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Garden of the Cursed #2
Masquerade of the Heart
Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs must deal with the aftermath of her fake romance with one of the most powerful nobles in the illustrious—and deadly—Evergarden society , all while uncovering the mystery behind her mother's disappearance. T his edge-of-your-seat duology finale is perfect for fans of Veronica Mars , These Violent Delights, and Chain of Iron .
Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos. Tensions rise between the Five Families and trouble brews in the Marshes—and Marlow is at the center of it all. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Adrius refuses to speak to her, publicly vowing to find a wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it. But the closer she gets to her father, the more she starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.
Marlow has learned by now that in a city steeped in secrets and lies, not everything is as it seems. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide who to trust—and how high a price she’s willing to pay for the truth.
“ Nothing short of genius .” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, #1 New York Times -bestselling author of The Inheritance Games series, on Garden of the Cursed
" A delicious read full of swoony romance ." —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times– bestselling author of Blade of Secrets , on Garden of the Cursed
Caraza sits poised on the edge of chaos. Tensions rise between the Five Families and trouble brews in the Marshes—and Marlow is at the center of it all. In the tragic aftermath of the Vale-Falcrest wedding, Adrius refuses to speak to her, publicly vowing to find a wife before the year is out. Despite her heartbreak, Marlow is still intent on breaking his curse. To do so, she’ll have to play loving daughter to the man who cast it. But the closer she gets to her father, the more she starts to question if he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.
Marlow has learned by now that in a city steeped in secrets and lies, not everything is as it seems. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Marlow must decide who to trust—and how high a price she’s willing to pay for the truth.
“ Nothing short of genius .” —Jennifer Lynn Barnes, #1 New York Times -bestselling author of The Inheritance Games series, on Garden of the Cursed
" A delicious read full of swoony romance ." —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times– bestselling author of Blade of Secrets , on Garden of the Cursed
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2024
About the author
Katy Rose Pool
5 books1,122 followersKaty is a writer living in Berkeley, California. She grew up in Los Angeles, where her screenwriter father taught her about three act structure, characterization, and inciting incidents all before she could tie her shoes. Katy studied history and English at UC Berkeley. She enjoys breakfast sandwiches, fancy cocktails, rooting for the Golden State Warriors, and books that set her on fire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
June 19, 2024
Happy release day!
June 13, 2024
happy pride month to my boy swift
June 25, 2024
4.5 stars!
February 28, 2024
Masquerade of the Heart was a entertaining sequel and good conclusion to the duology. My biggest problem is that there feels like a lot of filler. It was longer than it should have been. The best part of the duology as a whole has to be characters and sweet romance.I look forward to reading more books by this author.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2024
Dropping this down by one star shouldn't really merit a disclaimer, but I need the people to know that I love this duology with all my heart so please read it and don't let this deter you in any way.
That being said I have to be fully honest that there's a plot twist/reveal in the 3rd act of this book that was such a fumble that I couldn't in good faith keep it at the full five stars. I adore all the characters in this duology, especially Marlow, and I think the balance of world building with both romance and plot is extremely well done. It's one of the best and most enjoyable YA fantasies I've read in a long time and I doubt anyone will regret giving it a try, but I did want to be fully honest in wishing that this one plot point had been more thought out. It was so out of left field and just lazy, which is so uncharacteristic of every other piece of this series.
Marlow is such a refreshing female lead in how she gives equal weight to her friendships and relationships, while balancing moral dilemmas beyond her years in a way that doesn't feel uncharacteristic to a teenager. She has real flaws and makes real mistakes, but you respect her for the moral code that she does her best to stick to. I will be recommending this series until the end of time, and I was unbelievably grateful to have had this book be my first ARC! I can't wait to buy my own physical copy when it comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review!
That being said I have to be fully honest that there's a plot twist/reveal in the 3rd act of this book that was such a fumble that I couldn't in good faith keep it at the full five stars. I adore all the characters in this duology, especially Marlow, and I think the balance of world building with both romance and plot is extremely well done. It's one of the best and most enjoyable YA fantasies I've read in a long time and I doubt anyone will regret giving it a try, but I did want to be fully honest in wishing that this one plot point had been more thought out. It was so out of left field and just lazy, which is so uncharacteristic of every other piece of this series.
Marlow is such a refreshing female lead in how she gives equal weight to her friendships and relationships, while balancing moral dilemmas beyond her years in a way that doesn't feel uncharacteristic to a teenager. She has real flaws and makes real mistakes, but you respect her for the moral code that she does her best to stick to. I will be recommending this series until the end of time, and I was unbelievably grateful to have had this book be my first ARC! I can't wait to buy my own physical copy when it comes out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review!
March 15, 2024
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc!
*4.5 rounded up*
After the ending of the first book, I couldn't wait to jump back into the world of Caraza and see what awaited Marlow and Adrius. Like the first book, we follow Marlow's POV, but we also get a few Adrius chapters sprinkled in this time too. I enjoyed reading from his POV and thought it added an extra layer of depth to his character.
Masquerade of the Heart picks up right after the end of The Garden of the Cursed. From there, this book is full of action and tension making it very hard to put down! I loved that we got to learn more about the spellwrights in this book, although I wouldn't have minded seeing even more of it!
I loved reading about Marlow and following her journey throughout the entire duology. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful conclusion to this duology and look forward to reading the author's future works.
*4.5 rounded up*
After the ending of the first book, I couldn't wait to jump back into the world of Caraza and see what awaited Marlow and Adrius. Like the first book, we follow Marlow's POV, but we also get a few Adrius chapters sprinkled in this time too. I enjoyed reading from his POV and thought it added an extra layer of depth to his character.
Masquerade of the Heart picks up right after the end of The Garden of the Cursed. From there, this book is full of action and tension making it very hard to put down! I loved that we got to learn more about the spellwrights in this book, although I wouldn't have minded seeing even more of it!
I loved reading about Marlow and following her journey throughout the entire duology. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful conclusion to this duology and look forward to reading the author's future works.
June 25, 2024
Does it deserve a 4 star rating? No. However I am obsessed and heartbroken. This book felt like it was at least two shoved into one. Honestly I feel like the story could've been so much deeper. I feel like I've been robbed of the plot. Seriously this series could've been like Harry Potter deep. It's all there. Now I understand why people write fan fiction.
March 31, 2024
I really enjoyed the first book so I went into this one thinking that as long as it was on par with that, I would enjoy it. It definitely was and more. I had a lot of fun reading this one. The plot kept me engaged, and the romance was fun. Dare I say I enjoyed the plot and the writing enough that if the romance had taken a backseat this still would have been a fun ride for me?
Onto the character! Marlow was as angsty and complex as ever and I really enjoy her as a POV character. Dare I say we got to see a lot more from the side characters in this installment? I wish we had gotten some more time with Gemma, but what we had was lovely. Swift was fun as always, and (no spoilers here) but his side plot was so fun. I had thought something was going on in the first book, but the confirmation + the reactions to it were so funny. I did like the occasional chapters from Adrius’ perspective, it was a change of pace from Marlow that was fun. Vale was a really complicated character for me in terms of how I resonated with them. I think there’s a saying that’s super applicable to him. “The road to hell is paved with good intention” pretty much sums up how I think about him. I did find it interesting to read how his genuine care for Marlow was starting to break down her walls and make her question whether stopping him was correct. Though, the lengths he’d go to succeed in bringing about change and protecting Marlow was scary and eye opening.
Let’s talk about the ✨ plot ✨ Now the plot was absolutely the best part of the book for me. There was so many jaw dropping “wtf” moments for me as I reason this. I did have a slight issue with how the main issue of last book (Adrius’ compulsion curse) was solved, but to be fair we had already discovered who had cast it which was mostly the point of the first book, so I won’t knock it too much. There’s only so much space in the book, and I’ll admit I probably would have been annoyed if too much time was spent resolving something from the first book instead of focusing on new problems. I honestly thought the goal change of a mystery to collecting items for a big fantasy quest was fun, and it’s a familiar type of plot that I enjoy. There was plenty of action interspersed with character moments and that was very appreciated from me.
Overall, this book was an absolutely knockout for me. It surpassed my expectations from the first book, and I read it all in one sitting. I had such a blast reading it, and I enjoyed how everything was wrapped up. I can’t wait to see future works from this author because she’s definitely going on my auto buy list after my experience reading this duology.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC. 5/5 stars.
Onto the character! Marlow was as angsty and complex as ever and I really enjoy her as a POV character. Dare I say we got to see a lot more from the side characters in this installment? I wish we had gotten some more time with Gemma, but what we had was lovely. Swift was fun as always, and (no spoilers here) but his side plot was so fun. I had thought something was going on in the first book, but the confirmation + the reactions to it were so funny. I did like the occasional chapters from Adrius’ perspective, it was a change of pace from Marlow that was fun. Vale was a really complicated character for me in terms of how I resonated with them. I think there’s a saying that’s super applicable to him. “The road to hell is paved with good intention” pretty much sums up how I think about him. I did find it interesting to read how his genuine care for Marlow was starting to break down her walls and make her question whether stopping him was correct. Though, the lengths he’d go to succeed in bringing about change and protecting Marlow was scary and eye opening.
Let’s talk about the ✨ plot ✨ Now the plot was absolutely the best part of the book for me. There was so many jaw dropping “wtf” moments for me as I reason this. I did have a slight issue with how the main issue of last book (Adrius’ compulsion curse) was solved, but to be fair we had already discovered who had cast it which was mostly the point of the first book, so I won’t knock it too much. There’s only so much space in the book, and I’ll admit I probably would have been annoyed if too much time was spent resolving something from the first book instead of focusing on new problems. I honestly thought the goal change of a mystery to collecting items for a big fantasy quest was fun, and it’s a familiar type of plot that I enjoy. There was plenty of action interspersed with character moments and that was very appreciated from me.
Overall, this book was an absolutely knockout for me. It surpassed my expectations from the first book, and I read it all in one sitting. I had such a blast reading it, and I enjoyed how everything was wrapped up. I can’t wait to see future works from this author because she’s definitely going on my auto buy list after my experience reading this duology.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free ARC. 5/5 stars.
