The Queen's Curse

The Soulfire Duology #1

by Taylor Ugrinow

Ari has only known a life of servitude in Noctharn. As a mortal, seen as weak by the powers in her kingdom, she has endured sixteen long years of torment in the soulfire mines. She, like most in Lumin, despises eldarim, the elite members of society with the right to claim immortality from Althara, the highest power in the realm.


Desperate to provide a better life for her mother, when the king calls for fighters, assassins, and hunters to search for his lost heir, Ari doesn’t hesitate to join the quest.


What she doesn’t realize is that Lincoln Ashfield, the most skilled assassin in Noctharn, has joined it, too.


But Ari doesn’t give up easily. She would rather die trying than stay stagnant, and she will stop at nothing to find the lost heir and earn the life she deserves.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Taylor is originally from Massachusetts, but now lives in Austin, Texas. She can usually be found with a beer, book, or coffee in hand. Her love for books started when she read Percy Jackson in fifth grade, and the rest is history.

Instagram: @ taylorugrinow.writes

TikTok: @ taylorugrinow.writes

Reviews

[Wynter Boo]

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.

Overall, I thought this was a solid debut fantasy novel. The story was engaging enough to keep me reading, and there were several elements that left me interested in seeing where the series goes next.

That being said, I did have some issues with the FMC and MMC (mostly Ari). Despite being in their mid to late twenties, they felt much younger due to the way they acted and communicated. At times, their reactions and interactions came across as immature, which made it harder for me to fully connect with them.

Lincoln, in particular, didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I kept waiting for him to develop into a more compelling love interest, but he ultimately felt bland and underdeveloped. I also wasn’t a fan of his nickname for Ari, “Sunshine,” and I struggled to understand where his romantic feelings originated. Because of that, I never fully bought into the romance and didn’t feel much chemistry or emotional connection between them.

The pacing was a little inconsistent for me as well. There were sections that felt drawn out and caused my attention to wander, even though the overall story remained interesting enough to keep me invested.

While this wasn’t a perfect read for me, I think it’s a promising debut with an intriguing foundation. I’m definitely curious to see how the story develops in the next book after that cliffhanger.

[Sophie Thomas]

I received an arc of this book from the author. I really enjoyed the journey that this world took you on. The ending of this took me by quite a surprise, that was actually insane. I’m so curious to see where the second book goes.

I did feel like there was a disconnect between the mmc and fmc though, I just don’t think I felt the chemistry or reasoning for why they fell in love. Ari felt a little immature at times too.

[Ari]

Ok so basically my jaw is on the floor. I was kind of questioning if it was an enemies to lovers it definitely wasn’t slow burn like I thought it was and now I know why because of the ending that’s insane. I don’t know what to think. All I know is Taylor needs to hurry up on the next book! Love you Taylor you did a great job <3

[Nikki Speciale]

I was a beta reader for The Queen’s Curse and had an advanced copy. I absolutely LOVED IT. The character development, the challenges the characters overcome, the storyline were just to die for. The plot twist had me in a choke hold… I seriously can’t wait to read the finished version of this. You want a GOOD READ- then it starts here. Incredible job by the author Taylor Ugrinow 5/5 stars- would give 20/5 if I could!!!

[Maram ೀ]

I CANT WAIT

[Bryn Winemiller]

Thank you to Taylor for gifting me an e-arc of the book.

6 MF 🌟

Guys I’m literally so obsessed with this book! It has everything you could want from a fantasy! I feel like many romantasy books I’ve read have been lacking politics and are insta-lust, but this one was so different. I love the FMC Ari and the MMC Lincoln. The friendship Ari made along the way melted my heart.

I cannot wait for the next book. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up June 23rd!

[Manita Taylor Lauren]

I’ve been following the lovely Taylor Ugrinow since she began posting about her writing journey back in February of 2025. What a long way she’s come since then. This passion project became something so inspiring to witness, and special to her. She poured her time, her efforts, her passion, and creativity into this incredible book, and I couldn’t be more darn proud of her. It’s been a privilege to witness your creative journey and skills increase over the last year, and to have had early access to reading your work. This is only the beginning of what I’m certain will be a creatively fulfilling writing career. You should be so proud of your work!

[EmmaReads]

4.75 OH MY GOSHH LITERALLY A MOVIE. The ending made me cry. NEED the next book now!

[Emily]

3 ⭐️
It’s giving Metal Slinger X Throne of Glass.

