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Melody of a Curse
He's haunted by nightmares.
She's hiding behind her smile.
A cursed melody dooms them both.
Ever since returning from the war, Jonas has been plagued by nightmares. When he meets the vivacious dancer Sophie, he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Her laughter alone banishes the terrors of his dreams. But behind that smile lies a secret.
Every night, Sophie follows an irresistible melody into the night, only to return in the morning exhausted, feverish, and with her shoes broken a little more. Worried, Jonas sets out to solve the mystery of her midnight dances. But the intoxicating nightmare he slips into may just be darker than the ones that haunt him.
The award-winning dark fairy-tale retelling of Grimm’s “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”. Now in English.
She's hiding behind her smile.
A cursed melody dooms them both.
Ever since returning from the war, Jonas has been plagued by nightmares. When he meets the vivacious dancer Sophie, he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Her laughter alone banishes the terrors of his dreams. But behind that smile lies a secret.
Every night, Sophie follows an irresistible melody into the night, only to return in the morning exhausted, feverish, and with her shoes broken a little more. Worried, Jonas sets out to solve the mystery of her midnight dances. But the intoxicating nightmare he slips into may just be darker than the ones that haunt him.
The award-winning dark fairy-tale retelling of Grimm’s “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”. Now in English.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2022
35 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 2, 2025
Rate:💖💖 1/2
Spice: 💋( no spice)
“Melody of a Curse” was supposed to be a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but by all accounts, it missed the mark. I went in expecting something like Barbie’s 12 Dancing Princesses but gender-bent and darker—more along the lines of the Grimm Brothers’ version. Instead, the only real connections were dancing, a soldier sent to uncover a mystery, and an invisibility cloak.
For most of the book, I was thoroughly disappointed. The story drags as Jonas and Sophie bicker like children, despite supposedly being adults. Meanwhile, Sophie’s father—who hired Jonas to figure out where Sophie goes at night—acts as if he’s on another continent when he’s actually just up the road, while Sophie lives in some sort of guesthouse… with Jonas.
Our protagonist, Jonas, is an ex-soldier struggling with PTSD and holding down a job. He gets hired by Sophie’s father to investigate her nightly disappearances—because apparently, no one else can figure out where this grown woman and her friends are sneaking off to. Conveniently, Jonas meets Sophie the day before taking the job, outside the DeModie—the John Cena of nightclubs (now you see it, now you don’t). It turns out this is where she spends her nights, because heaven forbid a woman go clubbing with her friends.
From their first meeting, Jonas is immediately infatuated with Sophie. Once they start living together, he’s hyper-focused on looking out for her, while Sophie just wants to party with her so-called Prince, Luca. But after using the Harry Potter-esque invisibility cloak to spy on the club, Jonas starts getting suspicious of Luca.
Turns out, Jonas was right to be suspicious. Sophie is nearly trapped forever by the curse of the DeModie after dancing for a year and a day with Luca. They barely escape, and—just like that—they live happily ever after.
The last 30 minutes of the book were packed with action and genuinely enjoyable. But the rest? Not so much. The romance felt forced by Jonas, the retelling aspect was paper-thin, and the characters often made frustrating choices. If the book had leaned harder into the curse and fantasy elements instead of focusing on a predictable romance, it could have been much stronger.
@heartandherobooks
Spice: 💋( no spice)
“Melody of a Curse” was supposed to be a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but by all accounts, it missed the mark. I went in expecting something like Barbie’s 12 Dancing Princesses but gender-bent and darker—more along the lines of the Grimm Brothers’ version. Instead, the only real connections were dancing, a soldier sent to uncover a mystery, and an invisibility cloak.
For most of the book, I was thoroughly disappointed. The story drags as Jonas and Sophie bicker like children, despite supposedly being adults. Meanwhile, Sophie’s father—who hired Jonas to figure out where Sophie goes at night—acts as if he’s on another continent when he’s actually just up the road, while Sophie lives in some sort of guesthouse… with Jonas.