Want to read
December 5, 2023after that first book, this is going to be good. but if marlow and adrius don't get a happy ending then i'm going to cry
February 14, 2024
A stressful but good time!!
April 17, 2024
Masquerade of the Heart by Katy Rose Pool
Cards. Curses. Spells. Secrets. Found Family.
We meet Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs once again in this second book of the duology. We meet the deadly Evergarden Society once again, following the aftermath of her fake romance. Adrius is seeking a wife and our curse breaker is still intent on breaking his curse.
This book explores Marlow's relationship to her father, and secrets and lies are outed. Enemies are turned ally and vice versa. Drama, chaos ensues. The society is upended.
I absolutely loved the first book in this enchanting duology. It was fast-past, alluring, thrilling, and such an exciting ride. The romance was breath-taking and even more chemically charged, relations were explored far better in this book.
That being said, I would loved to have had a third installment to explore some missed opportunities. Everything was tied in a nice conclusion, but there could have been more with the characters and the drama and the magic.
I wanted more time with the characters we've met in this fantastical world. I found it unique and intriguing. If there were a spinoff of some sort, I would pick that series up without hesitation! Marlow and her friends deserve more adventures! 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
Cards. Curses. Spells. Secrets. Found Family.
We meet Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs once again in this second book of the duology. We meet the deadly Evergarden Society once again, following the aftermath of her fake romance. Adrius is seeking a wife and our curse breaker is still intent on breaking his curse.
This book explores Marlow's relationship to her father, and secrets and lies are outed. Enemies are turned ally and vice versa. Drama, chaos ensues. The society is upended.
I absolutely loved the first book in this enchanting duology. It was fast-past, alluring, thrilling, and such an exciting ride. The romance was breath-taking and even more chemically charged, relations were explored far better in this book.
That being said, I would loved to have had a third installment to explore some missed opportunities. Everything was tied in a nice conclusion, but there could have been more with the characters and the drama and the magic.
I wanted more time with the characters we've met in this fantastical world. I found it unique and intriguing. If there were a spinoff of some sort, I would pick that series up without hesitation! Marlow and her friends deserve more adventures! 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
April 7, 2024
I devoured book 1, Garden of the Cursed and this deeply satisfying conclusion to the duology is no different from Garden's fast-paced, thrilling, and eventful plot and this time, the romance is amped up and the stakes are even higher. My only complaint is I wish that it was longer and that I get to spend more time with these characters! Not likely, but I am hoping to see Marlow and her friends in maybe extensions of the series?
I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fast-paced mystery suspense YA romance!
Themes: curses, spells, breaking curses, truths, secrets, found family, true friends, protecting loved ones, risks, power, grief
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance reading copy!
AMAZON ASSOCIATES LINKS:
Read on Kindle Unlimited or buy a copy of Garden of the Cursed (#1)
Pre-order your copy of Masquerade of the Heart (#2), out on 6/18/2024
I highly recommend to anyone looking for a fast-paced mystery suspense YA romance!
Themes: curses, spells, breaking curses, truths, secrets, found family, true friends, protecting loved ones, risks, power, grief
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my advance reading copy!
AMAZON ASSOCIATES LINKS:
Read on Kindle Unlimited or buy a copy of Garden of the Cursed (#1)
Pre-order your copy of Masquerade of the Heart (#2), out on 6/18/2024
June 18, 2024
**Thank you to Fierce Reads for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
No one is surprised that I screamed when I was able to get my hands on an e-arc of this book, since I am a huge fan of Katy Rose Pool.
This finale to the duology was fantastic!!! So many things I need to go through...
KRP's character were is incredible. I adore all of the characters that I have read from her so far, and Marlowe, Adrius, and Swift are definitely part of that group. Even Sylvan, and some of the other characters! Her characters are realistically flawed and fantastic. You grow to love them and want to know that all of them are going to survive these twisting and winding tales.
After the cliffhanger from the first book, this finale was nothing short of amazing and addicting. I couldn't put this book down, just needing to know what would happen next and how the duology would end. I'm not going to go into too much detail because spoilers, but there were some fantastic twists and turns that I was not expecting. And I loved the way that the duology wrapped up! It was amazing.
I would highly recommend this duology to anyone who is looking for a YA fantasy with twists, mystery, romance, and great characters!
TW: abandonment, alcohol, death, blood, emotional abuse, violence, murder, gaslighting, injury/ injury detail, death of parent
No one is surprised that I screamed when I was able to get my hands on an e-arc of this book, since I am a huge fan of Katy Rose Pool.
This finale to the duology was fantastic!!! So many things I need to go through...
KRP's character were is incredible. I adore all of the characters that I have read from her so far, and Marlowe, Adrius, and Swift are definitely part of that group. Even Sylvan, and some of the other characters! Her characters are realistically flawed and fantastic. You grow to love them and want to know that all of them are going to survive these twisting and winding tales.
After the cliffhanger from the first book, this finale was nothing short of amazing and addicting. I couldn't put this book down, just needing to know what would happen next and how the duology would end. I'm not going to go into too much detail because spoilers, but there were some fantastic twists and turns that I was not expecting. And I loved the way that the duology wrapped up! It was amazing.
