A new YA suspense series from the bestselling author of The Breathing Series! “Trust no one. Everyone lies. You can only save yourself.”It was supposed to be a Friday night like any other for Lana and her best friends. Three girls out to cause a little trouble. Break a few hearts. And try not to get caught. Except on this night, Lana Peri is the sole witness to a horrific crime, and she can’t say … Except on this night, Lana Peri is the sole witness to a horrific crime, and she can’t say a word. Not if she wants to protect her friends. No one will believe her word over his, so he gets away with it. And she’s forced to pay for her silence.
Instead of serving time in juvie, Lana is sentenced to a boarding school for privileged teens. Removed from everyone she knows and cares about, she’s abandoned at Blackwood School in Vermont, where everything is an illusion, including the lives of those who attend the elite institution. Lana isn’t wealthy or privileged. The only thing she has in common with the sons and daughters of celebrities and politicians is that she’s a delinquent, just like them. And they’ve all been forced to grow up much too fast.
Just when Lana begins to feel accepted, mysterious notes start showing up in her belongings and ominous threats are painted on her wall. Only someone she knows could have done it. Someone she thought was a friend. As the pieces fall into place, secrets begin to emerge, leaving Lana with too many questions and not enough people to trust.
The Cursed Series is a thrilling and tangled mystery that explores the sacrifice of love and the secrets kept to protect friends. How do you know who to trust when no one is telling the truth?more
When I first started reading indie romances, after taking a much needed break from all types of writing since I had just finished my Masters in English, one of the first authors I came across was Rebecca Donovan and her Breathing series.
MAN, did Emma and Evan’s story just about do me in, but while my emotions were all over the place, I refused to stop and regroup…I couldn’t put it down because Donovan’s prose captivated me; her writing was seamless and thought-provoking, and I reveled in the way she not only crafted the story but also in how she layered the main characters in an effort to slowly unravel who they were and what made them say and do the things they did.
And as soon as I started The Cursed Series, Parts 1 & 2, Donovan, once again, held my attention until the very end, taking me on one hell of a suspenseful journey and leaving me with a plethora of unanswered questions – ones that won’t be answered until the other parts of the series are released, and while that would usually frustrate the heck out of me, I’m more than content to ponder and hypothesize my theories about this group of characters – what their connections are, how they view each other, and what’s at stake for each one of them as the plot continues to play out.
I also greatly appreciate the fact that I didn’t get overwhelmed by the world building required in this series. In an atmosphere like the one Donovan created for her characters, it would be easy to get confused or lost in the intricacies of the characters and the setting, but I didn’t feel that way at all as Donovan introduced me to Lana and the secondary characters as well as the dark and mysterious private school where so much of the plot plays out. She vividly details the necessary information in a way that allows readers to visualize everything that’s described and while The Cursed Series is only about halfway told, it’s almost like Donovan has laid out her path and readers now just need to wait to continue their journey.
I don’t read many young adult stories any more; I usually gravitate towards New Adult or older, but when an author whose work I’ve read and truly enjoyed releases a book, regardless of the genre and category, it’s a must-read, and I can wholeheartedly say, I’m beyond glad that I did because what Rebecca Donovan creates in her newest book has all of the components of an epic read and the fact that there’s more to Lana’s story makes me eagerly await the next installment.
5 Poison Apples
I was completely and utterly smitten with this first part of the series. Talk about some fantastic writing that will have you sitting at the edge of your seat throughout the book.
The suspense, the thrill, the drama — all of those combined together sure gave you everything + more from what you were expecting.
This is my first read by Rebecca Donovan and I’ll surely tell you that it won’t be my last because she has climbed up the ladder so fast for favorite authors on my list.
I can’t go into detail about the book because I don’t want to give anything away, just …. you have to read it and I promise you that you will love it just as much as I did.
This might be a YA novel, but there is just so much going on that it will not deter you from reading it.
If you love suspense, drama, angst, thrill…then this is the book for you. I can guarantee you that you will be left gasping for air and/or with your mouth wide open at the end. AND you don’t want to miss the conclusion of the highly anticipated ending to this fascinating story with fascinating characters that you will, no doubt, fall in love with.
Rebecca Donovan has officially been added to my “one click” list.
How do I begin this review?
First, it deserves 10
Second, I’ve never read a story like this. It had everything. I’ve seriously stopped reading at certain points because I was dreading it coming to an end. I want more. I crave more. I need more to live..take pity on me, Rebecca!
Lana..oh Lana…nothing is as it seems. I love the depth of the characters. Layers upon layers of mystery and intrigue are revealed like peeling back an onion.
You must read this book. I’m totally going to push my book sisters to read it.
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 5/5
Main Characters~ 5/5
Secondary Characters~ 5/5
The Feels~ 5/5
Pacing~ 5/5
Addictiveness~5/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 5/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 5/5 ~ CLIFFHANGER
Book Cover~ Fantastic
Series~ The Cursed Series
Source~ Kindle eBook ~ ARC for honest review
Would I read more from this author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes
A beautifully written suspenseful, mysterious, romantic book that will leave you emotionally breathless.
From the first page to the last, I was hooked!
Author Rebecca Donovan brings this new series to life off the pages.
From the blurb I was intrigued on where this book would take me and it did not disappoint.
Such a good mix of mystery and reveals that will leave you intrigued.
I can’t wait to see what happens next in Parts 3 & 4.
Go One Click it!
5 popped!
Extraordinary writing, an edgy plot, and amazing characters. The Cursed, Parts 1 & 2 brings the emotions and the twists that left me begging for more!
The Cursed Series, Parts 1 & 2 sucked me in. Part 1 was shorter then Part 2. I love Lana. She’s a smart tough girl. She pulled me into the story. I loved her theory on being cursed. In Part one Lana and her friends have a Friday night out. Their Friday night is crazy and doesn’t turn out like planned. Lana is loyal to her friends and takes the fall of things that happen. In Part 2 we get the aftermath of Part 1. Lana finds her self in a new place to navigate. We get more characters in part 2. I wasn’t sure how everyone was going to play out in the story so when I new character was introduced, I jotted down a little note so I would remember who they were. There is mystery and layers to this story. I hadn’t realized that there would be more then two parts to the story until the ending. I can’t wait to read more.
This was a very interesting read for me, I enjoyed it as it’s definitely a young adult read that ends kind of on a cliffhanger, I still have so many questions. I really liked how Lana thought that a person’s strongest attribute is their curse, it’s interesting to think that way but I totally could see that being true. Lana’s curse is truth, therefore she never lies and believes she physically can’t and she is easily able to pickup on other people’s “curses”. I truly believe watching her mother become broken hearted over and over again made Lana jaded about love. She was forced to grow up for her age but at times you could still see the young kid she truly is come out when she was being immature and rude especially when it came to showing emotions. It was sometimes irritating how immature she could be towards authority figures or peers but I had to remind myself she’s only 15 which made me also annoyed by how cynic and hot and cold she could be. My favorite thing about the book is the mystery aspect, for instance the people that help her are mysterious about why, it’s like her mother is hiding things from her, and the ordeal that landed her at a strange school is interesting and kept me guessing about what will happen next. I am very interested in seeing what happens next after what all was revealed in the end. After reading this, I believe we are all cursed with our own virtues and they could be used for our own demise or used for our greatest stories.
Le résumé donnait le ton et il est évident que le mystère va agir jusqu’au tout dernier chapitre. Nous n’avons pas toutes les clés en main pour comprendre ce qui va pousser Lana à endosser des responsabilités qu’elle ne devrait pas assumer. Une soirée entre amis va très mal finir et c’est elle qui va en payer le prix le plus fort.
Le récit est donc constitué en deux parties. D’un côté, nous allons découvrir le caractère très trempé de notre héroïne Lana Peri qui régente sa vie et qui définit la sienne mais aussi celle des autres selon une moralité qui est en fait une malédiction. Par exemple, elle se sent condamnée à toujours la vérité , aussi blessante soit elle et on peut vous assurer qu’elle ne tourne jamais sa langue sept fois dans sa bouche avant d’asséner le coup fatal. Tous les événements vont donc nous mener à cette nuit bouleversante. Lana est une adolescente qui n’a qu’une seule amie et il s’agit de Tori. Elle est toujours dans les coups tordus et les soirées arrosées. On dit qu’il faut que jeunesse se fasse mais certains événements risquent bien de leur échapper. J’ai aimé découvrir le personnage de Lana car elle est très protectrice envers ceux qu’elle “aime”. Elle a endossé un rôle d’adulte pour épauler sa mère alors que les rôles auraient dû être inversés. Avec ses amies, elle agit un peu pareil et c’est bien ce qui risque de la mener à sa perte. C’est une jeune femme très intelligente mais qui prend un certain plaisir à gâcher son potentiel en adoptant une attitude rebelle.
D’un autre côté, nous sommes les témoins de l’après dans le sens où nous la retrouvons non pas dans une centre pour délinquants juvéniles mais dans un pensionnant de haut standing et aux règles très étranges et très cadrées. On pourrait se dire que le cadre est une bonne chose mais en y regardant de plus près, les adolescents sont privés de toute liberté et chacun de leur geste ne passe pas inaperçu. Dans ce nouvel univers, nous retrouvons Lana telle qu’elle était . Elle restera en présence de personnages qui nous rappellerons son passé. Brenan est sans aucun doute le personnage le plus déstabilisant du groupe. Il a cette perception des autres qui est effrayante car il sait détecter la moindre information à votre sujet sans jamais nous dévoiler comment il parvient à se résultat. On retrouve aussi les Harrison dans cette nouvelle partie et dès le début, je ne savais pas si je pouvais leur faire confiance. Parker est le plus âgé et il sera toujours là à protéger ses proches mais en faisant cela ne se protège t-il pas lui même? Joey est un personnage que j’ai aussi eu du mal à cerner et à qui j’ai aussi eu du mal à faire confiance. Quant à Lance , nous le découvrons à Blackwood et il nous semble plus sympathique que ses frères. Que dire de leur père Niall qui est toujours aussi très ( ou devrais je dire trop ) présent?