Our protagonist, Jonas, is an ex-soldier struggling with PTSD and holding down a job. He gets hired by Sophie’s father to investigate her nightly disappearances—because apparently, no one else can figure out where this grown woman and her friends are sneaking off to. Conveniently, Jonas meets Sophie the day before taking the job, outside the DeModie—the John Cena of nightclubs (now you see it, now you don’t). It turns out this is where she spends her nights, because heaven forbid a woman go clubbing with her friends.
From their first meeting, Jonas is immediately infatuated with Sophie. Once they start living together, he’s hyper-focused on looking out for her, while Sophie just wants to party with her so-called Prince, Luca. But after using the Harry Potter-esque invisibility cloak to spy on the club, Jonas starts getting suspicious of Luca.
Turns out, Jonas was right to be suspicious. Sophie is nearly trapped forever by the curse of the DeModie after dancing for a year and a day with Luca. They barely escape, and—just like that—they live happily ever after.
The last 30 minutes of the book were packed with action and genuinely enjoyable. But the rest? Not so much. The romance felt forced by Jonas, the retelling aspect was paper-thin, and the characters often made frustrating choices. If the book had leaned harder into the curse and fantasy elements instead of focusing on a predictable romance, it could have been much stronger.
@heartandherobooks
April 28, 2024
A delightful, digestible read, this book has great potential. However, I would have given it a higher rating if there had been more showing instead of telling and fewer cliche similes (e.g. 'like a moth to a flame'). I also became distracted by the unlikely situation in which pointe shoes last long enough to be handed down from mother to daughter. Ballerinas who dance for hours daily will replace pointe shoes every few days/weeks. I know this book is a fantasy so the rules can be bent a little, but a bit more explanation would have gone a long way. That being said, this story really does have moments where I became lost in the imagery and emotion. I admire how much work has gone into it.
April 30, 2024
The pacing of this novel is excellent, and the plot twists were brilliant. Although it’s a clear retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, this tale takes very unexpected twists and turns while still evoking all the key points of the fairytale.
The characters are also well rounded with flaws that bring out their humanity and showcase their struggles. Sophie battles grief after her mother’s death, while Jonas struggles with sever symptoms of PTS, a result of his experiences in battle. I appreciate how well the author evoked the negative spirals that many people get sucked into when not coping whit psychological stressors, and the desire to ignore the problems and forget about them while trying to embrace life—but only getting a half-life out of it, rings so true. It’s a brilliant message and comes across beautifully.
The curse, in this instance, is epic. At first, it is presented as one thing, but as the story unfolds, the truth becomes clear, and the specifics of the curse become darker and darker. And it’s done so well! I was absolutely terrified by the end of it.
The unfolding romance between Sophie and Jonas is also wonderful. It’s clean, which is unusual for such a dark, NA romance, and I actually really enjoyed connecting with the characters at an emotional level without any spice getting in the way. It’s refreshing and adds a lot to the story.
Another really unusual element is the setting. This story is set in modern Germany, which I didn’t notice at first because it could have been any modern city. In a way, the setting isn’t important, it could be anywhere. But I personally felt the author could have done more with the German setting from the start. Embracing it would have added that extra layer to make this story even more unforgettable and unique. As it is, I found the few overt references to German culture/names a little jarring, but not enough so to detract from the awesome experience of this fantastic read.
I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for clean, adult romance, dark fairytale retellings, or contemporary fantasy reads with exciting, unpredictable twists and turns, not to mention deep characters who actually have arcs. Love it! And I’m looking forward to see what more this author has written.
The characters are also well rounded with flaws that bring out their humanity and showcase their struggles. Sophie battles grief after her mother’s death, while Jonas struggles with sever symptoms of PTS, a result of his experiences in battle. I appreciate how well the author evoked the negative spirals that many people get sucked into when not coping whit psychological stressors, and the desire to ignore the problems and forget about them while trying to embrace life—but only getting a half-life out of it, rings so true. It’s a brilliant message and comes across beautifully.
The curse, in this instance, is epic. At first, it is presented as one thing, but as the story unfolds, the truth becomes clear, and the specifics of the curse become darker and darker. And it’s done so well! I was absolutely terrified by the end of it.
