What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dagger's Curse: The Kotori Series: Book 1
Isla, a Witch in the Kingdom of Adera, has been beaten, belittled, and punished all her life. Shunned and hidden inside the King's Coven with the other magic users, they are feared by the people of Adera. She works in the shadows to protect those she holds dear from the beasts of the land. Quinn, Adera's Prince, is one of the few people outside the Coven to show Isla any kindness. However, when Isla finds herself imprisoned with her mysterious cell mate, V, secrets of the kingdom, and even herself are revealed.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 25, 2025
4 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 27, 2025
Riley has the ability to captivate your mind and yank you into her version of fantasy, bespelling you at every turn.
I read this book in one day and never found a spot where I grew bored of the action, the world-building, or the slow in-between moments we sometimes find ourselves skimming through.
I gobbled Every. Single. Word.
Isla’s character is strong, funny, and witty. Her tongue is as quick as a whip, and she has knives to show those words physically. Not only is this woman one of my top five favorite heroines, but I also have a crush. As a witch, she was given nothing and shunned but used for her healing abilities. When an attack left her broken, her father vowed she would never know what pain felt like and taught her everything he knew to protect herself. It was all done in secret to keep her ability to wield many weapons, from a broadsword to daggers.
Time has stood stagnant for her. Years she has been doing the same thing over and over until suddenly she wasn’t.
A proposal threw everything askew. A downward spiral into the lies she had been fed for her whole life. Lies that had been fed to the kingdom for centuries.
Thrown into a dungeon along with another, they have to find a way out and a way to even tolerate each other. The banter between ‘V’ and Isla had me cackling like a wicked witch, and I could not get enough.
I laughed and cried my way through this book, and you will, too.
Riley’s debut novel is a work of literary genius and will be read by me again and again.
If you like witches, magic, and lies. If you love tension, banter, and crying. If you want to dive into the mind of Isla and pretend you’re her, and want to live in a fantasy world for a while filled with all of this, then this is the book for you.
I read this book in one day and never found a spot where I grew bored of the action, the world-building, or the slow in-between moments we sometimes find ourselves skimming through.
I gobbled Every. Single. Word.
Isla’s character is strong, funny, and witty. Her tongue is as quick as a whip, and she has knives to show those words physically. Not only is this woman one of my top five favorite heroines, but I also have a crush. As a witch, she was given nothing and shunned but used for her healing abilities. When an attack left her broken, her father vowed she would never know what pain felt like and taught her everything he knew to protect herself. It was all done in secret to keep her ability to wield many weapons, from a broadsword to daggers.
Time has stood stagnant for her. Years she has been doing the same thing over and over until suddenly she wasn’t.
A proposal threw everything askew. A downward spiral into the lies she had been fed for her whole life. Lies that had been fed to the kingdom for centuries.
Thrown into a dungeon along with another, they have to find a way out and a way to even tolerate each other. The banter between ‘V’ and Isla had me cackling like a wicked witch, and I could not get enough.
I laughed and cried my way through this book, and you will, too.
Riley’s debut novel is a work of literary genius and will be read by me again and again.
If you like witches, magic, and lies. If you love tension, banter, and crying. If you want to dive into the mind of Isla and pretend you’re her, and want to live in a fantasy world for a while filled with all of this, then this is the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2025
Alright, fantasy lovers, buckle up because *The Dagger’s Curse* is a wild ride — and by wild, I mean betrayals, secrets, and magic that could probably kill you if you blink wrong.
Isla, our badass but painfully mistreated Witch, has spent her life being locked away, feared, and basically treated like an inconvenience. But when she lands herself in a cell with a very intriguing prisoner named V, everything she thought she knew about Adera (and herself) gets flipped on its head.
First off, the world-building? Chef’s kiss. Adera is dark, ruthless, and filled with people who are terrified of magic—which, fair, because it’s deadly. The King’s Coven is like a prison disguised as a sanctuary, and the politics? Messy in the best way. If you love stories where secrets lurk around every corner, this one’s got you covered.
Then there’s Isla. She’s strong, she’s angry, and honestly, she deserves better. Her relationship with Quinn, the only decent royal in this kingdom, is complicated (because, duh, politics). But let’s talk about V—mysterious, dangerous, and way too good at keeping secrets. Their interactions? Absolutely electric. If you love tension-filled, “should I trust you or stab you” dynamics, you’re in for a treat.
The pacing is nonstop —just when you think you have a second to breathe, BAM, another twist slaps you in the face. There’s magic, there’s rebellion, and there’s Isla realizing that maybe she’s more powerful (and more important) than she ever thought. The last few chapters? Insane. I’m still recovering.
Isla, our badass but painfully mistreated Witch, has spent her life being locked away, feared, and basically treated like an inconvenience. But when she lands herself in a cell with a very intriguing prisoner named V, everything she thought she knew about Adera (and herself) gets flipped on its head.
First off, the world-building? Chef’s kiss. Adera is dark, ruthless, and filled with people who are terrified of magic—which, fair, because it’s deadly. The King’s Coven is like a prison disguised as a sanctuary, and the politics? Messy in the best way. If you love stories where secrets lurk around every corner, this one’s got you covered.
Then there’s Isla. She’s strong, she’s angry, and honestly, she deserves better. Her relationship with Quinn, the only decent royal in this kingdom, is complicated (because, duh, politics). But let’s talk about V—mysterious, dangerous, and way too good at keeping secrets. Their interactions? Absolutely electric. If you love tension-filled, “should I trust you or stab you” dynamics, you’re in for a treat.
The pacing is nonstop —just when you think you have a second to breathe, BAM, another twist slaps you in the face. There’s magic, there’s rebellion, and there’s Isla realizing that maybe she’s more powerful (and more important) than she ever thought. The last few chapters? Insane. I’m still recovering.
February 27, 2025
This book brings so many unique concepts to the board while boasting funny banter, in depth lore, a captivating story line, developed characters, and a world to truly get lost in. Isla is a strong and relatable female protagonist, which just adds to the growing list of desirable traits this author has crafted into her book. An excellent read which has me aching for the next novel in the series!
March 13, 2025
An amazing first book for the author and the upcoming series.
The words and the story flow so beautifully. I found myself immersed in the scenes because of all the details provided to make the pictures complete. There were some surprises - is he a good guy or a bad guy? A great read and I highly recommend The Dagger’s Curse.
The words and the story flow so beautifully. I found myself immersed in the scenes because of all the details provided to make the pictures complete. There were some surprises - is he a good guy or a bad guy? A great read and I highly recommend The Dagger’s Curse.
September 6, 2025
What a beautiful and well-written fantasy adventure! This is just outside of my normal genre, as it is full of a slow burn, enemy-to-lovers romance, but it was done so well and fit perfectly within this fantastical world that DeSpain created. It has classical fantasy elements woven into its world-building that I truly enjoyed and the magic system was fascinating and unfolded slowly throughout the story as an integral part of the plot. Isla is a great FMC, full of pain and trauma but still so wonderfully protective and just flat out dangerous, which I loved. DeSpain does a great job of keeping us in Isla's marginalized life without ever making her lose her humanity to despair or to rage, both of which would have been perfectly understandable, but thanks to her unfolding and tumultuous relationship with V, it humanizes her in ways that show us how important it is to truly be seen and celebrated for who we are. The lore and world-building are beyond compelling and I am DYING to see more of this world unfold, as this first book really only gives us a glimpse, but it is certainly enough to want more. The romantic part of the story was well done, never over the top or unbelievable. There were a few moments I felt were a little forced as far as tension (i.e. arguments) between our MCs, but due to the circumstances of Isla's life and history colliding with V's, both characters carry enough scars to make their tense moments completely understandable and I attributed that more to my own personalized reading style than the characters' choices. This book was excellently written and the conclusion has a unique twist that has left me clamoring for the next installment. Definitely check this one out!
February 28, 2025
If you like your romance with a side of deadly prophecies and just a pinch of impending doom, The Dagger’s Curse is the book for you! This spellbinding fantasy takes the classic love story and sharpens it- quite literally- with a cursed dagger that has a nasty habit of ruining lives (and budding love stories).
Our heroine, fearless yet hopelessly tangled in fates cruel web, must navigate a world of magic, treachery, and a brooding love interest, who may or may not be her undoing.
Will love conquer destiny? Or will the curse cut their passion short? The tension is sharper than the blade itself.
With writing as enchanting as the world it creates, The Dagger’s Curse delivers romance, danger, and enough twists to make you question every prophecy you’ve ever heard. Read at your own risk- this book will stab you in the feels, and leave you wanting more.
Our heroine, fearless yet hopelessly tangled in fates cruel web, must navigate a world of magic, treachery, and a brooding love interest, who may or may not be her undoing.
Will love conquer destiny? Or will the curse cut their passion short? The tension is sharper than the blade itself.
With writing as enchanting as the world it creates, The Dagger’s Curse delivers romance, danger, and enough twists to make you question every prophecy you’ve ever heard. Read at your own risk- this book will stab you in the feels, and leave you wanting more.
June 26, 2025
genuinely can’t stop thinking about it. From the first chapter, I was completely hooked. The story is packed with twists, hidden secrets, and a beautifully layered magic system that made everything feel so alive. The banter between the main characters was sharp, emotional, and honestly one of my favorite parts. And that ending? I cried. I need book two right now. Please tell me it’s coming soon!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews