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Library of Fallen Souls #1
Cursekeeper
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26Torn from her home and forced to train at the brutal Forge as a child, Thalia Marrow has only ever known the life of a Scion—one sworn to guard the Library of Curses. But on the night she crosses paths with an enigmatic Fae, the Library is ransacked, and her brother is taken by demons, leaving Thalia as one of the last Scions still alive.
Desperate to find her only family, Thalia follows the bloody trail to the mysterious Soren—a ruthless warrior who was cursed and banished from the Fae world. Everything about him is dangerous. Everything about him calls to her.
Bound by necessity, the warrior librarian and the Fallen Fae must now work together to uncover what happened at the Library and unmask the shadowy new demon leader unleashing curses across the realm. But in the decadent, treacherous city of Delfs, not all is as it seems. As the threat of war rises and Thalia’s feelings for Soren grow, so too does the truth of his bloody past—and the curse that could destroy them both.
Desperate to find her only family, Thalia follows the bloody trail to the mysterious Soren—a ruthless warrior who was cursed and banished from the Fae world. Everything about him is dangerous. Everything about him calls to her.
Bound by necessity, the warrior librarian and the Fallen Fae must now work together to uncover what happened at the Library and unmask the shadowy new demon leader unleashing curses across the realm. But in the decadent, treacherous city of Delfs, not all is as it seems. As the threat of war rises and Thalia’s feelings for Soren grow, so too does the truth of his bloody past—and the curse that could destroy them both.
480 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
Alexandra Christo
12 books5,964 followersAlexandra Christo is a British author whose characters are always funnier and far more deadly than she is. She studied Creative Writing at university and graduated with the desire to never stop letting her imagination run wild. She currently lives in Hertfordshire with a rapidly growing garden and a never-ending stack of books. Her debut novel To Kill a Kingdom is an international bestseller and her Young Adult fantasy books have been translated into over a dozen languages worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
April 15, 2026
*Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
*SPOILER FREE*
If you enjoy books with an unique magic system, yearning, and high-stakes, Alexandra Christo’s “Cursekeeper” is the book for you! This masterpiece kept me on the edge of my seat! Lately I have been unable to find any romantasies that keep me hooked, but this one just raised the bar!
Alexandra Christo has done it again! “To Kill a Kingdom” was fast-paced and kept me hooked right off the bat, so I should’ve known that Cursekeeper would do the same!
Thalia Morrow is a Scion for the Library of Curses, sworn to defend and protect the library. But when an unknown threat attacks the library, killing all Scions except Thalia and kidnapping her brother, Thalia is left to uncover secrets that have been buried.
Thalia’s search leads her to a mysterious warrior, Soren, and the two join forces to find Thalia’s brother. But Soren, banished from the fae world, is more than he seems, and Thalia finds herself falling for him, even if it means putting herself in the face of danger. As Thalia’s feelings for Soren grow, more danger lurks in the shadows, waiting to be uncovered.
The more I read, the more I became obsessed with Thalia and Soren! The tension between the two characters was outstanding and I could not put the book down! As more characters were introduced, I began to fall in love with every single one (by the end of the book I realized maybe I shouldn’t have fallen in love with certain ones😂)! Every character is just so intricate, and each one has their own story. What I would give to be able to read it again for the first time!
And the ending?? Literally icing on the cake! I don’t want to spoil anything, but I would’ve read the book just for the ending! I cannot wait for the next book to be released, I seriously need to some closure here! I am not okay after that, and I predict that I will soon be entering a book slump😂.
Overall, I would highly recommend Alexandra Christo’s “Cursekeeper” to anyone who loves an epic fantasy with twist and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
SPICE- 🔥🔥🔥
BANTER-🗣️🗣️🗣️
STAKES-⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
June 16, 2026
3.5/5 ⭐️
Very lucky to have received an advance e-copy of this book releasing in November 2026.
This book had some great elements to it, but some of the plot development and pacing was just a little too slow at times for me. But overall it was good, good characters, good plot twists.
This story takes place in a human realm - in a magical library filled with curses. The library is protected by descendants of fae gods. These protectors (scions) prevent fae, demons and other creatures from assessing these curses and using them. Thalia and her brother Evren are Scions, raised and trained to protect the library. One night, everything changes when the library is attacked, curses are stolen and Evren goes missing. Add in a spicy fallen fae MMC and a story filled with intrigue and secrets - and you have a story that keeps you guessing till the end.
Very lucky to have received an advance e-copy of this book releasing in November 2026.
This book had some great elements to it, but some of the plot development and pacing was just a little too slow at times for me. But overall it was good, good characters, good plot twists.
This story takes place in a human realm - in a magical library filled with curses. The library is protected by descendants of fae gods. These protectors (scions) prevent fae, demons and other creatures from assessing these curses and using them. Thalia and her brother Evren are Scions, raised and trained to protect the library. One night, everything changes when the library is attacked, curses are stolen and Evren goes missing. Add in a spicy fallen fae MMC and a story filled with intrigue and secrets - and you have a story that keeps you guessing till the end.
April 28, 2026
**This ARC was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Cursekeeper is a fun romantasy with a really cool premise. It follows Thalia, who’s the guardian of a massive ancient library filled with millions of curses, which immediately hooked me.
The beginning of the story is strong and the world pulls you in right away, but as it goes on, things starts to feel a bit more generic. A lot of the plot points are pretty easy to guess early, so there weren’t many moments that really surprised me.
That said, Thalia is a strong, capable FMC, and the witty banter throughout the book was a highlight.
As I got further into it, I noticed a lot of similarities to ACOTAR, so if you’re a fan of that vibe, you’ll probably enjoy this.
Overall, it’s not the most original story, but it’s still an entertaining read. I think fans of Quicksilver and ACOTAR will have a good time with it.
Cursekeeper is a fun romantasy with a really cool premise. It follows Thalia, who’s the guardian of a massive ancient library filled with millions of curses, which immediately hooked me.
The beginning of the story is strong and the world pulls you in right away, but as it goes on, things starts to feel a bit more generic. A lot of the plot points are pretty easy to guess early, so there weren’t many moments that really surprised me.
That said, Thalia is a strong, capable FMC, and the witty banter throughout the book was a highlight.
As I got further into it, I noticed a lot of similarities to ACOTAR, so if you’re a fan of that vibe, you’ll probably enjoy this.
Overall, it’s not the most original story, but it’s still an entertaining read. I think fans of Quicksilver and ACOTAR will have a good time with it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I tried reading this book, but couldn’t get into it it was too slow for me, and it seemed to drag too long the conflict was there, and the characters weren’t all that bad, but the story didn’t do it for me I would’ve liked this story, but I couldn’t finished it the dialogue was cliched at times and predictable the characters suffered from the same things Soren sounded like the typical romance lead, but more cliched you could tell what kind of character he was going to be from the get-go those that you mostly see in those steamy romance novels, not a very developed character the story started good in the beginning, but I slowly loss interest.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher for the arc.
Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher for the arc.
May 31, 2026
Thank you so much for the ARC!
I absolutely loved this romantasy. I loved the unique magic system and world. It was very refreshingly while still maintaining my favorite parts of romance within the fantasy. For once I never found myself frustrated by a books main characters. They were well written and very clever. It also ended in such a unique way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves ACOTAR, Quicksilver, and Jennifer Armentrout.
I absolutely loved this romantasy. I loved the unique magic system and world. It was very refreshingly while still maintaining my favorite parts of romance within the fantasy. For once I never found myself frustrated by a books main characters. They were well written and very clever. It also ended in such a unique way. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves ACOTAR, Quicksilver, and Jennifer Armentrout.
June 25, 2026
***This was an ARC read provided by Atria Books via Netgalley, thank you for the chance to do an ARC read!***
My review will focus on the plot rather than editing, spelling errors, and punctuation issues.
This was a decent book and a good debut into the adult fantasy/romantasy genre, it has a cool world and a different magic system then you see in most romantasy books. It starts in the human world in a library of magic, curses, and monsters that are guarded by an elite group of people called Scions. These are half human-half fae who are imbued with magic to protect the library. The fae and the humans fractured after a war and the humans are protecting these books from the fae, demons, and the lighteater. The FMC's brother gets kidnapped on a night where she stops a fae from stealing some of the curses rom the library. The story follows her as she hesitantly works with the fae who broke into the library to rescue her brother and protect the library.
Thalia our FMC was awesome, I really liked her character. She was witty, badass, and the way her character behaved fit with the premise of what a scion is in my opinion. I also liked our MMC, Soren, although he did follow the typical romantasy formula for an MMC (minus the shadow daddy powers lol). He was ruthless, misunderstood, broody, sarcastic, overprotective, extra powerful, etc. What I did find, though, is that the romance aspect was rushed and shallow. I wish it had more depth and yearning, there is definitely the right aspects but they needed more massaging and time I think. I would say based on the progression of the relationship between the characters that this would be more YA based (especially if some of explicit romance is removed). However, where I think the author excelled was in the secondary characters. Oriel may have been one of my favourite characters to be honest, he was funny, witty, dry humoured, and blunt. Ever the politician for sure! I really liked him. And Astir... well played friend, well played.
The pacing of this book was quick, you can expect that there will be some quicker, attention grabbing moments and then some slower areas interspersed in there. So bear that in mind when you're reading it. I did like the way it ended because it did leave itself open to a second book, which i think could be really really good if that's what the author wanted to do. This was an easy read that is perfect for when you're looking for the rainy day read, this will definitely resonate with fans of ACOTAR and Starside.
A few things to keep in mind that kind of pulled me out of the book until I got used to it. First, the use of 'Scion'.... it felt almost disconnected with the rest of the plot, however, as I progressed in the book and it became less of a sci-fi reference in my own mind this wasn't a big deal, just a heads up that it might break some of that flow at the beginning. And, some of the plot twists were a little formulaic, however, that in itself is not a bad thing, and many readers prefer that format. But just things to consider if you tend to like more traditionally styled fantasy books.
All in all the book pulled me in pretty quickly and kept my attention, I would rate it 3.5 stars!
My review will focus on the plot rather than editing, spelling errors, and punctuation issues.
This was a decent book and a good debut into the adult fantasy/romantasy genre, it has a cool world and a different magic system then you see in most romantasy books. It starts in the human world in a library of magic, curses, and monsters that are guarded by an elite group of people called Scions. These are half human-half fae who are imbued with magic to protect the library. The fae and the humans fractured after a war and the humans are protecting these books from the fae, demons, and the lighteater. The FMC's brother gets kidnapped on a night where she stops a fae from stealing some of the curses rom the library. The story follows her as she hesitantly works with the fae who broke into the library to rescue her brother and protect the library.
Thalia our FMC was awesome, I really liked her character. She was witty, badass, and the way her character behaved fit with the premise of what a scion is in my opinion. I also liked our MMC, Soren, although he did follow the typical romantasy formula for an MMC (minus the shadow daddy powers lol). He was ruthless, misunderstood, broody, sarcastic, overprotective, extra powerful, etc. What I did find, though, is that the romance aspect was rushed and shallow. I wish it had more depth and yearning, there is definitely the right aspects but they needed more massaging and time I think. I would say based on the progression of the relationship between the characters that this would be more YA based (especially if some of explicit romance is removed). However, where I think the author excelled was in the secondary characters. Oriel may have been one of my favourite characters to be honest, he was funny, witty, dry humoured, and blunt. Ever the politician for sure! I really liked him. And Astir... well played friend, well played.
The pacing of this book was quick, you can expect that there will be some quicker, attention grabbing moments and then some slower areas interspersed in there. So bear that in mind when you're reading it. I did like the way it ended because it did leave itself open to a second book, which i think could be really really good if that's what the author wanted to do. This was an easy read that is perfect for when you're looking for the rainy day read, this will definitely resonate with fans of ACOTAR and Starside.
A few things to keep in mind that kind of pulled me out of the book until I got used to it. First, the use of 'Scion'.... it felt almost disconnected with the rest of the plot, however, as I progressed in the book and it became less of a sci-fi reference in my own mind this wasn't a big deal, just a heads up that it might break some of that flow at the beginning. And, some of the plot twists were a little formulaic, however, that in itself is not a bad thing, and many readers prefer that format. But just things to consider if you tend to like more traditionally styled fantasy books.
All in all the book pulled me in pretty quickly and kept my attention, I would rate it 3.5 stars!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I knew from the blurb that I would like this book (warrior librarian? Heck yes!) but I didn’t know I would become deliciously immersed in this story from beginning to end. Easy 5 ⭐️ for me.
🙏🏼 Thank you Atria Books & Alexandra Christo for allowing me to read this ARC. This is my honest review.
What to expect:
👫Dual POV
🫂Found family
😈Treachery & betrayal
⚔️ True enemies to lovers (She almost kills him.)
💀Body horror / grusome deaths
So many monsters & beings:
👹Demons
🐺 Unguibus (werewolves)
🧟♂️ Spiritus (possessor, reanimate the dead)
🐉 Ignus (fire breathing dragons)
🧝🏻♂️Fae (with varied powers)
The blurb:
Thalia Marrow was trained her whole life to be a guardian of the library. Only this library contains no ordinary tomes, but powerful books of curses that can be unleashed as weapons. When the library is attacked, her brother is taken, along with three curse books. Thalia must form a tentative alliance with Soren, a dangerous Fallen fae who was banished from the fae realm. She knows the Fallen can’t be trusted, yet finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. They work together to uncover a sinister plan of a mysterious demon leader and discover the situation is much more dire than anyone realized.
What I did NOT see:
🚫 miscomunication trope (there were secrets slowly revealed)
🚫 third act break up
🚫 love triangle
🚫 games & trials
🚫 insta love (it was slow & delicious)
🚫 grumpy x sunshine (more like murderous x stabby but on opposite teams)
Thoughts:
THIS is how a Romantasy should be done! The slowest burn- the hatred to distrust to tentative alliance, flirty banter, the thoughtful gestures, the depth and friendship they developed, the yearning, the restraint and then the dam finally breaking. It all left my heart achingly full.
I WISH I could include quotes in this ARC review because I highlighted SO MANY! I found myself smiling & blushing at Soren’s flirtiness… phew, this man! 😮💨 He is just the perfect amount of forward, says what he is thinking unapologetically and sometimes it made my knees weak! I also found myself laughing at the fae inner circle hilariously bickering with each other, which broke up the seriousness & intensity of the story.
The violence, action and plot twists kept me completely on my toes the entire time, not knowing what would happen next. The magic was unique and the worlds were sweeping but done in a way I haven’t seen before.
The ending has me panting like a dog for book 2. I must know what will become of Soren, Thalia, the fae and the realms. There are so many moving parts - necessary but terrible alliances formed, and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
🙏🏼 Thank you Atria Books & Alexandra Christo for allowing me to read this ARC. This is my honest review.
What to expect:
👫Dual POV
🫂Found family
😈Treachery & betrayal
⚔️ True enemies to lovers (She almost kills him.)
💀Body horror / grusome deaths
So many monsters & beings:
👹Demons
🐺 Unguibus (werewolves)
🧟♂️ Spiritus (possessor, reanimate the dead)
🐉 Ignus (fire breathing dragons)
🧝🏻♂️Fae (with varied powers)
The blurb:
Thalia Marrow was trained her whole life to be a guardian of the library. Only this library contains no ordinary tomes, but powerful books of curses that can be unleashed as weapons. When the library is attacked, her brother is taken, along with three curse books. Thalia must form a tentative alliance with Soren, a dangerous Fallen fae who was banished from the fae realm. She knows the Fallen can’t be trusted, yet finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. They work together to uncover a sinister plan of a mysterious demon leader and discover the situation is much more dire than anyone realized.
What I did NOT see:
🚫 miscomunication trope (there were secrets slowly revealed)
🚫 third act break up
🚫 love triangle
🚫 games & trials
🚫 insta love (it was slow & delicious)
🚫 grumpy x sunshine (more like murderous x stabby but on opposite teams)
Thoughts:
THIS is how a Romantasy should be done! The slowest burn- the hatred to distrust to tentative alliance, flirty banter, the thoughtful gestures, the depth and friendship they developed, the yearning, the restraint and then the dam finally breaking. It all left my heart achingly full.
I WISH I could include quotes in this ARC review because I highlighted SO MANY! I found myself smiling & blushing at Soren’s flirtiness… phew, this man! 😮💨 He is just the perfect amount of forward, says what he is thinking unapologetically and sometimes it made my knees weak! I also found myself laughing at the fae inner circle hilariously bickering with each other, which broke up the seriousness & intensity of the story.
The violence, action and plot twists kept me completely on my toes the entire time, not knowing what would happen next. The magic was unique and the worlds were sweeping but done in a way I haven’t seen before.
The ending has me panting like a dog for book 2. I must know what will become of Soren, Thalia, the fae and the realms. There are so many moving parts - necessary but terrible alliances formed, and I can’t wait to see what will happen next.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
💃🏻📚✨ 4.25 Stars ✨📚💅🏻
Thank you to Atria for the ARC! 💜
Okay but a magical library filled with curses? A warrior librarian? A banished fae with secrets? Alexandra Christo knew exactly what she was doing when she handed me this premise. 😌📖✨
Cursekeeper pulled me in immediately. The Library of Curses is such a fun concept and honestly one of the most unique fantasy settings I've read in a while. Millions of dangerous curses locked away, Scions sworn to protect them, and then absolute chaos when everything goes wrong? Sign me up. 💃🏻📚🔥
Thalia was exactly the kind of heroine I enjoy reading about. She's capable, stubborn, loyal, and willing to throw herself headfirst into danger for the people she loves. Her relationship with her brother was one of my favorite parts of the story and gave the stakes real emotional weight. ❤️
And then there's Soren. 👀
Because of course there's a cursed, dangerous, morally questionable fae warrior lurking around looking all mysterious.
The banter between Thalia and Soren was easily one of the highlights for me. The tension was tensioning. 💅🏻🔥 Their dynamic kept me turning pages, and while I wouldn't necessarily call it the slowest slow burn ever written, I was fully invested in watching them dance around their feelings.
The worldbuilding was strong without feeling overwhelming, and the mystery surrounding the stolen curses, missing brother, and hidden agendas kept me engaged throughout. There were several twists that landed well for me, and by the final chapters I was flying through pages because I needed answers.
Now, was every reveal completely shocking? Not always. There were a few moments where I suspected where things were heading, and the pacing occasionally slowed in the middle. But honestly? I was having too much fun to care very much. 🤷🏻♀️✨
What really worked was the atmosphere. This book feels like classic romantasy comfort food. Curses. Fae. Secrets. Betrayals. Dangerous attraction. A heroine discovering the truth about her world while falling for someone she probably shouldn't trust. It's a recipe that works for a reason. 😍
📚 What you'll find:
✨ Magical library
🖤 Cursed artifacts
🔥 Fallen fae MMC
⚔️ Action and mystery
💃🏻 Strong heroine
💕 Banter and romance
👀 Secrets on secrets on secrets
The ending absolutely has me ready for book two because I need answers and closure immediately. Alexandra Christo once again proved why she's an auto-read author for me.
If you loved To Kill a Kingdom, enjoy romantasy with strong worldbuilding, or just want to spend time in a library that's significantly more dangerous than your local one, definitely pick this up. 📚✨🖤
Thank you to Atria for the ARC! 💜
Okay but a magical library filled with curses? A warrior librarian? A banished fae with secrets? Alexandra Christo knew exactly what she was doing when she handed me this premise. 😌📖✨
Cursekeeper pulled me in immediately. The Library of Curses is such a fun concept and honestly one of the most unique fantasy settings I've read in a while. Millions of dangerous curses locked away, Scions sworn to protect them, and then absolute chaos when everything goes wrong? Sign me up. 💃🏻📚🔥
Thalia was exactly the kind of heroine I enjoy reading about. She's capable, stubborn, loyal, and willing to throw herself headfirst into danger for the people she loves. Her relationship with her brother was one of my favorite parts of the story and gave the stakes real emotional weight. ❤️
And then there's Soren. 👀
Because of course there's a cursed, dangerous, morally questionable fae warrior lurking around looking all mysterious.
The banter between Thalia and Soren was easily one of the highlights for me. The tension was tensioning. 💅🏻🔥 Their dynamic kept me turning pages, and while I wouldn't necessarily call it the slowest slow burn ever written, I was fully invested in watching them dance around their feelings.
The worldbuilding was strong without feeling overwhelming, and the mystery surrounding the stolen curses, missing brother, and hidden agendas kept me engaged throughout. There were several twists that landed well for me, and by the final chapters I was flying through pages because I needed answers.
Now, was every reveal completely shocking? Not always. There were a few moments where I suspected where things were heading, and the pacing occasionally slowed in the middle. But honestly? I was having too much fun to care very much. 🤷🏻♀️✨
What really worked was the atmosphere. This book feels like classic romantasy comfort food. Curses. Fae. Secrets. Betrayals. Dangerous attraction. A heroine discovering the truth about her world while falling for someone she probably shouldn't trust. It's a recipe that works for a reason. 😍
📚 What you'll find:
✨ Magical library
🖤 Cursed artifacts
🔥 Fallen fae MMC
⚔️ Action and mystery
💃🏻 Strong heroine
💕 Banter and romance
👀 Secrets on secrets on secrets
The ending absolutely has me ready for book two because I need answers and closure immediately. Alexandra Christo once again proved why she's an auto-read author for me.
If you loved To Kill a Kingdom, enjoy romantasy with strong worldbuilding, or just want to spend time in a library that's significantly more dangerous than your local one, definitely pick this up. 📚✨🖤
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Advance copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Thalia is a Scion, a human with Fae blood tasked with defending the library of curses. One night, the library gets attacked, some of its curses stolen and its scions killed. Thalia's brother gets kidnapped as well, so she sets off to find him and the missing curses. In the fashion of a typical romantasy MC, she proceeds to find this Super Handsome Fae Guy, Soren. What happens next isn't too hard to guess. They form an "uneasy" alliance to find the culprit of the attack. Cue theinstalove romance.
This book is kind of hard to review. On one hand, I really liked the concept and characters, but on the other, it's actually every other romantasy under the guise of an original magic system.
Thalia is your typical perpetually angry FMC, badass until she enters the proximity of Soren, the Very Handsome Love Interest, who has absolutely nothing original about him. Sarcastic? Check. Tragic backstory? Check. Very Handsome and Special and Strong and Powerful? Check.
Because they were so incredibly clichéd I didn't connect with them as much as I would have liked, but I still liked them. I liked the side characters a lot more, though, especially Soren's brothers. Astir was great, and Oriel is what made this book three stars. Thank you, Oriel. Your sarcasm was a definite highlight of this book.
The world building was fine, if a bit underdeveloped. Thalia made multiple references to her Scion powers, but I didn't see much evidence of her powers. As far as the Fae's powers went they were pretty well explained, though sometimes the explanations were a little vague.
Since this is romantasy, I suppose I should talk about the romance part. This, I'm sad to say, was the main weak point of the book. Soren and Thalia had zero chemistry or relationship development, one second hating each other, the next thinking about how much they would like to kiss eack other. After about two days, Soren decides to nickname Thalia Goddess, and she's apparently okay with that despite having met the guy two days ago.
But I'm making it sound as if I hated this book. Which I didn't, not at all. All the characters, even the ones who just appeared for a bit of time were interesting, and I didn't dislike any of them. Except the villains, I guess, but that's kind of the point. Also, the book was fast paced, never boring, so I was able to read it for long periods of time.
All in all, a solid read.
Thalia is a Scion, a human with Fae blood tasked with defending the library of curses. One night, the library gets attacked, some of its curses stolen and its scions killed. Thalia's brother gets kidnapped as well, so she sets off to find him and the missing curses. In the fashion of a typical romantasy MC, she proceeds to find this Super Handsome Fae Guy, Soren. What happens next isn't too hard to guess. They form an "uneasy" alliance to find the culprit of the attack. Cue the
This book is kind of hard to review. On one hand, I really liked the concept and characters, but on the other, it's actually every other romantasy under the guise of an original magic system.
Thalia is your typical perpetually angry FMC, badass until she enters the proximity of Soren, the Very Handsome Love Interest, who has absolutely nothing original about him. Sarcastic? Check. Tragic backstory? Check. Very Handsome and Special and Strong and Powerful? Check.
Because they were so incredibly clichéd I didn't connect with them as much as I would have liked, but I still liked them. I liked the side characters a lot more, though, especially Soren's brothers. Astir was great, and Oriel is what made this book three stars. Thank you, Oriel. Your sarcasm was a definite highlight of this book.
The world building was fine, if a bit underdeveloped. Thalia made multiple references to her Scion powers, but I didn't see much evidence of her powers. As far as the Fae's powers went they were pretty well explained, though sometimes the explanations were a little vague.
Since this is romantasy, I suppose I should talk about the romance part. This, I'm sad to say, was the main weak point of the book. Soren and Thalia had zero chemistry or relationship development, one second hating each other, the next thinking about how much they would like to kiss eack other. After about two days, Soren decides to nickname Thalia Goddess, and she's apparently okay with that despite having met the guy two days ago.
But I'm making it sound as if I hated this book. Which I didn't, not at all. All the characters, even the ones who just appeared for a bit of time were interesting, and I didn't dislike any of them. Except the villains, I guess, but that's kind of the point. Also, the book was fast paced, never boring, so I was able to read it for long periods of time.
All in all, a solid read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cursekeeper is emotionally brutal in the best way possible, and if you’re even thinking about picking it up, just know you need to prepare yourself. This book will hurt you, and you will thank it for it.
I don’t even know where to start because there is so much to love, but the premise alone had me hooked. Thalia, a mortal, is tasked with guarding a library full of curses, which is just as fascinating as it sounds. These aren’t just objects sitting on shelves, they’re dangerous, and tied to a world much bigger than she is. Then she meets Soren, a Fallen Fae cursed to the mortal realm, and because of a series of events I refuse to spoil, the two are forced into an uneasy alliance. What starts as reluctant cooperation slowly turns into something much deeper, layered with tension, distrust, and moments of connection that felt completely earned.
The characters are where this book truly shines. Alexandra Christo has created characters that feel real and complex. Thalia is strong but not unbreakable, determined but still vulnerable in ways that make her incredibly relatable. Soren is exactly the kind of morally gray character I love, guarded, sharp, and carrying more weight than he lets on. Watching their dynamic evolve was one of my favorite parts of the book. Their banter is quick and clever, but it’s also balanced with quieter moments that give you insight into who they really are.
And the side characters? Just as well done. No one feels like background noise. Each character has their own motivations, their own voice, and their own role to play in the story. It makes the world feel full and alive, like everything matters.
Speaking of the world, the world-building is fantastic. It’s introduced gradually, woven into the story instead of dumped all at once, so you’re constantly learning without ever feeling overwhelmed. The magic system, the curses, the different layers of this world, it all unfolds naturally and keeps you engaged the entire time.
And that ending…
I am not okay. I genuinely wish I had waited to read this because now I need the next book immediately. The emotional damage is real, and I am absolutely not prepared to sit here patiently.
This book is immersive, character-driven, and full of quiet devastation. I loved every second of it.
I don’t even know where to start because there is so much to love, but the premise alone had me hooked. Thalia, a mortal, is tasked with guarding a library full of curses, which is just as fascinating as it sounds. These aren’t just objects sitting on shelves, they’re dangerous, and tied to a world much bigger than she is. Then she meets Soren, a Fallen Fae cursed to the mortal realm, and because of a series of events I refuse to spoil, the two are forced into an uneasy alliance. What starts as reluctant cooperation slowly turns into something much deeper, layered with tension, distrust, and moments of connection that felt completely earned.
The characters are where this book truly shines. Alexandra Christo has created characters that feel real and complex. Thalia is strong but not unbreakable, determined but still vulnerable in ways that make her incredibly relatable. Soren is exactly the kind of morally gray character I love, guarded, sharp, and carrying more weight than he lets on. Watching their dynamic evolve was one of my favorite parts of the book. Their banter is quick and clever, but it’s also balanced with quieter moments that give you insight into who they really are.
And the side characters? Just as well done. No one feels like background noise. Each character has their own motivations, their own voice, and their own role to play in the story. It makes the world feel full and alive, like everything matters.
Speaking of the world, the world-building is fantastic. It’s introduced gradually, woven into the story instead of dumped all at once, so you’re constantly learning without ever feeling overwhelmed. The magic system, the curses, the different layers of this world, it all unfolds naturally and keeps you engaged the entire time.
And that ending…
I am not okay. I genuinely wish I had waited to read this because now I need the next book immediately. The emotional damage is real, and I am absolutely not prepared to sit here patiently.
This book is immersive, character-driven, and full of quiet devastation. I loved every second of it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Atria Books for the eARC!
Thalia Marrow is a Scion, a guard specially trained and sworn t0 protect the magical Library of Curses. The Library holds books filled with demon and fae made curses, and is the main source of power the human kingdoms can hold over the fae. While a peace treaty shakily keeps war between the human and fae at bay, a rebel sect of fae known as The Fallen are still considered a threat and are hunted by the Scions. One night, the Library is attacked and ransacked, leaving nearly every Scion of the library dead and Thalia's dear brother, Evren missing. Thalia manages to seriously injure a Fallen inside the Library and ends up following his bloody trail through the heart of the Dels. At the end of the trail she meets Soren, shunned by fae society and who's curse resides within the Library. With no other choice, Thalia and Soren team up. Thalia wishes to find out who attacked her library and took her brother and in return, she'll steal and destroy the book which holds Soren's curse. As things begin to be uncovered, it becomes more apparent that not everything is as it seems and a dark conspiracy is at play that Thalia has no other choice but to help thwart.
I had a lot of fun with this one! I really enjoyed the world and thought the concept of warrior librarians guarding a cursed library was SO cool. The fae of this world have a unique twist as well with them being sort of similar to vampires, but instead of blood they are able to feast off of human emotions in order to regain or amplify their powers. I ended up rather liking Thalia as a main character as well. She's strong, determined, cares deeply for her brother, and has a lot of quips that I found amusing. While I did enjoy Soren as a character, he tends to follow a lot of the typical trends that are common in romantasy nowadays and he didn't stand out much to me. This book actually tends to follow a lot of romantasy tropes not just with Soren, and I felt it hurt how unique of a world and premise is here. Luckily, there is still plenty unique things to enjoy that still make for a very fun journey. I originally went into this thinking it may be a standalone, but with that ending I think it's fairly clear this will at least be a duology. All in all, if you're a big fan of the romantasy genre, this'll be a great book for you and I recommend you pick it up!
Thalia Marrow is a Scion, a guard specially trained and sworn t0 protect the magical Library of Curses. The Library holds books filled with demon and fae made curses, and is the main source of power the human kingdoms can hold over the fae. While a peace treaty shakily keeps war between the human and fae at bay, a rebel sect of fae known as The Fallen are still considered a threat and are hunted by the Scions. One night, the Library is attacked and ransacked, leaving nearly every Scion of the library dead and Thalia's dear brother, Evren missing. Thalia manages to seriously injure a Fallen inside the Library and ends up following his bloody trail through the heart of the Dels. At the end of the trail she meets Soren, shunned by fae society and who's curse resides within the Library. With no other choice, Thalia and Soren team up. Thalia wishes to find out who attacked her library and took her brother and in return, she'll steal and destroy the book which holds Soren's curse. As things begin to be uncovered, it becomes more apparent that not everything is as it seems and a dark conspiracy is at play that Thalia has no other choice but to help thwart.
I had a lot of fun with this one! I really enjoyed the world and thought the concept of warrior librarians guarding a cursed library was SO cool. The fae of this world have a unique twist as well with them being sort of similar to vampires, but instead of blood they are able to feast off of human emotions in order to regain or amplify their powers. I ended up rather liking Thalia as a main character as well. She's strong, determined, cares deeply for her brother, and has a lot of quips that I found amusing. While I did enjoy Soren as a character, he tends to follow a lot of the typical trends that are common in romantasy nowadays and he didn't stand out much to me. This book actually tends to follow a lot of romantasy tropes not just with Soren, and I felt it hurt how unique of a world and premise is here. Luckily, there is still plenty unique things to enjoy that still make for a very fun journey. I originally went into this thinking it may be a standalone, but with that ending I think it's fairly clear this will at least be a duology. All in all, if you're a big fan of the romantasy genre, this'll be a great book for you and I recommend you pick it up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
Sooo... This is the most average romantasy book you could find. DNF at exactly 50%.
TL;DR:
- Cliché "badass" FMC
- Unrealistic relationship dynamics (too quick for 0 reasons)
- Promising fantasy plot, but there's little of it
- There is spice, and likely a lot of it in the parts I haven't read
This one looked very promising and I really wanted to love it, but I quite literally fell asleep with my PocketBook in my hands right at the start of the first sex scene. This is how bored I was. I am 100% sure there will be (and already are) people who love it, but for me it was too unrealistic and... immature, perhaps?
The start of the book is very slow with lots of infodumping that interrupts dialogues and action happening in the story. I hoped it would get better, and it kinda did at first, but then all my hopes deflated at quite honestly the most unbelievable romance dynamics between the main characters.
MMC starts calling the FMC "Little Goddess" on the second day of their acquaintance. We all know where this is going, right? There was little to none bonding/soul-pouring or any life-changing events in the two weeks they knew each other, at the end of which he claims that she is "sacred". What the heck happened? Does this ever happen in real life? Maybe between 12-year-old children it does, but with a centuries-old fae? I would've laughed the man in the face and would be wondering what kind of scam he's planning against me if that happened in real life, and I'm 22.
The FMC is also a very cliché "badass" sassy girl of 25 who sounds like she's a 15-year-old teen. Little to add here, you all know the type.
The fantasy plot could be promising, but it's all in the background in this book and I doubt it will change in the remaining 50%. This is primarily a Romance novel, fantasy plays a very small role here.
Overall, this is a book that takes everything happening in the mainstream Romantasy novels and averages it down to what we can read here. Won't say I don't recommend it to anyone. I can see how some people might enjoy it, so if my review didn't turn you down, go ahead and read it.
Sooo... This is the most average romantasy book you could find. DNF at exactly 50%.
TL;DR:
- Cliché "badass" FMC
- Unrealistic relationship dynamics (too quick for 0 reasons)
- Promising fantasy plot, but there's little of it
- There is spice, and likely a lot of it in the parts I haven't read
This one looked very promising and I really wanted to love it, but I quite literally fell asleep with my PocketBook in my hands right at the start of the first sex scene. This is how bored I was. I am 100% sure there will be (and already are) people who love it, but for me it was too unrealistic and... immature, perhaps?
The start of the book is very slow with lots of infodumping that interrupts dialogues and action happening in the story. I hoped it would get better, and it kinda did at first, but then all my hopes deflated at quite honestly the most unbelievable romance dynamics between the main characters.
MMC starts calling the FMC "Little Goddess" on the second day of their acquaintance. We all know where this is going, right? There was little to none bonding/soul-pouring or any life-changing events in the two weeks they knew each other, at the end of which he claims that she is "sacred". What the heck happened? Does this ever happen in real life? Maybe between 12-year-old children it does, but with a centuries-old fae? I would've laughed the man in the face and would be wondering what kind of scam he's planning against me if that happened in real life, and I'm 22.
The FMC is also a very cliché "badass" sassy girl of 25 who sounds like she's a 15-year-old teen. Little to add here, you all know the type.
The fantasy plot could be promising, but it's all in the background in this book and I doubt it will change in the remaining 50%. This is primarily a Romance novel, fantasy plays a very small role here.
Overall, this is a book that takes everything happening in the mainstream Romantasy novels and averages it down to what we can read here. Won't say I don't recommend it to anyone. I can see how some people might enjoy it, so if my review didn't turn you down, go ahead and read it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*I read this book as an ARC Reader exchanging an early read for a review but I try to give my most honest opinions*
A book about a warrior librarian and a fae prince? A WARRIOR LIBRARIAN?! I mean what more could you ask for in a romantasy? This book delivered, gave me tingles and gets five stars from me.
✹☽ synopsis ✹☽
Thalia, the warrior librarian, must partner with her Fae enemy, The Prince of Winter, to find her kidnapped brother and stolen books filled with curses that could destroy her world.
✹☽ spice level 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Thalia and Soren’s chemistry is off the charts in this book. In this enemies to lovers novel, the author gives us the tension needed between both characters and perfects this trope as Thalia starts to realize that her enemy is not the monster she believed. Once you get halfway, you’ll get all the scenes involving bookcases your dirty mind can conjure.
✹☽ obsessing over ✹☽
Ok this book is GOOD. The romance between Thalia and Soren is steamy. The warrior librarian is a feisty blade, wielding heroine. The plot twists of courtly intrigue keeps coming. It’s truly got everything you want in a great start to a series and I cannot wait for the sequel.
✹☽ could’ve been better ✹☽
Some parts of the plot are a little confusing and complicated. The story reveals itself in layers and you have to pay a little more attention in order to realize the depth of the plot twists.
✹☽ character development ✹☽
I loved the whole cast of characters, especially Soren. His backstory has beautiful depth and sorrow woven into it. Thalia is also a fierce, badass heroine who would do anything to save her brother. The supporting cast of characters fills in the story with excellent dialogue and tells a story of friendship and family.
✹☽ world and story ✹☽
Fantastical. We have underground fae palaces and different realms of fae, humans and demons. The story itself is fast-paced and action packed, with all scenes actually furthering along the plot. I loved the sentient library and all the seasonal palaces within the book.
A book about a warrior librarian and a fae prince? A WARRIOR LIBRARIAN?! I mean what more could you ask for in a romantasy? This book delivered, gave me tingles and gets five stars from me.
✹☽ synopsis ✹☽
Thalia, the warrior librarian, must partner with her Fae enemy, The Prince of Winter, to find her kidnapped brother and stolen books filled with curses that could destroy her world.
✹☽ spice level 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Thalia and Soren’s chemistry is off the charts in this book. In this enemies to lovers novel, the author gives us the tension needed between both characters and perfects this trope as Thalia starts to realize that her enemy is not the monster she believed. Once you get halfway, you’ll get all the scenes involving bookcases your dirty mind can conjure.
✹☽ obsessing over ✹☽
Ok this book is GOOD. The romance between Thalia and Soren is steamy. The warrior librarian is a feisty blade, wielding heroine. The plot twists of courtly intrigue keeps coming. It’s truly got everything you want in a great start to a series and I cannot wait for the sequel.
✹☽ could’ve been better ✹☽
Some parts of the plot are a little confusing and complicated. The story reveals itself in layers and you have to pay a little more attention in order to realize the depth of the plot twists.
✹☽ character development ✹☽
I loved the whole cast of characters, especially Soren. His backstory has beautiful depth and sorrow woven into it. Thalia is also a fierce, badass heroine who would do anything to save her brother. The supporting cast of characters fills in the story with excellent dialogue and tells a story of friendship and family.
✹☽ world and story ✹☽
Fantastical. We have underground fae palaces and different realms of fae, humans and demons. The story itself is fast-paced and action packed, with all scenes actually furthering along the plot. I loved the sentient library and all the seasonal palaces within the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I went into Cursekeeper by Alexandra Christo thinking “okay, warrior librarian + fae prince… I’m listening 👀”—and somehow still wasn’t prepared for how hard this book would hook me.
First of all, a WARRIOR. LIBRARIAN. Thalia is out here shelving cursed books by day and slicing through enemies by night, all while trying to find her kidnapped brother. Enter Soren, the broody Winter Prince she absolutely should not trust—and yet… the tension? IMMACULATE. This is enemies-to-lovers done right: sharp banter, slow-burn suspicion, and that delicious moment where “I hate you” quietly turns into “oh no.”
And when I say chemistry? I mean bookcase-related life choices will be made. 📚🔥
What really sold me though is how much this book packs in. You’ve got:
✨ A sentient library full of cursed books
✨ Underground fae palaces (yes, plural)
✨ Court politics and betrayals layered like emotional damage cake
✨ A fast-paced plot that just keeps twisting
The world-building is rich and a little chaotic in the best way—like you’re constantly uncovering new rules, new histories, new secrets. It does ask you to pay attention (this is not a “skim and vibe” read), but the payoff? Worth it.
Soren deserves his own paragraph because WOW. That man is carrying angst, guilt, and hidden softness like it’s a full-time job. Meanwhile, Thalia is fierce, stubborn, and just impulsive enough to make you yell at the page—but you’ll love her for it anyway.
Are there moments where the plot gets a little tangled? Sure. Some side characters blur together, and you might occasionally flip back like “wait… who just died?” But honestly? I was too busy having fun to care.
This isn’t just another fae romantasy clone—it carves out its own space with a fresh premise (cursed books that only affect fae?? obsessed) and delivers a story that feels both familiar and new.
Final verdict:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A twisty, steamy, banter-filled ride with a stabby librarian and a morally conflicted prince. Add to your TBR immediately—and I’ll be waiting (impatiently) for book
First of all, a WARRIOR. LIBRARIAN. Thalia is out here shelving cursed books by day and slicing through enemies by night, all while trying to find her kidnapped brother. Enter Soren, the broody Winter Prince she absolutely should not trust—and yet… the tension? IMMACULATE. This is enemies-to-lovers done right: sharp banter, slow-burn suspicion, and that delicious moment where “I hate you” quietly turns into “oh no.”
And when I say chemistry? I mean bookcase-related life choices will be made. 📚🔥
What really sold me though is how much this book packs in. You’ve got:
✨ A sentient library full of cursed books
✨ Underground fae palaces (yes, plural)
✨ Court politics and betrayals layered like emotional damage cake
✨ A fast-paced plot that just keeps twisting
The world-building is rich and a little chaotic in the best way—like you’re constantly uncovering new rules, new histories, new secrets. It does ask you to pay attention (this is not a “skim and vibe” read), but the payoff? Worth it.
Soren deserves his own paragraph because WOW. That man is carrying angst, guilt, and hidden softness like it’s a full-time job. Meanwhile, Thalia is fierce, stubborn, and just impulsive enough to make you yell at the page—but you’ll love her for it anyway.
Are there moments where the plot gets a little tangled? Sure. Some side characters blur together, and you might occasionally flip back like “wait… who just died?” But honestly? I was too busy having fun to care.
This isn’t just another fae romantasy clone—it carves out its own space with a fresh premise (cursed books that only affect fae?? obsessed) and delivers a story that feels both familiar and new.
Final verdict:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A twisty, steamy, banter-filled ride with a stabby librarian and a morally conflicted prince. Add to your TBR immediately—and I’ll be waiting (impatiently) for book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
** I received an ARC through Netgalley. My views are my own.**
Cursekeeper starts with an interesting and new premise - a Fae uprising resulted in the banishment of two Fae courts into the human realm. The banished Fae, known as the Fallen, are cursed and are hunted by the human Scions of the invisible Library. The Scions guard the Library, which houses the curses in books. Curses, created by the human realm Kings and Queens, affect only the Fae.
The Scion Thalia is the survivor of a raid on the Library, which decimates the Scions and physically reveals the Library to the human world. Thalia bands together with the Fallen to seek out who attacked the Library, why three curses were stolen, and where the heck her brother disappeared to during the attack.
What follows is a typical Romantasy adventure, with witty banter, steamy hot love scenes, and so many twists and turns you would think you are on a racetrack. Cursekeeper is a guilty pleasure. Thalia is a strong and capable FMC, who often uses witty comebacks in lieu of common sense. The Fae MMCs don't seem to stand out from each other- the broody main MMC with a guilty conscience, who fights against his obvious attraction to the FMC; the BFF Fae, whose carefree attitude belies a hidden cinnamon roll persona; and the third Fae, there as the foil to the MMC. The minor characters just exist; when they die, you just flip back a few pages to figure out who the heck they were.
Don't mistake my criticisms for negative feedback. Cursekeeper is a good story and different enough that it isn't a recap of ACOTAR or Heat of the Everflame or any other fae-oriented world-ending novel. Add it to your TBR, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Cursekeeper starts with an interesting and new premise - a Fae uprising resulted in the banishment of two Fae courts into the human realm. The banished Fae, known as the Fallen, are cursed and are hunted by the human Scions of the invisible Library. The Scions guard the Library, which houses the curses in books. Curses, created by the human realm Kings and Queens, affect only the Fae.
The Scion Thalia is the survivor of a raid on the Library, which decimates the Scions and physically reveals the Library to the human world. Thalia bands together with the Fallen to seek out who attacked the Library, why three curses were stolen, and where the heck her brother disappeared to during the attack.
What follows is a typical Romantasy adventure, with witty banter, steamy hot love scenes, and so many twists and turns you would think you are on a racetrack. Cursekeeper is a guilty pleasure. Thalia is a strong and capable FMC, who often uses witty comebacks in lieu of common sense. The Fae MMCs don't seem to stand out from each other- the broody main MMC with a guilty conscience, who fights against his obvious attraction to the FMC; the BFF Fae, whose carefree attitude belies a hidden cinnamon roll persona; and the third Fae, there as the foil to the MMC. The minor characters just exist; when they die, you just flip back a few pages to figure out who the heck they were.
Don't mistake my criticisms for negative feedback. Cursekeeper is a good story and different enough that it isn't a recap of ACOTAR or Heat of the Everflame or any other fae-oriented world-ending novel. Add it to your TBR, sit back, and enjoy the ride.
Review of advance copy
May 21, 2026Reluctant allies to lovers.
Interesting fractured kingdom dynamics.
Seasonal magics/ courts,
intriguing lore and politics.
A library of curses, warrior Librarians, and exiled fallen fae!
I am so happy I got my hands on this early ( huge thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley). Okay, to kick it off - this was a super fun read and while I do think it started off stronger than how it closed out I do feel compelled to continue along with future installments. I will be preordering the physical book and I’m too excited to get my hands on it as the cover is so gorgeous! For full transparency, this was my first time reading an arc so I’m not entirely sure how much will be corrected or adjusted but I think there was a slight pacing issue towards the end where it had the buildup but then it was a little clunky on the delivery. Not enough to ruin the overall experience of the book by any means. I really did love the premise and we had some pretty solid leading characters. The romance was well done despite it not being a slow burn (which is my typical preference) but with that said , it didn’t necessarily lean to insta love. It was apparent that the attraction was there from the start and both of them held preconceived prejudices against the other (mostly Thalia as she was trained as scion to see Fae , specifically the ‘Fallen’ as enemies) but they had things in common that did soften them towards one another and ultimately led to them forming a deeper connection. There were some very endearing moments between the two. I loved Soren, I loved his back story and I hope we dive deeper into it in the next installment.
All this to say, I’m very excited to see how the world continues to flesh out and how Thalia adapts to her life after everything that transpired.
Interesting fractured kingdom dynamics.
Seasonal magics/ courts,
intriguing lore and politics.
A library of curses, warrior Librarians, and exiled fallen fae!
I am so happy I got my hands on this early ( huge thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley). Okay, to kick it off - this was a super fun read and while I do think it started off stronger than how it closed out I do feel compelled to continue along with future installments. I will be preordering the physical book and I’m too excited to get my hands on it as the cover is so gorgeous! For full transparency, this was my first time reading an arc so I’m not entirely sure how much will be corrected or adjusted but I think there was a slight pacing issue towards the end where it had the buildup but then it was a little clunky on the delivery. Not enough to ruin the overall experience of the book by any means. I really did love the premise and we had some pretty solid leading characters. The romance was well done despite it not being a slow burn (which is my typical preference) but with that said , it didn’t necessarily lean to insta love. It was apparent that the attraction was there from the start and both of them held preconceived prejudices against the other (mostly Thalia as she was trained as scion to see Fae , specifically the ‘Fallen’ as enemies) but they had things in common that did soften them towards one another and ultimately led to them forming a deeper connection. There were some very endearing moments between the two. I loved Soren, I loved his back story and I hope we dive deeper into it in the next installment.
All this to say, I’m very excited to see how the world continues to flesh out and how Thalia adapts to her life after everything that transpired.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun, spicy, and sweeping first installment in a new romantasy series! I loved this so much, had such a great time reading this book! Cursekeeper had all the things I look for in a romantasy book (romance, magical creatures, world building, and strong characters) This story follows a young women who is sworn to protect a library that holds curses that could destroy humanity. I loved the magical library concept and how each curse is held with in a book. It is at this library that we meet our FMC Thalia. Thalia is one of the library guards and in this book three curses have been stolen and in order to save her people she must go on a journey and track down the missing curses from an evil force that wants to use the curses for their own personal gain.
This book has many different creatures but the main one is the Fae. Soren our MMC is a Fae and I really enjoyed his character, Thalia grew up hating the Fae and along her journey for the curses he and Thalia end up having to work together. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed and changed over time. Soren and Thalia have such a fun dynamic, and the one liners and flirting were so good!!! I love when a enemies to lovers story builds up the tension and Alexandra Christo did just that!
Lastly, there are some betrayals and twists along the way and I am very excited to see how things will continue to develop with Thalia and Soren especially after the way it ended in book 1. I can’t wait to continue this series!
This comes out on Novemeber 3rd, if you love Romantasy books with enemies x lovers, Fae, Magical libraries, and betrayals I recommend adding to your TBR for the Fall.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for a chance to read and review!
This book has many different creatures but the main one is the Fae. Soren our MMC is a Fae and I really enjoyed his character, Thalia grew up hating the Fae and along her journey for the curses he and Thalia end up having to work together. I really enjoyed how their relationship developed and changed over time. Soren and Thalia have such a fun dynamic, and the one liners and flirting were so good!!! I love when a enemies to lovers story builds up the tension and Alexandra Christo did just that!
Lastly, there are some betrayals and twists along the way and I am very excited to see how things will continue to develop with Thalia and Soren especially after the way it ended in book 1. I can’t wait to continue this series!
This comes out on Novemeber 3rd, if you love Romantasy books with enemies x lovers, Fae, Magical libraries, and betrayals I recommend adding to your TBR for the Fall.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for a chance to read and review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If Sorcery of Thorns, Crescent City, and The Cruel Prince had a baby it would be this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!
One of my favorite parts of this book was the exceptional banter between the love interests for the first half of this book. It was so enjoyable to see them bickering, bantering, and pretending they weren’t falling for each other.
I really enjoyed the world building in this! The lore was fascinating and the plot was always advancing forward.
I wish we could have spent more time in the Library and using its resources more but thats just a personal preference if I’m honest.
The romantic tension between Soren and Thalia was great! I wish there had been more tension and less spicy scenes but I guess to each their own. On that note, this is very very spicy. Be forewarned!
Some reveals happened a lot earlier than I expected. Not in a bad way, just in a surprising way. This definitely didn’t feel like it was trying to follow the mold of most romantasy books and I honestly think that made it so much better! It kept me on my toes trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
I also really enjoyed how Christo fleshed out some of the side characters. So many recent romantacies have failed in that respect but I genuinely felt a connection to so many of the characters in this book and want to know the ending of their stories as well. I was thoroughly invested in everyone!
I am very intrigued to continue this series!
This has honestly made me want to go back and read Alexandra Christo’s backlog of books.
I am excited for this book to be released as I see myself rereading this via audiobook when the second one comes closer to release!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!
One of my favorite parts of this book was the exceptional banter between the love interests for the first half of this book. It was so enjoyable to see them bickering, bantering, and pretending they weren’t falling for each other.
I really enjoyed the world building in this! The lore was fascinating and the plot was always advancing forward.
I wish we could have spent more time in the Library and using its resources more but thats just a personal preference if I’m honest.
The romantic tension between Soren and Thalia was great! I wish there had been more tension and less spicy scenes but I guess to each their own. On that note, this is very very spicy. Be forewarned!
Some reveals happened a lot earlier than I expected. Not in a bad way, just in a surprising way. This definitely didn’t feel like it was trying to follow the mold of most romantasy books and I honestly think that made it so much better! It kept me on my toes trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
I also really enjoyed how Christo fleshed out some of the side characters. So many recent romantacies have failed in that respect but I genuinely felt a connection to so many of the characters in this book and want to know the ending of their stories as well. I was thoroughly invested in everyone!
I am very intrigued to continue this series!
This has honestly made me want to go back and read Alexandra Christo’s backlog of books.
I am excited for this book to be released as I see myself rereading this via audiobook when the second one comes closer to release!
June 9, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cursekeeper pulled me in from the very beginning with its unique premise of a library tasked with protecting the world’s most dangerous curses. Alexandra Christo has crafted a world full of loyalty, betrayal, impossible choices, and high emotional stakes that kept me turning the pages.
Thalia was such a compelling protagonist. Fiercely loyal and determined, she would do anything to protect the people and places she loves. I also loved the morally gray cast of characters. No one was entirely simple, and the complicated relationships, shifting loyalties, and betrayals made the story impossible to put down.
The world-building was a standout for me. The contrast between the mortal and fae realms felt immersive, and the lore surrounding the curses was fascinating. I found myself wanting to learn more about the history of this world long after I finished reading.
The ending left me with plenty of theories and questions, in the best way possible. I have a strong suspicion that there is still much more to uncover about Thalia’s mother, and I can’t wait to see if future books prove me right.
For readers wondering about the romance, I’d rate the spice level around a 2/5. While there is romantic tension, this story focuses more on fantasy, family dynamics, political intrigue, and the sacrifices people make for those they love.
Overall, Cursekeeper was an engaging romantasy filled with dangerous magic, found family, morally gray characters, betrayals that hurt, and impossible choices. If those are your favorite tropes, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.
Cursekeeper pulled me in from the very beginning with its unique premise of a library tasked with protecting the world’s most dangerous curses. Alexandra Christo has crafted a world full of loyalty, betrayal, impossible choices, and high emotional stakes that kept me turning the pages.
Thalia was such a compelling protagonist. Fiercely loyal and determined, she would do anything to protect the people and places she loves. I also loved the morally gray cast of characters. No one was entirely simple, and the complicated relationships, shifting loyalties, and betrayals made the story impossible to put down.
The world-building was a standout for me. The contrast between the mortal and fae realms felt immersive, and the lore surrounding the curses was fascinating. I found myself wanting to learn more about the history of this world long after I finished reading.
The ending left me with plenty of theories and questions, in the best way possible. I have a strong suspicion that there is still much more to uncover about Thalia’s mother, and I can’t wait to see if future books prove me right.
For readers wondering about the romance, I’d rate the spice level around a 2/5. While there is romantic tension, this story focuses more on fantasy, family dynamics, political intrigue, and the sacrifices people make for those they love.
Overall, Cursekeeper was an engaging romantasy filled with dangerous magic, found family, morally gray characters, betrayals that hurt, and impossible choices. If those are your favorite tropes, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.
June 12, 2026
Advance copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Well THIS was a good one.
Alexandra Christo - this one felt unique. I loved the magic system, the court system of the Fae, the sentient Library and its curses!! I love that these aren't elements you're seeing recycled from every other romantasy on your shelf right now. The world felt fresh in a way that's getting harder and harder to find.
The characters absolutely showed up. Thalia might be my favourite thing about this book — she doesn't have the typical weak-to-strong arc that so many FMCs get saddled with. She was badass from page one and stayed that way. Her resolve and intelligence never felt like character traits being performed for the plot, it was just truly who she was.
Soren. This poor, betrayed man and everything he's carrying. Watching him and Thalia move from reluctant alliance to something much deeper was exactly the kind of slow burn I read romantasy for earned, layered, and emotionally satisfying.
And Oriel. I will not be taking questions at this time but GODSPEED.
One small note: the romance does move quickly in places for my liking. The "goddess" nickname came a bit too early for me, on one hand I felt like he did it to annoy her and then it grew into something, but it still left me feeling a bit like ?? but if you're someone who can roll with it, the overall dynamic more than makes up for it.
THE ENDING. I truly did not see it coming. The betrayals. That last chapter especially had me staring at the wall going where are we going from here?? I am not okay and I refuse to be.
Well THIS was a good one.
Alexandra Christo - this one felt unique. I loved the magic system, the court system of the Fae, the sentient Library and its curses!! I love that these aren't elements you're seeing recycled from every other romantasy on your shelf right now. The world felt fresh in a way that's getting harder and harder to find.
The characters absolutely showed up. Thalia might be my favourite thing about this book — she doesn't have the typical weak-to-strong arc that so many FMCs get saddled with. She was badass from page one and stayed that way. Her resolve and intelligence never felt like character traits being performed for the plot, it was just truly who she was.
Soren. This poor, betrayed man and everything he's carrying. Watching him and Thalia move from reluctant alliance to something much deeper was exactly the kind of slow burn I read romantasy for earned, layered, and emotionally satisfying.
And Oriel. I will not be taking questions at this time but GODSPEED.
One small note: the romance does move quickly in places for my liking. The "goddess" nickname came a bit too early for me, on one hand I felt like he did it to annoy her and then it grew into something, but it still left me feeling a bit like ?? but if you're someone who can roll with it, the overall dynamic more than makes up for it.
THE ENDING. I truly did not see it coming. The betrayals. That last chapter especially had me staring at the wall going where are we going from here?? I am not okay and I refuse to be.
May 10, 2026
I went into this mostly blind, just excited to get an email with a book in it. I wish all surprise books were this good!
Thalia is a scion, trained since she was young to guard a library full of curses. When the library is attacked, her fellow scions killed, and her brother taken she is forced to work with a fallen fae to get him back.
First. the pacing of this book was immaculately done. There was literally never a dull moment. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. From major plot twists to action packed fights with just the right amount of tension filled romance this was simply spectacular.
Second the romance here was just so good. I don’t know if I’d call this slow burn but it was fast either, it hit the sweet spot in the middle. And the tension between these two was palpable. Considering during their first meeting she tries to kill him I would definitely say this was a perfect enemies to lovers.
Finally I love how the world building was done here. It isn’t over done to the point where I felt like I needed a glossary to keep up. Just enough to set the stage with more given as needed along the way. And the places they describe really did put you in this magical place.
If you love true enemies to lovers
If you love curses
If you love plot twists you cannot see coming
If you love heart ache and betrayal
If you love action and battles and demons
This is your book!! And the set up for book 2 has me so excited to see where this is going! If I could give this 6 stars I would!
Thalia is a scion, trained since she was young to guard a library full of curses. When the library is attacked, her fellow scions killed, and her brother taken she is forced to work with a fallen fae to get him back.
First. the pacing of this book was immaculately done. There was literally never a dull moment. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. From major plot twists to action packed fights with just the right amount of tension filled romance this was simply spectacular.
Second the romance here was just so good. I don’t know if I’d call this slow burn but it was fast either, it hit the sweet spot in the middle. And the tension between these two was palpable. Considering during their first meeting she tries to kill him I would definitely say this was a perfect enemies to lovers.
Finally I love how the world building was done here. It isn’t over done to the point where I felt like I needed a glossary to keep up. Just enough to set the stage with more given as needed along the way. And the places they describe really did put you in this magical place.
If you love true enemies to lovers
If you love curses
If you love plot twists you cannot see coming
If you love heart ache and betrayal
If you love action and battles and demons
This is your book!! And the set up for book 2 has me so excited to see where this is going! If I could give this 6 stars I would!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ank you for the ARC!
First things first, I want to say thank youuuu for the unique aspect to the fae kind. There are a lot of samey qualities to the fae in modern fantasy novels, so it was a welcome change to make them different. I won't spoil it, but it was pretty neat. Another very strong aspect to this book was how the author explained the magic system and how curses were inflicted—I was especially immersed during these descriptions. As a writer, I understand the difficulty that comes with coming up with magic systems and making them make sense; it is so hard, but Alexandra did such a great job here.
Another shout-out for the number of creatures included in the book (dragons; the fae; and zombies, namely)—it was refreshing to have a novel that includes a lot while not being overwhelming and frustrating to engage with.
My only critique is probably one that is exactly why this book will be popular, and something I recognize is 'necessary' when it comes to succeeding in trad-publishing and the general writing world, and that is that this novel was so unique and well-thought out that I don't think it needed to rely on the tropes. I think it has the ability to stand on its own without being a tiny bit cliché.
First things first, I want to say thank youuuu for the unique aspect to the fae kind. There are a lot of samey qualities to the fae in modern fantasy novels, so it was a welcome change to make them different. I won't spoil it, but it was pretty neat. Another very strong aspect to this book was how the author explained the magic system and how curses were inflicted—I was especially immersed during these descriptions. As a writer, I understand the difficulty that comes with coming up with magic systems and making them make sense; it is so hard, but Alexandra did such a great job here.
Another shout-out for the number of creatures included in the book (dragons; the fae; and zombies, namely)—it was refreshing to have a novel that includes a lot while not being overwhelming and frustrating to engage with.
My only critique is probably one that is exactly why this book will be popular, and something I recognize is 'necessary' when it comes to succeeding in trad-publishing and the general writing world, and that is that this novel was so unique and well-thought out that I don't think it needed to rely on the tropes. I think it has the ability to stand on its own without being a tiny bit cliché.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you, Atria books and Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A mortal trained to protect the library of curses finds herself working with a Fae to save her brother. The Fae works with her in order to retrieve his curse and destroy it. All while a bigger plan from another to essentially take over the world is also at play. Oh, and are there naybe going to be some feelings about each other?? Yeah, of course. They team up to save the world and their loved ones.
What did I love about this book?
-I really enjoyed the banter. It was very casual and witty, great to read.
-The characters were complex and tenacious. Thalia, the FMC, is fierce and deadly, I like that in an FMC.
-Our MMC is loyal and deadly, I also like that in an MMC
-The idea of a library of curses is so cool, and it is explained in a pretty readable and concise way.
-Lots of action, and a well thought out the storyline
What didn't I love about it?
-Story was a little bit slow in a couple of sections, but honestly, it came back nicely, so that's barely a complaint.
-Predictable villains imo, but I'm here for the ride, so I'll let it slide
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would absolutely recommend it 👍
A mortal trained to protect the library of curses finds herself working with a Fae to save her brother. The Fae works with her in order to retrieve his curse and destroy it. All while a bigger plan from another to essentially take over the world is also at play. Oh, and are there naybe going to be some feelings about each other?? Yeah, of course. They team up to save the world and their loved ones.
What did I love about this book?
-I really enjoyed the banter. It was very casual and witty, great to read.
-The characters were complex and tenacious. Thalia, the FMC, is fierce and deadly, I like that in an FMC.
-Our MMC is loyal and deadly, I also like that in an MMC
-The idea of a library of curses is so cool, and it is explained in a pretty readable and concise way.
-Lots of action, and a well thought out the storyline
What didn't I love about it?
-Story was a little bit slow in a couple of sections, but honestly, it came back nicely, so that's barely a complaint.
-Predictable villains imo, but I'm here for the ride, so I'll let it slide
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would absolutely recommend it 👍
April 25, 2026
Cursekeeper hooked me with the premise of a librarian warrior and delivered something I wasn’t fully expecting: a tightly plotted political fantasy that moves at a relentless pace from the first chapter. Alexandra Christo wastes no time – the twists begin early and don’t let up, which kept me genuinely off-balance in the best way.
The FMC is the clear standout. She’s carrying a disgraced past, guarding both a cause and a library, and navigating a world where the most dangerous enemies aren’t the obvious ones. That tension between external threat and internal betrayal gives the story real depth beneath the fast pacing. If you liked Feyre’s stubborn competence or Buffy’s reluctant-hero energy, she’ll click for you immediately.
The romantic tension is calibrated well – enough heat to satisfy without overtaking the plot, which I always appreciate in a romantasy that’s clearly building toward something larger.
The ending sticks the landing in a way that’s become increasingly rare in series openers: it closes enough to feel satisfying, opens enough to make the next book feel genuinely necessary rather than obligatory. I’ll be picking up the sequel.
Recommended for fans of ACOTAR, urban fantasy with political intrigue, and FMCs who fight their way back from the edge. Thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC ebook!
The FMC is the clear standout. She’s carrying a disgraced past, guarding both a cause and a library, and navigating a world where the most dangerous enemies aren’t the obvious ones. That tension between external threat and internal betrayal gives the story real depth beneath the fast pacing. If you liked Feyre’s stubborn competence or Buffy’s reluctant-hero energy, she’ll click for you immediately.
The romantic tension is calibrated well – enough heat to satisfy without overtaking the plot, which I always appreciate in a romantasy that’s clearly building toward something larger.
The ending sticks the landing in a way that’s become increasingly rare in series openers: it closes enough to feel satisfying, opens enough to make the next book feel genuinely necessary rather than obligatory. I’ll be picking up the sequel.
Recommended for fans of ACOTAR, urban fantasy with political intrigue, and FMCs who fight their way back from the edge. Thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC ebook!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Cursekeeper is an okay romantasy. There was nothing about this story that felt unique, as if it was built entirely out of tropes and genre conventions. It’s action-packed and fast-paced, filled with romantic yearning and angst. I’m sure that some readers will love it.
The existence of the Library of Curses and Thalia’s job as a librarian seemed to be included entirely for aesthetic reasons. The author clearly loves libraries, but their inclusion in this particular story is clunky. First, the Library of Curses operates much more like an archive than a library. I know that there is a lot of overlap between the two and that libraries have had many different roles throughout history. However, it’s still somewhat off-putting to me that the entire premise of this book centers on the fact that some ideas (books/curses) are too dangerous to be engaged with and need to be locked away. Similarly, Thalia is technically a librarian, but realistically she just works as an armed guard. And after the first few chapters of the book neither the library nor Thalia’s role as a librarian are relevant. It was just a bit disappointing.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing me with an eARC.
The existence of the Library of Curses and Thalia’s job as a librarian seemed to be included entirely for aesthetic reasons. The author clearly loves libraries, but their inclusion in this particular story is clunky. First, the Library of Curses operates much more like an archive than a library. I know that there is a lot of overlap between the two and that libraries have had many different roles throughout history. However, it’s still somewhat off-putting to me that the entire premise of this book centers on the fact that some ideas (books/curses) are too dangerous to be engaged with and need to be locked away. Similarly, Thalia is technically a librarian, but realistically she just works as an armed guard. And after the first few chapters of the book neither the library nor Thalia’s role as a librarian are relevant. It was just a bit disappointing.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing me with an eARC.
June 22, 2026
While it’s been a long time since I’ve read Christo’s novel To Kill a Kingdom, I felt at the time it was a strong fantasy YA romance that I recommended to a ton of people. I can’t say that about this book.
This book is trying to be so many things at once, we lose many elements in the weeds. The beginning is rough, with info dumps interrupting dialogue flow and the exposition here tells you everything this story is going to be. I’m fine with a book telling you how this is going to go, but I don’t want to be beat over the head with it. The exposition waxes and wanes on specificity. In parts that feel like it should be explained it stays intentionally and annoyingly vague. The Library/ Scions system feels convenient, not a true plot device but an easy one.
I didn’t hate this book, but I rolled my eyes a lot, especially when it came to the romance. I feel that this is given an adult title just so spice could be added to the story and I don’t love that. The side characters were engaging, I thought Oriel was hilarious(love a sarcastic boy.)
Overall it was fine. But I wasn’t impressed.
Thank you so much Atria, Simon and Schuester, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
This book is trying to be so many things at once, we lose many elements in the weeds. The beginning is rough, with info dumps interrupting dialogue flow and the exposition here tells you everything this story is going to be. I’m fine with a book telling you how this is going to go, but I don’t want to be beat over the head with it. The exposition waxes and wanes on specificity. In parts that feel like it should be explained it stays intentionally and annoyingly vague. The Library/ Scions system feels convenient, not a true plot device but an easy one.
I didn’t hate this book, but I rolled my eyes a lot, especially when it came to the romance. I feel that this is given an adult title just so spice could be added to the story and I don’t love that. The side characters were engaging, I thought Oriel was hilarious(love a sarcastic boy.)
Overall it was fine. But I wasn’t impressed.
Thank you so much Atria, Simon and Schuester, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.
DNFed at 50%. I wanted to like this book so bad, but I could not get into it. I thought the premises sounded interesting, which is why I picked up it. However, the book reads more like Young Adult than it does Adult. While that necessarily isn't a bad thing (I love me a good Young Adult novel), it just set my expectations up a little higher than usual. I feel like I'm missing the complex world-building that most Adult fantasy novels have. I felt like the area where I stopped at was starting to get a bit into the political nature of the world, but I still didn't feel too compelled to continue reading.
Also, this is such a small thing, but I hated the nickname "Little Goddess" for Thalia. I felt like it was so cringey. The romance between the two protagonists felt like physical attraction rather than emotional attraction. The book is a little steamy, which gets into the Adult category. However, the romance is whatever in my opinion.
Overall, this was an okay read. Hopefully others like it more than me.
DNFed at 50%. I wanted to like this book so bad, but I could not get into it. I thought the premises sounded interesting, which is why I picked up it. However, the book reads more like Young Adult than it does Adult. While that necessarily isn't a bad thing (I love me a good Young Adult novel), it just set my expectations up a little higher than usual. I feel like I'm missing the complex world-building that most Adult fantasy novels have. I felt like the area where I stopped at was starting to get a bit into the political nature of the world, but I still didn't feel too compelled to continue reading.
Also, this is such a small thing, but I hated the nickname "Little Goddess" for Thalia. I felt like it was so cringey. The romance between the two protagonists felt like physical attraction rather than emotional attraction. The book is a little steamy, which gets into the Adult category. However, the romance is whatever in my opinion.
Overall, this was an okay read. Hopefully others like it more than me.
April 10, 2026
Thalia is a Scion, guardian of the Library of Curses, destined to fight Fallen Fae and demons alike. But when the library is attacked, the Scions killed, and her brother taken hostage she finds herself working with a Fallen Fae Prince to stop the enemy from unleashing the curses upon the world.
I want to preface by saying I am a big fan of AC’s previous works, but this one was not up to par. The story was predicable with nothing to set it apart from any other fae/mortal romance that is on the market right now. I had hoper it would focus more on the magic but alas.
I found Soren to be a likeable male lead. Unlike the typical fae prince of Booktok fame he was mature, compassionate, focused on family and his responsibilities. Thalia, however, irritated me so badly. She was supposed to be the top of her class, the strongest and cleverest of the Scions but she is constantly needing Soren to rescue her throughout the book and she was extremely gullible and naïve (which probably had to do with her sheltered childhood in the Forge and Library).
I didn’t find myself surprised by the twist at the end so I more than likely will not be continuing with the series.
I want to preface by saying I am a big fan of AC’s previous works, but this one was not up to par. The story was predicable with nothing to set it apart from any other fae/mortal romance that is on the market right now. I had hoper it would focus more on the magic but alas.
I found Soren to be a likeable male lead. Unlike the typical fae prince of Booktok fame he was mature, compassionate, focused on family and his responsibilities. Thalia, however, irritated me so badly. She was supposed to be the top of her class, the strongest and cleverest of the Scions but she is constantly needing Soren to rescue her throughout the book and she was extremely gullible and naïve (which probably had to do with her sheltered childhood in the Forge and Library).
I didn’t find myself surprised by the twist at the end so I more than likely will not be continuing with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A library that holds all the worlds curses with fae, humans, and demons all fighting for its power. That premise alone makes this a must read!
I love a book with an actually strong female lead who can hold her own. Even better when you pair that with a male lead who doesn’t try to smother her our out shine her but stands by her side. 🥰
I didn’t love all of the characters but overall they were great and I really liked the found family aspects of the story.
The plot was fast paced and hooked me from the beginning. There’s a good balance of mystery and action, and while a lot of the reveals were predictable in my opinion ion it didn’t detract from the overall plot.
There was a bit too much spice back to back in the last third of the book for me but the action quickly picked up again and the plot took back over. I also wish that we got more of the library setting!
There’s ending seemed open to another book but you still get a satisfying amount of answers. This book surprised me and was hard to ever put down. Definitely put this on your TBR when it comes out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the e-arc!
I love a book with an actually strong female lead who can hold her own. Even better when you pair that with a male lead who doesn’t try to smother her our out shine her but stands by her side. 🥰
I didn’t love all of the characters but overall they were great and I really liked the found family aspects of the story.
The plot was fast paced and hooked me from the beginning. There’s a good balance of mystery and action, and while a lot of the reveals were predictable in my opinion ion it didn’t detract from the overall plot.
There was a bit too much spice back to back in the last third of the book for me but the action quickly picked up again and the plot took back over. I also wish that we got more of the library setting!
There’s ending seemed open to another book but you still get a satisfying amount of answers. This book surprised me and was hard to ever put down. Definitely put this on your TBR when it comes out!
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the e-arc!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was provided with a free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Cursekeeper by Alexandra Christo leans into a dark, curse-driven fantasy world, and that atmosphere is easily one of its strongest elements. The concept is intriguing - characters tied to curses and a world shaped by magic with consequences but the world-building can feel a bit underdeveloped. The ideas are there, but they don’t always feel fully fleshed out, which makes parts of the setting harder to visualize or stay grounded in.
The characters and romance were not as well developed as I am used to. While I enjoyed the morally gray dynamics and the tension between the leads, I also felt disconnected from them, especially when it came to emotional depth and development. The romance is present but not the main focus. Pacing is another issue—there are bursts of action and intrigue, but they’re uneven, with slower sections that drag before things pick up again toward the end.
Overall, I’d rate it 3 stars. It has a strong premise and some compelling darker elements, but uneven pacing and character development keep it from fully delivering on its potential.
Cursekeeper by Alexandra Christo leans into a dark, curse-driven fantasy world, and that atmosphere is easily one of its strongest elements. The concept is intriguing - characters tied to curses and a world shaped by magic with consequences but the world-building can feel a bit underdeveloped. The ideas are there, but they don’t always feel fully fleshed out, which makes parts of the setting harder to visualize or stay grounded in.
The characters and romance were not as well developed as I am used to. While I enjoyed the morally gray dynamics and the tension between the leads, I also felt disconnected from them, especially when it came to emotional depth and development. The romance is present but not the main focus. Pacing is another issue—there are bursts of action and intrigue, but they’re uneven, with slower sections that drag before things pick up again toward the end.
Overall, I’d rate it 3 stars. It has a strong premise and some compelling darker elements, but uneven pacing and character development keep it from fully delivering on its potential.
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