Cursed City

Harker Academy #2

by Kate Golden

Welcome back to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, where the line between hunter and hunted has never been thinner.

To rescue someone close to her, Viv Abbot must team up with Reid’s violent, unpredictable older brother, Deacon. Her uneasy truce with him offers Viv something Reid never could: the chance to embrace her darkness.

Viv’s mission takes her to the center of Astera’s seedy underbelly with none other than the White Stag as her guide. But when a bounty on Viv’s head puts those she cares about in danger, Viv will be forced to go to lengths she never dreamed in order to protect them.

With enemies closing in from all sides and a ticking clock on her life, Viv must save the Half City from destruction while surviving a betrayal that strikes at the heart of everything she’s fighting for. Because in a world where monsters wear familiar faces and temptation cuts deeper than any blade, making it through her second semester at Harker will take more than skill—it will take everything Viv has left to give. Who can she really trust in a city that thrives on lies?

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance, Demons

Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Kate Golden is the USA Today bestselling author of both The Sacred Stones and Harker Academy trilogies. When she isn’t writing, Kate is an avid book reader, puzzle addict, and game night enthusiast. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their puppy, Milo.You can find her on Instagram at @KateGoldenAuthor and on TikTok at @Kate_Golden_Author.

Reviews

[veerali · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you kate golden, netgalley & berkley for the eARC—all thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: october 06, 2026

hi kate, if you’re reading this, please look away! i don’t want to traumatize you, but oh boy, did you traumatize me. 😭

you know those rare books that make you have a full blown existential crisis and suddenly wish you lived in a fictional world instead of, well, reality? that is exactly what this book did to me after i finished it (or did it finish me?).

i'm keeping this PG because it’s an arc review, but GOODNESS GRACIOUS. kate golden is putting something illegal in these pages because i inhaled this book like a starving bitch. everyone talks about second book syndrome, but apparently, kate didn’t get the memo, because this is somehow even better than half city.

this book picked up right where half city ended. someone goes missing and viv abbot has to team up with deacon, reid’s dangerous and unpredictable older brother. working with deacon is difficult, but he offers viv something reid never could: a way to stop fighting her own dark side. viv’s mission takes her into the darkest parts of the city with the criminal known as the white stag as her guide. but when a bounty is put on viv’s head, the people she cares about are put in danger. to protect them, viv must do things she never thought she was capable of. and with enemies everywhere and very little time left, viv must save her city from destruction while dealing with a painful betrayal. in a world where monsters look like normal people and secrets are deadly, viv realizes that surviving her second semester at harker academy will take every bit of strength she has. who can she really trust when everyone around her is lying?

this is hands down one of the best urban fantasies i've ever touched. the writing is super effortless, and the characters are so complex, especially deacon. and the found family? chef’s kiss. penny, sophia, peter, elliot, ward, and baz… i would die for every single one of them. their friendship is the soul of this story.

viv’s growth is legendary. she’s impulsive, sure, but her loyalty is unmatched. she’s officially one of my favorite leads ever. and deacon? i would literally crawl over a mile of legos just to say hi to this man. he’s foul-mouthed, flirtatious that made my panties drop, and somehow still a total baby girl. he's like jacks from oubah and cardan greenbrier from the cruel price, but make it 18+ version lol. i am unwell. and reid? pookie, i love you, and loving you hurts.

the emotional rollercoaster was real: 10%: laughing. 20%: fidgeting. 40%: frustrated. 60%: sobbing. 80%: nervous sweating. 100%: pulling my hair out till i almost became bald because THAT ENDING?! miss author, you are not getting away with this! i'm sending you my entire therapy bill.

i'm still reeling. one minute i was giggling, and the next i was crying until my nose was running. just do yourself a favor: read this the second it comes out.

now, i need to go cry in a dark corner for the next three to five business days.

౨ৎ ⋮ more by kate golden
— if not my baby
— half city
— the scared stones trilogy

[Demi Winters]

ALKDFJLSK <-- my brain after reading this book. I'm obsessed with these characters. The sexual tension. The found family. THE BANTER!!!

Here's my official blurb:

Cursed City is a magical combination of urban fantasy, Buffy nostalgia, and a forbidden romance that sizzles right off the page! It's whip-smart and packed with action, with romance that had me kicking my feet. I would die for Viv and her quirky little pack of hunters, but I would *kill* for the MMC and his smart, sassy mouth.

[manas (suffering)]

reid for viv, deacon for me. 😛😛😛😛😛😛😛

THIS COVER!!

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎)]

no, im never going to shut up because WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE AN ARC OF MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2026?!

[☀︎El In Oz☀︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5

Thank you eternally to Netgalley and Berkley for this e-arc!


This is nothing short of a stellar sequel, that takes everything I already loved beyond measure in Half City, my favourite read of 2025, and somehow elevates it into god-tier status. Half City I described as the perfect urban fantasy, and that only continues within Cursed City. This is not only a PERFECT sequel, but a PERFECT urban fantasy novel. I'm once again in complete awe of Kate Golden and her writing abilities. I could take 10000 urban fantasies from her and never get tired of them. She infuses an electric, tech-filled world with magic, deadly and gorgeous all at once. Her character work is spectacular, her weaving of plot and romance immaculate, and her development of the romantic arc in this book is nothing less than MASTERFUL.

I read Half City as an e-arc in October 2025, the perfect time for that late summer, early fall set book. Six months later, and I've been BURSTING with anticipation for this sequel. Cursed City, set for the majority during winter, is elevated by the bleak yet stunning atmosphere and scenery of Harker Academy and the Half City. This world in winter is alluring like nothing else, but Fever Dream is the highlight. Both neon night club and cozy home, Fever Dream is everything I wanted it to be and more. As Viv discovers more layers of Fever Dream and its inhabitants, her world only deepens in intrigue, romance, and danger.

Viv Abbott - heroine of my heart. Her growth in this book is beautiful to witness. Her immense self loathing is exposed with sharpness, her mental health treated with the proper delicacy. All of her insecurities are scrutinized, her trauma picked apart, to let someone stronger come forth. Viv's growth made me want to hug her so so bad. She is grieving and angry and messy in this novel, but she is the Viv of book 1 just the same with her empathy, immense love for her friends, her grit, wit, determination, and impeccable sense of humour (the toilet water quip is one of the funniest things I've read EVER). I will defend and love Viv for eternity.

Now, if you guys have read my review of Half City, you may know I gushed over a certain blonde demon named Deacon Graveheart. And let me tell you, he SHINES in this novel. I NEED HIM RIGHT NOW!!! I'm in LOVE with this man a million times over. He's hot and sexy and smart, but also achingly vulnerable at times, a steady pillar of strength, and someone who will do anything and everything for those he is loyal to. His sense of humour had me laughing out loud. His character development in this book was INSANE. Uncovering his layers just brings new facets and interpretations to everything he's done. I LOVE HIM!!!! I can't gush about Deacon enough.

Our side characters are once again the perfect found family. Penny's bigger role in this book was delightful as she was my favourite side character in book 1. Seeing her grow into someone willing to stand up for herself was so so rewarding. Sophia is funny and as achingly sad as always. Elliot is charming, funny, and strong. Peter is insanely smart, and slowly coming out of his emotional shell. Our new side characters, Baz and Ward, are iconic. As for Reid, I wasn't his fan in book 1 and although I grew more sympathetic of him here, I still don't jive with him!

The romance. My GOD. I'm not spoiling the direction here, so don't yell at me in the comments. BUT IT WAS INSANE. SLOW BURN BEYOND BELIEF. THE MOST TAUT SEXUAL TENSION EVER. Slowly uncovering layers of someone you once hated with ease. The slow realization that someone's very core can only be seen if you're willing to see them at their highs and lows. Soft moments peppered in between the intensity of feeling something but being unwilling to name it out of fear that it will be used against you. Kate Golden is nothing short of a master of romance, and this book left me in awe of her ability to create a romance so brimming of emotion, with a finger on the pulse of every messy facet of modern love. The angst had me on the verge of tears.

The plot of this book is an exquisite elevation of book 1. The stakes are higher, the twists are punchier, and the ending is even more insane. I knew how it would end back in book 1 (one can never accuse me of NOT making 3830 theories at once), and am SO terrified for book 3. The pacing of this one is a bit slower than book 1, giving readers time to really ruminate in the impossible stakes Viv must face. This book makes sure that her feelings and emotions are tied with the plot, making the journey so so rewarding. This book is filled with delicious action scenes aptly filled with gore and violence, more mysteries that slowly click into place, and a final 15% that will have your jaw on the floor. Kate's writing is elegant and propulsive as always, twisting the knife at the last second for maximum emotional damage.

Cursed City will, without a doubt, become not only a top 3 read of 2026 for me, but also become a new comfort read. It's THAT good and is, in my head, the urban fantasy version of ACOMAF. Stunning, stellar, and a masterpiece of fiction. Kate Golden is once more a genius!

[Lucie V.]

UPDATE:
THAT COVER😍😍😍😍😍
And Deacon is there, too 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹



The author told me a while ago that the second book would be released in October, but now it's officially official. 😍😍

ONLY 10 MONTHS LEFT TO WAIT!!!! 🥹

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

”The place I’ll never return to. The place I never left.”

HI HELLO I AM SCREAMING. Rip my heart out of my chest why don’t you!!!!

Is it really any surprise that I loved this?? Since I finished Half City in October, I have absolutely been DYING to read Cursed City. And sorry but I need to brag because my bestie El and I are actually so amazing… WE HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE OCTOBER WAITING FOR THE [REDACTED] REVEAL AND [REDACTED] AND WE WERE RIGHT. WE KNEW IT. WE KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN. I’m of course not going to say what but like oh I am just !!!! Like wow are we amazing HAHA I’m so proud of us. (No but seriously can you imagine how insane we felt briefly for a while when it was only us feeling this way?? LOL I feel so validated🤝)

Spoilers for HALF CITY below (because I mean I can’t NOT talk about that person anymore) but no spoilers from CURSED CITY of course.

ALSO DISCLAIMER: I have loved Deacon from the moment he appeared in Chapter 39 of HALF CITY so of course I will be gushing about him in this review but this doesn’t mean anything about where the romance is heading !!!

I knew from the moment I finished Half City that Cursed City would be a 5 star. From the snippets to actually starting the book… guys, I don’t even have words. This was everything that I wanted and more. Blessed with Viv’s presence. Blessed with Viv and the goonie squad (please I’m actually dead over this nickname btw). Blessed with the Viv and Penny moments. (I want to sob I love them so much) Blessed with the Viv and Deacon moments. LIKE HELLO?! I am not exaggerating when I say I was laughing from the first chapter because of these guys. Their banter was actually golden, god tier, I AM OBSESSED. Deacon loves pissing off Viv it’s literally his new favourite hobby, I could not stop laughing over so many scenes LOL. AND THE NEW SHIPS??? YES, MORE THAN ONE. I AM SOOO HERE FOR THEM. YES YES YES. And the new lore??? The reveals we get?? My jaw dropped SO MANY TIMES. I MEAN HELLO?? Some reveals I even guessed!! (Though for two of them I only saw them after someone pointed things out and then on my HF city reread I soo saw it and agreed) And the reveals I didn’t see coming?!?! I really could not stop gasping. Truly this book had EVERYTHING.

Right when Viv was finally finding her place at Harker, chaos came in and everything’s been totally awful for her. Reid’s missing, the sybraxa is on her back, the Brood are after her, and she has lots of doubts about some things!! She really was going through IT like oh my god someone give her a break. I constantly wanted to give Viv the biggest hugs.

Viv learning to love herself and appreciate every part of herself, the dark parts especially that she considers evil. OH I absolutely adored the different perspective she was given in this and how she slowly realized and came to terms with some things. IT HAD ME SO EMOTIONAL. This book has literally cemented Viv as one of my favourite main characters in existence. Her character just feels so so real, the anger, the fear, the uncertainty, the loneliness… I am forever Viv's #1 defender, fight me.

Self-loathing has been a constant theme throughout this series and especially in Cursed City do we see it more. I love how Kate explored it through not only Viv but also other characters as well. And I'm still waiting on some backstories like it's a NEED. Prepare yourself to feel like crying 92357925 times throughout this book !!!

I genuinely am suffering because I realize the downside to reading this so early is that I cannot gush to my heart’s content about Deacon😩 Y’all trust me when I say he will NOT disappoint (though really I think that was obvious from chapter 39 in Half City sooo). The amount of goofy things he would say, like please I love him your honour. The famous historical figures he’s apparently met??? It’s so random and I can’t even imagine it but I believe it LOL. His sense of humour, his loyalty to his people, his bluntness and the way he would be pushing Viv to embrace her darkness and accept herself AHHH I LOVE HIM. “It’s not a burden to be what you are” Deacon spitting facts!!! They have the most beautiful friendship imaginable, I cannot express it enough. The way their relationship progressed was so natural and beautifully written, there were so many scenes that had me emotional because of the tenderness and vulnerability in them like um HELLO don’t make me cry!!! Best new friendship that came out of this book.

Then the romance… no spoilers but once again it was EVERYTHING. KATE, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU ABSOLUTE QUEEN. Amazing development to witness and that's all I'll say!!!

And then talking about the side characters, we get more of a lot of them who didn’t appear too much in book 1 and I adored it SO much. PENNY MY GIRL !!!!! WE GET SO MUCH MORE OF HER AND I LOVED EVERY SINGLE SCENE. She is a literal sunshine incarnate, everyone needs a Penny in their life. And SOPHIA. Sophia continues to be the absolute queen that she is. And Peter and Elliot !!!! Love them as always. Plus getting some Ward and Baz oh they are so so interesting !!! I absolutely need more of everyone in book 3, I’m so excited.

Never have I wished to yap more and especially to mention in detail all my favourite scenes and quotes (spoiler: there are A LOT), but this is an ARC so! Just know that I have over 350 annotations on my kobo and 10 pages full of reactions, which should tell you how much Cursed City totally had me in a chokehold. There was never a dull moment, in fact, your heart will constantly be going like 📈📉📈📉. ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE END. I was in a constant state of anxiety and oh my goddd I will never be getting over it. There’s no doubt that this series is one of my favourite series ever and has one of the best written couples, I LOVE THEM. Waiting until Summer 2027 will be absolute torture, but I can’t wait!!

Thank you thank you thank you to Kate, Emily and Berkley Publishing/Ace for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!! Eternally grateful to be on the street team!!!


____________
pre-read review:

I WILL BE ON MY KNEES WAITING FOR THIS BOOK. #blondemensupremacy

[Dayna | daynas.bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FEAR I WILL NEVER RECOVER

Cursed City picks up right where Half City left off and is an action packed ride to the very end. I’m over the moon to say that there is ZERO second book syndrome here, and I’d dare to say that this is not only my favorite book in the series so far, but my favorite Kate Golden book of all time.

this book has everything i look for in an urban fantasy sequel - more lore and world building, deeper character connections (especially side characters), fast pacing, and twists that i didn’t see coming. i already loved the setting of grungy half city contrasted with gothic academia Harker Academy, but i loved getting to pull back the curtain into certain characters’ worlds 👀

i am obsesseddddd with the side characters and im wholly invested in their romances as well. PROTECT THEM ALL AT ALL COSTS

this book had me gasping and sitting up in my seat at some parts - i was that flabbergasted. consider my gasts flabbered.

AND THE ROMANCE? THE TENSION? THE - DARE I SAY - YEARNING? it was done so well. i love a slow burn that makes me WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT questioning if anything will ever happen. oh and it was painful. my favorite brand 😩

Cursed City is literally that girl and if you haven’t picked up Half City, please take this as your sign to do so. worth all the hype, especially if you’re a shadowhunters / vampire diaries girl looking to feel ALIVE


thank you endlessly to Kate Golden for the early opportunity to read and review Cursed City! these thoughts are all my own and my genuine feral musings 🫶🏼

[ciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

first of all, a HUGE thank you to netgalley and berkeley/ace for this e-arc. this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and i’m beyond grateful to have gotten an early copy. i devoured this in less than 24 hours, just like i did with half city, so honestly… no one is surprised.

i’ve been sitting here for the past hour trying to gather my thoughts after that ending, so bear with me because this is going to be a little chaotic (and vague to avoid spoilers).

i said this about half city and i’ll say it again: this series is such a standout in urban fantasy and i’m genuinely obsessed with how fun it is! it’s fast-paced, addictive, has a plot that keeps you on edge, romance that hurts in the best way, a unique magic system, and such a good mix of supernatural elements. it was impossible to put down.

while viv is still struggling with who she is and what she’s capable of, i loved seeing that start to shift in this book. there’s a constant push and pull between wanting to be good and fearing what’s inside her. she’s still impulsive and messy, and you might not always agree with her, but her intentions are good—and you can tell she’s slowly starting to accept the parts of herself she used to hate and figure out what she truly wants and needs.

this delivered on the slow burn, tension, banter—you name it. i was equally kicking my feet, fighting for my life, and somehow also crying? so do with that what you will lol. the development was amazing!! (i need to be so inconspicuous since my friends are going to read this review and immediately clock the way this book turned out if i don’t).

the found family is one of my favs ever. penny, sophia, peter, elliot—i love them all so much. and the new additions?? a vampire and a werewolf?? i’m already obsessed. kate also continues to deliver with the side romances, and i was fully invested in every single one. after that one scene at the end… give me book three pls.

this still gives me those zodiac academy and crescent city vibes that i loved in book one, but this time it leans even more into that vampire diaries / buffy the vampire slayer energy.

and the ending… actually DIABOLICAL. like somehow even meaner than book one?? while this entire book had me stressed, the last 10% had me shaking. i truly don’t understand how i’m supposed to wait a year for the next book without losing my mind. i need answers!!!

“𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒊’𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒐. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒊 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕.”

[Krysta ꕤ]

on my knees for.. i mean, cant wait for more of Deacon 😚 OCTOBER HURRY TF UP I NEED THIS BOOK

[millena ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one was sooo much better than the first!!! when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about the book and I love when that happens. I really liked how the story evolved and how the relationships between all the characters grew (especially with a certain club owner who I love very much btw 😁😁😁)

now that ending???? diabolical!!!!!! please give me the third book right now thank you

[Liana Gold]

Initially I wasn't going to read the Harker Academy series but I just received this ARC so now I need to know what the hype is about.

My Libby wait for Half City is about 15 weeks.


Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group/Ace and the author, Kate Golden for an early copy of this book.

Publication date: October 6, 2026

[Brend]

[read_by_mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What in the Salvatore brothers!!!!! Vampire Diaries fans…you’re gonna love this.

These books are so addictive. Half City was good, Cursed City was EVERYTHING.

“Go. Before I beg you to stay." MY HEART.

[joni ౨ৎ - hiatus]

GUESS WHO GOT THE ARC!!! (running to read book 1 LOL)

[megan ◡̈]

how soon is too soon to start knocking on berkley’s door

[Collyn Driscoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was even better than the first! It had every romance trope I could want: true enemies to lovers, morally gray MMC, black cat FMC, snarky banter, yearning, SLOW burn, forced proximity (forced naked proximity), forbidden romance (demon/demon hunter). Deacon is everything—to me he’s a mix of Damon from TVD, Rhysand from ACOTAR, and fanfic Draco Malfoy. I also really love all of the side characters especially Deacon’s little found family we were introduced to in this book. THAT ENDING…. I did not want this to end. UGH. Kate, you need to get on #3 ASAP. Also, a Penny POV would be much appreciated.

[Holly]

My Buffy-loving heart's never been so happy to hear we'll get TWO books from this series in the same year!

[Sally May *✧･ﾟ]

i ended my review of the first book saying i didn't think i'd continue with this series, but you bitches got me with your book 2 arc reviews

[Jessi ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 6-star read…and quite possibly my favorite book now.

Holy shit. The characters were incredible, the stakes were high and there was all the tension. And that fucking ending? Omfg!!

If you need anything to read, this is it.

[Jessica Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God. You guys aren’t ready for this sequel.
The plot is twisting, the cliff is hanging. Buckle your seatbelts because this sequel is WILD.

[Bri R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ 5 ⭐️]

okay what the fuck ?!? i’m actually sitting here crying like WHATTTTT. this book was so damn good i am in shock. the last 5% of the book killed me 😭😭😭😭

kate golden has such a way with extraordinary world building and really making you feel like you’re in the world with these characters. i LOVE these characters so much they all have such unique personalities!

deacon graveheart … the (monster) you are … i actually loved his character and i was rooting for him the whole book! i will always fall for the broody, scarred, emotionally distant men but yk what that’s okay 🙂 i knew there was something special about him and i knew it from half city !!! im excited for more of him in book 3!!

viv really had a LOT of character growth in this book and wow she is a badass!!!! literally obsessed with her! i thought all of her decisions (even the dumb ones) were justified and she stuck by her morals. i think she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for and i respect that. we see a lot of inner struggles with her and not knowing what’s best for her & her city. i am VERY happy with her decisions at the end because they’re the same ones i would’ve made !!

i truly have zero complaints about this book i fear this is going to be my new obsession for the next few months. i’m calling it now but this is my fave read of may !!!!! if you haven’t read half city i cannot recommend this series enough!!!

thank you to ace publishing and netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest opinions!

💌 pub day: 9/29/26

[Abby | abbyadores · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg omg omg omg that was SO WILD AND GOOD AND WHERE IS BOOK 3

This is such a six star series for me and I am so antsy for more already. What an adventurous, heart-racing, heart-wrenching, unexpected, wild, FUN YET FEARFUL sequel!

Tysm to Berkley for approving me for the Netgalley e-arc I am so thankful. 🩷🩷

[Kristina Nichole]

is anyone more excited than me.......

that's not a question.....

[c (suffering)]

I HAVE THE ARC. 😭

[heba]

RCT

Thank you to NetGalley and the Berkley Publishing team for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advanced Copy


Thank you endlessly to Kate Golden and Berkley for blessing me with this early copy. All thoughts are my own.

I originally went into this sequel lowkey nervous it would open up with a time jump after how book 1 ended for some reason, but God bless Kate because we picked up right where we left off, and I loved that. And from there ? It was basically go-go-go. This book was action packed from start to finish and so insanely bingeable. It genuinely never had a dull moment. Not a single one.

What I loved even more is how much the world opens up here. It somehow feels bigger and richer than in book one, while also making the characters more intimate and fleshed out. Getting bits of backstory from certain characters (wink wink) was one of my favorite parts. And the found family ?? Absolutely one of the strongest parts of the book and the series in general. Everyone in this little group has such a distinct place and personality, they each brought something irreplaceable to the table, and I ate that up.

The side relationships ?? Sooo so good. I’m very seated for where those are going, especially after what happened near the end iykyk. But obviously the main relationship is the star of the show. I was lowkey petrified it wasn’t gonna go the way I needed it to go, but I should’ve put more faith in my girl Kate because she delivered on everything she promised. The tension, the yearning, the SLOW burn. I was, and still am, losing my mind in the best way. Every interaction had me kicking my feet and giggling. And, no spoilers here, but Chapter 46 ??? Exquisitely perfect. Truly. But, also… pure torture, to be quite fair. Because what do you mean you give me that and then leave me hanging like that ? Criminal behavior.

And can we please talk about the emotional damage that was inflicted on my poor innocent heart ? The last 20% had me gripping my kindle like a lifeline. Once we hit those final chapters (you know the part I’m talking about), I was deeply stressed. And for good reason, because Miss Kate absolutely ripped my heart out and stomped on it. I cried when you know what happened. I panicked. I lost it for a moment there, staring at the wall. And, then the final chapter patched my broken heart together just a little… only for that last paragraph to stomp on it all over again.

Basically : this sequel took everything we loved from book 1, doubled it up and gave it to the next person.

I need book 3 immediately, as soon as it’s just words on a Word document. I will give my firstborn for it, if need be.

[imk629 · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS FOR THIS WILD RIDE!
Cursed City will definitely be one of my top favorites of 2026. So much going on in this story that it’s not so simple to predict where this story will go. I devoured this in one day.
It starts exactly how it left off from Half City where Viv goes to Deacon to get help in her search for Reid. There are so many components to this story that Viv needs to navigate…her search for Reid, her need to stay alive and hidden from the High Thane and his broods, her body’s physical and emotional reactions to the syrabraxa and looking for a way to remove it from her body so the High Thane can’t use her to open the chasm.
While dealing with all the physical and emotional stress she also has to deal with her family by trying to be a good daughter and sister while keeping her hunter abilities a secret from them and other mortals.
Viv and Deacon struggle to collaborate during their partnership. Working together is a difficult task for each of them and they’re constantly throwing insults and heckling each other nonstop. She has to rely on his help and his deviant friends as well as her “Goonie Squad” (a label Deacon uses to describe her Harker Academy friends.
No spoilers but can we talk about the events that occurred near the end of the book and that cliffhanger? It was totally unexpected at least for me. I felt tension and anxiety and anger for these characters at the end of the book. Be prepared for an emotional shock as well as a huge cliffhanger that sets up book 3. It leaves readers with more questions and a holy shit I totally didn’t expect any of that to happen. Also there’s a question of what role the side characters will have in the next journey. After the story ended I hade to take a moment and process what happened. Looking forward to the next book and reading Viv’s new adventure.

[Erin Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

💫 A MASSIVE thank you to @kategoldenauthor , @netgalley, @penguinrandomhouse for this e-arc. I am beyond honored and thankful to have been approved for an early copy.

i absolutely DEVOURED this book. As much as I loved Half City, this book runs laps around it. Finished within 24 hours, cancelled a dental apt kind of devoured. This urban fantasy series is so distinctive. The magic system is unique, the characters and found family are 👩‍🍳🤌, the banter is bantering, and ya’ll- the slow burn … OOF.

The books starts immediately where it left off in Half City with a BANG- Viv just being a badass. She makes me want do flips and throw daggers. But pretty sure I’d pull a muscle and get the cops called by my neighbors. I love how strong Viv is while also being vulnerable. Her trauma and feelings of inadequacy resonate with me on such a deep level and I just want to give her a hug and tell her she was born enough. In this book we see her beginning to appreciate the parts of herself she has always hated and begin to really consider what is best for HER and not what is best for every one else.

I absolutely love the characters and found family in this book. Peter and Sophia UGH rip my heart out. Each one adds a unique piece to the group and the way they love each other 😪😭

FOR ALL OF YOU WANTING TO BRAND REID ON YOUR BODY- do not. I repeat do not. For all my morally grey/black loving people, buckle up bc Deacon yall… I could write this whole review about how much I love him and What he brings to the table for Viv. let’s just say dont judge a book by the tattood cover. This book will have you laughing, screaming, kicking your feet, then bawling. I love a book that pulls all the feels and emotions out of me and this book did just that. I will be thinking about this book on repeat for the near future. The ending… I am crushed and need book 3 ASAP.

[casey ౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

⋆˙⟡ tropes ⟡˙⋆
⚔️ enemies to lovers
⚡️ forced proximity
🌃 found family
🛏️ only one bed
🕯️ complex characters

⋆˙⟡ thoughts ⟡˙⋆
i have been ready for this!!!! it picks up right where half city left off. as a reid lover, i was worried deacon would steal my heart… and he did. sorry reid but you’re done. like deacon drives a motorcycle, has tattoos, and is so mysterious 😮‍💨 alsooo the banter between him and viv was everything 🙂‍↕️

this had me going through it, like the way i was holding onto my kindle anxious of what’s going to happen to these characters i love so much. the found family here >>>> alsooo i love how protective deacon was of viv and how he paid attention to her love for photography… cough reid cough. iykyk. this had me giggling then crying the next minute. i need more.

⋆˙⟡ synopsis ⟡˙⋆
to rescue someone close to her, viv must team up with reid’s violent, unpredictable older brother, deacon. her uneasy truce with him offers her something reid never could: the chance to embrace her darkness. her mission takes her to the center of astera's seedy underbelly with none other than deacon as her guide. when a bounty on her head puts those she cares about in danger, she will be forced to go to lengths she never dreamed in order to protect them and save the half city from destruction.