A Curse So Dark and Lonely

[b:A Curse So Dark and Lonely 43204703 A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1) Brigid Kemmerer https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1574179523l/43204703.SY75.jpg 50519947]Rereading a Favoriteupdated from my 2020 review“A Curse So Dark and Lonely” by Brigid Kemmerer is a book that captured my heart in 2020, and three years later, it still holds a special place among my favorites. There's something magical about reading a book that feels like it was written just for you, and this story did exactly that.In the past couple of years, life has been treating me well, and this newfound happiness has amplified my enjoyment of reading. “A Curse So Dark and Lonely” is a series that I can't help but share with everyone because it left an indelible mark on my literary journey. It was my introduction to Brigid Kemmerer's work, and since that first read, I've eagerly devoured the entire series.What makes this book truly exceptional is the way it seamlessly melds fantasy and the modern world. The cursed Prince Rhen, who transforms into a beast every winter, is a character who has spent centuries seeking true love to break his curse. The enchantress Lilith grants him one last chance to find love, making this season his final opportunity. Enter Harper, my absolute favorite character in the fantasy genre.Harper hails from our contemporary world and has faced considerable hardships, including her mother's battle with cancer and her absent father. What's remarkable about Harper is her resilience in the face of adversity, including her diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. She refuses to be defined by her condition and, in order to make ends meet, her brother Jake works for some rather unsavory individuals to settle their father's debts. It's during one of these risky moments that Harper unwittingly crosses over into the fantasy realm, snatched away by Grey.And so begins a timeless tale of transformation and growth. Harper's initial displeasure at finding herself in this unfamiliar world doesn't sit well with Rhen, who quickly realizes she isn't the typical damsel he expected. Their interactions are complicated, to say the least. However, as expected, over time, they both undergo significant changes. Harper's escape attempts inadvertently lead to her helping others, and this marks the beginning of a remarkable journey.Without revealing too much of the plot, I must say that Rhen and Harper are the most captivating Beast and Belle duo. The story is brimming with so many elements that you could easily lose yourself in it for an entire day. What struck me most about Harper is that she isn't the archetypal heroine. It's rare to encounter a fantasy heroine with medical issues, and as someone with Cerebral Palsy myself, I found her character to be authentic and relatable. The author's research shines through in Harper's struggles, making her a more well-rounded and inspiring character.I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Brigid Kemmerer for delivering the fantasy genre in a way that left me insatiable for more. I eagerly anticipate diving into the rest of the series as soon as life allows. If you're seeking an enchanting journey of love, adventure, and self-discovery, then “A Curse So Dark and Lonely” is the perfect choice. Click the link below and embark on this extraordinary adventure yourself. You won't be disappointed.

This is such a fun retelling of beauty and the beast. I really enjoyed it and read through it quickly.

This is a very interesting take on the Beauty and the Beast retelling, with a not so perfect main character, a very lonely yet deadly love interest and a guardsman that is always loyal to the throne. The plot of this book is refreshing to me since I don't really read retellings that much but I ended up enjoying it. The characters were great and I liked how each of them were developed as the story progressed. I also liked how the relationship between Harper and Rhen is done because it didn't push her to love him right away which I thought is realistic. The reason why I only gave this 4 stars because the pacing is a little bit slow for me that it made me bored at some time. I also didn't buy Harper's trust towards Rhen and Grey in the very first part of the book because I thought that its ridiculous and it seems like stockholm syndrome to me. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it and I will surely pick up the sequel when it comes out because of the ending.

Things I liked in this book:

- The opening scene: Harper attacking Grey with a tire iron. Gooood!- The amount of times they tried to make Harper a damsel in distress, but she kept running away from the trope.- She ran away thrice!- Harper slapping Rhen and the POV changing to Rhen :D- Grey. Everything about Grey.- The character interactions between Grey, Rhen and Harper were nicely written. Especially liked the card game conversations.- The POV change for the monster.- The healer's concubine :)- The curse wasn't actually broken by the cliched trope (Well, it was unclear but I'd like to think it wasn't a 100% broken because of sacrificing yourself for your love thingy).- The ending was a nice change of pace from all the retellings.

This is one of my favorite The Beauty and The Beast retellings.

I'm so glad people recommended this one to me and gave me pushes to read it. I love this book.

I think this is the only The Beauty and The Beast retelling I've read where the heroine knows that she is there to help break a curse AND knows how to break it. I loved it. Truly, I loved everything about this book. Harper continued to surprise me at every turn and she had me falling in love with her. She is the greatest.
The romance is a slow burn. The progression of their feelings for each other felt natural and was written so well. BUT the romance isn't the main thing about this book which made this book even better! There is a war on the rise, there is discontent in the kingdom – something I always wondered about in The Beauty and The Beast: how does royalty just go missing and no one thinks anything of it, but then totally accepts them back in the end??

Look, this book is amazing and the ending has me D Y I N G for the sequel. 

“Are you prepared to die, Grey?" I demand. "Because that is all that exists at the end of this path. I am sure of it. This was never a curse to be broken. This is a death sentence. The true curse has been the thought that we might find escape.”

I've read a Brigid Kemmerer book before and I very much enjoyed it so I'm disappointed that I can't say the same about this one.

If I could sum it up in a few words I'd say “I don't care for it”. It's great that it features a disabled character but I can't give praise for that alone when the quality is not there. She was still an underdeveloped character who was merely an offspring of the “I'm not like other girls” trope. The prince was no better. He literally sounds like the same prince I've encountered in fantasy books, especially re-tellings. There's nothing particularly compelling about him nor his kingdom.

The world-building is simply underwhelming. And the whole “Princess of Disi” subplot made just laugh out loud which I'm sure wasn't the expected reaction. The only mildly interesting character was Grey and even his character was spoiled because it turns out he's the king's bastard son. He's probably going to get into a crown war with the current prince in one of the future books and they'll get in a love-triangle. If Harper had instead fallen in love with Grey, slayed the monster/prince to save the kingdom, well maybe I would have signed up for that.

I loved the strength and development Harper showed as a character. I really enjoyed the story and the world building it has.

3.75 stars

I read this in one night and I feel like that says a lot about whether I enjoyed this book or not because it's not exactly short. I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling and this is my favorite one I've read so far.

This could have become a love triangle book, but it didn't, so I was happy about that. In fact, despite the aim of the main characters being falling in love to break the curse, there was very little romance for most of the book, which was fine.

The main issue I had with it was that I didn't really feel very connected to any of the characters except for Grey, and the main joy I find that I get from most books comes from me connecting to characters emotionally. I definitely liked Grey, I found him complex and I know there was more going on underneath the surface. I can't wait for the next book because I want to find out more and I want him to be happy. 💔

Also of note: the main character has cerebral palsy and it was really cool reading a story from her perspective.