I did not care for the big reveal, it was obvious but also didn’t make sense. We spend the first 80% of the book feeling bad for Ari because she has shit parents who are abusive and force her to be a child laborer. She refers to her neighbor/only friend, Noah, as the only bright spot in her life. In chapter 6 we see a conversation between Ari and Noah before she leaves for her quest, we see the same conversation replayed from Noah’s POV in chapter 54 except there’s entirely new context about Ari’s identity and parentage. This makes Ari an unreliable narrator whose story I’m significantly less interested in now.

Ari and Lincoln’s relationship felt inorganic. I wish we saw more situations where their relationship evolved and they became bonded. At this time, it feels like the curse is what is drawing them to each other rather than real compatibility.

My other biggest complaint is reliving the same scenes from Ari’s POV to Lincoln’s POV. Literally a repeat of the scene and dialogue just to hear the other MC’s internal thoughts, it felt like a waste of a chapter.

Overall this was a solid first book with a good concept. I hope book two is fleshed out a bit more.

[Gina Foley]

*really* enjoyed this book, the writing style is stunning and I was hooked right off the bat. I struggled to get through a bit of the middle sections, and I do wish the big reveal / plot twist had more Easter eggs dropped throughout the book. The reveal at the end was completely unexpected, and unlike any other fantasy books I’ve read. If the reveal was handled a bit better, it would’ve been right up there with Rhysand’s “There you are, I’ve been looking for you” explanation, and subsequent rereading to enjoy all the details. Looking forward to the next book, NO idea where it will go and I love that.

[Nolan Haley]

⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)

Queen’s Curse is a difficult book for me to rate because I genuinely enjoyed the story overall, even though I struggled with several aspects of the execution.

The plot itself was engaging, and I found myself invested in seeing how everything would unfold. The ending delivered a twist that I didn’t see coming, which I always appreciate. That said, the reveal didn’t entirely make sense to me and felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the story.

My biggest issue was with the dialogue and character relationships. Some of the conversations came across as cliché or a little corny, and the romance between the main characters never felt as natural or believable as I wanted it to. Their relationship seemed to jump forward at times rather than developing smoothly.

Despite those criticisms, I still had a good time reading Queen’s Curse. The strong central plot kept me turning the pages, even when the dialogue or character dynamics pulled me out of the story. It’s a book with a lot of potential that, for me, was held back by some uneven execution.

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars.

[Sophia LB]

fucking. gobsmacked.

Thank you to Taylor Ugrinow for the ARC <3

[Jess H]

Thank you Taylor for providing me with an ARC copy for an honest review.
There are beautiful descriptions that make it easy to see and understand the places Ari visits. I did find that there wasn’t a lot of dialogue and therefore felt that some of the relationships between characters were not as deep as they were intended to be.
As any good romantasy/fantasy the last 100 pages were fast paced, full of intense realizations, and perfect set up for book 2.
I’m really looking forward to following Taylor’s journey as an author and seeing where the next book goes.

[vic_107]

arc review !!

Oh. My. God. I have no words. I'm speechless. I can't function. I'm in shock.

The characters were perfectly done, the plot was insane, and the writing was amazing. I love Lincoln and Ari with all my heart and soul.

I don't think l'll be able to stop thinking about this book. Insanely well done, and I will be needing every single person to read this.

Thank you Taylor for the opportunity, and I'll be needing book 2 on my desk as soon as possible, thank you.

[˚ʚ yahaira ɞ˚]

babaabababab
THANK YOU TAYLOR FOR THE ARC!!!

[Brittany]

I was so lucky to be part of this ARC team. This was a fun read involving a fantasy quest, romance, a unique world, and lots of plot twists. I thought I could stay ahead of the plot twists, but Taylor kept them coming! I can’t wait for Book 2.

Closed door romance. Explicit language throughout.

[Joanna]

You should be really proud of yourself, Taylor! If there was a second book I would have started reading already!

[Taylor Payton]

Wow wow wow, i truly loved this book. I saw a lot of people saying they didnt understand the connection between the FMC and MMC but i disagree. He loved that she wasnt scared of him and it intrigued him. She loved that someone truly wanted to protect her and care for her with nothing in return. The ending was such a twist! I cant wait for the second book!!

[Jessa Davis]

Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for the opportunity to read this book.

But…

WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!

Like I fully suspected that’s kind of how it was going to go but not FULLY how it was going to go down.

Not the change in backstory.

Not the betrayal.

Not the way we found out who the heir was.

I can’t wait to read book two.

[justreadingjudy]

This is a 5/5 stars for me! I could not put the book down even if I tried. The pacing never dragged or rushed, and the worldbuilding was always explained whenever the plot developed.

First of all, I loved Ari. She’s fierce, determined, and far from perfect, which is why I love her. And don’t get me started on the yearning from Lincoln. Absolute *chefs kiss*.

And this is a spoiler free review, but man the ending just made me crave the next book! Overall, a great read, one that I will pick up again in the future.

[Madison]

Wow. I went to turn the page for the next chapter, and there were the acknowledgments. This book shocked me to my core. The plotline was amazing, the characters were phenomenal, and the pacing wasn't bad.

Now, I didn't rate this four stars for no reason. The book did have a few plot holes midway as well as grammar mistakes throughout the whole book. It threw me off and took me out of the reading zone at certain points, causing me to re-read sentences up to seven times to understand the story.

It's great for a debut novel, and I can't wait to not only see the upcoming books in the series, but also any other works that Taylor releases!

[John Jackson]

An outstanding read the last few chapters of stunning revelations really gets me excited for book two.

[morgane]

I never thought this book would end this way, I was so shocked!

~ The characters ~
I loved the characters, however a bit cliché (strong and stubborn fmc with a difficult past, dark mmc who is very much smitten by the fmc). Whatsoever, they were well written and three dimensional, which made them more than how I described them earlier.

I truly enjoyed the way we get the fmc's POV from the trole she plays instead of learning head on what her secret is. This prevented the reader from being "disappointed" with the ending as they already knew this plot-twist was coming.

~The plot ~
I liked the whole chase for the heir, and I was truly marvelled when I realized they were hidden right under the main character's noses. I sometimes could predict what was coming, but it wasn't in a way that makes the book any less good-for me at least-and was actually in a fun way.

~ Overall ~
It was a very fun read considering all things! I really recommend it if you're in a reading slump or just want an entertaining read!

[Alyssa Cregin]

I have followed the author’s journey on Instagram leading up to publication and I was pretty excited to read this book!

Overall- I really enjoyed it. I loved both the FMC and MMC, which doesn’t always happen. The supporting characters were also great and they were differentiated in a fun way, so they didn’t all feel copy and paste.

The story kept me hooked and, even the things I expected to happen happened in an interesting way that made me excited to read it, which is what I want out of a book with tropes and themes that I like.

The reveals were great. The ended WRECKED me. I’m dying on the second book.

Overall, it was a solid romantasy read. The romance was sweet. The twists were great. The world-building was FUN. The ending was crazy.

Huge recommend for fans of sweet love, an unapologetic FMC, a down bad MMC, creatures!!! And a whimsical world.

[Yasmeen]

I could not put down this book. I enjoyed each chapter and the story had me hooked. I did not want the book to end!

[Karla Pallesen]

Loved the ending and I can't wait for the next book. I really think that Taylor Ugrinow did a great job with her first book and I really hope that you will give it a try 😊

[Niv Huri]

More than excited to read this one, I have been following enough time to know this is going to be such a good book! Cant wait for 23 of June this year to hold a copy and read it in a day or two! (Sorry Taylor I just know this wont wait long before being finished) !!!

[K.B. Mallows]

4⭐️ I haven't been this mad at a book since finishing Metalslinger last year. When I finished, I just sat in silence thinking, "No... What...?"

The Queen's Curse by Taylor Ugrinow is an adventurous, stealthy, twisted little debut of a novel. I was captivated from the first chapter by the concept of the FMC having been forced to mine for precious gemstones, called soulfire, since she was a child, and the storyline just kept rolling out one fascinating situation after another from there. This story felt perfectly paced and held my attention right up until the last page.

Ari is a tough, resilient, bit of a hardass FMC, but you feel she comes by it honestly due to her troubled upbringing, which commands your respect and makes you immediately root for her. The MMC Lincoln is a true morally gray character from the get-go and is, to me, the most interesting character of the story. He's cold, standoffish, dangerous and unpredictable, but the chapters from his POV help you see just how much he longs for true connection, and his secret vulnerability easily made me like him.

Both of these characters' individual POVs show two people who've experienced, trauma, grief, loneliness and depression in such a heartbreaking and relatable way that you can't help but want to see a happy ending for both of them. I love how much time the author allowed for these two to develop from enemies to reluctant allies to friends to something more.

