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A Crown of Cursed Love
"His look was the tinder sparking against my skin, ready to ignite my desires - and I was willing to burn."
When Lana starts having terrifying dreams on the cusp of her 21st birthday she takes no notice. Instead, she decides to distract herself by reading her smutty books, fantasising about her best friend Xander and dating a local, mysterious doctor who always happens to be there when she needs him.
But between her tumultuous home life, a younger sister whom she would do anything for and a job she absolutely hates, Lana dismisses the dreams and visions that become clearer and more visceral each day.
As it becomes apparent that dreams are not dreams at all, Lana must face the heartbreaking truth. A blood debt must be paid, and the man hiding in the shadows has come to collect.
Emily Henry meets Sarah J Maas in this modern-world romance in which we step into a hidden realm of ancient curses, powerful relics, blood magic and meet the devastatingly handsome, God of the Underworld.
When Lana starts having terrifying dreams on the cusp of her 21st birthday she takes no notice. Instead, she decides to distract herself by reading her smutty books, fantasising about her best friend Xander and dating a local, mysterious doctor who always happens to be there when she needs him.
But between her tumultuous home life, a younger sister whom she would do anything for and a job she absolutely hates, Lana dismisses the dreams and visions that become clearer and more visceral each day.
As it becomes apparent that dreams are not dreams at all, Lana must face the heartbreaking truth. A blood debt must be paid, and the man hiding in the shadows has come to collect.
Emily Henry meets Sarah J Maas in this modern-world romance in which we step into a hidden realm of ancient curses, powerful relics, blood magic and meet the devastatingly handsome, God of the Underworld.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2022
41 people are currently reading
1498 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
November 22, 2022
💥3.5 stars💥
Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️
Vibes ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
1st person POV
A Crown of Cursed Love is the debut novel from BookToker, Jade Robinson. It's advertised as a new adult Hades/Persephone retelling but the H/P is really only at the end and and I'm sure will be in book 2. So far, this story revolves around our soon-to-be-21 FMC, Lana. Lana has been providing for her sister and mother financially for several years, pretty much ever since her dad passed. Her relationship with her mother is extremely strained since her mother mentally checked out after her fathers death. As the story leads up to her 21st birthday, Lana starts experiencing strange and unusual dreams that leave her tired and confused. After an accident at work, Lana meets a handsome doctor who conveniently shows up in times of need. As Lana and Aide start to see each other, Lana is forced to confront her feelings towards her best friend of several years, Xander, and her attraction and love that she has for him. It gives off love triangle vibes but by the end of book 1, there's a clear answer (though unresolved) as to who her main love interest will be moving forward.
While the plot was engaging, the pacing could drag in certain spots. For the majority of the book, I wasn't really sure where things were going. In the author's TT promos, it made it seem like this was about a greek goddess who is brought back to Tartarus by Hades (?) and he doesn't know that she used to rule it for a few thousand years or something, so I was really interested in that. I'm thinking this must be part of book 2 but I can't help but feel a little disappointed that this super badass FMC was pitched, only to have the majority of book 1 about a 21 y/o who has no clue about Tartarus and is working a dead end job at a coffee shop. There were also several missing commas, mostly in dialogue when addressing someone (ex: How are you Lana? instead of the correct, How are you, Lana?). A few other grammatical issues but honestly for a debut novel, not terrible. The commas (or lack thereof) were the biggest issue. So provided the author allocates more funding towards editing (which I understand as a new or indie author can be very hard), book 2 should be much better. I should also mention the author is not US based so I don't know if there are different rules elsewhere.
There are hints of fantasy elements but I'm leaning more towards classifying as magical realism, though this may change with future books. I think the next book will be much different and faster paced, so much so that I'd almost classify this as one long prologue - kind of like how Gild was for the Plated Prisoner series (at least that's how I felt about Gild). Ends on a cliffhanger and I'm excited for the next one!
Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️
Vibes ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
1st person POV
A Crown of Cursed Love is the debut novel from BookToker, Jade Robinson. It's advertised as a new adult Hades/Persephone retelling but the H/P is really only at the end and and I'm sure will be in book 2. So far, this story revolves around our soon-to-be-21 FMC, Lana. Lana has been providing for her sister and mother financially for several years, pretty much ever since her dad passed. Her relationship with her mother is extremely strained since her mother mentally checked out after her fathers death. As the story leads up to her 21st birthday, Lana starts experiencing strange and unusual dreams that leave her tired and confused. After an accident at work, Lana meets a handsome doctor who conveniently shows up in times of need. As Lana and Aide start to see each other, Lana is forced to confront her feelings towards her best friend of several years, Xander, and her attraction and love that she has for him. It gives off love triangle vibes but by the end of book 1, there's a clear answer (though unresolved) as to who her main love interest will be moving forward.
While the plot was engaging, the pacing could drag in certain spots. For the majority of the book, I wasn't really sure where things were going. In the author's TT promos, it made it seem like this was about a greek goddess who is brought back to Tartarus by Hades (?) and he doesn't know that she used to rule it for a few thousand years or something, so I was really interested in that. I'm thinking this must be part of book 2 but I can't help but feel a little disappointed that this super badass FMC was pitched, only to have the majority of book 1 about a 21 y/o who has no clue about Tartarus and is working a dead end job at a coffee shop. There were also several missing commas, mostly in dialogue when addressing someone (ex: How are you Lana? instead of the correct, How are you, Lana?). A few other grammatical issues but honestly for a debut novel, not terrible. The commas (or lack thereof) were the biggest issue. So provided the author allocates more funding towards editing (which I understand as a new or indie author can be very hard), book 2 should be much better. I should also mention the author is not US based so I don't know if there are different rules elsewhere.
There are hints of fantasy elements but I'm leaning more towards classifying as magical realism, though this may change with future books. I think the next book will be much different and faster paced, so much so that I'd almost classify this as one long prologue - kind of like how Gild was for the Plated Prisoner series (at least that's how I felt about Gild). Ends on a cliffhanger and I'm excited for the next one!
October 30, 2022
I received an ARC for A Crown of Cursed Love- thank you Jade!
I enjoyed this retelling of Hades and Persephone. It was emotional, romantic and fun.
I liked our FMC, Lana, and how protective she was of her sister, Kat, and the people she loved. She was fierce and proud, and I loved her sassiness. Overall she was a relatable character. Kat was fun and loving. I loved the dynamic between the sisters, and how much they both took care of each other. I also have a soft spot for Xander. He was so sweet, supportive and wholesome. Truly a great bestfriend. Aide was the mystery guy. The sexy, tall, confident guy who was so charming. I wanted to know more about Aide, but that’s maybe a part of him being mysterious. Also, leaving room for more characterization and building of their relationship between them for future installments.
I also enjoyed the mystery of what was going on with Lana. The author left breadcrumbs throughout the story that kept me guessing and trying to piece it all together. I found it to be an easy scavenger hunt, but it was fun having my theories confirmed in the big reveal.
For the pacing of the book, I found it to be a bit too slow for my liking. The author gave me just enough to keep going. Also, I felt the story picked up more momentum for the last hundred pages and I really enjoyed them. There’s a lot of potential with this storyline. I am curious for the next installment for this series, and to see where the journey takes us.
Congratulations J.L. Robinson on your debut novel!
I enjoyed this retelling of Hades and Persephone. It was emotional, romantic and fun.
I liked our FMC, Lana, and how protective she was of her sister, Kat, and the people she loved. She was fierce and proud, and I loved her sassiness. Overall she was a relatable character. Kat was fun and loving. I loved the dynamic between the sisters, and how much they both took care of each other. I also have a soft spot for Xander. He was so sweet, supportive and wholesome. Truly a great bestfriend. Aide was the mystery guy. The sexy, tall, confident guy who was so charming. I wanted to know more about Aide, but that’s maybe a part of him being mysterious. Also, leaving room for more characterization and building of their relationship between them for future installments.
I also enjoyed the mystery of what was going on with Lana. The author left breadcrumbs throughout the story that kept me guessing and trying to piece it all together. I found it to be an easy scavenger hunt, but it was fun having my theories confirmed in the big reveal.
For the pacing of the book, I found it to be a bit too slow for my liking. The author gave me just enough to keep going. Also, I felt the story picked up more momentum for the last hundred pages and I really enjoyed them. There’s a lot of potential with this storyline. I am curious for the next installment for this series, and to see where the journey takes us.
Congratulations J.L. Robinson on your debut novel!
January 3, 2023
First book of 2023 completed! I love Jades booktok so I was really excited to read this!
It’s a debut and self published so there was obviously going to be some issues with grammar, pacing, character development, and editing. I found it hard to see the appeal of Aide’s character as he wasn’t fleshed out enough for my liking.
I’m excited for part 2 and IM ROOTING FOR MY BABY XANDER
It’s a debut and self published so there was obviously going to be some issues with grammar, pacing, character development, and editing. I found it hard to see the appeal of Aide’s character as he wasn’t fleshed out enough for my liking.
I’m excited for part 2 and IM ROOTING FOR MY BABY XANDER
November 2, 2022
So I went into this book blind - only buying it from following Jade on tiktok
I haven’t read any hades/persephone books or know much about the story so this was the first for me! I actually enjoyed every moment of it
I kind of guessed what was happening towards the end but still couldn’t put it down, I had to keep reading
I love love loved Lana’s character and was so conflicted about Xander or Aide and ultimately ended up getting my heart broken either way 👀
10/10 would recommend
4/5 stars
I haven’t read any hades/persephone books or know much about the story so this was the first for me! I actually enjoyed every moment of it
I kind of guessed what was happening towards the end but still couldn’t put it down, I had to keep reading
I love love loved Lana’s character and was so conflicted about Xander or Aide and ultimately ended up getting my heart broken either way 👀
10/10 would recommend
4/5 stars
October 17, 2022
I received an ARC, thanks Jade! I binged this in under two hours which doesn’t happen with every book, so I did enjoy it.
There were some issues with pacing, repetition and spelling in places, and not enough fleshing out of the relationships between any of the characters, but overall this was an ok retelling. Of the romance I definitely bought more into Aide than Xander; the scene in the restaurant had me blushing, and the cliffhanger had me rereading the last few pages to understand how I’d missed it. I think it could do with some minor tweaks but overall wasn’t a difficult read.
There were some issues with pacing, repetition and spelling in places, and not enough fleshing out of the relationships between any of the characters, but overall this was an ok retelling. Of the romance I definitely bought more into Aide than Xander; the scene in the restaurant had me blushing, and the cliffhanger had me rereading the last few pages to understand how I’d missed it. I think it could do with some minor tweaks but overall wasn’t a difficult read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2022
I just finished this book and I am sitting here in absolute shock. I am fucking flabbergasted. Usually I have a hard time reading Hades and Persephone retellings because they are all the exact same plot (I know it’s hard to write a new storyline for a retelling) but the way Jade Robinson wrote this was like no other retelling! I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next and I loved it!
Xander has my heart and I’m absolutely heartbroken by the ending. AND AIDE? HADES? WHAT IS GOING ON?! As much as I want her to be with Xander I know it’s hadesxpersephone retelling so…
Anywho.. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!! it had me giggling and kicking my feet while simultaneously making me want to scream and rip my hair out in frustration (you can ask my roommate because now she’s convinced I need to go to a psych ward lol)
Now I’m mad at myself for reading this book so fast because now I have to wait for the second book and THE FIRST ONE ISNT EVEN OUT YET UGH I’m gonna cry!!
I give this book 4/5⭐️
Xander has my heart and I’m absolutely heartbroken by the ending. AND AIDE? HADES? WHAT IS GOING ON?! As much as I want her to be with Xander I know it’s hadesxpersephone retelling so…
Anywho.. EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!! it had me giggling and kicking my feet while simultaneously making me want to scream and rip my hair out in frustration (you can ask my roommate because now she’s convinced I need to go to a psych ward lol)
Now I’m mad at myself for reading this book so fast because now I have to wait for the second book and THE FIRST ONE ISNT EVEN OUT YET UGH I’m gonna cry!!
