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Egg's Curse
Elliott Stride is a guard for a rare and dangerous a dragon egg. A treasure that was stolen and placed on display by his employer, the eccentric and mysterious Cyneric Haytere.
Having grown up in a world that fears the dangerous creatures from beyond the border of gwythroot flowers, Elliott sees the young dragon as a monster, rather than a child.
However, when she begins to speak inside his mind, begging for love, Elliott lets his guard down. An unlikely bond quickly forms between the two, one that is seemingly unbreakable.
But that child isn't Elliott's to raise. Her father is still out there, searching for his stolen daughter. Will he separate the two when he finds them? Or will he keep the human around?
Having grown up in a world that fears the dangerous creatures from beyond the border of gwythroot flowers, Elliott sees the young dragon as a monster, rather than a child.
However, when she begins to speak inside his mind, begging for love, Elliott lets his guard down. An unlikely bond quickly forms between the two, one that is seemingly unbreakable.
But that child isn't Elliott's to raise. Her father is still out there, searching for his stolen daughter. Will he separate the two when he finds them? Or will he keep the human around?
691 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2025
56 people are currently reading
609 people want to read
About the author
Amber Braun
1 book30 followersA queer author with a love for all things fantasy and romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 23, 2025
Disclosure: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. As a passionate supporter of indie authors, I value the opportunity to read and share my thoughts. My reviews reflect my genuine opinions and are always written with the book's genre and audience in mind. While I have personal preferences—like a love for fantasy or certain tropes—I do not let those influence my rating if they are not relevant to the book's intent. I aim to offer fair, respectful, and genre-appropriate feedback.
I was first drawn to The Egg’s Curse by its captivating cover and stunning artwork—honestly, that alone made me sign up to read it. But what truly kept me hooked was the depth of the story, the immersive world-building, and the richly developed characters. If you appreciate complex narratives and protagonists with layered backstories, you'll definitely enjoy Elliott's journey.
Told from Elliott’s point of view, the book takes you on a long, emotional rollercoaster. He’s only 22, but I found him to be surprisingly mature—so much so that I related to him more than most characters his age. He goes through an incredible amount, and the way he processes and reflects on his emotions makes him feel authentic and grounded.
The final third of the book completely stole my heart. After a well-paced buildup, the twists came fast and hard—I was getting hit from all directions in the best way possible. No spoilers here, but you’ll want to buckle up for that last stretch!
As someone who usually reads steamy, open-door romances, I found the closed-door romance in this book to be incredibly refreshing. I was so anxious for that first kiss that I stayed up until 2 a.m. waiting for it—and yes, I’m pretty sure my happy squeals woke up my fiancé. Worth it.
That said, romance isn’t the central focus of the book, and that’s clear from the beginning. But the emotional tension and slow build were incredibly satisfying nonetheless.
I'm very curious about what’s coming next. After those final twists, I genuinely have no idea what to expect—and I love that.
A special shoutout to the author’s social media presence: the additional artworks posted there add so much to the experience. And if you comment, there’s a good chance you’ll get a lovely, heartfelt reply. You can tell this book—and the whole project—was crafted with love, care, and a ton of research. The depth of the world and its history truly reflects that.
I was first drawn to The Egg’s Curse by its captivating cover and stunning artwork—honestly, that alone made me sign up to read it. But what truly kept me hooked was the depth of the story, the immersive world-building, and the richly developed characters. If you appreciate complex narratives and protagonists with layered backstories, you'll definitely enjoy Elliott's journey.
Told from Elliott’s point of view, the book takes you on a long, emotional rollercoaster. He’s only 22, but I found him to be surprisingly mature—so much so that I related to him more than most characters his age. He goes through an incredible amount, and the way he processes and reflects on his emotions makes him feel authentic and grounded.
The final third of the book completely stole my heart. After a well-paced buildup, the twists came fast and hard—I was getting hit from all directions in the best way possible. No spoilers here, but you’ll want to buckle up for that last stretch!
As someone who usually reads steamy, open-door romances, I found the closed-door romance in this book to be incredibly refreshing. I was so anxious for that first kiss that I stayed up until 2 a.m. waiting for it—and yes, I’m pretty sure my happy squeals woke up my fiancé. Worth it.
That said, romance isn’t the central focus of the book, and that’s clear from the beginning. But the emotional tension and slow build were incredibly satisfying nonetheless.
I'm very curious about what’s coming next. After those final twists, I genuinely have no idea what to expect—and I love that.
A special shoutout to the author’s social media presence: the additional artworks posted there add so much to the experience. And if you comment, there’s a good chance you’ll get a lovely, heartfelt reply. You can tell this book—and the whole project—was crafted with love, care, and a ton of research. The depth of the world and its history truly reflects that.
July 27, 2025
I wanted to love this, but Elliot and Meilyer's relationship felt SO forced. The concept of Egglette was really cute, and they had some adorable moments - but the build up and HUGE info dump definitely scared me. It took me a couple of weeks to slog through the first 300 or so pages (aka, a regular books worth) as it wasn't interesting, and I was waiting for Meilyer to show up. I'm very grateful for the ARC I received, but I can't recommend this to someone unless major changes are made and the story is significantly shortened. Much of it could be cut out and the story wouldn't be affected.
dnf
June 5, 2025Thank you very much to the author for providing an ARC!
Unfortunately, it turned out this is not for me, so I'm DNFing at 40%.
The premise was so interesting and up my alley (reason why I requested the ARC), but I ended up not enjoying reading it for some highly personal reasons. The 2 major reasons are:
1) The start is very slow. We don't meet the Dragon mentioned in the plot description until 32%, in part 2. Because of the slow start, I lost interest in the overall story and I would have DNFed a lot earlier if this wasn't an ARC. It also seems to me that the story keeps on dragging too slowly for my likings.
2) I don't really like Elliot. He's definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed and I'm overall not vibing with him, as I found him quite insufferable at times. Just one example of him not being the smartest (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers): he gets badly injured and medicine is provided to him, but he has no idea how and where to use what; the person who brought the stuff is right there and he doesn't even attempt to ask for more info about the potions he received so, when the person leaves, he just puts everything at random on himself.
I really tried to keep on going, but I'm a strong believer of DNFing if you're not enjoying a book, and I'd rather save myself some time and save the author a bad rating than ending up hate reading and give the book a low rating.
I'm sure this book will work for someone else.
Unfortunately, it turned out this is not for me, so I'm DNFing at 40%.
The premise was so interesting and up my alley (reason why I requested the ARC), but I ended up not enjoying reading it for some highly personal reasons. The 2 major reasons are:
1) The start is very slow. We don't meet the Dragon mentioned in the plot description until 32%, in part 2. Because of the slow start, I lost interest in the overall story and I would have DNFed a lot earlier if this wasn't an ARC. It also seems to me that the story keeps on dragging too slowly for my likings.
2) I don't really like Elliot. He's definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed and I'm overall not vibing with him, as I found him quite insufferable at times. Just one example of him not being the smartest (keeping it vague to avoid spoilers): he gets badly injured and medicine is provided to him, but he has no idea how and where to use what; the person who brought the stuff is right there and he doesn't even attempt to ask for more info about the potions he received so, when the person leaves, he just puts everything at random on himself.
I really tried to keep on going, but I'm a strong believer of DNFing if you're not enjoying a book, and I'd rather save myself some time and save the author a bad rating than ending up hate reading and give the book a low rating.
I'm sure this book will work for someone else.
May 21, 2025
This book is a VERY slow burn and starts off plot heavy, developing the found family aspect of the plot. Although it may start of slow in terms of the romance, you can appreciate the world building and charater development that is done before focusing on the romance. This book is more fantasy than romance, but regardless does both very well.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a romantasy mlm book, with cute found family moments.
(I received an arc copy)
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a romantasy mlm book, with cute found family moments.
(I received an arc copy)
August 26, 2025
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
Egg’s Curse follows a soldier, Elliot, who is initally lost in life after the death’s of his family and his subsequent unsuccessful revenge quest. He finds his way into the employ of a collector who, amongst other magical items, has a dragon egg who has a curious connection with Elliot, and a father in desperate search for her.
This is a very sweet read which, despite tackling some heavy topics such as parental alienation and coercion, also doesn’t take itself too seriously which is a necessity given that one of the main characters spends most of the book as rock-shaped egg and is, accordingly, named Egglette.
Elliot and Meilyr’s relationship develops slowly but in a realistic fashion. I was pleased to see their different attitudes towards falling in love with each other (Meilyr is the definition of falling first and hardest), and as well the casual inclusion of other identities as Morgan is non-binary and Cyneric is asexual.
The plot moves well, it does verge on trying to do too much in places but it progress quickly which helps. There’s a lot of moving pieces involved, some of which aren’t developed fully but there is a sequel so I hope they will be utilised there.
The side characters are developed well and I’m keen to read more about them, Beverly and Morgan especially. I enjoyed the character growth/reveals that occurred during the story and thought it was written well.
There were a few instances of the characters being injured to a catastrophic extent that they didn’t seem to react to eg exposed bone, severe burns, and I would have liked to see a closer look at the impact of the curses on Elliot given that he spends the majority of the story under a magical thrall of one sort or the other. This story could be fashioned into a horror with only some very minor changes and while Elliot does get some retrospective with his feelings and comes to terms with them, it happened relatively easily.
I’m looking forward to the sequel and wish this author all the best.
Egg’s Curse follows a soldier, Elliot, who is initally lost in life after the death’s of his family and his subsequent unsuccessful revenge quest. He finds his way into the employ of a collector who, amongst other magical items, has a dragon egg who has a curious connection with Elliot, and a father in desperate search for her.
This is a very sweet read which, despite tackling some heavy topics such as parental alienation and coercion, also doesn’t take itself too seriously which is a necessity given that one of the main characters spends most of the book as rock-shaped egg and is, accordingly, named Egglette.
Elliot and Meilyr’s relationship develops slowly but in a realistic fashion. I was pleased to see their different attitudes towards falling in love with each other (Meilyr is the definition of falling first and hardest), and as well the casual inclusion of other identities as Morgan is non-binary and Cyneric is asexual.
The plot moves well, it does verge on trying to do too much in places but it progress quickly which helps. There’s a lot of moving pieces involved, some of which aren’t developed fully but there is a sequel so I hope they will be utilised there.
The side characters are developed well and I’m keen to read more about them, Beverly and Morgan especially. I enjoyed the character growth/reveals that occurred during the story and thought it was written well.
There were a few instances of the characters being injured to a catastrophic extent that they didn’t seem to react to eg exposed bone, severe burns, and I would have liked to see a closer look at the impact of the curses on Elliot given that he spends the majority of the story under a magical thrall of one sort or the other. This story could be fashioned into a horror with only some very minor changes and while Elliot does get some retrospective with his feelings and comes to terms with them, it happened relatively easily.
I’m looking forward to the sequel and wish this author all the best.
June 25, 2025
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the author for this!
*CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS - would not effect reading feel like they are kind of obvious from synopsis*
This was a VERY SLOW BURN, like very end of the book slow burn but I still really liked it! Meilyr (M) and Elliot’s (E) relationship drew me in but did take a long time to get anywhere. It wasn’t that they went in circles or anything like that (I mean a bit) but it just felt that they never made any progress forward or backwards they just stayed where they were at. I did really like the scenes with Egglette and them together as a group.
Thats one of my biggest issues with this book, when it looks long, it is. I felt that in some cases the story kind of got stuck following a format? M and E would sneak out talking to Egglette, fly, visit a new place, fly back, Egglette is woken up. I didn’t necessarily have a problem with the actual events or idea of thats their routine I just think that it was detailed a few too many times perhaps for world building? And most of those things were the same like after the third description of what it was like to fly in M’s claw it wasn’t needed to have it again unless there was an additional detail but in most cases there wasn’t. Overall didn’t detract from the story though.
One other thing was that sometimes it could be difficult to follow what was actually going on. I would think the dragons are in humanoid form on the ground chatting, and then someone would fall from the sky or I would lose track of who is talking to who and have to reread a page or two (that could just be me tho lamo).
There were some loose ends but more of wrapped up in another book loose ends so not that big of a deal.
Overall I liked this book and will definitely read the next one eventually, but if you are looking for a very complicated high fae court senario, this is not it. But it does found family very well, and I liked the battle scenes, just a but too many pages between big events.
*CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS - would not effect reading feel like they are kind of obvious from synopsis*
This was a VERY SLOW BURN, like very end of the book slow burn but I still really liked it! Meilyr (M) and Elliot’s (E) relationship drew me in but did take a long time to get anywhere. It wasn’t that they went in circles or anything like that (I mean a bit) but it just felt that they never made any progress forward or backwards they just stayed where they were at. I did really like the scenes with Egglette and them together as a group.
Thats one of my biggest issues with this book, when it looks long, it is. I felt that in some cases the story kind of got stuck following a format? M and E would sneak out talking to Egglette, fly, visit a new place, fly back, Egglette is woken up. I didn’t necessarily have a problem with the actual events or idea of thats their routine I just think that it was detailed a few too many times perhaps for world building? And most of those things were the same like after the third description of what it was like to fly in M’s claw it wasn’t needed to have it again unless there was an additional detail but in most cases there wasn’t. Overall didn’t detract from the story though.
One other thing was that sometimes it could be difficult to follow what was actually going on. I would think the dragons are in humanoid form on the ground chatting, and then someone would fall from the sky or I would lose track of who is talking to who and have to reread a page or two (that could just be me tho lamo).
There were some loose ends but more of wrapped up in another book loose ends so not that big of a deal.
Overall I liked this book and will definitely read the next one eventually, but if you are looking for a very complicated high fae court senario, this is not it. But it does found family very well, and I liked the battle scenes, just a but too many pages between big events.
July 12, 2025
For transparency sake, I am and ARC reader. I was not paid.
I really enjoyed this book. Elliot and Meilyr are such endearing characters and Egglette is adorable. The slow burn was great and definitely what the story needed. There was a few things like the White Death/Queen being Meilyrs mother that was easy to see coming but that’s not necessarily a critique and more “what can you do it’s a part of reading.”
As several people have pointed out Elliot makes stupid mistakes. I found that the first escape was strange and that I wish there was another way for it to happen if it needs to happen. Egglette turning on Elliot was- while devastating was also quite strange. I understand that she was overwhelmed by his memories but I also wish this was something more worthy of her turning on him. She is a child and it was gruesome memories however so I can understand why, I just wish there was MORE as to why she turned on him.
I personally liked Elliot, but there could be ways to improve his character. At times he seemed quite shallow and I wish there was more personality to him. This isn’t a major factor for me since it was outweighed by his general character but I’ve seen people comment on this. I will say there are valuable critiques towards his lack of action during the first 2/3rds of this, and while I don’t mind that since I like the “M saves E and E is guilty abt his powerlessness”, the last fight could have had him do more.
I wish that there was more foreshadowing towards Cyneric during the middle of the book/something to make it less disjointed, but at the same time a lots already happening there. I also wish that the scene with the dragon who was raised by a human was a bit more natural? The backstory was sweet but to seemingly jump into it was a little jarring, tho I may be misremembering.
Also that reveal of the girl being in his plan to carry the egg curse?? Omg I wish that was expanded that was such an evil moment for Cyneric. I also wished that more homophobia was around in the human world since it’s brought up in comments but we aren’t really given examples. The most overt reference to this is when Cyneric is surprised that Egglette would bond with a man instead of a woman.
I will say that some NSFW in the story would be beneficial as it helps with both Elliot and Meiryl. The vulnerability in the uncensored chapter was gorgeous and I believe it would be beneficial to have at least one scene between the two and share that vulnerability that nsfw brings.
I will say that the first 2/3rds of this book should be cut down. As people have pointed out not a lot happens over a long period of time. I didn’t particularly mind it myself, but I could see how it would become too much if it was any longer. A thorough editing will clear this issue up.
I’m very curious as to the next book and will definitely apply to be an ARC reader again.
I will say I do wish the cover had the dame type of art as the promotional art that drew me in. If I saw this at the bookstore I would likely hesitate to pick it up. I understand this isn’t published yet, so we will see if the cover changes. I’ll probably still buy the book to see what changes, but that’s a change I would PERSONALLY like to see.
I really enjoyed this book. Elliot and Meilyr are such endearing characters and Egglette is adorable. The slow burn was great and definitely what the story needed. There was a few things like the White Death/Queen being Meilyrs mother that was easy to see coming but that’s not necessarily a critique and more “what can you do it’s a part of reading.”
As several people have pointed out Elliot makes stupid mistakes. I found that the first escape was strange and that I wish there was another way for it to happen if it needs to happen. Egglette turning on Elliot was- while devastating was also quite strange. I understand that she was overwhelmed by his memories but I also wish this was something more worthy of her turning on him. She is a child and it was gruesome memories however so I can understand why, I just wish there was MORE as to why she turned on him.
I personally liked Elliot, but there could be ways to improve his character. At times he seemed quite shallow and I wish there was more personality to him. This isn’t a major factor for me since it was outweighed by his general character but I’ve seen people comment on this. I will say there are valuable critiques towards his lack of action during the first 2/3rds of this, and while I don’t mind that since I like the “M saves E and E is guilty abt his powerlessness”, the last fight could have had him do more.
I wish that there was more foreshadowing towards Cyneric during the middle of the book/something to make it less disjointed, but at the same time a lots already happening there. I also wish that the scene with the dragon who was raised by a human was a bit more natural? The backstory was sweet but to seemingly jump into it was a little jarring, tho I may be misremembering.
Also that reveal of the girl being in his plan to carry the egg curse?? Omg I wish that was expanded that was such an evil moment for Cyneric. I also wished that more homophobia was around in the human world since it’s brought up in comments but we aren’t really given examples. The most overt reference to this is when Cyneric is surprised that Egglette would bond with a man instead of a woman.
I will say that some NSFW in the story would be beneficial as it helps with both Elliot and Meiryl. The vulnerability in the uncensored chapter was gorgeous and I believe it would be beneficial to have at least one scene between the two and share that vulnerability that nsfw brings.
I will say that the first 2/3rds of this book should be cut down. As people have pointed out not a lot happens over a long period of time. I didn’t particularly mind it myself, but I could see how it would become too much if it was any longer. A thorough editing will clear this issue up.
I’m very curious as to the next book and will definitely apply to be an ARC reader again.
I will say I do wish the cover had the dame type of art as the promotional art that drew me in. If I saw this at the bookstore I would likely hesitate to pick it up. I understand this isn’t published yet, so we will see if the cover changes. I’ll probably still buy the book to see what changes, but that’s a change I would PERSONALLY like to see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2025
ARC READER
Okay, wow. I genuinely did not expect to get this attached to a book I picked up just because the cover was pretty (and it is gorgeous). But The Egg’s Curse completely pulled me in from the first few pages, I was hooked. The world is so vivid and detailed without ever feeling overwhelming, and the characters? Don’t even get me started. They felt so real that I was actually sad when I had to say goodbye at the end.
The story is told from Elliott’s point of view, and honestly, I just fell in love with his voice. He’s 22, but there’s something about the way he thinks and feels that made him feel way older , in the best way. He’s not perfect, and that’s exactly what made him feel so believable. He goes through a lot, and watching him navigate all of it felt so raw and honest.
The last third of the book?? Absolute chaos. I mean that as the highest compliment. I thought I had a handle on where things were going and then BAM—twist after twist. I had to physically close the book at one point just to process what had happened (and then of course I dove right back in). No spoilers, but just… brace yourself. You’re in for a ride.
Okay, wow. I genuinely did not expect to get this attached to a book I picked up just because the cover was pretty (and it is gorgeous). But The Egg’s Curse completely pulled me in from the first few pages, I was hooked. The world is so vivid and detailed without ever feeling overwhelming, and the characters? Don’t even get me started. They felt so real that I was actually sad when I had to say goodbye at the end.
The story is told from Elliott’s point of view, and honestly, I just fell in love with his voice. He’s 22, but there’s something about the way he thinks and feels that made him feel way older , in the best way. He’s not perfect, and that’s exactly what made him feel so believable. He goes through a lot, and watching him navigate all of it felt so raw and honest.
The last third of the book?? Absolute chaos. I mean that as the highest compliment. I thought I had a handle on where things were going and then BAM—twist after twist. I had to physically close the book at one point just to process what had happened (and then of course I dove right back in). No spoilers, but just… brace yourself. You’re in for a ride.
October 10, 2025
Thank you to the author for the ARC <3
*SPOILERS*
I'm going to begin with the cons.
The pacing is my biggest issue. There were multiple events that felt like the climax which in turn made this book feel like it should have been split into multiple books. There was the dragons rescuing egglette, the battle between Meilyr and his siblings when the Coraniaid was freed, and the battle with the White Death. I think that maybe if these events had been split across more than one book, the pacing would have been better.
Meilyr's character was a bit infuriating at times with how long it takes him to stand up for himself and his loved ones.
The manuscript is in need of some editing as there are a few grammatical and some bits that can be cut out so that the audience can come to the conclusion on their own (instead of being told the obvious).
With that being said, I loved the story.
I appreciated the nuanced relationship between Egglette and Elliott and the portrayal of codependency in a parent-child relationship. I also liked the underlying theme of postpartum depression Elliot experienced when the Mother's Curse was broken. There were elements of horror in their relationship that kept me engaged and a little scared.
I do wish I saw Meilyr earlier but somehow I think his and Elliott's relationship still felt genuine even having met a little later than expected. Meilyr's personality was refreshing. I had expected him to be this dominating, outspoken character so I was pleasantly surprised by how shy and kind he was. It's nice not having a dark, brooding love interest for once.
The story was definitely an emotional rollercoaster as it just kept me hoping that the newfound family would make it to then end happy and in one piece. I'm really glad that they did. It was well worth the read.
*SPOILERS*
I'm going to begin with the cons.
The pacing is my biggest issue. There were multiple events that felt like the climax which in turn made this book feel like it should have been split into multiple books. There was the dragons rescuing egglette, the battle between Meilyr and his siblings when the Coraniaid was freed, and the battle with the White Death. I think that maybe if these events had been split across more than one book, the pacing would have been better.
Meilyr's character was a bit infuriating at times with how long it takes him to stand up for himself and his loved ones.
The manuscript is in need of some editing as there are a few grammatical and some bits that can be cut out so that the audience can come to the conclusion on their own (instead of being told the obvious).
With that being said, I loved the story.
I appreciated the nuanced relationship between Egglette and Elliott and the portrayal of codependency in a parent-child relationship. I also liked the underlying theme of postpartum depression Elliot experienced when the Mother's Curse was broken. There were elements of horror in their relationship that kept me engaged and a little scared.
I do wish I saw Meilyr earlier but somehow I think his and Elliott's relationship still felt genuine even having met a little later than expected. Meilyr's personality was refreshing. I had expected him to be this dominating, outspoken character so I was pleasantly surprised by how shy and kind he was. It's nice not having a dark, brooding love interest for once.
The story was definitely an emotional rollercoaster as it just kept me hoping that the newfound family would make it to then end happy and in one piece. I'm really glad that they did. It was well worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
First of all I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a slow burn so if you like fast pacing romances and action books this may not be for you.
I loved the characters and their complexity, given the situations they were in I could see myself doing the same thing even if to others it may have seamed a little idiotic. I understood where they came from and why they did those things, and I think it helped me become more passionate about reading this book. (I will admit there was one chapter where I cried my heart out, I'm extremely sensitive when reading books and watching films so it was not a surprise.)
The ending was something, I was not expecting it. It was not a closed ending, I think there were definitely somethings that would have needed more time and seemed a bit rushed (Spoilers: The war of the dragons, I would have liked to know if it ended and how and if our male lead could even travel in the realm without being on the run from his kind; How will the family of three lived in Adsa; And I would have liked some more family bonding, without them being on the run, injured, under curses or whatched all the time.)
Over all I really loved the book, the male lead is a green flag in my opinion and the book is very cute showing all the things the family of three had to survive to be happy and togheter.
(I apologize for any mistakes English isn't my first language)
This is a slow burn so if you like fast pacing romances and action books this may not be for you.
I loved the characters and their complexity, given the situations they were in I could see myself doing the same thing even if to others it may have seamed a little idiotic. I understood where they came from and why they did those things, and I think it helped me become more passionate about reading this book. (I will admit there was one chapter where I cried my heart out, I'm extremely sensitive when reading books and watching films so it was not a surprise.)
The ending was something, I was not expecting it. It was not a closed ending, I think there were definitely somethings that would have needed more time and seemed a bit rushed (Spoilers: The war of the dragons, I would have liked to know if it ended and how and if our male lead could even travel in the realm without being on the run from his kind; How will the family of three lived in Adsa; And I would have liked some more family bonding, without them being on the run, injured, under curses or whatched all the time.)
Over all I really loved the book, the male lead is a green flag in my opinion and the book is very cute showing all the things the family of three had to survive to be happy and togheter.
(I apologize for any mistakes English isn't my first language)
June 10, 2025
Disclaimer: The author was kind enough to give me an Advanced Reader Copy, so in return, this is my honest review.
May accidently contain spoilers!!! So sorry in advance if any slipped through!!! :((((
Overall, this is a genuinely amazing book, the characters and plot are so beautifully written. This book first drew me in through the stunning art, and the fact all the tropes I loved happened to be all there! I decided to give it a shot, and wow. This shot up to my top 3 books personally, and it left me saying “one more chapter…” wayyyyy too many times. I finished it in two days, which just goes to show how invested I was in this world.
First, the characters. I legit love them so much. <3 Our MC, Elliot, is a very complex character. For me personally, this is refreshing. He isn’t just one trait of kindness or anger, of good or bad, he’s a very believable mix of both which leads to really natural story progression and character growth. It also really immerses you to see how he grows and changes through the three different parts. The stories’ love interest was nothing short of a breath of fresh air. He’s caring and kind, yet complex in his own ways. I don’t wanna spoil so I’ll leave most of that there.
Secondly, the romance. Now, if you can’t stand a sloww burn, then the romance may not be your favorite, though I believe it was beyond worth it. The first third of the book, they don’t even know each other. The second third was more them getting to know each other and falling in love. And the last third was them really defining and strengthening their bond. It was a very sweet yet grounded romance. There was no love at first sight or sudden thoughts of love, yet a subtle build up into trust, then into love. They are really so cute together and yes, I legit gasped at the first kiss. (Yes it was at 2 in the morning) Another reason why this book drew me in was actually the closed door romance. I know many would see it as a draw back, but I find it really refreshing. I think it highlights the intimate moments a lot more because of this, and the authors amazing writing. Also, this is definitely one of my personal favorite queer romances so far. I love a good queer romance, and to me, it felt very real and genuine. It didn’t feel like it dragged out the fact that it was queer, and instead it really felt like a really true and pure love. So overall, the romance is a well worth the wait slowww burn.
Thirdly, the plot. The story itself is very intriguing, and often left me shocked and surprised by the twists and the developments. (In the best way possible) There was never really a dull moment, and even the soft domestic moments never felt dull or out of place. Every page was genuinely so full of life and passion. The world building in this book also really surprised me. It’s very immersive and paints an excellent picture for you to reside in while reading this book. It is so well developed and fine tuned, you can tell all the love the author put into this book. The pacing is really good as well, slow and gentle when needed, and faster and jarring (in a good way) at others. It adds an aspect of dynamism to the story, which drew me into the world even more. Overall, the story is very engaging, world building’s stunning, and the pacing is very well done.
So, some final thoughts. The book length may be daunting for some, 200k+ words, but trust me when I say I wish it was double that by the end. The length really helps flesh out the world and characters. I forgot to mention, but I was definitely say this leans more on the fantasy side than romance side. Which I personally ADORE. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a heart throbbing romance to cry and squeal over, but it focuses on that fantasy world which unfolds before you. It personally makes the romance feel more natural to me, as it’s not the main focus of the book. Another thing I loved about this was the found family troupe, which was found family-ing!!!! It was so sweet to read and was a joy to watch develop. Also, I would like to mention how this is Amber’s debut book. Which I completely had forgotten by the end of the book. If you told be before reading this was a really famous author who had written multiple bestsellers before, I would have completely believed you. It just really shows how amazing her writing is. I could probably go on singing this books praises for a long while, but this is already long. While I was given an ARC, it genuinely doesn’t affect my view on it one bit, as this deserves every ounce of praise it’s given; it’s just a stunning book. In summary, this is an amazing book. I really hope anyone who’s thinking about reading it does!!
May accidently contain spoilers!!! So sorry in advance if any slipped through!!! :((((
Overall, this is a genuinely amazing book, the characters and plot are so beautifully written. This book first drew me in through the stunning art, and the fact all the tropes I loved happened to be all there! I decided to give it a shot, and wow. This shot up to my top 3 books personally, and it left me saying “one more chapter…” wayyyyy too many times. I finished it in two days, which just goes to show how invested I was in this world.
First, the characters. I legit love them so much. <3 Our MC, Elliot, is a very complex character. For me personally, this is refreshing. He isn’t just one trait of kindness or anger, of good or bad, he’s a very believable mix of both which leads to really natural story progression and character growth. It also really immerses you to see how he grows and changes through the three different parts. The stories’ love interest was nothing short of a breath of fresh air. He’s caring and kind, yet complex in his own ways. I don’t wanna spoil so I’ll leave most of that there.
Secondly, the romance. Now, if you can’t stand a sloww burn, then the romance may not be your favorite, though I believe it was beyond worth it. The first third of the book, they don’t even know each other. The second third was more them getting to know each other and falling in love. And the last third was them really defining and strengthening their bond. It was a very sweet yet grounded romance. There was no love at first sight or sudden thoughts of love, yet a subtle build up into trust, then into love. They are really so cute together and yes, I legit gasped at the first kiss. (Yes it was at 2 in the morning) Another reason why this book drew me in was actually the closed door romance. I know many would see it as a draw back, but I find it really refreshing. I think it highlights the intimate moments a lot more because of this, and the authors amazing writing. Also, this is definitely one of my personal favorite queer romances so far. I love a good queer romance, and to me, it felt very real and genuine. It didn’t feel like it dragged out the fact that it was queer, and instead it really felt like a really true and pure love. So overall, the romance is a well worth the wait slowww burn.
Thirdly, the plot. The story itself is very intriguing, and often left me shocked and surprised by the twists and the developments. (In the best way possible) There was never really a dull moment, and even the soft domestic moments never felt dull or out of place. Every page was genuinely so full of life and passion. The world building in this book also really surprised me. It’s very immersive and paints an excellent picture for you to reside in while reading this book. It is so well developed and fine tuned, you can tell all the love the author put into this book. The pacing is really good as well, slow and gentle when needed, and faster and jarring (in a good way) at others. It adds an aspect of dynamism to the story, which drew me into the world even more. Overall, the story is very engaging, world building’s stunning, and the pacing is very well done.
So, some final thoughts. The book length may be daunting for some, 200k+ words, but trust me when I say I wish it was double that by the end. The length really helps flesh out the world and characters. I forgot to mention, but I was definitely say this leans more on the fantasy side than romance side. Which I personally ADORE. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a heart throbbing romance to cry and squeal over, but it focuses on that fantasy world which unfolds before you. It personally makes the romance feel more natural to me, as it’s not the main focus of the book. Another thing I loved about this was the found family troupe, which was found family-ing!!!! It was so sweet to read and was a joy to watch develop. Also, I would like to mention how this is Amber’s debut book. Which I completely had forgotten by the end of the book. If you told be before reading this was a really famous author who had written multiple bestsellers before, I would have completely believed you. It just really shows how amazing her writing is. I could probably go on singing this books praises for a long while, but this is already long. While I was given an ARC, it genuinely doesn’t affect my view on it one bit, as this deserves every ounce of praise it’s given; it’s just a stunning book. In summary, this is an amazing book. I really hope anyone who’s thinking about reading it does!!
June 12, 2025
ARC Review
First thing’s first, I really want to thank Amber for sending me a copy of EGG’S CURSE before its actual release. It has been a pleasure reading your work and interacting with you on Discord. This is my honest review of the book.
I first found out about EGG’S CURSE whilst doomscrolling my Instagram Reels and stumbled upon one of Amber’s reels explaining the story. What took my breath away was the artwork used to display the main characters, Elliott and Meilyr, and it made me want to know more of their story. The length of the book did not scare me away — it almost made me even more determined to read it. I signed up for an ARC and now here we are.
When it comes to the Romantasy genre, I have had my fair share of abysmal reads; most of which have been between heterosexual couples. The fact that EGG’S CURSE features a homosexual relationship instead — with the promise of being a slow-burn — instantly had me hooked, and like I said: I was already in love with their designs before I even started. Nothing, however, would prepare me for how the story actually went. When you hear about a romance fantasy featuring a guard and a dragon, your first instinct may be that the dragon would be fierce, evil and cruel, because that was my hypothesis before jumping into it. Then you actually meet Meilyr and he is just the sweetest, most gentlest soul you’ve even stumbled upon. He stole my heart from his first appearance; and his personality was such a nice change from all the stereotypical love interests I’ve seen in the Romantasy genre. The way Meilyr and Elliott are both alike but also the opposite of one another made their entire romance feel so genuine and real. The both of them have suffered great lengths with the loss of their family members, but they way they reacted to the events were vastly different. The slowburn was at a perfect pace, which I adored! Elliott starting off by constantly trying to deny his feelings for Meilyr because he’s been taught his love is wrong, to then openly display his affection toward Meilyr was done at a reasonable pace which neither felt rushed or too slow. Honestly, everything about the romance between Elliott and Meilyr is everything I want to see in relationships in books going forward. (I was especially a good fan of the fade-to-black spicy scenes).
I enjoyed the multiple layers underneath each character — not just with Elliott and Meilyr, but also with the side characters — and it almost felt like a privilege to find out about their backstories. All the raw emotions and incredible ways of displaying the feelings of loss was so touching that it just left me wanting more. Whenever I ended a chapter, I could not stop thinking about what I’d just read. I just wanted to keep going; and there are not that many books I can say have left me with that feeling.
The world-building made me want to dive into my phone to see the wonders of Hudystwyth and Gala for myself. It’s like the perfect world for newcomers of Fantasy to stumble into, and it may possibly be one of my favourites to read about. The plottwists of the story were integrated so well that I almost felt stupid for not realising them sooner — I must’ve been too preoccupied sobbing.
I know I’ve been rambling a lot about the romance, but let me get into the found family aspect of EGG’S CURSE: Found family is one of my favourites tropes in any kind of media — SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourites for a reason — and EGG’S CURSE did not disappoint when it came to tugging at your heartstrings. Despite Elliott’s love for our dear Egglette first originating from the Mother’s Curse, there was no denying his love was genuine. I could feel Elliott’s pain when he believed he’d no longer love her when the curse broke, and I bawled my eyes out when she finally hatched and could meet her fathers for the first time face to face. Seriously, I bawled at Elliott and Meilyr confessing their feelings for each other and so much when it came to baby Egglette hatching. The way the lot of them protect and care for one another is everything I want to see in a book which markets it as Found Family, and EGG’S CURSE delivered gold.
All in all, this was a solid read for me and I definitely recommend EVERYONE to read it at least once. I can definitely see myself reading it again for myself, and I will 100% be buying a physical copy when it releases.
”After so many years of fighting, Meilyr finally had his daughter. He’d finally found love.”
･: 5/5 stars.
added to favourites. : ･
First thing’s first, I really want to thank Amber for sending me a copy of EGG’S CURSE before its actual release. It has been a pleasure reading your work and interacting with you on Discord. This is my honest review of the book.
I first found out about EGG’S CURSE whilst doomscrolling my Instagram Reels and stumbled upon one of Amber’s reels explaining the story. What took my breath away was the artwork used to display the main characters, Elliott and Meilyr, and it made me want to know more of their story. The length of the book did not scare me away — it almost made me even more determined to read it. I signed up for an ARC and now here we are.
When it comes to the Romantasy genre, I have had my fair share of abysmal reads; most of which have been between heterosexual couples. The fact that EGG’S CURSE features a homosexual relationship instead — with the promise of being a slow-burn — instantly had me hooked, and like I said: I was already in love with their designs before I even started. Nothing, however, would prepare me for how the story actually went. When you hear about a romance fantasy featuring a guard and a dragon, your first instinct may be that the dragon would be fierce, evil and cruel, because that was my hypothesis before jumping into it. Then you actually meet Meilyr and he is just the sweetest, most gentlest soul you’ve even stumbled upon. He stole my heart from his first appearance; and his personality was such a nice change from all the stereotypical love interests I’ve seen in the Romantasy genre. The way Meilyr and Elliott are both alike but also the opposite of one another made their entire romance feel so genuine and real. The both of them have suffered great lengths with the loss of their family members, but they way they reacted to the events were vastly different. The slowburn was at a perfect pace, which I adored! Elliott starting off by constantly trying to deny his feelings for Meilyr because he’s been taught his love is wrong, to then openly display his affection toward Meilyr was done at a reasonable pace which neither felt rushed or too slow. Honestly, everything about the romance between Elliott and Meilyr is everything I want to see in relationships in books going forward. (I was especially a good fan of the fade-to-black spicy scenes).
I enjoyed the multiple layers underneath each character — not just with Elliott and Meilyr, but also with the side characters — and it almost felt like a privilege to find out about their backstories. All the raw emotions and incredible ways of displaying the feelings of loss was so touching that it just left me wanting more. Whenever I ended a chapter, I could not stop thinking about what I’d just read. I just wanted to keep going; and there are not that many books I can say have left me with that feeling.
The world-building made me want to dive into my phone to see the wonders of Hudystwyth and Gala for myself. It’s like the perfect world for newcomers of Fantasy to stumble into, and it may possibly be one of my favourites to read about. The plottwists of the story were integrated so well that I almost felt stupid for not realising them sooner — I must’ve been too preoccupied sobbing.
I know I’ve been rambling a lot about the romance, but let me get into the found family aspect of EGG’S CURSE: Found family is one of my favourites tropes in any kind of media — SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo is one of my favourites for a reason — and EGG’S CURSE did not disappoint when it came to tugging at your heartstrings. Despite Elliott’s love for our dear Egglette first originating from the Mother’s Curse, there was no denying his love was genuine. I could feel Elliott’s pain when he believed he’d no longer love her when the curse broke, and I bawled my eyes out when she finally hatched and could meet her fathers for the first time face to face. Seriously, I bawled at Elliott and Meilyr confessing their feelings for each other and so much when it came to baby Egglette hatching. The way the lot of them protect and care for one another is everything I want to see in a book which markets it as Found Family, and EGG’S CURSE delivered gold.
All in all, this was a solid read for me and I definitely recommend EVERYONE to read it at least once. I can definitely see myself reading it again for myself, and I will 100% be buying a physical copy when it releases.
”After so many years of fighting, Meilyr finally had his daughter. He’d finally found love.”
･: 5/5 stars.
added to favourites. : ･
September 2, 2025
(Note: I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way paid for this, just happened to fill out a google form in time lol. Also apologizing in advance because this is my first written out book review so its all over the place)
I first found this book through its beautiful artwork on instagram, and its safe to say I wasn't at all disappointed! As an avid fantasy and queer romance reader, this book seemed right up my alley. What really got me into it though was the story's buildup, in worldbuilding, character development, and pacing. All of the main characters are complex and experience character growth in a satisfying way. The main character Elliot's personality is clearly carved by his past experiences and traumas as a child soldier/orphan and his decision making is well-aligned to that, he feels both quickly-matured and emotionally-stunted at the same time. He’s not perfect, but that’s exactly what made him so believable as a character. Supporting characters have a similar depth, and the way they interact with each other throughout the novel feels very authentic.
It's clear from the beginning that the romance isn't necessarily the main aspect of the book, rather the surrounding magic storyline is usually the main tension point, which is my personal preference in a fantasy romance, (but if you really hate slow burn then you might not like it? You're missing out though.) The romance doesn't happen until around 2/3 of the way in (iirc) but the buildup to that point is SO worth it. I think a problem with some "romance-forward" fantasy titles is the fact that the plot is there just to further the romance rather than rounding out the story, but this book doesn't have that problem in the slightest. It's also a "closed-door" type of romance, which fits the story well and is refreshing to someone like myself who is used to a lot of rushed steaminess. Overall, I think the structure makes Elliot and Meilyr's love for each other more realistic, as they have time to work out their pasts.
I will get into some negatives here though. I would say that when reading you'll probably tell that this is the author's first novel. Not necessarily due to a poor author's voice, but moreso because it has a few continuity errors. They're relatively minor though, not what I would consider to be full on plot holes (i.e. wounds and such that could be more of a hinderance than they were depicted as, etc.). There were certain points that were maybe trying too hard, which instead could've been room to wrap up loose ends, but the book is also set up to have a sequel so there's room for elaboration then. Even with this in mind I still enjoyed the book a lot, but if you're a pickier reader than I am this book may not check all of your boxes.
Overall, I'm very glad I happened to find this author and I can't wait to support her in her future works! I could tell while reading that there was a lot of love poured into her books.
I first found this book through its beautiful artwork on instagram, and its safe to say I wasn't at all disappointed! As an avid fantasy and queer romance reader, this book seemed right up my alley. What really got me into it though was the story's buildup, in worldbuilding, character development, and pacing. All of the main characters are complex and experience character growth in a satisfying way. The main character Elliot's personality is clearly carved by his past experiences and traumas as a child soldier/orphan and his decision making is well-aligned to that, he feels both quickly-matured and emotionally-stunted at the same time. He’s not perfect, but that’s exactly what made him so believable as a character. Supporting characters have a similar depth, and the way they interact with each other throughout the novel feels very authentic.
It's clear from the beginning that the romance isn't necessarily the main aspect of the book, rather the surrounding magic storyline is usually the main tension point, which is my personal preference in a fantasy romance, (but if you really hate slow burn then you might not like it? You're missing out though.) The romance doesn't happen until around 2/3 of the way in (iirc) but the buildup to that point is SO worth it. I think a problem with some "romance-forward" fantasy titles is the fact that the plot is there just to further the romance rather than rounding out the story, but this book doesn't have that problem in the slightest. It's also a "closed-door" type of romance, which fits the story well and is refreshing to someone like myself who is used to a lot of rushed steaminess. Overall, I think the structure makes Elliot and Meilyr's love for each other more realistic, as they have time to work out their pasts.
I will get into some negatives here though. I would say that when reading you'll probably tell that this is the author's first novel. Not necessarily due to a poor author's voice, but moreso because it has a few continuity errors. They're relatively minor though, not what I would consider to be full on plot holes (i.e. wounds and such that could be more of a hinderance than they were depicted as, etc.). There were certain points that were maybe trying too hard, which instead could've been room to wrap up loose ends, but the book is also set up to have a sequel so there's room for elaboration then. Even with this in mind I still enjoyed the book a lot, but if you're a pickier reader than I am this book may not check all of your boxes.
Overall, I'm very glad I happened to find this author and I can't wait to support her in her future works! I could tell while reading that there was a lot of love poured into her books.
October 5, 2025
A GOOD STARTING BOOK FROM A NEW AUTHOR (I readed Advance Reader Copy ARC in exchange with honest review)
I found the book interesting, because it’s good for the starting career of a young author, but has its little flaws (to be taken into account even if they do not have much influence on the final review). The plot, surely was interesting. It’s not easy to find one like this, even in the newest fantasy books. The decision of the author to add slice of life scenes was good, because they give to the book a comfy atmosphere in those parts, and I liked the ones with the protagonist and his companion. But you don’t have to worry about static rhythm, because we have good parts of action and maybe in certain moments even suspense, worrying about the characters and their fates. The choice of don’t add spicy is unusual, because by now, almost all fantasy books have them, more or less described, but it’s not bad. I hope that many will follow the author’s example because it adapts the story for many people, and someone that has problems with that topics could enjoy a fantasy reading without worrying about them. Furthermore the book has a good LGBTQ+ representation, and non-stereotyped relationships. The unusual trope, the father and the lost daughter, finds in the story an interesting progress and resolution, where the problem (the “biggest topic” of the plot) it’s the start of a good family and a beautiful couple. Maybe could be new for many the character and the description of the “dragon-man” but it never gives a strange sensation during the book’s reading, and isn’t used only for spicy reasons. Instead that species is well narrated, and is interesting to comprehend the characteristics of this like the readers and players do for example in the Lord of The rings or DnD with others. I especially appreciated the fact that the dragons have two different forms, one human and one animal.
The only problem of the book is the writing because sometimes it istoo simple, because of the author’s young age and not much experience. Maybe in a scene full of pathos, I wanted more descriptions, and I found only the visible part of the setting, and few considerations from the characters. But being the start of the career of this author, is not really a problem, surely with the next book would be more natural with the writing. I could describe it as sober, maybe more suitable for younger readers (and this isn’t a criticism but a consideration) or non-english speakers like me. But it isn't a big problem, is a good book after all, easy to read with a beautiful message. It’s perfect for people like me that search some good fluff content, because the parts with the baby dragon and her dads, it’s really,..tender. You see the slow growth of her with them, and become affectionate.
Her advertising campaign needs to be mentioned, because the author's capacity to reach a small but good number of followers throught ig, made me interested.
I found the book interesting, because it’s good for the starting career of a young author, but has its little flaws (to be taken into account even if they do not have much influence on the final review). The plot, surely was interesting. It’s not easy to find one like this, even in the newest fantasy books. The decision of the author to add slice of life scenes was good, because they give to the book a comfy atmosphere in those parts, and I liked the ones with the protagonist and his companion. But you don’t have to worry about static rhythm, because we have good parts of action and maybe in certain moments even suspense, worrying about the characters and their fates. The choice of don’t add spicy is unusual, because by now, almost all fantasy books have them, more or less described, but it’s not bad. I hope that many will follow the author’s example because it adapts the story for many people, and someone that has problems with that topics could enjoy a fantasy reading without worrying about them. Furthermore the book has a good LGBTQ+ representation, and non-stereotyped relationships. The unusual trope, the father and the lost daughter, finds in the story an interesting progress and resolution, where the problem (the “biggest topic” of the plot) it’s the start of a good family and a beautiful couple. Maybe could be new for many the character and the description of the “dragon-man” but it never gives a strange sensation during the book’s reading, and isn’t used only for spicy reasons. Instead that species is well narrated, and is interesting to comprehend the characteristics of this like the readers and players do for example in the Lord of The rings or DnD with others. I especially appreciated the fact that the dragons have two different forms, one human and one animal.
The only problem of the book is the writing because sometimes it istoo simple, because of the author’s young age and not much experience. Maybe in a scene full of pathos, I wanted more descriptions, and I found only the visible part of the setting, and few considerations from the characters. But being the start of the career of this author, is not really a problem, surely with the next book would be more natural with the writing. I could describe it as sober, maybe more suitable for younger readers (and this isn’t a criticism but a consideration) or non-english speakers like me. But it isn't a big problem, is a good book after all, easy to read with a beautiful message. It’s perfect for people like me that search some good fluff content, because the parts with the baby dragon and her dads, it’s really,..tender. You see the slow growth of her with them, and become affectionate.
Her advertising campaign needs to be mentioned, because the author's capacity to reach a small but good number of followers throught ig, made me interested.
September 18, 2025
ARC READER
✶⋆.˚ I signed up to be an arc reader because I loved the art and the premise was so interesting, it stood out among most fantasy books I've been reading and I absolutely loved it.
First off Elliot was amazing as a protagonist he was fun to read and while I did stay up till the late hours of the night agonizing over some of his decisions he kept drawing me back to the book when it got slow. I loved his relationship with Egglette and how much truly cared for her, especially with showing it. This whole story in general was show not tell which I very much appreciated, something I don't see as often in recent books.
Without diving into too much spoilers I just adored Meilyr, his whole demeanor and character surprised me so much. He was not what I expected at all in the best possible way, I loved the way his relationships were explored and developed through the book. It kept me on edge whenever they were on page because I genuinely had no idea how it would go because of how unpredictable they were at times and made me want to read more.
Next the pride, the joy, the whole reason I am writing this review and anxiously awaiting the next book: Egglette. She was such a joy to read. Normally I don't like reading children in books because of how one dimensional some feel but not Egglette. I personally have experience working with kids and oh boy did she act like one. It was so fun reading Elliot and Meilryr trying their best with her while I clutch my plastic pearls internally yelling "Nooooo! Don't do thatttt!" Eugh I love Egglette so much please come back soon my child.
And while all of these characters are interacting the side characters were there to spice up the plot, break my heart, and have me clutching my pearls all over again because wow. The side characters were not neglected in the slightest, I loved them, hated some, had a love hate with one specifically. (he knows who he is) While all being in the gorgeous and rich setting that is the world oh my god. I did not realize how much effort the author put into creating the world, the customs, and the politics great job.
Now while I loved many things about this book this doesn't mean it's free from some critique and my biggest one has to be the pacing. I knew this was a slow burn but at times I had to power my way through pages that didn't interest me one bit. This book is huge, and Part 1 was a struggle for me to get through but past that the pacing evens out and more and more of the plot begins to develop. I loved it but a lot could've definitely been cut.
Overall I loved the book once I got past the first part, the characters, the world, and Egglette all drew me in and kept me reading. I eagerly await the next book.
Serein ⋆˙⟡.⋆
✶⋆.˚ I signed up to be an arc reader because I loved the art and the premise was so interesting, it stood out among most fantasy books I've been reading and I absolutely loved it.
First off Elliot was amazing as a protagonist he was fun to read and while I did stay up till the late hours of the night agonizing over some of his decisions he kept drawing me back to the book when it got slow. I loved his relationship with Egglette and how much truly cared for her, especially with showing it. This whole story in general was show not tell which I very much appreciated, something I don't see as often in recent books.
Without diving into too much spoilers I just adored Meilyr, his whole demeanor and character surprised me so much. He was not what I expected at all in the best possible way, I loved the way his relationships were explored and developed through the book. It kept me on edge whenever they were on page because I genuinely had no idea how it would go because of how unpredictable they were at times and made me want to read more.
Next the pride, the joy, the whole reason I am writing this review and anxiously awaiting the next book: Egglette. She was such a joy to read. Normally I don't like reading children in books because of how one dimensional some feel but not Egglette. I personally have experience working with kids and oh boy did she act like one. It was so fun reading Elliot and Meilryr trying their best with her while I clutch my plastic pearls internally yelling "Nooooo! Don't do thatttt!" Eugh I love Egglette so much please come back soon my child.
And while all of these characters are interacting the side characters were there to spice up the plot, break my heart, and have me clutching my pearls all over again because wow. The side characters were not neglected in the slightest, I loved them, hated some, had a love hate with one specifically. (he knows who he is) While all being in the gorgeous and rich setting that is the world oh my god. I did not realize how much effort the author put into creating the world, the customs, and the politics great job.
Now while I loved many things about this book this doesn't mean it's free from some critique and my biggest one has to be the pacing. I knew this was a slow burn but at times I had to power my way through pages that didn't interest me one bit. This book is huge, and Part 1 was a struggle for me to get through but past that the pacing evens out and more and more of the plot begins to develop. I loved it but a lot could've definitely been cut.
Overall I loved the book once I got past the first part, the characters, the world, and Egglette all drew me in and kept me reading. I eagerly await the next book.
Serein ⋆˙⟡.⋆
September 15, 2025
Disclaimer: I was given the opportunity to read this book as an ARC reader. My review of the book is before the final version of the book is published.
**Mild spoilers below**
If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy read with a found family theme, then I would definitely recommend this book. This book is more heavily leaned towards the fantasy genre with a side romance plot. Even though this is the case, there are still a lot of fluffy and sweet romance scenes throughout the second half of the book.
Fair warning, the pacing of the book is slower in the beginning, with most of the main conflicts happening during the second half of the book. The first half seems to be the buildup and scene setting for the second half. Although the pacing worked for me, I would have liked to see more interactions between the two main characters (Meilyr and Elliott) throughout the second half and/or have a more fleshed-out second half of the book to have the chemistry between the two seem more natural and to expand on the lore of the world in the book. Adding to this, the action/fight scenes at the end were well written and had me on the edge of my seat, but I do think that further foreshadowing or build-up to these scenes would have made them even better.
I really enjoyed how certain aspects of the plot were brought up throughout the entire book, such as the mother's curse and how it affects Elliott after Egglette hatches, Elliott’s process of grief and healing after the death of his family, and the dynamic between Meilyr and his family. These weren’t forgotten plot points that were brought up once and then forgotten; instead, the plot ties all these ideas beautifully together and adds to the story’s and characters' depth. The found family troupe is also so heart-warming and wholesome, and the building of the relationship between Egglette, Elliott, and Meilyr is done well through their interactions. The dynamic between Meilyr and Elliott also took me by surprise. I had expected Meilyr’s character to initially be untrusting and hostile towards Elliott, but it was, in fact, the opposite. Their relationship starts off bumpy, with Elliott being hesitant to trust Meilyr and Meilyr trying to win Elliott's trust. I enjoyed how the plot develops so that the two end up building a connection of trust and love between them, after facing so many hardships and tribulations. Overall, the book was a fun fantasy read, and I would love to read more if the author chooses to release a second book.
**Mild spoilers below**
If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy read with a found family theme, then I would definitely recommend this book. This book is more heavily leaned towards the fantasy genre with a side romance plot. Even though this is the case, there are still a lot of fluffy and sweet romance scenes throughout the second half of the book.
Fair warning, the pacing of the book is slower in the beginning, with most of the main conflicts happening during the second half of the book. The first half seems to be the buildup and scene setting for the second half. Although the pacing worked for me, I would have liked to see more interactions between the two main characters (Meilyr and Elliott) throughout the second half and/or have a more fleshed-out second half of the book to have the chemistry between the two seem more natural and to expand on the lore of the world in the book. Adding to this, the action/fight scenes at the end were well written and had me on the edge of my seat, but I do think that further foreshadowing or build-up to these scenes would have made them even better.
I really enjoyed how certain aspects of the plot were brought up throughout the entire book, such as the mother's curse and how it affects Elliott after Egglette hatches, Elliott’s process of grief and healing after the death of his family, and the dynamic between Meilyr and his family. These weren’t forgotten plot points that were brought up once and then forgotten; instead, the plot ties all these ideas beautifully together and adds to the story’s and characters' depth. The found family troupe is also so heart-warming and wholesome, and the building of the relationship between Egglette, Elliott, and Meilyr is done well through their interactions. The dynamic between Meilyr and Elliott also took me by surprise. I had expected Meilyr’s character to initially be untrusting and hostile towards Elliott, but it was, in fact, the opposite. Their relationship starts off bumpy, with Elliott being hesitant to trust Meilyr and Meilyr trying to win Elliott's trust. I enjoyed how the plot develops so that the two end up building a connection of trust and love between them, after facing so many hardships and tribulations. Overall, the book was a fun fantasy read, and I would love to read more if the author chooses to release a second book.
June 26, 2025
I received an ARC as an exchange for an honest review and couldn't be more glad I signed up for it!!
The book plays in a fantasy setting long before our time and starts out with the young Elliot at his "job interview" at Laudine Castle after he got a letter of recommendation from his dear friend. He eventually accepts a different job than he was intended to: guarding a chamber hidden away deep.inside the castle. After a week long trial he is also then signing the contract to work there, which has a bigger importance in the book later on.
Especially at the beginning, it is rather slow paced, although I really enjoyed that along with the excellent story and world building. The more you read the more the dots start connecting and I had some interesting theories and revelations going on. I found the plots to be quite surprising at times, and even at the very end it still managed to surprise me. Coming back to the slow pace of the book... about the first third of the book is mostly about the relationship the main character is establishing with the egg, the love interest only coming in in around the second part.
I also really enjoyed the way the author managed to portrait the inner conflict of the characters and how they incorporated the affects different actions and their past had on them, although I felt like at the end that lessened a bit, you could then still explain that that with the newfound emotional strength of the (main) characters and that they thus weren't as impacted by their past anymore, fighting for their loved ones now, having found a new, better purpose of life.
My favourite character was probably the dragon Morgan as they included a certain recklessness thst was quite refreshing, especially giving the circumstances with their family, also being rather in a middle ground than picking sides, making it feel like they were rather choosing what would benefit them the most, while still also being a kind-hearted being behind their usual sarcastic, witty facade.
I enjoyed the book a lot, I did find a few issues grammatically, but it might also just be me, I am not 100% certain as English is not my native tongue lol. Either way I am already anticipating to dive into the bonus chapters awaiting me, because I most definitely need more of this!
The book plays in a fantasy setting long before our time and starts out with the young Elliot at his "job interview" at Laudine Castle after he got a letter of recommendation from his dear friend. He eventually accepts a different job than he was intended to: guarding a chamber hidden away deep.inside the castle. After a week long trial he is also then signing the contract to work there, which has a bigger importance in the book later on.
Especially at the beginning, it is rather slow paced, although I really enjoyed that along with the excellent story and world building. The more you read the more the dots start connecting and I had some interesting theories and revelations going on. I found the plots to be quite surprising at times, and even at the very end it still managed to surprise me. Coming back to the slow pace of the book... about the first third of the book is mostly about the relationship the main character is establishing with the egg, the love interest only coming in in around the second part.
I also really enjoyed the way the author managed to portrait the inner conflict of the characters and how they incorporated the affects different actions and their past had on them, although I felt like at the end that lessened a bit, you could then still explain that that with the newfound emotional strength of the (main) characters and that they thus weren't as impacted by their past anymore, fighting for their loved ones now, having found a new, better purpose of life.
My favourite character was probably the dragon Morgan as they included a certain recklessness thst was quite refreshing, especially giving the circumstances with their family, also being rather in a middle ground than picking sides, making it feel like they were rather choosing what would benefit them the most, while still also being a kind-hearted being behind their usual sarcastic, witty facade.
I enjoyed the book a lot, I did find a few issues grammatically, but it might also just be me, I am not 100% certain as English is not my native tongue lol. Either way I am already anticipating to dive into the bonus chapters awaiting me, because I most definitely need more of this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
I wish I could forget this book and read it again for the first time. It’s refreshing, meaningful, and written with much care and understanding for what makes a good story.
And gosh, it tugs on your heartstrings.
