Brutal Curse is a fairy tale retelling where Alice in Wonderland meets Beauty and the Beast.Prince Carden of Tierney lost his home, family, and claim to the throne in one fell swoop when he rebelled against his father for a cause he knew was right. Instead of wallowing in despair, he embarks on a new journey, starting a new life on the Southern Isle. When he finds himself caught in a web woven by … web woven by the famously ruthless fae queen, Coeur, he insults her and she vows to teach him the most difficult and heart-breaking lesson he will ever learn: that humans are incapable of love, and that hearts are beastly things.
Arabella wasn’t really living, she was existing and surviving as best she could. A chance encounter with Carden changes everything for her, but the deadly game he’s dragged her into might cost her life. Still, she agrees to play. The rules the fae queen gives them are vague, and it’s obvious there are things Queen Coeur isn’t telling them. She’s sure of it. But what she does know is that together, she and Carden must pass a series of tests and trials. If they fail, game over. But if they succeed, she just might be able to restore her family and carve out the life she’s always envisioned.
Brutal Curse can be read alone, but if you would prefer the whole story of the characters set in the Seven Kingdoms, the suggested reading order is: Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. This story is perfect for anyone who loves epic fantasy books and for fans of Sarah J. Maas, C.J. Redwine and Marissa Meyer.
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The title of Brutal Curse is aptly named because this book is effing BRUTAL!!! Eyes bugging out, nail biting, edge-of-your-seat, yelling HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!!! I felt like Mel B half the time from AGT yelling WHAT JUST HAPPENED!??!?!??! So many twists…It was epic. It was a major twist on Alice in Wonderland, but you could kind of see a little beauty and the beast in there. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not, but I saw it. And the ending was so so good!!! I can’t wait to read the next book from her! 5 stars and 2 thumbs!! Actually, can I borrow some hands?? HA!
This was an interesting twisted take on Alice in Wonderland. Arabella wanting to leave her former life sets off on an adventure and gets caught up in a twisted game with another player who turned out to not only be her heartbeat but a prince. Queen Couer is bitter and evil and she puts Arabella in Carden through a series of challenges in a twisted fae game. Many hearts are impacted. This is a fast-paced read, as you want to see what happens next.
I’d like to thank Lady Amber’s Tours and Casey L. Bond for sending me an e-arc of this it is very much appreciated. So I am obsessed with this series! This is not the first book I’ve read of hers, I read Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Glamour of Midnight, and Unlocked. I loved all of them so I had very high hopes for this one and they were met!
So we first met Carden in Riches to Rags, and we get his backstory he left his Kingdom because he didn’t agree with his father’s actions and leaving was easier than staying. I loved his character, he was so funny and caring although he got mega jealous when it came to Arabella and Rule at any point. I felt so bad for him when Queen Coeur was playing all her tricks on him and Arabella. Although it made for an interesting story!
Arabella, I felt so bad for her having to deal with her father than her brother practically not wanting her around all the time. She was so caring and kind of stupidly trusting as well. I enjoyed her character.
Queen Coeur and Rule, they were an interesting pair, she basically wanted her son to be obsessed with her. It was a very interesting dynamic and I loved it! The way they both would be trying to play each other to get what they want. It was actually very entertaining to see Rule piss his mother off all the time.
I loved all the banter. The story was told from mostly Carden and Arabella’s point of view but it did have the odd Rule point of view thrown in there when it was needed. I really enjoyed reading from their point of view.
The heartmate business within this story was very interesting and the fact you could have kind of more than one connection. I would love to read more about the heartmate any couple. This is where we see Esmeralda who is Rule’s heartmate being hidden from the Queen, as she is jealous and wants Rule’s world to start and end with her. As well as the tethered business, it was really interesting. The story actually had many interesting things including the unseen and cursed I loved them and especially Brave. I wanted to know more and more about this world like we got given enough it was built amazingly and fleshed out. I think I just want to know more it never feels like enough maybe because there is so much to soak up and learn.
The story was so cute and I loved the ending it was unbelievably sweet, I fell in love with all of the characters in the book and I wanted more I could have read anything to do with these. I loved the plot, the characters and the story. It was very intense and fast paced and I loved it.
I absolutely loved Brutal Curse! It was Alice all over again only darker! As Arabella and Carden play the Queen’s twisted game Arabella wants to defeat the queen and take her down. Can she do it and with Carden’s help or must she do it alone. This is one book that had me wanting more with each page I read. I couldn’t put it down. My only complaint is that it ended to soon. I hope to read more from Casey L. Bond in the very near future she rocked my world with this fabulous retelling of Alice in Wonderland!
Prince Carden has left his kingdom behind in his search for a new life. While he isn’t sure exactly what he is looking for, he knows it is not to be stuck as a player in a deadly and ruthless game hosted by the infamous fae queen, Coeur. She’s out to prove to both Carden as well as her subjects that humans are incapable of love and that hearts cannot be trusted.
Arabella was barely surviving in a dreary existence. When she follows her brother into town in an attempt to escape her reality, she has a chance encounter with Carden. While brief, it’s enough for Coeur to lure Arabella into her wicked game as Carden’s partner.
Knowing death is most likely in their near future, Carden and Arabella agree to the fae queen’s rules and now must work to both outlast and outwit whatever she throws at them. The more time spent together, the more their hearts teacher to one another. But the game and the players are not always what they seem to be. Will Carden and Arabella be able to survive the game and explore life as heartmates, or will Queen Couer prove that hearts really are beastly things and that love doesn’t exist?
Based loosely on Alice in Wonderland as well as bits of Beauty and the Beast, Casey L. Bond weaves an extremely unique fairy tale adventure with Brutal Curse.
I’ve been rooting for Prince Carden since we first met him in Riches to Rags . . .he needed to find his very own happy ever after after helping others find their own. When he catches a glimpse of Arabella in the village, he instinctively feels connected to her. It’s only later that we realize just how connected they truly are.
I also fell in love with Arabella. The author always does an amazing job of writing strong, compassionate and intelligent female leads and Arabella is no exception. She knows exactly what is at stake when she agrees to be Carden’s partner in Couer’s deadly game and does her best to win for not just her, but for Carden and the rest of Couer’s subjects who live in fear and tyranny.
The ancillary characters such as Brave, Oryn, Esmerelda and Prince Rule are also bright spots in this fairy tale. Prince Rule captured my attention immediately and was the wildcard character so to speak . . . you knew all along the story would hinge upon him, you just didn’t know exactly how . . . and what an absolutely brilliant revelation it was!
Brutal Curse is full of twists and turns and amazing surprises and revelations throughout. There is no way for the reader to guess what is coming their way, and it’s simply amazing to get so lost within this fairy tale! 5 stars.
This book was a little lacking for me. I can’t even explain it but I wanted more from it. Took me a while to get through it but I did finish it.
(there are 9 hearts hidden on the front cover, can you find them all) this is such an awesome tale. You have to enjoy fairytales to enjoy a retelling, because you know how the story goes then a retelling takes you off into a whole nother adventure. Such a great storyline by an amazing author.