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A Most Decadent Curse
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 27Two sisters must battle an ancient family curse determined to claim them in this gothic fantasy perfect for fans of
A Study in Drowning
and
House of Salt and Sorrows
.
Estranged sisters Annabel Lee and Lenore have one week to outrun the curse tightening around their crumbling home. Swept into a series of opulent balls in their cliffside castle, they must secure a suitor fast―or remain trapped in their family’s haunted legacy.
But as the sisters unravel the tragedies of their past, they suddenly find themselves in a dangerous game of life and death. Forbidden romances blossom, vengeful ghosts dance among the living, and Annabel Lee and Lenore must learn to trust each other again before it’s too late.
Told in alternating perspectives and loosely inspired by the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, this atmospheric debut immerses readers in a world of decadent ballgowns and decaying castles as it explores the complexities of grief, the wonder of first love, and the magic of a sisterly bond that can’t be broken.
“A lush, gripping tale of forgiveness, hope, and the unshakable bond between sisters.”―R. M. Gray, New York Times bestselling author of the Nightweaver series
“Atmospheric, elegant, and mysterious, A Most Decadent Curse is sure to sweep you away as easily as the treacherous tide that swarms Castle Evermore’s shores.”―Lindsey Olsson, internationally bestselling author of To Drown a Witch
Estranged sisters Annabel Lee and Lenore have one week to outrun the curse tightening around their crumbling home. Swept into a series of opulent balls in their cliffside castle, they must secure a suitor fast―or remain trapped in their family’s haunted legacy.
But as the sisters unravel the tragedies of their past, they suddenly find themselves in a dangerous game of life and death. Forbidden romances blossom, vengeful ghosts dance among the living, and Annabel Lee and Lenore must learn to trust each other again before it’s too late.
Told in alternating perspectives and loosely inspired by the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, this atmospheric debut immerses readers in a world of decadent ballgowns and decaying castles as it explores the complexities of grief, the wonder of first love, and the magic of a sisterly bond that can’t be broken.
“A lush, gripping tale of forgiveness, hope, and the unshakable bond between sisters.”―R. M. Gray, New York Times bestselling author of the Nightweaver series
“Atmospheric, elegant, and mysterious, A Most Decadent Curse is sure to sweep you away as easily as the treacherous tide that swarms Castle Evermore’s shores.”―Lindsey Olsson, internationally bestselling author of To Drown a Witch
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 2, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
A poetic story of two sisters, vastly different, battling a curse on their family. Elaborate balls to find husbands, ghosts, curses, and tragedy all in a nod to Edgar Allan Poe make up this book.
Being a Poe girlie, I went in with high hopes. This book had a good premise. A father battling time to find both of his daughters husbands. Trying to break a century old curse on his family. As the week long debutante balls begin, ghosts appear among the living. A male friend from the past returns, leaving the girls reeling with jealousy of each other. A love triangle. Awful suitors, conniving ghosts, a mad father, and the girls bickering lead to consequences. Will Lenore be able to save her sister? Does Edgar pick the right sister? How did the curse start? How will it all end?
Grab this book in early 2027 to find out.
Being a Poe girlie, I went in with high hopes. This book had a good premise. A father battling time to find both of his daughters husbands. Trying to break a century old curse on his family. As the week long debutante balls begin, ghosts appear among the living. A male friend from the past returns, leaving the girls reeling with jealousy of each other. A love triangle. Awful suitors, conniving ghosts, a mad father, and the girls bickering lead to consequences. Will Lenore be able to save her sister? Does Edgar pick the right sister? How did the curse start? How will it all end?
Grab this book in early 2027 to find out.
Review of advance copy
It lived up to the gorgeous cover! I appreciated the full depth of the characters and how they grew over the course of the novel. The sister relationship was so real to me. The story was unpredictable and dark, and I loved it. It’s full of vivid imagery and world building.
September 5, 2026
Beautiful prose, atmospheric world building, and compelling family dynamics wrapped into a gorgeous gothic fantasy debut!
