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Morana the Cursed
KILL ONE TWIN, FREE THE KINGDOM.
On the island of Wyrith, death has a name: Morana. Gifted — or cursed — as the realm's last necromancer and most lethal assassin, her power is a whisper from the grave. However, even she struggles to bridle the magic clawing under her skin.
Life breathes through her twin sister, Ilyana. The urge to heal even the smallest of wounds fuels the tips of her fingers, yet not even her blessed magic can bring back the family she's lost. All that's left for her to inherit is a duty of isolation and sacrifice.
When an archaic necromancer curse awakens, sealing in Wyrith and taking lives one by one, the sisters face a harrowing choice.
After a decade apart, will they unite to unravel the ancient magic before it's too late? Or will secrets and enemies shred their last hope for Wyrith, leaving nothing but an island of corpses?
On the island of Wyrith, death has a name: Morana. Gifted — or cursed — as the realm's last necromancer and most lethal assassin, her power is a whisper from the grave. However, even she struggles to bridle the magic clawing under her skin.
Life breathes through her twin sister, Ilyana. The urge to heal even the smallest of wounds fuels the tips of her fingers, yet not even her blessed magic can bring back the family she's lost. All that's left for her to inherit is a duty of isolation and sacrifice.
When an archaic necromancer curse awakens, sealing in Wyrith and taking lives one by one, the sisters face a harrowing choice.
After a decade apart, will they unite to unravel the ancient magic before it's too late? Or will secrets and enemies shred their last hope for Wyrith, leaving nothing but an island of corpses?
- GenresFantasy
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 12, 2026
About the author
Dee Selvene
1 book23 followersDee Selvene is a non-binary, queer, chronically ill author. They have been writing since childhood, where notebooks would be stacked high, full of fantasy stories. They have since progressed to digital works and publishing (or they would have no living space). Dee writes fantasy books, ranging from dark fantasy to fantasy romance.
Dee lives in South East England and can be found living with their family and cat.
Dee lives in South East England and can be found living with their family and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 14, 2026
Morana the Cursed? Yeah, CURSED TO HAVE DEE SELVENE AS AN AUTHOR, leave this poor woman alone!
August 16, 2026
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️5
“Time was a concealed serpent slithering inch by inch towards its prey.”
Two lost twins, a deadly curse, many lies and twists with an enemy hidden in plain sight.
This book is a wild ride for its nearly perfect symmetry. I am referring to the author’s clever plot of having two main characters that everything separated, but at the same time are related with the strongest of all bonds —the sisterhood of Ilyana and Morana— to save their home island from a deadly curse. The kind of opposition that taught us readers about wisdom, compassion, love, the lesson from their carers’ mistakes and the list goes on.
I also really enjoyed how an abusive upbringing has been depicted and how accurate it was too. As an emotionally abused child, I did feel that constant cycle of despair: not being better than what we were taught and not being able to escape it either—the abuse is branded into us. Overall, that’s one of the many things I deeply feel for Morana.
In this book, you’re literally rushing through the pages with a box of tissue and a sword ready to fight with its heroes. Yes, I typed tissue because I did enjoy the star crossed lovers Ilyana and her captain Clove. Chapter 22 is definitely my favourite, and although this was an ARC, I already purchased the book, and so should you. Now I can’t only wait for the second book to catch up on what would happen next.
⭐️5
“Time was a concealed serpent slithering inch by inch towards its prey.”
Two lost twins, a deadly curse, many lies and twists with an enemy hidden in plain sight.
This book is a wild ride for its nearly perfect symmetry. I am referring to the author’s clever plot of having two main characters that everything separated, but at the same time are related with the strongest of all bonds —the sisterhood of Ilyana and Morana— to save their home island from a deadly curse. The kind of opposition that taught us readers about wisdom, compassion, love, the lesson from their carers’ mistakes and the list goes on.
I also really enjoyed how an abusive upbringing has been depicted and how accurate it was too. As an emotionally abused child, I did feel that constant cycle of despair: not being better than what we were taught and not being able to escape it either—the abuse is branded into us. Overall, that’s one of the many things I deeply feel for Morana.
In this book, you’re literally rushing through the pages with a box of tissue and a sword ready to fight with its heroes. Yes, I typed tissue because I did enjoy the star crossed lovers Ilyana and her captain Clove. Chapter 22 is definitely my favourite, and although this was an ARC, I already purchased the book, and so should you. Now I can’t only wait for the second book to catch up on what would happen next.
July 14, 2026
This is a review of an advanced reader copy received from the author.
I absolutely loved this book! The wordlbuilding is chef's kiss, and the dark fantasy elements were splendid. Morana is a very complex character, and I found myself being a little pissed at her at the beginning to being sympathetic to her whole situation with Silas and the constant internal battle between staying loyal to the one person who raised her and dragged her from death when someone she trusted betrayed her and everyone thinks she's a monster, and not killing her own sister.
Morana and Damian's relationship, as short and just a tad bit faster than I would have liked it to be, was so well done, from their banter to the nicknames to Morana finding someone who truly cared for her without any hidden agenda.
Ilyana and Clove's on and off strained friendship was well done as well, like I could understand why Ilyana would be so furious and unforgiving at Clove for not reaching out to her after leaving the island, i mean, after all she didn't know what was happening to Clove so she felt abandoned. However, I feel like I would have expected Ilyana to be a lot more forgiving/have a softer approach to Clove after reading her letter where it was explained why Clove couldn't reach out to her. But then again, I have a very soft spot for Clove, she's my redhead girl, I will always love her no matter the mistakes she does. I'm VERY excited to find out where their relationship will go in book 2!!!
The plot twists were amazingly done, you will find cliffhangers throughout the whole book to keep you on your toes and flipping through and staying up at night because you just need to find out what happens next. The amount of humor is splendidly balanced with the gloomy parts of the book, providing a short relief/break from the darker parts of the book, and trust me, you will be screaming and crying. I was.