I give this book 4/5⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
Congrats to Jade Robinson for having the courage to publish her first novel!
I came completely blinded to this book and I mus say the prologue with all the mythological motives and myths absolutely captivated me. Apparently this book is advertised as a Hades & Persephone retelling however this is not clear until literally the last ten pages of the book.
The story revolved a bit around Lana’s dating life and family situation which leads us to the revelations of a generational curse in her family.
I think the story and idea are good but in my opinion the pacing was dragging a little bit. I understand that this book is probably just setting the world for something bigger but in that case I would have wished for something shorter rather than nearly 400 pages of dates and bad family relationships.
All this considered i will be reading her next book once is out as I feel that one can be particularly interesting.
I came completely blinded to this book and I mus say the prologue with all the mythological motives and myths absolutely captivated me. Apparently this book is advertised as a Hades & Persephone retelling however this is not clear until literally the last ten pages of the book.
The story revolved a bit around Lana’s dating life and family situation which leads us to the revelations of a generational curse in her family.
I think the story and idea are good but in my opinion the pacing was dragging a little bit. I understand that this book is probably just setting the world for something bigger but in that case I would have wished for something shorter rather than nearly 400 pages of dates and bad family relationships.
All this considered i will be reading her next book once is out as I feel that one can be particularly interesting.
October 18, 2022
I loved this book! I loved the relationship between Xander and Lana! The ending had me shocked, I don’t really know mythology so the ending was a huge surprise to me! I love how Jade played with the idea of Hades x Persephone making this book unique while still having the mythology!
I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait for the next book!!
Thank you Jade for the ARC of this book! I can’t wait to see the final copy!
I couldn’t put it down! I can’t wait for the next book!!
Thank you Jade for the ARC of this book! I can’t wait to see the final copy!
December 16, 2022
A great debut novel!
Firstly I wanted to congratulate the author for self-publishing her first novel! I enjoyed the story and I will read the next book in the series to see how Lana’s story continues. The only thing that let this down was the slight lack of editing and the way the book was formatted.
Firstly I wanted to congratulate the author for self-publishing her first novel! I enjoyed the story and I will read the next book in the series to see how Lana’s story continues. The only thing that let this down was the slight lack of editing and the way the book was formatted.
November 4, 2022
I need more! I’m a sucker for a good Hades and Persephone retelling and I love how this is so different from some of the others I have read! I’ve been following Jade on TikTok for a while and figured I would read if only to support, but I loooved it so much. I can’t wait for her to keep writing!
February 20, 2023
I was really looking forward to this book, because the Hades and Persephone story is my all time fav. And I was so happy for this author and this huge accomplishment of being published.
I did feel like the although the writing was beautiful, it was too descriptive. Lots of adjectives, descriptive phrases for Lana’s inner monologue. It made the story and details hard to follow despite the elaborations. I also felt like I was 80% through the book before anything really intriguing started happening and before I actually got the main plot of the story so I almost DNF because of that.
Overall happy I finished it.
I did feel like the although the writing was beautiful, it was too descriptive. Lots of adjectives, descriptive phrases for Lana’s inner monologue. It made the story and details hard to follow despite the elaborations. I also felt like I was 80% through the book before anything really intriguing started happening and before I actually got the main plot of the story so I almost DNF because of that.
Overall happy I finished it.
February 23, 2023
Thank you to the fantastic author for my arc. I took so much pleasure in reading this one simply because I've been SO excited to see their journey. Now I'm here to say her work has definitely paid off with this one. Considering it's supposed to be even better on its final release. With that said, let's get into it.
We have a Hades/Persephone retelling which has now been done quite a bit. BUT I think this story is a little more original in its beginning and background history. The flow of her story was well-paced for my tastes, The build-up of our main character was enjoyable to witness. I loved finding out more of her backstory as it continued and her development about halfway through was another plus for me. She really helped me connect and feel for the characters throughout and had me toss back paragraphs left and right the moment she threw a lil twist in there because I most definitely did NOT want to put it down then. Now there was one character I wasn't as sold on but just because he wasn't up to my personal standards for some of it. I felt like at certain times he didn't fit right into the book but the ending took care of that for me lol. I'm only sad that now I not only have to wait for a second book but the first hasn't actually even come out yet!! So if she can leave me feeling that way in the end my very minor flaws with it don't matter as much to me.
I think with the final release it'll be fine-tuned and smoothed out for sure. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea and that's okay. But for me, I loved it.
We have a Hades/Persephone retelling which has now been done quite a bit. BUT I think this story is a little more original in its beginning and background history. The flow of her story was well-paced for my tastes, The build-up of our main character was enjoyable to witness. I loved finding out more of her backstory as it continued and her development about halfway through was another plus for me. She really helped me connect and feel for the characters throughout and had me toss back paragraphs left and right the moment she threw a lil twist in there because I most definitely did NOT want to put it down then. Now there was one character I wasn't as sold on but just because he wasn't up to my personal standards for some of it. I felt like at certain times he didn't fit right into the book but the ending took care of that for me lol. I'm only sad that now I not only have to wait for a second book but the first hasn't actually even come out yet!! So if she can leave me feeling that way in the end my very minor flaws with it don't matter as much to me.
I think with the final release it'll be fine-tuned and smoothed out for sure. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea and that's okay. But for me, I loved it.
March 14, 2023
unedited, novice attempt
Okay as a rough draft, surprised it got published. Couldn’t make it thru the first chapter. I’ve never read so many single sentence run on paragraphs in seven pages in my life. It has the feeling of a homework assignment where you’re trying your hand at using imagery for the first time. Lots of words and fluff for the sake of hitting your word count. Wouldn’t recommend.
Okay as a rough draft, surprised it got published. Couldn’t make it thru the first chapter. I’ve never read so many single sentence run on paragraphs in seven pages in my life. It has the feeling of a homework assignment where you’re trying your hand at using imagery for the first time. Lots of words and fluff for the sake of hitting your word count. Wouldn’t recommend.
September 7, 2024
No review - DNF’d at 12%
FMC has a “I’m not like other girls - woe is me attitude”. Also, the author described cargo khakis TWICE in two back-to-back paragraphs. I cannot.
FMC has a “I’m not like other girls - woe is me attitude”. Also, the author described cargo khakis TWICE in two back-to-back paragraphs. I cannot.
February 22, 2023
I’m going to preface this review with a heartfelt thank you to the author. I have been in quite the book slump for over half a year and this book has managed to pull me out of it single-handedly in one evening. I absolutely devoured this book and honestly I recommend it to anyone.
A crown of cursed love is a fantasy romance novel. It starts with a retelling of Greek mythology which honestly shows the talent of the author wishing the first few pages. It is written so beautifully and had me remembering how much i used to adore mythology.
The book centers on a female lead called Lana who is the sort of character that you can easily relate to and feel emotions towards - she is far from perfect and i think thats why i loved her so much so quickly.
Lana has serious issues with her mother but cares deeply for her sister who loves her mum and the tension caused by this is clear - its important to note that this book discusses grave sickness in a close family member which really made me feel for Lana through her conflict and guilt. Lana is human and it shows.
This book is a romance and it has elements of a love triangle between Lana and her two boys, Aide and Xander - both of whom i quickly love and at within the first quarter of the book i find myself with the moral dilemma of which boy?
Xander is a “gentle giant” and he’s such a sweetheart to Lana and her family. He grew up with Lana and is her childhood best friend - you can clearly see the love between them and i instantly wanted to wrap them up in a soft blanket and trap them in a room together.
Not long after we meet the doctor, Aide who is also a sweetheart but things get more steamy - his attraction to Lana is obvious and i adore how special he makes her feel. For unknown reasons he makes her feel cozy and safe (and things a lot more R rated of course - the smut isn’t hardcore but its there and i loved it)
Towards the end of the book things pick up quickly and go a little fast. Through the book lana has various realistic dreams and their purpose is revealed in the final quarter of the book and it happens fast and theres so many revelations but honestly it made me really emotional and i cannot WAIT for another book if there is one.
Overall Robinson is a fantastic author and i cannot wait to see where she goes with her career!!
A crown of cursed love is a fantasy romance novel. It starts with a retelling of Greek mythology which honestly shows the talent of the author wishing the first few pages. It is written so beautifully and had me remembering how much i used to adore mythology.
The book centers on a female lead called Lana who is the sort of character that you can easily relate to and feel emotions towards - she is far from perfect and i think thats why i loved her so much so quickly.
Lana has serious issues with her mother but cares deeply for her sister who loves her mum and the tension caused by this is clear - its important to note that this book discusses grave sickness in a close family member which really made me feel for Lana through her conflict and guilt. Lana is human and it shows.
This book is a romance and it has elements of a love triangle between Lana and her two boys, Aide and Xander - both of whom i quickly love and at within the first quarter of the book i find myself with the moral dilemma of which boy?
Xander is a “gentle giant” and he’s such a sweetheart to Lana and her family. He grew up with Lana and is her childhood best friend - you can clearly see the love between them and i instantly wanted to wrap them up in a soft blanket and trap them in a room together.
Not long after we meet the doctor, Aide who is also a sweetheart but things get more steamy - his attraction to Lana is obvious and i adore how special he makes her feel. For unknown reasons he makes her feel cozy and safe (and things a lot more R rated of course - the smut isn’t hardcore but its there and i loved it)
Towards the end of the book things pick up quickly and go a little fast. Through the book lana has various realistic dreams and their purpose is revealed in the final quarter of the book and it happens fast and theres so many revelations but honestly it made me really emotional and i cannot WAIT for another book if there is one.
Overall Robinson is a fantastic author and i cannot wait to see where she goes with her career!!
October 30, 2022
I received an eARC and I would like to thank Jade for allowing me to be at the start of her journey as an author.
3.5 ⭐
It did get me some time to get into reading as the writing felt a bit over-decorated, and the number of adjectives was a bit strong but the story pulls you in so I didn't mind it at the end. There was some very well-written ambiance scene, and it worked for it, but it is a bit unnecessary for the tea-making and cooking scenes.
Lana starts as a strong-minded kinda girl whose anger makes her oversee some things. She needs understanding and support and her journey starts with a crossroad of emotions. Her anger brings a different kind of problem...
Xander is just a boy that you need to keep.
Aiden... the chemistry was just off.
There is a lot of love commotion between these three :)
I'm intrigued by how the story will flow.
Ket's character is a venture to the YA and I like that part. She is presented as a protected and cared about child but in the end, she was the one protecting and caring about someone else. I believe there will be a strong character arc for her.
Overall this book has such an interesting story idea with some beautifully written parts but some parts diluted the storyline. Because of the blurb, I did predict the end, but it still intrigued me with the story's further development. It is a great start for a series and I`m looking forward to the next book.
3.5 ⭐
It did get me some time to get into reading as the writing felt a bit over-decorated, and the number of adjectives was a bit strong but the story pulls you in so I didn't mind it at the end. There was some very well-written ambiance scene, and it worked for it, but it is a bit unnecessary for the tea-making and cooking scenes.
Lana starts as a strong-minded kinda girl whose anger makes her oversee some things. She needs understanding and support and her journey starts with a crossroad of emotions. Her anger brings a different kind of problem...
Xander is just a boy that you need to keep.
Aiden... the chemistry was just off.
There is a lot of love commotion between these three :)
I'm intrigued by how the story will flow.
Ket's character is a venture to the YA and I like that part. She is presented as a protected and cared about child but in the end, she was the one protecting and caring about someone else. I believe there will be a strong character arc for her.
Overall this book has such an interesting story idea with some beautifully written parts but some parts diluted the storyline. Because of the blurb, I did predict the end, but it still intrigued me with the story's further development. It is a great start for a series and I`m looking forward to the next book.
November 1, 2022
I really enjoyed this book!
It follows Lana, our FMC, who has had to deal with a lot in her life but is fiercely protective of her sister and is just trying to get them by however she can. Life has thrown, and continues to throw, a lot of curve balls at her and although I wasn’t sure about her at the start, by the end she was relatable and I was rooting for her. I could tell there was going to be some twists and turns but I was kept guessing throughout, not knowing exactly which way things were going to go.
The love interests (yes, I said interestssss! Love me a love triangle <3) are both dreamy and I switched my opinion on who she should be with back and forth between them throughout the book! Some of the banter and slightly spicier scenes of the book were done really well. I love tension and slow burn between love interests and this book has that in the bucket load! I can’t wait to see more of this in the next one and to hopefully see it pay off more!
For a version of a Hades and Persephone retelling, I think it was done in a really unique and intriguing way which made me want to keep reading. I love the modern twist on the story. Although, I’m hoping the next book will explain that whole situation a lot more as I was a little lost with the flashbacks, their meanings and what was going on at some points.
I read an ARC of the book and the writing/formatting/editing wasn’t amazing which at times did distract from the content of the book. However, I have seen Jade say that a lot of this was worked on for the actual release of the book so I’m hoping this has improved in the more recent version.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book and I think it’s a great debut novel so Jade should be proud! I really look forward to reading the next one, and thank you Jade!
It follows Lana, our FMC, who has had to deal with a lot in her life but is fiercely protective of her sister and is just trying to get them by however she can. Life has thrown, and continues to throw, a lot of curve balls at her and although I wasn’t sure about her at the start, by the end she was relatable and I was rooting for her. I could tell there was going to be some twists and turns but I was kept guessing throughout, not knowing exactly which way things were going to go.
The love interests (yes, I said interestssss! Love me a love triangle <3) are both dreamy and I switched my opinion on who she should be with back and forth between them throughout the book! Some of the banter and slightly spicier scenes of the book were done really well. I love tension and slow burn between love interests and this book has that in the bucket load! I can’t wait to see more of this in the next one and to hopefully see it pay off more!
For a version of a Hades and Persephone retelling, I think it was done in a really unique and intriguing way which made me want to keep reading. I love the modern twist on the story. Although, I’m hoping the next book will explain that whole situation a lot more as I was a little lost with the flashbacks, their meanings and what was going on at some points.
I read an ARC of the book and the writing/formatting/editing wasn’t amazing which at times did distract from the content of the book. However, I have seen Jade say that a lot of this was worked on for the actual release of the book so I’m hoping this has improved in the more recent version.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book and I think it’s a great debut novel so Jade should be proud! I really look forward to reading the next one, and thank you Jade!
March 3, 2023
i want to start off by saying thank you so much to Jade L. Robinson's team for sending me an ARC of A Crown of Cursed Love in exchange for an honest review 💓
my opinions on this book and in no way reflective of my opinions about the author! she's a lovely woman and she did a great job with this debut novel 💓
the overall reading experience was quite enjoyable and i really enjoyed the pacing of the novel! there were several moments that had me HOOKED, and the spice was spicyyy!
however, there were several moments/word choices/plot points that took me out from the reading experience and ultimately, negatively affected my thoughts on the book. the ARC was filled with grammar and spelling mistakes (which i can normally overlook but the frequency was a little jarring 😕 plus, from what i've read, several of the mistakes were kept in the final draft as well), there were several pop culture references that date the novel (e.g., taylor swift's midnights album is mentioned), and i felt like i wasn't able to connect with any of the characters other than the main girl, lana. i especially wanted to know xander in a deeper level, but i wasn't given that and was so bummed with how their relationship ended at the very end of the novel (i felt like it was finally getting good!)
lastly, this book summary mentioned lana being queen of the underworld but we LITERALLY NEVER see this in the book... i guess this was the author's attempt at twisting the story of hades and persephone, but we truly don't get the hades reveal until the last 10% of the novel 😕 and there were barely any interactions between him and the fmc.
overall, this felt like a long prologue rather than the first novel in a series. but since i still enjoyed it, i'll be picking up the next novel in this series despite my criticisms 💓💓
my opinions on this book and in no way reflective of my opinions about the author! she's a lovely woman and she did a great job with this debut novel 💓
the overall reading experience was quite enjoyable and i really enjoyed the pacing of the novel! there were several moments that had me HOOKED, and the spice was spicyyy!
however, there were several moments/word choices/plot points that took me out from the reading experience and ultimately, negatively affected my thoughts on the book. the ARC was filled with grammar and spelling mistakes (which i can normally overlook but the frequency was a little jarring 😕 plus, from what i've read, several of the mistakes were kept in the final draft as well), there were several pop culture references that date the novel (e.g., taylor swift's midnights album is mentioned), and i felt like i wasn't able to connect with any of the characters other than the main girl, lana. i especially wanted to know xander in a deeper level, but i wasn't given that and was so bummed with how their relationship ended at the very end of the novel (i felt like it was finally getting good!)
lastly, this book summary mentioned lana being queen of the underworld but we LITERALLY NEVER see this in the book... i guess this was the author's attempt at twisting the story of hades and persephone, but we truly don't get the hades reveal until the last 10% of the novel 😕 and there were barely any interactions between him and the fmc.
overall, this felt like a long prologue rather than the first novel in a series. but since i still enjoyed it, i'll be picking up the next novel in this series despite my criticisms 💓💓
December 28, 2022
It’s clear that Jade has injected her own personality into our main character, even occasionally using northern slang that may make the book less accessible to all and also makes no sense, considering it’s meant to be based in North London (I believe?)
The scene setting takes up half the book and so it’s difficult to actually see what the plot is meant to be before it hits you. It’s frustrating, as the story does have a good premise, it just feels rushed and forced.
Lana’s personality is very contradictory, and most of the other main characters feel very one dimensional.
