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The Roses #1
Cursed
A Shade of Vampire, Twilight, and The Vampire Gift fans have found their next series. The Roses is a cult classic of YA adventure and romance, with all 9 books completed. "I couldn't put it down!" ***** "Very different storyline!" ***** "I've read Cursed 3 times now and I'm still hooked!" ***** Someone in Port Mackenzie is drugging the fairest of them all and leaving them in the dark corners of the forests. When 17 year old Aimee James, wakes in a hospital bed with almost no memories, she has no idea what's coming or where this adventure will end. But she does remember him, the angel from her dreams. Desperate to solve the mystery surrounding her own assault, she starts the hunt, not just for the attacker but also the man with the eyes made of light. As she gets sicker, a side effect of the drugs forced on her, Aimee discovers there are worse things than dying. There is something called cursed. And it comes with a price tag you cannot imagine. One Aimee cannot pay. One click to start an epic tale!
266 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
349 people are currently reading
3315 people want to read
About the author
T.L. Brown
13 books72 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Pen name of Tara Brown
Pen name of Tara Brown
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
February 18, 2013
I got this book free on Amazon and really wanted to like it. When I first started reading, I was enjoying it. After putting it down for the night, though, I started to actually think about it and subsequently couldn't read it the same way. I should say, although I discuss the negative more below, the book isn't horrible or anything and some of the problems I had may have been because at some point I sort of started skimming portions. I'm undecided if I will read the next book, but I'm not entirely the target audience for the book anyway. Honestly, a number of other people seemed to really enjoy it so I'm not recommending against it, I just thought I'd share my thoughts.
What I liked:
The opening is interesting. The action starts immediately, although it's 2 years after the events of the (majority) of the book.
The premise was enjoyable. Overall, I found the plot interesting, even if I had some problems with the details as discussed below.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Shane and Aimee, even if he did date her sister. The relationship seemed genuine as it had developed over the years.
What I didn't like:
There are a number of proofreading errors or oddly constructed sentences. The book needs another edit. I read that the books were re-released in December (before I got mine) to fix some of these errors. I don't think it's as bad as some of the other reviews seem to indicate but it did occasionally draw me out of the book.
Some of the characterizations really bothered me.
A variety of plot points don't really make sense.
The romances bugged me to some extent.
What I liked:
The opening is interesting. The action starts immediately, although it's 2 years after the events of the (majority) of the book.
The premise was enjoyable. Overall, I found the plot interesting, even if I had some problems with the details as discussed below.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Shane and Aimee, even if he did date her sister. The relationship seemed genuine as it had developed over the years.
What I didn't like:
There are a number of proofreading errors or oddly constructed sentences. The book needs another edit. I read that the books were re-released in December (before I got mine) to fix some of these errors. I don't think it's as bad as some of the other reviews seem to indicate but it did occasionally draw me out of the book.
Some of the characterizations really bothered me.
A variety of plot points don't really make sense.
The romances bugged me to some extent.
August 29, 2013
Like with Hush, Hush, I did enjoy this book and the rest of the series, and it goes to show that even if something isn't written good, the plot and characters can really grab a hold of you. But that doesn't mean I'm going to give it anything above two stars, because it really (emphasis on really) needs work. I don't know if there was an editor for any books in this series, or if the editor was blind, but...yeah. Editors. Find one. Or many.
I guess the first sentence should've given me pause. I mean, some chick is running in heeled boots and the description of the cement is cold. How can she tell the cement is cold, if she's not running barefoot? Am I right? Oh well. I'll probably come to that if I happen to do chapter-by-chapter reviews on the book.
The first chapter is basically set in the future, while the rest of the book is set in the past, in order to lead up to that event being told. Which is fine by me. I find these styles of first chapters/prologues quite fun, because we're taken back to the point where it all began (and began, and began, and began, but that's for another book in another review).
So this book revolves around Aimee and is written in first person. The first thing that irks me in this book is not only the fact that the punctuation is completely off in most of every chapter, but also the fact that there are way too many "I"s going about at the start of sentences. If you're writing in first person, for the love of all things, keep a handle on that. Never be repetitive if you can help it, otherwise that word will be more focused on than the actual story itself. If you're not bothered by the whole "I verbed" as the start of a lot of sentences, then that's good.
Punctuation-wise, this book is littered with periods where commas should be. Also, the author forgets to capitalize the first word in a sentence when it comes to a character talking, or even after a period inside of a quotation mark. Urgh. It's the little things that irk me the most, but I was able to tread through the sludge of grammatical mistakes and reach the end triumphantly, while actually wanting more.
Ah right, Aimee. Let's get to her. She lives a depressed life since her mother died, and she wants to hold onto that depression, afraid that she'll forget her mom if she's happy. I have sympathy with her on this one. I've yet to lose one of my parents, but thinking about it always gets me stuck in my own kind of depression. One of the reasons I love Aimee is due to her World of Warcraft obsession. I cracked up laughing the moment I saw a snippet of that in the book. What kind of gamer would I be if I didn't want to high-five this girl for being a geek like me? After having a near-death experience from being poisoned at a party, she meets a stranger she's attracted to named Aleksander, who brings her back to life.
She befriends her sister's best friend, Giselle. Without getting too much into the characters to contain spoilers, most of the females are just...dumb. Even Aimee's sister, Alise, is a complete incompetent person who bosses around Aimee and apparently has hooked up with practically every single guy in school. Aimee seems to be getting better while Giselle gets sicker, but in reality Aimee is getting worse as well, it's just that whenever Aleksander is near, he takes the pain away. So in the end, Aimee gets a second kind of life, and throughout most of this book it becomes a kind of love triangle while trying to break Aleksander's curse and saving those she loves.
We actually get to meet quite a few different characters in this book, which is fine, but...when you have ADD and can only remember so many characters at one time, it's hard when you throw ten more in. Granted, a lot of the characters have made an impression on me, so I know most of them. Toward the end of the book series however...I'm at a complete loss as to who's who most of the time.
Whew. That was a long one, yeah?
I guess the first sentence should've given me pause. I mean, some chick is running in heeled boots and the description of the cement is cold. How can she tell the cement is cold, if she's not running barefoot? Am I right? Oh well. I'll probably come to that if I happen to do chapter-by-chapter reviews on the book.
The first chapter is basically set in the future, while the rest of the book is set in the past, in order to lead up to that event being told. Which is fine by me. I find these styles of first chapters/prologues quite fun, because we're taken back to the point where it all began (and began, and began, and began, but that's for another book in another review).
So this book revolves around Aimee and is written in first person. The first thing that irks me in this book is not only the fact that the punctuation is completely off in most of every chapter, but also the fact that there are way too many "I"s going about at the start of sentences. If you're writing in first person, for the love of all things, keep a handle on that. Never be repetitive if you can help it, otherwise that word will be more focused on than the actual story itself. If you're not bothered by the whole "I verbed" as the start of a lot of sentences, then that's good.
Punctuation-wise, this book is littered with periods where commas should be. Also, the author forgets to capitalize the first word in a sentence when it comes to a character talking, or even after a period inside of a quotation mark. Urgh. It's the little things that irk me the most, but I was able to tread through the sludge of grammatical mistakes and reach the end triumphantly, while actually wanting more.
Ah right, Aimee. Let's get to her. She lives a depressed life since her mother died, and she wants to hold onto that depression, afraid that she'll forget her mom if she's happy. I have sympathy with her on this one. I've yet to lose one of my parents, but thinking about it always gets me stuck in my own kind of depression. One of the reasons I love Aimee is due to her World of Warcraft obsession. I cracked up laughing the moment I saw a snippet of that in the book. What kind of gamer would I be if I didn't want to high-five this girl for being a geek like me? After having a near-death experience from being poisoned at a party, she meets a stranger she's attracted to named Aleksander, who brings her back to life.
She befriends her sister's best friend, Giselle. Without getting too much into the characters to contain spoilers, most of the females are just...dumb. Even Aimee's sister, Alise, is a complete incompetent person who bosses around Aimee and apparently has hooked up with practically every single guy in school. Aimee seems to be getting better while Giselle gets sicker, but in reality Aimee is getting worse as well, it's just that whenever Aleksander is near, he takes the pain away. So in the end, Aimee gets a second kind of life, and throughout most of this book it becomes a kind of love triangle while trying to break Aleksander's curse and saving those she loves.
We actually get to meet quite a few different characters in this book, which is fine, but...when you have ADD and can only remember so many characters at one time, it's hard when you throw ten more in. Granted, a lot of the characters have made an impression on me, so I know most of them. Toward the end of the book series however...I'm at a complete loss as to who's who most of the time.
Whew. That was a long one, yeah?
July 2, 2015
Review for the series in total - rather than just this book.
What a crazy mess of nonsense/madness/heartbreak/heart wrenching/drama/murder/action/adventure/awesomeness.
What a crazy mess of nonsense/madness/heartbreak/heart wrenching/drama/murder/action/adventure/awesomeness.
December 20, 2014
This started ok, but the story took so many weird turns from the halfway point, I was confused.
Aimee is a nerdy, bookish teen who is reeling from the sudden loss of her mum months earlier. After getting a humiliating brush off from her nerdy bff, Blake, she's drugged and has an out of body experience that enables her to see Alexsander, an immortal hottie. Meanwhile she's always been 'in love' with her sister's boyfriend, Shane forever, but she's also 'in love' with the immortal guy, her former bff lets her down and whoever tried to poison her is still stalking her...
I wasn't convinced by the love triangle, declaring love for a guy she's known for a matter of minutes seemed quite daft to me, even with his pnr love skills. The pace and flow also felt choppy, especially from the midway point, adding to my confusion. I pushed through to the end, but there wasn't really any resolution, just the lead into the next book.
Sometimes ya works for me, sometimes it doesn't and I feel like I've fallen into the midst of some overblown teeny melodrama. Unfortunately, this was the latter. Not for me.
Aimee is a nerdy, bookish teen who is reeling from the sudden loss of her mum months earlier. After getting a humiliating brush off from her nerdy bff, Blake, she's drugged and has an out of body experience that enables her to see Alexsander, an immortal hottie. Meanwhile she's always been 'in love' with her sister's boyfriend, Shane forever, but she's also 'in love' with the immortal guy, her former bff lets her down and whoever tried to poison her is still stalking her...
I wasn't convinced by the love triangle, declaring love for a guy she's known for a matter of minutes seemed quite daft to me, even with his pnr love skills. The pace and flow also felt choppy, especially from the midway point, adding to my confusion. I pushed through to the end, but there wasn't really any resolution, just the lead into the next book.
Sometimes ya works for me, sometimes it doesn't and I feel like I've fallen into the midst of some overblown teeny melodrama. Unfortunately, this was the latter. Not for me.
June 30, 2013
'Cursed' is book one of 'The Devil's Roses' series. This book is YA and good for any age in my opinion. I liked reading this book due to the story line, which was well written. It is the first book I've read that involves the dark angels. Cursed will take you through an 18 year old's life as a senior in high school that had dealt with her mother's death, being drugged at a party that will end up changing her life, finding true love, falling in love with a gorgeous man whom she can never have to a life that had never crossed her mind. Well written, great characters and a story that will leave you wanting to read the next book 'Bane' book two of 'The Devil's Roses'. I recommend this book.
May 31, 2012
I read all three books in two days, which is not healthy. I laughed, I cried and I enjoyed. Very impressed. It YA but with the steam we crave.
July 26, 2013
I've been done with the book for about a week now, and have been letting it percolate. I read Tara Brown's first 2 books in the Born Trilogy, and really enjoyed them. This book, however, was a mixed bag for me. I liked the characters, and I think the concept for the book was a good one. However, there were many times when the story was choppy and I had to reread a passage thinking I had missed something. The characters were an interesting mix of very detailed and solid one moment, and then inconsistent the next. My biggest beef with the book, however, was in the details. An author should have at least a basic working knowledge of the city she is writing about and the slang/ vocabulary that is used by her characters. Being from the Portland area, it was very frustrating to read about the main character taking the subway, and going to "Children's Hospital". Portland does have a public transportation system, but there is no subway; and it has multiple hospital systems. Also, our police force in America generally go by "officer" and "detective", and not "constable" or "colonel" I believe it was. American teenagers also do not go to university....
I'll finish the Born trilogy, but will not be reading any further books in this particular series.
I'll finish the Born trilogy, but will not be reading any further books in this particular series.
July 17, 2025
I've been obsessed with this book since middle school, this is like the third time I've read it. I love it and will continue rereading the next ones.
December 26, 2019
DNF 47%
I was bored by the story and the characters. I didn’t like or connect with any of them. I didn’t like the slut shaming, overly cliched and stereotyped characters, the lecturing from Aimee about partying/smoking/drinking — it came off as preachy. I didn’t find her or her sister to be very likable.
The synopsis of the book sounded good but the execution left a lot to be desired.
I was bored by the story and the characters. I didn’t like or connect with any of them. I didn’t like the slut shaming, overly cliched and stereotyped characters, the lecturing from Aimee about partying/smoking/drinking — it came off as preachy. I didn’t find her or her sister to be very likable.
The synopsis of the book sounded good but the execution left a lot to be desired.
December 10, 2020
Cursed
Really liked this book but I was getting whiplash from Blake, Shane and Aleks dynamic. Disappointed in all three in their behavior.
Really liked this book but I was getting whiplash from Blake, Shane and Aleks dynamic. Disappointed in all three in their behavior.
August 14, 2013
Synopsis:
It has been eight months since Aimee's mom died and she still lives in the shock, unable to move forward. Her life is a fog in which she barely functions for fear of leaving her mom's memory behind. Her twin sister, Alise, is her complete opposite. She is popular, social, and carries on as if nothing happened. She is also dating Shane, the only boy Aimee has ever had feelings for.
One night, her sister convinces her to go to a party at Shane's house. Aimee reluctantly agrees. Little does she know that this night will change everything. A night of humiliation and revelation ends with Aimee and her sister's friend, Giselle, in the hospital. They shared a drink at the party which was laced with a date rape drug. Now Giselle is in liver failure and Aimee can't stop talking about the boy with the blue eyes. She knows that she saw him, that he was the one who saved her. As her memories from that night start coming back, and she finally finds the guy from the party, she finds that her life is not what she thought it was anymore. Her choices are about to take her down a path she never imagined.
Review:
2.5 Stars
I got this book free on Amazon and read it as a monthly book group read. I have been eying this one for awhile and am glad to finally mark it off my TBR list. This book has an interesting premise which is probably what kept me reading. The delivery, however, leaves something to be desired. I found the story to be very scattered and there were many parts that didn't really make sense. There are scenes that seem very incomplete, almost like they were being redone and then she just forgot to finish them. This book also needs to be edited, badly. The grammar is atrocious throughout the entire book. There are sentences that have no punctuation at all and some without capitalization. I'm normally not bothered too much by this as long as it doesn't take away from the book, but this one bothered me immensely.
The characters are shallow and annoying. I really disliked Aimee. I thought she was snobbish and a jerk. She was very critical of everything and everyone. She wallows in self pity and doesn't care how her actions affect others. Her sister is a "mean girl" through and through. She is slutty and ignorant. Shane is the most put together person in this whole book. He is smart, polite, sweet, and caring. He is the perfect teenage boy and every parent's fantasy. He even plays football. Unfortunately, he gets caught up with Aimee and Alise. Neither of them appreciate him, even for all that he does. Aleks is my least favorite character in this whole book, which is pretty bad. He is supposed to be the hot mystery guy who Aimee falls madly in love with. Personally, I thought he was an ass. His parts were poorly written and he treated Aimee like crap. I thought that he was possibly supposed to be written as a smart-ass-bad-boy type, but that wasn't how he came across. His whole history was lacking and his character was very underdeveloped.
Throughout this whole book I felt like the author couldn't quite get the story in her head onto the paper properly. The concept was great, but she needed to take more time to refine the book before it was published. I think that this could have been so much better than it was. That being said, it is a quick read and it kept me interested because I wanted to know what was going to happen. It wasn't a book that I couldn't put down, but it did keep me reading for the most part. I have the rest of the books in the series and I will probably continue on eventually because of that. It is a free read and it isn't terrible, so if you get a chance, pick it up and read it for yourself.
It has been eight months since Aimee's mom died and she still lives in the shock, unable to move forward. Her life is a fog in which she barely functions for fear of leaving her mom's memory behind. Her twin sister, Alise, is her complete opposite. She is popular, social, and carries on as if nothing happened. She is also dating Shane, the only boy Aimee has ever had feelings for.
One night, her sister convinces her to go to a party at Shane's house. Aimee reluctantly agrees. Little does she know that this night will change everything. A night of humiliation and revelation ends with Aimee and her sister's friend, Giselle, in the hospital. They shared a drink at the party which was laced with a date rape drug. Now Giselle is in liver failure and Aimee can't stop talking about the boy with the blue eyes. She knows that she saw him, that he was the one who saved her. As her memories from that night start coming back, and she finally finds the guy from the party, she finds that her life is not what she thought it was anymore. Her choices are about to take her down a path she never imagined.
Review:
2.5 Stars
I got this book free on Amazon and read it as a monthly book group read. I have been eying this one for awhile and am glad to finally mark it off my TBR list. This book has an interesting premise which is probably what kept me reading. The delivery, however, leaves something to be desired. I found the story to be very scattered and there were many parts that didn't really make sense. There are scenes that seem very incomplete, almost like they were being redone and then she just forgot to finish them. This book also needs to be edited, badly. The grammar is atrocious throughout the entire book. There are sentences that have no punctuation at all and some without capitalization. I'm normally not bothered too much by this as long as it doesn't take away from the book, but this one bothered me immensely.
The characters are shallow and annoying. I really disliked Aimee. I thought she was snobbish and a jerk. She was very critical of everything and everyone. She wallows in self pity and doesn't care how her actions affect others. Her sister is a "mean girl" through and through. She is slutty and ignorant. Shane is the most put together person in this whole book. He is smart, polite, sweet, and caring. He is the perfect teenage boy and every parent's fantasy. He even plays football. Unfortunately, he gets caught up with Aimee and Alise. Neither of them appreciate him, even for all that he does. Aleks is my least favorite character in this whole book, which is pretty bad. He is supposed to be the hot mystery guy who Aimee falls madly in love with. Personally, I thought he was an ass. His parts were poorly written and he treated Aimee like crap. I thought that he was possibly supposed to be written as a smart-ass-bad-boy type, but that wasn't how he came across. His whole history was lacking and his character was very underdeveloped.
Throughout this whole book I felt like the author couldn't quite get the story in her head onto the paper properly. The concept was great, but she needed to take more time to refine the book before it was published. I think that this could have been so much better than it was. That being said, it is a quick read and it kept me interested because I wanted to know what was going to happen. It wasn't a book that I couldn't put down, but it did keep me reading for the most part. I have the rest of the books in the series and I will probably continue on eventually because of that. It is a free read and it isn't terrible, so if you get a chance, pick it up and read it for yourself.
May 23, 2012
"Cursed, Book One of the Devil's Roses" is one of the most unique reads I've read in a while. The book hooked me from the Prologue when the main character is hunting down her prey and stumbles upon someone from her past. After quickly leaving the scene, she begins to remember her former life.
High School senior Aimee James is the stable good girl twin while her sister Alise is the party boy crazed one. Alise is dating Shane, the boy, Aimee has been crushing on for a long time. What kind of person could she be if she is crushing on her sister's boy toy. So, she does what any self respecting good sister would do. If you can't be with the one you love, you love the one you'r with! She attempts to begin a romance with her soulmate and best friend Blake.
While attending the first party Aimee has attended since the death of her mother, Aimee is poisoned by a date rape concoction she shared with one of her sister's best friends. After being rushed to the hospital, she discovers that the drug has damaged her liver as well as her friends. Aimee is on the lucky end while her friend is going to need a liver transplant. Aimee begins to recover but not before discovering her twin sister has kisses Blake her best friend. Not only has Alise crossed boundaries she never should have she has also embarassed Shane. Aimee is left feeling betrayed. Her memory begins to return and she recalls that she was saved the night of the party by a blond guy who causes her to throw up the vile drug and clean her up. Who is he and why doesn't anyone know who he is?
Aimee begins to date Shane and her sister continues on her dating of her best friend. At another party, another girl is poisoned with the drug and is raped. Aimee finds her and manages to get her help. Unfortunately, she does not make it and Aimee has a relapse tha sends her back into the hospital. She is dying but is provided with the option to live by a stranger who is part demon. She decides to accept his offer and mixes blood with him. What will follow will change her life forever.
This book is initial told from the point of view of Aimee the adult; then, Aimee the High School student and finally, back to Aimee the adult. It was a very creative approach. However, in all honesty the ending was so confusing and convoluted that I was left scratching my head saying, "Huh, what?" It truly was a shame! I really liked where this story was heading until the ending. Now, I am left reeling and wondering what the hell? Oh well, I guiess I will go on to the read the second book to see if it resolves my issues. If it does not, I will not complete the series.
High School senior Aimee James is the stable good girl twin while her sister Alise is the party boy crazed one. Alise is dating Shane, the boy, Aimee has been crushing on for a long time. What kind of person could she be if she is crushing on her sister's boy toy. So, she does what any self respecting good sister would do. If you can't be with the one you love, you love the one you'r with! She attempts to begin a romance with her soulmate and best friend Blake.
While attending the first party Aimee has attended since the death of her mother, Aimee is poisoned by a date rape concoction she shared with one of her sister's best friends. After being rushed to the hospital, she discovers that the drug has damaged her liver as well as her friends. Aimee is on the lucky end while her friend is going to need a liver transplant. Aimee begins to recover but not before discovering her twin sister has kisses Blake her best friend. Not only has Alise crossed boundaries she never should have she has also embarassed Shane. Aimee is left feeling betrayed. Her memory begins to return and she recalls that she was saved the night of the party by a blond guy who causes her to throw up the vile drug and clean her up. Who is he and why doesn't anyone know who he is?
Aimee begins to date Shane and her sister continues on her dating of her best friend. At another party, another girl is poisoned with the drug and is raped. Aimee finds her and manages to get her help. Unfortunately, she does not make it and Aimee has a relapse tha sends her back into the hospital. She is dying but is provided with the option to live by a stranger who is part demon. She decides to accept his offer and mixes blood with him. What will follow will change her life forever.
This book is initial told from the point of view of Aimee the adult; then, Aimee the High School student and finally, back to Aimee the adult. It was a very creative approach. However, in all honesty the ending was so confusing and convoluted that I was left scratching my head saying, "Huh, what?" It truly was a shame! I really liked where this story was heading until the ending. Now, I am left reeling and wondering what the hell? Oh well, I guiess I will go on to the read the second book to see if it resolves my issues. If it does not, I will not complete the series.
October 27, 2014
For some reason I am always a bit hesitant when it comes to young adult fiction, but that is more to do with my believing that I should read more "grown up" stuff/books..... Which in and of itself is ridiculous, because I really should just read whatever I want.... That being said I am usually not fully aware what genres or "boxes" books fall into, so Even now I don't know if Cursed is considered young adult or not...
But I liked it, even though it took me forever to read..... That is in no way the book's fault though, that is purely my own "doing", because I fall out of the habit of reading all the time....
But finally I am done with this book.... It has left me with a few questions, but I DO have the rest of the series on hand, so I can continue whenever I want.... And eventually I will...
Cursed was a bit confusing at times, especially at the end (can you believe it, I have already forgotten if I am thinking of the last chapter or just the epilogue?)... But I liked the book, I liked Aimee and Shane, and I dearly hope there will be more of them together, but I am guessing that I won't get a happy ending for them, where they are together despite Aimee's new "life".... Ooh well, a girl can dream, can't she?
Is the story believeable? It was to me.... But I like supernatural stuff... I am a believer, I guess you could say... I don't know if I know anyone who reads this kind of thing though, I know nothing of my friends' reading lives, oddly enough... I never have, to be honest... But if you like a somewhat quick read, with a supernatural element, a little lovestory, a somewhat young protagonist, then yes, check this one out... There IS the option to read a sample before you buy, and I started out with that, and was hooked by the prologue, and HAD to know what this was all about.... And I have not regretted it... I quite liked this story...
I apologise for this horrendous review, I am really not good at writing them at all.... Heh, one might say I shouldn't be trusted to review anything, if I am absolutely honest...
But yes, I DO wish to see where the story goes, and I am happy that I already have the next books in the series ready.... I hope they will prove to be enough...
But I liked it, even though it took me forever to read..... That is in no way the book's fault though, that is purely my own "doing", because I fall out of the habit of reading all the time....
But finally I am done with this book.... It has left me with a few questions, but I DO have the rest of the series on hand, so I can continue whenever I want.... And eventually I will...
Cursed was a bit confusing at times, especially at the end (can you believe it, I have already forgotten if I am thinking of the last chapter or just the epilogue?)... But I liked the book, I liked Aimee and Shane, and I dearly hope there will be more of them together, but I am guessing that I won't get a happy ending for them, where they are together despite Aimee's new "life".... Ooh well, a girl can dream, can't she?
Is the story believeable? It was to me.... But I like supernatural stuff... I am a believer, I guess you could say... I don't know if I know anyone who reads this kind of thing though, I know nothing of my friends' reading lives, oddly enough... I never have, to be honest... But if you like a somewhat quick read, with a supernatural element, a little lovestory, a somewhat young protagonist, then yes, check this one out... There IS the option to read a sample before you buy, and I started out with that, and was hooked by the prologue, and HAD to know what this was all about.... And I have not regretted it... I quite liked this story...
I apologise for this horrendous review, I am really not good at writing them at all.... Heh, one might say I shouldn't be trusted to review anything, if I am absolutely honest...
But yes, I DO wish to see where the story goes, and I am happy that I already have the next books in the series ready.... I hope they will prove to be enough...
May 30, 2013
I ran across another book titled “Cursed” while I was reviewing Red Harvey’s “CURSED” on Amazon. CURSED by Tara Brown (New Adult Paranormal Romance) has over one-hundred reviews and 4+ stars AND it was free. I couldn’t resist, so I downloaded it and read it last night.
What a fun read! 253 pages went fast and I thought the first half was fantastic! Usually the first half of the book the author struggles and then warms up the last half. Not the case with this story. Opposite actually. The first half I would give it 5 stars but the last half 3 stars. The last half felt very disjointed, like it should have been a new book. I would have like to see a better conclusion to the love triangle she beautifully setup in the beginning. I LOVED the premise, the fantasy world she created and the character development. The author gave me emotional whiplash from Aimee (the MC); for such a smart girl she is a “hamtard” when it comes to love.
This is the first book I have read of Ms. Brown’s but I can promise you it won’t be my last. She has a whole bevy of self published books that are highly rated PLUS they are all reasonably priced (Free – $1.99). I think this is incredibly smart of the author/business woman because she will reach a lot more readers AND they will thank her in the form of writing reviews AND being generous with their ratings.
Take Note: If you wrote a solid story and you are having a hard time growing your readership try dropping the price. OR, write a novella, sell it for free and then link to your reasonably priced book.
If you like paranormal romance with angst-y teenage (I think this book is closer to New Adult than YA.) love then this book is for you.
What a fun read! 253 pages went fast and I thought the first half was fantastic! Usually the first half of the book the author struggles and then warms up the last half. Not the case with this story. Opposite actually. The first half I would give it 5 stars but the last half 3 stars. The last half felt very disjointed, like it should have been a new book. I would have like to see a better conclusion to the love triangle she beautifully setup in the beginning. I LOVED the premise, the fantasy world she created and the character development. The author gave me emotional whiplash from Aimee (the MC); for such a smart girl she is a “hamtard” when it comes to love.
This is the first book I have read of Ms. Brown’s but I can promise you it won’t be my last. She has a whole bevy of self published books that are highly rated PLUS they are all reasonably priced (Free – $1.99). I think this is incredibly smart of the author/business woman because she will reach a lot more readers AND they will thank her in the form of writing reviews AND being generous with their ratings.
Take Note: If you wrote a solid story and you are having a hard time growing your readership try dropping the price. OR, write a novella, sell it for free and then link to your reasonably priced book.
If you like paranormal romance with angst-y teenage (I think this book is closer to New Adult than YA.) love then this book is for you.
March 23, 2014
Cursed was a good novel with an okay plot (minus the teacher drugging teenagers at parties...what?), but the characters didn't do it for me. Amiee, the main character, is a shy, depressed teenager (partially due to her mother's passing). Her sister Alise is opposite and one the most annoying person/characters I ever had the displeasure of "meeting" while reading a novel. I couldn't connect with any of the characters really.
I enjoyed the idea of Aimee and her new found abilities, but the juvenile thought process and dialogue between the characters irritated me. Aimee's sister treats her like crap, causing Aimee to hate her (most of the book, Aimee bitches about how much she dislikes her and how she is a slut, loving drama, etc.) - especially after Aimee finds out her sister and her BFF, Blake, are secretly dating (what!!?!?!?)... Then, all of a sudden, Aimee and her sister become instant BFFs after Aimee almost died. I don't mind the rekindling of family ties, but at least ease back into it!
Blake seemed like a cool, nerdy guy at first, but that changed after I found out he was secretly dating Alise. Also, towards the end, he condemns Aimee for thinking she might be some kind of "supernatural." He turns his back on her, insulting her - AFTER HE lied to Aimee about her sister, etc. Jerk.
The love triangle between Shane, Aimee and Alex was immature and daunting. Alex loves Aimee and so does Shane - and she constantly flips between the two. Normally I don't mind love triangles, but when they are too cumbersome, it loses my interest. Shane was great, but a little too needy and naive at times.
Overall the plot was interesting, but I don't think I will continue the series.
I enjoyed the idea of Aimee and her new found abilities, but the juvenile thought process and dialogue between the characters irritated me. Aimee's sister treats her like crap, causing Aimee to hate her (most of the book, Aimee bitches about how much she dislikes her and how she is a slut, loving drama, etc.) - especially after Aimee finds out her sister and her BFF, Blake, are secretly dating (what!!?!?!?)... Then, all of a sudden, Aimee and her sister become instant BFFs after Aimee almost died. I don't mind the rekindling of family ties, but at least ease back into it!
Blake seemed like a cool, nerdy guy at first, but that changed after I found out he was secretly dating Alise. Also, towards the end, he condemns Aimee for thinking she might be some kind of "supernatural." He turns his back on her, insulting her - AFTER HE lied to Aimee about her sister, etc. Jerk.
The love triangle between Shane, Aimee and Alex was immature and daunting. Alex loves Aimee and so does Shane - and she constantly flips between the two. Normally I don't mind love triangles, but when they are too cumbersome, it loses my interest. Shane was great, but a little too needy and naive at times.
Overall the plot was interesting, but I don't think I will continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2014
"She gulped, pushing down her feelings. She felt frozen in panic, but also desperate to see him. Just one glance of him would fill her for the next hundred years."
Cursed is one of the few paranormal books that caught my attention from the very beginning. There’s often a period where I feel like the book is slow where they explain the otherworldly aspect, but I thought Cursed started with a bang and kept my attention until the very end.
Aimee is what people in her school call a nerd. She is smart, and has just one friend, a fellow nerd, Blake. She is also deeply depressed, as she hasn’t taken her mother’s death well. She has a twin sister who is very much her opposite. Alise is beautiful and popular, and also dating Shane, the boy Aimee has crushed on forever.
I thought this book did a great job describing Aimee’s high school life and her feelings for her family, Blake, and Shane, where her life, although a little depressing, is fairly normal. And then she attends her first party ever, and her life changes completely.
I love Cursed and the entire series. I’m writing this review after a re-read, in preparation for Redeemers (so excited), which is a continuation/spinoff of this series.
This is book 1 in The Devil’s Roses. It is followed by Bane, Hyde, Witch, and Death. Then there is Blackwater and Midnight Coven (Blackwater Witches – probably best if read after The Devil’s Roses), and on Friday the 13th (June 13, 2014), Reedemers will be out.
June 1, 2012
This book is about a high school senior that is dealing with a tragedy in her family. To make things worse, she’s always being overshadowed by her prettier, preppie twin sister. Aimee James is just an uber nerd that loves the chess club, and has never been kissed. Her world gets turned upside down when she goes to her first party, and almost dies because of it. Upon recovery, she faces tough decisions, tough losses, and through it all finds the man she will love for the rest of her life (however long she has left of it).
I really liked this book! I haven’t quite read a book that’s had so much of the writer’s personality in it. (Well, shall I say my personality?) It almost feels like I wrote it, her humor and style is very down to earth and easy to follow. I read the entire book within 6 hours, I couldn’t put it down. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, because I loved the writing, but felt that the story line was slightly predictable. I will probably have the other books in this series read before the weekend is over. I would recommend this series, and I you can’t beat the price I paid for all three of them! ($2 on Amazon)
I really liked this book! I haven’t quite read a book that’s had so much of the writer’s personality in it. (Well, shall I say my personality?) It almost feels like I wrote it, her humor and style is very down to earth and easy to follow. I read the entire book within 6 hours, I couldn’t put it down. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, because I loved the writing, but felt that the story line was slightly predictable. I will probably have the other books in this series read before the weekend is over. I would recommend this series, and I you can’t beat the price I paid for all three of them! ($2 on Amazon)
December 18, 2013
Book needs more editing with the run-on sentences and floating commas. I loved the story, but the problem is that this was a better STORY than a PUBLISHED BOOK, and that's a problem if you're charging. This one's free, but the series isn't.
I won't spoil, but I felt the character to be a bit of a hypocrite who judged, blamed and complained. The beginning hooked me in but afterwards, I didn't like being in her head. I actually stopped halfway and continued weeks later when I forgot about whatever irritated me enough to stop in the first place. That's usually not good.
This is a three for me but I added the extra star because the story is great. I recommend as a free trial for this author, and I might continue, depending on how I feel about the controversy mentioned in some reviews. There's sex but it's not graphic. Try it out
I won't spoil, but I felt the character to be a bit of a hypocrite who judged, blamed and complained. The beginning hooked me in but afterwards, I didn't like being in her head. I actually stopped halfway and continued weeks later when I forgot about whatever irritated me enough to stop in the first place. That's usually not good.
This is a three for me but I added the extra star because the story is great. I recommend as a free trial for this author, and I might continue, depending on how I feel about the controversy mentioned in some reviews. There's sex but it's not graphic. Try it out
August 17, 2013
I really didn't like it. I felt like it didn't mesh. The story hopped around making me feel like I had pages missing. There were weird/wrong details, the characters weren't developed enough, the love triangle was ridiculous with no basis and ultimately there was no resolution of anything from beginning to end. It made zero sense. That being said, I did enjoy most of the characters individually and thought the ideas for the book were great. It just wasn't executed well at all. I always read through a series to the end and I won't with this one. This will be a first for me. I actually don't really care what happens to them all enough to read another book like that. That is pretty huge for me.
September 5, 2013
I just don't even know where to begin with this one.
I downloaded this book as it was free on the kindle store and I was far from disappointed.
I found Tara Brown's writing absolutely superb. She kept a few things a mystery until towards the end and actually remembered to come back to it and reveal, unlike some authors I have read recently.
I loved Aimee and Shane, and especially Aimee's dad.
I was gripped from the start right until the very end (Or rather beginning ;) ).
I did, however, feel a little sad at the end. But it's okay... I have downloaded the next book, Bane, and am so intrigued to what it will hold.
If you love super natural, gripping love stories then this is definitely for you.
Tara Brown... You have become a favourite.
-TM
I downloaded this book as it was free on the kindle store and I was far from disappointed.
I found Tara Brown's writing absolutely superb. She kept a few things a mystery until towards the end and actually remembered to come back to it and reveal, unlike some authors I have read recently.
I loved Aimee and Shane, and especially Aimee's dad.
I was gripped from the start right until the very end (Or rather beginning ;) ).
I did, however, feel a little sad at the end. But it's okay... I have downloaded the next book, Bane, and am so intrigued to what it will hold.
If you love super natural, gripping love stories then this is definitely for you.
Tara Brown... You have become a favourite.
-TM
April 15, 2013
I wanted to like this book but by the end I just didn't. I didn't like how flighty Aimee was, nor did I like what a shallow character Alise was. Moments of this book were very unoriginal. Everybody except Shane and the Dad were pretty much awful people/characters. Shane was the best thing about this book. He was a great romantic lead; he really needed to be surrounded by better more developed characters. The plot was also pretty dull olin parts. It could have been great minus a little she is sick she isn't, Shane/Alexs drama. It needed a more clean line of development for the reader to follow.
February 18, 2021
No, just no. I literally DNF’ed at the 50% mark. You know, the mark that should have grabbed you in to still keep reading. Instead, I hopped on Amazon and Goodreads to check out the reviews to see if I was missing something vital being mentioned in the plot. I wasn’t. This book jumps around FAR too much and isn’t interesting enough to keep the reader entertained to stay to figure it out. I WISH Aimee would actually make a coherent thought like the author keeps trying to imply she has, but that never happens. Was really interested in the book blurb, but it really did not live up to hype. Don’t read.
May 19, 2022
This was probably the worst book I’ve ever read. I feel bad for the audiobook narrator because this book was fucking terrible. The female main character slut shamed HER OWN SISTER SO MUCH BUT DOSENT CARE FOR THE FACT THAT HER SISTERS BOYFRIEND IS HER FUCKING CRUSH. SHE ALSO THINKS SHES SO SMART AND DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE FACT SHE READS BOOK AND PLAYS WORLD OF WARCRAFT. I DO BOTH THINGS AND IM NOT SPECIAL OR NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS. OH SHE ALSO SHAMES HER SISTER FOR “GETTING OVER” HER MOTHERS DEATH, GIRL GRIEF IS FUCKING DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE JUST BECAUSE YOUR SISTER ISNT DRESSING IN BLACK AND BEING SAD DOSENT FUCKING MEAN SHE ISNT GRIEVING FOR HER MOTHER
April 20, 2012
Wow Hhaavnt reaad a book llike thhis .....it was a ggoodd read have more questions thhen ansswerd thhat i khope the second book will have ...
ihhate that hher bff was a ffraud..sshane was llike a kknigght..im wonddering hhow aaleks curse was broken other thenthhe fact that hhe lloved her..iwonder what happen to everyonr as wellll her dadd and ssid etcc affter she lleft cant wait gfor book two..
ihhate that hher bff was a ffraud..sshane was llike a kknigght..im wonddering hhow aaleks curse was broken other thenthhe fact that hhe lloved her..iwonder what happen to everyonr as wellll her dadd and ssid etcc affter she lleft cant wait gfor book two..
June 28, 2015
I actually liked this book. It seemed to slow down a bit close to the middle but it picked up and kept a good pace. This would be my first book reading about someone becoming a reaper. This is definitely something I would like to read more about. This was a good story line with drugs, immortals, rape, and a love triangle being some of the subject matter. I will definitely be following this series
November 16, 2015
I really enjoyed this and was impressed since I have not yet read anything by this author. I found it to be a very interesting YA story. I didn't care for the love triangle much, since I OD'ed myself with Twilight. But, I enjoyed it enough to continue the series!
May 13, 2012
I truly enjoyed this book and I 'm looking forward to book two.
May 31, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Very unique and extremely well thought out. I was even more excited to see it's a series. The characters are funny and the plot is complicated, for Paranormal YA Romance.
February 3, 2017
0/5
MALO , MALISIMO, LO ODIO.
No se porque carajos lo leí.
Dios, no pudo haber sido tan malo, es frustrante.
MALO , MALISIMO, LO ODIO.
No se porque carajos lo leí.
Dios, no pudo haber sido tan malo, es frustrante.
May 16, 2020
*A few Spoilers*
Okay. So this review is for books 1-5 of this series. I read this series because I enjoyed the Born series by this author and I love PNR.
First, I did enjoy this book (and the others) to a certain extent. They could have been written better but they weren’t awful and the lore was cool! I liked the ideas. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the first book.
The jump to a second character in book 2 was startling but I rolled with it and I also enjoyed Ari’s story although all the time reversals were a bit hard to keep up with.
But what I really wanted was to find out what happened to Aimee so I looked ahead and saw that she got to have a “do over” in book 5 so I decided to keep reading.
Book 3: Everything started to go downhill! I couldn’t tell this new character apart from the last two.
Book 4: So much worse! I stopped being able to emotionally invest in the characters. They were all blurring together and I kept forgetting who’s POS I was reading in this chapter. Even when it was Sam! (A guy!!!) All their “voices” sounded the same.
Book 5: Omg. No. Just no. I’ve been waiting for this book, hoping everything would reset and Aimee would get her HAE (because she’s still the only one I care about!) but no.
The amount of story lines and time resets, and people dying and coming back to life was insane!!! Seriously no one could keep all that straight! Kudos to the author though, for being able to write it all! Holy cow.
After spending a day really thinking about it, I decided I really dislike these books and here is why:
I like clear lines of good and evil. No one in these books is either!! Everyone is both, depending on what time line you’re in. I think only Lydia is exclusively “good” and even then, she has her sketchy moments.
Angels are evil and the devil is actually trying to save the world. Adam rapes Eve! In one time line, Marcus is evil but then he isn’t anymore (sort of) and everyone forgives him even though he killed Hanna’s Mom! I could not let myself become emotionally invested in any character because they were probably going to die. (Very Game of Thrones) And after I’ve grieved them, SURPRISE! Not dead after all.
There were so many contradictions and abrupt changes! It really was like Dr Who, only maybe more like x-men because nothing you thought happened, ACTUALLY happens!
And one other strange thing: The characters go from smiling, or feeling love, to screaming or hating someone in the space of 1 sentence! It’s incredibly jarring. I got used to it but the mood swings and the angst was very intense.
So I know some people will read these books and adore them! I love that there are books for everyone. But these were not for me.
For some reason, the characters reminded me of The Casual Vacancy by JK Rolling. Which I hated! I did not hate these books but I disliked many parts of them. And true to the confusing theme, I also like parts of them! Good luck making up your mind. Lol
I hope this review helps you decide weather or not these books are for you!
Okay. So this review is for books 1-5 of this series. I read this series because I enjoyed the Born series by this author and I love PNR.
First, I did enjoy this book (and the others) to a certain extent. They could have been written better but they weren’t awful and the lore was cool! I liked the ideas. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the first book.
The jump to a second character in book 2 was startling but I rolled with it and I also enjoyed Ari’s story although all the time reversals were a bit hard to keep up with.
But what I really wanted was to find out what happened to Aimee so I looked ahead and saw that she got to have a “do over” in book 5 so I decided to keep reading.
Book 3: Everything started to go downhill! I couldn’t tell this new character apart from the last two.
Book 4: So much worse! I stopped being able to emotionally invest in the characters. They were all blurring together and I kept forgetting who’s POS I was reading in this chapter. Even when it was Sam! (A guy!!!) All their “voices” sounded the same.
Book 5: Omg. No. Just no. I’ve been waiting for this book, hoping everything would reset and Aimee would get her HAE (because she’s still the only one I care about!) but no.
The amount of story lines and time resets, and people dying and coming back to life was insane!!! Seriously no one could keep all that straight! Kudos to the author though, for being able to write it all! Holy cow.
After spending a day really thinking about it, I decided I really dislike these books and here is why:
I like clear lines of good and evil. No one in these books is either!! Everyone is both, depending on what time line you’re in. I think only Lydia is exclusively “good” and even then, she has her sketchy moments.
Angels are evil and the devil is actually trying to save the world. Adam rapes Eve! In one time line, Marcus is evil but then he isn’t anymore (sort of) and everyone forgives him even though he killed Hanna’s Mom! I could not let myself become emotionally invested in any character because they were probably going to die. (Very Game of Thrones) And after I’ve grieved them, SURPRISE! Not dead after all.
There were so many contradictions and abrupt changes! It really was like Dr Who, only maybe more like x-men because nothing you thought happened, ACTUALLY happens!
And one other strange thing: The characters go from smiling, or feeling love, to screaming or hating someone in the space of 1 sentence! It’s incredibly jarring. I got used to it but the mood swings and the angst was very intense.
So I know some people will read these books and adore them! I love that there are books for everyone. But these were not for me.
For some reason, the characters reminded me of The Casual Vacancy by JK Rolling. Which I hated! I did not hate these books but I disliked many parts of them. And true to the confusing theme, I also like parts of them! Good luck making up your mind. Lol
I hope this review helps you decide weather or not these books are for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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