While the romance isn’t the sole focus of the book, it just wouldn’t be the same without it. What I love about the romance (and the book in general) is that it’s not afraid to risks and ends up being a rewarding read because of just that. Egg’s Curse has also been my introduction to queer romance literature and safe to say it has SET THE BAR HIGH 🫨
Each character feels real and multi-dimensional, and there’s not a single character who feels flat or shoehorned in. Everyone has nuanced motivations, especially the anatagonists. The villians are the kind of characters you love to hate (or totally sympathise with 💔)
Oh! And the titular character is adorable! She’s really the star of the book 😋🥚
Aside from that, the fantasy aspect is brilliant and easily immerses you in its setting. The protagonist is from the non-magical realm so the reader is in Elliott’s shoes, learning about the world alongside him. The environments are rich and intriguing, but it also doesn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary detail. All the small details genuinely bring life to the world.
And while it’s set in a fantasy world, it’s theming is very down to earth. It’s about how to move on from the past. It’s about how to know you’re deserving of love. And theres a very bittersweet message and resolution to these questions at the end.
That’s the thing about this book, everything connects and relates to its themes. Which I think is a really challenging thing to tackle for an author.
Just keep in mind this is not a short book or a quick beach read. Its contents are broken up into three distinct parts, so my advice is to treat each part like its own mini book. With that considered, its very easy to binge read 🫠
I was fortunate enough to be able to read this book ✨ before it’s release ✨ . I went in completely blind so everything took me by complete surprise. I’ve left this review spoiler-free so you may have the same crazy experience as I did :)
I adore this story and I hope you do too. Enjoy the ride 🐉
And gosh, it tugs on your heartstrings.
While the romance isn’t the sole focus of the book, it just wouldn’t be the same without it. What I love about the romance (and the book in general) is that it’s not afraid to risks and ends up being a rewarding read because of just that. Egg’s Curse has also been my introduction to queer romance literature and safe to say it has SET THE BAR HIGH 🫨
Each character feels real and multi-dimensional, and there’s not a single character who feels flat or shoehorned in. Everyone has nuanced motivations, especially the anatagonists. The villians are the kind of characters you love to hate (or totally sympathise with 💔)
Oh! And the titular character is adorable! She’s really the star of the book 😋🥚
Aside from that, the fantasy aspect is brilliant and easily immerses you in its setting. The protagonist is from the non-magical realm so the reader is in Elliott’s shoes, learning about the world alongside him. The environments are rich and intriguing, but it also doesn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary detail. All the small details genuinely bring life to the world.
And while it’s set in a fantasy world, it’s theming is very down to earth. It’s about how to move on from the past. It’s about how to know you’re deserving of love. And theres a very bittersweet message and resolution to these questions at the end.
That’s the thing about this book, everything connects and relates to its themes. Which I think is a really challenging thing to tackle for an author.
Just keep in mind this is not a short book or a quick beach read. Its contents are broken up into three distinct parts, so my advice is to treat each part like its own mini book. With that considered, its very easy to binge read 🫠
I was fortunate enough to be able to read this book ✨ before it’s release ✨ . I went in completely blind so everything took me by complete surprise. I’ve left this review spoiler-free so you may have the same crazy experience as I did :)
I adore this story and I hope you do too. Enjoy the ride 🐉
September 7, 2025
ARC reader: sorry I only managed to get it now but here's my opinion on the book!
The thing that immediately drew me in was the art, amazing choice and the snippet of story made me all the more curious, so I signed up as arc reader to then give my opinion on the book. I'm not a very passionate reader but if the story is good it gets me hooked! And despite having my doubts in the first few chapters it soon got me in its claws and I barely managed to lay it away. (The first few chapters were necessary to understand more about the main character and were essential to get the story rolling).
This story follows Elliott on his journey to find his purpose, he took on various tasks that also happened to be out of his comfort zone, but he fought and stood on top about each time! He shows great resilience and character growth, all while being still 'flawed' and authentic but he never stops trying. In the meaning of finding his purpose he found family, friends and even love.
It's a slow burn with focus on connection and world building, I deeply enjoyed how the interactions were described, it felt real and the emotions came across.
I felt so happy once they accepted their feelings! It took them long enough!
The book does bring up a few heavy themes but also adds a sprinkle of silliness with great humour, overall well balanced.
You feel the characters emotions through their interactions, their hesitance and longing all while still being blocked by their own mindset and prejudice.
The characters are distinguishable and lively in their own ways, all well thought through and you get caught up in their emotions as well. Feeling the passion and the tension. It shows that they're willing to learn and teach each other.
The plot also allows you to change your view on characters, some for the better some for the worse. Even if they all stay consistent, the story around and their background allowed me to like characters I previously disliked, giving you a better understanding of why they act in a certain way.
The egg community grows and I'm very happy to be part of it. And I'm very excited for the sequels, I want to learn more, about the characters, the world, everything!
The thing that immediately drew me in was the art, amazing choice and the snippet of story made me all the more curious, so I signed up as arc reader to then give my opinion on the book. I'm not a very passionate reader but if the story is good it gets me hooked! And despite having my doubts in the first few chapters it soon got me in its claws and I barely managed to lay it away. (The first few chapters were necessary to understand more about the main character and were essential to get the story rolling).
This story follows Elliott on his journey to find his purpose, he took on various tasks that also happened to be out of his comfort zone, but he fought and stood on top about each time! He shows great resilience and character growth, all while being still 'flawed' and authentic but he never stops trying. In the meaning of finding his purpose he found family, friends and even love.
It's a slow burn with focus on connection and world building, I deeply enjoyed how the interactions were described, it felt real and the emotions came across.
I felt so happy once they accepted their feelings! It took them long enough!
The book does bring up a few heavy themes but also adds a sprinkle of silliness with great humour, overall well balanced.
You feel the characters emotions through their interactions, their hesitance and longing all while still being blocked by their own mindset and prejudice.
The characters are distinguishable and lively in their own ways, all well thought through and you get caught up in their emotions as well. Feeling the passion and the tension. It shows that they're willing to learn and teach each other.
The plot also allows you to change your view on characters, some for the better some for the worse. Even if they all stay consistent, the story around and their background allowed me to like characters I previously disliked, giving you a better understanding of why they act in a certain way.
The egg community grows and I'm very happy to be part of it. And I'm very excited for the sequels, I want to learn more, about the characters, the world, everything!
September 30, 2025
The Eggs Curse is an entertaining novel, I got immersed in the characters and their world rather quickly. All of these characters were just so intriguing to me, these characters all had good depth to them. I was always interested to learn more about each of them and uncover more about their backstories. I expecially loved Elliott, Meilyr, and Egglette but so many of Eggs Curse side characters stick out to me too! Beverly, Rhodese, Cadfael, Aerona, Linley, Morgan, and Auden. All of these characters felt very fleshed out and I loved my time with each of them. I felt expecially drawn to Elliot, Meilyr, and Egglette. I have so many bookmarked and annotated scenes between these three. My emotions were all over the place alongside theirs as they went through the events of the story.
The plot of this story held my attention from the beginning, the events of Eggs Curse is intriguing though they were rather slow to work up to. I didn’t completely mind it though since it gave me plenty of time to get to know Elliot and really connect with Egglette. I loved the relationship between Elliot and Egglette, from the moment they meant I knew I was going to be absolutely taken by their bond. Then you add Meilyr to the mix and it’s absolutely perfect. This fantasy novel had me on the edge of my seat the until the very last moment, I went through a variety of emotions along these characters as their bonds were tested and safety was threatened multiple times. I’m pleased with the ending of Eggs Curse and I’m excited to see what adventures this lovely family will get into with future books. I’m hopeful and excited to see the bond between Elliot and Meilyr strengthen, seeing more of the side characters I adored, and of course seeing Egglette grow into the beautiful dragon that I know she will grow into!
The author Amber Braun does an excellent job at making you feel for all of these characters, they wrote an absolutely beautiful fantasy world, and did an amazing job of making even the most simplest of actions stick out. They crafted a beautiful slow burn romance, a tension filled plot line, an adoring family, and lots of cute scenes that will leave you in awe. Thank you to the author for giving me a complimentary early review copy.
The plot of this story held my attention from the beginning, the events of Eggs Curse is intriguing though they were rather slow to work up to. I didn’t completely mind it though since it gave me plenty of time to get to know Elliot and really connect with Egglette. I loved the relationship between Elliot and Egglette, from the moment they meant I knew I was going to be absolutely taken by their bond. Then you add Meilyr to the mix and it’s absolutely perfect. This fantasy novel had me on the edge of my seat the until the very last moment, I went through a variety of emotions along these characters as their bonds were tested and safety was threatened multiple times. I’m pleased with the ending of Eggs Curse and I’m excited to see what adventures this lovely family will get into with future books. I’m hopeful and excited to see the bond between Elliot and Meilyr strengthen, seeing more of the side characters I adored, and of course seeing Egglette grow into the beautiful dragon that I know she will grow into!
The author Amber Braun does an excellent job at making you feel for all of these characters, they wrote an absolutely beautiful fantasy world, and did an amazing job of making even the most simplest of actions stick out. They crafted a beautiful slow burn romance, a tension filled plot line, an adoring family, and lots of cute scenes that will leave you in awe. Thank you to the author for giving me a complimentary early review copy.
November 5, 2025
okay I got an e-arc in May and I read this 200k book in THREE DAYS. I literally had to pause Fathomfolk because this sucked me in so quickly. I regret nothing.
This is for the folks who love a good slow burn. There were so many times where my eyes were glued to my screen and skipping lines before I just grunted in frustration like " PLEASE JUST HUG THAT MAN OR SOMETHING LOL" (but lovingly grunting because I love the reward.)
I will be honest to say the first chapter had my attention wavering but then once I realized the MMC was a tortured soul? Oh I was IN IT. we love a good redemption arc and both of the MMCs make your heart hurt for them and want to strangle them in the same breath sometimes. But grief makes us no longer ourselves sometimes.
Also Meilyr!? He is such an ookie pookie! I'm not gonna lie, I did NOT trust him at first. I was like naww he faking being all sweet and what not but then I was like ohhh poor baby is just terribly abused and anxious attached with people pleasing urges. My heart just hurt for him at every turn because his family was ATROCIOUS. also Sulywn was kind of harsh on him more than was necessary imo. Like I understand the resentment because it was perfectly depicted with his naivety but also MA'AM HE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE ABUSED. WHAT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO? he has nothing without his family, been continuously groomed on breadcrumbs of affection and yours surely wasn't going to take him in because of his mothers bullsh!t.
BUT I was so happy he met Elliot even when he wasn't supposed to and while seeing her memories were painful for him, I do think they were important.
I can say I am honestly excited for book 2 because I want to know what's about to happen with the demon and the brother?! Elliot never did use that favor, so like its clearly going to come into play with book two. (at least I hope) like we just left Draecona in SHAMBLES with ZERO news. but it was understandable since they were running for their life. lol
beyond that, JUSTICE FOR BENNING AND CADFAEL T__T, they need proper burials. And fingers crossed for Morgan and Beverly romance. and I say this with my whole chest. F*CK MEILYR'S FAMILY ( excluding Morgan but still side eye)
This is for the folks who love a good slow burn. There were so many times where my eyes were glued to my screen and skipping lines before I just grunted in frustration like " PLEASE JUST HUG THAT MAN OR SOMETHING LOL" (but lovingly grunting because I love the reward.)
I will be honest to say the first chapter had my attention wavering but then once I realized the MMC was a tortured soul? Oh I was IN IT. we love a good redemption arc and both of the MMCs make your heart hurt for them and want to strangle them in the same breath sometimes. But grief makes us no longer ourselves sometimes.
Also Meilyr!? He is such an ookie pookie! I'm not gonna lie, I did NOT trust him at first. I was like naww he faking being all sweet and what not but then I was like ohhh poor baby is just terribly abused and anxious attached with people pleasing urges. My heart just hurt for him at every turn because his family was ATROCIOUS. also Sulywn was kind of harsh on him more than was necessary imo. Like I understand the resentment because it was perfectly depicted with his naivety but also MA'AM HE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE ABUSED. WHAT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO? he has nothing without his family, been continuously groomed on breadcrumbs of affection and yours surely wasn't going to take him in because of his mothers bullsh!t.
BUT I was so happy he met Elliot even when he wasn't supposed to and while seeing her memories were painful for him, I do think they were important.
I can say I am honestly excited for book 2 because I want to know what's about to happen with the demon and the brother?! Elliot never did use that favor, so like its clearly going to come into play with book two. (at least I hope) like we just left Draecona in SHAMBLES with ZERO news. but it was understandable since they were running for their life. lol
beyond that, JUSTICE FOR BENNING AND CADFAEL T__T, they need proper burials. And fingers crossed for Morgan and Beverly romance. and I say this with my whole chest. F*CK MEILYR'S FAMILY ( excluding Morgan but still side eye)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2025
Thank you so much for sending me an Advance Reader Copy! ♡
I absolutely love slow-burn romances and found-family dynamics, and this book exceeded my expectations. From the very first part, the main character’s tragic and weighty backstory completely shattered me. The misfortune that befell Elliott’s entire family made his rage feel palpable, allowing me to connect with him on a deeper level. His assignment as Egglette’s guardian only made things harder for him, further exposing Laudine Castle as nothing more than a fragile illusion crafted by Cyneric Haytere.
The second part of the book truly shined as Elliott and Egglette’s bond deepened, thanks to the mysterious Egg’s curse. This section also introduced Daddy Dragon, Meilyr, whose storyline was devastating. His family and other dragons had used him for their own gain, making it impossible for me to fully immerse myself in the breathtaking world-building of Hudystwyth. I was too infuriated by their cruelty! That lingering frustration carried over into the third part, which shifted focus to the kingdom’s history. It was also here that Elliott and Meilyr’s relationship solidified, revealing the depth of their connection ♡
While the book perfectly delivered on the tropes I love, there were certain aspects that felt incomplete. The lore surrounding magic left me wanting more. The history of the first King and Queen and the ancient war was mentioned, but I craved a deeper exploration of the origin of magic itself, particularly the different types of magic among dragons and the mechanics behind curses. Additionally, the climax of the second part made it seem like curses could be countered too easily, which somewhat diminished their impact.
Did I enjoy reading Egg’s Curse? Absolutely! ♡ However, there are still unfolded threads such as the brewing conflicts between kingdoms and species, Egglette’s growth, and the looming war. I sincerely hope the next installment offers more wholesome moments between Egglette, Elliott, and Meilyr, as their interactions were among my favorite aspects of the book.
I absolutely love slow-burn romances and found-family dynamics, and this book exceeded my expectations. From the very first part, the main character’s tragic and weighty backstory completely shattered me. The misfortune that befell Elliott’s entire family made his rage feel palpable, allowing me to connect with him on a deeper level. His assignment as Egglette’s guardian only made things harder for him, further exposing Laudine Castle as nothing more than a fragile illusion crafted by Cyneric Haytere.
The second part of the book truly shined as Elliott and Egglette’s bond deepened, thanks to the mysterious Egg’s curse. This section also introduced Daddy Dragon, Meilyr, whose storyline was devastating. His family and other dragons had used him for their own gain, making it impossible for me to fully immerse myself in the breathtaking world-building of Hudystwyth. I was too infuriated by their cruelty! That lingering frustration carried over into the third part, which shifted focus to the kingdom’s history. It was also here that Elliott and Meilyr’s relationship solidified, revealing the depth of their connection ♡
While the book perfectly delivered on the tropes I love, there were certain aspects that felt incomplete. The lore surrounding magic left me wanting more. The history of the first King and Queen and the ancient war was mentioned, but I craved a deeper exploration of the origin of magic itself, particularly the different types of magic among dragons and the mechanics behind curses. Additionally, the climax of the second part made it seem like curses could be countered too easily, which somewhat diminished their impact.
Did I enjoy reading Egg’s Curse? Absolutely! ♡ However, there are still unfolded threads such as the brewing conflicts between kingdoms and species, Egglette’s growth, and the looming war. I sincerely hope the next installment offers more wholesome moments between Egglette, Elliott, and Meilyr, as their interactions were among my favorite aspects of the book.
June 25, 2025
First of all, hi! I have no idea how to start this review since it‘s my first time writing an ARC review. So, as I said, this is an ARC review with my honest opinion on the book.
The first ca. 90 pages were extremely plot-heavy and a little hard to get into, but even from the start I knew it was worth reading! The book is incredibly well-written and heartfelt, making it easy to understand and share the characters feelings and actions! The connection Elliot built to Egglette is a beauty to behold! The little menace is such a cutie! I‘m a little sad she had to endure so much pain before she finally found her happy end. (For now?)
What I especially liked is the way Cadfael was introduced! He was, in my opinion, a deeply misunderstood person in the book! He tried his best to be there for his sister during the hardest moments of her life, even if he reacted more with anger and brutal force, than with a clear mind. But how can you blame him, when he was grieving his beloved sister’s loss? It broke my heart dearly to see him die in the end, but at least he did while fighting for the right reasons.
Another character I deeply loved was Benning. He didn’t have a lot of pages where he was „on-screen“ but he was a heartfelt character nonetheless. He went through the opposite side of what Elliot experienced, having been raised by a human woman. It, again, broke my heart to hear his story unfold with so much pain, but at least he got to see and feel the sky one last time before he, hopefully, reconnected with his mother.
Not to talk about Meilyr, the sweet, sweet soul he is. He was an incredible character to have in this book and I was so glad I found the author‘s account on insta! It was one of the best books I read easily, and I can tell you, in the last two years I read roughly 300 books, so that‘s a big thing for me to say. All in all, this book is an easy 6 star book, deserving to be put in my list of authors I give more than 5 stars to their books! I really recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, slow burn and cute little dragon babies!
Tags: Dragons, slow burn, cute dragons, a lot of violence, blood and gore, magic weapons
The first ca. 90 pages were extremely plot-heavy and a little hard to get into, but even from the start I knew it was worth reading! The book is incredibly well-written and heartfelt, making it easy to understand and share the characters feelings and actions! The connection Elliot built to Egglette is a beauty to behold! The little menace is such a cutie! I‘m a little sad she had to endure so much pain before she finally found her happy end. (For now?)
What I especially liked is the way Cadfael was introduced! He was, in my opinion, a deeply misunderstood person in the book! He tried his best to be there for his sister during the hardest moments of her life, even if he reacted more with anger and brutal force, than with a clear mind. But how can you blame him, when he was grieving his beloved sister’s loss? It broke my heart dearly to see him die in the end, but at least he did while fighting for the right reasons.
Another character I deeply loved was Benning. He didn’t have a lot of pages where he was „on-screen“ but he was a heartfelt character nonetheless. He went through the opposite side of what Elliot experienced, having been raised by a human woman. It, again, broke my heart to hear his story unfold with so much pain, but at least he got to see and feel the sky one last time before he, hopefully, reconnected with his mother.
Not to talk about Meilyr, the sweet, sweet soul he is. He was an incredible character to have in this book and I was so glad I found the author‘s account on insta! It was one of the best books I read easily, and I can tell you, in the last two years I read roughly 300 books, so that‘s a big thing for me to say. All in all, this book is an easy 6 star book, deserving to be put in my list of authors I give more than 5 stars to their books! I really recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, slow burn and cute little dragon babies!
Tags: Dragons, slow burn, cute dragons, a lot of violence, blood and gore, magic weapons
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
Fist, I want to thank the author, Amber, for giving me an ARC copy of the Egg’s Curse before it was realeased!
I have never written a review before, but I will try to be as sincere as possible. (And sorry if I make some mistakes, english is not my first language).
SPOILERS (maybe)
I want to start off by saying I loved the book! I love romance and fantasy, so when I saw a Reel about it I wanted to read it. I was so happy when I got the ARC copy, so thank you again!
It was a beautifull slow burn. It started more plot heavy, with the bond between Elliott and Eggllette developing and him being trapped in Cyneric’s Castle. That was the most boring part for me I think, but I still enjoyed it.
Then they went to the dragon realm and everything was so insteresting! I loved how little by little we started discovering all the secrets about the White Death and Sullwyn, who I was really curious about.
I absolutely loooove Meilyr, he is the best and he sufferred so much because of things he did not do, it was so sad. I was so mad ay his whole family. They were the worst, except Morgan of course.
The last part was agony for me. I was constantly on edge, thinking something wrong was going to happen to them! And that damn owl!! I knew it was up to no good. The last episodes were so intense, I was so nervous!
Overall, I loved this book and the characters. I cried so hard in the end. I was so happy and relieved that Elliott, Meilyr and Eggllette were fine and could be a proper family once and for all.
I do not know if the author plans on writting more about them, but I sure hope so! I am still so scared for them because of Meilyr’s family, but they are strong and love each other very much, they will survive and fight anything just to be together.
One of the questions I still have is how will they cope with Elliott when he gets old. Like, he is still human and does not live for 500+ years, barely a hundred. Still, they have time to enjoy being a family together and that is what matters.
Thanks again for letting me read this beautifull book before release and hope to read more stories from the author!
I have never written a review before, but I will try to be as sincere as possible. (And sorry if I make some mistakes, english is not my first language).
SPOILERS (maybe)
I want to start off by saying I loved the book! I love romance and fantasy, so when I saw a Reel about it I wanted to read it. I was so happy when I got the ARC copy, so thank you again!
It was a beautifull slow burn. It started more plot heavy, with the bond between Elliott and Eggllette developing and him being trapped in Cyneric’s Castle. That was the most boring part for me I think, but I still enjoyed it.
Then they went to the dragon realm and everything was so insteresting! I loved how little by little we started discovering all the secrets about the White Death and Sullwyn, who I was really curious about.
I absolutely loooove Meilyr, he is the best and he sufferred so much because of things he did not do, it was so sad. I was so mad ay his whole family. They were the worst, except Morgan of course.
The last part was agony for me. I was constantly on edge, thinking something wrong was going to happen to them! And that damn owl!! I knew it was up to no good. The last episodes were so intense, I was so nervous!
Overall, I loved this book and the characters. I cried so hard in the end. I was so happy and relieved that Elliott, Meilyr and Eggllette were fine and could be a proper family once and for all.
I do not know if the author plans on writting more about them, but I sure hope so! I am still so scared for them because of Meilyr’s family, but they are strong and love each other very much, they will survive and fight anything just to be together.
One of the questions I still have is how will they cope with Elliott when he gets old. Like, he is still human and does not live for 500+ years, barely a hundred. Still, they have time to enjoy being a family together and that is what matters.
Thanks again for letting me read this beautifull book before release and hope to read more stories from the author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2025
4.25
adventurous challenging emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Big thanks to the author for providing me this ARC via BookFunnel. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.
Found this through the author's art on Instagram and immediately put in a request for an eARC as it felt like something right up my alley. It was, and while I did enjoy myself, there are a few issues in the book that really held it back from my expected 5 star.
The first issue I have with the book is that it is both excruciatingly slow but also terribly fast at times. It takes us more than 30% of the book to get to the actual dragons, and the remaining 70% is chockful of lore drops and twists that I feel like could have been handled a bit better had there have been a bit more time to develop them.
The pacing issues really took me out of the emotional beats, as I could not really connect with the majority of the cast now that it felt rushed to introduce all of them and their backstories and their desires.
The quality of writing also depreciates the further into the book - from sprawling prose to more succinct beat-by-beat writing, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but again, diminishes the actual awe and wonder upon discovering this new world that was supposedly just part of fairytales.
I found the writing of each of the characters very interesting, as it flips the usual characterizations (the tall, brooding, mysterious outcast dragon trope vs the actual ray of sunshine in the midst of the darkness that is Meilyr) and this really bumped up my rating.