September 24, 2026
I’ve never been so disappointed in anything in my life. Edgar Allan Poe is my guy. I’ve been trying to find retellings of his for years, but they are few and far between.
Now I know why.
Lenore was easily the brattiest, most annoying kid I’ve ever read about. I wasn’t even rooting for her after page like…five. I needed her to grow the fuck up and stop making everything about herself.
This could’ve been so good but it was boring, silly, and seemed to care more about cramming characters from the original stories and poems into one single sentence than actual plot. If I had to read one more line about how Edgar was a poet and Annabel and Lenore lived in a fucking castle I was going to lose it. I swear I’ve never rolled my eyes so many times in a book in my life.
And god damn, I geeeeet it, it is foggy and there are ghosts! can we move the fuck along.
This was just a whole bunch of nothing and I might actually cry from how bad it was.
Now I know why.
Lenore was easily the brattiest, most annoying kid I’ve ever read about. I wasn’t even rooting for her after page like…five. I needed her to grow the fuck up and stop making everything about herself.
This could’ve been so good but it was boring, silly, and seemed to care more about cramming characters from the original stories and poems into one single sentence than actual plot. If I had to read one more line about how Edgar was a poet and Annabel and Lenore lived in a fucking castle I was going to lose it. I swear I’ve never rolled my eyes so many times in a book in my life.
And god damn, I geeeeet it, it is foggy and there are ghosts! can we move the fuck along.
This was just a whole bunch of nothing and I might actually cry from how bad it was.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Summary- Two sisters live in a castle by the sea, isolated until their father decides to spontaneously host a week long ball to find them both husbands. The castle and the family are plagued by rumors of a curse from 100 years ago, and as the festivities commence, the curse' noose begins to tighten. Annabel Lee is the oldest, a golden beauty everyone is drawn to although no one knows her secret visions of ghosts. Lenore is a sullen 16 years, feeling drowned out by the shadow of her sibling, and isolated by the prophetic dreams of death she has in her sleep. The castle is swarming with ghosts, grief, and intrigue as the guests of the ball all dance closer to their own demise.
Thoughts- I did not see the comparison to House of Salt and Sorrow before picking this up, but holy cow, I can't remember the last time a book made me THIS reminiscent of another title. I actually had to look back at HOSAS after reading this and... it IS almost too similar... sisters, cursed in a castle by the sea, the family dying off one by one, even the main characters name is nearly the same. It has been a long time since I read HOSAS though, so someone feel free to correct me!
It had a lot of the elements I love from Craig's work- the macabre imagery, the dark undertones, the build up to a crescendo of a climax.
For a debut, I think it was really excellently done, I am just not sure how I feel about how similar it is to HOSAS, truthfully. I do wish some of the writing was a little more polished at times, but that was equally compensated for by lovely and lyrical moments.
The most disappointing part was the 2nd to last chapter, right after the curse breaks. It just felt rushed and very disjointed for our MCs to have gone from this hugely traumatic and adrenaline filled event to... talking about maybe marrying the guy you met a week ago? Maybe.... maybe not... this is a case where I think an epilogue might have served us better than trying to smash everything into a rushed ending to tie up those loose ends.
Thoughts- I did not see the comparison to House of Salt and Sorrow before picking this up, but holy cow, I can't remember the last time a book made me THIS reminiscent of another title. I actually had to look back at HOSAS after reading this and... it IS almost too similar... sisters, cursed in a castle by the sea, the family dying off one by one, even the main characters name is nearly the same. It has been a long time since I read HOSAS though, so someone feel free to correct me!
It had a lot of the elements I love from Craig's work- the macabre imagery, the dark undertones, the build up to a crescendo of a climax.
For a debut, I think it was really excellently done, I am just not sure how I feel about how similar it is to HOSAS, truthfully. I do wish some of the writing was a little more polished at times, but that was equally compensated for by lovely and lyrical moments.
The most disappointing part was the 2nd to last chapter, right after the curse breaks. It just felt rushed and very disjointed for our MCs to have gone from this hugely traumatic and adrenaline filled event to... talking about maybe marrying the guy you met a week ago? Maybe.... maybe not... this is a case where I think an epilogue might have served us better than trying to smash everything into a rushed ending to tie up those loose ends.
October 20, 2026
Thank you to The NOVL for the gifted copy!!
What an amazing debut!! I had so much hope for this book simply by reading the blurb and it certainly delivered. The writing felt so atmospheric and it was just so easy to visualize everything.
The story is eerie and gothic, set in a seaside castle (with ghosts!), and the vibes were truly immaculate. It’s dual pov with two sisters (Lenore and Annabel Lee) and I loved seeing their personalities come through the povs. I seriously need more books that depict sister relationships with the good and the bad!! Lenore had her jealous moments towards Annabel Lee, but still it was clear how much they cared for each other.
This book simply had everything I love!! A fantastic setting, mystery that gives you some chills, and of course a sprinkle of romance. I’d say the romance was definitely on the lighter side and more of a subplot but it was still very sweet to read about!
Definitely looking forward for what comes next from this author :).
What an amazing debut!! I had so much hope for this book simply by reading the blurb and it certainly delivered. The writing felt so atmospheric and it was just so easy to visualize everything.
The story is eerie and gothic, set in a seaside castle (with ghosts!), and the vibes were truly immaculate. It’s dual pov with two sisters (Lenore and Annabel Lee) and I loved seeing their personalities come through the povs. I seriously need more books that depict sister relationships with the good and the bad!! Lenore had her jealous moments towards Annabel Lee, but still it was clear how much they cared for each other.
This book simply had everything I love!! A fantastic setting, mystery that gives you some chills, and of course a sprinkle of romance. I’d say the romance was definitely on the lighter side and more of a subplot but it was still very sweet to read about!
Definitely looking forward for what comes next from this author :).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
rtc
thanks Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and netgalley for the earc
thanks Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and netgalley for the earc
October 4, 2026
Obsessed with the way the author implemented so much Poe into this story. Two sisters trapped in a castle by the sea. A family drenched in tragedy and family secrets. A curse put upon the Evermore name in the name of love. A curse that must be broken before the week is over.
Two sisters who are very intimate with death. One paints it and the other sees it dancing. You would think that they were close but unfortunately not. Lenore is jealous of Annabel Lee and all the attention their father gives her. But after the events of the weeklong balls, they are closer than ever. An anchor found. Blood spilled. The trapped are released. A journal found in the collapsed lighthouse from a century before reveals much. A poetic book of love, curses, family, gods and death. A perfect book for the spooky season!!
Thank you to the author, @TheNOVL and @littlebownnadcompany for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Two sisters who are very intimate with death. One paints it and the other sees it dancing. You would think that they were close but unfortunately not. Lenore is jealous of Annabel Lee and all the attention their father gives her. But after the events of the weeklong balls, they are closer than ever. An anchor found. Blood spilled. The trapped are released. A journal found in the collapsed lighthouse from a century before reveals much. A poetic book of love, curses, family, gods and death. A perfect book for the spooky season!!
Thank you to the author, @TheNOVL and @littlebownnadcompany for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
Perhaps I am not the right reader for this book; I found it disappointing.
Sisters in a remote seaside castle must learn to trust each other in order to overcome a life-threatening family curse.
It's the Winter Solstice, and Lord Evermore has planned a series of week-long balls to find suitors for his daughters before they turn eighteen. For Lenore, who has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful, blonde sister, the ball is a chance to shine her own light and reconnect with an estranged crush (Edgar). Annabel Lee, the older sister, knows that marriage is her only ticket out of gloomy Evermore Castle, and will gladly marry anyone (Edgar included) over the pompous nobleman her father is eyeing. But beneath the decadence, the castle is decaying and both sisters are haunted by the secrets they're keeping. Lenore suffers from nightmares and foretells death in her paintings; Annabel Lee can see ghosts. When Lenore's artwork suggests Annabel Lee's doom and Annabel Lee senses a sudden change in the castle's spectral inhabitants, the sisters must unravel a century-old family curse to save themselves and each other.
