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Vicious Faeries #3
Curse the Fae
Spicy Fae Romantasy · Enemies to Lovers · Villain Gets the Girl · Deadly Trials · Forbidden Love · Grumpy-Sunshine · Serpent-Shifting Merman
A MONSTER IS HOLDING ME PRISONER IN THE LAND OF FAERIE.
They call him the lord of the water Fae. I call him a viper.
The tales say Elixir is venomous—and as beautiful as he is brutal. They say he’s a cursed soul who wields dark, sinful magic.
As punishment for stumbling into his dangerous world, the ruler of the river has confined me to an underground realm of serpentine creatures and secret canals.
The key to escape rests with my fatal enemy. To win my freedom, I’ll have to play his wicked mind games—and unlock his greatest weakness.
It’s a risk I must take. Even if it means being trapped with my villainous Fae captor. And even if it means fighting off the forbidden heat that ignites between us.
Because if I don’t make it out alive, his sensual touch might deliver the killing blow.
Dark Fables: Vicious Faeries is a hot multi-couple adult romantasy series that must be read in order. Perfect for readers who want: immersive fae worlds, treacherous trials, and a slow-burn fantasy romance built around a grumpy-sunshine dynamic between a rebellious mortal and a brooding serpent-shifting merman.
SPICE: Explicit sexual content and language. For readers 18+
FOR CWs: Please check the author's website.
A MONSTER IS HOLDING ME PRISONER IN THE LAND OF FAERIE.
They call him the lord of the water Fae. I call him a viper.
The tales say Elixir is venomous—and as beautiful as he is brutal. They say he’s a cursed soul who wields dark, sinful magic.
As punishment for stumbling into his dangerous world, the ruler of the river has confined me to an underground realm of serpentine creatures and secret canals.
The key to escape rests with my fatal enemy. To win my freedom, I’ll have to play his wicked mind games—and unlock his greatest weakness.
It’s a risk I must take. Even if it means being trapped with my villainous Fae captor. And even if it means fighting off the forbidden heat that ignites between us.
Because if I don’t make it out alive, his sensual touch might deliver the killing blow.
Dark Fables: Vicious Faeries is a hot multi-couple adult romantasy series that must be read in order. Perfect for readers who want: immersive fae worlds, treacherous trials, and a slow-burn fantasy romance built around a grumpy-sunshine dynamic between a rebellious mortal and a brooding serpent-shifting merman.
SPICE: Explicit sexual content and language. For readers 18+
FOR CWs: Please check the author's website.
ebook
First published December 13, 2021
229 people are currently reading
3085 people want to read
About the author
Natalia Jaster
22 books1,547 followersNatalia Jaster is a romantasy author who routinely swoons for the villain.
She lives in a dark forest, where she writes spicy fantasy romance tales about rakish jesters, immortal deities, and vicious faeries.
Wicked heroes are her weakness, and rebellious heroines are her best friends.
AMAZON: www.amazon.com/Natalia-Jaster/e/B00OE...
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/nataliajaster
NEWSLETTER: www.nataliajaster.com/newsletter
TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@nataliajasterauthor
WEBSITE: www.nataliajaster.com
She lives in a dark forest, where she writes spicy fantasy romance tales about rakish jesters, immortal deities, and vicious faeries.
Wicked heroes are her weakness, and rebellious heroines are her best friends.
AMAZON: www.amazon.com/Natalia-Jaster/e/B00OE...
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/nataliajaster
NEWSLETTER: www.nataliajaster.com/newsletter
TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@nataliajasterauthor
WEBSITE: www.nataliajaster.com
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December 24, 2021
"It's easy to hate villains. It's much harder to understand them. It's hardest of all to forgive them."
Curse the Fae by Natalia Jaster is book three in the Vicious Faeries series, which was originally a trilogy but is now being extended by a final book, Defy the Fae, due out next year. Honestly, I can't wait for it!
Recall, this series is about three sisters, Lark, Juniper and Cove. A turn of fate means that the sisters have to bargain with three powerful fae, three Solitaries, who rule over sky, woodland and river. Three fae for three sisters. Three separate challenges. This is the story of Cove and Elixir, ruler of the river.
I adore Natalia Jaster. I think her writing is beautiful, and her world-building and character development are divine. She writes so descriptively, the reader is sucked into each and every book from the first sentence.
This was my favourite book of the series so far. Elixir was perfectly flawed, vicious and cruel. Cove was perfect and ready for everything - except falling for him 🖤💚.
If you love enemies to lovers and a LOT of spice (this is the steamiest of the three books BY FAR 🔥🔥 🔥) you will totally fall in love with Cove and Elixir. And watch out for the return of Lark, Cerulean, Juniper and Puck in this one too!
Highly recommended (but read books 1 & 2 first!)
5 steamy ✨✨✨✨✨
Curse the Fae by Natalia Jaster is book three in the Vicious Faeries series, which was originally a trilogy but is now being extended by a final book, Defy the Fae, due out next year. Honestly, I can't wait for it!
Recall, this series is about three sisters, Lark, Juniper and Cove. A turn of fate means that the sisters have to bargain with three powerful fae, three Solitaries, who rule over sky, woodland and river. Three fae for three sisters. Three separate challenges. This is the story of Cove and Elixir, ruler of the river.
I adore Natalia Jaster. I think her writing is beautiful, and her world-building and character development are divine. She writes so descriptively, the reader is sucked into each and every book from the first sentence.
This was my favourite book of the series so far. Elixir was perfectly flawed, vicious and cruel. Cove was perfect and ready for everything - except falling for him 🖤💚.
If you love enemies to lovers and a LOT of spice (this is the steamiest of the three books BY FAR 🔥🔥 🔥) you will totally fall in love with Cove and Elixir. And watch out for the return of Lark, Cerulean, Juniper and Puck in this one too!
Highly recommended (but read books 1 & 2 first!)
5 steamy ✨✨✨✨✨
January 5, 2022
Oooooh boy, here we go again.
If you haven't already, you should definitely read my review of book one and book two to understand my history with this series, and what I'm going to talk about in this review.
Hunt the Fae gave me hope that the writing was picking up ever so slightly and was tamping down on the purple prose just the smallest amount. But nope. This book was worse than ever, especially for repetition of words and now even actions, as well as questionable word choice. And I've confirmed my suspicion from reading Hunt the Fae that I've become somewhat numb to it.
Some examples:
'My eyelids flap open.'
'Ahead, a spring cleaves across the ground, the water churning like liquid glass. Glowing lanterns flank the eddies, flames licking the air from inside the vessels, their light pulsating through the darkness and stroking the water. Flat rocks tread down the spring's center, marking a path along the serpentine current, which gushes into a tunnel.'
(I've included this quote not because I think it's horrendous in it's language - this is rather mild actually - but just because it's a good example of how constant the flowery descriptions are of everything throughout the entire series.)
'my breasts heave through the drenched fabric of my dress, the swells mashing into his pectorals.'
'His robe scrapes the floor, and his hood thrashes around his head, [...]'
(Thrashes? I'm picturing this grumpy fae striding past while just the hood of his cloak whips wildly around his head like it's doing the tango or something. It's definitely not the image the author was going for, but that's what the wording she chose makes me picture.)
'With deadly calm, he sets a finger on my lips. I clam up momentarily as the intricate fingercap presses against me like a talon. His digit is a hot poker sizzling my flesh.'
'Awe and trepidation overtake me, so that my tongue flops about in my mouth.'
'My jaw unhinges as he pulls away, the globule quivering on the pad of his digit.'
'I jerk my fingers back. His moniker tastes brackish on my palate.
"Elixir," I say.
"Cove," he answers.
The names collide, quivering through the room.'
Note in the last example the use of the word 'brackish'. There is SO. FUCKING. MUCH. use of aquatic themed language in this book that it's ridiculous.
'I still taste the panicked slipperiness of my words, the salt of my cries just before they were taken from me: [...]'
'I taste the brine of his name, each syllable pinching my tongue.'
'Admittedly, the bed looks inviting with its silken coverlet, its texture reminding me of a woven lake. I could sink into it and fall into a deep slumber. I could flee to that bed and drown in it's comfort.'
I get that each of these books have a theme, but there's a point where that's taken too far and that already happened with each of the women purely, coincidentally, just happening to match the fae territory and leader they had history with and where they were going to have to compete so bloody much. For all three of them, their name, hair colour, talents, animal companion, and weapon of choice were suited to their theme. And a subtle touch more in the writing would have been clever, but as is the theme with the entire series, it was taken too far and used too much.
In another example used above, Cove bumps chests with Elixir. This too, happens SO. FUCKING. MUCH. I'm not kidding when I say I'd estimate it's mentioned at least around 20 times.
'Then he steps forward once more, eviscerating what little distance had remained between us. The prow of his chest bumps against mine, my wet garments rub against his dry ones, and the tips of my breasts toughen.'
'Elixir swings around so fast that I stumble into him. My nose bumps his chin, my breasts knocks into the plate of his chest, and my eyes stagger across his face.'
These are just some of the examples which I took note of because of the language used, but if I ever reread this series, I will be keeping count.
Which brings me to the 'digit' count. Yet again I decided to try and mentally keep track of how many times the word 'digit' or 'digits' popped up throughout the book, and yet it again it was one of the few things to help me stay sane. (Unnecessary repetition of words is a pet peeve of mine, so it irritates and drives me insane probably more than it would other readers.)
My 'digit' count: 38!!
I lost track a few times so that was my conservative estimate, but even that was beating the previous record Hunt the Fae had set at 36. Kiss the Fae in third place, having used it "only" 30 times.
But what is the official 'digit' count you ask? Drum roll please...
Fourty-fucking-three!! And with that we have a winner folks! Curse the Fae has taken the cake with the most usages of a word that should not be used more than a couple of times in any novel! Along with that, I also took note that fingercap/s was used an awful lot, which ended up being 16 times, and swat/swats/swatting which was used 15 times, 5 of them sexual! Still isn't sexy reading for me, just makes me think of flies. And finally, last word I noticed that kept popping up was 'siphons', which was used a total of 9 times, which is actually pretty damn modest for this series.
I've definitely picked up on a theme with this author. Everything that I have an issue with would be fine if it were just tampered down. It's all just too much. The writing is too much, tone down the excessiveness of it. The use of certain words/phrases/actions. Stop it, limit the usage of them. And theming everything to be about the air, forest, or water. It went from a cute, clever thing to annoyingly over present.
Beyond that a lot of the word choice is severely questionable. Synonyms do not always work as synonyms given the context of the rest of the sentence. There have been so many times reading this series that I have been confused about what is happening because the original meaning got lost in the author's attempt to use uncommon words. That or I could understand what was happening but was pulled out of the story because the word choice was just so bizarre. It was especially notable in the sex scenes.
'Elixir clings to my hips like he wants to either yank on me harder or surrender himself completely. Spurred on, I batter my waist on to his lap until he loses his voice.'
'His rear juts back and forth, his hips swipe between my thighs, and his cock swats into the cleft.'
So after all this ranting about the writing, you might wonder why I've continued to read this series? I honestly do question the decision myself, but I'm genuinely intrigued and hooked by the plot and more so the romance and relationship between the couples. Each book had me wondering how the fae and human were going to get past their differences and come together, Cove and Elixir in particular. Each book managed to capture my interest despite the bad writing, and that's enough for me to continue on with a book/series even if I have massive issues with it.
So I probably am going to read the final book in this series (that was originally meant to be a trilogy) but then I'm done. For my sake and the authors I will not be picking up another book of hers, as it's not fair to either of us. There are plenty of books out there that I will enjoy far more, and I'm sure the author will be glad to not have me giving her books low ratings anymore.
If you haven't already, you should definitely read my review of book one and book two to understand my history with this series, and what I'm going to talk about in this review.
Hunt the Fae gave me hope that the writing was picking up ever so slightly and was tamping down on the purple prose just the smallest amount. But nope. This book was worse than ever, especially for repetition of words and now even actions, as well as questionable word choice. And I've confirmed my suspicion from reading Hunt the Fae that I've become somewhat numb to it.
Some examples:
'My eyelids flap open.'
'Ahead, a spring cleaves across the ground, the water churning like liquid glass. Glowing lanterns flank the eddies, flames licking the air from inside the vessels, their light pulsating through the darkness and stroking the water. Flat rocks tread down the spring's center, marking a path along the serpentine current, which gushes into a tunnel.'
(I've included this quote not because I think it's horrendous in it's language - this is rather mild actually - but just because it's a good example of how constant the flowery descriptions are of everything throughout the entire series.)
'my breasts heave through the drenched fabric of my dress, the swells mashing into his pectorals.'
'His robe scrapes the floor, and his hood thrashes around his head, [...]'
(Thrashes? I'm picturing this grumpy fae striding past while just the hood of his cloak whips wildly around his head like it's doing the tango or something. It's definitely not the image the author was going for, but that's what the wording she chose makes me picture.)
'With deadly calm, he sets a finger on my lips. I clam up momentarily as the intricate fingercap presses against me like a talon. His digit is a hot poker sizzling my flesh.'
'Awe and trepidation overtake me, so that my tongue flops about in my mouth.'
'My jaw unhinges as he pulls away, the globule quivering on the pad of his digit.'
'I jerk my fingers back. His moniker tastes brackish on my palate.
"Elixir," I say.
"Cove," he answers.
The names collide, quivering through the room.'
Note in the last example the use of the word 'brackish'. There is SO. FUCKING. MUCH. use of aquatic themed language in this book that it's ridiculous.
'I still taste the panicked slipperiness of my words, the salt of my cries just before they were taken from me: [...]'
'I taste the brine of his name, each syllable pinching my tongue.'
'Admittedly, the bed looks inviting with its silken coverlet, its texture reminding me of a woven lake. I could sink into it and fall into a deep slumber. I could flee to that bed and drown in it's comfort.'
I get that each of these books have a theme, but there's a point where that's taken too far and that already happened with each of the women purely, coincidentally, just happening to match the fae territory and leader they had history with and where they were going to have to compete so bloody much. For all three of them, their name, hair colour, talents, animal companion, and weapon of choice were suited to their theme. And a subtle touch more in the writing would have been clever, but as is the theme with the entire series, it was taken too far and used too much.
In another example used above, Cove bumps chests with Elixir. This too, happens SO. FUCKING. MUCH. I'm not kidding when I say I'd estimate it's mentioned at least around 20 times.
'Then he steps forward once more, eviscerating what little distance had remained between us. The prow of his chest bumps against mine, my wet garments rub against his dry ones, and the tips of my breasts toughen.'
'Elixir swings around so fast that I stumble into him. My nose bumps his chin, my breasts knocks into the plate of his chest, and my eyes stagger across his face.'
These are just some of the examples which I took note of because of the language used, but if I ever reread this series, I will be keeping count.
Which brings me to the 'digit' count. Yet again I decided to try and mentally keep track of how many times the word 'digit' or 'digits' popped up throughout the book, and yet it again it was one of the few things to help me stay sane. (Unnecessary repetition of words is a pet peeve of mine, so it irritates and drives me insane probably more than it would other readers.)
My 'digit' count: 38!!
I lost track a few times so that was my conservative estimate, but even that was beating the previous record Hunt the Fae had set at 36. Kiss the Fae in third place, having used it "only" 30 times.
But what is the official 'digit' count you ask? Drum roll please...
Fourty-fucking-three!! And with that we have a winner folks! Curse the Fae has taken the cake with the most usages of a word that should not be used more than a couple of times in any novel! Along with that, I also took note that fingercap/s was used an awful lot, which ended up being 16 times, and swat/swats/swatting which was used 15 times, 5 of them sexual! Still isn't sexy reading for me, just makes me think of flies. And finally, last word I noticed that kept popping up was 'siphons', which was used a total of 9 times, which is actually pretty damn modest for this series.
I've definitely picked up on a theme with this author. Everything that I have an issue with would be fine if it were just tampered down. It's all just too much. The writing is too much, tone down the excessiveness of it. The use of certain words/phrases/actions. Stop it, limit the usage of them. And theming everything to be about the air, forest, or water. It went from a cute, clever thing to annoyingly over present.
Beyond that a lot of the word choice is severely questionable. Synonyms do not always work as synonyms given the context of the rest of the sentence. There have been so many times reading this series that I have been confused about what is happening because the original meaning got lost in the author's attempt to use uncommon words. That or I could understand what was happening but was pulled out of the story because the word choice was just so bizarre. It was especially notable in the sex scenes.
'Elixir clings to my hips like he wants to either yank on me harder or surrender himself completely. Spurred on, I batter my waist on to his lap until he loses his voice.'
'His rear juts back and forth, his hips swipe between my thighs, and his cock swats into the cleft.'
So after all this ranting about the writing, you might wonder why I've continued to read this series? I honestly do question the decision myself, but I'm genuinely intrigued and hooked by the plot and more so the romance and relationship between the couples. Each book had me wondering how the fae and human were going to get past their differences and come together, Cove and Elixir in particular. Each book managed to capture my interest despite the bad writing, and that's enough for me to continue on with a book/series even if I have massive issues with it.
So I probably am going to read the final book in this series (that was originally meant to be a trilogy) but then I'm done. For my sake and the authors I will not be picking up another book of hers, as it's not fair to either of us. There are plenty of books out there that I will enjoy far more, and I'm sure the author will be glad to not have me giving her books low ratings anymore.
December 15, 2021
OH MY GOSH!!!! 🤯🤯🤯
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I LOVE Natalia Jaster!
Not only do I absently love the characters, which I will discuss more of in a moment, but her writing is maturing. If you look at my review of the first book in the series and comparing it to this one, it is night and day on my feedback for writing style narration. Where before the storyline carried the book through, now it is like a beautiful orchestra that is in complete harmony.
Now characters. This is hard. . . .
From the start I though these two would be my favorite (even though I absolutely love the others too). And they are. FOR SO MANY REASONS!!! Without giving anything away, it is safe to say that spice is high. Just like the others. However, the emotional connection between the two characters is the best part to watch grow.
As per usual, there is so much more I want to talk about but want to keep spoilers out of my reviews. SOOOOOOO… if you get the chance to read this lovely, shoot me a message for us to discuss!!!!
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I LOVE Natalia Jaster!
Not only do I absently love the characters, which I will discuss more of in a moment, but her writing is maturing. If you look at my review of the first book in the series and comparing it to this one, it is night and day on my feedback for writing style narration. Where before the storyline carried the book through, now it is like a beautiful orchestra that is in complete harmony.
Now characters. This is hard. . . .
From the start I though these two would be my favorite (even though I absolutely love the others too). And they are. FOR SO MANY REASONS!!! Without giving anything away, it is safe to say that spice is high. Just like the others. However, the emotional connection between the two characters is the best part to watch grow.
As per usual, there is so much more I want to talk about but want to keep spoilers out of my reviews. SOOOOOOO… if you get the chance to read this lovely, shoot me a message for us to discuss!!!!
December 28, 2021
3.75 stars
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It has taken me uncharacteristically long to finish this one, and considering it's an ARC, one might say I'm criminally late to post this review. Still, here it is.
As far as enemies-to-lovers love stories go, I feel like Natalia Jaster has heard the ETL community and said: here you go, it really isn't a true love story if they haven't tried to kill each other at least once.
That being said, the entire "Vicious Faeries" series focuses on ETL stories, and this particular one left me a little bit unsatisfied? Maybe it's because Natalia has hyped Elixir as the most vicious faerie of them all, and I expected just a little bit more...venom when it comes to his evilness?
A lot of elements that I enjoy about such stories are still there, naturally: the push and pull between Elixir and Cove, internal fight between one's morals and one's desires, conflicting goals, differences that seem irreconcilable but are overcome in the end. But the progression of romance between the leads is somewhat...amiss, as in, the conflict might be present between them to almost the very end, but I wanted more conflict, more angst, more regret. Not to mention, a pretty crucial piece of information about Elixir's curse and its consequences is dropped in the last stretch of the plot, and this is just glossed over in my opinion, or maybe not entirely glossed over, but the revelation doesn't cause that much turmoil between the characters as it could, and that's a shame. And I think that's my main source of MILD dissatisfaction - for the most vicious of faeries, Elixir's story is just a little too mellow.
What I really did enjoy is that Cove is not written like a typical "badass" heroine. All three sisters in this series have very distinct, varying personalities which show that there's not just one type of heroine. Cove is emotional, she has as many strengths as she has weaknesses, and she's brave enough to show kindness in a vicious world.
As for Elixir, you could say he's the total opposite of Cove in some ways, but I think at their core, they were quite similar - in how protective they were of their loved ones and things that mattered to them or how determined they were to save their world. Supposedly the most vicious of three Fae rulers, Elixir reminded me of a wounded animal lashing out at times. But I don't think he was the most vicious, except maybe at the very beginning. What I enjoyed most was the whole backstory of his curse, his family and his bond with his brothers by circumstance, Cerulean and Puck.
There was a great chemistry between Elixir and Cove, a magnetic push and pull that kept me on the edge of my seat for most of this read. However, I really really wish we got more of these twisted games they were supposed to be playing with each other. This is where the enemies-to-lovers aspect of their romance failed me, because as I mentioned earlier - I wanted more angst, more conflict, more messiness. What I feel I got were some mentions of internal conflict in Cove, some conflict between her and Elixir, some mentions of struggle to keep emotional distance while playing Elixir and trying to win the game, but...it was just not enough, it was a scratch on a surface, and I wanted to dive deep.
What went wrong, in my opinion, is that Cove and Elixir reached an understanding way too quickly, and conveniently moved on from mortal enemies trying to one-up the other to allies (not even reluctant allies!) working covertly towards the same goal. That just cut the possible delicious angst in half.
(also why even put Cove aging there as an obstacle with no possible magical bond to fix it, only to fix it anyway in an epilogue with a magical potion that had been being worked on off-page???)
I know it seems like there have been more downs than ups for me in this one in some ways, but truly - I enjoyed it. It's just that I've come to expect more from miss Jaster, and "Curse the Fae", while good, failed to meet my expectations in certain aspects, if only because it was hyped as the most angsty, the most vicious, the most evil.
However, the writing still holds the same beautiful poetic quality, and I felt truly enchanted with words - words that painted such a picturesque, captivating vision of what the Solitary Deep looks like. Moreover, it's been amazing to have a reunion of all three sisters, now with their mates/lovers. I'm excited to get one more book in this universe, with all of them together.
And apart from that, I sincerely hope that the world of Dark Fables won't be left behind too soon, and we get stories set in other parts of continent, with dragons of the Southern Seas, and elves of the Northern Frosts.
ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It has taken me uncharacteristically long to finish this one, and considering it's an ARC, one might say I'm criminally late to post this review. Still, here it is.
In dreams, the hero spares the female from drowning in darkness.
In nightmares, the villain sinks with her and murmurs, “Trust me.”
As far as enemies-to-lovers love stories go, I feel like Natalia Jaster has heard the ETL community and said: here you go, it really isn't a true love story if they haven't tried to kill each other at least once.
That being said, the entire "Vicious Faeries" series focuses on ETL stories, and this particular one left me a little bit unsatisfied? Maybe it's because Natalia has hyped Elixir as the most vicious faerie of them all, and I expected just a little bit more...venom when it comes to his evilness?
A lot of elements that I enjoy about such stories are still there, naturally: the push and pull between Elixir and Cove, internal fight between one's morals and one's desires, conflicting goals, differences that seem irreconcilable but are overcome in the end. But the progression of romance between the leads is somewhat...amiss, as in, the conflict might be present between them to almost the very end, but I wanted more conflict, more angst, more regret. Not to mention, a pretty crucial piece of information about Elixir's curse and its consequences is dropped in the last stretch of the plot, and this is just glossed over in my opinion, or maybe not entirely glossed over, but the revelation doesn't cause that much turmoil between the characters as it could, and that's a shame. And I think that's my main source of MILD dissatisfaction - for the most vicious of faeries, Elixir's story is just a little too mellow.
I’m not ashamed of crying. I’m strong enough to feel hurt, and I’m courageous enough to feel scared. It reminds me I’m human and alive.
What I really did enjoy is that Cove is not written like a typical "badass" heroine. All three sisters in this series have very distinct, varying personalities which show that there's not just one type of heroine. Cove is emotional, she has as many strengths as she has weaknesses, and she's brave enough to show kindness in a vicious world.
“Shh,” he warns. “The more you speak, the more I hear.”
As for Elixir, you could say he's the total opposite of Cove in some ways, but I think at their core, they were quite similar - in how protective they were of their loved ones and things that mattered to them or how determined they were to save their world. Supposedly the most vicious of three Fae rulers, Elixir reminded me of a wounded animal lashing out at times. But I don't think he was the most vicious, except maybe at the very beginning. What I enjoyed most was the whole backstory of his curse, his family and his bond with his brothers by circumstance, Cerulean and Puck.
And because the more we’re together, the less I know where our games end and the truth begins.
All I know is right here, right now, in this bed, away from everyone. Our reality is the place where we’re joined, where we pulse together like a heartbeat.
There was a great chemistry between Elixir and Cove, a magnetic push and pull that kept me on the edge of my seat for most of this read. However, I really really wish we got more of these twisted games they were supposed to be playing with each other. This is where the enemies-to-lovers aspect of their romance failed me, because as I mentioned earlier - I wanted more angst, more conflict, more messiness. What I feel I got were some mentions of internal conflict in Cove, some conflict between her and Elixir, some mentions of struggle to keep emotional distance while playing Elixir and trying to win the game, but...it was just not enough, it was a scratch on a surface, and I wanted to dive deep.
What went wrong, in my opinion, is that Cove and Elixir reached an understanding way too quickly, and conveniently moved on from mortal enemies trying to one-up the other to allies (not even reluctant allies!) working covertly towards the same goal. That just cut the possible delicious angst in half.
(also why even put Cove aging there as an obstacle with no possible magical bond to fix it, only to fix it anyway in an epilogue with a magical potion that had been being worked on off-page???)
“Let me show you.” I take his fingers and drape them over my mouth, then along my chin, over my nose, under my eyelids, and up to my temple. I stand on my tiptoes for better access, and my mouth braces against him as I whisper, “This is what love looks like.”
I know it seems like there have been more downs than ups for me in this one in some ways, but truly - I enjoyed it. It's just that I've come to expect more from miss Jaster, and "Curse the Fae", while good, failed to meet my expectations in certain aspects, if only because it was hyped as the most angsty, the most vicious, the most evil.
However, the writing still holds the same beautiful poetic quality, and I felt truly enchanted with words - words that painted such a picturesque, captivating vision of what the Solitary Deep looks like. Moreover, it's been amazing to have a reunion of all three sisters, now with their mates/lovers. I'm excited to get one more book in this universe, with all of them together.
And apart from that, I sincerely hope that the world of Dark Fables won't be left behind too soon, and we get stories set in other parts of continent, with dragons of the Southern Seas, and elves of the Northern Frosts.
April 25, 2022
Anche questo terzo volume su Cove e Elixir è stato bellissimo e toccante. Il livello di inglese è tornato ad essere più elevato ma comunque comprensibile e ho amato tantissimo l'uso dei termini legati alla sfera acquatica e l'uso di parole con consonanti liquide, è geniale!
Elixir mi ha stretto il cuore più volte ma il mio preferito resta Puck.
Ora sono curiosa di sapere come si concluderà
Elixir mi ha stretto il cuore più volte ma il mio preferito resta Puck.
Ora sono curiosa di sapere come si concluderà
July 24, 2023
Enemies to lovers is my absolute favorite romance trope and Jaster hits this one out of the park. Loved it!
December 12, 2021
You can find this review of Curse the Fae on my blog, Heart’s Content!
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! (I’M ON HER ARC TEAM! Just had to scream about that because… do I need a reason? I’m on her ARC team!)
Natalia Jaster has been writing books that have become some of my most anticipated reads of that time. I fell in love with her Foolish Kingdoms series and her second book, Dare, was the first book I read with an MC who had anxiety. At that time, I was battling anxiety myself and seeing a rep that suffered with it, worked through it and survived it gave me a lot of hope.
If Poet hadn’t done me in, Dare’s characters and plot certainly did.
This series is so vastly different from her previous because it brings forth something that Laura Thalassa has brought to her Four Horsemen series as well. There is an overall plot thread that is drawn through the whole series and at the same time each of the books in the series have their own plot lines that share similar foundations. It’s really hard to have different stories sprout from the same seed. But somehow both authors have done it repeatedly.
With each book, Natalia has been flexing her writing skills and every time I wonder how she’ll possibly pull of the next book, somehow she does. It makes beautiful sense and every setting be it the mountains, the woodlands or the The Solitary Deep. Her words have always being very poetic and dance with their own music. The world building has been done over the three books, however, Natalia does a fantastic job briefing the readers over the basics once more without making us feel like it’s too much or too less. Since the series is best read in order, the gentle reminders are a great addition to each series. Natalia then overlays this with the information we need about the new world we’re introduced to.
The characters are familiar and new, simply because we’ve heard so much about them already and Natalia ensures that we see a little of the male protagonist in the previous book and hear enough about the female protagonist that we’re intrigued and invested already.
Cove and Elixir bring lots of vulnerability to the page. I’m aware Elixir is the villain in this story but I swear I never for one moment felt so. But I’m not sure how I can speak for reader, because my experience was personal to me. He was certainly wonderfully dark and dangerous and Natalia delivers on what is promised about the Water Fae.
Cove is possibly the most interesting character among the sisters and that’s perhaps because she’s the most unique in her well… story. No spoilers, but I was certainly surprised at many turns. By her personality and more. It was an enjoyable experience watching these two characters unravel the personalities of one another and themselves.
The BEST thing about Natalia is she never compromised on the characters’ story conclusion in lieu of the series plot. She’d rather write a whole other book to give the conclusion for the major plot that lines all three books than compromise on character conclusion in each book. Thank you, God. Honestly just for that, my heart weeped happily.
The book delivers on everything it promised. There’s intrigue, thrill, romance and all them feels. Happy happy reading and stay safe! Five stars!
Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! (I’M ON HER ARC TEAM! Just had to scream about that because… do I need a reason? I’m on her ARC team!)
Natalia Jaster has been writing books that have become some of my most anticipated reads of that time. I fell in love with her Foolish Kingdoms series and her second book, Dare, was the first book I read with an MC who had anxiety. At that time, I was battling anxiety myself and seeing a rep that suffered with it, worked through it and survived it gave me a lot of hope.
If Poet hadn’t done me in, Dare’s characters and plot certainly did.
This series is so vastly different from her previous because it brings forth something that Laura Thalassa has brought to her Four Horsemen series as well. There is an overall plot thread that is drawn through the whole series and at the same time each of the books in the series have their own plot lines that share similar foundations. It’s really hard to have different stories sprout from the same seed. But somehow both authors have done it repeatedly.
With each book, Natalia has been flexing her writing skills and every time I wonder how she’ll possibly pull of the next book, somehow she does. It makes beautiful sense and every setting be it the mountains, the woodlands or the The Solitary Deep. Her words have always being very poetic and dance with their own music. The world building has been done over the three books, however, Natalia does a fantastic job briefing the readers over the basics once more without making us feel like it’s too much or too less. Since the series is best read in order, the gentle reminders are a great addition to each series. Natalia then overlays this with the information we need about the new world we’re introduced to.
The characters are familiar and new, simply because we’ve heard so much about them already and Natalia ensures that we see a little of the male protagonist in the previous book and hear enough about the female protagonist that we’re intrigued and invested already.
Cove and Elixir bring lots of vulnerability to the page. I’m aware Elixir is the villain in this story but I swear I never for one moment felt so. But I’m not sure how I can speak for reader, because my experience was personal to me. He was certainly wonderfully dark and dangerous and Natalia delivers on what is promised about the Water Fae.
Cove is possibly the most interesting character among the sisters and that’s perhaps because she’s the most unique in her well… story. No spoilers, but I was certainly surprised at many turns. By her personality and more. It was an enjoyable experience watching these two characters unravel the personalities of one another and themselves.
The BEST thing about Natalia is she never compromised on the characters’ story conclusion in lieu of the series plot. She’d rather write a whole other book to give the conclusion for the major plot that lines all three books than compromise on character conclusion in each book. Thank you, God. Honestly just for that, my heart weeped happily.
The book delivers on everything it promised. There’s intrigue, thrill, romance and all them feels. Happy happy reading and stay safe! Five stars!
December 12, 2021
He doesn’t speak, but I don’t need him to say anything. I know he hears me. I know he sees what others in his world can’t see.
I cannot tell you all what an honor it was to read an eARC by one of my all-time favorite authors. Natalia’s writing has always been superb, but she truly outdid herself when she wrote Curse the Fae. Elixir and Cove easily landed themselves a spot among my top favorite couples in fantasy.
If you’ve read Hunt the Fae then you already know that Elixir is blind. And let me tell you this story brought out some emotions I hadn’t felt before when reading a first-person POV. Without his sight, Elixir is far more in-tune with his other senses: hearing, scent, touch…Need I say more? Natalia makes it so easy to experience everything as if you were actually in Cove’s shoes. She does not hold back, and she does not disappoint.
Hands down, this book was the sexiest, horniest, the most emotional story of the entire Vicious Faeries series. I love all of Natalia’s books, but this one particularly ranks high along with Trick from Foolish Kingdoms. I’ll be reading this again very, very soon!
I cannot tell you all what an honor it was to read an eARC by one of my all-time favorite authors. Natalia’s writing has always been superb, but she truly outdid herself when she wrote Curse the Fae. Elixir and Cove easily landed themselves a spot among my top favorite couples in fantasy.
If you’ve read Hunt the Fae then you already know that Elixir is blind. And let me tell you this story brought out some emotions I hadn’t felt before when reading a first-person POV. Without his sight, Elixir is far more in-tune with his other senses: hearing, scent, touch…Need I say more? Natalia makes it so easy to experience everything as if you were actually in Cove’s shoes. She does not hold back, and she does not disappoint.
Hands down, this book was the sexiest, horniest, the most emotional story of the entire Vicious Faeries series. I love all of Natalia’s books, but this one particularly ranks high along with Trick from Foolish Kingdoms. I’ll be reading this again very, very soon!
December 14, 2021
Elixir and Cove were unexpectedly wonderful. After reading the previous two books, I went into this one with the preconceived notion of what these two were going to be like. But they blew that up pretty quickly. Elixir warmed up to Cove more quickly than I thought he would. But that's no surprise since Cove is such a delight. Who knew the most tenderhearted of the three sisters could be so funny?!
The Solitary Deep is such a dreamy place. So wet and hot... I loved this one!
And finally! I knew it! It was so brief though, and I'm glad there will be a fourth book to properly show us Puck's jubilation. And Juniper's of course. But mostly Puck's.
Thank you to Natalia Jaster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Solitary Deep is such a dreamy place. So wet and hot... I loved this one!
And finally! I knew it! It was so brief though, and I'm glad there will be a fourth book to properly show us Puck's jubilation. And Juniper's of course. But mostly Puck's.
Thank you to Natalia Jaster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 7, 2022
I adore this series and this book was so beautiful. I loved the story between Elixir and Cove and I truly cannot wait to read the conclusion of this series.
December 21, 2021
Gah, I wish I could expunge the word orb from the English language. Eyes! People have eyes, ffs.
May 27, 2024
I'm really torn on this one. It really doesn't happen often, but i really am struggling with this series.
I just want more! There's not enough plot here for me. But that being said, I absolutely love the romance of this one.
Going into a series that has the three sisters pitted into these challenges to save each others lives, I expected trials, or tribulations, or real actual challenges. I feel absolutely let down.
Book 1, we had the challenge of climbing the mountain. Which was the only aspect I actually enjoyed. Lark and Cerulean spoke in freaking riddles, and I was so confused and lost and frustrated in their story that I didn’t enjoy it.
Book 2 was the “hunt” which. Okay, sure. For half of the story, she really was hunted. I accept that. I also accept Juniper's relationship with Puck because I love them together. The banter is amazing. His sense of humor. Fantastic. His personality. SWOON. I think I just love Puck, not sure the rest of the book matters.
Book 3. I'm struggling! I didn't enjoy the dynamic of their relationship at the beginning of this book. I didn't enjoy their dialogue and quite frankly struggled to get through the first third of the book. Her “challenge” isn't a challenge at all. She literally had to do nothing until the last 20 pages. The rest of this story was just watching their relationship grow. Which, eventually I suppose I started enjoying it. I'm not sure when, or why, or what switch was flipped. But eventually, I did go from hating them together to liking them together. But we never moved into love. It sayed at like. I smiled at them a couple of times.
There just WAS NOT enough in this book for me, especially to justify the length of it. I also feel like Cove got shit on. Everyone else got their own book, but at least a third of her book also included her sisters!.
Side note: I say she got shit on, but I probably would have given up on this book if her sisters didn't show up, I was BORED. I love the dynamic of all three sisters together. And the brothers, too, I suppose, but they are a side note here.
3 stars. 2 for the beginning. 3 for the development in Cove's relationship with Elixir and 4 for the sisters. Averaged out to 3.
I'm looking forward to book 4 now that everyones together and some action might actually start going down.
End review (read: rant).
I just want more! There's not enough plot here for me. But that being said, I absolutely love the romance of this one.
Going into a series that has the three sisters pitted into these challenges to save each others lives, I expected trials, or tribulations, or real actual challenges. I feel absolutely let down.
Book 1, we had the challenge of climbing the mountain. Which was the only aspect I actually enjoyed. Lark and Cerulean spoke in freaking riddles, and I was so confused and lost and frustrated in their story that I didn’t enjoy it.
Book 2 was the “hunt” which. Okay, sure. For half of the story, she really was hunted. I accept that. I also accept Juniper's relationship with Puck because I love them together. The banter is amazing. His sense of humor. Fantastic. His personality. SWOON. I think I just love Puck, not sure the rest of the book matters.
Book 3. I'm struggling! I didn't enjoy the dynamic of their relationship at the beginning of this book. I didn't enjoy their dialogue and quite frankly struggled to get through the first third of the book. Her “challenge” isn't a challenge at all. She literally had to do nothing until the last 20 pages. The rest of this story was just watching their relationship grow. Which, eventually I suppose I started enjoying it. I'm not sure when, or why, or what switch was flipped. But eventually, I did go from hating them together to liking them together. But we never moved into love. It sayed at like. I smiled at them a couple of times.
There just WAS NOT enough in this book for me, especially to justify the length of it. I also feel like Cove got shit on. Everyone else got their own book, but at least a third of her book also included her sisters!.
Side note: I say she got shit on, but I probably would have given up on this book if her sisters didn't show up, I was BORED. I love the dynamic of all three sisters together. And the brothers, too, I suppose, but they are a side note here.
3 stars. 2 for the beginning. 3 for the development in Cove's relationship with Elixir and 4 for the sisters. Averaged out to 3.
I'm looking forward to book 4 now that everyones together and some action might actually start going down.
End review (read: rant).
May 18, 2022
"It's easy to hate villains. It's much harder to understand them. It's hardest of all to forgive them."
Cove, the oldest sister to Lark and Juniper, is fighting for not only her life but her sisters'. If she doesn't win her game then they all lose. She must solve the mystery behind Elixir's curse and she must not fall for him. Under any circumstances.
_________________________________________
Elixir has been described in the other two books as being the cruelest of the fae rulers but once you find out his backstory, you instantly understand. His story is definitely sad and unfortunately, Cove has much more to do with it than she realizes.
He is harsh and rough. He has no idea on how to love or show forgiveness. But what surprises me most in this book is Cove. She is painted as almost the mother to the sisters. She is sweet and caring, gentle. But you actually realize as the reader that she is angry and very unforgiving towards the fae but especially Elixir. She actually shows hatred towards him and their history is really toxic.
While Lark/Cerulean and Puck/Juniper have this more touching past with maybe some misunderstandings, Elixir and Cove have a purely bad past. They never had a soft moment together as children, in fact, it ends violent.
I liked this aspect because it gave Cove some substance. While Juniper felt predictable and one noted, Cove had layers. Lark was great but again, she was exactly who she said she was. Both of them changed but nothing compares to Cove, she was basically a two face. She had multiple aspects to her and she wasn't always likable. She wasn't always good and I liked that.
.
.
.
"'That's what I long to hear,' I whisper into his ear. 'I want to be so delicate, I'll ruin you for eternity. I want you so pliant, you forget what violence feels like. Will you let me? Can you do that for me?'"
.
.
.
The smut in this one is so much better. First of all, it doesn't take a century for it to begin. It's still a little bit in but they start the spice way earlier. It's like you can see the author evolving and becoming more comfortable in the smut as she writes this series.
Cove almost talks as dirty as Elixir. I love it. Their push and pull is hot and steamy. I will say their arguments are kind of silly and unnecessary. Plus they always end up acting like they never even argued. But besides that, I loved them.
I loved the climax of this story too. This was my favorite in the series. The action was written really well and I loved that it was Cove that had to save Elixir, this grumpy and depressing, cruel man.
Overall, I really loved all three of the fae men. Especially Elixir and Cerulean. Cove was the best female lead, Lark coming in second. Juniper is forgettable for me. I have already re-read multiple smut moments in this book because they have so many good ones.
This book is alone worth reading the other two. I can't wait to read Defy the Fae.
Cove, the oldest sister to Lark and Juniper, is fighting for not only her life but her sisters'. If she doesn't win her game then they all lose. She must solve the mystery behind Elixir's curse and she must not fall for him. Under any circumstances.
_________________________________________
Elixir has been described in the other two books as being the cruelest of the fae rulers but once you find out his backstory, you instantly understand. His story is definitely sad and unfortunately, Cove has much more to do with it than she realizes.
He is harsh and rough. He has no idea on how to love or show forgiveness. But what surprises me most in this book is Cove. She is painted as almost the mother to the sisters. She is sweet and caring, gentle. But you actually realize as the reader that she is angry and very unforgiving towards the fae but especially Elixir. She actually shows hatred towards him and their history is really toxic.
While Lark/Cerulean and Puck/Juniper have this more touching past with maybe some misunderstandings, Elixir and Cove have a purely bad past. They never had a soft moment together as children, in fact, it ends violent.
I liked this aspect because it gave Cove some substance. While Juniper felt predictable and one noted, Cove had layers. Lark was great but again, she was exactly who she said she was. Both of them changed but nothing compares to Cove, she was basically a two face. She had multiple aspects to her and she wasn't always likable. She wasn't always good and I liked that.
.
.
.
"'That's what I long to hear,' I whisper into his ear. 'I want to be so delicate, I'll ruin you for eternity. I want you so pliant, you forget what violence feels like. Will you let me? Can you do that for me?'"
.
.
.
The smut in this one is so much better. First of all, it doesn't take a century for it to begin. It's still a little bit in but they start the spice way earlier. It's like you can see the author evolving and becoming more comfortable in the smut as she writes this series.
Cove almost talks as dirty as Elixir. I love it. Their push and pull is hot and steamy. I will say their arguments are kind of silly and unnecessary. Plus they always end up acting like they never even argued. But besides that, I loved them.
I loved the climax of this story too. This was my favorite in the series. The action was written really well and I loved that it was Cove that had to save Elixir, this grumpy and depressing, cruel man.
Overall, I really loved all three of the fae men. Especially Elixir and Cerulean. Cove was the best female lead, Lark coming in second. Juniper is forgettable for me. I have already re-read multiple smut moments in this book because they have so many good ones.
This book is alone worth reading the other two. I can't wait to read Defy the Fae.
October 2, 2022
I’m super glad I stuck out the series for Cove’s story. By far the best of the trio.
Now yes this still has some of same cliche moments, fae ruler, they met in the past, insta love yada yada but the author changed it up a bit here. She just has to break his curse (see so sorta like the beauty and the beast plot I predicted back in book 1)
I think I just like Elixir far more than Puck or Cerlean. He is just so much more of a complex character and I love his interactions with Cove from the start. He is so much more protective.
Now Cove is supposed to the be shy quiet sister which it throws out with a single line of oh… I’m normally shy but he makes me be the person I was before. So of course she has the same pluck and fire as the other sisters. Honestly it was a bit hard to tell the sister’s apart (other than lark is an idiot that acts before thinking)
Either way it was cute. I’m glad I stuck it out. Not sure I need to read the 4th though - I’m sure they save Fairy/Solitariy hooray. But I got the couples already done so yay. And obviously there was a huge hint Juniper was already preggo…
Now yes this still has some of same cliche moments, fae ruler, they met in the past, insta love yada yada but the author changed it up a bit here. She just has to break his curse (see so sorta like the beauty and the beast plot I predicted back in book 1)
I think I just like Elixir far more than Puck or Cerlean. He is just so much more of a complex character and I love his interactions with Cove from the start. He is so much more protective.
Now Cove is supposed to the be shy quiet sister which it throws out with a single line of oh… I’m normally shy but he makes me be the person I was before. So of course she has the same pluck and fire as the other sisters. Honestly it was a bit hard to tell the sister’s apart (other than lark is an idiot that acts before thinking)
Either way it was cute. I’m glad I stuck it out. Not sure I need to read the 4th though - I’m sure they save Fairy/Solitariy hooray. But I got the couples already done so yay. And obviously there was a huge hint Juniper was already preggo…
January 15, 2022
Curse the Fae by Natalia Jaster
🌟🌟🌟🌟 and 🌟🌟 🌟 ½
This is the 3rd book in the series. While I’m annoyed I have to wait until November for book 4, I’m glad there is a book 4 because I need to know what happens in the after.
The reason there is 2 scores, is because the story gets a 4 and Elixir and Cove as a a couple are a 3 ½. While I enjoyed the story and everything they were my lest favourite pair of the 3 sets. Puck and Juniper were my absolute favourite. What gave the story a boost was the appearances of the other couples, which made me very happy.
This one is more emotional and felt more turmultulous than the others did, so for those who like that sort of thing in their romance these two might be your favourite but for me, it was a bit too much.
I still love the world and the 6 characters are a blast together, so I look forward to book 4.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 and 🌟🌟 🌟 ½
This is the 3rd book in the series. While I’m annoyed I have to wait until November for book 4, I’m glad there is a book 4 because I need to know what happens in the after.
The reason there is 2 scores, is because the story gets a 4 and Elixir and Cove as a a couple are a 3 ½. While I enjoyed the story and everything they were my lest favourite pair of the 3 sets. Puck and Juniper were my absolute favourite. What gave the story a boost was the appearances of the other couples, which made me very happy.
This one is more emotional and felt more turmultulous than the others did, so for those who like that sort of thing in their romance these two might be your favourite but for me, it was a bit too much.
I still love the world and the 6 characters are a blast together, so I look forward to book 4.
December 22, 2021
I adore the series so much. They are beautifully written and the romance is spot on.
This book follows in the vein of the first two, and that is really it's only draw-back, in that you know how it's all going to pan out. However, it's such an enjoyable read I didn't find myself caring.
All three couples have been very different and had their own vibe, so I think that it was saves then from feeling repetitive.
Seriously, if you like this genre, these books are an incredible example of it and I highly recommend.
My only teeny criticiam is the somewhat over-use of unnecessary words like orbs and visage, when eyes and face would do. It's grated on me in all of the books, but it's my only complaint!
This book follows in the vein of the first two, and that is really it's only draw-back, in that you know how it's all going to pan out. However, it's such an enjoyable read I didn't find myself caring.
All three couples have been very different and had their own vibe, so I think that it was saves then from feeling repetitive.
Seriously, if you like this genre, these books are an incredible example of it and I highly recommend.
My only teeny criticiam is the somewhat over-use of unnecessary words like orbs and visage, when eyes and face would do. It's grated on me in all of the books, but it's my only complaint!
April 27, 2024
I was expecting this book to run along the same lines as the previous two and to a degree it did. But Cove’s background was not what I was expecting. It’s understandable why Elixir is the way he is given everything that happened to him, in part due to Cove. I mean first Trapped then almost drowned, blinded then accidentally blinds his mothers so that they’re killed in front of him. Like damn how much worse of a day can you have? It was interesting to see how Cove approached solving his challenge and curse. These two had more connection I think than then others since their history was so negative but it felt like they had less chemistry to me romantically. I knew Juniper was pregnant. Puck is going to lose it when he finds out. On to book 4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2023
I found this book in the series to be my favorite of the three stories and couples. Cove and Elixir, I felt, had the most real and raw relationships out of all of them, and I loved how their romance blossomed. The setting of this book was super whimsical as well, and I look forward to seeing how all these stories will combine and end in the conclusion. Elixir grew the most out of all the characters in this series, and I loved seeing him become so sweet and caring towards Cove. The writing in these books continues to be surprisingly lyrical, and the smut scenes in this book were the best as well out of the series.
December 14, 2021
First and foremost: (because it has happened to me before) this is the third book in the series and it is VERY necessary to read the other two first because it becomes relevant, (however if you read them a while back and don’t quite remember everything that is ok it does review the important parts and provides context).
Secondly, I hate snakes. Maybe not hate, I have a healthy respect, but stay far away. So for Natalia to make me love him is definitely a difficult feat. However, a dark, brooding bad boy with a cruel reputation and yet tender vulnerability… I’ve become a hopeless, hapless simp so quick.
This book beautiful mix of darkness and vulnerability and angst and tension.
Yet another beautiful example of how a book can be sexy and funny and sweet and so so meaningful.
Secondly, I hate snakes. Maybe not hate, I have a healthy respect, but stay far away. So for Natalia to make me love him is definitely a difficult feat. However, a dark, brooding bad boy with a cruel reputation and yet tender vulnerability… I’ve become a hopeless, hapless simp so quick.
This book beautiful mix of darkness and vulnerability and angst and tension.
Yet another beautiful example of how a book can be sexy and funny and sweet and so so meaningful.
February 23, 2022
My least favourite of the three books :( I had to push myself to finish cause I want to know what's happening with the solitaries, but man, this was tough to finish, Cove is pretty annoying and as much as I was trying to make Elixir into a brooding mysterious man, he was just emotionally constipated to me :( AT LEAST I CAN START HOSAB NOW
July 7, 2022
I don't know what to say. This series and this author have a vicegrip on me at the moment.
Also we love some ✨tasteful smut✨ in this house
Also we love some ✨tasteful smut✨ in this house
July 5, 2023
this enemies to lovers was GREAT, and Elixir was definitely my favorite far in this series, obsessed.
April 14, 2024
3.5 stars, the buildup to the crossover does actually go crazier. and god a villain who’s never experienced kindness is my weakness
February 1, 2023
Elixir is 🤌🏻🔥💯🫠
December 15, 2021
I really don't know how to begin with this review without giving much away but I do know that this book was certainly the best of the three. The author outdid herself with this one. Who would have thought that kindness was a weapon and how it was use throughout the story is chef kiss at its finest. Like this qoute from one of our beloved characters " That's a whole new level of badassery". I literally fell in love with the villian. How could you not. The world building was phenomenal. The main characters each had there flaws and learn from them and that what I took from this book. Some people see kindness as a weakness but this book shows the opposite and it was wonderful to read. Can't recommend this book enough. This is a solid 5 star read and I don't give them lightly. Even though I received and ARC for my honest opinion, this is truly my thoughts about this book. I even bought it. So go ahead and read this book, you will not regret it.
December 11, 2022
This book. Wow. I’m really not sure how I can convey just how much I loved Curse the Fae – I was expecting to enjoy it because I’ve loved all of Natalia Jaster’s books but this one just blew me away. I am speechless (which doesn’t happen often!)
This one is for sure my favourite in this series so far (and I adored both Kiss the Fae and Hunt the Fae). I actually wasn’t expecting Cove and Elixir to eclipse my favourite-until-now pairing Juniper and Puck – but what can I say? I’m a fickle beast (just like one of those tricksy fae! Only slightly kidding; but it really is a testament to Natalia’s writing that she has such lovable characters that steal your heart).
Before I dive (heh) into my review, first I want to make clear that although I received the book to review directly from the author (I’m on her ARC Team) all views are my own.
*****
Curse the Fae is the third book (but thankfully not final – there is another to come!) in the Vicious Faeries series and the perspective shifts to the eldest (and sweetest) sister Cove. Like her two siblings, Cove has been summoned to the Faerie after accidently encroaching on their lands when trying to escape poachers (this all happened in the first book). All three of them have to undergo a game – where losing means forfeiting their lives. If just one of them fails their tasks they all pay the price.
Lark was called to the mountains and Juniper to the dense forest lands. Cove must brave the deep, subterranean waters of the river fae and their poisonous viper of a leader – Elixir. Known as the most vicious of all the Fae rulers, Cove despairs of ever being able to thwart him.
However, Cove is determined to win her game and she finds inside herself an inner fortitude to challenge this dangerous opponent at every turn. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for her family and she knows the stakes are so very high but she cannot fail as to lose would mean more than just her life.
From the very first, Cove and Elixir clash and there is a battles of wills between these two very different characters. Their interactions are fascinating. Cove practically kills Elixir with kindness and Elixir clearly doesn’t know how to respond to this having never experience much of this in his life.
I think what I love most about this pairing is their inherent vulnerability. Both of them have suffered great loss; Cove her first family, Elixir his parents and his vision (yes, this fae lord is blind but this doesn’t hold him back one jot). It increases the stakes exponentially because as you get to know them you cannot help but feel for both of them and want both of them to come out on top – even if you are not sure exactly how that could possibly work.
The push and pull of their interactions throughout the book are delightful, and when they finally let their guards down their connection is exquisite – dare I say it, but I actually found them to be the most sensual of all the pairings (the steam is quite something else). I’m not always a fan of the smutty stuff but it worked for these characters and made sense as part of their story.
I’m also a sucker for relationships where one of the pair is sunshine personified whilst the other is the grumpiest grump to ever grump and that was Cove and Elixir to a tee! The two of them are the antithesis of the other but it makes their developing bond that much more earned. Cove brings out the lightness hidden at Elixir’s core and Elixir gives voice to Cove’s inner darkness (which is definitely a part of her despite her inherent sweetness).
I am such a huge fan of this series and this book was just sheer perfection. I am so fond of both Cove and Elixir and so happy to have been able to share in their story. It was also amazing to get to see the other couples again; feisty Lark and elegant Cerulean, clever Juniper and bawdy Puck! I just love them all so much!
I was super happy to discover the trilogy has been extended to a quadrilogy (or, ergh… however you want to put it!) There is absolutely no way the story could have been wrapped up in this third entry, not without cutting off a great junk of Cove and Elixir’s story, which would have been a great disservice to them. They deserved their chance to shine and shine they certainly did!
Like I said at the start, any of my words are just totally insufficient to describe this beautiful and lyrical story so I’m just going to recommend you check it out for yourself – you will not be disappointed! 5/5 stars.
This one is for sure my favourite in this series so far (and I adored both Kiss the Fae and Hunt the Fae). I actually wasn’t expecting Cove and Elixir to eclipse my favourite-until-now pairing Juniper and Puck – but what can I say? I’m a fickle beast (just like one of those tricksy fae! Only slightly kidding; but it really is a testament to Natalia’s writing that she has such lovable characters that steal your heart).
Before I dive (heh) into my review, first I want to make clear that although I received the book to review directly from the author (I’m on her ARC Team) all views are my own.
*****
Curse the Fae is the third book (but thankfully not final – there is another to come!) in the Vicious Faeries series and the perspective shifts to the eldest (and sweetest) sister Cove. Like her two siblings, Cove has been summoned to the Faerie after accidently encroaching on their lands when trying to escape poachers (this all happened in the first book). All three of them have to undergo a game – where losing means forfeiting their lives. If just one of them fails their tasks they all pay the price.
Lark was called to the mountains and Juniper to the dense forest lands. Cove must brave the deep, subterranean waters of the river fae and their poisonous viper of a leader – Elixir. Known as the most vicious of all the Fae rulers, Cove despairs of ever being able to thwart him.
However, Cove is determined to win her game and she finds inside herself an inner fortitude to challenge this dangerous opponent at every turn. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for her family and she knows the stakes are so very high but she cannot fail as to lose would mean more than just her life.
From the very first, Cove and Elixir clash and there is a battles of wills between these two very different characters. Their interactions are fascinating. Cove practically kills Elixir with kindness and Elixir clearly doesn’t know how to respond to this having never experience much of this in his life.
I think what I love most about this pairing is their inherent vulnerability. Both of them have suffered great loss; Cove her first family, Elixir his parents and his vision (yes, this fae lord is blind but this doesn’t hold him back one jot). It increases the stakes exponentially because as you get to know them you cannot help but feel for both of them and want both of them to come out on top – even if you are not sure exactly how that could possibly work.
The push and pull of their interactions throughout the book are delightful, and when they finally let their guards down their connection is exquisite – dare I say it, but I actually found them to be the most sensual of all the pairings (the steam is quite something else). I’m not always a fan of the smutty stuff but it worked for these characters and made sense as part of their story.
I’m also a sucker for relationships where one of the pair is sunshine personified whilst the other is the grumpiest grump to ever grump and that was Cove and Elixir to a tee! The two of them are the antithesis of the other but it makes their developing bond that much more earned. Cove brings out the lightness hidden at Elixir’s core and Elixir gives voice to Cove’s inner darkness (which is definitely a part of her despite her inherent sweetness).
I am such a huge fan of this series and this book was just sheer perfection. I am so fond of both Cove and Elixir and so happy to have been able to share in their story. It was also amazing to get to see the other couples again; feisty Lark and elegant Cerulean, clever Juniper and bawdy Puck! I just love them all so much!
I was super happy to discover the trilogy has been extended to a quadrilogy (or, ergh… however you want to put it!) There is absolutely no way the story could have been wrapped up in this third entry, not without cutting off a great junk of Cove and Elixir’s story, which would have been a great disservice to them. They deserved their chance to shine and shine they certainly did!
Like I said at the start, any of my words are just totally insufficient to describe this beautiful and lyrical story so I’m just going to recommend you check it out for yourself – you will not be disappointed! 5/5 stars.
January 28, 2022
2.5 I loved the first 2 books in the series but I was bored for most of this one.
February 5, 2022
Welcome to the Deep.
In Kiss the Fae, Lark conquered a mountain, Juniper challenged a forest in Hunt the Fae, and now it's Cove's turn to coerce the water in Curse the Fae, the third book in the Vicious Fae series. I thought I knew what to expect from Natalia (I'm a long-time fan) and from the third book in the Vicious Fae series but I was wrong toe-curling wrong. This book was dark and sensual with bitters enemies who became passionate lovers. I knew how Elixir would be, his brothers (Puck) jokingly called him evil. While he isn't evil he could be very harsh at times but who knew that soft Cove with her big heart, the one who the other two sisters worried about could be completely savage. Heck, Cove took Elixr, me, and herself by surprise. The foul language and vicious thoughts, and the plotting but underneath it all Cove is a kind, caring, and compassionate girl who manages to ensnare a water fae with her bravery, compassion, and skills.
Like the relationships in the previous books, Cove and Elixir had to get to know each other, they had to break down some walls and each found that the other was different than what they expected. Cove is a caring human (although, I'm still not convinced on the human part) who in the face of an enemy showed compassion and understanding. Elixir, while tough and gruff on the outside, has experienced so much loss and all he does is care even if he isn't too in touch with his other feelings, that is not until Cove. Cove brings out a different side to Elixir, bringing feelings to the surface that everyone doubt he had. The sex scenes in this were fire. I mean they last like two (long) chapters and had so much passion, so much emotion, and a lot of angst. There were so intense, I swear I felt my temperature rise, like woo.
Not to mention the dominance battles between the two are unreal. The challenges they throw at each other help form strong bonds and a better understanding, changing them on deeper levels. Through their experiences together they are growing, molding each other. Cove changes the way Exliar sees/understands things, while Exliar inspires Cove into action.
The plot was excellent, Cove's and Elixir's story was different from the previous two. It was more learning getting to know each other than outright challenges and survival. The incredible world that Natalia has built for the water fae was fascinating. The underground waterways that make me think of Vince, the structures and plant life not to mention the fauna, all of it makes a stunning picture. From the mortal water creatures, you expect to see like dolphins, otters, crocodiles to the mythical, undines, kelpies, merfolk, Natalia has once again created a vivid and lush world that I got lost in.
Curse the Fae was a decadent read that I couldn't help but sink into. With two complex characters who I was rooting for, a vibrant mystical world that could help but wish was real, and a few familiar faces that made the story that much better. Curse the Fae added to the beautiful yet dangerous world of the fae but their problems are far from over, I can't wait for the conclusion to this series in Defy the Fae, which is sure to be a fantastic tale full of adventure, danger, romance, defiance, love, and hope.
In Kiss the Fae, Lark conquered a mountain, Juniper challenged a forest in Hunt the Fae, and now it's Cove's turn to coerce the water in Curse the Fae, the third book in the Vicious Fae series. I thought I knew what to expect from Natalia (I'm a long-time fan) and from the third book in the Vicious Fae series but I was wrong toe-curling wrong. This book was dark and sensual with bitters enemies who became passionate lovers. I knew how Elixir would be, his brothers (Puck) jokingly called him evil. While he isn't evil he could be very harsh at times but who knew that soft Cove with her big heart, the one who the other two sisters worried about could be completely savage. Heck, Cove took Elixr, me, and herself by surprise. The foul language and vicious thoughts, and the plotting but underneath it all Cove is a kind, caring, and compassionate girl who manages to ensnare a water fae with her bravery, compassion, and skills.
Like the relationships in the previous books, Cove and Elixir had to get to know each other, they had to break down some walls and each found that the other was different than what they expected. Cove is a caring human (although, I'm still not convinced on the human part) who in the face of an enemy showed compassion and understanding. Elixir, while tough and gruff on the outside, has experienced so much loss and all he does is care even if he isn't too in touch with his other feelings, that is not until Cove. Cove brings out a different side to Elixir, bringing feelings to the surface that everyone doubt he had. The sex scenes in this were fire. I mean they last like two (long) chapters and had so much passion, so much emotion, and a lot of angst. There were so intense, I swear I felt my temperature rise, like woo.
Not to mention the dominance battles between the two are unreal. The challenges they throw at each other help form strong bonds and a better understanding, changing them on deeper levels. Through their experiences together they are growing, molding each other. Cove changes the way Exliar sees/understands things, while Exliar inspires Cove into action.
The plot was excellent, Cove's and Elixir's story was different from the previous two. It was more learning getting to know each other than outright challenges and survival. The incredible world that Natalia has built for the water fae was fascinating. The underground waterways that make me think of Vince, the structures and plant life not to mention the fauna, all of it makes a stunning picture. From the mortal water creatures, you expect to see like dolphins, otters, crocodiles to the mythical, undines, kelpies, merfolk, Natalia has once again created a vivid and lush world that I got lost in.
Curse the Fae was a decadent read that I couldn't help but sink into. With two complex characters who I was rooting for, a vibrant mystical world that could help but wish was real, and a few familiar faces that made the story that much better. Curse the Fae added to the beautiful yet dangerous world of the fae but their problems are far from over, I can't wait for the conclusion to this series in Defy the Fae, which is sure to be a fantastic tale full of adventure, danger, romance, defiance, love, and hope.
July 30, 2022
It's safe to fall for the hero. But deadly to fall for a villain.
Ever since I read Hunt the Fae, I have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment as I couldn't wait to dive into the Solitary Deep.
To begin, the author has done a fantastic job of painting a vivid picture of the River world. With her lush lexicon she paints a picturesque scene compelling the reader to envision this dark dangerous world. Another compliment I duly owe the author is the vocabulary used to enrich the book.
Coming to the book, Natalia has done it again!!! The journey in this water filled world kept me riveted to the very end. Elixir and Cove dominated each page of the book exuding a sensuality right from their first meet. The author brilliantly brings into focus the art of admiring your surroundings with the other senses though Elixir. Another star just for that representation. Cove has always intrigued me when I read about her from her sister's POV in the previous books and boy did she deliver! Cove hands down is my favourite obviously after Puck.
The flamboyant description on each page of the world, of the fauna and the interaction of Elixir with the water is wonderfully written.
He sees what others can't, but no one sees him. No one but me.
The sexual chemistry between the pair is off the charts and you get a generous amount of them throughout the book. However, unlike the first two books there was a gradual understanding and growth of their love, this felt a bit lacking and unconvincing. The backstory of this particular couple is enticing and gives them an added layer to their personality. So also the divergent form of unveiling this love story is a beautiful shift from its predecessors. A few interesting visits from our endearing characters makes this the whole package.
This book gave me all the feels. The hurried pace of their love story and a few grammatical errors aside this book should be read for its thriving dive into the river world and the pleasant switch of the game from the earlier books.
This honest review is written in exchange for an E-ARC from the author.
Ever since I read Hunt the Fae, I have been waiting with bated breath for the next installment as I couldn't wait to dive into the Solitary Deep.
To begin, the author has done a fantastic job of painting a vivid picture of the River world. With her lush lexicon she paints a picturesque scene compelling the reader to envision this dark dangerous world. Another compliment I duly owe the author is the vocabulary used to enrich the book.
Coming to the book, Natalia has done it again!!! The journey in this water filled world kept me riveted to the very end. Elixir and Cove dominated each page of the book exuding a sensuality right from their first meet. The author brilliantly brings into focus the art of admiring your surroundings with the other senses though Elixir. Another star just for that representation. Cove has always intrigued me when I read about her from her sister's POV in the previous books and boy did she deliver! Cove hands down is my favourite obviously after Puck.
The flamboyant description on each page of the world, of the fauna and the interaction of Elixir with the water is wonderfully written.
He sees what others can't, but no one sees him. No one but me.
The sexual chemistry between the pair is off the charts and you get a generous amount of them throughout the book. However, unlike the first two books there was a gradual understanding and growth of their love, this felt a bit lacking and unconvincing. The backstory of this particular couple is enticing and gives them an added layer to their personality. So also the divergent form of unveiling this love story is a beautiful shift from its predecessors. A few interesting visits from our endearing characters makes this the whole package.
This book gave me all the feels. The hurried pace of their love story and a few grammatical errors aside this book should be read for its thriving dive into the river world and the pleasant switch of the game from the earlier books.
This honest review is written in exchange for an E-ARC from the author.
February 2, 2022
3.5 ✨
I don’t think anything can top Puck and Jupiter, I was literally grasping to every single crumb about them — very happy with the crumbs, but now I need them in their perspectives.
Having said that, I didn’t fall in love with Cove and Elixir. I didn’t dislike it. I just didn’t connect with them. Silent heroes are not my favorite, so I think that might have affected how I perceived Elixir already. I didn’t even care much for their fable and story, but honestly, it was because it was not for me. It wasn’t bad, just not my liking. I think the smut was 10/10 tho.
I cannot wait for book 4!!!!!
I don’t think anything can top Puck and Jupiter, I was literally grasping to every single crumb about them — very happy with the crumbs, but now I need them in their perspectives.
Having said that, I didn’t fall in love with Cove and Elixir. I didn’t dislike it. I just didn’t connect with them. Silent heroes are not my favorite, so I think that might have affected how I perceived Elixir already. I didn’t even care much for their fable and story, but honestly, it was because it was not for me. It wasn’t bad, just not my liking. I think the smut was 10/10 tho.
I cannot wait for book 4!!!!!
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