Curse Breaker Enchanted

Curse Breaker #1

by Melinda Kucsera

There is an alternate cover edition for this ASIN here.

Start No Fires. Carry No Weapons. Do No Harm.

Those three rules safeguarded countless generations of travelers through the enchanted forest—until they didn’t. One boy’s murder ripped open a gateway allowing evil to enter. Now no one is safe from corruption.

Enchanted trees take Sarn to where the forest failed to uphold its rules. Seeing a dead child gifted with the same magic as his son unhinges Sarn. He vows to find out the truth no matter what the cost. But his gift is untrained.

Finding answers won’t be easy. Sarn must balance nights serving the Rangers with days dedicated to hiding his son from the dark forces stalking them both. When Sarn’s masters demand he abandon the quest, he faces an impossible choice—doom the ghost whose murder endangers them all or die from the backlash of breaking his word. With the odds stacked against him, can Sarn fix anything or will all be lost?

In a country where magic is illegal, an untrained mage is their only hope.

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks, Paranormal, Young Adult, Magic, Amazon

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2016

About the author

Melinda Kucsera writes fantastic short stories, novels, and books when not being kidnapped by dragons or chased by armies of fictional characters demanding their stories be told. She leaves the running of her newsletter to a cast of loveable characters who are far better at engaging in magical mayhem than in effectively marketing the books they star in. They also run her website, https://melindakucsera.com.

Get the only 100% character-run newsletter of its kind. Fictional characters hijacked it and every week, they take readers behind and between the scenes. Add a dash of fantastic fun to your inbox, sign up at:
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Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/30/2019)! 🎁

[Book Wyvern · Rating 1 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The blurb says three action-packed days but that really isn’t true, at least not what I read. It was more Sarn trying to rush to be on time to do whatever his masters needed him to do. The mystery really didn’t get going, as in he didn’t really start doing anything about it until about 66% of the book. Even then, it was like pulling teeth.

This was a very long book and because it was so long, it got very, very repetitive which caused the mystery to just kind of fade away for me. When it gets to 66% and the guy is just now starting to do anything about it after trying to ignore it this whole time, I’m sorry, I just can’t continue.

I’m picking up the book less and less, it was just taking way too long to get to the point. He kept being summoned by The Queen of All Trees, which he kept ignoring while also ignoring his magic.

Also, there were some sentences that would be repeated almost word for word. The writing was fine but the pace was just so slow that even though I was curious as to what was going on and how the mystery would turn out, when he just kept fighting against it until it got past the half way mark, I just couldn’t get through it anymore.

Maybe this kind of journey type of book isn’t my cup of tea because others seem to really love it but, I tried to finish it but I started to feel like I was forcing myself to continue on.

Thank you for reading my review.

-Sam

[A.J. Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the "Curse Breaker" series named "Enchanted" was very well done. Some readers will love or hate this, but I enjoyed the slower pace that allowed us to soak up the extraordinary world Melinda has created. Each character has many layers to explore and aren't just linear/predictable devices for a plot. They're real and I got to know each of them. The world itself was very in-depth, and the storytelling sometimes left me behind in the details, but in the end I was able to appreciate how much thought the author put into this world. I wish more fantasy authors would go to such lengths!

I highly recommend "Curse Breaker: Enchanted" for those looking for an amazing fantasy world with vivid characters. Best news is that you can read it for free!

[Hope Gerhardstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this magical novel. I felt like I was Sarn and trying to figure out the mystery as the story progressed. I loved his relationship with his son, Ran. I kept thinking about this story when I would put the book down. Sometimes I would have to reread a section because I felt I was missing something important. A magical forest, dark shadow monsters, white magic(good) vs dark magic (evil) and Sarn indenturing himself to help his brother get an education and a better life. A magical mystery!

[Gigi Sedlmayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

When i got the eBook, i wasn't sure, what to expect, but since i got it free, i was intrigued to read it. But, well, what a great, exiting and fun book to read. Hard to put down as well.

Sarn, with his glowing eyes as the magic is looking out of his eyes. His son Ran asking questions and more questions about the magic. and about the Shade and the walking trees. And the all queen of trees.

And much, much more.

[Amber Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So right off the bat, the story sucked me in with illegal magic that actually talks to the MC. How cool is that? And then the glowing eyes he has to hide to avoid being caught. I really felt bad for the poor guy, wandering around blind, clueless, and in danger.
This book was a bit more slower paced than I’m used to, but it allowed me to really get a good feel for each of the characters. Sarn’s relationship with his son was a high point for me. I didn’t always agree with his decisions, but Sarn’s love for Ran shone through.
I would recommend this for anyone who likes fantasy with a strong element of mystery and detailed world building.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing magical and fantasy book to take you away to another land. What's not to love. It's impossible to put down until you're finished. Appreciated receiving a free book

[Anna Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm wavering between a 2 and a 3, because honestly I just wanted to stop reading at so many points but then again, I kind of liked the premise and the worldbuilding?

Like okay, the main character Sarn isn't exactly unsympathetic. There's so much going on in his life and so much that he's struggling through, that you just want to give him a hug and tell him it's going to be okay, you know? But then again he is also annoyingly stubborn and idiotic that you also want to just slap him upside the head and tell him to just grow up.

Seriously, 90% of this book would have been better if Sarn just opened his mouth and explained something. Or if an editor went through the book and said, "yea, this theme/scene has been repeated one too many times, let's delete it and move on with the plot." Because by GOD it is repetitive, even down to individual sentences. Yes, Sarn doesn't trust anyone. Yes, the Rangers are terrible people who don't like Sarn. Yes, everyone AND magic are out to get Sarn. Yes, no one is supposed to know about his son. Yes, Sarn has no idea what is going on and he has to solve it without anyone else knowing...

And that's the biggest flaw of this book. Because Sarn doesn't know what's going on, and he doesn't ask anyone for help, and he just doesn't listen to anyone else either, the reader spends the first half of the book being as confused as Sarn is as to what is going on and I dunno about you but that is super annoying.

You could probably start reading in the middle of the book and still catch what's going on because a lot of it is repetitive. And you'd reach the resolution much faster. The thing is, the end resolution and the intricacy of the actual mystery was like. WOAH. That's actually quite cool. Except, it comes out in a rushed couple of chapters and you don't get a proper lead-up to appreciate it because it was never properly explained (because Sarn. doesn't. say. anything. Even to the readers).

There were many supposed "clues" dropped earlier in the book, but those clues were more like vague hints, e.g. "something was different about the room, but Sarn couldn't tell what because he was so tired" (or something like that) And later on, you find that someone had actually carved a rune or charm on the floor that allowed the bad magic to enter. But all you know is "something is wrong" which is SO helpful in a book that is all about "something is wrong."

TL;DR: Ideation good, execution not so good.

[Jason Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun character driven start to the Curse Breaker series. Our main character, Sarn, is unique in the sheer volume of challenges he faces. (And this is coming from a long-time Dresden Files reader.) Chief among these pressures is that he is indentured to Rangers of an Enchanted Forest (not like a happy cute fairy tale enchanted forest. The trees have minds of their own, and woe to those who violate their rules) and he is the vessel for a sentient magic. Both of them have different ideas about what he has to do. While Enchanted had more length, I was impressed with the way the pacing always kept it interesting. Many of Sarn's obstacles seem separate at first, but as you are drawn in, the background and connection of it all comes together. Even as I was reading early on, the general feeling of the story had a compelling certainty that it would all form one clear picture, and it did. I thoroughly enjoyed the start of this series, and I have already bought the second book.

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Four chapters! Seriously. Four Chapters. That's how long the first part of the book has a guy walking through a hall with his eyes closed, being all angsty and worried about being seen. He can't open his eyes because they have glowy magic and he's not supposed to be there and the eye magic would give it away and he's possibly late and not quite sure where he is. There you have it, a less boring version of the first four chapters. By the time he runs into somebody at the end of the fourth chapter, I just don't care. I imagine the rest of the book is more of that. It might get better, I don't know. I have a long backlog of books, and four chapters should be enough time to get your sh** together.

[Lindsay Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Curse Breaker: Enchanted: An Epic Fantasy Adventure
Author: @melindakucsera28
My Review ⭐⭐⭐ (I liked it)

💚

First off, this author reached out to me to read and provide an honest review for her book. My thoughts and opinions of this book are my own.

💚

My favorite part of this book was the magic system. Reading about magic was like magic was a person. It has thoughts and could communicate to the MC. I have never seen this before and thought it was brilliant.

My negatives were that the pacing was slow at times and that the story was complex at times. Though that seems that the slow pacing may have been purposeful so that the readers could get a grasp on the complex world.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much work has gone into creating strong and endearing characters to populate the first book in this brilliant new series. I was immediately swept away and didn't want the story to end. Can't wait for the next book to arrive. Nicely edited, original and engaging - I enjoyed it from first page to last.

I've read the author's motivation for writing this story and the love she has put into every page, every detail is clear.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarn is indentured to Lord Joranth, the Lord of the Mountain, who had found him half dead in a snow bank 6 years ago and had taken him back to the mountain. Sarn's indenture is paying for his brother, Mirren's education, so that he can rise up to find a better life. Mirren looks after Sarn's son, Ran, every night, while Sarn works for the Rangers.

But Sarn is different to other citizens and must take care to hide this fact. If found out it could cost him his life. Sarn carries a green magic within himself and must keep his eyes closed to avoid the magic shining from them being detected. Thankfully his magic provides a map in his head that helps him avoid people and other objects - a bit like a heads-up display.

The Queen of All Trees wants Sarn and he feels her call so strongly, but the promises that bind him from his indenture, bind him tightly, and he cannot disobey them.

Then the Ranger's take Sarn to investigate a disturbance and he is kidnapped and taken to where something vile had happened. From there Sarn struggles to work out what has happened and how things can be put right.

Before he can resolve things, he is found and taken back to the Mountain and then violently kidnapped again. His life is continually in danger and it seems that Sarn is the only one who fathoms that there is a situation that needs to be put right and indeed he is the only one who is likely to be able to do just that.

And of course besides all that, he has to see to the safety of his brother and his son.

This is a children's or young adults book I think, rather than an adult one. The language is appropriate for these groups, so I don't have any issues with suggesting it for them.

I liked that the story was not solely focused on the viewpoint of one character. There were times when Ran (Sarn's son) or Jerlo (the Ranger's Commander) or others were the focal point and this added depth and completeness to the telling.

At times, I found the writing style a little too simplistic, which is why I have suggested that it is mainly aimed at children or young adults.

It is a good book with a good story. Well written and enjoyable to read. Recommended to readers of the genre.

"Beads clicked together on the bracelet Nolo always wore, as they descended the mountain trail. Ten agates, three Jaspers—supplied the magic before Sarn cut it off. His magic liked rocks, even if they were part of someone else’s jewelry."

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must admit that this was a very complicated story to follow, there was just so much going on and the main character Sarn does not seem to have everything under control, far from it. In the country of Shayari magic has been wiped out by the seekers and it is not tolerated however, Sarn has magic but has never been trained in its usage. He had been abused by the psycho orphan master to such an extent that he is very damaged and fears now for his brother Miren's life but more so for the one person who had ever loved him unconditionally, his son Ran. All that Sarn does is done to protect his loved ones. He is now an indentured servant to Lord Nashira, the lord of the mountain and his care is entrusted to the rangers Jerlo and Nolo. He is also under a geas which makes him always obey orders without question and always speak the truth. They guard the enchanted forest over which the Queen of all trees watches and one fine day she decides to herd Sarn to a spot in the forest where a crime was committed and many lost their lives, amongst which was a boy with green eyes, like Sarn's own. From that moment on Sarn feels obliged to solve the mystery behind the deaths and to put the ghosts hounding his life to rest little knowing the many adventures and problems he would have to face till the end to this story is told. A great fantasy novel, full of monsters out of nightmare, demons, ghosts, enchanted trees and symbols which Sarn has somehow to decode in order to get to the bottom of this crime. This story is also one about love and responsibility and about love which is not returned and hence turns vengeful through jealousy and hurts so many on the way! Is Sarn the curse breaker and can he protect his beloved son, Ran and keep him protected from so much evil hounding their lives in the lower quarters? The characters of Sarn and Ran are beautifully depicted, I just loved them and worried so much for them throughout the long read!

[Andrew Ferrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today, my Gentle Readers, I have an excellent fantasy book for you. Melinda Kucsera delivers a fully realized fantasy world with enough background to bring it to life without burying us in a history lesson. There were a few awkward proofing errors, and missing punctuation, but not enough to put me off from finishing this book.

Sarn possesses magic in a world that has spent a long time eradicating magic. Beholden to the Lord of the Mountain and the Rangers, he tries to keep to his promises and protect his son from discovery. There are those who distrust Sarn's magic, those that just want to use him, but most are unaware of his gift.

When the magical forest surrounding his home decides Sarn needs to see a clearing of horrendous murders, Sarn is forced to face the capricious magic within. Armed with the seemingly moody force within his blood, and a ghost boy who tries to guide him, Sarn must unravel the mystery of the deaths and how it is connected to his own battered past. When the forces seem to be targeting his son as well, Sarn goes on the offensive, defying his Masters instructions at almost every turn.

Can Sarn protect his son, unravel the mystery, and keep his growing magic in check? If you want to know you're going to have to read the book, because I'm not spoiling it for you.

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deadly battle with evil!

Sarn, a young mage with still developing powers, willingly indentured himself to the Lord of the Mountain and the Rangers to give his brother Merin a future better than his own and he is compelled by his magic to obey their commands. He lives his life in the city inside Mount Ereden concealed under a cloak or blindfolded, by order of the Rangers, to prevent other inhabitants from seeing the green magic’s light that shines from his eyes since magic is feared and hated by some who would seek to destroy him. Sarn has hidden the existence of his young son, Ran, from the world as much as possible, fearing that he will be taken from him because of the magic.

An Enchanted Forest, ruled by the magical Queen of All Trees, surrounds Mount Ereden. When the Queen summons the Child of Magic to a place of death in the forest, he must respond and the horror that he sees sets him on a course to find and correct the evil before it destroys his family and his country of Shayari.

In this first book of the series, Melinda Kucsera has created a world of magic and intrigue. It took me a chapter or so to unravel the characters and scenario but then it held me spellbound until the end.

[Julia Sarene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curse Breaker Enchanted by Melinda Kucsera has potential, but didn't always fully deliver on it.

While I found the world intriguing, there was too much that didn't feel fully fleshed out to me. The different parts just didn't always interweave smoothly, so the "map" in the characters mind had a strong litRPG feel to it, while the rest of the story did not. And while mixing and matching styles can work, here it just felt a bit bumpy.

The character was likable, but half of the plot could have been avoided if only people actually talked to each other every so often. This is a device that has always annoyed me in any genre, so definitely grinded on me.

The plot was interesting enough to keep me reading to the end, however it was quite repetitive in places. Quite a bit of back and forth without any real forward motion. Neither in solving the MCs problems, nor in understanding more of the mystery. This made the book feel really long and slow in places.

The actual solutions and action scenes often felt a bit rushed, while the other parts felt a bit meandering, so the pacing just was a bit uneven overall.

So while I didn't actively dislike it, it sadly also won't be a favourite. 2,5* rounded up

[Angel Leya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarn is a mage, but the magic only helps when it wants to. He's indentured himself to put his brother through school and elevate him above the poverty line that he lives at, but his heart is with his son, who he is determined to keep secret. When things start going crazy in the living forest around them and then the mountain beneath, Sarn will need to use his magic to unearth the mystery chasing him.

This was an interesting book. The mystery of what the heck is going on helped spur me to the end, but to be honest, the first half of the book was too long. Sarn spent most of his time running from everything that might provide answers, and there was soooo much going on (some of which we couldn't see, since Sarn walked around with his eyes closed a lot to prevent people from seeing the glow of magic in them. And even the ending, while relatively interesting didn't shed as much light on what was going on for my preference.

Overall, I think it's an interesting concept, I just felt the pacing and conclusion were less than satisfactory, hence the three stars.

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters, and liked the magic aspects, but there were times when the story was a challenge to follow. The story fluctuates through so many perspectives that it was difficult to care about any one character. It took me longer than I anticipated to get through the story. The idea itself is amazing, but some of the characters thoughts could have been left out and it would have been more entertaining.
For example. Sarn's brother Mirren finds out about a threat within the foundlings. Sarn knows nothing about it and by the end of the book it remains unresolved.
Mirren's jealousy of his nephew Ran is told himself, by Ran, and Sarn notices the issues between them. Other characters notice the issues with Mirren.
Sarn's romantic interest in his boss's wife, and their marriage pitfalls, the fact that no one seeks to actually help Sarn. So many issues I hope get resolved.
I understand that this series has more to come, but so much seemed pointless in this book

[Freda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I gave it 4 stars based on my criteria that I wanted to read more about Sarn and his son Ran. As well as the group of rangers who worked with and protected him. The book didn't spell out everything right away and I have no problem with that. I's so bored reading stories where the author spends so much time explaining the world view that it drags the story down and I end up skimming. You KNOW all that background will end up having nothing to do with the story. I have no problem with background but let it have some relevance to the story.

We experience what is happening as the characters are experiencing it. And that may be difficult for some people who like the world explained. But I like a story where we move and learn with Sarn and Ran. All in all, well done.

[Spangles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story about a young mage, inexperienced with his magic who stumbles into an unsolved murder scene. The book wanders around with Sarn as he tries to unravel the secrets surrounding a ghost boy, superiors who want him to stop being inquisitive and his own uncontrollable magic. Something about this book is compelling, I almost gave it 4 stars because I really did want to know what was going on, but I found it hard work getting to the reveal. For me, the story was confusing at times, great at times and wishing it'd get to the point at times. Sometimes the writing jumped about so much that it was hard to follow, while in other places the story flowed and it was an enjoyable read. I have picked up the next in series free so I'm not giving up hope yet that the author's increased experience will make the read a little less jarring.

[Fee Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enchanted by Melinda Kucsera is the first installment of the Curse Breaker series. Sarn is a mage in need of training with a son whom he loves dearly, and must protect at all cost.

Plot 3/5: An interesting plot, but leaves me asking more questions than answers. These issues could become clearer in later books, but with almost 500 pages, I would have liked more information.

Characters 4/5: Well fleshed out characters.

World building 3/5: The world created by the author is unique, but I would have liked more information as to the magic system and how it came about and how it is used.

Pacing 3/5: The pacing seemed sporadic with frequent repeats of certain aspects of the story, but not enough information in other aspects.

Writing 4/5: Decent writing with little grammar issues.

Overall 3.4

Amazon purchase.

[Timothy Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent plot and world building.

I have been on this authors email list for about 4 years, so I already had a pretty good view of what this book was about. The author creates believable characters and her rendering of Ran portrays the innocence of children and the surprising wisdom they sometimes possess. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there are many times in the first half of the book that it is confusing and uneven. This is a revamped version of the original story so I expected that the "bumps in the road" would be smoothed out. The latter part of the book feels like she found her stride as a writer. Even with the issues with the first part of the book I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories. I have read hundreds of fantasy books and this one is different...in a good way.

[Trisha Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little different then I was expecting but in a good way. Sarn is a great character and I love the father/son duo here.
The world building is particularly nicely done and beautifully written. While not super action packed, the slower movement of this doesn't feel bogged down but just more of a casual read. Honestly the magic is really the intriguing part. It's really unique, which is hard to accomplish these days but the author manages it. I was pleasantly surprised. Illegal magic that seems sentient and can talk to the main character (mind you, Sarn practically only talks to it, and no one else most of the book)
I will say there's some repetition, but the end is pretty intriguing. Probably worth reading if you like a little mystery, unique and interesting magic, male main character and a slower, casual read!

[Suzanne Sotzing · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really a 3.5 star rating. I thought the premise of the book was extraordinary, but I found the writing to be a bit disjointed and hard to follow at times. The main character has magic running through his veins, and it's illegal so he tries to hide and others help him in this endeavor. He also needs to hide his son and work as an indentured servant to put his younger brother through school. There are enchanted trees that move about the forest and people live within a mountain filled with twisting tunnels. It seemed like most of the writing centered around these travels through the tunnels and I found myself getting as lost as the maze being written about.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarn makes himself an indentured servant to help insure that his brother has a better life. He is father to Ran and subordinate to Jerlo. When the enchanted trees lead him to the body of a child who has magic that was murdered, Sarn vows to find out the truth.
Ms. Kucsera has created a wonderful world. A world filled with different kinds of magic, different classes, different trials for Sarn. With each trial that’s completed, Sarn gets a little stronger even though he still has a hard time trusting others. He’s had a very hard life and is now responsible for raising both his younger brother and his son.
I will be getting book two ASAP. I can’t wait to see where the story leads me next.

[Armis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I only read this book mainly because it was free and I needed a new read, but I am very glad I did. While it does seem a little slow at points, there are some wonderful concepts and characters (some I would enjoy seeing fleshed out a bit) and Ran is just too cute. Sarn comes off as a tiny bit obsessive about things, like his son and the magic he possesses and the ones he is indentured to, but all in all, it is a great fantasy and lots of fun to read. I LOVE the Queen of Trees! I may be way too old to be reading this stuff, but if you want my opinion, give Cursebreaker: Enchanted a second look; you'll be glad you did!

[C.S. Wachter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was a little like dropping down the vertical on a roller coaster. It starts out with a bang and then keeps moving without letup until the end. The world building is nicely folded into the storyline, and the characters have drawn me in, especially Sarn. He has gone through so much and yet holds onto a caring nature and the need to help and protect. Even when he’s silent and snarky, I understood why. I want to keep reading about these characters.
Though the grammar falters a bit in places and there is a good amount of foul language, I looked right past those things because the story was so compelling.

[Joanne H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic can be good or bad depending on the person holding the power. Sarn was badly abused when he was a child by a sadistic crazy person. He had powers of magic but didn't know how to use them and was never taught. Sarn had a girl friend that left him with a son he dearly loved and he also had a brother that went to school and helped take care of his son also. Sarn worked for the Rangers and had to obey any commands that was given. This is a sad read with a continuing story. Strong storytelling. I received a complimentary copy of this book.

[Sharon Lash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Sarn and his world. I felt the characters were well written and easy to visualize. It took me longer to read this book as there was a lot going on in the story but it was well worth the effort. I can't wait to read Darkens as I hope Ran comes into his magic. I did receive a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.