These characters did not feel real to me. Lenore and Annabel Lee alternate narration, but their voices felt indistinct, and Lenore seems to pull more weight here. The cover art only seems to feature Annabel Lee, which is a pity since this story purports to celebrate sisterhood and Lenore carries so much of the story. The love triangle was too easily resolved. The poems that intersperse the prose narrative suffered from inconsistent meter. The writing connected the dots in a way that made me feel like the author did not trust me as a reader to make my own connections.
I did find the premise intriguing, and nevertheless enjoyed the novel's complex mythology and the atmosphere grown from its luxurious prose, especially the tumultuous winter storm that is used to build tension. The story, overall, never quite came together for me, but fans of gothic fantasy and Poe may like it.
Sisters in a remote seaside castle must learn to trust each other in order to overcome a life-threatening family curse.
It's the Winter Solstice, and Lord Evermore has planned a series of week-long balls to find suitors for his daughters before they turn eighteen. For Lenore, who has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful, blonde sister, the ball is a chance to shine her own light and reconnect with an estranged crush (Edgar). Annabel Lee, the older sister, knows that marriage is her only ticket out of gloomy Evermore Castle, and will gladly marry anyone (Edgar included) over the pompous nobleman her father is eyeing. But beneath the decadence, the castle is decaying and both sisters are haunted by the secrets they're keeping. Lenore suffers from nightmares and foretells death in her paintings; Annabel Lee can see ghosts. When Lenore's artwork suggests Annabel Lee's doom and Annabel Lee senses a sudden change in the castle's spectral inhabitants, the sisters must unravel a century-old family curse to save themselves and each other.
These characters did not feel real to me. Lenore and Annabel Lee alternate narration, but their voices felt indistinct, and Lenore seems to pull more weight here. The cover art only seems to feature Annabel Lee, which is a pity since this story purports to celebrate sisterhood and Lenore carries so much of the story. The love triangle was too easily resolved. The poems that intersperse the prose narrative suffered from inconsistent meter. The writing connected the dots in a way that made me feel like the author did not trust me as a reader to make my own connections.
I did find the premise intriguing, and nevertheless enjoyed the novel's complex mythology and the atmosphere grown from its luxurious prose, especially the tumultuous winter storm that is used to build tension. The story, overall, never quite came together for me, but fans of gothic fantasy and Poe may like it.
Did Not Finish
October 30, 2026DNF at 9% (Read the First Three Chapters)
I can see a lot of younger YA readers liking this book. I just found myself bored while reading the first three chapters.
The plot felt like it was meandering. The sisters weren’t particularly exciting protagonists to follow, even with the magic involved. And the writing sometimes felt like it had a bit too much telling (versus showing), and it was trying a bit too hard to be flowery.
With all of that said, I hope that this book will find its audience! (I’ve heard that it’s very similar to House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig, so maybe fans of that book will like this one?) It just didn’t draw me in, unfortunately.
I can see a lot of younger YA readers liking this book. I just found myself bored while reading the first three chapters.
The plot felt like it was meandering. The sisters weren’t particularly exciting protagonists to follow, even with the magic involved. And the writing sometimes felt like it had a bit too much telling (versus showing), and it was trying a bit too hard to be flowery.
With all of that said, I hope that this book will find its audience! (I’ve heard that it’s very similar to House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig, so maybe fans of that book will like this one?) It just didn’t draw me in, unfortunately.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I adore stories that have different point of views and this novel delivered. Told from the aspect of sisters, just a year apart, but vastly different. One dark, brooding, the other, light and sweet. A possible love triangle among them.
Ghosts dance with the living but a curse bellows below. Suspend up thriller that stays for the young adult audience. The details are plentiful enough that you see each scene while the mystery builds.
Easy, interesting enough read.
Ghosts dance with the living but a curse bellows below. Suspend up thriller that stays for the young adult audience. The details are plentiful enough that you see each scene while the mystery builds.
Easy, interesting enough read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews