2024 Reread I was blown away the first time I read this, and the reread just reinforces how excellent it was. I love how Annette Marie tied critical parts of the climax back to events in the first and second novels (something the Harry Potter series is constantly lauded for).
In The Blood Curse, our band of unlikely heroes face their biggest foes: Clio vs Bastian (and Madrigal), and Lyre vs his father, Lyceus. Lyre's conflict is so daunting: how does a master weaver defeat the greatest master weaver of all time? The plan is so clever that I still love what they (including Ash) came up with, even though I'd read it before. It's such a satisfying solution.
Speaking of Ash, I'd forgotten how big a role he plays in this series, esp books 2 and 3. It's very different to see him as a weapon of Asphodel, under Samael's thumb (mostly). As you can imagine, we see him through another lens in the Steel and Stone series.
With the Spell Weaver trilogy reread now finished, I'm waiting impatiently for the clock to wind down on those ten years. Looking at you, Annette.
2019 First Read A terrific finale for a terrific YA Fantasy trilogy. The Blood Curse has got tons of action, magic, romance, otherworldly creatures and intrigue, all of which is consistently applied over all three novels.
In this final book, Ash plays a much bigger role which provides the background for his and Lyre's friendship in the Steel & Stone series. Let's see... Clio confronts her overzealous brother and tries to make him see that he's courting disaster. Lyre finds himself in a Ra city, making friends with Miysis. Clio goes to Irida to speak to the king. The pair and Ash return to the underworld in an effort to retrieve Lyre's ultimate weapon and for the final showdown between Lyre and his father.
I absolutely cannot wait to continue reading about these characters when Annette Marie publishes Blackfire. The first day it's out, I'll be reading it. Loved this whole trilogy, and Annette Marie, a very talented writer that more YA fans should be reading! Highly recommended trilogy.