The unfolding romance between Sophie and Jonas is also wonderful. It’s clean, which is unusual for such a dark, NA romance, and I actually really enjoyed connecting with the characters at an emotional level without any spice getting in the way. It’s refreshing and adds a lot to the story.
Another really unusual element is the setting. This story is set in modern Germany, which I didn’t notice at first because it could have been any modern city. In a way, the setting isn’t important, it could be anywhere. But I personally felt the author could have done more with the German setting from the start. Embracing it would have added that extra layer to make this story even more unforgettable and unique. As it is, I found the few overt references to German culture/names a little jarring, but not enough so to detract from the awesome experience of this fantastic read.
I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for clean, adult romance, dark fairytale retellings, or contemporary fantasy reads with exciting, unpredictable twists and turns, not to mention deep characters who actually have arcs. Love it! And I’m looking forward to see what more this author has written.
April 3, 2023
A terrifyingly honest twist of fantasy and mental health.
Melody of a Curse is not a book for everyone. I can understand that plenty of people won't want the modern issues in this fantasy bluff. But for me, it was thrilling as the comparisons between the two main characters stacked up. I loved this in depth comparison that ran so much deeper then the text explained.
But one problem with this story is the text. I was speed-reading with excitement, but the text isn't super thought provoking. It tells it like it is and isn't whitty or thoughtful, which was a little boring. This doesn't hurt the story, but if it was exicuted better it could have enhanced it.
The secondary characters were lacking. They did add information to the story, but it didn't seem like they were anything more then one sided cardboard cut outs.
It was so refreshing to read a twisted fairy tale that wasn't based on one of the stories that Disney has adapted. I've never read the original, so everything was a new discovery. It was terrifying, especially in the second half of the book. The chapter that had us following Jonas going home sent shivers up my spine as I realized how much time was passing without learning what was going on with the dance club.
I couldn't help but think during the first half of the book that the story was missing some side plot. I didn't think enough was happening. But, later on, this wouldn't have helped the story but hindered it.
I the end, I'll be readily suggesting this book to dark fairytale lovers and contemporary fantasy lovers. Such a fun ride that isn't just a cheap shot at making you read a sequel.
Melody of a Curse is not a book for everyone. I can understand that plenty of people won't want the modern issues in this fantasy bluff. But for me, it was thrilling as the comparisons between the two main characters stacked up. I loved this in depth comparison that ran so much deeper then the text explained.
But one problem with this story is the text. I was speed-reading with excitement, but the text isn't super thought provoking. It tells it like it is and isn't whitty or thoughtful, which was a little boring. This doesn't hurt the story, but if it was exicuted better it could have enhanced it.
The secondary characters were lacking. They did add information to the story, but it didn't seem like they were anything more then one sided cardboard cut outs.
It was so refreshing to read a twisted fairy tale that wasn't based on one of the stories that Disney has adapted. I've never read the original, so everything was a new discovery. It was terrifying, especially in the second half of the book. The chapter that had us following Jonas going home sent shivers up my spine as I realized how much time was passing without learning what was going on with the dance club.
I couldn't help but think during the first half of the book that the story was missing some side plot. I didn't think enough was happening. But, later on, this wouldn't have helped the story but hindered it.
I the end, I'll be readily suggesting this book to dark fairytale lovers and contemporary fantasy lovers. Such a fun ride that isn't just a cheap shot at making you read a sequel.
November 22, 2023
I actually ended up liking this book more than I originally thought I was going to, though it started off a bit slow, and it took me WAY too long to realize that this book was set in present day and not in the 1940s. I enjoy a food retelling, and this Twelves Dancing Princesses retelling had a good solid story, if it was a bit predictable.
This book comes with a few trigger warnings, which I normally don't reference too much in my book reviews, but the male protagonist's PTSD and the female protagonist's depression from the loss of her mother (which takes place before the events of the book) plays a major role in the characters individual stories as well as driving the over all narrative. If you are sensitive to graphic depictions of war, PTSD, nightmares, blood, death, or physical abuse, I would.skip this one altogether.