Dès qu’elle arrive dans cet univers qui est à des années lumières du sien , les menaces ne vont pas tarder à revenir. Ces messages cryptés forcent donc notre héroïne à rester sur ses gardes et elle qui n’a jamais fait confiance à personne ne risque pas de changer d’avis. Nous allons devoir récolter des indices dans ce brouillard qu’est devenue l’intrigue et en fermant ce roman, j’ai encore des tas de questions qui me trottent en tête. Certes nous avons l’intrigue principale qui est résolue mais certaines zones ombragées auraient méritées d’être plus approfondies. Je ne dirais pas que je reste sur ma faim mais il me manque comme un point final à l’intrigue. Je pense que le fait que je ne sois pas friande des fins ouvertes explique cela .
Bref, je retrouve la plume de Rebecca Donovan dans un univers qu’elle n’avait pas encore essayé et c’est un essai plutôt réussi. Elle parfait à nous tenir en haleine avec ces personnages et leur prétendue malédiction. La saga Cursed vous fera plonger dans une histoire mystérieuse au dénouement tout aussi nébuleux.
The cover is stunning and draws you in to find out exactly what this story is about. The writing is perfection. I love when an author gives you mote questions than answers it makes you question everything you read. Who is keeping secrets? Who can be trusted. Afte reading parts 1 and two I must say the trust factor is very limited. I enjoyed the personalities of the characters they have great depth and I have a love to hate connection with a few of them. The story is well rounded yet leaves you on your toes. In my heart I can’t help but feel there is way more then meets the eye with this crazy school and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next books. Our curse doesn’t define us only our choices change the path our lives take.
To me, one of the signs of a great book is that you can’t stop thinking about it after you are done. This is definitely one of those books. YA isn’t normally my favorite genre, but Rebecca Donovan is one author who does a great job with them. I loved Lana’s character right from the start. She is an extremely powerful person with more gifts than she knows. Her love for her friends far outweighs her love for herself, and that gets her into trouble.
This is a cliff hanger, and I cannot wait until the final two parts come out!
Holy crap!! I started reading this and was pulled in right from the start. I loved Lana, she may be young but she sees the world differently from just about everyone around her. When her curse gets her sent to the private school she doesn’t know who to trust.
It’s hard for her to trust. Is she going to trust the wrong person? I was almost biting my nails to see what was going to happen next. The suspense was killing me! I felt like I was right there with her trying to figure out everything.
Then at the end…the CH I was like noooooo……I seriously can’t wait for the next installments of this series. I need to find out what they find out!!!
These two books will leave you speechless.
For one thing, Rebecca Donovan introduces you to characters you simply cannot help but become obsessed with.
Lana narrates the story, taking you first (in Part 1) to her life in middle Massachusetts. On the cusp of sixteen and the daughter of a woman cursed with the belief that love exists for her and that she will find it. That this never seems to happen only entrenches Lana’s belief that love itself is a curse, forever dooming those who suffer from it to pain. Lana decrees that she is cursed with honesty, and she is. If you ask her what she thinks, she will tell you.
There are a few times, however, when Lana’s honesty is not readily available. For instance, something happens in Part 1, and Lana does not open her mouth to tell those who can help her. She believes that she must stay quiet in order to protect some friends and loved ones. (Her quiet on this matter irked me because it started to feel more like a badge of honor than a smart decision.)
In Part 2, Lana must live with the ramifications of what happened in Part 1, and Rebecca Donovan introduces you to a whole new cast of characters and takes Lana on some adventures that put her heart in danger. Even with the new people and new situations, Donovan keeps Lana grounded in her hometown. Her mother, while not physically present in the second book, is emotionally present on just about every page.
Throughout the first and second books, Rebecca Donovan builds layers of mystery about Lana, her mother, and her friends. By the time Knowing You ends, you will be panting with anticipation for the third book. Not only do you need to know what happens next, you also won’t be ready to let go of Lana just yet.
Lana is a complex, at times difficult to like character. She lashes out, she pushes people away, and she can be self-destructive. Yet as much as she may not want you to love her, you will. There are times you want to shout at her, and there are times you want to clamp your hand over her mouth so that her honesty doesn’t curse her further, but her faults only serve to make her more real. More likable.
I love this adventure that Rebecca Donovan has taken me on, and I can’t wait to continue it.