Family. We explore the connection all these characters had towards each other. Marlena and Vega are viewed differently in their parent's eyes. We get a front row seat through Marlena's POV as she goes through excruciating and traumatic training and lessons in an attempt to make her fit to rule.

Everybody loves to hate the villain, and I truly did in Book 1. Now that I have a grasp and better understanding to Marlena's past, I am torn and heartbroken. What a well written novella. The emotions are so high in this book, I was drawn and could not stop reading. I did anticipate certain events since I read Revenge of the Forgotten, but other parts had me surprised in the best way possible.

Dany Crooks created a well crafted novella that enhances this series with a glimpse of how Marlena became who she is. I am blown away by the beauty of Dany's writing and enjoyed this novella from start to finish. I am so honored to be part of the ARC team. Thank you Dany Crooks for this amazing story!

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly after reading this book, I understand 1000% why Marlena crashed out like she did. Because I knew that she was abused by her parents, but I never knew that it was to this extreme. Like I've heard some of it but you were never shown in the first book. This line that just shows you every and how her parents raised her to be how she is in book one. I feel like it's her parents actually train her correctly and didn't do what they did none of that would have happened. She wouldn't have had done the things she had done. So like I said she had a valid reason to crash out. I actually really like this book because you normally don't get the villain backstory. So to actually get this and to see everything. Honestly this book did make me really mad at Vega and her friends because it seems like none of them actually saw what was happening or they chose to ignore it. Plus after everything that happened at the end of the book. I understand why she did what she did. It's still sad but somehow you have to make a villain somehow. After reading this book you see all the signs that were there. I don't want to say that some people deserved what happened, but it did happen to them so that's all I'm going to say. I honestly cannot wait for book two because the way this book went. I definitely needed it.

[Mary Stieg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe some minor spoiler alerts.

This was one of my favorite villain origin stories/novellas that I have read yet. It made me feel horrible for Marlena, when before I hated her. But now I understand why she turned villain. After the years of abuse, should have been true love, and eventual heartbreak, she channeled her rage into what her parents created her to be. She didn’t know how else to channel it. It seemed at times as if she wanted to try better ways to cope, but the abuse she endured broke every ounce of trust, especially in those she loved most.

I know it wouldn’t have been pertinent to the main series story, but I wish she could have learned to trust and open up to the ones she loved most to see if they could have helped her. Now that I know what she endured, I’d almost worry for her ending. Almost, the years of killing have me feeling like she can’t be stopped at this point.

it will be interesting to see how Dany Crooks wraps up the ending to this series. I can’t wait to read book two!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ some open door romance but it was hot 🔥🔥🔥🔥 I loved how for a novella it wasn’t pure smut, it actually made sense with the main series.

Tropes:
❤️Sapphic (FF)
❤️Secret Relatinoship
❤️Coming of age (starts at age 9 ends at age 22)
❤️Villain origin story
❤️Feminine rage
❤️No HEA
❤️LGBTQIA+ Rep

[Michaela Zeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

So first I would like to think the author for an ARC copy of this book. I was so excited to be back in this world!! But I will say I was not a fan of Marlena in the first book, I was rooting for her in this book. Even though I knew how things would turn out. Marlena did not deserve to be treated and discarded as she was, and I’m glad we do get a backstory of her because it gives you a better understanding of why she did the things she did and how she didn’t want to, but nothing else was working. I’m hoping in the next book maybe we get a different version of Marlena. I also loved the romance side for Marlena. I do think this one had more romance in my opinion. I felt so bad for Marlena and Arlet because things turned. When they were together, we saw a softer side of Marlena where she was loved, cared for and wanted and then it just all went away within the blink of an eye,. This book got me from start to finish and then it left me wanting more!! Therefore, I need the next book in the series to come out because I feel like I have even more questions. Some of them were answered in this book, but now I have even more questions. Therefore, we need the next book so I can see what happens!!

[Alex | alexs.magical.library · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚ᎪᏒᏟ ᏒᎬᏉᎥᎬᎳ📚
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not a happy story….this is the villain’s story and how she came to be. This is the story of Marlena, who was groomed to be her parents' puppet for the kingdom and instead rises from the shadows to enact her revenge on those who have always doubted her.

*****************************************************************************
I’m going to be honest…After reading Book 1, Revenge of the Forgotten, I didn’t want to like this book because Marlena was portrayed as such a brutal and devastating villain that you can’t help but despise her. I didn’t want to give her any sympathy for the path she’s taken but dammit does Dany grab at your heart-strings and open your eyes to the pain and trauma her character was put through.

This book shows you how POWERFUL revenge can be even in the darkest ways and that some villains aren’t simply born evil but spawned by those closest to them.

The backstory of Marlena’s life, dives deep into her life growing up as a child up until her adult life - enlightening you on the trauma and struggles she endured plus the shame of never being good enough and always feeling like an outsider. I really enjoyed seeing how her intentions flip from protective and caring to vengeful and selfish. Her development into the villain is a slow-churn of events that is intriguing, heart-breaking and devastating to the reader as you get to see slowly how the pieces start to fall apart and where she went astray.

[Heather Davidson-Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great villain (?) story!! 🙌🏼 Not going to lie, I did not like Marlena in Revenge of the Forgotten, and I didn't expect to like her in this book, but now I'm second-guessing if I truly hate her. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's a bad girl 😈, but is she truly the villain or is it her parents?? I was fuming 90% of this book because of them, and I feel so bad for Mar! My girl didn't deserve what she went through, but it does make for a good story… Anyways… this book was so good! It's truly an amazing villain story. I loved the lead-up to the start of RotF, but I want more. It makes me want to reread the first book more. There are so many insights into the other characters that I miss so bad! I believe this was my first full FF book, and I was here for it 🙈. I was a little scared at how much true emotion could be put into it, but Dany did not disappoint! The chemistry between Mar and (not saying 🤭) was spectacular! I would so ship them in an everyday setting! I definitely 100000000% recommend this book. 4.9/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I got this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[findingthebook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marlena was raised to be perfect. She was destined to ascend two seats. She had the looks and the power. No one saw her struggle, no one saw her pain. Even the ones that loved her could not see what her parents were doing to her. Filling her up with hatred, they thought they were making a puppet a pet they could control but Marlena had other plans. In the end she was alone and she would do everything to get all the power to get her revenge.


Finished this in a few hours ( one day ) .. Marlena was not someone I thought I would support, and I don’t in some way( read the first book ) but I can see why she went all villain full of rage and hatred. Her parents are the worst .. Vega was a sunshine, she never really saw Marlena’s and we can put that on her parents for how differently they were treated. Arlet.. ah Arlet was an angel that left for the wrong reason but was doing what she thought was right. I loved seeing everyone in a different time and I can see the change from their younger self’s.. and I feel a bit of pain for all of them especially Marlena .. she was just a baby going through the worst to please two parents that never saw her worth … on to book 2

[Beth (bethsbookshelfx) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating : ☆☆☆☆☆

—————

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦.
𝘈𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦.

—————

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 & 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 :

- 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
- 𝙉𝙤 𝙃𝙀𝘼
- 𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮
- 𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖
- 𝙇𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖
- 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝘼𝙛𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧
- 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥
- 𝙉𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 : 𝙋𝙚𝙩

✔️ Available On KU

—————

This was everything I wanted and more. God, the way this made me fall in love with Marlena which I thought was impossible. Dany described her pain and showed her life through this way was heartbreaking but was absolutely beautiful.

Marlenas parents are so to blame for her becoming a villain. She was literally the most caring girl ever and her parents beat that out of her.

I loved watching Marlena grow and change throughout her years. From where she began the first time to where she began the second time.

Her and Vegas bond before everything happened 🥺 I will never forgive her parents for this. They could have been the biggest power duo.

I loved the first book so much but this one was it for me. It stuck with me and I read it in two sittings.

[Miranda • Darkenchantedchapters · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because I don’t just want to rule. I want revenge. Revenge just like all of you. I want the people who doubted me to suffer. The ones who made me question my worth… I want them dead. I want to watch the life drain from their eyes. I want to give you a body to call home again.”

You know what getting to know Marlena in a new light was just what we needed. In Revenge of the Forgotten all we seen her as was the Villian. But in this little novella of hers we got to see what happened to her to make her this way.

I actually found a new respect for Marlena when reading this book. Her character actually grew on me and I honestly feel sorry for her for everything that she had to go through growing up. One thing I didn’t see coming was how close her and Arlet actually were at one point and I was happy for her but sad that she let it go so easily in the end.

I can’t wait to see what Dany does in the next book of the series as I’m already wanting to be back in this world again.

[Shelby B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mixed feelings that I now have for Marlena is wild. She was so unlikable in Revenge of the Forgotten and now…

This book really made me understand her and I was actually rooting for her while also simultaneously being heartbroken by her choices. She does still have her unlikable moments, but we also get a lot more of Ryanna, Marlena and Vega’s mother, and then it makes sense because Ryanna is awful.

I did not see this romance coming! It makes me want to re-read Revenge to find any hints to their feelings toward each other. This was my first F/F romance and it did not disappoint.

I also have such a different perspective of Vega. Girl, are you blind?!

Heart of the Villain was such a good book and I read it all in one day. I’m so excited to see how this series continues (the news at the end of this book!). Dany Crooks is a must-read author for me now.

[Kallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marlena's Story 💔

I really love a villian origin story and I'm glad Dany wrote Marlena's story. It's so interesting seeing how Marlena was shaped and how she makes decisions that eventually lead her to be the Marlena we know from Revenge of the Forgotten. I felt terrible for little Marlena and the abuse she suffers from her parents. I could feel and understand her frustration of no one else seeing what's going on and not understanding her. How alone she felt and how painful it was for her to not have her needs met. Even though I knew what's coming, I still found myself having hope for her. And hope for her and her lover (I went in knowing it's a non hea and still!) Which, by the way, caught me totally by surprise! It was nice that Marlena had someone in her life, even if it was only for a little bit.

[storm✨️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🗡🫀ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔙𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔞𝔦𝔫🫀🗡

𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.
𝘔𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵.

