My Rating
- You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (More Info)
About the Book
Fall in love, break the curse.
It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.
Break the curse, save the kingdom.
A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall … and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin. (From the author's website)
My Thoughts
“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.” A Curse So Dark and Lonely
This dark retelling of Beauty and the Beast definitely lived up to my expectations. My only regret...not buying the physical copy of BOTH these books. (Yes...already added to my Amazon wishlist 😂) I really enjoyed the different twists Ms. Kemmerer used to portray this beloved classic.
I thoroughly enjoyed Harper! Aside from a few normal teenage indecisions, she was incredible. Being swept into another realm. Stuck there with strangers. Stuck in The Curse. She adjusts quickly and jumps into the necessary role of Princess Harper of Disi. Although lacking in proper training, she is determined to be useful... and her compassionate heart sets her on a path of success. Her growth throughout this book was fabulous!
Rhen...oh Rhen...from a mopey defeatist to a Prince with determination and strength. His transformation throughout this story was executed so well. After hundreds of seasons without being able to break the curse, it takes Harper, a woman who wasn't even supposed to be in Emberfall, for him to open his eyes to the plight of his people and something shifted in his heart and I LOVE THIS RHEN. His sense of duty and loyalty to his people is admirable, if belated.
Riddled with violence, this is not a book for sensitivity to blood. Overall, this was a well-constructed retelling, with new elements, variances to the original story, and a much darker twist as a whole.
Please note: This is a general market title. There are some secular worldview references that, while I don't support, I didn't feel took away from the story.
I purchased a copy of A Curse So Dark and Lonely. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
About the Author
Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring Young Adult novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA stories like The Elemental Series and Thicker Than Water (Kensington). A full-time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband, her boys, her dog, and her cat. When she’s not writing or being a mommy, you can usually find her with her hands wrapped around a barbell.
