Cursed by Gold Book Review
I allow myself a moment of painful longing. What might it be like to feel the warmth of another without fear of death? To touch and be touched beyond the borders of my gilded cage? I banish the treacherous thoughts almost as quickly as they form. Such foolish fanciful wishes will only bring misery.
Synopsis
Everything he touched turned to gold…except her.
The first time Scarlet failed to steal the Bodian necklace from the palace, Fairy Godmother had forgiven her. The second time, she sent in reinforcements. But Scarlet can’t let that happen. It didn’t matter what the rules for Fairy Godmothers' thieves guild were. Her family's money was running out and if she couldn’t bring in money soon stepmother was going to marry her off to the highest bidder, no matter who that was.
Remme hadn’t eaten, felt the touch of another human, or worn anything comfortable in years. But when a thief tried to steal the one thing that could break his curse and they didn’t turn, everything changed. He just needed to figure out who she was and why she wanted the necklace. It should be easy for a king, but nothing was ever that simple when magic was involved.
Cursed by Gold is book one in the Once Upon a Curse series.
If you love the vibes of Throne of Glass, the trials of Hunger Games, the missing love interest of Cinderella and the untouchable curse of King Midas, Cursed by Gold is for you.
REVIEW
Cursed by Gold by Jamie Dalton offers a refreshing spin on familiar fairy tale elements, blending the untouchable curse of King Midas with the darker undertones of a thief’s desperate mission. Scarlet, our Cinderella, is stuck between her family’s financial mess and the demands of a caring, but mysterious, Fairy Godmother. When she tries to steal a necklace and ends up crossing paths with the cursed king, Remme, things get interesting . . .
The story has a lot going for it—a captivating concept, smooth narrative flow, and some thrilling moments, especially when things take a sharp turn at the end. The trials Scarlet faces and Remme’s determination to unmask the thief keep the tension high, and the twist at the end adds a nice punch. However, I took issue with Scarlet’s backstory—her reasons for putting up with her stepfamily’s abuse aren’t fully fleshed out, leaving some of her choices feeling a bit off. Along the same vein, it’s hard to understand why she tolerates a certain character (no spoilers!) when she really doesn’t have to??? I also wish we could have learned a bit more of King Remme’s background and the details of how his curse came to be. That said, the chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and their interactions are some of the best parts of the book!
An intriguing premise, good pacing, dangerous trials, lovely moments between characters . . . Cursed by Gold is a quick, fun retelling with a twist!
Content warnings include abuse, violence toward women, betrayal, torture, and murder.
Expected publication date is 5 September 2024.
Author Profile
Jamie Dalton is an author of YA fantasy. Growing up in Oregon and Idaho she fell in love with the magic of the mystery of the forests and history. After moving to North Carolina with her husband, her sass took on a life of its own and sassy magical fantasy stories began to be written. She fell in love with the publishing world and became a book cover designer as well as an author which she does during the night while her toddler sleeps. After all, it’s called the witching hour for a reason.
TL;DR
- Rating: 3.5 stars | Genre: Fantasy Romance | Pages: 333
- Intriguing premise
- Good pacing
- Dangerous trials and magic
- Quick, fun King Midas and Cinderella retelling with a twist!
- CWs: abuse, violence toward women, betrayal, torture, and murder
