Can she risk trusting a man if it means saving her sister? And what will she do when that reluctant trust begins changing into something more?Jaelle knows better than to trust men. Every girl in Terrefantome knows that. But when her plan to escape her oppressive kingdom with her sister goes awry, she finds herself with an unwanted gift and her sister in peril. To make matters worse, she’s thrust … worse, she’s thrust into the company of a foreign prince on a strange mission. With no one else to turn to, Jaelle must choose between trusting and aiding him in his quest and receiving his help in return or saving her sister on her own.
Prince Lucas of Maricanta is on the most important mission of his life; if he fails, his kingdom will be overrun by criminals of the most violent kind. When his meddling mother follows him into enemy territory, however, dragging along some poor girl that she insists is his future wife, he must alter plans to finish his mission and protect them all.
Jaelle and Lucas know his mother’s plan to betroth them is far-fetched. They also know, however, that in Terrefantome, it will be safer to play along with the sham engagement. But with enemies closing in on every side and their own affections getting muddled along the way, Lucas and Jaelle must choose between the futures they’ve sacrificed for and the love of which they’ve always dreamed.
A Curse of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms Collection, but it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Read this fairy tale retelling now to experience danger, intrigue, and passionate, clean romance as only fairy tales can give.
more
A very imaginative retelling of this fairytale. The island where the story takes place fit into the world that the author has created with her books. This island was a terrible and evil place; women stolen if they were alone, murderers roaming free, and creepy crones living near worm pits! The author definitely out did herself in making the bad guys really bad. Jaelle and Lucas went through some great character development, and the side characters were well done. A very sweet romantic story. My only qualm is that the ending was drawn out too much.
Overall a story I am glad I read and I am sure I will be visiting it again, but never in real life would I ever go to this island if it were real… you couldn’t pay me..I mean it.
Curse of Gems is the seventh book in Brittany Fichter’s Classical Kingdom Collection. This book follows closely after the Silent Mermaid. I was really excited to read this book, especially when I learned that it was about Lucas, Michael’s younger brother. This was the one of the first books that I have read that was a retelling of Diamonds and Toads. I am pleased to say that it was really good.
Lucas is the younger brother, the second son. He has strived for most of his life to please others and bring about peace however he can. He truly cares for his family and all he wants is to help his brother. But helping his brother means risking his life. His kingdom needs to pay off their debt, Lucas has to travel beyond the wall into a place filled with exiles, filled with evil. He needs to pay the debt back to the “king” of Terrefantome before it is too late.
Jaelle just wants to get out of it Terrefantome. But she is losing hope, the world seems to be getting darker and hopeless. She no longer has a way of getting out from under her stepmother. Luckily she has her stepsister to care for her and help her. But then things take a turn for the worst, her sister has done things that can never be erased. She is given the “gift” of producing gems whenever she speaks. But this gift is more like a curse, making her the most coveted creature in the land.
I really enjoyed this book, it was really good. I fell in love with Brittany’s books when I read My Carolina Airman and this book was just as good. I really enjoyed seeing Jaelle fall for Lucas. It takes a while, but she slowly finds herself trusting him and failing for him. Lucas was cute, I think it took him a little longer to realize that he had fallen for Jaelle. But once he figures out that he loves her, he was willing to do anything for her.
Jaelle was such a strong woman, she had to learn what it meant to stand up for herself and what it meant to let others lead. She really grows as she travels with Jaelle and Lucas’ mother. She had such a kind heart even in the midst of horrible circumstances. She had been pushed around her whole life and yet when she is finally given the chance of freedom, she learns that loving someone is better.
Lucas was a prince who was searching for himself. He was such a complicated character, who was kind and yet firm. He found herself, but it took a long journey, his mother nagging him, and a broken girl for him to see the light. Lucas had to grow into a man he could be proud of, he had to learn how to fight for what was right. I found it sweet that even though his mother drove him crazy, Lucas still cared for her and did his best to protect her.
I don’t know what else to say, but that this was an amazing book. It dealt with real problems, but it still gave you a happy ending. I would totally recommend it! I fell hard for Lucas and Jaelle and I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series.
I basically started this book yesterday and haven’t been able to put it down since! And this is no short story! I was immersed in the tale right from the start and kept reading until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and then picked it back up as soon as I awakened.
Over the last few years I’ve been stepping out of my comfort zone and trying more fantasy books. In the process I’ve found some great stories and new favorite authors. While A Curse Of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms series it’s the first one that I’ve read. I loved it! Brittany Fichter has not only created an amazingly detailed fantasy world but she also managed to retain the heart of the original fairytale while telling a story that is fresh and new. The blending of magic and Christian themes was done very well, not heavy handed, and I appreciated having both elements in the story.
A Curse Of Gems is an excellent story one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to YA to adult readers. I enjoyed this story immensely and I look forward to reading more from Brittany Fichter and her The Classical Kingdoms series.