Cursed:

by Casey Odell

The night Claire Tanith’s small village is attacked, her mother sends her alone into the cursed forest, the one she’d been forbidden to enter all her life with these mysterious ‘They will protect you.’On the run from her attackers, she soon finds the forest is not as abandoned as she’d once thought.Beautiful and elegant, the elves seem to be everything the legends said they would be. But legends sometimes forget the true history of things and Claire’s eyes are soon opened to a world she never knew. One that has been kept from her for most of her life. All Claire wants to do is return home and start looking for her mother, the only family she ever had. But the elves have different plans. The mysterious mark that appeared on her arm isn’t a curse, at least not to them anyway, and before she knows it, she is whisked away on a mission she never agreed to, unless they help her in return.Now she is stuck on an adventure with the perverted elf, Aeron, and one with an attitude, Farron. But there is more to this adventure than she’d ever hoped for.

411 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2012

Reviews

[Mayhem-RW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clair Tanith was nobody special. She was a barmaid at a tavern wholly owned by her mother, Marion, and by barmaid, she tended the bar but not the tables where men could get handsy. Her mother was downright the most beautiful woman in the village with her fire-colored hair, an hourglass figure to die for, and skin like a porcelain doll. She was also the most sought after but mostly by drunks returning after closing to try their luck and ask for her hand in marriage. But this morning, her mom awakened her and told her to get dressed, then Marion gave Clair her dagger and told her not to lose it. This action awoke Clair and drove off the dregs of sleep as her mother dragged her out the door. Here she saw her fellow villagers running around with terrified looks on their faces. They stuck to the shadows as they moved through the village, and Marion took her to the forbidden forest and told her. “They’ll protect you.” After arguing with her mother because she wanted to stay with her, Clair reluctantly made her way into the forest, where she met some elves. She also had what looked like a tattoo appeared on her, and the elves tested it to see if it was magic, and it was. Now they wanted her to go on a quest, and she said yes to get out of there and look for her mother to see if she was still alive.

The world-building for this epic fantasy gives you glimpses into the world built by the author. The character’s backgrounds are enough to make you question their actions. On one page, the female protagonist is wise and adult-like, but then on the next, she is like a petulant child. The character interaction is done well enough. There are a couple of holes in the story that I know will be answered later in the series, but as of right now, I have my guesses. When I get around to reading the rest of the series, maybe I’ll remember my guesses and see if I am right.

This fanciful tale of a fictitious world should interest you if you like young adult fantasy. I give this fable four stars out of five stars.

[Mishy Coowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone reading this review I am writing this comment while in the middle of reading the third book in this series "Entrapped" which may have effected my rating.
I feel as though the concept of this book was very out of the box and I commend the author for it.
This book had many errors which were minimal enough for me to let go. Up to now I still wonder if Farrons hair is silver or platinum blonde. Not only that but if her mother was so strong and smart and taught her well how was she so gullible. No one can fall for someone so quickly, especially not someone you've barely spoken too, is fairly suspicious regarding that she had to keep her guard up around him, and is someone you could never be yourself with.
Did she REALLY believe he didn't leave her to die at the tournament?
Then she runs off with a man she barely knew who had never once protected her (the incident with the "thieves")
I also wonder why Farron and especially Aeron allowed their romance. Aeron didn't like the prospect of them being alone together.
It also baffles me how the elves know she has some mysterious power or whatever else and they send her off with only 2 guards.
The author portrays her as this stubborn headstrong character in some moments and then a crying stupid child in the next which brings me to my next question, how old are they?
I know she's old enough to drink and get married but then again in those times they did so at such a young age. She points out how childishly she acts which only makes me even more confused.
I enjoyed the slow growing romance between her and Farron. They made a funny duo and it didn't feel forced. I just don't understand how stupid she could be about it.
She said she couldn't love a man like him but here she goes pining after the general who has most likely committed more atrocious deeds than Farron who continuously sticks his neck out for her.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.