My favorite thing about this book, however, was this unusual world that unfolded as the two characters sought to complete their quest together. This world and magic system felt authentic, fresh and immersive. It was like Taylor Ugrinow set out to stuff all the most fascinating magical mythological creatures into one story she could, and then she executed it spectacularly. I couldn't wait until Ari and Lincoln made it to their next leg of the journey just so I could see what new peculiarities they were going to encounter next - both in the setting and in new characters!

I felt the last 30 percent of the book lost some of the careful plotting that was established to start and began to feel a bit rushed at times. Occasionally I felt confused by what was happening and the flip-flop of emotions, particularly from Ari. This, perhaps, was intentional on the author's part, but I still don't like feeling like my head and heart were f*cked around with.

I'm giving this book 4⭐️ for originality, lovely writing, the deep sense of connection I felt to the two main characters to start and the shock factor conclusion. But after that cliffhanger, yeah, I'm not sure how that's forgivable or where we go from here. I predicted some things but couldn't have anticipated the brutality of it all. It will certainly be interesting to see where the author takes this story now.

If you like fast paced, unusual, multi-layered fantasy stories that are a bit of a puzzle with a side of romance, complex characters and an ending that's sure to shock you (or piss you off), you'll probably enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author for sharing an advanced reader copy of this book with me. This review is my honest opinion, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

[Natalie]

Thank you so so much for an ARC!! 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.

This a fast-paced, easy read and a great debut! I was able to read it in less than 12 hours total and had a great time the whole way through. It definitely fits well on my vibes read list. It’s one of those fun romantasies that, while a little tropey, scratches that itch. Also it has super short chapters (3-12 min reads) which I LOVE, give me 50 short chapters over 20 long ones any day.

Our FMC Ari felt like a real person who had flaws and made mistakes without acting childish which I always appreciate in a main character. Lincoln our MMC was intriguing and I didn’t mind his behaviors, though his need to protect Ari at 25% did feel a little insta-lovey to me, but by the end I appreciated their romance.

I was a little annoyed when some of the POVs hoped back in time, but that’s a personal preference. I dislike when multi-POV books repeat scenes or dialogue.

SPOILERS BELOW

I was SHOCKED when Ella died and that broke my heart. However, that happened at 40% and Ari was sad for about 2 chapters then Ella was hardly mentioned again. It almost felt like Ella was just there so Ari wasn’t alone until forced to work with Lincoln. Also Lincoln killing Finley also meant that Ari didn’t even get to avenge Ella’s death.

Now for the big plot twist reveal at the end……I do take issue with it the same way I took issue with Metal Slinger in that we are in Ari’s head as this is written in first person, therefore her having such a big secret from the reader is a little unrealistic. She would have motivations that we would be privy to given the POV. I also brushed off her being the heir because it felt too “obvious” and then that ended up being the case which made a little sad because I wanted something a little more.

All in all, I definitely want to read book 2 because the writing style is addictive and despite being predictable I do care about the characters and want to see how Ari uses her power to take down her father.

[Dani]

The story drew me in immediately. Ari tries to find joy in small moments, even when her stepfather is physically abusing her and her mother. She is sent to the mines as a child, being small enough to do a job most cannot do (which is a byproduct of being malnourished). It becomes her life, and living on the outskirts of the kingdom and accepting this life - one that does not have much to offer - is what she settles for. When the monthly collection of soulfire from the mines is taking place, she has an altercation at the tavern, which leaves an impression on both of them.

When an opportunity presents itself to hunt down the heir of the king, who could bring down his current rule. She is immediately interested, as it offers a way out of her situation. Meeting the person again - whom she initially ran into at the tavern - was not part of the plan.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this one. The differences between the ruling class and the humans came across as heartbreaking. Barely surviving and being treated as lesser beings felt brutal to me. Ari does not have an easy life, and while her friend Noah tries to support her, the difference in their financial standing comes across very clearly. She kind of needs him and appreciates what he does, but also resents him for not having to face the tough decisions she battles on a daily basis.
When Ari sees an opportunity for a way out, running into Lincoln is one of my favourite moments. They dislike each other but are also drawn to one another. Their decision to team up on their journey was something I was really looking forward to, and the banter, the side glances, the journey itself. I was completely on board with it.

That ending left me speechless. I had my suspicions, but I was not expecting how everything unfolded. This is how you keep me engaged. I enjoyed the book from beginning to end and didn’t want to put it down. That’s how you do it 🙂

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.