“The night Claire Tanith’s small village is attacked, her mother sends her alone into the cursed forest, the one she’d been forbidden to enter all her life with these mysterious words: ‘They will protect you.’
On the run from her attackers, she soon finds the forest is not as abandoned as she’d once thought.
Beautiful and elegant, the elves seem to be everything the legends said they would be. But legends sometimes forget the true history of things and Claire’s eyes are soon opened to a world she never knew. One that has been kept from her for most of her life. All Claire wants to do is return home and start looking for her mother, the only family she ever had. But the elves have different plans. The mysterious mark that appeared on her arm isn’t a curse, at least not to them anyway, and before she knows it, she is whisked away on a mission she never agreed to, unless they help her in return.
Now she is stuck on an adventure with the perverted elf, Aeron, and one with an attitude, Farron. But there is more to this adventure than she’d ever hoped for.” -Synopsis from Goodreads.com
Hello Lovelies!
It’s Friday *does a little jig* and I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to another weekend and a reprieve from the seemingly constant rain. I’ve been aching for some vitamin D and reading by the pool feels like a wonderful way to relax and pass the time. I’m hoping to read some sequels this weekend and have their posts drafted early next week, but in the meantime, I have a captivating tale to share!
This was my second time to read Cursed, and I found it just as thrilling. Out of all the fantasy races, elves are my favorite (with fae coming in second) . I blame Legolas for my mild obsession. Aside from ethereal beauty, grace, intelligence, skill in battle, I love that elves are shrouded in mystery. So when I read that Claire’s companions were elvish, I was instantly hooked.
Claire struggles with strength and confidence throughout the beginning of the novel when she flees the only life she’s ever known and is thrown into a world of magic, danger, and the unknown. Claire gains courage and tenacity after being faced with countless obstacles. Although I found Claire’s moping to be unpleasant and a bit taxing, it didn’t last long and her growth surprised me. She quickly became a spit-fire full of fun and a sense of adventure. My only issue with Claire, an extremely minor issue, is her height. I would have just loved her to be tall, but I’m just nitpicking. As a female touching upon 5’9, I wish more literary females were tall. While I have no problems with petite women, I enjoy stumbling upon a relatively tall female character every now and then.
Casey Odell did not disappoint with her creation of Aeron and Farron, Claire’s elvish escorts and, if you were to ask her, captors. Aeron, a gorgeous and flirtatious elf with a boisterous and cocky attitude, also reveals flashes of a darker, more serious side that speaks to his high-ranking military position. Mysterious sums up Farron. With a past veiled in secrets, Farron speaks very little and is a brooding character hiding behind a cocky face. He both infuriates and intrigues Claire. Their relationship is complicated and ranges from confidant to outright enemy, but the romantic tension between the two is spectacular.
Even though the reader doesn’t learn much about the elves’ purpose for Claire, the journey is exciting and full of unexpected turns. Claire does some things that make you want to slap some sense into her, but her mistakes make the plot all the more interesting. There is the perfect amount of romance and heartbreak and a good dose of fighting.
I loved Cursed both times I read it. The characters are captivating and you feel as if you are adventuring right along with them. While I would definitely recommend any books from Casey Odell’s Cursed Magic series, some readers are hesitant about the release of the third novel. Unfortunately, the third book was delayed due to illness, and although Casey is getting better (yay!), many remain doubtful that the third book will actually get done. However, don’t let this stop you from giving the books a chance! I’m so grateful that Casey Odell is better and am eagerly looking forward to the third book!
I already own book two, Awakened, and will review it within the next few months. If you have read any of Casey Odell’s books, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
If you have suggestions for book reviews, or have any other questions, please either comment below or email me at whimsicalwhit@gmail.com
-Whimsical Whit
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Whimsical Words of Whit 