I would highly recommend this duology to anyone who is looking for a YA fantasy with twists, mystery, romance, and great characters!
TW: abandonment, alcohol, death, blood, emotional abuse, violence, murder, gaslighting, injury/ injury detail, death of parent
April 16, 2024
⭐️ 2.5 stars
Finally, I've been able to read the sequel earlier, and my reaction after finishing it is that the story is just so mediocre and a bit of a mess. First of all, about the plot, I've been anticipating a lot of action and high-stakes problems, but everything the characters did felt like they were just circling around and taking too long to finish a problem that they could have resolved earlier. The lack of depth in some parts of the story also bothers me, as the author introduces elements without explaining them, leaving me feeling like the story is going nowhere. I see how the author tries to connect every piece of the plot, but it feels off because so much is missing. There is also romance, a lot of it, which I found adorable at times, especially the dynamics between Marlow and Adrius. However, the issue is that during moments where they should be focused on the problem, the author chooses to insert unnecessary romantic scenes, which I found distracting and kind of ruining the seriousness of the moment. I don't hate their romance, but I do feel like it shouldn't have been poured into the story so much, as it ended up making it feel more "cheesy-cringe".
The characters themselves don't really make me hate them, but maybe just some of them that I find annoying and far too innocent for someone who has great power and knows quite a lot of secrets. Sometimes, in some characters, I get how they try to justify what they did, but it's kind of bothering me that after any troubles, they just get away without remorse. It feels like they're allowed to do that when all of them were a bigger falsehood.
From all of that, I gather that this book isn't quite close to an okay book. Yes, I enjoyed the romance and surprisingly wasn't bored while reading, but the numerous issues made me less entertained. Not to mention, it spends too long on pages, even though the pacing is fast, I felt it was too slow to read. I just hope others who read this sequel will like the book and feel satisfied with how it ends.
─Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader copy (arc) in exchange for an honest review.
Finally, I've been able to read the sequel earlier, and my reaction after finishing it is that the story is just so mediocre and a bit of a mess. First of all, about the plot, I've been anticipating a lot of action and high-stakes problems, but everything the characters did felt like they were just circling around and taking too long to finish a problem that they could have resolved earlier. The lack of depth in some parts of the story also bothers me, as the author introduces elements without explaining them, leaving me feeling like the story is going nowhere. I see how the author tries to connect every piece of the plot, but it feels off because so much is missing. There is also romance, a lot of it, which I found adorable at times, especially the dynamics between Marlow and Adrius. However, the issue is that during moments where they should be focused on the problem, the author chooses to insert unnecessary romantic scenes, which I found distracting and kind of ruining the seriousness of the moment. I don't hate their romance, but I do feel like it shouldn't have been poured into the story so much, as it ended up making it feel more "cheesy-cringe".
The characters themselves don't really make me hate them, but maybe just some of them that I find annoying and far too innocent for someone who has great power and knows quite a lot of secrets. Sometimes, in some characters, I get how they try to justify what they did, but it's kind of bothering me that after any troubles, they just get away without remorse. It feels like they're allowed to do that when all of them were a bigger falsehood.
From all of that, I gather that this book isn't quite close to an okay book. Yes, I enjoyed the romance and surprisingly wasn't bored while reading, but the numerous issues made me less entertained. Not to mention, it spends too long on pages, even though the pacing is fast, I felt it was too slow to read. I just hope others who read this sequel will like the book and feel satisfied with how it ends.
─Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advanced reader copy (arc) in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2024
Masquerade of the Heart is the exciting conclusion to the Garden of the Cursed duology. I inhaled Garden of the Cursed last year, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next with Marlow and Adrius. The ending of the first book was marvelous, and this one grabbed my attention from the start.
Marlow and Adrius both have compelling stories, and the growth they both show over the course of the duology is incredible. I felt for both of them as they dealt with the ramifications of what happened at the end of the last book. Now, tensions run high in the five ruling families, and, as more secrets and lies are revealed, the battle for power is intense. The story is action-packed and suspenseful as Marlow unravels all that she learns and tries to forge a better future for herself and those she cares about.
I loved that this story included Marlow and Adrius’s perspectives. I was so interested in Adrius in the first book and loved seeing all the different layers to his character. There are parts of his story that felt very emotional, and I was moved by some of the things he experienced.
Other characters like Swift, Gemma, and Silvan, as well as some new additions, add so much life to the story and highlight the found family aspect, which is always a fave of mine. And the love story – so wonderful! The pining and angst, the sexual tension, the banter and chemistry, the forbidden aspect to their romance – it’s all fantastic!
.I really enjoyed this read. It was fast-paced and suspenseful, and the plot was intriguing. It’s a nice balance of action, character development, and romance, and the fantasy elements, especially the magic, are unique and interesting. And the ending is wrapped up well. I would definitely recommend the duology to YA fantasy and romantasy readers.
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours and Henry Holt & Co for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Marlow and Adrius both have compelling stories, and the growth they both show over the course of the duology is incredible. I felt for both of them as they dealt with the ramifications of what happened at the end of the last book. Now, tensions run high in the five ruling families, and, as more secrets and lies are revealed, the battle for power is intense. The story is action-packed and suspenseful as Marlow unravels all that she learns and tries to forge a better future for herself and those she cares about.
I loved that this story included Marlow and Adrius’s perspectives. I was so interested in Adrius in the first book and loved seeing all the different layers to his character. There are parts of his story that felt very emotional, and I was moved by some of the things he experienced.
Other characters like Swift, Gemma, and Silvan, as well as some new additions, add so much life to the story and highlight the found family aspect, which is always a fave of mine. And the love story – so wonderful! The pining and angst, the sexual tension, the banter and chemistry, the forbidden aspect to their romance – it’s all fantastic!
.I really enjoyed this read. It was fast-paced and suspenseful, and the plot was intriguing. It’s a nice balance of action, character development, and romance, and the fantasy elements, especially the magic, are unique and interesting. And the ending is wrapped up well. I would definitely recommend the duology to YA fantasy and romantasy readers.
Thanks to Turn the Page Tours and Henry Holt & Co for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
June 16, 2024
I picked up an ARC of this book from the publisher’s booth at the North Texas Teen Book Festival.
Not my favorite but an enjoyable read nonetheless. My favorite part of this was Adrius’s utter yearning for Marlow. He had it real bad, lol.
This is a very twisty, gritty book, no real right vs wrong, no black and white. Just shades of grey and people trying to survive. It shows that no one—or many someones—shouldn’t have that much power to create or destroy without caring for those outside of their circle. This book was less flashy in terms of Evergarden than the first book, less parties and society and more dealings with gangs and distorting the darkness of the city.
I still enjoyed Marlow, Swift, Adrius, and yes, even Silvan at times. I think we could have done more with Gemma, considering her feelings for Amara. I actually really liked her and wanted to see more of this slow friendship between her and Marlow.
I’m not really convinced that Vale had true fatherly feelings for Marlow. I kind of wonder how he would have reacted if he knew about Marlow’s mother and how she revealed herself to Marlow. That in itself felt kind of… I don’t know—thrown in there? Marlow has such conflicting feelings about her mother and still loving her despite all that just kind of feels icky, lol.
An interesting series overall that I don’t think I would have picked up had I not gotten an ARC of this book.
Not my favorite but an enjoyable read nonetheless. My favorite part of this was Adrius’s utter yearning for Marlow. He had it real bad, lol.
This is a very twisty, gritty book, no real right vs wrong, no black and white. Just shades of grey and people trying to survive. It shows that no one—or many someones—shouldn’t have that much power to create or destroy without caring for those outside of their circle. This book was less flashy in terms of Evergarden than the first book, less parties and society and more dealings with gangs and distorting the darkness of the city.
I still enjoyed Marlow, Swift, Adrius, and yes, even Silvan at times. I think we could have done more with Gemma, considering her feelings for Amara. I actually really liked her and wanted to see more of this slow friendship between her and Marlow.
I’m not really convinced that Vale had true fatherly feelings for Marlow. I kind of wonder how he would have reacted if he knew about Marlow’s mother and how she revealed herself to Marlow. That in itself felt kind of… I don’t know—thrown in there? Marlow has such conflicting feelings about her mother and still loving her despite all that just kind of feels icky, lol.
An interesting series overall that I don’t think I would have picked up had I not gotten an ARC of this book.
June 19, 2024
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
LOVED THIS CONCLUSION.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I enjoyed book one, and I loved this sequel even more. I loved the way the romantic tension was cranked up and the forbidden aspects had me in a chokehold. The audiobook was absolutely fantastic. There wasn’t two narrators for the dual POV but I feel like Jennifer Blom did a great job of distinguishing the different characters.
The card and curse system is really cool and I loved seeing deeper dynamics of the magic system and world. I loved the found family Marlow was a part of and the loyalty and love they showed each other. Adrius’s sister kind of drove me up a wall, but she was my only small issue. The other dramatic sub plots worked well for continuing the story at least.
I liked the way things wrapped up. This was the first series I’ve completed from Katy Rose Pool and now I’m officially a fan and look forward to future projects. MOTH was filled with a combination of upper young adult devices that I love and now it’s a completed duo so go read it!!
Overall audience notes:
- Upper YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: moderate-high
LOVED THIS CONCLUSION.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I enjoyed book one, and I loved this sequel even more. I loved the way the romantic tension was cranked up and the forbidden aspects had me in a chokehold. The audiobook was absolutely fantastic. There wasn’t two narrators for the dual POV but I feel like Jennifer Blom did a great job of distinguishing the different characters.
The card and curse system is really cool and I loved seeing deeper dynamics of the magic system and world. I loved the found family Marlow was a part of and the loyalty and love they showed each other. Adrius’s sister kind of drove me up a wall, but she was my only small issue. The other dramatic sub plots worked well for continuing the story at least.
I liked the way things wrapped up. This was the first series I’ve completed from Katy Rose Pool and now I’m officially a fan and look forward to future projects. MOTH was filled with a combination of upper young adult devices that I love and now it’s a completed duo so go read it!!
Overall audience notes:
- Upper YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: moderate-high
June 24, 2024
2024 reads: 170/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the sequel to garden of the cursed.
as tension rises between the five families and trouble brews in the marshes, marlow finds herself in the middle of all the chaos. adrius has stopped speaking to her to focus on finding a wife, but despite her heartbreak, marlow still wants to help break his curse. she’s willing to do whatever it takes, including playing the role of loving daughter to the man who cast said curse. as she gets closer to her father, she begins to wonder if he’s really the villain he’s been chalked up to be.
garden of the cursed really took me by surprise last year (in a good way, of course), so i was eagerly anticipating this sequel! i loved all the angst in this book. as i mentioned, adrius and marlow aren’t talking, there’s tension because of who marlow’s father is, and so on. i liked seeing how these plot points were explored.
i’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book, and i hope to read more of katy rose pool’s books soon!
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the sequel to garden of the cursed.
as tension rises between the five families and trouble brews in the marshes, marlow finds herself in the middle of all the chaos. adrius has stopped speaking to her to focus on finding a wife, but despite her heartbreak, marlow still wants to help break his curse. she’s willing to do whatever it takes, including playing the role of loving daughter to the man who cast said curse. as she gets closer to her father, she begins to wonder if he’s really the villain he’s been chalked up to be.
garden of the cursed really took me by surprise last year (in a good way, of course), so i was eagerly anticipating this sequel! i loved all the angst in this book. as i mentioned, adrius and marlow aren’t talking, there’s tension because of who marlow’s father is, and so on. i liked seeing how these plot points were explored.
i’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book, and i hope to read more of katy rose pool’s books soon!
March 20, 2024
This book is marketed perfectly cause the Veronica Mars vibes are so apparent throughout this duology. I for sure liked the main character the most. Marlow is such an adorable and loveable character, I think she is a great example of making a smart female character without making them unrealistic or unlikable which is way too common these days. She is also challenged frequently without being protected with plot armor, so we actually get to see my girl struggle. I also found the magic system incredibly compelling, it's unique and unlike anything I've ever read. My only problem was how the prior conflict was somehow fixed and everything seemed too fast, but the adventurous feel was super worth it. I still think the first book was better but I'll round my 3.5 for this book up to a 4.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
June 20, 2024
4.5/5 Stars
Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
This exciting and high-stakes world of curses, blood-thirsty gangs, dangerous high society folk, and mysteries galore is right up the alley I like to call a good time.
I love how creative Katy Rose Pool is! Her ideas and use of tropes are a breath of fresh air. Her writing style is so catching. I fall right into her stories effortlessly and they invariably keep my attention. The plot is cleverly crafted and the details are brilliantly woven into the story. The world-building is impressive and pulls the reader into the story.
These characters were so easy to fall in love with. They are so relatable and I formed a connection with them easily. I loved the interesting and intriguing dynamics between the characters. All of the characters felt distinct and fully formed with originality.
It was easy to feel the connection between Marlow and Adrius. The bond that they shared together jumped off the page with every interaction and conversation. I loved how they were so protective and self-sacrificing for each other. Marlow was holding back a little but only because she truly believed they didn't have a future together. Their past and present are fraught with drama but there is no denying where their hearts truly lie.
Overall, this was a solid finale for this addicting duology. This book had a witty and compelling plot and characters that kept me invested in the story without fail. I definitely recommend this series and I can't wait for the next book from this author!
BLOG FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM GOODREADS TIKTOK TWITTER BOOKBUB AMAZON PINTEREST KO-FI
⛔My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers.
Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost from the publisher/author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.
This exciting and high-stakes world of curses, blood-thirsty gangs, dangerous high society folk, and mysteries galore is right up the alley I like to call a good time.
I love how creative Katy Rose Pool is! Her ideas and use of tropes are a breath of fresh air. Her writing style is so catching. I fall right into her stories effortlessly and they invariably keep my attention. The plot is cleverly crafted and the details are brilliantly woven into the story. The world-building is impressive and pulls the reader into the story.
These characters were so easy to fall in love with. They are so relatable and I formed a connection with them easily. I loved the interesting and intriguing dynamics between the characters. All of the characters felt distinct and fully formed with originality.
It was easy to feel the connection between Marlow and Adrius. The bond that they shared together jumped off the page with every interaction and conversation. I loved how they were so protective and self-sacrificing for each other. Marlow was holding back a little but only because she truly believed they didn't have a future together. Their past and present are fraught with drama but there is no denying where their hearts truly lie.
Overall, this was a solid finale for this addicting duology. This book had a witty and compelling plot and characters that kept me invested in the story without fail. I definitely recommend this series and I can't wait for the next book from this author!
BLOG FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM GOODREADS TIKTOK TWITTER BOOKBUB AMAZON PINTEREST KO-FI
⛔My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers.
June 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
I really enjoyed this second installment in the duology. This picks up right where book 1 left off, so it might be good to have some memory of the first book (unlike me). I wasn’t 100% on all the past details but after reading for a minute I remembered everything again.
Marlow is back trying to get all the pieces to finally fit together from book 1. There’s a lot of plot in between Marlow trying to save the day and there’s a million different side quests. The real action happens so fast and is resolved so easily, however. The book is shorter so all the plot feels crammed in. It made for a fast read and there’s plenty going on to keep your attention. Throughout the whole book I couldn’t stop thinking about how annoying Amara is. Like I would be so done with her. She is the worst. Swift is such a great friend to Marlow and I like his grumpyxsunshine relationship that I called from the very beginning. How Marlow missed that I don’t know.
Adrius & Marlow’s romance ramps up a LOT and it’s again surprising people didn’t know they were into each other. Like how? All the questions you had in the first book are answered and resolved and I’m glad that the series wrapped up with a sweet epilogue at the end. A very fun duology filled with unique magic and sweet romance!
I really enjoyed this second installment in the duology. This picks up right where book 1 left off, so it might be good to have some memory of the first book (unlike me). I wasn’t 100% on all the past details but after reading for a minute I remembered everything again.
Marlow is back trying to get all the pieces to finally fit together from book 1. There’s a lot of plot in between Marlow trying to save the day and there’s a million different side quests. The real action happens so fast and is resolved so easily, however. The book is shorter so all the plot feels crammed in. It made for a fast read and there’s plenty going on to keep your attention. Throughout the whole book I couldn’t stop thinking about how annoying Amara is. Like I would be so done with her. She is the worst. Swift is such a great friend to Marlow and I like his grumpyxsunshine relationship that I called from the very beginning. How Marlow missed that I don’t know.
Adrius & Marlow’s romance ramps up a LOT and it’s again surprising people didn’t know they were into each other. Like how? All the questions you had in the first book are answered and resolved and I’m glad that the series wrapped up with a sweet epilogue at the end. A very fun duology filled with unique magic and sweet romance!
July 6, 2024
Thank you to netgalley for giving this ARC, and this does not influence my review. READ IT YOU GUYS!!!!!!! This book was so good! Usually sequels don’t live up to the hype of the first book, but man did this live up. The writing style: phenomenal🤌🏾 the fantasy world-building? PHENOMENAL (I love when the plot actually gets me invested, I finished this book in a day) the ROMANCE??? Simmering, Slow-burn, swoon-worthy filled with angst.
Tropes: read review of the first book I posted
Basically our woman Marlow is living a high-risk life in a fantasy world with magical spell cards that can do many things (make people forget memories, distract them for a little bit, curse them, etc.,). She takes contract cases to destroy curse cards, and she has to often sneak around looking for her targets. Overall, she fit the boxes for my fav FMC characters: she was badass, a great actor and thief, had a wonderful personality, head-strong, doesn’t take no for an answer, hilarious, scheming, great dialogues when about to get into a fight (and she was very sarcastic and witty). This book had a high-stakes mission.
Moving onnnn to the romance!!! Adrius was HOT. Like, this was CARDAN level���from the Cruel Prince, and the MMC from The Caged Queen).
Tropes: read review of the first book I posted
Basically our woman Marlow is living a high-risk life in a fantasy world with magical spell cards that can do many things (make people forget memories, distract them for a little bit, curse them, etc.,). She takes contract cases to destroy curse cards, and she has to often sneak around looking for her targets. Overall, she fit the boxes for my fav FMC characters: she was badass, a great actor and thief, had a wonderful personality, head-strong, doesn’t take no for an answer, hilarious, scheming, great dialogues when about to get into a fight (and she was very sarcastic and witty). This book had a high-stakes mission.
Moving onnnn to the romance!!! Adrius was HOT. Like, this was CARDAN level���from the Cruel Prince, and the MMC from The Caged Queen).
June 3, 2024
Thank NetGalley and Macmillan for an e-arc of this book!
This was a satisfying conclusion to the duology that started with Garden of the Cursed, but I’m not sure I liked it as much as the first book.
The main reason I didn’t think it was as strong as the first book is that Marlow outshines all the other characters by miles. And of course, she is the main character and I LOVED her development and her character in general, but it just made the lack of growth and development in the side characters more obvious. I wanted more from Gemma, from Swift, from Silvan, they were all such interesting characters and we didn’t get enough development in their relationships with Marlow.
Adrius is another story altogether, I felt as though he did have development and his relationship with Marlow had depth, but it just felt a little bit rushed. Also, he wasn’t in like half of this book, hence why it might have felt rushed. That being said, I’m glad Marlow and Adrius FINALLY got on the same page.
Other than that, I loved this world and it’s complexity in the first book and I still really enjoyed it in this one, and watching Marlow navigate it and use it to her advantage was great.
I also liked the villain in this story because he really believed he was doing the right thing and made points that Marlow understood. It was interesting to watch because I think Vale truly did love Marlow.
If you read the first book, definitely pick this one up, it was a satisfying conclusion to the story.
This was a satisfying conclusion to the duology that started with Garden of the Cursed, but I’m not sure I liked it as much as the first book.
The main reason I didn’t think it was as strong as the first book is that Marlow outshines all the other characters by miles. And of course, she is the main character and I LOVED her development and her character in general, but it just made the lack of growth and development in the side characters more obvious. I wanted more from Gemma, from Swift, from Silvan, they were all such interesting characters and we didn’t get enough development in their relationships with Marlow.
Adrius is another story altogether, I felt as though he did have development and his relationship with Marlow had depth, but it just felt a little bit rushed. Also, he wasn’t in like half of this book, hence why it might have felt rushed. That being said, I’m glad Marlow and Adrius FINALLY got on the same page.
Other than that, I loved this world and it’s complexity in the first book and I still really enjoyed it in this one, and watching Marlow navigate it and use it to her advantage was great.
I also liked the villain in this story because he really believed he was doing the right thing and made points that Marlow understood. It was interesting to watch because I think Vale truly did love Marlow.
If you read the first book, definitely pick this one up, it was a satisfying conclusion to the story.
July 9, 2024
I am so sad I did not love this … (and garden of the cursed was one of my favorite most surprisingly enjoyable reads this year!!) i just felt this was so rushed and although entertaining it just lacked in every other department. And I was SO disappointed that the whole premise of her missing mother was like abandoned and she was assumed dead and then all of a sudden Adrius easily finds her and brings her back as a thank you gift?!? and she’s all “sorry! thought you deserved better!” and then leaves again without even an on page goodbye?!? the whole first book she was trying to find her and is now understanding why she left again?? and so that annoyed me and once she casually strolled in at the end of the book I was so disappointed and it was done in such a minor way where she really played no part in fixing anything 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
ARC provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was a wonderful YA read with a well-rounded conclusion that felt very satisfactory. I still believe this duology has one of the most unique magic systems within its plot that is really unique & interesting to unravel.
The characters throughout are enjoyable & I loved seeing Adrius and Marlow again. The tension/romance was just as high as the first book, but I do think I was a little more enticed with the plot more with book one compared to this one.
I also appreciated how all questions we as readers had when finishing GotC were answered one way or another with this final book!
I’m definitely going to miss these characters, but I can’t wait to see what Katy has up her sleeve with her next pieces of works!
This was a wonderful YA read with a well-rounded conclusion that felt very satisfactory. I still believe this duology has one of the most unique magic systems within its plot that is really unique & interesting to unravel.
The characters throughout are enjoyable & I loved seeing Adrius and Marlow again. The tension/romance was just as high as the first book, but I do think I was a little more enticed with the plot more with book one compared to this one.
I also appreciated how all questions we as readers had when finishing GotC were answered one way or another with this final book!
I’m definitely going to miss these characters, but I can’t wait to see what Katy has up her sleeve with her next pieces of works!
June 19, 2024
4.8 ⭐️ this was so so good! Loved it sm. I got really mad because I thought that Adrius and Marlow weren’t going to see each other again, but it’s ok and I hope they end up together together. Also, I absolutely loved Adrius’s chapters. I think the ending was a bit quick, but other than that it was perfect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
I did enjoy this book but I feel like the ending was very rushed and there were a lot of things that were just glossed over. I was very disappointed about how some things were resolved and a lot of other things got left unanswered
June 25, 2024
Thanks NetGalley!
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Cute book about a girl who tries to break the curse on the boy she loves but can’t have while causing trouble with gangs and trying to prove she didn’t kill the father of the boy she loves.
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Cute book about a girl who tries to break the curse on the boy she loves but can’t have while causing trouble with gangs and trying to prove she didn’t kill the father of the boy she loves.
May 19, 2024
Cursebreaker Marlow Briggs finds herself at the heart of a deadly power struggle in the city of Caraza. In the wake of a disastrous noble wedding, Marlow is rejected from the love of her life, Adrius, who vows to marry a noblewoman. She has made many enemies in the city.
Marlow remains determined to break the powerful spell that will bend all of Caraza to a new master. As Marlow draws closer to her estranged father, she questions whether he is the villain she believed him to be. He shows her how the city could be different and makes her question if he is her ally or the villain. She is being hunted by the other factions and gangs who want to have control of the city at all costs. Marlow constantly tries to avoid danger and barely saves her own skin.
This book was fast-paced and was nearly impossible to put down. I must be clear that I did not read book one and did not have trouble getting into the story, nor did I feel lost. The book gave enough backstory to keep me moving forward. As soon as I finished this audiobook, I ordered the first book. I am genuinely invested in the characters and their story. I recommend you give it a read.
I received an ARC audiobook copy from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.
Marlow remains determined to break the powerful spell that will bend all of Caraza to a new master. As Marlow draws closer to her estranged father, she questions whether he is the villain she believed him to be. He shows her how the city could be different and makes her question if he is her ally or the villain. She is being hunted by the other factions and gangs who want to have control of the city at all costs. Marlow constantly tries to avoid danger and barely saves her own skin.
This book was fast-paced and was nearly impossible to put down. I must be clear that I did not read book one and did not have trouble getting into the story, nor did I feel lost. The book gave enough backstory to keep me moving forward. As soon as I finished this audiobook, I ordered the first book. I am genuinely invested in the characters and their story. I recommend you give it a read.
I received an ARC audiobook copy from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity.
July 10, 2024
This was such a great ending to this duology! Lots of action, lots of romantic swoon worthy moments and such a perfect ending! Adrius is my absolutely favorite character in this series and I just loved how his story continued to unfold in this book! Overall a great series!
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