The writing is overly descriptive - the author is clearly really trying to give everything substance, but it just feels too try-hard. I think this is quite a common pitfall.
The ‘spice’ just feels unnecessary in a lot of places - like the author thinks that a good book needs to have it, when in fact in some of the instances here, it doesn’t add anything and actually pulls me out of the story to question how things escalated so quickly (thinking the whole “I want you” make out session on her birthday - actually, all the birthday stuff).
The whole thing needed at least two additional proof reads as the grammar, tenses, formatting and spelling are lacking - it feels like an amateur publication. Bad grammar also ruins the final reveal, which is a shame.
PETTY/PEDANTIC POINT: the mentioning of Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album will age the book - if it was really necessary to name specific Swift songs, it may have been a better route to go with the classics like Love Story or All Too Well or Shake it Off or You Belong With Me etc. It also goes to show how last minute this was, as the book was published 10 days after Midnights was released…
The scene setting takes up half the book and so it’s difficult to actually see what the plot is meant to be before it hits you. It’s frustrating, as the story does have a good premise, it just feels rushed and forced.
Lana’s personality is very contradictory, and most of the other main characters feel very one dimensional.
The writing is overly descriptive - the author is clearly really trying to give everything substance, but it just feels too try-hard. I think this is quite a common pitfall.
The ‘spice’ just feels unnecessary in a lot of places - like the author thinks that a good book needs to have it, when in fact in some of the instances here, it doesn’t add anything and actually pulls me out of the story to question how things escalated so quickly (thinking the whole “I want you” make out session on her birthday - actually, all the birthday stuff).
The whole thing needed at least two additional proof reads as the grammar, tenses, formatting and spelling are lacking - it feels like an amateur publication. Bad grammar also ruins the final reveal, which is a shame.
PETTY/PEDANTIC POINT: the mentioning of Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” album will age the book - if it was really necessary to name specific Swift songs, it may have been a better route to go with the classics like Love Story or All Too Well or Shake it Off or You Belong With Me etc. It also goes to show how last minute this was, as the book was published 10 days after Midnights was released…
October 25, 2022
I was sent an ARC of this story by the lovely Jade (J L Robinson). I’d first like to thank her for the opportunity, I really cherished the experience of reading your first publication.
As this is an ARC, there are editing and grammatical issues throughout that I’m sure will be tackled come publication. There was also quite a bit of repetition that took me out of the story but I’ll read the published version as well to see just how much it positively impacts the flow!
J L Robinson is a good storyteller. You can see the potential of this story, and just how much can be done with it in later books. As a first in a series, I don’t begrudge the author for a slow build to the underworld portion of things. I liked how she trickled little hints throughout the story- letting us piece it together on our own before the big reveal.
I think the next part in the series will be verrrrry interesting, and I cannot wait to see how Robinson constructs the dark complexity of the Underworld.
Character-wise, Kat is my girl. There’s just something about that little sweetheart. She’s so funny, and I loved watching her make little jabs at her sister. I also really liked the way Robinson made it clear Lana took care of Kat, but subtly showed us that Kat was also taking care of Lana that whole time as well.
Xander? Aide? I’m not sure! I wish we got a bit more characterization and relationship building with them both. I’m going to assume my future answer will be Aide because… white hair? Lavish clothes? He must be a Malfoy.
And we all love a Malfoy.
Congrats JL Robinson, on your first publication!
As this is an ARC, there are editing and grammatical issues throughout that I’m sure will be tackled come publication. There was also quite a bit of repetition that took me out of the story but I’ll read the published version as well to see just how much it positively impacts the flow!
J L Robinson is a good storyteller. You can see the potential of this story, and just how much can be done with it in later books. As a first in a series, I don’t begrudge the author for a slow build to the underworld portion of things. I liked how she trickled little hints throughout the story- letting us piece it together on our own before the big reveal.
I think the next part in the series will be verrrrry interesting, and I cannot wait to see how Robinson constructs the dark complexity of the Underworld.
Character-wise, Kat is my girl. There’s just something about that little sweetheart. She’s so funny, and I loved watching her make little jabs at her sister. I also really liked the way Robinson made it clear Lana took care of Kat, but subtly showed us that Kat was also taking care of Lana that whole time as well.
Xander? Aide? I’m not sure! I wish we got a bit more characterization and relationship building with them both. I’m going to assume my future answer will be Aide because… white hair? Lavish clothes? He must be a Malfoy.
And we all love a Malfoy.
Congrats JL Robinson, on your first publication!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 30, 2022
‘I don’t want control, I want chaos.’
A Crown Of Cursed Love is Jade’s debut book about the fiery Lana as she deals with her ever growing love for her best friend Xander, that is until a mystery man gets thrown into the picture. After following Jade on TikTok and joining her facebook book club I was definitely not going to jump at the chance for this book, and luckily I was so kindly gifted the ARC!
I loved the characters in this book as well as their relationships with each other. The sisterly love in this is very relatable for me as I am close with my own sister. Even though the mother daughter relationship between Lana and Dagina is strained at first, we do get to see it be resolved and what follows is so lovely. The guys in this are amazing as well. Xander the sweet loving best friend who makes you feel at home and Aide, the mysterious sexy older man who loves dogs and treats Lana like a goddess. I definitely know who my favourite is.
I really loved the mythology behind this with aspects of the story of Persephone, Hades and Adonis. I love Greek mythology so it really appealed to me, and of course it helps that Hades is hot as hell (no pun intended but hopefully appreciated 😂). And that ending was so good! I can’t wait to read more from Jade. Thank you for letting me into your world 🧡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶/5
A Crown Of Cursed Love is Jade’s debut book about the fiery Lana as she deals with her ever growing love for her best friend Xander, that is until a mystery man gets thrown into the picture. After following Jade on TikTok and joining her facebook book club I was definitely not going to jump at the chance for this book, and luckily I was so kindly gifted the ARC!
I loved the characters in this book as well as their relationships with each other. The sisterly love in this is very relatable for me as I am close with my own sister. Even though the mother daughter relationship between Lana and Dagina is strained at first, we do get to see it be resolved and what follows is so lovely. The guys in this are amazing as well. Xander the sweet loving best friend who makes you feel at home and Aide, the mysterious sexy older man who loves dogs and treats Lana like a goddess. I definitely know who my favourite is.
I really loved the mythology behind this with aspects of the story of Persephone, Hades and Adonis. I love Greek mythology so it really appealed to me, and of course it helps that Hades is hot as hell (no pun intended but hopefully appreciated 😂). And that ending was so good! I can’t wait to read more from Jade. Thank you for letting me into your world 🧡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2022
I received this book as an ARC from the author. Thank you, Jade, for the copy!
Onto the review. I think this has great potential. The story plot is solid and is an interesting intro to the retelling of Hades and Persephone. I really liked the tension in the love triangle and the stubbornness of the main character Lana. She doesn’t present as a traditional Persephone character, but she’s still a good character. I would say the younger sister, Kat, is more of the Spring like goddess.
There’s a lot of potential in this book but I found that it took about half the book for the authors voice to really solidify. The first half was a bit jolty to read and could do with a bit of editing. The second half you could tell that the author really got into a groove of writing and kept going.
I’ve given this three stars because I liked it, I just think it can be more with a bit more editing.
Editing: I also want to point out that the book summary discusses soul snatching and being the queen of the underworld. However there’s not really any mention of the soul snatching ceremony or that Lana’s soul is that of the queen of the underworld. You learn about the family curse in the final 20% of the book but still nothing about soul snatching or that she’s in fact the Queen of the Underworld.
Onto the review. I think this has great potential. The story plot is solid and is an interesting intro to the retelling of Hades and Persephone. I really liked the tension in the love triangle and the stubbornness of the main character Lana. She doesn’t present as a traditional Persephone character, but she’s still a good character. I would say the younger sister, Kat, is more of the Spring like goddess.
There’s a lot of potential in this book but I found that it took about half the book for the authors voice to really solidify. The first half was a bit jolty to read and could do with a bit of editing. The second half you could tell that the author really got into a groove of writing and kept going.
I’ve given this three stars because I liked it, I just think it can be more with a bit more editing.
Editing: I also want to point out that the book summary discusses soul snatching and being the queen of the underworld. However there’s not really any mention of the soul snatching ceremony or that Lana’s soul is that of the queen of the underworld. You learn about the family curse in the final 20% of the book but still nothing about soul snatching or that she’s in fact the Queen of the Underworld.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2023
2.5⭐️ 1🌶️
I wanted to love this so much, as a huge greek mythology girl the whole premise was right up my alley with a new perspective on a Hades/Persephone retelling but there was no hint at it being a H/P retelling until literally the last few chapters which defeats the point of a fantasy/mythology book if all of these events are missing until the last few pages.
Instead, we were left with a FMC, who is likeable enough working her 9-5, taking care of her family and flirting with a best friend/coworker (Xander) never taking any steps towards their relationship whilst simultaneously dating Dr.Aide.
Ultimately, I think this was marketed all over the place.
A H/P retelling? only referenced right at the final point.
Spicy? Literally one minor scene that lasted all of a page, if that.
I’m a big fan of Jade on tiktok, so I was excited to read the book and I understand it is a debut novel but it just fell flat. Hopefully, book 2 brings more oomph to the actual point of the book instead of what felt like 400 pages of back story.
I wanted to love this so much, as a huge greek mythology girl the whole premise was right up my alley with a new perspective on a Hades/Persephone retelling but there was no hint at it being a H/P retelling until literally the last few chapters which defeats the point of a fantasy/mythology book if all of these events are missing until the last few pages.
Instead, we were left with a FMC, who is likeable enough working her 9-5, taking care of her family and flirting with a best friend/coworker (Xander) never taking any steps towards their relationship whilst simultaneously dating Dr.Aide.
Ultimately, I think this was marketed all over the place.
A H/P retelling? only referenced right at the final point.
Spicy? Literally one minor scene that lasted all of a page, if that.
I’m a big fan of Jade on tiktok, so I was excited to read the book and I understand it is a debut novel but it just fell flat. Hopefully, book 2 brings more oomph to the actual point of the book instead of what felt like 400 pages of back story.
March 22, 2024
There is certainly an interesting story to be told here. That said, this book does not successfully tell it.
The whole book, but especially the prose feels very first draft, and even without an editor, a few more rounds of revisions by the author could have tightened this up considerably.
There are details littered throughout that are not important or relevant to the story, while other key details are dumped in haphazardly. The author is trying to accomplish a well fleshed out, cinematic feel, but instead just gets repetitive and stuck in the details.
I am also almost offended by the number of typos, grammar mistakes, and tense mixups.
Lots of self published books would be better with the addition of an editor, but this to me doesn’t even feel like the best work this author has to offer before an editor even touches it.
I will definitely be checking reviews to see if these things have improved before picking up book 2.
The whole book, but especially the prose feels very first draft, and even without an editor, a few more rounds of revisions by the author could have tightened this up considerably.
There are details littered throughout that are not important or relevant to the story, while other key details are dumped in haphazardly. The author is trying to accomplish a well fleshed out, cinematic feel, but instead just gets repetitive and stuck in the details.
I am also almost offended by the number of typos, grammar mistakes, and tense mixups.
Lots of self published books would be better with the addition of an editor, but this to me doesn’t even feel like the best work this author has to offer before an editor even touches it.
I will definitely be checking reviews to see if these things have improved before picking up book 2.
November 2, 2022
I was an ARC reader for this book and while I didn’t have time to finish it until after the release date I am shocked that I am now dying to buy the official copy and get the bonus chapters!
I thought I had a good idea of what was going on in the plot from following Jade on TikTok and as the story progressed, but the last 30 pages shocked me and I couldn’t believe the book was over!
I think this was a good hadesxpersephone retelling in the sense that while hades is mentioned- it’s not an obvious retelling at all! I guess who Aide was from the beginning and I was still rooting for him over Xander, but was shocked by how it ended!
This was a fun read that checked my boxes plot wise and outside of some spelling / grammar issues (it was an ARC copy) I was very surprised at how much I need to know what happens in book 2 / the changes made in the final version!
I thought I had a good idea of what was going on in the plot from following Jade on TikTok and as the story progressed, but the last 30 pages shocked me and I couldn’t believe the book was over!
I think this was a good hadesxpersephone retelling in the sense that while hades is mentioned- it’s not an obvious retelling at all! I guess who Aide was from the beginning and I was still rooting for him over Xander, but was shocked by how it ended!
This was a fun read that checked my boxes plot wise and outside of some spelling / grammar issues (it was an ARC copy) I was very surprised at how much I need to know what happens in book 2 / the changes made in the final version!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2022
I'm definitely not an avid Goodreads user or book reviewer, but I feel the need to share my thoughts on this one.
This is the first ebook I have ever requested a refund for, and it honestly hurts my heart to do it, but this book is riddled with many, many errors. I didn't even make it to page 100 because I found myself so distracted from the story due to all the grammar and punctuation mistakes. This is also the first time I've dropped a book just due to these errors alone. They're usually something I can ignore well enough, but not in this case.
All of that said, I still look forward to future creations by J. L. Robinson! The plot for this book is pretty unique and has the potential to be a great story, and I imagine this author has even more great ideas waiting to be written.
This is the first ebook I have ever requested a refund for, and it honestly hurts my heart to do it, but this book is riddled with many, many errors. I didn't even make it to page 100 because I found myself so distracted from the story due to all the grammar and punctuation mistakes. This is also the first time I've dropped a book just due to these errors alone. They're usually something I can ignore well enough, but not in this case.
All of that said, I still look forward to future creations by J. L. Robinson! The plot for this book is pretty unique and has the potential to be a great story, and I imagine this author has even more great ideas waiting to be written.
November 3, 2022
For a modern day Hades and Persephone retelling, I actually really enjoyed this read.
My only real issue is that I wish it moved faster. While I enjoyed all of the relationships and development we got throughout the story, I found myself wishing the scenes didn’t drag as much as I felt they did.
This may have just been me, but I knew who Hades’ character was going to be revealed as pretty much as soon as he was introduced. Not a bad thing, just something I picked up on pretty quickly, but maybe that’s because I anticipated a Hades reveal.
I felt connected to Lana’s character and I genuinely felt for her as she grieved her losses. I’m intrigued enough to see what is going to happen next after the cliffhanger ending.
My only real issue is that I wish it moved faster. While I enjoyed all of the relationships and development we got throughout the story, I found myself wishing the scenes didn’t drag as much as I felt they did.
This may have just been me, but I knew who Hades’ character was going to be revealed as pretty much as soon as he was introduced. Not a bad thing, just something I picked up on pretty quickly, but maybe that’s because I anticipated a Hades reveal.
I felt connected to Lana’s character and I genuinely felt for her as she grieved her losses. I’m intrigued enough to see what is going to happen next after the cliffhanger ending.
November 3, 2022
Absolutely loved this, highly recommend! I've been following Jade Robinson on TikTok for a while and couldn't wait to read her book. I couldn't put it down once I'd started!
A really interesting plot, and absolutely devastating at times. The last 100 pages were gripping and had me almost in tears.
With a delightful inclusion of some spice in there too... this book was an emotional rollercoaster!
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was just the grammar/editing errors throughout, with commas in the wrong places etc making it a little tricky to read at times. However this isn't the final published book so I'm sure theyll be ironed out and they weren't enough to stop me enjoying it!
10/10 recommend
A really interesting plot, and absolutely devastating at times. The last 100 pages were gripping and had me almost in tears.
With a delightful inclusion of some spice in there too... this book was an emotional rollercoaster!
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was just the grammar/editing errors throughout, with commas in the wrong places etc making it a little tricky to read at times. However this isn't the final published book so I'm sure theyll be ironed out and they weren't enough to stop me enjoying it!
10/10 recommend
October 21, 2022
3.5⭐️
i read the ARC copy of this book so, i would like to start by saying thank you Jade for this exciting opportunity <3
what to say about this book?
the story was very enjoyable and all the things happened entertained me, as i kept going reading it.
maybe is not one of the most original story you’ll ever read, but i must say that this book is worth a chance.
i also liked the writing, i found it really nice :)
i would absolutely love to read the sequel, if there’ll ever be one, and know what will happen to Lana after that ending.
p.s. also, i fell in love and from now on i’m officially a Xander’s girl. 🥵
i read the ARC copy of this book so, i would like to start by saying thank you Jade for this exciting opportunity <3
what to say about this book?
the story was very enjoyable and all the things happened entertained me, as i kept going reading it.
maybe is not one of the most original story you’ll ever read, but i must say that this book is worth a chance.
i also liked the writing, i found it really nice :)
i would absolutely love to read the sequel, if there’ll ever be one, and know what will happen to Lana after that ending.
p.s. also, i fell in love and from now on i’m officially a Xander’s girl. 🥵
October 31, 2022
I was so so proud of Jade when reading this book after listening to her tell me the plot for a 'book' for years! I am amazed by how well she has wrote this and the publication standard to say this has been self published and edited by bookish friends!
The story is amazing and really has you torn between two main male characters! Honestly through the whole book its Head or Heart, or Head or Lust!
Hint Friends to lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Spicy scenes, BIG BAD main character, Curses, Relics, Greek Mythology, tragedy, and an ending that leaves you like :O. Honestly what more could you want!
Congratulations on your first book Jade! You did Awesome!!
The story is amazing and really has you torn between two main male characters! Honestly through the whole book its Head or Heart, or Head or Lust!
Hint Friends to lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Spicy scenes, BIG BAD main character, Curses, Relics, Greek Mythology, tragedy, and an ending that leaves you like :O. Honestly what more could you want!
Congratulations on your first book Jade! You did Awesome!!
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