All in all, 100% recommend, and I cannot wait for book 2. If you want your heart broken, laugh a little, feel frustrated at the stubbornness of the characters, and watch 2 relationships with their ups and down amidst a fantasy world teeming with beautiful descriptions and worldbuilding, get this book now!!
I absolutely loved this book! The wordlbuilding is chef's kiss, and the dark fantasy elements were splendid. Morana is a very complex character, and I found myself being a little pissed at her at the beginning to being sympathetic to her whole situation with Silas and the constant internal battle between staying loyal to the one person who raised her and dragged her from death when someone she trusted betrayed her and everyone thinks she's a monster, and not killing her own sister.
Morana and Damian's relationship, as short and just a tad bit faster than I would have liked it to be, was so well done, from their banter to the nicknames to Morana finding someone who truly cared for her without any hidden agenda.
Ilyana and Clove's on and off strained friendship was well done as well, like I could understand why Ilyana would be so furious and unforgiving at Clove for not reaching out to her after leaving the island, i mean, after all she didn't know what was happening to Clove so she felt abandoned. However, I feel like I would have expected Ilyana to be a lot more forgiving/have a softer approach to Clove after reading her letter where it was explained why Clove couldn't reach out to her. But then again, I have a very soft spot for Clove, she's my redhead girl, I will always love her no matter the mistakes she does. I'm VERY excited to find out where their relationship will go in book 2!!!
The plot twists were amazingly done, you will find cliffhangers throughout the whole book to keep you on your toes and flipping through and staying up at night because you just need to find out what happens next. The amount of humor is splendidly balanced with the gloomy parts of the book, providing a short relief/break from the darker parts of the book, and trust me, you will be screaming and crying. I was.
All in all, 100% recommend, and I cannot wait for book 2. If you want your heart broken, laugh a little, feel frustrated at the stubbornness of the characters, and watch 2 relationships with their ups and down amidst a fantasy world teeming with beautiful descriptions and worldbuilding, get this book now!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2026
I’m very thankful to the author who gave me an ARC to read this amazing piece of work. I genuinely devoured the book; it was that good. The worldbuilding is phenomenally done, so easy to understand and I am engrossed inside this fantasy world almost immediately. The story has so many twists and turns, and I have to admit I was super caught off-guard (in a good way!) with many of the reveals. The two romances in the book are also both great in their own way. Illyana and Clove is a sweet rekindling of old flame and rebuilding of trust, while Morana and Damian is a meet-cute fast romance with the sweetest and hottest moments.
The characters are also all super well-written. In particular, I thought two main characters with alternating POV have very distinct voices and archetypes, so this book is sure to satisfy any readers no matter the type of main characters you like—the good-hearted pure Illyana or the darker, edgier Morana. Morana also reminds me a lot of Jinx from Arcane (best show ever), with the whole taking on a new name and identity, and her twisted and confusing relationship with Silas that is similar to Jinx and Silco’s.
The ending is shocking. I did not see it coming at all, just like all the twists and turns in the rest of the story. And then it ends with a cliffhanger?? So many questions and open story threads which I guess will be answered in the sequel. grumble grumble
As amazing as this book is, I think it needs another round of editing. There are issues with description that shouldn’t be possible in a third person close POV. There’s also a lot of overwriting, particularly with long and flowery metaphors jutting in the middle of dialogues and even fast paced action scenes that just take me out of story. But the writing is beautiful in general, you can really tell the author loves their craft.
Overall, the story is fantastic and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody who likes to read fantasy!
The characters are also all super well-written. In particular, I thought two main characters with alternating POV have very distinct voices and archetypes, so this book is sure to satisfy any readers no matter the type of main characters you like—the good-hearted pure Illyana or the darker, edgier Morana. Morana also reminds me a lot of Jinx from Arcane (best show ever), with the whole taking on a new name and identity, and her twisted and confusing relationship with Silas that is similar to Jinx and Silco’s.
The ending is shocking. I did not see it coming at all, just like all the twists and turns in the rest of the story. And then it ends with a cliffhanger?? So many questions and open story threads which I guess will be answered in the sequel. grumble grumble
As amazing as this book is, I think it needs another round of editing. There are issues with description that shouldn’t be possible in a third person close POV. There’s also a lot of overwriting, particularly with long and flowery metaphors jutting in the middle of dialogues and even fast paced action scenes that just take me out of story. But the writing is beautiful in general, you can really tell the author loves their craft.
Overall, the story is fantastic and I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody who likes to read fantasy!
July 12, 2026
I stumbled upon the author's posts on threads about their upcoming release, Morana the Cursed, a sapphic fantasy with romance. It has a darker magical vibe, dual POV, cursed twin princesses, assassin/necromancer, curses, and detailed world building - so you know I RAN towards the ARC team based on vibes alone.
It's really hard to put into words the parts of this story that I loved without spoilers, so what I will say is that this book gave me all of the feelings, kept me on my toes, and left me with questions! ;) The plot is thick, and it's a whole world you can escape into with layered characters. The connection that formed, even with all of the wild stuff that happened, was beautiful. I can't help but hurt for and love Morana all at once. If I could give her one thing, it would be a vacation to refill her own cup and just *be* a person with no schedule or duties, and especially no curse. lol
Ilyana still holds a lot of mystery for me, and I can't wait to see what may come next. There's an inner tension that was not resolved, but I feel like something has to give and that something *is* coming!
My Personal Scales & Notes:
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: no spice/closed-door
Thank you to the author, Dee Selvene, for the ARC copy. As always, this review is voluntary and my own honest opinion.
