Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Hey all, Dani here.

Happy Book Birthday to this lovely new release, and by that I mean the newest book by Brigid Kemmerer. I have been a big fan of her for a number of years now, since I fell in love with the Merrick brothers while reading the Elementals series, and then continuing on to her contemporary novels. Now she has tackled a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I was so darn excited to get approved for this one by the publisher and NetGalley.

It didn’t even matter that I was approved with just over a week until release day. I am just glad for the opportunity, and so happy that I got to read one of my most anticipated releases even just a fraction sooner. As always, being granted an e-galley for this book has in no way affected my rating or my review, and you can check out my review policy at any time.

Okay, let’s just get started.

Summary

In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

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.

My Thoughts

Rating: 5 stars

So I admit it. I’m a sucker for a retelling, especially if it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Then add to it the fact that I am a big Brigid Kemmerer fan, and this book was sure to be something I would enjoy. Thank goodness it lived up to the hype I built up in my mind.

Contemporary fantasy is an apt description of this book, as leading lady Harper is actually just a girl from modern Washington D.C. And when she tries to stop what she sees as a kidnapping, she finds herself pulled into a parallel fantasy realm. This realm features Prince Rhen and his loyal Commander of the Royal Guard, Grey. However it also features a curse, one that could destroy the kingdom…if a neighboring kingdom doesn’t interfere first.

This story pretty much jumps right into the action. The story starts in the minutes before Harper finds herself in Emberfall. Because of the start, I was so quickly drawn into the story. I needed to know what was going to happen and how Harper and Rhen were going to interact with each other.

Harper is such a great character. She is so fierce and determined and strong, and I think her cerebral palsy is just another trait to go along with those previously mentioned ones. She has adapted to the way her life is, and she is very quick to show others that she is not weak and that she is not disabled. It’s honestly pretty fantastic.

Man, this review could so easily just turn into a gush fest. I already want to re-read this book, and I just finished it yesterday. This wait until January 2020 for the sequel is going to be a long one, I can tell.

Where to Buy

You can pick up this wonderful new release from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-million, Book Depository, or your local independent bookstore.