I do think that outside of those issues and with more writing experience from the author, this could be a fully developed series, as the foundation is already there, just a little more finesse in its execution. I will be keeping an eye out for the author's future works, and you best believe I will be checking in from time to time if I can reenter Egglette's world again.
October 7, 2025
Egg’s Curse by Amber Braun is a reading full of found family, mystery and intrigue.
In this review I will write about the plot as much as the characters. This is the part where I tell you that I had the privilege of reading this story with an ARC and that any review given was done so of free will without incentives.
Anyway, some plot points were seen coming, others a surprise. The degree of royal intrigue I was not expecting. The mysteries presented from the very first page. For me it was a reading, in both parts, enjoyable and frustrating. I do like to know what is happening. In this story we only know what the characters know. We discover information as they do or as they see fit to disclose (when it comes to their background). Very frustrating! I had and still have so many questions and knots in my emotions.
The characters in turn were very well composed. Their thoughts, emotions, motivations. The way it influences their actions. It was like reading about real people. What, indeed, distinguishes fiction from reality?
It was very interesting to read and to learn about their values, their feelings, their flaws. How what others perceive is not always the truth within. That is very much applicable to any society and its members. How their sense of duty and greed play into their moves.
Elliot and Meilyer's relationship developed at a slow pace, which is a plus for me. Reading about their interactions and growth was very satisfying. And giddy. And, best of all, fond.
The plot and the characters were so well woven, one gets sucked into the world contained in these pages. However, to be honest, it took me a while to read it in its entirety. I had to take breaks. Which is not a negative. It is my own personal experience.
I will be reading this work again. This time without all of its unknown over my head. Maybe my opinion will change, maybe will it not, but for now, this is how I feel. Now, onto the Bonus Content provided. Have a nice read.
In this review I will write about the plot as much as the characters. This is the part where I tell you that I had the privilege of reading this story with an ARC and that any review given was done so of free will without incentives.
Anyway, some plot points were seen coming, others a surprise. The degree of royal intrigue I was not expecting. The mysteries presented from the very first page. For me it was a reading, in both parts, enjoyable and frustrating. I do like to know what is happening. In this story we only know what the characters know. We discover information as they do or as they see fit to disclose (when it comes to their background). Very frustrating! I had and still have so many questions and knots in my emotions.
The characters in turn were very well composed. Their thoughts, emotions, motivations. The way it influences their actions. It was like reading about real people. What, indeed, distinguishes fiction from reality?
It was very interesting to read and to learn about their values, their feelings, their flaws. How what others perceive is not always the truth within. That is very much applicable to any society and its members. How their sense of duty and greed play into their moves.
Elliot and Meilyer's relationship developed at a slow pace, which is a plus for me. Reading about their interactions and growth was very satisfying. And giddy. And, best of all, fond.
The plot and the characters were so well woven, one gets sucked into the world contained in these pages. However, to be honest, it took me a while to read it in its entirety. I had to take breaks. Which is not a negative. It is my own personal experience.
I will be reading this work again. This time without all of its unknown over my head. Maybe my opinion will change, maybe will it not, but for now, this is how I feel. Now, onto the Bonus Content provided. Have a nice read.
June 10, 2025
ARC review!
I really liked this book, it was super long which is always a plus in my opinion and definitely held my attention the entire time. The only thing I really dislike was the amount of time skips. I feel like early on in the story there was quite a few time skips, especially around the time of Elliot and Egglette's initial bond. Personally, I'd like to have seen the bonding between the two of them more rather than have so many time skips.
Also a vast amount of the side characters suck, in a good way though. They're written well in a way that makes me dislike them and since they're the antagonists that checks out. I did like Beverly and Meilyr though, as well as Morgan. I also liked Cadfael and I'm kinda saddened that we likely won't see more of his character, he deserved better. 😔
The story though, good lord I was hooked. The initial hate and distrust from Elliot towards the world eventually growing into the love he has at the end was phenomenal. I loved watching his growth throughout the story and I really can't wait to see more in the follow up books. I also really hope we get more ally characters because we are severely lacking in friendly faces for our poor boys.😭
Overall, I think the story was pretty good and it was good to see the world from the main characters perspective. The antagonists were easy to hate and made me feel bad for the MC's all the time 😔. I really hope the sequels get better from here because this was already a pretty solid start! (Side note: author please be gentle I'm already emotionally damaged from this one 😭💔 )
I really liked this book, it was super long which is always a plus in my opinion and definitely held my attention the entire time. The only thing I really dislike was the amount of time skips. I feel like early on in the story there was quite a few time skips, especially around the time of Elliot and Egglette's initial bond. Personally, I'd like to have seen the bonding between the two of them more rather than have so many time skips.
Also a vast amount of the side characters suck, in a good way though. They're written well in a way that makes me dislike them and since they're the antagonists that checks out. I did like Beverly and Meilyr though, as well as Morgan. I also liked Cadfael and I'm kinda saddened that we likely won't see more of his character, he deserved better. 😔
The story though, good lord I was hooked. The initial hate and distrust from Elliot towards the world eventually growing into the love he has at the end was phenomenal. I loved watching his growth throughout the story and I really can't wait to see more in the follow up books. I also really hope we get more ally characters because we are severely lacking in friendly faces for our poor boys.😭
Overall, I think the story was pretty good and it was good to see the world from the main characters perspective. The antagonists were easy to hate and made me feel bad for the MC's all the time 😔. I really hope the sequels get better from here because this was already a pretty solid start! (Side note: author please be gentle I'm already emotionally damaged from this one 😭💔 )
June 1, 2025
Disclaimer: I received this book as an Advanced-Reader's copy. This is my honest review of this book. I do not mean to include spoilers- but things may slip through the cracks, but I do not give direct spoilers or directly reference any actual scenes or events that occur throughout the book.
The Characters:
Elliot Stride is the main MMC, who is only 22 at the time the book begins. Throughout the book Elliot experiences drastic, yet what I would say realistic and believable character growth throughout.
The other MMC and love interest was such a sweetheart it made my heart ache for him on several occasions. No, I do not care about what he is meant to be, he is a precious boy that needs to be protected at all costs and nothing you say will ever change my mind.
The plot:
While at the beginning it starts slow, it fits, as the beginning is not that exciting as it lays the foundation for a lot of what comes as well as establishing the world very well. At least, the human realms. This is important for later as it gets us used to the human realms over the more magical ones.
As the story develops, it quickly grows tension, with new turns at every chance it gets. I love how important small details are, even the ones that seem so insignificant at the time, which bought a smile to my face whenever I called something would end up coming back to haunt the characters later.
Overall thoughts:
As you can probably gather by how long it took me to read Egg's Curse (4 days), I thoroughly enjoyed it. The fact it was Amber's debut novel is mind-blowing to me with how detailed the worldbuilding is. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and will be keeping my eye out on being able to purchase my own physical edition of the book to add to my shelf.
The Characters:
Elliot Stride is the main MMC, who is only 22 at the time the book begins. Throughout the book Elliot experiences drastic, yet what I would say realistic and believable character growth throughout.
The other MMC and love interest was such a sweetheart it made my heart ache for him on several occasions. No, I do not care about what he is meant to be, he is a precious boy that needs to be protected at all costs and nothing you say will ever change my mind.
The plot:
While at the beginning it starts slow, it fits, as the beginning is not that exciting as it lays the foundation for a lot of what comes as well as establishing the world very well. At least, the human realms. This is important for later as it gets us used to the human realms over the more magical ones.
As the story develops, it quickly grows tension, with new turns at every chance it gets. I love how important small details are, even the ones that seem so insignificant at the time, which bought a smile to my face whenever I called something would end up coming back to haunt the characters later.
Overall thoughts:
As you can probably gather by how long it took me to read Egg's Curse (4 days), I thoroughly enjoyed it. The fact it was Amber's debut novel is mind-blowing to me with how detailed the worldbuilding is. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and will be keeping my eye out on being able to purchase my own physical edition of the book to add to my shelf.
September 1, 2025
Disclosure: The author was kind enough to allow me to read an ARC copy of this book.
I can confidently say that this book has had me in a chokehold for the entire time I have spent reading it. I originally chose this book because I am a huge fan of fantasy romance and this seemed to be a book that would perfectly suit my tastes. The author has masterfully woven a book filled with fantasy, adventure, sweet romance and the heartwarming love between father and daughter. Not only this, the book also shows the healing power of a found family and the struggles faced when politics of an unfamiliar species become entangled in one’s life. All this came together to make a beautiful and well-written book that I enjoyed immensely. The characters were believable and admirable. None of them were perfect and they all had their faults and regrets that affected their actions. This also made them wish to better and redeem themselves in their own mind’s eye which in part helped push the plot forward. This being said, it did start out a bit slow but I do believe that it was for the best. The information given and world-building in this section further developed the story. Also, this allowed for time for the main character to bond with the dragon egg. I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance, found-family and a hint of political intrigue and I envy those who will get to read this book for the first time.
I can confidently say that this book has had me in a chokehold for the entire time I have spent reading it. I originally chose this book because I am a huge fan of fantasy romance and this seemed to be a book that would perfectly suit my tastes. The author has masterfully woven a book filled with fantasy, adventure, sweet romance and the heartwarming love between father and daughter. Not only this, the book also shows the healing power of a found family and the struggles faced when politics of an unfamiliar species become entangled in one’s life. All this came together to make a beautiful and well-written book that I enjoyed immensely. The characters were believable and admirable. None of them were perfect and they all had their faults and regrets that affected their actions. This also made them wish to better and redeem themselves in their own mind’s eye which in part helped push the plot forward. This being said, it did start out a bit slow but I do believe that it was for the best. The information given and world-building in this section further developed the story. Also, this allowed for time for the main character to bond with the dragon egg. I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance, found-family and a hint of political intrigue and I envy those who will get to read this book for the first time.
May 27, 2025
(Disclosure, I was given early access/an ARC.)
This book was super sweet overall!! The positives: it felt like every character had their own motivations, the motivations made sense. Whenever something was mentioned, it MATTERED. Everything tied back. The writing wasn’t bad or sloppy, although there were some places it could be cleaned up a bit. The love interest was very refreshing, very different from most romance love interests. I feel like this book could’ve been split up, though, to be honest. There was so much plot, and not enough time for it to be fully fleshed out (although there’s a lot of reading material, which was good!). It wasn’t bad, but some of the plot points felt really rushed. The book starts out with a great pace, and then sort of devolves half way through. I’m trying to avoid spoilers, but the end really did feel like it should’ve been its own book. My unsolicited, but earnest advice to this author would’ve been to save the last plot point(s) for a second book. It just felt too rushed. Due to the rushed nature of the second half, there wasn’t much time to build chemistry with the love interest tbh. If you want a steamy, intoxicating romance this book isn’t for you. Despite that, the found family aspect and the wholesomeness of this book was really nice. So my final rating is 4 stars.
This book was super sweet overall!! The positives: it felt like every character had their own motivations, the motivations made sense. Whenever something was mentioned, it MATTERED. Everything tied back. The writing wasn’t bad or sloppy, although there were some places it could be cleaned up a bit. The love interest was very refreshing, very different from most romance love interests. I feel like this book could’ve been split up, though, to be honest. There was so much plot, and not enough time for it to be fully fleshed out (although there’s a lot of reading material, which was good!). It wasn’t bad, but some of the plot points felt really rushed. The book starts out with a great pace, and then sort of devolves half way through. I’m trying to avoid spoilers, but the end really did feel like it should’ve been its own book. My unsolicited, but earnest advice to this author would’ve been to save the last plot point(s) for a second book. It just felt too rushed. Due to the rushed nature of the second half, there wasn’t much time to build chemistry with the love interest tbh. If you want a steamy, intoxicating romance this book isn’t for you. Despite that, the found family aspect and the wholesomeness of this book was really nice. So my final rating is 4 stars.
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