Yep, you and me both, Marlena!
I knew this book would hurt, but gosh, poor Marlena. 🥲

We get to follow Marlena from age 9 to 22 in this novella.
I definitely hate to love her after seeing everything she went through prior to Revenge.
I'm sitting here wishing she could've been stronger than the dark thoughts and need for revenge. But seeing what drove her to that point, I get it.

I just love Dany's writing so much. Some of the scenes were so devastating that it's so easy to feel the pain in your own heart.
Tolevarre just feels like home, and it was so nice to revisit and see everything from a different perspective.

🗡villain origin story
🫀sapphic romance
🗡feminine rage
🫀no HEA

[Stephanie Skiffington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED Revenge of the Forgotten and I was so excited to read the backstory of why Marlena became a vicious villain and I was not disappointed! This is a novella about Marlena's horrible childhood until about 22 years old. Her parents abused her from the start, locking her in a room until she mastered her magic. They didn't care about her, she was just a means to an end. They wanted her to be married off to someone powerful and rule a kingdom. Meanwhile she was seeing her younger sister Vega be able to do whatever she wants with her friends. She starts not caring what her parents want and she makes plans to do whatever it takes to get what she wants. This story really makes you see why she ended up a villain, I actually felt sorry for her. I can't wait for the second book!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of the Villain was a deep dive into Marlena, the villain. In book 1, we were left wondering…”how did we get here?! Why is she doing all of this?!? Why is Marlena such a massive b****?!?” And this book answered so many those questions.

Having this perspective on Marlena allows us to have a lot more empathy and understanding for why she is the way she is, although let’s be real…she’s still a total b****

My only wish is that we got more info about what happens after the end of Heart of the Villain. I still have some questions about what happens between the two books! But I’m sure more will come out in the coming novels. And truly it’s just because I’m so fascinated with the world that I want to know MORE MORE MORE.

Dany Crooks kills it again — go read this series!

[Marena Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

This book was such a wild ride! 😍 Marlena’s story is intense, dark, and full of twists that kept me hooked. Her journey from being trapped under impossible expectations to full-on villain mode was chef’s kiss 👏. And then, of course, there’s that unexpected romance that makes you want to scream, “Nooo, don’t do this to me!” 😭

The writing was immersive, and I loved the world-building—it felt rich and layered. The emotional depth in Marlena’s character was so good, and I found myself rooting for her even when she made… questionable choices 😅. My only tiny complaint is that I wanted a little more development in some parts, but overall, this was a fantastic read!

If you love morally gray villains, high-stakes drama, and a little heartbreak, definitely give this one a go! 💀❤️

[Charity Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this novella packed an emotional punch and I wasn’t ready for it! 😭

Marlena is one of the worst villains I’ve ever come across in a book and definitely one of my most despised characters.

Heart of the Villain gives you that backstory so you can see why she is the way that she is…and frankly, I get it. I hate it so much, but I get it and I hope she gets a redemption arc one day, but I doubt it, because she’s awful. The abuse and trauma she endured at the hands of those that were supposed to love her just broke my heart into a million pieces. Watching her go from the Marlena that would do ANYTHING to protect her younger sister, to the Marlena in Revenge of the Forgotten, is jaw-dropping!

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Heart of the Villain✨

5⭐️
2🌶️

Dany has done it again my friends 👯‍♀️

💚Non-HEA
💚sisters best friend
💚secret relationship
💚villain origin story
💚friends to lovers

When @danycrooksauthor announced this book, I needed it asap. She was quick to tell her readers that this wasn’t meant for us to like Marlena but for us to understand her. And man did you do an amazing job at giving us the perfect insight to Marlena’s world.

This novella lets us see Marlena’s world from ages 9-22 and after seeing her in Revenge of the Forgotten, it all makes sense now.

This novella had my heart hurt, my eyes water and my gut drop on so many occasions, it was perfectly written for Marlena.

If Dany writes it, I’m going to read it, always 🫶🏻

[Haali M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny’s debut dark fantasy romance, Revenge of the Forgotten, was absolutely incredible and I knew Heart of the Villain would be just as amazing! Getting to understand the villain we all love to loathe was a NEED.

Marlena isn’t an easy character to understand, but she’s got a dark story and I sincerely appreciate how deep the author dug to give us the most authentic experience and version of Marlena we could possibly hope for. It’s so obvious that it was a labor of love from Dany!

It’s visceral, it’s raw, it’s painful, and utter perfection. I can’t wait for the next book in the Cursed Gods series!! Thank you so much Dany Crooks for the gifted review copy. It was so much more than I could’ve asked for and I LOVED IT!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️.5

[chantal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED Revenge of the Forgotten - I couldn’t wait to explore the backstory of how Marlena became the villain she is. The novella offers an in-depth look at her childhood, extending until she’s 22. While her younger sister enjoyed a carefree life, Marlena was forced to be locked away by her parents. Over time, she grows apathetic toward her parents' expectations and starts scheming, determined to achieve her goals at any cost. This story really highlights the reasons behind her transformation into a villain, and it left me feeling a deep sense of sympathy for her.
I can't wait to see what's next in the series of The Cursed Gods😍