It's really hard to put into words the parts of this story that I loved without spoilers, so what I will say is that this book gave me all of the feelings, kept me on my toes, and left me with questions! ;) The plot is thick, and it's a whole world you can escape into with layered characters. The connection that formed, even with all of the wild stuff that happened, was beautiful. I can't help but hurt for and love Morana all at once. If I could give her one thing, it would be a vacation to refill her own cup and just *be* a person with no schedule or duties, and especially no curse. lol
Ilyana still holds a lot of mystery for me, and I can't wait to see what may come next. There's an inner tension that was not resolved, but I feel like something has to give and that something *is* coming!
My Personal Scales & Notes:
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: no spice/closed-door
Thank you to the author, Dee Selvene, for the ARC copy. As always, this review is voluntary and my own honest opinion.
August 10, 2026
This book had me on the edge of my seat, heart in my throat the whole time. The way that Dee captures the emotion in the story with her words is captivating to say the least, my heart followed along every word, hoping for one outcome and getting another. Along with the emotion comes world building and did she do just that within my minds eye
You are left wondering what could be coming next, each chapter something else to keep you on the edge of your seat and if thats something that you are wanting then this books for you 💜 Not too slow, but slow enough you can enjoy the story flow.
The way the characters relationships and personalities build throughout the book had you hating and loving them all at the same time. The twists come at the perfect points in the book.
I give this 4 ✨️ for the amazing imagery and for capturing the raw emotions of the characters. We have a wee bit of courting but nothing too extreme so I give it a 0.5🌶 spice rating
You are left wondering what could be coming next, each chapter something else to keep you on the edge of your seat and if thats something that you are wanting then this books for you 💜 Not too slow, but slow enough you can enjoy the story flow.
The way the characters relationships and personalities build throughout the book had you hating and loving them all at the same time. The twists come at the perfect points in the book.
I give this 4 ✨️ for the amazing imagery and for capturing the raw emotions of the characters. We have a wee bit of courting but nothing too extreme so I give it a 0.5🌶 spice rating
August 10, 2026
This book completely consumed me from start to finish. I just LOVE the characters, especially Morana. The world building is insanely rich and the plot twists kept me up wayyyy too late. I can't wait for book 2!
July 12, 2026
Fantastic story!
The world is fleshed out and magical.
The story is wonderfully paced and actioned packed.
Never a dull moment.
Highly Recommend!
The world is fleshed out and magical.
The story is wonderfully paced and actioned packed.
Never a dull moment.
Highly Recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A promising whirlwind debut! I had a blast with Morana the Cursed. There will be some spoilers below marked with tags.
Morana herself was a very complicated and intriguing character. She was probably the best written character of them all, and it was nice to see a character so affected by their past trying to move past it, but unable to. Sequel material!! She made me laugh out loud a few times, and overall, definitely made the book as good as it is.
Ilyana was also nice, but I didn't find myself feeling any kind of way with her. This may be for the reasons I outline with Cloven; Her relationship with Morana was very sweet and it's clear she's a very empathetic person.
Silas himself was probably my second favorite after Matthian. The Silco vibes were just off the charts. I wanted to go into his mind and see how he comes up with the schemes the narrative's telling us about, because crafty and cunning characters are some of my favorites.
The relationship between Morana and Silas made me feel as though I was watching a different version of Arcane, where Jinx and Silco have a slightly more fucked up relationship, which I'll never complain about, because the first season of Arcane is chef's kiss. Silas was an incredibly interesting character, and I'm going to assume he's around for the sequel, because you can't just
And, like I said, Matthian was probably my favorite character. He's just so interesting. I'm so curious what his curse was, how the , whether or not he wants the dragon for more nefarious reasons, etc... He was just such a cool character, and I hope he's around for the sequel, because I found myself wishing we got so much more (but for the record, I think he was actually featured as much as he needed to be lol).
Damian was fun. I didn't feel like there was anything super special about him, but there didn't need to be. He was steady, he was kind, and he was a good partner to Morana, even if their relationship felt a tad rushed. I don't have much to touch on with him, but I can very easily see him being a fan favorite. He 100% has that personality, and I feel like I'd see a ton of fanart for him on Tumblr or something.
Cloven was someone I tried to like, but just couldn't. Her backstory was very interesting. I won't deny that. But there was just something about her I didn't like, no matter how hard I tried to change my mind. I LOVE my sapphic relationships. You can convince me to read or watch something if you mention there's sapphics in it. As much as I wanted to like this ship, though, I never felt quite sold on it - this goes for Morana and Damian's relationship, too, but I did find they had a lot more chemistry. I think I'm just a sour puss that's hard to sell with relationships, and I feel other readers will definitely ship the two main ships.
I genuinely didn't see the twist of Mortas and Silas It left me with my jaw on the floor. There were multiple great twists within the book that I didn't see coming.
I only had two gripes, one of which doesn't factor into my rating. Because I received an advanced copy, this very well could change with the final version, but at times, it felt as though some sentences needed a final round of polishing that was missed. However, the book was still very good overall, and the prose in general was lush and captivating. Selvene did a wonderful job of bringing their world to life.
My second gripe was that, at times, things within the narrative felt inconsistent. For example, Morana went from refusing to kill Ilyana, to very easily accepting she needed to kill her, to refusing to kill Ilyana once again when they reunited, all within the span of like, three chapters. Personally, I would have felt it was better that Morana was either so scared of Silas or so desperate to keep herself alive with the curse afflicting the island that she went into her mission accepting she'd need to kill Ilyana, just to find out she didn't have the courage to when they met face to face for the first time in ten years. That, or everything was kept the same, but Silas gave her a REALLY good reason that she needed to kill Ilyana. As it stands, it didn't feel like there was any real push to get Morana to change her mind; it just happened.
The same can be said for Ilyana and Cloven's relationship. The narrative itself is constantly telling us that Ilyana hates Cloven, that she can't forgive her, etc., etc. But Ilyana's actions don't support this. She doesn't seem very reluctant to talk to Cloven most of the time, and within a very short span, she's starting to feel romantic feelings toward Cloven. She's forgiving her for 10 years of radio silence with no explanation within days. For god's sake, Ilyana, she And you barely seem to care!!
I was also confused why Ilyana didn't seem to think to heal her father She's considered a world-renowned healer, okay, that's completely fine. But I feel as though we never actually see this. I think this can be explained by the injury simply being too much for her to heal, but I don't recall that being explained in the narrative, so I'm not sure.
LET ME TELL YOU, the length of those gripes may make it seem like the book really suffered from what I outlined, but I just have a tendency to yap. I still REALLY enjoyed the book!
Overall, I'd definitely recommend Morana the Cursed to anyone looking for a fun, twisty high fantasy with lots of worldbuilding. I hope this series isn't the last we see of this world, too!
Morana herself was a very complicated and intriguing character. She was probably the best written character of them all, and it was nice to see a character so affected by their past trying to move past it, but unable to. Sequel material!! She made me laugh out loud a few times, and overall, definitely made the book as good as it is.
Ilyana was also nice, but I didn't find myself feeling any kind of way with her. This may be for the reasons I outline with Cloven; Her relationship with Morana was very sweet and it's clear she's a very empathetic person.
Silas himself was probably my second favorite after Matthian. The Silco vibes were just off the charts. I wanted to go into his mind and see how he comes up with the schemes the narrative's telling us about, because crafty and cunning characters are some of my favorites.
The relationship between Morana and Silas made me feel as though I was watching a different version of Arcane, where Jinx and Silco have a slightly more fucked up relationship, which I'll never complain about, because the first season of Arcane is chef's kiss. Silas was an incredibly interesting character, and I'm going to assume he's around for the sequel, because you can't just
And, like I said, Matthian was probably my favorite character. He's just so interesting. I'm so curious what his curse was, how the , whether or not he wants the dragon for more nefarious reasons, etc... He was just such a cool character, and I hope he's around for the sequel, because I found myself wishing we got so much more (but for the record, I think he was actually featured as much as he needed to be lol).
Damian was fun. I didn't feel like there was anything super special about him, but there didn't need to be. He was steady, he was kind, and he was a good partner to Morana, even if their relationship felt a tad rushed. I don't have much to touch on with him, but I can very easily see him being a fan favorite. He 100% has that personality, and I feel like I'd see a ton of fanart for him on Tumblr or something.
Cloven was someone I tried to like, but just couldn't. Her backstory was very interesting. I won't deny that. But there was just something about her I didn't like, no matter how hard I tried to change my mind. I LOVE my sapphic relationships. You can convince me to read or watch something if you mention there's sapphics in it. As much as I wanted to like this ship, though, I never felt quite sold on it - this goes for Morana and Damian's relationship, too, but I did find they had a lot more chemistry. I think I'm just a sour puss that's hard to sell with relationships, and I feel other readers will definitely ship the two main ships.
I genuinely didn't see the twist of Mortas and Silas It left me with my jaw on the floor. There were multiple great twists within the book that I didn't see coming.
I only had two gripes, one of which doesn't factor into my rating. Because I received an advanced copy, this very well could change with the final version, but at times, it felt as though some sentences needed a final round of polishing that was missed. However, the book was still very good overall, and the prose in general was lush and captivating. Selvene did a wonderful job of bringing their world to life.
My second gripe was that, at times, things within the narrative felt inconsistent. For example, Morana went from refusing to kill Ilyana, to very easily accepting she needed to kill her, to refusing to kill Ilyana once again when they reunited, all within the span of like, three chapters. Personally, I would have felt it was better that Morana was either so scared of Silas or so desperate to keep herself alive with the curse afflicting the island that she went into her mission accepting she'd need to kill Ilyana, just to find out she didn't have the courage to when they met face to face for the first time in ten years. That, or everything was kept the same, but Silas gave her a REALLY good reason that she needed to kill Ilyana. As it stands, it didn't feel like there was any real push to get Morana to change her mind; it just happened.
The same can be said for Ilyana and Cloven's relationship. The narrative itself is constantly telling us that Ilyana hates Cloven, that she can't forgive her, etc., etc. But Ilyana's actions don't support this. She doesn't seem very reluctant to talk to Cloven most of the time, and within a very short span, she's starting to feel romantic feelings toward Cloven. She's forgiving her for 10 years of radio silence with no explanation within days. For god's sake, Ilyana, she And you barely seem to care!!
I was also confused why Ilyana didn't seem to think to heal her father She's considered a world-renowned healer, okay, that's completely fine. But I feel as though we never actually see this. I think this can be explained by the injury simply being too much for her to heal, but I don't recall that being explained in the narrative, so I'm not sure.
LET ME TELL YOU, the length of those gripes may make it seem like the book really suffered from what I outlined, but I just have a tendency to yap. I still REALLY enjoyed the book!
Overall, I'd definitely recommend Morana the Cursed to anyone looking for a fun, twisty high fantasy with lots of worldbuilding. I hope this series isn't the last we see of this world, too!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was already excited when I found out I was going to be an ARC reader for this book and it did not let me down.
The two protagonists, our twin princesses, are both such compelling characters. At first, I liked Morana much more but Illyana soon grew on me and actually became my favourite of the two! The POV switches between them from chapter to chapter felt smooth and natural, the subtle little cliffhangers and unanswered questions between them keeping me hooked for more each time I read on.
Illyana seems like our picture-perfect princess but there is certainly a little more to her than that, although I feel the second book will likely touch on it more than this one did. As for Morana… what a wildly morally grey character. She was wonderful, they both were, but Morana’s inner struggle between the person she wants to be and the one she was raised to be was so well written and gave her so much depth! I do love a character that does bad things but has such potential to be good, especially when it seems the world is against them.
Even the minor characters in this stand out! I am a little obsessed with both the prince and king of Vahan because their own interwoven story compliments Illyana and Morana’s so well. Damien is probably my favourite character in this entire book actually, just because he felt the most grounded of them all. No ulterior motives (that we know about), a good moral compass, a swoon worthy romance AND a secret still kept hidden? What more could you want?
I also want to say the Villains, of which there are many, are also all very well executed. I love that there is still some mystery about who the true villain (or villain’s) are. There are a lot of morally complex people with a lot of conflicting goals and aspirations which really sets up a good dynamic and conflict for our broad cast of characters.
Honestly, when reading this it had the same kind of mood as Six of Crows, especially whenever they were in the Lost Abyss, and that is a moody vibe I will always subscribe to.
All in all, I genuinely really enjoyed this book and am LITERALLY BEGGING for the next one. I cannot wait to read the next half of this story and will be firmly sat for Illyana the Blessed.
The two protagonists, our twin princesses, are both such compelling characters. At first, I liked Morana much more but Illyana soon grew on me and actually became my favourite of the two! The POV switches between them from chapter to chapter felt smooth and natural, the subtle little cliffhangers and unanswered questions between them keeping me hooked for more each time I read on.
Illyana seems like our picture-perfect princess but there is certainly a little more to her than that, although I feel the second book will likely touch on it more than this one did. As for Morana… what a wildly morally grey character. She was wonderful, they both were, but Morana’s inner struggle between the person she wants to be and the one she was raised to be was so well written and gave her so much depth! I do love a character that does bad things but has such potential to be good, especially when it seems the world is against them.
Even the minor characters in this stand out! I am a little obsessed with both the prince and king of Vahan because their own interwoven story compliments Illyana and Morana’s so well. Damien is probably my favourite character in this entire book actually, just because he felt the most grounded of them all. No ulterior motives (that we know about), a good moral compass, a swoon worthy romance AND a secret still kept hidden? What more could you want?
I also want to say the Villains, of which there are many, are also all very well executed. I love that there is still some mystery about who the true villain (or villain’s) are. There are a lot of morally complex people with a lot of conflicting goals and aspirations which really sets up a good dynamic and conflict for our broad cast of characters.
Honestly, when reading this it had the same kind of mood as Six of Crows, especially whenever they were in the Lost Abyss, and that is a moody vibe I will always subscribe to.
All in all, I genuinely really enjoyed this book and am LITERALLY BEGGING for the next one. I cannot wait to read the next half of this story and will be firmly sat for Illyana the Blessed.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First of all, I would like to thank the author from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to read the ARC of their debut book. Thank you so much.
Morana the Cursed is a story with a dark and magical atmosphere (exactly my cup of tea) and thought out to the smallest detail. It adds liveliness and believability to it. All of your questions are answered before you even ask them in your head. There are many twists that will steal your breath and leave you screaming for a week after finishing reading.
A story with a truly original theme in a world already overwhelmed with all kinds of ideas.
I really like the dual POV, which gives us a broader view of the entire story and allows the reader to peek into various corners of the plot as well as into the souls of the characters themselves.
I have to say that Morana is the raging storm that drives the whole story forward, while Ilyana just goes with the flow.
Morana is a funny, sarcastic, and morally grey character who will win your heart. Only a fool wouldn't love her. She has depth. She is beautifully written, including her fight with her own identity, her past and present.
And then there's Ilyana, who seems kind of shallow to me. I feel like she hasn't developed much throughout the story and has remained stuck in place. She claims to care about her royal responsibilities, but she quite avoids them. Her words simply don't match her actions. At the same time, I feel like she doesn't react that believably. Strange logic – I believe, but I don't believe.
Together, the sisters play with the contrasts between each other. Two sisters, twins, but with completely different characters.
I love the fireborn brothers. King Matthian, especially.
Although certain things tend to repeat themselves in the story, overall I really enjoyed reading Morana the Cursed and can't wait for book two. ♥
Morana the Cursed is a story with a dark and magical atmosphere (exactly my cup of tea) and thought out to the smallest detail. It adds liveliness and believability to it. All of your questions are answered before you even ask them in your head. There are many twists that will steal your breath and leave you screaming for a week after finishing reading.
A story with a truly original theme in a world already overwhelmed with all kinds of ideas.
I really like the dual POV, which gives us a broader view of the entire story and allows the reader to peek into various corners of the plot as well as into the souls of the characters themselves.
I have to say that Morana is the raging storm that drives the whole story forward, while Ilyana just goes with the flow.
Morana is a funny, sarcastic, and morally grey character who will win your heart. Only a fool wouldn't love her. She has depth. She is beautifully written, including her fight with her own identity, her past and present.
And then there's Ilyana, who seems kind of shallow to me. I feel like she hasn't developed much throughout the story and has remained stuck in place. She claims to care about her royal responsibilities, but she quite avoids them. Her words simply don't match her actions. At the same time, I feel like she doesn't react that believably. Strange logic – I believe, but I don't believe.
Together, the sisters play with the contrasts between each other. Two sisters, twins, but with completely different characters.
I love the fireborn brothers. King Matthian, especially.
Although certain things tend to repeat themselves in the story, overall I really enjoyed reading Morana the Cursed and can't wait for book two. ♥
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 stars is an understatement for this book.
I can't tell you how much I have screamed in the the author's DMs about how much I loved this book because from the very first page I could NOT put this book down and if I didn't have a life, I would read it in one sitting and then read it over and over again until the second one comes out. This is hands down one of the best reads of 2026 for me and I can't believe that it's over.
This book made me smile, cry, feel confused and excited for what's next and by the end of the book I didn't even know what to feel. That's how well this book is written and I couldn't possibly emphasize it enough. You NEED TO READ THIS.
This book has set a new standard for all the fantasy books I read and I'm afraid I might not like anything this much after this masterpiece.
The world building is crazy good and the characters have so much depth to themselves. There are so many unsolved mysteries and so many things that I can't wait to know more about. I loved some characters and I hated some but that just shows how well their characters were consistent throughout the book. They are just so richly created that you can see everything happening right in front of your eyes and because of that the ending of this book is going to completely devastate you.
There were a few things that I could never have seen coming because there are so many things going on in this book at the same time but in a way that it is somehow all balanced. I can't believe the author managed to pull this off so well!
The plot execution is amazing and so compelling, I can't wait for book two!! I loved this book very very VERY much.
1000/10.
If you didn't read this book as a fantasy lover, that's probably your biggest loss.
I can't tell you how much I have screamed in the the author's DMs about how much I loved this book because from the very first page I could NOT put this book down and if I didn't have a life, I would read it in one sitting and then read it over and over again until the second one comes out. This is hands down one of the best reads of 2026 for me and I can't believe that it's over.
This book made me smile, cry, feel confused and excited for what's next and by the end of the book I didn't even know what to feel. That's how well this book is written and I couldn't possibly emphasize it enough. You NEED TO READ THIS.
This book has set a new standard for all the fantasy books I read and I'm afraid I might not like anything this much after this masterpiece.
The world building is crazy good and the characters have so much depth to themselves. There are so many unsolved mysteries and so many things that I can't wait to know more about. I loved some characters and I hated some but that just shows how well their characters were consistent throughout the book. They are just so richly created that you can see everything happening right in front of your eyes and because of that the ending of this book is going to completely devastate you.
There were a few things that I could never have seen coming because there are so many things going on in this book at the same time but in a way that it is somehow all balanced. I can't believe the author managed to pull this off so well!
The plot execution is amazing and so compelling, I can't wait for book two!! I loved this book very very VERY much.
1000/10.
If you didn't read this book as a fantasy lover, that's probably your biggest loss.
July 17, 2026
I went into this book with high expectations, having known the author for a few years now, and somehow it still managed to surprise me.
The story is incredibly immersive without ever feeling heavy, making it such an easy book to fly through. Every chapter left me wanting "just one more."
The twin princesses are the heart of this story, and I loved how different they are despite sharing such a deep bond. Having one sister gifted with healing and the other burdened with necromancy creates an interesting dynamic. I was honestly more invested in Morana’s journey, but I just love a character with a traumatic back story and a little bit of mystery around them. Still, both their perspectives kept the pacing fresh, with each chapter revealing new pieces of the mystery surrounding the kingdom and its curse.
As to the other characters, our dear author isn’t kidding when they name them morally grey characters. They all have their own presence and purpose. No one fits neatly into the role of hero or villain, which makes every interaction unpredictable. Within the intrigues of a court, no one can be trusted, and we clearly see that here. Everyone has an agenda or is hiding something from another, and the reveals keep shifting not only the plot but their motivations and actions.
For a debut fantasy, this was such an impressive start to a series. It delivers a wonderful balance between all elements the author promises.
Now comes the hardest part: waiting for the sequel.
The story is incredibly immersive without ever feeling heavy, making it such an easy book to fly through. Every chapter left me wanting "just one more."
The twin princesses are the heart of this story, and I loved how different they are despite sharing such a deep bond. Having one sister gifted with healing and the other burdened with necromancy creates an interesting dynamic. I was honestly more invested in Morana’s journey, but I just love a character with a traumatic back story and a little bit of mystery around them. Still, both their perspectives kept the pacing fresh, with each chapter revealing new pieces of the mystery surrounding the kingdom and its curse.
As to the other characters, our dear author isn’t kidding when they name them morally grey characters. They all have their own presence and purpose. No one fits neatly into the role of hero or villain, which makes every interaction unpredictable. Within the intrigues of a court, no one can be trusted, and we clearly see that here. Everyone has an agenda or is hiding something from another, and the reveals keep shifting not only the plot but their motivations and actions.
For a debut fantasy, this was such an impressive start to a series. It delivers a wonderful balance between all elements the author promises.
Now comes the hardest part: waiting for the sequel.
Review of advance copy received from Author
i really enjoyed this book. i received an arc direct from the author through land of arcs and when i was reading the summary, it mentioned there were triggers in it so i was kind of wary but it actually was awesome. the contrast between the two mcs morana and ilyana and their stories was very compelling. morana was really funny and her powers were so cool, as were ilyana's. i also like that morana's like boss' name was silas; i like that name. i liked reading her interactions with him as well as that bartender and damian because the differences were really interesting, especially later when she starts interacting with members of the royal court and some of those extra characters like lilith. i also am glad that there was a sapphic storyline; that was what i was there for mainly although i didn't mind the hetero romance for once.the most fun thing was finding out all the family ties that existed between the different characters because i didn't expect a lot of those so they were great plot twists. also there were dragons, which reminded me a lot of so let them burn by kamilah cole, one of my favourite books. i will definitely read the sequel when it comes out and if i can find it somewhere other than amazon, i will get it for my bookstore
Review of advance copy received from Author
Writing ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
World building ⭐⭐⭐ /5
Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
This book is of excellent craftsmanship. From the writing to the world building to the plot - - and the plot twist - - to the characters.
Morana the Cursed hooked me from the very first word I read, its grip closed around me and refused to let go - - even after I finished it.
It follows a set of twins where one is a princess, the other an assassin. The writing in here is literally one of the best I've read so far this year. It doesn't pull me out of the story and only enhanced my experience further.
The plot is TRULY engaging and interesting. It doesn't moves too fast or too slow.
The characters and their bonds feel real. Seeing each one of them fighting, doubting and contradicting themselves, their beliefs and their feelings, it pulls me in even more.
(I do have some doubts in things and all, but as long as you don't think too much and focus solely on the ride this book takes you on, Morana the Cursed would bring you joy, excitement, pain, shock, etc.)
Overall, I give this book a 4.75⭐. I loved it and could not wait for book 2!!
World building ⭐⭐⭐ /5
Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
This book is of excellent craftsmanship. From the writing to the world building to the plot - - and the plot twist - - to the characters.
Morana the Cursed hooked me from the very first word I read, its grip closed around me and refused to let go - - even after I finished it.
It follows a set of twins where one is a princess, the other an assassin. The writing in here is literally one of the best I've read so far this year. It doesn't pull me out of the story and only enhanced my experience further.
The plot is TRULY engaging and interesting. It doesn't moves too fast or too slow.
The characters and their bonds feel real. Seeing each one of them fighting, doubting and contradicting themselves, their beliefs and their feelings, it pulls me in even more.
(I do have some doubts in things and all, but as long as you don't think too much and focus solely on the ride this book takes you on, Morana the Cursed would bring you joy, excitement, pain, shock, etc.)
Overall, I give this book a 4.75⭐. I loved it and could not wait for book 2!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
Morana the Cursed by Dee Selvene was a captivating read that kept me invested from beginning to end. The atmosphere felt rich and immersive, and I especially enjoyed uncovering the mysteries surrounding the story as the plot unfolded.
The author does a great job balancing darker elements with character development, making it easy to stay emotionally connected to the journey. Morana was an intriguing protagonist, and watching her navigate the challenges placed before her kept me turning the pages.
While there were a few moments where I wanted certain scenes or relationships to be explored a little further, the overall experience was highly enjoyable. The world-building, tension, and sense of destiny woven throughout the story made for a compelling fantasy read.
If you enjoy cursed heroines, dark fantasy elements, magical intrigue, and stories filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, this is definitely worth checking out.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Morana the Cursed by Dee Selvene was a captivating read that kept me invested from beginning to end. The atmosphere felt rich and immersive, and I especially enjoyed uncovering the mysteries surrounding the story as the plot unfolded.
The author does a great job balancing darker elements with character development, making it easy to stay emotionally connected to the journey. Morana was an intriguing protagonist, and watching her navigate the challenges placed before her kept me turning the pages.
While there were a few moments where I wanted certain scenes or relationships to be explored a little further, the overall experience was highly enjoyable. The world-building, tension, and sense of destiny woven throughout the story made for a compelling fantasy read.
If you enjoy cursed heroines, dark fantasy elements, magical intrigue, and stories filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, this is definitely worth checking out.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Morana The Cursed🔮👥-Dee Selvene
In this story we follow one of our FMC’s, Ilyana, a princess of Wyrith who is trying to save her people from the Necromancers curse that was put on their land, and is trying to rule with just her father after the death of her mother and twin sister. ☹️😨Turning over POVs we meet our second FMC Morana, a deeply feared necromancer and assassin 😈who finds herself on a mission for her boss, to also figure out this Necromancer curse that was put around their island. Faced with countless obstacles, encounters, and unplanned sparks of romance, where will both of their roads lead?🤔🫣✨
Could their objectives be connected for the same reasons?👀👥
I don’t normally do a lot of fantasy based reads because I’m known to loose interest, but this one lowkey had me hooked! 🤪🤩I loved all of the jaw dropping moments, and the relationships built within all of the chaos around them.🤭🖤 What a good read I need book #2 ASAPPPP!😩😩😵
Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🚫
In this story we follow one of our FMC’s, Ilyana, a princess of Wyrith who is trying to save her people from the Necromancers curse that was put on their land, and is trying to rule with just her father after the death of her mother and twin sister. ☹️😨Turning over POVs we meet our second FMC Morana, a deeply feared necromancer and assassin 😈who finds herself on a mission for her boss, to also figure out this Necromancer curse that was put around their island. Faced with countless obstacles, encounters, and unplanned sparks of romance, where will both of their roads lead?🤔🫣✨
Could their objectives be connected for the same reasons?👀👥
I don’t normally do a lot of fantasy based reads because I’m known to loose interest, but this one lowkey had me hooked! 🤪🤩I loved all of the jaw dropping moments, and the relationships built within all of the chaos around them.🤭🖤 What a good read I need book #2 ASAPPPP!😩😩😵
Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating:🚫
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was really excited to receive an ARC of this book! Here is my honest review:
I want to give Morana a hug. She deserves better. I want her to have the cosiest blankets and the most delicious food. I want her to have no responsibilities and to just be allowed to exist.
Alas, if that were allowed, there wouldn’t be a book!
Morana’s magic was really cool. I loved how she could manipulate bone shards as a necromancer. Her whole story arc, especially the revenge, and the guilt, was just! So devastating. I hate Silas, that’s all I’ll say.
Ilyana’a character arc was a little less interesting to me, mostly because I wanted more information about her grudge against Clove… there was a lot of history there but I didn’t get enough of it.
I will definitely be reading book two when it comes out!
If you want a story about a deadly curse, with two sisters at the centre of it, this book is for you!
I want to give Morana a hug. She deserves better. I want her to have the cosiest blankets and the most delicious food. I want her to have no responsibilities and to just be allowed to exist.
Alas, if that were allowed, there wouldn’t be a book!
Morana’s magic was really cool. I loved how she could manipulate bone shards as a necromancer. Her whole story arc, especially the revenge, and the guilt, was just! So devastating. I hate Silas, that’s all I’ll say.
Ilyana’a character arc was a little less interesting to me, mostly because I wanted more information about her grudge against Clove… there was a lot of history there but I didn’t get enough of it.
I will definitely be reading book two when it comes out!
If you want a story about a deadly curse, with two sisters at the centre of it, this book is for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to Dee Selvene for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!
Some books take a while to get going, but that is definitely not the case here. This is an action-packed story in which two sisters' fates intertwine as they try to defy destiny. Every character has their own agenda, and while the curse looms over the island, no one is safe from pain, suffering, or the consequences of their actions.
This is only the first volume, and the cliffhanger will leave you desperate for more—and for the answers we all so desperately need.
Some books take a while to get going, but that is definitely not the case here. This is an action-packed story in which two sisters' fates intertwine as they try to defy destiny. Every character has their own agenda, and while the curse looms over the island, no one is safe from pain, suffering, or the consequences of their actions.
This is only the first volume, and the cliffhanger will leave you desperate for more—and for the answers we all so desperately need.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this arc.
Here is my honest review.
What a RIDE. Once I started this book I could not put it down. I finished it in two sittings, thats how phenomenal this story was.
Morana is one of my new favorite FMCs. She's snarky, sarcastic, and has a twisted sense of humor. I really enjoyed reading her chapters. Having the mystery of her past unravel for us so we could better understand why she does what she does was just *chefs kiss*.
The twists and turns were elegantly placed. I did NOT see that ending coming and I am UPSET I have to wait to see what happens in the next installment. How can you leave us like that?? I am not okay 😭
Im rating this book 5 ⭐️ and can't wait to get my hands on the next one to see what happens next!
Here is my honest review.
What a RIDE. Once I started this book I could not put it down. I finished it in two sittings, thats how phenomenal this story was.
Morana is one of my new favorite FMCs. She's snarky, sarcastic, and has a twisted sense of humor. I really enjoyed reading her chapters. Having the mystery of her past unravel for us so we could better understand why she does what she does was just *chefs kiss*.
The twists and turns were elegantly placed. I did NOT see that ending coming and I am UPSET I have to wait to see what happens in the next installment. How can you leave us like that?? I am not okay 😭
Im rating this book 5 ⭐️ and can't wait to get my hands on the next one to see what happens next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you, Dee, for providing me with an advanced copy of Morana the Cursed.
I'm an avid lover of dark fantasy and this book delivered. It's got impeding doom, two very different twins, and a cast of side characters that have you laughing and raging (yes, I'm looking at you lobster hair). The necromancer assassin vs blessed healer dynamic was unfamiliar but fun, especially on Morana's end.
Nothing could have prepared me for that ending though and I was more than a little surprised on multiple occasions throughout the story. Cannot wait for book 2!
I'm an avid lover of dark fantasy and this book delivered. It's got impeding doom, two very different twins, and a cast of side characters that have you laughing and raging (yes, I'm looking at you lobster hair). The necromancer assassin vs blessed healer dynamic was unfamiliar but fun, especially on Morana's end.
Nothing could have prepared me for that ending though and I was more than a little surprised on multiple occasions throughout the story. Cannot wait for book 2!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC from the author
I absolutely loved the story especially the tension and suspense. It had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to know what would happen next!
I could really feel how much Morana cared for her fire boy....The same can be said for Damian. He truly and deeply cared for his bone girl and I could really feel how much pain it caused Morana when her necklace ended up killing him and there was nothing her sister could do to heal or resurrect him.
Also I wasn't prepared for the plot twists, but honestly now It makes a whole lot of sense. To sum it up a VERY good book and I loved everything about it!!!!
I absolutely loved the story especially the tension and suspense. It had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to know what would happen next!
I could really feel how much Morana cared for her fire boy....The same can be said for Damian. He truly and deeply cared for his bone girl and I could really feel how much pain it caused Morana when her necklace ended up killing him and there was nothing her sister could do to heal or resurrect him.
Also I wasn't prepared for the plot twists, but honestly now It makes a whole lot of sense. To sum it up a VERY good book and I loved everything about it!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A story about sisterly love, entangled with magic.
I really enjoyed reading this story and would absolutely recommend it to my friends. The worldbuilding is incredible, the plot is brilliantly woven, and the twists genuinely kept me guessing. Every character has a distinctive voice, making them feel memorable and real.
Some books take a while to get going. Morana the Cursed grabs you from the very first pages and doesn't let go until you've reached the end.
I really enjoyed reading this story and would absolutely recommend it to my friends. The worldbuilding is incredible, the plot is brilliantly woven, and the twists genuinely kept me guessing. Every character has a distinctive voice, making them feel memorable and real.
Some books take a while to get going. Morana the Cursed grabs you from the very first pages and doesn't let go until you've reached the end.
August 25, 2026
I started this on Wattpad and never had the chance to get far. Then Dee announced they were self-publishing MtC ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜
I began the journey going WOAH AMAZING, and then all hell broke loose. I'm usually good at spotting twists, and well, I failed quite a few times which was so exciting!!!!
The characters are insane, the lore is just 🤌✨
All in all, I'm waiting for Book 2, because Book 1 made me cry, and I need the rest to stop crying, please and thank you Dee (╥ ᴗ ╥)
I began the journey going WOAH AMAZING, and then all hell broke loose. I'm usually good at spotting twists, and well, I failed quite a few times which was so exciting!!!!
The characters are insane, the lore is just 🤌✨
All in all, I'm waiting for Book 2, because Book 1 made me cry, and I need the rest to stop crying, please and thank you Dee (╥ ᴗ ╥)
July 14, 2026
This story was interesting the whole way through. I really enjoyed it, even though it ends on a cliffhanger and has some major emotional damage. Loved most of the characters, though I couldn't get behind Clove. Something about her just bothers me. I'm excited to see what happens in the next book! My heart is broken for Morana. That ending! Emotional damage 💔
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