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A Touch of Gold #1
A Touch of Gold
Gold is wealth
Wealth is power
Power is a curse
After King Midas's gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, he relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.
Kora spends her days concealed behind gloves and veils. It isn’t until a charming duke arrives that Kora believes she could indeed be loved. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals treasures her father needs to survive. Thanks to Kora's unique ability to sense gold, only she can find the missing items. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not her companions, or the thieves. or Kora herself.
Wealth is power
Power is a curse
After King Midas's gift—or curse—almost killed his daughter, he relinquished The Touch forever. Ten years later, Princess Kora still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide.
Kora spends her days concealed behind gloves and veils. It isn’t until a charming duke arrives that Kora believes she could indeed be loved. But their courtship is disrupted when a thief steals treasures her father needs to survive. Thanks to Kora's unique ability to sense gold, only she can find the missing items. As she sails off on her quest, Kora learns that not everything is what it seems—not her companions, or the thieves. or Kora herself.
311 pages, Hardcover
First published August 14, 2018
268 people are currently reading
11513 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 652 reviews
February 25, 2020
a daring adventure, sailing the sea, scuffles with pirates, a touch of romance, and lots of gold. what more could i want?
this honestly hit the spot. although this is not without problems (there isnt any world-building present and the romance is very underdeveloped), i really enjoyed this for what it is. i was in the mood for something set on the open sea and this delivered. and i really liked how unique the story is - never would i have thought the legend of midas and his daughter would be something that would fascinate me, but here we are.
this is a quick and entertaining read, which is exactly what i wanted.
↠ 4 stars
this honestly hit the spot. although this is not without problems (there isnt any world-building present and the romance is very underdeveloped), i really enjoyed this for what it is. i was in the mood for something set on the open sea and this delivered. and i really liked how unique the story is - never would i have thought the legend of midas and his daughter would be something that would fascinate me, but here we are.
this is a quick and entertaining read, which is exactly what i wanted.
↠ 4 stars
January 8, 2021
(3.5)
”Because as it turns out, the rumors are wrong, my heart isn’t made of gold. It’s very soft and very alive. And now it’s shattered”.
Creo que, literalmente, nunca había leído un retelling del mito del Rey Midas y este libro me sorprendió gratamente. Aquí nos encontramos con que el famosísimo Rey Midas, ese hombre que podía convertir cualquier cosa en oro con sólo tocarla, ha dejado de usar su don (o maldición, según sea vea), pues vivió un episodio en el que casi acaba con la vida de su hija. Desde ese entonces, la princesa Kora ha vivido casi secuestrada en el palacio, pues su piel tiene un tono dorado que asusta a las personas y, además, heredó ciertos poderes de la maldición de su padre. Sin embargo, todo cambia cuando, de repente, las piezas de oro que mantienen con vida al Rey Midas son robadas y la salud del monarca peligra. Es entonces cuando Kora, usando esa habilidad sobrenatural que tiene para sentir el oro, se embarca en una misión junto con un guapo duque para recuperar los tesoros de su padre.
La verdad es que A Touch of Gold es ese tipo de historias que te sorprenden porque, desde el principio, se van en un rumbo que no esperabas. Cuando supe que esta iba a ser la historia de la hija del Rey Midas, me imaginé un ambiente muy de palacio, de princesa escondida y demás, pero Annie Sullivan nos lleva al mar, a barcos piratas, islas perdidas y parajes peligrosísimos. Y, si me conocen, saben que adoro las historias que involucran grandes travesías a lo largo y ancho del mar.
Lastimosamente, no puedo hablarles mucho de uno de los mayores plot twists del libro porque es un spoiler como una catedral, pero sepan que es espectacular. Cambia muchísimo las reglas del juego y ese acto de traición hace que Kora crezca muchísimo como protagonista, que deje de ser una niña encerrada en un palacio y se convierta en una mujer que puede enfrentarse a los peligros verdaderos (y sobrenaturales) del mundo en el que vive.
Mi razón para ponerle 3.5 estrellas es que, a pesar de que es un libro entretenido, no es absolutamente espectacular. Está bien, pero hay mejores. Bueno, no sé si mejores retellings del Rey Midas porque no conozco más, pero ya me entienden. Y, si bien el final le da una vuelta aún mayor a toda la trama, no sentí ese impulso loco que siento con otros libros de necesitar la secuela inmediatamente.
”Because as it turns out, the rumors are wrong, my heart isn’t made of gold. It’s very soft and very alive. And now it’s shattered”.
Creo que, literalmente, nunca había leído un retelling del mito del Rey Midas y este libro me sorprendió gratamente. Aquí nos encontramos con que el famosísimo Rey Midas, ese hombre que podía convertir cualquier cosa en oro con sólo tocarla, ha dejado de usar su don (o maldición, según sea vea), pues vivió un episodio en el que casi acaba con la vida de su hija. Desde ese entonces, la princesa Kora ha vivido casi secuestrada en el palacio, pues su piel tiene un tono dorado que asusta a las personas y, además, heredó ciertos poderes de la maldición de su padre. Sin embargo, todo cambia cuando, de repente, las piezas de oro que mantienen con vida al Rey Midas son robadas y la salud del monarca peligra. Es entonces cuando Kora, usando esa habilidad sobrenatural que tiene para sentir el oro, se embarca en una misión junto con un guapo duque para recuperar los tesoros de su padre.
La verdad es que A Touch of Gold es ese tipo de historias que te sorprenden porque, desde el principio, se van en un rumbo que no esperabas. Cuando supe que esta iba a ser la historia de la hija del Rey Midas, me imaginé un ambiente muy de palacio, de princesa escondida y demás, pero Annie Sullivan nos lleva al mar, a barcos piratas, islas perdidas y parajes peligrosísimos. Y, si me conocen, saben que adoro las historias que involucran grandes travesías a lo largo y ancho del mar.
Lastimosamente, no puedo hablarles mucho de uno de los mayores plot twists del libro porque es un spoiler como una catedral, pero sepan que es espectacular. Cambia muchísimo las reglas del juego y ese acto de traición hace que Kora crezca muchísimo como protagonista, que deje de ser una niña encerrada en un palacio y se convierta en una mujer que puede enfrentarse a los peligros verdaderos (y sobrenaturales) del mundo en el que vive.
Mi razón para ponerle 3.5 estrellas es que, a pesar de que es un libro entretenido, no es absolutamente espectacular. Está bien, pero hay mejores. Bueno, no sé si mejores retellings del Rey Midas porque no conozco más, pero ya me entienden. Y, si bien el final le da una vuelta aún mayor a toda la trama, no sentí ese impulso loco que siento con otros libros de necesitar la secuela inmediatamente.
September 3, 2018
“I’ve only ever turned one person to gold, and that was an accident.”
I had a lot of expectations for this. I mean I read the synopsis and all I could think was “thieves, pirates, curses and gold, is there any better combination?” , but this book just wasn’t for me.
I found it lacking, the description of the world or of anything really, was almost never there, the romance was not good - the development of it was complete bullshit, she like someone and then bum suddenly she likes someone else, it made a bit of sense but it could have had a better development, and I’m sad about that because I love romance - the end left with a cliffhanger, at least of me, and has far had I know there isn’t a sequel.
The writing was good, and I really like how the curse affected the people in a realistic way.
I had very big expectations that, unfortunately - no one is sadder than me about this - it wasn’t meet.
But overall it was an interesting read, with very good writing and I get why the main character was so dumb sometimes but even so it pissed me off. So yeah, I expect more.
——
Thank you to Edelweiss for a ARC of this book for a honest review.
June 29, 2020
Okay, so I dove into A Touch of Gold because I just got approved for the ARC of the second book. Weirdly enough I didn't even know it was the second book before I saw it on Goodreads. Thankfully, I didn't commit a horrible reader's crime and I started this series off in the right order!
I honestly loved this book. Even though it is available on Kindle Unlimited, I got the audiobook version. Not saying that I wouldn't have loved reading the book but I was so busy with work and chores that the audio was much easier to dive into. That being said, the narrators were so freaking good! They definitely made me fall in love with everything that was happening in this book.
From the characters to the adventure.. I was in it for the long haul. I mean, how could you say no to pirates? Seriously, you can't! The one thing I would've liked is a different take on the whole romance part of this book.. but beggars can't be choosers in this situation.
I'm beyond excited to dive into the second book now and I'm hoping the adventure is even more addicting.
I honestly loved this book. Even though it is available on Kindle Unlimited, I got the audiobook version. Not saying that I wouldn't have loved reading the book but I was so busy with work and chores that the audio was much easier to dive into. That being said, the narrators were so freaking good! They definitely made me fall in love with everything that was happening in this book.
From the characters to the adventure.. I was in it for the long haul. I mean, how could you say no to pirates? Seriously, you can't! The one thing I would've liked is a different take on the whole romance part of this book.. but beggars can't be choosers in this situation.
I'm beyond excited to dive into the second book now and I'm hoping the adventure is even more addicting.
November 11, 2018
Reread: damn I loved this book even more the second time around.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OH!MY!GOD!I!LOVED!THIS!BOOK!
The characters were all really cool! There was a lot more pirates and sailing than I was anticipating (which was a big wonderful surprise plus) and the betrayals! OMG poor Kora! Girl is gonna have some trust issues going forward! Especially for a stand alone, I'm really impressed with the world development, problems, amount of questing, plot twists and character development. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Annie's next work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OH!MY!GOD!I!LOVED!THIS!BOOK!
The characters were all really cool! There was a lot more pirates and sailing than I was anticipating (which was a big wonderful surprise plus) and the betrayals! OMG poor Kora! Girl is gonna have some trust issues going forward! Especially for a stand alone, I'm really impressed with the world development, problems, amount of questing, plot twists and character development. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for Annie's next work.
September 1, 2018
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
What a pleasant surprise! I have this awful habit of reading the synopsis of books only once or twice, and having nothing more than a vague idea of what a story is about, before diving headfirst into it. There's romance, curses, pirates - *squeals!* - all wrapped up in a short, sweet plot with action and excitement. I've never had the pleasure to read a retelling of King Midas, but loved this spin on his tale. A charming debut by Annie Sullivan!
Full RTC!
What a pleasant surprise! I have this awful habit of reading the synopsis of books only once or twice, and having nothing more than a vague idea of what a story is about, before diving headfirst into it. There's romance, curses, pirates - *squeals!* - all wrapped up in a short, sweet plot with action and excitement. I've never had the pleasure to read a retelling of King Midas, but loved this spin on his tale. A charming debut by Annie Sullivan!
Full RTC!
August 27, 2020
2.5 stars
This had a great premise but the plot and romance were flimsy at best. However, I’m still reading the next book because I’m curious about how it will end.
This had a great premise but the plot and romance were flimsy at best. However, I’m still reading the next book because I’m curious about how it will end.
October 10, 2019
A Touch Of Gold was so very different from what I thought it would be but in the best way possible.
Maybe it's because I'm bad at reading synopses or remembering them but I really though that this was gonna be about a princess in her castle, dealing with her "curse", a swoon-worthy romance and a little bit of "I'm being rebellious and leaving the castle even though I'm not supposed to."
But what I got instead was a sea adventure, including pirates and sirens, and if you know me just a little bit, you will know, that that is literally my favourite thing. So this book was honestly almost perfect for me.
As far as the world building goes, there's really not all that much to expect. It was good enough to get a feeling for the setting but there's really not a lot of explaining on the general world. I wasn't bothered by it and I feel like the story works well as it is but if you're a fan of intricate world building, this might not be the book for you.
I love when books make you crave for it to go into a certain direction, then leave you hanging for a bit but ultimately go into that exact direction. I guess it wasn't exactly unpredictable but I did not dare to hope the storyline would go the way I wanted it to. When it DID, it left me with an intensely satisfied feeling.
The romance was absolutely wonderful and right up my alley. And I wish I could talk much more about it but talking about its development would definitely be a spoiler, so as much as I want to, I can't. But just know, that this romance was my favourite part of the story, next to the general sea adventure setting.
What I can say is that I loved how this book made use of the insta-love trope. Now I don't know if this was actually on purpose but I definitely noticed it in a positive way. I don't dislike most of the commonly hated tropes because I think there's always an interesting way to work with them and A Touch of Gold did exactly that. The insta-love made sense and it was used in a way that helped the main character's development in a lot of ways.
In general, this had an interesting cast of characters. The main character wasn't my favourite but she was very well written and her thoughts and feelings made a lot of sense. Her cousin, Hettie, might have been my favourite of the characters. She is amazing and so much fun but also super passionate and stubborn. I'd read a novel from her perspective.
I loved the rest of the cast and all their different quirks too and this also had some complex and interesting concepts for the villain.
Overall I had an amazing time reading this book. If you like books set on sea, this is for you. While the crew were following is not exactly pirates, they definitely behave like it for a lot of the time, so if that's your thing, you're in the right place.
♦ Booktube Channel ♦ Twitter ♦ Instagram ♦
I received an ARC of this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
Maybe it's because I'm bad at reading synopses or remembering them but I really though that this was gonna be about a princess in her castle, dealing with her "curse", a swoon-worthy romance and a little bit of "I'm being rebellious and leaving the castle even though I'm not supposed to."
But what I got instead was a sea adventure, including pirates and sirens, and if you know me just a little bit, you will know, that that is literally my favourite thing. So this book was honestly almost perfect for me.
“I ask you, why can the sun rise and sink each day and not an island? For though the tides rise and fall, men say an island cannot. What fools men are.”
As far as the world building goes, there's really not all that much to expect. It was good enough to get a feeling for the setting but there's really not a lot of explaining on the general world. I wasn't bothered by it and I feel like the story works well as it is but if you're a fan of intricate world building, this might not be the book for you.
I love when books make you crave for it to go into a certain direction, then leave you hanging for a bit but ultimately go into that exact direction. I guess it wasn't exactly unpredictable but I did not dare to hope the storyline would go the way I wanted it to. When it DID, it left me with an intensely satisfied feeling.
The romance was absolutely wonderful and right up my alley. And I wish I could talk much more about it but talking about its development would definitely be a spoiler, so as much as I want to, I can't. But just know, that this romance was my favourite part of the story, next to the general sea adventure setting.
What I can say is that I loved how this book made use of the insta-love trope. Now I don't know if this was actually on purpose but I definitely noticed it in a positive way. I don't dislike most of the commonly hated tropes because I think there's always an interesting way to work with them and A Touch of Gold did exactly that. The insta-love made sense and it was used in a way that helped the main character's development in a lot of ways.
“Then his lips are on mine. They taste like the sea breeze, salty and light. It's a kiss that says everything he couldn't.”
In general, this had an interesting cast of characters. The main character wasn't my favourite but she was very well written and her thoughts and feelings made a lot of sense. Her cousin, Hettie, might have been my favourite of the characters. She is amazing and so much fun but also super passionate and stubborn. I'd read a novel from her perspective.
I loved the rest of the cast and all their different quirks too and this also had some complex and interesting concepts for the villain.
Overall I had an amazing time reading this book. If you like books set on sea, this is for you. While the crew were following is not exactly pirates, they definitely behave like it for a lot of the time, so if that's your thing, you're in the right place.
♦ Booktube Channel ♦ Twitter ♦ Instagram ♦
I received an ARC of this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review!
April 3, 2021
Actual Rating: 2.5⭐️
This was yet another example of "cool idea, poor execution".
This was yet another example of "cool idea, poor execution".
March 26, 2018
Official Comments: Utterly charming! This fresh take on a classic tale will be treasured by fans of myth and romance alike.
Unofficial Comments: Annie's writing is gorgeous! WOW. This story is such a treat!
Unofficial Comments: Annie's writing is gorgeous! WOW. This story is such a treat!
July 22, 2018
I really loved this retelling of King Midas.
I think it's best to go into this book without knowing too much. I knew a little of the King Midas story, but not very much. I had read the synopsis awhile ago, but I didn't reread it before starting the book and I'm glad I didn't. I was just able to read and really enjoy the story.
This is mostly Kora's story. Her father, King Midas, turned her into gold by accident when she was young. He was able to turn her back, but he didn't do everything he needed to do to break the curse. Because of that, Kora became gold again. But not as a statue. Just her appearance. She spent the rest of her childhood hiding from almost everyone. She could also turn things to gold, but not in the same way her dad could.
The gold items were tied to Midas and when they were stolen, he essentially falls into a coma. Uncle Pheus had just introduced Kora to Duke Aris Wystilos that day. Aris wasn't afraid of Kora and she liked him because of it. Most other boys ran from her. Aris offers to take Kora to find the gold. She has a connection to it and can sense it. Reluctantly, Uncle Pheus agrees.
While on the ship, they find that Kora's cousin, Hettie, sneaked on board. The captain, Royce, was worried about the trip, but agreed to take Kora to find the gold. Most of the men on board were worried. Rhat was the only one who seemed okay with the journey.
Kora starts having visions of the gold with a pirate. His name is Captain Skulls because he has his men behead victims and bring him their skulls to collect.
There are pirates, sirens, love, betrayal, friendship, fights, death, and adventures. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into any more detail. The writing flowed well and the pacing was great.
I gave this book 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for giving me a copy for review.
I think it's best to go into this book without knowing too much. I knew a little of the King Midas story, but not very much. I had read the synopsis awhile ago, but I didn't reread it before starting the book and I'm glad I didn't. I was just able to read and really enjoy the story.
This is mostly Kora's story. Her father, King Midas, turned her into gold by accident when she was young. He was able to turn her back, but he didn't do everything he needed to do to break the curse. Because of that, Kora became gold again. But not as a statue. Just her appearance. She spent the rest of her childhood hiding from almost everyone. She could also turn things to gold, but not in the same way her dad could.
The gold items were tied to Midas and when they were stolen, he essentially falls into a coma. Uncle Pheus had just introduced Kora to Duke Aris Wystilos that day. Aris wasn't afraid of Kora and she liked him because of it. Most other boys ran from her. Aris offers to take Kora to find the gold. She has a connection to it and can sense it. Reluctantly, Uncle Pheus agrees.
While on the ship, they find that Kora's cousin, Hettie, sneaked on board. The captain, Royce, was worried about the trip, but agreed to take Kora to find the gold. Most of the men on board were worried. Rhat was the only one who seemed okay with the journey.
Kora starts having visions of the gold with a pirate. His name is Captain Skulls because he has his men behead victims and bring him their skulls to collect.
There are pirates, sirens, love, betrayal, friendship, fights, death, and adventures. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into any more detail. The writing flowed well and the pacing was great.
I gave this book 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for giving me a copy for review.
September 16, 2018
3 stars!!!
I'm a huge sucker for Greek mythology and YA fantasy. So I was pretty pysched to get into this novel and I would say that I really liked this retelling of the King Midas story. However, there were many aspects of the story that just didn't pique my interest enough to give it a 5 star rating.
Firstly, there was a lack of worldbuilding. The story wasn't immersive enough for me. From the descriptions, I had the sense that our characters lived in a medevial sort of setting where there were kingdoms and fantastical creatures. We got the idea that magic played an integral part of the world but it wasn't explained or delved into too deeply. The descriptions and imagery used painted a picture without becoming lyrical or whimsical. Personally, I love novels that are wrought with emotive language as it lends a sense of escapism. This just played out like a story that needed to be told.
Secondly, I liked the MC Kora. She was fiesty enough and rather independant. However, she was quite the usual YA protagonist who was misunderstood and was looking to change people's opinions of her. She has a tragic past and a special ability which I honestly found to be very cliched. Moreover, the romance aspect was just bland. I didn't like the so-called love triangle and I felt there was absolutely zero chemistry between any of the love interests for Kora. Plus, the idea of falling in and out of love so quickly with two guys is just so unrealistic. It made me laugh. I can't understand why authors make the girls so gullible and silly when it comes to love. Although, I would have to admit I still did enjoy the story. I especially liked Hettie. I found her to be more relatable and unpredictable. In addition, the side characters were pretty well rounded to create an engaging story. I especially found that the inclusion of pirates in the plot made for an interesting read.
Overall, the story wasn't so bad. The structure flowed smoothly enough and the pacing was just right - not too fast or slow. There were enough action scenes to build up speed whenever the storyline was prone to lagging. I also liked the plot twists and revelations. They were surprising and I didn't expect them as much. The ending was not too predictable and had me raising my eyebrows. I liked how the author blended deceit, vulnerability, love and fantasy into the storyline. Even though, the language was simplistic, the story wasn't lacking in entertainment per se. I would suggest this story as a good one time read and I guess for a standalone it made it's impact albeit in a not so showy way.
I'm a huge sucker for Greek mythology and YA fantasy. So I was pretty pysched to get into this novel and I would say that I really liked this retelling of the King Midas story. However, there were many aspects of the story that just didn't pique my interest enough to give it a 5 star rating.
Firstly, there was a lack of worldbuilding. The story wasn't immersive enough for me. From the descriptions, I had the sense that our characters lived in a medevial sort of setting where there were kingdoms and fantastical creatures. We got the idea that magic played an integral part of the world but it wasn't explained or delved into too deeply. The descriptions and imagery used painted a picture without becoming lyrical or whimsical. Personally, I love novels that are wrought with emotive language as it lends a sense of escapism. This just played out like a story that needed to be told.
Secondly, I liked the MC Kora. She was fiesty enough and rather independant. However, she was quite the usual YA protagonist who was misunderstood and was looking to change people's opinions of her. She has a tragic past and a special ability which I honestly found to be very cliched. Moreover, the romance aspect was just bland. I didn't like the so-called love triangle and I felt there was absolutely zero chemistry between any of the love interests for Kora. Plus, the idea of falling in and out of love so quickly with two guys is just so unrealistic. It made me laugh. I can't understand why authors make the girls so gullible and silly when it comes to love. Although, I would have to admit I still did enjoy the story. I especially liked Hettie. I found her to be more relatable and unpredictable. In addition, the side characters were pretty well rounded to create an engaging story. I especially found that the inclusion of pirates in the plot made for an interesting read.
Overall, the story wasn't so bad. The structure flowed smoothly enough and the pacing was just right - not too fast or slow. There were enough action scenes to build up speed whenever the storyline was prone to lagging. I also liked the plot twists and revelations. They were surprising and I didn't expect them as much. The ending was not too predictable and had me raising my eyebrows. I liked how the author blended deceit, vulnerability, love and fantasy into the storyline. Even though, the language was simplistic, the story wasn't lacking in entertainment per se. I would suggest this story as a good one time read and I guess for a standalone it made it's impact albeit in a not so showy way.
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March 3, 2018Ah! Such a wonderful adventure!!
April 17, 2018
I received an egalley of this title via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you publisher!
1 out of 5 stars
What did I just read? When I first heard of The Touch of Gold, having just finished Circe by Madeline Miller, I was extremely excited. However, this book fell short, so short.
A Touch of Gold is a story about Kora, the daughter of King Midas who has to save her father’s life. In order to do this, she sets out of a quest to find the pirates who have stolen the gold that keeps her father alive. And so begins the treasure hunt, full of whinny little girls, two hunks who save the princess and absolutely nothing about the Greek mythology but the name Midas in it. This is a generic YA fantasy about pirates – which I get it – it’s a trend, but honestly, enough. I have had my fill of pirates, and please don’t masquerade as a Greek mythology retelling and then throw pirates at me. The MC is whinny, naïve, a damsel in distress and relies on any male to save her. Way to show growing girls that they can take care of themselves.
If you want an incredible retelling of a Greek myth – read Madeline Miller.
1 out of 5 stars
What did I just read? When I first heard of The Touch of Gold, having just finished Circe by Madeline Miller, I was extremely excited. However, this book fell short, so short.
A Touch of Gold is a story about Kora, the daughter of King Midas who has to save her father’s life. In order to do this, she sets out of a quest to find the pirates who have stolen the gold that keeps her father alive. And so begins the treasure hunt, full of whinny little girls, two hunks who save the princess and absolutely nothing about the Greek mythology but the name Midas in it. This is a generic YA fantasy about pirates – which I get it – it’s a trend, but honestly, enough. I have had my fill of pirates, and please don’t masquerade as a Greek mythology retelling and then throw pirates at me. The MC is whinny, naïve, a damsel in distress and relies on any male to save her. Way to show growing girls that they can take care of themselves.
If you want an incredible retelling of a Greek myth – read Madeline Miller.
May 14, 2020
I waffled on 2 or 3 stars, but honestly I was bored out of my mind for the most part while reading this, so 2 stars it is. I liked the idea of a story focusing on King Midas's daughter, but everything with the pirates, the power of her touch, etc. just dragged. I think the world building could have been better (we hear about Dionysus, but what about the other gods) and also Kora's supposed power. The romances felt pretty weak too.
"A Touch of Gold" tells the story of what happened to King Midas after he got the power to turn things to gold. Hugging his daughter he turns her to gold. When he begs Dionysus for help, he is told to wash everything into the ocean/sea (I can't remember) and do it for everything that he turned to gold. King Midas does, and he restores his daughter Kora back to living flesh. However, he forgets a few items and is cursed forever, she is too, she is a golden maiden brought to life. Ten years later we follow Kora as she has another potential groom paraded in front of her. When she finally thinks she has met someone who can stand to be around her, her father's gold is stolen which leaves him incapacitated. Kora and her cousin Hettie go on a wild adventure to save Kora's father and the kingdom.
I did like Kora, I just wish we had spent more time with her before we find her as a young adult and then dealing with her mooning a bit over the first of the two romantic potentials in this book. She did get more interesting as a character towards the end though. Her cousin Hettie was a delight and I think this would have been a 5 star book if it focused on her.
The two romantic heroes were blah. Sorry, I didn't like either of them though the twist with one of them I did not see coming.
The writing was a bit off for me since the dialogue was dry. I just needed something more going on there. I just needed more thing to be happening besides Kora reading a diary, feeling romantic, and eavesdropping.
The setting of the book really didn't feel like it took place in one of the Greek myths I read as a kid. It's weird that at times the book read as modern or in another part of the world other than where King Midas's story was drawn from which I think is considered modern day Asia Turkey.
The ending leaves a potential wrinkle in Kora's future which is why I assume there is a second book in this series.
"A Touch of Gold" tells the story of what happened to King Midas after he got the power to turn things to gold. Hugging his daughter he turns her to gold. When he begs Dionysus for help, he is told to wash everything into the ocean/sea (I can't remember) and do it for everything that he turned to gold. King Midas does, and he restores his daughter Kora back to living flesh. However, he forgets a few items and is cursed forever, she is too, she is a golden maiden brought to life. Ten years later we follow Kora as she has another potential groom paraded in front of her. When she finally thinks she has met someone who can stand to be around her, her father's gold is stolen which leaves him incapacitated. Kora and her cousin Hettie go on a wild adventure to save Kora's father and the kingdom.
I did like Kora, I just wish we had spent more time with her before we find her as a young adult and then dealing with her mooning a bit over the first of the two romantic potentials in this book. She did get more interesting as a character towards the end though. Her cousin Hettie was a delight and I think this would have been a 5 star book if it focused on her.
The two romantic heroes were blah. Sorry, I didn't like either of them though the twist with one of them I did not see coming.
The writing was a bit off for me since the dialogue was dry. I just needed something more going on there. I just needed more thing to be happening besides Kora reading a diary, feeling romantic, and eavesdropping.
The setting of the book really didn't feel like it took place in one of the Greek myths I read as a kid. It's weird that at times the book read as modern or in another part of the world other than where King Midas's story was drawn from which I think is considered modern day Asia Turkey.
The ending leaves a potential wrinkle in Kora's future which is why I assume there is a second book in this series.
September 18, 2018
Why are there dukes (and villainous archdukes, let's not forget) and pirates in this book? Why is there a pirate named Captain Skulls? Why are there cobblestone streets and taverns? This is supposed to be a continuation of a Greek myth, but there is no connection to Greek culture, or any ancient culture at all, here. How does an author forget the setting of her book?
September 20, 2018
That was a weird ending for a stand-alone novel...
September 15, 2019
The Good
– Interesting concept (Children impacted by parents' curses)
– Kora does have a character arc of sorts
– Once in a while, there is a decent line, albeit buried up to its neck in mediocrity
The Bad
– Creatively bankrupt
– Lack of nuance or depth
– Humdrum prose
– Boring characters
– Sullivan literally jumps through hoops to avoid developing the world and setting
– Sullivan goes out of her way to disparage at least four separate bald characters
Retellings, in general, are largely hit or miss, but A Touch of Gold goes beyond "misses the mark" into a whole new territory of Why was this allowed to be published in the first place and more despairing, Why the hell is it getting a sequel?
Story
A Touch of Gold is neither a true retelling or a true sequel. Sullivan has replicated almost all the details of one variation of King Midas myth, but replaced them with the names of fictional places, hence erasing everything Greek about the setting and replacing it with the most generic of fantasy lands. But for some goddamn reason, the names of all the Greek gods remain. Poseidon, Triton, and of course, Dionysus all come up. These aren't random gods floating in the ether, these are gods attached to a specific group of people and culture. The author is both apparently too lazy to research Greece and too lazy to come up with gods of her own.
Despite beginning with a strong concept—children struggling with the impact of their parents' curses—A Touch of Gold sags into the predictable and uninspired early on. The plot lacks any element of sophistication and is executed in the simplest of manners. Characters go from Point A to Point B to Point C with little complication happening outside the expected and Sullivan fails to build any of these moments up, and so they pass with little note. There are a couple twists with backstabbing characters, but since there's no tension or skilled foreshadowing, these plots actually reduce characters to simple one-note villains instead of bolstering the plot.
Additionally, there are a lot of elements which make little sense or are seemingly written without the author understanding what she's implying. For example, there are characters who treat Kora well and who she feels safe around and there are characters who treat Kora badly who she definitely does not feel safe around. When a man the character trusts turns out to be cruel and—worse—a man who's cruel turns out to be trustworthy—it says a woman can't trust her gut about men, and women rely on their instincts a lot when deeming a man safe or not. The rest of the guys Sullivan thinks we should trust are worse: twins who objectify Kora immediately upon meeting her and a man who ignores her cousin's boundaries. They're little things, but it says a lot about what Sullivan thinks of interactions between men and women. And, for some reason, Sullivan also appears to hate bald men. At least four bald or balding men were immediately disparaged when introduced: they're useless, mean, or scheming for the throne.
There was also the issue of Kora's abilities: she can turn anything to gold, so long as she "takes" the gold from something first. As for the de-golded items, they turn... brass? copper? silver? (She knows silver is as shiny as gold, right?) There's no set rule. Items become whatever metal Sullivan thinks of first.
Characters
Kora certainly grows as a character, from a girl resigned to her curse to a confident adventurer. However, her journey is diminished by ham-fisted execution and dull, overlong inner monologues. She's a rather generic protagonist—the author's only slapped some shiny skin on a cardboard cutout.
The cast, in general, ranged from flat, annoying or unlikeable—and those were the good guys. The bad guys were one-note cartoon villains, with the exception being the final villain. He actually made sense. He had a point. I maybe disagree with his methods, but his goals were valid. Characters were so poorly characterized and irrelevant it was hard to care when one of them died.
Writing Style
Sullivan's abilities and prose are messy, rough and painfully amateurish. A good line sneaks in every few chapters, but by and large, the reader is plowing through a LOT of mediocre-to-bad lines to get nuggets of the mediocre-to-bad plot. It's exhausting. Kora's repetitive inner monologues fill the page, spelling out the obvious again and again, and every line of dialogue comes with an adverb. It's weak, redundant and boring.
Themes and Representation
Sullivan comes dangerously close to saying something thoughtful about children affected by the errors of their parents, but it slips through her fingers. Additionally, although there's SO MUCH room for a dialogue about being a social pariah and/or people struggling with visible disabilities, but Kora's is used as a "poor me" instead.
Worse, the author goes out of her way to throw in a "not all men" moment. The temptresses (siren stand-ins?) ask Kora to join them to get back at all the men who've hurt her. Kora thinks "she’s wrong about the men in my life, too." Except Kora is wrong. So goddamn wrong. At least two of the five men mentioned intentionally hurt Kora deeply, and a third hurt her unintentionally.
There's no representation or diversity in A Touch of Gold.
Recommended For...
Those desperate for a "clean" romance or playing Gotta Read 'Em All with retellings or sea-faring stories. This is not a good or original book, and I can't imagine selecting it over numerous better choices.
>>More book reviews at Feathered Turtle Press<<
– Interesting concept (Children impacted by parents' curses)
– Kora does have a character arc of sorts
– Once in a while, there is a decent line, albeit buried up to its neck in mediocrity
The Bad
– Creatively bankrupt
– Lack of nuance or depth
– Humdrum prose
– Boring characters
– Sullivan literally jumps through hoops to avoid developing the world and setting
– Sullivan goes out of her way to disparage at least four separate bald characters
Retellings, in general, are largely hit or miss, but A Touch of Gold goes beyond "misses the mark" into a whole new territory of Why was this allowed to be published in the first place and more despairing, Why the hell is it getting a sequel?
Story
A Touch of Gold is neither a true retelling or a true sequel. Sullivan has replicated almost all the details of one variation of King Midas myth, but replaced them with the names of fictional places, hence erasing everything Greek about the setting and replacing it with the most generic of fantasy lands. But for some goddamn reason, the names of all the Greek gods remain. Poseidon, Triton, and of course, Dionysus all come up. These aren't random gods floating in the ether, these are gods attached to a specific group of people and culture. The author is both apparently too lazy to research Greece and too lazy to come up with gods of her own.
Despite beginning with a strong concept—children struggling with the impact of their parents' curses—A Touch of Gold sags into the predictable and uninspired early on. The plot lacks any element of sophistication and is executed in the simplest of manners. Characters go from Point A to Point B to Point C with little complication happening outside the expected and Sullivan fails to build any of these moments up, and so they pass with little note. There are a couple twists with backstabbing characters, but since there's no tension or skilled foreshadowing, these plots actually reduce characters to simple one-note villains instead of bolstering the plot.
Additionally, there are a lot of elements which make little sense or are seemingly written without the author understanding what she's implying. For example, there are characters who treat Kora well and who she feels safe around and there are characters who treat Kora badly who she definitely does not feel safe around. When a man the character trusts turns out to be cruel and—worse—a man who's cruel turns out to be trustworthy—it says a woman can't trust her gut about men, and women rely on their instincts a lot when deeming a man safe or not. The rest of the guys Sullivan thinks we should trust are worse: twins who objectify Kora immediately upon meeting her and a man who ignores her cousin's boundaries. They're little things, but it says a lot about what Sullivan thinks of interactions between men and women. And, for some reason, Sullivan also appears to hate bald men. At least four bald or balding men were immediately disparaged when introduced: they're useless, mean, or scheming for the throne.
There was also the issue of Kora's abilities: she can turn anything to gold, so long as she "takes" the gold from something first. As for the de-golded items, they turn... brass? copper? silver? (She knows silver is as shiny as gold, right?) There's no set rule. Items become whatever metal Sullivan thinks of first.
Characters
Kora certainly grows as a character, from a girl resigned to her curse to a confident adventurer. However, her journey is diminished by ham-fisted execution and dull, overlong inner monologues. She's a rather generic protagonist—the author's only slapped some shiny skin on a cardboard cutout.
The cast, in general, ranged from flat, annoying or unlikeable—and those were the good guys. The bad guys were one-note cartoon villains, with the exception being the final villain. He actually made sense. He had a point. I maybe disagree with his methods, but his goals were valid. Characters were so poorly characterized and irrelevant it was hard to care when one of them died.
Writing Style
Sullivan's abilities and prose are messy, rough and painfully amateurish. A good line sneaks in every few chapters, but by and large, the reader is plowing through a LOT of mediocre-to-bad lines to get nuggets of the mediocre-to-bad plot. It's exhausting. Kora's repetitive inner monologues fill the page, spelling out the obvious again and again, and every line of dialogue comes with an adverb. It's weak, redundant and boring.
Themes and Representation
Sullivan comes dangerously close to saying something thoughtful about children affected by the errors of their parents, but it slips through her fingers. Additionally, although there's SO MUCH room for a dialogue about being a social pariah and/or people struggling with visible disabilities, but Kora's is used as a "poor me" instead.
Worse, the author goes out of her way to throw in a "not all men" moment. The temptresses (siren stand-ins?) ask Kora to join them to get back at all the men who've hurt her. Kora thinks "she’s wrong about the men in my life, too." Except Kora is wrong. So goddamn wrong. At least two of the five men mentioned intentionally hurt Kora deeply, and a third hurt her unintentionally.
There's no representation or diversity in A Touch of Gold.
Recommended For...
Those desperate for a "clean" romance or playing Gotta Read 'Em All with retellings or sea-faring stories. This is not a good or original book, and I can't imagine selecting it over numerous better choices.
>>More book reviews at Feathered Turtle Press<<
November 5, 2019
King Midas could once turn anything he touched to gold, but after he nearly killed his daughter, Kora, he relinquished the touch forever, but not without leaving his daughter with the consequences. Her skin shimmers gold and rumors follow her around everywhere. Kora tries to ignore the rumors and the looks she gets. She stays locked in the palace, hiding behind a veil and gloves. But, when someone steals gold from the palace and leaves King Midas vulnerable, Kora goes on a journey to track down the missing pieces to save her father.
This book is hard for me to review and rate because while it was an entertaining enough read I did have some problems with it.
Kora is a meek character. She is not the strong female lead that I would have liked to see from this novel. That being said, I think she did grow some from the beginning to the end of the novel where she was a little bit stronger, but I'm not entirely sure. That is something I think will really only be seen in the next installment.
Now, while this makes sense for Kora considering her father ignored her once he cursed her and that all her possible suitors were terrified of her, it was still frustrating to see the insta-love in this novel. She falls in love with someone and then quickly falls in love with someone else in the span of this novel. One moment of insta-love is bad enough, but having two moments is even more frustrating. It caused her to really rely on the men on the journey to save her and help her.
Kora's relationship with her father is another complicated messy situation that I'm not entirely sure was dealt with in a way it should have been. As this is a series, I'm hoping that in the next book it's better dealt with as their relationship really didn't feel all that realistic.
Overall, this was a fun quick read with a few issues in it.
This book is hard for me to review and rate because while it was an entertaining enough read I did have some problems with it.
Kora is a meek character. She is not the strong female lead that I would have liked to see from this novel. That being said, I think she did grow some from the beginning to the end of the novel where she was a little bit stronger, but I'm not entirely sure. That is something I think will really only be seen in the next installment.
Now, while this makes sense for Kora considering her father ignored her once he cursed her and that all her possible suitors were terrified of her, it was still frustrating to see the insta-love in this novel. She falls in love with someone and then quickly falls in love with someone else in the span of this novel. One moment of insta-love is bad enough, but having two moments is even more frustrating. It caused her to really rely on the men on the journey to save her and help her.
Kora's relationship with her father is another complicated messy situation that I'm not entirely sure was dealt with in a way it should have been. As this is a series, I'm hoping that in the next book it's better dealt with as their relationship really didn't feel all that realistic.
Overall, this was a fun quick read with a few issues in it.
September 13, 2019
3'5-4
Vid review will be available on Sept, 16th, 2019 here: https://youtu.be/-OYQquTJmTI
Vid review will be available on Sept, 16th, 2019 here: https://youtu.be/-OYQquTJmTI
August 7, 2018
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
What happened after King Midas relinquished his ability to turn all he touched into gold? We come in 10 years later when princess Kora must leave her insulated life to save her father… She still bears the consequences of her father’s wish: her skin shines golden, rumors follow her everywhere she goes, and she harbors secret powers that are getting harder to hide, but that won’t stop her from her quest! Add in a charming young duke, a sea adventure, superstitious sailors and thieving pirates and we have a retelling full up with the power of gold.
The short review...
King Midas is a fairy tale that I have long admired! It's a fable about family and the importance of it over economic concerns. So a retelling or rather a continuation of the story AFTER the whole turning to gold sounded like an adventure I wanted to be in on. After reading another retelling last month that I didn't enjoy nearly as much as this one I am happy to report it is fun and full of pirates and treasure!
Kora is my kind of girl... she stays inside and spends a lot of time reading! She is also a bit naive being a princess that her people are frightened of and thus isolated. She lives in the classic European world where you would expect there to be Kings, treaties, pirates and old world sailing ships with cannons and swords. There is a touch of magic that empowers Kora and gives a touch of whimsy to the story.
A Touch of Gold isn't a perfect book... but if you adore retellings and love King Midas' fairy tale this is fun and light. You may see a twist coming from a mile away but that's really quite okay... There is friendship, empowerment and learning to see things as they really are to fuel the story and urge you to witness how Kora fares from her adventure in the end.
Cover & Title grade -> A-
I quite like this cover and was attracted to it when I saw it. Upon further reflection it is quite odd how the hand is cut off and that an odd plant like thing rests in the palm. A coin would be more appropriate at the very least.
Why may you enjoy reading A Touch of Gold?
-Hettie and Rhat.
Hettie is Kora's cousin who doesn't fit in any more than Kora does! She is a testament to friendship and is a great foil for Kora who is more restrained than Hettie could ever be. I found her relationship with Rhat to be quite fun!
-Sirens!
This is a favorite part of the book for me... There is this EPIC battle that Kora and Hettie must take on personally. No protection and a LOT of danger and possibly more curses. I won't give it away more but its a wild part of the entire adventure!
-Curses...
I loved this commentary on what it means to be cursed and how others don't understand and see you as someone to avoid rather than accept. This was quite a relatable part of the book even though Kora was too naive for me at times.
As a Writer...
The world building in this book relied quite heavily on already established worlds that we have read quite a lot already. This was perhaps the most disappointing part of the book besides Kora. I wanted to see Kora's world take on a life of its own! Since this was a retelling we don't need to stick with the same old boring kingdom, with only a touch of magic. I'm not reading this to get a feel for history and what it meant to live back in historical times. Expanding on other ways to add fantasy elements would have really made this story POP!
I also struggled with Kora in the first half of the book. Just because a girl only reads books and doesn't actually experience things themselves doesn't mean they have to be naive! I would have liked to seen her suspicious and doubting... Today girls need to know that when an alarm is blaring in their head, especially about a guy that it may very well be for a reason! To have Kora so placid at this point in the story felt contrived.
A Touch of Gold expands on King Midas' fairy tale in a delightfully fun and pirate filled way! Annie Sullivan's debut novel is perfect for fans of The Wrath and The Dawn and Flame in the Mist... I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!!
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
November 26, 2018
A Touch of Gold is a good story, entertaining with endearing characters. I did expect to enjoy it more though. It felt a tad bit predictable to me. I literally called some of the character motivations and actions before they happened, mostly in a joking sort of way, but then when it all went down, I was right almost to the detail.
Positives are watching the main character, Kora, grow and develop over the course of the story. The first-person narration is compelling, and I liked her as a character. I loved the tie-in with the King Midas story, although I'm not sure why a Greek god had to be included when nothing else indicates that type of society. In fact, there is not a lot to indicate the society at all - Greek gods are mentioned, but the descriptions kind of feel medieval, so it's hard to tell. So, for me, the world-building is a bit flat. The romance is just so-so as well and extremely predictable. I did appreciate that the violence was not gratuitous, nor is there anything explicit in terms of the romance. It suits the age range really well. The magic of her gold curse is explained well, too, fantastic but also somewhat realistic, if that makes sense (more than just "Bam! You've been turned to gold forever!"). Also, if Hettie were my "friend" and stowed away, I'd have probably thrown her overboard myself.
Solid debut, just missed the mark for me in a few key things; however, it does show promise for future books. It does leave the reader with a bit of a cliff hanger, and I am interested enough to read the sequel.
Positives are watching the main character, Kora, grow and develop over the course of the story. The first-person narration is compelling, and I liked her as a character. I loved the tie-in with the King Midas story, although I'm not sure why a Greek god had to be included when nothing else indicates that type of society. In fact, there is not a lot to indicate the society at all - Greek gods are mentioned, but the descriptions kind of feel medieval, so it's hard to tell. So, for me, the world-building is a bit flat. The romance is just so-so as well and extremely predictable. I did appreciate that the violence was not gratuitous, nor is there anything explicit in terms of the romance. It suits the age range really well. The magic of her gold curse is explained well, too, fantastic but also somewhat realistic, if that makes sense (more than just "Bam! You've been turned to gold forever!"). Also, if Hettie were my "friend" and stowed away, I'd have probably thrown her overboard myself.
Solid debut, just missed the mark for me in a few key things; however, it does show promise for future books. It does leave the reader with a bit of a cliff hanger, and I am interested enough to read the sequel.
December 7, 2018
While reading this I really enjoyed the adventure filled with pirates, mystery and deceit. But now that it's been a couple days since I finished, I can't say that I really remember anything special about this story. It was decent, Kora was a likable character. However, she was mainly afraid, afraid of the curse on her family and how that made people act around her, afraid of her power, afraid of being close to other people. While these are all normal and rational fears to have for someone in her situation, it made for a boring character study. I think I ended up liking her cousin better.
The romance in this was okay. I'm still not really a fan of the love interest. The ending was a bit predictable as well. Nevertheless this was an entertaining listen, so I will most likely pick up the next book when it is out.
The romance in this was okay. I'm still not really a fan of the love interest. The ending was a bit predictable as well. Nevertheless this was an entertaining listen, so I will most likely pick up the next book when it is out.
May 19, 2020
*read it because I have book two as arc
* mythology retelling
*meh
* mythology retelling
*meh
August 10, 2021
4 stars
This book is so underrated! The writing was magnificent and detailed. The storyline was intriguing and I flew through the pages.
First, off Kora was such a cool main character. Doomed with golden skin and dangerous powers, she had spent her life in seclusion. That is until her father's cursed gold is stolen and she is the only one who can find it.
The book was filled to the brim with plot twists and game-changing revelations. I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath for the better half of this book.
Also, does anyone else start freaking out when
Anyway, this book might seem like a typical YA fantasy, but for a novel I hadn't heard much about, I wasn't disappointed. If you love retellings that aren't like every other book, this one is for you! <3 <3 <3
This book is so underrated! The writing was magnificent and detailed. The storyline was intriguing and I flew through the pages.
First, off Kora was such a cool main character. Doomed with golden skin and dangerous powers, she had spent her life in seclusion. That is until her father's cursed gold is stolen and she is the only one who can find it.
The book was filled to the brim with plot twists and game-changing revelations. I'm pretty sure I was holding my breath for the better half of this book.
Also, does anyone else start freaking out when
Anyway, this book might seem like a typical YA fantasy, but for a novel I hadn't heard much about, I wasn't disappointed. If you love retellings that aren't like every other book, this one is for you! <3 <3 <3
May 9, 2018
4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | I loved this book! It was refreshingly different! I am a big fantasy reader and this was a nice break from what I have been reading lately. This is a retelling of King Midas and his golden touch. We have all heard this story growing up but Annie takes a fun and interesting approach to this story by following the cursed King’s daughter, Princess Kora. Kora has been locked up and hidden in her kingdom for years after suffering from the curse her father gave her. After a Duke arrives, she starts to believe that she may not be alone and starts to think there could be more out in the world for her. But when her father’s gold is stolen, she takes it upon herself to find the gold and bring it back to her father. While she is on this crazy adventure, she discovers that everything she has known her entire life, could all be a lie.
This story is more beautiful than its cover!
Annie Sullivan knows how to write! My heart could not stop racing for the last 40% of the book! Even though the story wrapped up very well, I wish there could be a companion novel so I could continue exploring this world. This is a story I heard growing up and was always fascinated by it, but now I have a longing filled that I didn’t even know I had! I never knew I wanted to hear more to King Mida’s story until I read this!
I can’t wait until this is published and we can get some beautiful fan art out! I’m looking forward to that since these characters were so unique and beautiful! I can’t wait to see how people will portray them in their art!
This was a very fun and fast read that I highly recommend!! Please get it when it comes out this August!! You won’t be disappointed! ✨
This story is more beautiful than its cover!
Annie Sullivan knows how to write! My heart could not stop racing for the last 40% of the book! Even though the story wrapped up very well, I wish there could be a companion novel so I could continue exploring this world. This is a story I heard growing up and was always fascinated by it, but now I have a longing filled that I didn’t even know I had! I never knew I wanted to hear more to King Mida’s story until I read this!
I can’t wait until this is published and we can get some beautiful fan art out! I’m looking forward to that since these characters were so unique and beautiful! I can’t wait to see how people will portray them in their art!
This was a very fun and fast read that I highly recommend!! Please get it when it comes out this August!! You won’t be disappointed! ✨
March 17, 2018
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy because the patrons in my library and myself included are die hard fans of modern versions of classic fairy tales. Sullivan examines a whole new range of conflict of the classic tale of King Midas battling his curse of the golden touch and how he turned his daughter into gold. Now with a whole new twist and a new story line added, Sullivan does a tremendous job taking the reader away to a side of Midas that not everyone has seen before and this book reminded me a lot of Cinder and the Red Queen and how the books modernized the tales of Cinderella and Snow White. A wonderful read that is sure to leave the reader intrigued.
April 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I had no expectations, but what I found was a creative spin on the Midas story. It started with the myth but then expanded quickly from there, focusing on Midas' daughter who was turned to gold and now has mysterious powers because of the curse. The book ended up being reminiscent of the daughter of the pirate king with its own spin. I enjoyed all the characters and the twists. While I called the twists early on, I still enjoyed how they played out. The characters were three dimensional and the story was well told and paced. I'm definitely sticking around for the next book!
February 18, 2018
This was a fun YA fable reimagining and adventure story. Think Frozen with gold instead of ice.
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