However, of these things don't bother you to read in a work of fiction, then I would say this is a good light read for a weekend on the couch with a blanket, cup of hot tea, and a fur baby.
This book comes with a few trigger warnings, which I normally don't reference too much in my book reviews, but the male protagonist's PTSD and the female protagonist's depression from the loss of her mother (which takes place before the events of the book) plays a major role in the characters individual stories as well as driving the over all narrative. If you are sensitive to graphic depictions of war, PTSD, nightmares, blood, death, or physical abuse, I would.skip this one altogether.
However, of these things don't bother you to read in a work of fiction, then I would say this is a good light read for a weekend on the couch with a blanket, cup of hot tea, and a fur baby.
January 12, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
This was a pretty fun book! And by fun, I mean filled with upsetting and realistic depictions of PTSD and grief hiding behind a dark fairy tale retelling. It was a good story. Both Jonas and Sophie felt pretty well developed and written. Some of the translations felt a little clunky, and I found a couple of grammatical errors, but I just ignored them, lol
I feel like I might've enjoyed this story more had it been placed in a historical setting instead of modern, but it was good nonetheless. I recommend this book if you enjoy fairy tales retold in contemporary settings!
This was a pretty fun book! And by fun, I mean filled with upsetting and realistic depictions of PTSD and grief hiding behind a dark fairy tale retelling. It was a good story. Both Jonas and Sophie felt pretty well developed and written. Some of the translations felt a little clunky, and I found a couple of grammatical errors, but I just ignored them, lol
I feel like I might've enjoyed this story more had it been placed in a historical setting instead of modern, but it was good nonetheless. I recommend this book if you enjoy fairy tales retold in contemporary settings!
June 6, 2024
I love fairy tale retellings, and this one of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” was emotionally intense and beautifully done. One main character is grappling with PTSD and the other with grief, depression, and an unhealthy relationship. It gets pretty intense at times, particularly with Jonas's war flashbacks. They didn't really bother me, but it's something to be aware of if you're considering reading this book.
I really liked the plot twists in this book, and narrowing in on just one dancing princess. The curse and underworld setting was handled really well, and it kept me eager to see how things would turn out in the end.
I really liked the plot twists in this book, and narrowing in on just one dancing princess. The curse and underworld setting was handled really well, and it kept me eager to see how things would turn out in the end.
May 14, 2024
It surprised me. When I started reading it I wasn’t particularly impressed, but it was good enough for me to continue. And boy, am I glad I continued. It really picked up after that first chapter and prologue. I liked the representation of PTSD and the way Sophie deals with her grief is interesting and felt very realistic. The one thing I didn’t care about was the romance. The two MCs gave me best friends vibes, and they didn’t have much chemistry for the romance to be believable, but other than that the story was good.
February 13, 2025
An almost nightmarish novel, so dark. In almost typical Grimm style Janna brought the characters alive. Jonas was reliving his worst war experiences, triggered by almost anything that remotely reminded him. Fighting the worst form of PTSD, his only light was Sophie, but she was caught up with the prince's curse, dancing every night until her ballet shoes were in tatters at the Melodie club. Truth will be revealed with an unexpected twist. Definitely not for the feint hearted.
I received a complimentary copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you Janna
I received a complimentary copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you Janna
April 6, 2023
Awesome!
I wish i was better at writing reviews. This is a fantastic Faerie tale. It contains accurate representation of PTSD and addictive behavior. The characters are fantastic, the setting imaginative, and the book incredibly hard to put down
I wish i was better at writing reviews. This is a fantastic Faerie tale. It contains accurate representation of PTSD and addictive behavior. The characters are fantastic, the setting imaginative, and the book incredibly hard to put down
June 21, 2023
I felt it was a slow burn book, defo got more interesting at the end as it started to pick up. I was interested enough to keep reading to the end which is saying something because I'm not against abandoning a book half way through if I'm not feeling it.
December 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 There is quite a lot of build up and the pay off is closer to the end. I would push though. I’m so glad I did! The ending had me on the edge of my seat. So many theories were going through my head!
August 28, 2024
Wonderfully written. An easy read. Loved how the story was approached and modernised
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews