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The Graces #2
The Curses
Picking up the pieces after the chilling events of the previous year isn’t easy, but the Graces are determined to do it. Wolf is back after a mysterious disappearance, and everyone’s eager to return to normal. Except for Summer, the youngest Grace. Summer has a knack for discovering the truth—and something is troubling her. After a trail of clues leads her to what could be the key to both her family’s mysterious past and the secret of Wolf, she’s determined to vanquish yet another curse. But exposing secrets is a dangerous game, and it’s not one Summer can win alone.
At Summer’s behest, the coven comes back together, reluctantly drawing their erstwhile friend River back into the fold. But Wolf’s behavior becomes unpredictable even as Fenrin’s strength fades, and Summer must ask herself whether the friend she so loves is also planning her family’s ultimate, cursed demise.
This riveting sequel to The Graces is saturated with magic, the destructive cost of power, the complications of family, and the nature of forgiveness.
At Summer’s behest, the coven comes back together, reluctantly drawing their erstwhile friend River back into the fold. But Wolf’s behavior becomes unpredictable even as Fenrin’s strength fades, and Summer must ask herself whether the friend she so loves is also planning her family’s ultimate, cursed demise.
This riveting sequel to The Graces is saturated with magic, the destructive cost of power, the complications of family, and the nature of forgiveness.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2018
About the author
Laure Eve
6 books505 followersLaure Eve is the author of critically acclaimed duologies The Graces and The Curses,
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually about food, in Greek.
The name is pronounced lore eev. (in English. In French there's a whole back of the throat deal).
Fearsome Dreamer and The Illusionists,
and the forthcoming duology Blackheart Knights (spring 2021).
She has been published in 10 languages and has regularly appeared at festivals, conventions and conferences in countries around the world.
She speaks English and French, and can hold a vague conversation, usually about food, in Greek.
The name is pronounced lore eev. (in English. In French there's a whole back of the throat deal).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
April 25, 2019
The old saying of 'Careful what you wish for' gets illustrated in all its glorious intensity.
Enakelgh covens…
Q: Wishes as curses. (c) Q: … all the tantalising things... (c) Q: There are more of us. (с)
And when things do get out of hands... well: Q: ‘Needs must when the devil drives.’ (c)
Q:
We liked to allow our secret selves out of their everyday cages, just for a little while. (c)
Q:
It must be tough trying to diagnose a severe case of resurrection. (c)
Q:
‘Oh god, it’s freezing,’ ...
‘It’s bracing,’... ‘Wake-up weather.’ (c)
Q:
‘Names mould us. We fit into our names, our names don’t fit into us. For example, as I recall, Fenrin’s is based on a Norse name that translates as “asshole”.’ (c)
Q:
‘And she does make things blossom,’ I offered reasonably. ‘Herbs. Flowers. The groinal regions of schoolboys.’ (c)
Q:
‘Something on my face? Chocolate? Blood? Invisible alien monster?’ (c)
Q:
It’s as if your outlines are somehow richer and brighter than everything else around you. The witch bit of you – that intuition, that power, that moreness of you all – it’s there all the time, inside you, like an innate part of you. I want to be able to feel what you feel. I want to be able to feel magic, down in my blood.’ (c)
Q:
He had a far more passionate and intimate relationship with surfing than with me because the sport asked nothing of him. (c)
Q:
I knew what living under a curse felt like. I did not curse people lightly. (c)
Q:
Then I sat on the rug underneath the bookcase, drowsy winter light falling over my shoulders through the window. Hot coffee steamed its way into the air from the mug at my hip. Soft rain pattered at the glass, and the sky was a bright, dense grey at my back. (c)
Q:
Whatever else I would do with my life, whatever else I would become, inside me there was a bright, burning core that whispered, witch. My desire for an existence that breathed more was like a kidney or a lung – a vital part of my whole. Without it, I just wouldn’t work. I wouldn’t be me. (c)
Q:
How I loved knowing things that I was not supposed to know about. (c)
Q:
People tended to look at my sister and not see someone who should be taking advanced physics, since making assumptions was one of everyone’s favourite pastimes. (c)
Q:
‘I don’t think you’re making it obvious enough that a boy is breaking into my room,’ ... ‘Could you be a bit louder?’ (c)
Q:
Do you want to come along with me now?’
Ah. A statement phrased as a question, giving the illusion of choice. (c)
Q:
‘Sir,’ I said, ‘Satan is a fictional device created by uptight conservatives for the pure purpose of keeping tortured, guilty little sinners in line. He’s not part of our “alternative lifestyle” because we don’t believe he exists.’ (c)
Q:
Power thrives on secrets and mystery. Speak the truth of something and rob it of power. It is one of the oldest and simplest magics there is.
I needed to speak the truth. (c)
Q:
I had never been known for my sense. I had talked freely about power, about magic, about passion and desire, and I refused to feel embarrassed or ashamed about doing so. (c)
Q:
What I admired most about the plan we came up with to get ourselves a permanent exit from this school was that it pleasingly utilised all three of the headmaster’s favourite things: bonding, team-building and communication. (c)
Q:
A self-loathing gold star for you.’
‘Girl … I already got a full set.’
‘Let’s start a club. The Self-Loathing Club.’
‘Membership is free. The whole school will probably join.’ (c)
Q:
‘You have something to say, you can say it here because I’m not moving. I don’t have any cat-killing tips. You’ll just have to google it.’ (с)
Q:
I was the kind of dragon who hoarded secret truths over gold. (c)
Q:
Witches do not like to owe anyone and no one should ever owe a witch. (c)
Q:
A comfortable haze settled behind my eyes, stretching and compressing the time and space around us. The world beyond lay behind a curtain I didn’t want to open. (с)
Q:
‘When you have to upend the laws of nature, you need someone so powerful that reality finds itself bending to fit around their desire. Of course, finding someone like that is hardly easy.’ (c)
Q:
If you thought something was going to turn out badly, it very often would. Whether it was the power of suggestion or something deeper, we all had an immense capacity to shape our lives. Given the choice, I’d rather live in hope than in fear. …
You keep treating someone like a monster, pretty soon everyone will believe it. (c)
Q:
Our grandmother had had a maxim on desire. To inflame it, you drank fresh mint tea made with leaves picked straight from the plant because, as everyone knew, mint was just like desire – if left unchecked, it ran wild and fast through a whole garden, muscling every other thing out of its way, until one day mint was all you had left.
Desire was a tricky thing and should never be left unchecked, but magic couldn’t manifest without it. Want created will, and will led to action, which was all magic was, reduced to its simplest form: change, in the way the witch wanted it.
Where there is desire, there is usually magic. (c)
Q:
We would lie on our backs, staring at the bright, vast scatter of lights above us, making up our own stories of how the constellations came to be… (c)
Q:
He was an air witch. He felt things, pushed by currents of the unseen like seaweed by water, but it hadn’t seemed that way in a long time. (c)
Q:
Time had brought a folding inward instead of outward. (c)
Q:
The trees could feel me the same way I could feel them, and we liked the experience. (c)
Q:
I had practiced turning my mind’s eye upward, picturing a black velvet sky speckled with points of light, some clustered, some sparkling at me. I had felt the enormity of the universe, and I drew comfort from it. The woods felt like breathing and thinking of stars. Sometimes you didn’t need to focus to feel magic. You just needed to be in a place that breathed it out. (c)
Q:
She knew things about me, secret things I had never told anyone before. (c)
Q:
Nathaniel had painted the answer right into the cards, and I still hadn’t seen it. (с)
Q:
The universe did seem to love a teachable moment. (с)
Q:
… depending on what truth you chose to see about her. (с)
Q:It didn’t take long, or it took forever, it was hard to say in the twilight world of inside. At some point, my eyes closed and my mind unanchored itself, and night could have turned to day again in the sky and still I’d be sitting here, breathing and thinking of stars just like my father had taught me.
The ritual had its own pull, like gravity, like a tidal wave, as sure as the sunset and the moonrise. Enakelgh was pure, unfettered desire. Stifling it only ensured that it overwhelmed you. (c)
Q:
Truth was not a cure but it was a damn good start. … Luckily, as I kept pointing out just in case no one noticed, I was really, really into the truth. (c)
Q:
We aren’t cursed, we’re just dangerous – to others and to one another. (c)
Q:
You had to be careful with words – they held so much power. Words transmitted ideas, and ideas could do everything from changing one life to changing the course of history.
Words are one of the world’s strongest magics. (c)
Q:
You spent your childhood waiting to become an adult; you waited for that moment when everything suddenly made sense, when you fitted like a key into a lock and the doors of the world opened up before you.
But eventually, you looked around and realised that the becoming was a lie. Everyone simply stumbled blindly into adulthood the same way they stumbled blindly through childhood. No one became. (c)
Q:
And in the end, maybe that truth was not mine to have. (c)
Q:
‘This house – haven’t you ever noticed how it keeps us contained? Why do you think I don’t like you leaving it? It’s not just us that gets hurt, is it? It’s other people. Outsiders.’ (c) Ok, now this is one claustrophobic idea.
Q:
In the meantime, we could still party. (c)
Q:
The masks would help to shift tonight out of the everyday. Protected by a mask or a character, you could be brave. You could become anything. You were free from yourself. (c)
Q:
The trick is simply to try. (c)
Q:
… a highly unusual proliferation of magical things happened across the entire town. …
One hundred and twenty-four people said, ‘I love you.’
Four hundred and eleven people said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and they were forgiven.
Fifty-six people said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and they were not yet forgiven, but the apology provided the release that people needed.
Two male priests from different religions snuck away together late that evening and eloped. …
Ninety-one people looked at the full moon at different times and realised that the world is an extraordinary place. (c)
Q:
They are few and far between, these magical moments that make us ache fiercely, hard to create and even harder to sustain. Each moment is finite – they have to be, since a thing that goes on forever is a thing you can no longer call special.
So happiness cannot be a constant – but then neither can pain, and though in its midst it feels like it will last forever, this is always a lie. There is no happiness without pain, no love without hate, no power without consequence. One highlights the other and makes you aware of each. They are connected, twinned forever. If you want one, you get both.There are no do-overs, and there is never any going back. But there is always forwards because the world keeps going, always forwards, and you can go with it. If you want, if you have the courage.
You’ll have scars. No getting around that. But then scars, I have decided, make you more interesting anyway. Who wants to be perfect? Perfection is complete. Perfection is closed. Perfection, then, is death. Much better to be changeable, improvable, a constant open.
We are none of us either good or bad, but curious and wild.
Joyful and unafraid. (c)
Q:
We climbed the dunes in silence… (c)
Enakelgh covens…
Q: Wishes as curses. (c) Q: … all the tantalising things... (c) Q: There are more of us. (с)
And when things do get out of hands... well: Q: ‘Needs must when the devil drives.’ (c)
Q:
We liked to allow our secret selves out of their everyday cages, just for a little while. (c)
Q:
It must be tough trying to diagnose a severe case of resurrection. (c)
Q:
‘Oh god, it’s freezing,’ ...
‘It’s bracing,’... ‘Wake-up weather.’ (c)
Q:
‘Names mould us. We fit into our names, our names don’t fit into us. For example, as I recall, Fenrin’s is based on a Norse name that translates as “asshole”.’ (c)
Q:
‘And she does make things blossom,’ I offered reasonably. ‘Herbs. Flowers. The groinal regions of schoolboys.’ (c)
Q:
‘Something on my face? Chocolate? Blood? Invisible alien monster?’ (c)
Q:
It’s as if your outlines are somehow richer and brighter than everything else around you. The witch bit of you – that intuition, that power, that moreness of you all – it’s there all the time, inside you, like an innate part of you. I want to be able to feel what you feel. I want to be able to feel magic, down in my blood.’ (c)
Q:
He had a far more passionate and intimate relationship with surfing than with me because the sport asked nothing of him. (c)
Q:
I knew what living under a curse felt like. I did not curse people lightly. (c)
Q:
Then I sat on the rug underneath the bookcase, drowsy winter light falling over my shoulders through the window. Hot coffee steamed its way into the air from the mug at my hip. Soft rain pattered at the glass, and the sky was a bright, dense grey at my back. (c)
Q:
Whatever else I would do with my life, whatever else I would become, inside me there was a bright, burning core that whispered, witch. My desire for an existence that breathed more was like a kidney or a lung – a vital part of my whole. Without it, I just wouldn’t work. I wouldn’t be me. (c)
Q:
How I loved knowing things that I was not supposed to know about. (c)
Q:
People tended to look at my sister and not see someone who should be taking advanced physics, since making assumptions was one of everyone’s favourite pastimes. (c)
Q:
‘I don’t think you’re making it obvious enough that a boy is breaking into my room,’ ... ‘Could you be a bit louder?’ (c)
Q:
Do you want to come along with me now?’
Ah. A statement phrased as a question, giving the illusion of choice. (c)
Q:
‘Sir,’ I said, ‘Satan is a fictional device created by uptight conservatives for the pure purpose of keeping tortured, guilty little sinners in line. He’s not part of our “alternative lifestyle” because we don’t believe he exists.’ (c)
Q:
Power thrives on secrets and mystery. Speak the truth of something and rob it of power. It is one of the oldest and simplest magics there is.
I needed to speak the truth. (c)
Q:
I had never been known for my sense. I had talked freely about power, about magic, about passion and desire, and I refused to feel embarrassed or ashamed about doing so. (c)
Q:
What I admired most about the plan we came up with to get ourselves a permanent exit from this school was that it pleasingly utilised all three of the headmaster’s favourite things: bonding, team-building and communication. (c)
Q:
A self-loathing gold star for you.’
‘Girl … I already got a full set.’
‘Let’s start a club. The Self-Loathing Club.’
‘Membership is free. The whole school will probably join.’ (c)
Q:
‘You have something to say, you can say it here because I’m not moving. I don’t have any cat-killing tips. You’ll just have to google it.’ (с)
Q:
I was the kind of dragon who hoarded secret truths over gold. (c)
Q:
Witches do not like to owe anyone and no one should ever owe a witch. (c)
Q:
A comfortable haze settled behind my eyes, stretching and compressing the time and space around us. The world beyond lay behind a curtain I didn’t want to open. (с)
Q:
‘When you have to upend the laws of nature, you need someone so powerful that reality finds itself bending to fit around their desire. Of course, finding someone like that is hardly easy.’ (c)
Q:
If you thought something was going to turn out badly, it very often would. Whether it was the power of suggestion or something deeper, we all had an immense capacity to shape our lives. Given the choice, I’d rather live in hope than in fear. …
You keep treating someone like a monster, pretty soon everyone will believe it. (c)
Q:
Our grandmother had had a maxim on desire. To inflame it, you drank fresh mint tea made with leaves picked straight from the plant because, as everyone knew, mint was just like desire – if left unchecked, it ran wild and fast through a whole garden, muscling every other thing out of its way, until one day mint was all you had left.
Desire was a tricky thing and should never be left unchecked, but magic couldn’t manifest without it. Want created will, and will led to action, which was all magic was, reduced to its simplest form: change, in the way the witch wanted it.
Where there is desire, there is usually magic. (c)
Q:
We would lie on our backs, staring at the bright, vast scatter of lights above us, making up our own stories of how the constellations came to be… (c)
Q:
He was an air witch. He felt things, pushed by currents of the unseen like seaweed by water, but it hadn’t seemed that way in a long time. (c)
Q:
Time had brought a folding inward instead of outward. (c)
Q:
The trees could feel me the same way I could feel them, and we liked the experience. (c)
Q:
I had practiced turning my mind’s eye upward, picturing a black velvet sky speckled with points of light, some clustered, some sparkling at me. I had felt the enormity of the universe, and I drew comfort from it. The woods felt like breathing and thinking of stars. Sometimes you didn’t need to focus to feel magic. You just needed to be in a place that breathed it out. (c)
Q:
She knew things about me, secret things I had never told anyone before. (c)
Q:
Nathaniel had painted the answer right into the cards, and I still hadn’t seen it. (с)
Q:
The universe did seem to love a teachable moment. (с)
Q:
… depending on what truth you chose to see about her. (с)
Q:It didn’t take long, or it took forever, it was hard to say in the twilight world of inside. At some point, my eyes closed and my mind unanchored itself, and night could have turned to day again in the sky and still I’d be sitting here, breathing and thinking of stars just like my father had taught me.
The ritual had its own pull, like gravity, like a tidal wave, as sure as the sunset and the moonrise. Enakelgh was pure, unfettered desire. Stifling it only ensured that it overwhelmed you. (c)
Q:
Truth was not a cure but it was a damn good start. … Luckily, as I kept pointing out just in case no one noticed, I was really, really into the truth. (c)
Q:
We aren’t cursed, we’re just dangerous – to others and to one another. (c)
Q:
You had to be careful with words – they held so much power. Words transmitted ideas, and ideas could do everything from changing one life to changing the course of history.
Words are one of the world’s strongest magics. (c)
Q:
You spent your childhood waiting to become an adult; you waited for that moment when everything suddenly made sense, when you fitted like a key into a lock and the doors of the world opened up before you.
But eventually, you looked around and realised that the becoming was a lie. Everyone simply stumbled blindly into adulthood the same way they stumbled blindly through childhood. No one became. (c)
Q:
And in the end, maybe that truth was not mine to have. (c)
Q:
‘This house – haven’t you ever noticed how it keeps us contained? Why do you think I don’t like you leaving it? It’s not just us that gets hurt, is it? It’s other people. Outsiders.’ (c) Ok, now this is one claustrophobic idea.
Q:
In the meantime, we could still party. (c)
Q:
The masks would help to shift tonight out of the everyday. Protected by a mask or a character, you could be brave. You could become anything. You were free from yourself. (c)
Q:
The trick is simply to try. (c)
Q:
… a highly unusual proliferation of magical things happened across the entire town. …
One hundred and twenty-four people said, ‘I love you.’
Four hundred and eleven people said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and they were forgiven.
Fifty-six people said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and they were not yet forgiven, but the apology provided the release that people needed.
Two male priests from different religions snuck away together late that evening and eloped. …
Ninety-one people looked at the full moon at different times and realised that the world is an extraordinary place. (c)
Q:
They are few and far between, these magical moments that make us ache fiercely, hard to create and even harder to sustain. Each moment is finite – they have to be, since a thing that goes on forever is a thing you can no longer call special.
So happiness cannot be a constant – but then neither can pain, and though in its midst it feels like it will last forever, this is always a lie. There is no happiness without pain, no love without hate, no power without consequence. One highlights the other and makes you aware of each. They are connected, twinned forever. If you want one, you get both.There are no do-overs, and there is never any going back. But there is always forwards because the world keeps going, always forwards, and you can go with it. If you want, if you have the courage.
You’ll have scars. No getting around that. But then scars, I have decided, make you more interesting anyway. Who wants to be perfect? Perfection is complete. Perfection is closed. Perfection, then, is death. Much better to be changeable, improvable, a constant open.
We are none of us either good or bad, but curious and wild.
Joyful and unafraid. (c)
Q:
We climbed the dunes in silence… (c)
February 7, 2019
I think this book went in a very different direction from what the author had originally planned. From what I remember this was supposed to be released early 2017 and was pushed back to early 2019? Two whole years and ummmm it kind of shows! The story was enjoyable nonetheless just not what I was expecting, I guess.
At least we finally know River’s birth name!
At least we finally know River’s birth name!
November 29, 2018
~*Review first appeared on The Bent Bookworm!*~
Be forewarned, there is swearing involved in this review, because, um…
What TF just happened.
I really wanted to review The Curses without giving spoilers for the first one, The Graces, but it’s so damn difficult because you absolutely cannot be reading this one without reading the first. Please don’t even try. So yes, there are some spoilery comments for the FIRST book contained in this review.
This book is so much better than the first. SO MUCH. Like so much I want to hug it. Once I started it, I finished in less than a day. I could barely put it down, I wanted so much to know what the heck was going on! Considering my “meh” feelings over the first book, I am just ecstatic that this one pulled the story out off the runaway train track. In fact, had it not been for the TOTAL shocker at the end of The Graces, I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up. But I think you would have to be just about inhuman to not be overcome by curiosity about that ending.
The Curses picks up a few months after the events of The Graces, and this time is written from the perspective of Summer, the youngest Grace. This was soooo much better than the narrative voice in the first book. I really hate unreliable narrators, it makes me feel like my entire life is a lie, so I was relieved that Laure Eve didn’t repeat that in this book. We also spend almost no time at the school in this one – hallelujah.
Thalia, Fenrin, Summer, River, and Wolf are all active players once again, but they are quite changed by the previous events and are all coping in various ways. Wolf’s dramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance has cast a shadow of sorts over the entire town, and the Grace household bears the brunt of it. Everything is different, with an undercurrent of ill feeling, but no one seems able to quite put a finger on the cause. Summer, ever curious and following her gut, digs and probes until she has her siblings just as involved as herself, and eventually River gets dragged back into their circle as well.
The magical realism in this story is, well…so very real. The Graces are pagan witches – which is an actual thing, and I have friends who follow practices very similar (and often with similar reactions from the general public, sadly), as far as the herbal magick and belief in binding, etc. However, none of them – as far as I’m aware – actually think there is a way, or if they did, would ever actually TRY, to resurrect anyone. Which is where the magical, or fantasy if you will, part comes into play. Also, the “power” of various witches to bend events or the future to their will (such as River, particularly) is set firmly in the realm of fantasy. The use of tarot cards, spells, wardings and bindings…not so much. Perhaps it is the slightly blurry line between the two that allows this story to pull you in so very well. At times I variously felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise, as though I’d been punched in the gut, and as if my blood was actually turning cold in my veins. Some of the events are just almost too much to bear, as the pain and loss with accompanying grief is completely palpable through the page.
My favorite part of this book though? The sibling solidarity. The Graces have each others’ backs, no matter what, and they will go down without even a peep to protect one another. Even if they fight and bicker like any siblings, if anyone else threatens one of them, the outsider quickly wishes they hadn’t. And when one of them is in serious trouble, the others think nothing of getting into trouble right alongside them.
The events really just come one right after another in this one, with none of the drag I felt in the first book. Also, the foreshadowing – maybe Laure Eve should take up writing suspense or thrillers, because OMG the cellar scene where all the lies come out was INTENSE and I was just left with my jaw hanging open…and then I realized, like Summer did, that HOLY SHIT IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG.
5/5 stars. I really can’t think of anything bad to say about this one! Which totally surprises me, given that I had quite a few bones to pick with The Graces. The Curses is full of amazing quotes and feelings, and the ending – while it left me feeling sad and melancholy – was really full of closure and not without hope. The author seems to have worked out just about all the things that made me twitch in the first book, and I was just left with a massive hole in my heart for all the things the characters went through.
Oh, and once again, let’s end with a note about this freaking fabulous cover. I am obsessed and I can’t WAIT to have this sitting beside The Graces on my shelf because they look absolutely stunning together.
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______________________
RTC! So much happier with this one than the first. Night and day difference.
______________________
Couldn't for the life of me remember how the first book ended, had to go back and read my old review. Hahahaha. Oh boy.
Be forewarned, there is swearing involved in this review, because, um…
What TF just happened.
I really wanted to review The Curses without giving spoilers for the first one, The Graces, but it’s so damn difficult because you absolutely cannot be reading this one without reading the first. Please don’t even try. So yes, there are some spoilery comments for the FIRST book contained in this review.
You should be tolerant of every kind of behavior…except ignorance and stupidity. No one should ever tolerate behavior that ruin the world.
This book is so much better than the first. SO MUCH. Like so much I want to hug it. Once I started it, I finished in less than a day. I could barely put it down, I wanted so much to know what the heck was going on! Considering my “meh” feelings over the first book, I am just ecstatic that this one pulled the story out off the runaway train track. In fact, had it not been for the TOTAL shocker at the end of The Graces, I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up. But I think you would have to be just about inhuman to not be overcome by curiosity about that ending.
The Curses picks up a few months after the events of The Graces, and this time is written from the perspective of Summer, the youngest Grace. This was soooo much better than the narrative voice in the first book. I really hate unreliable narrators, it makes me feel like my entire life is a lie, so I was relieved that Laure Eve didn’t repeat that in this book. We also spend almost no time at the school in this one – hallelujah.
Thalia, Fenrin, Summer, River, and Wolf are all active players once again, but they are quite changed by the previous events and are all coping in various ways. Wolf’s dramatic disappearance and subsequent reappearance has cast a shadow of sorts over the entire town, and the Grace household bears the brunt of it. Everything is different, with an undercurrent of ill feeling, but no one seems able to quite put a finger on the cause. Summer, ever curious and following her gut, digs and probes until she has her siblings just as involved as herself, and eventually River gets dragged back into their circle as well.
Time had brought a folding inward instead of outward. They had trapped themselves in a relentless limbo of deliberate numbness. Too afraid to feel, too afraid to let go.
The magical realism in this story is, well…so very real. The Graces are pagan witches – which is an actual thing, and I have friends who follow practices very similar (and often with similar reactions from the general public, sadly), as far as the herbal magick and belief in binding, etc. However, none of them – as far as I’m aware – actually think there is a way, or if they did, would ever actually TRY, to resurrect anyone. Which is where the magical, or fantasy if you will, part comes into play. Also, the “power” of various witches to bend events or the future to their will (such as River, particularly) is set firmly in the realm of fantasy. The use of tarot cards, spells, wardings and bindings…not so much. Perhaps it is the slightly blurry line between the two that allows this story to pull you in so very well. At times I variously felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise, as though I’d been punched in the gut, and as if my blood was actually turning cold in my veins. Some of the events are just almost too much to bear, as the pain and loss with accompanying grief is completely palpable through the page.
My favorite part of this book though? The sibling solidarity. The Graces have each others’ backs, no matter what, and they will go down without even a peep to protect one another. Even if they fight and bicker like any siblings, if anyone else threatens one of them, the outsider quickly wishes they hadn’t. And when one of them is in serious trouble, the others think nothing of getting into trouble right alongside them.
The events really just come one right after another in this one, with none of the drag I felt in the first book. Also, the foreshadowing – maybe Laure Eve should take up writing suspense or thrillers, because OMG the cellar scene where all the lies come out was INTENSE and I was just left with my jaw hanging open…and then I realized, like Summer did, that HOLY SHIT IT WAS THERE ALL ALONG.
5/5 stars. I really can’t think of anything bad to say about this one! Which totally surprises me, given that I had quite a few bones to pick with The Graces. The Curses is full of amazing quotes and feelings, and the ending – while it left me feeling sad and melancholy – was really full of closure and not without hope. The author seems to have worked out just about all the things that made me twitch in the first book, and I was just left with a massive hole in my heart for all the things the characters went through.
Oh, and once again, let’s end with a note about this freaking fabulous cover. I am obsessed and I can’t WAIT to have this sitting beside The Graces on my shelf because they look absolutely stunning together.
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RTC! So much happier with this one than the first. Night and day difference.
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Couldn't for the life of me remember how the first book ended, had to go back and read my old review. Hahahaha. Oh boy.
October 27, 2020
Review for book 1: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Outline of the story: After the witchcraft-went-wrong-disaster at the end of book 1, the witchy Grace couple decided to send their three witchy children to a...you guessed it, a boarding school. But the youngest of the siblings, Summer felt something was still amiss among the three Grace children and their old neighborhood and this oddity might have something to do with River Page, the new girl in school who seems to have outstanding talent on witchcraft.
Rating: 3.8 stars.
I think this sequel is okay, although the change of narrators from River to Summer does make the story looks less...dramatic and less interesting but the story telling is doing okay-ish enough.
To sum up, I don't think it's such an exciting or outstanding book which will be loved by everyone, but if you are interested in reading a YA book about teenagers doing witchcraft, I think this book is fine for you then.
Outline of the story: After the witchcraft-went-wrong-disaster at the end of book 1, the witchy Grace couple decided to send their three witchy children to a...you guessed it, a boarding school. But the youngest of the siblings, Summer felt something was still amiss among the three Grace children and their old neighborhood and this oddity might have something to do with River Page, the new girl in school who seems to have outstanding talent on witchcraft.
Rating: 3.8 stars.
I think this sequel is okay, although the change of narrators from River to Summer does make the story looks less...dramatic and less interesting but the story telling is doing okay-ish enough.
To sum up, I don't think it's such an exciting or outstanding book which will be loved by everyone, but if you are interested in reading a YA book about teenagers doing witchcraft, I think this book is fine for you then.
January 7, 2019
When I found out there was going to be another book in this series I was first and foremost, baffled.
The first book to this series, The Graces, was a mess that I only picked up because of the gorgeous cover, which was the only thing I liked. When I saw The Curses I decided to give the series another chance. The first book may have been a mess but maybe the second would be more coherent.
It wasn’t.
Like the first book, the plot kept changing over and over. I often found myself confused at what the characters were trying to achieve. At first it was that River was a danger and it was up to them to make sure they bind her powers, then they suddenly became obsessed with their dead cousin and finding out about her, and then, surprise, a trickster spirit comes out of nowhere and they have to get rid of that! The climax of the book is the Graces defeating the spirit, yet it only becomes the focus at the end of the book, not in the beginning.
Another thing about this book that frustrates me is so much of it feels like it keeps forgetting its own plot and follows white rabbits that don’t help move the story along. There were even times that important/interesting scenes were left out (such as the binding scene, something the characters had spent a large chunk of time debating over).
I can’t tell if the book was written or edited poorly.
Either way, the book is a total miss.
The first book to this series, The Graces, was a mess that I only picked up because of the gorgeous cover, which was the only thing I liked. When I saw The Curses I decided to give the series another chance. The first book may have been a mess but maybe the second would be more coherent.
It wasn’t.
Like the first book, the plot kept changing over and over. I often found myself confused at what the characters were trying to achieve. At first it was that River was a danger and it was up to them to make sure they bind her powers, then they suddenly became obsessed with their dead cousin and finding out about her, and then, surprise, a trickster spirit comes out of nowhere and they have to get rid of that! The climax of the book is the Graces defeating the spirit, yet it only becomes the focus at the end of the book, not in the beginning.
Another thing about this book that frustrates me is so much of it feels like it keeps forgetting its own plot and follows white rabbits that don’t help move the story along. There were even times that important/interesting scenes were left out (such as the binding scene, something the characters had spent a large chunk of time debating over).
I can’t tell if the book was written or edited poorly.
Either way, the book is a total miss.
November 15, 2020
This sequel was unfortunately even more disappointing than the first (although the cover is just as stunning!). It held very little interest for me until around the 2/3 mark and the ending seemed a bit lackluster in my opinion.
August 2, 2021
This ending was horrible
January 18, 2019
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
The Curses is the sequel to The Graces, told from the point of view of the youngest Grace sibling, air witch Summer. With the time elapsed between releases, I did re-read The Graces: I planned on doing a light, skimming re-read, but it sucked me in and I really enjoyed it - probably more the second time that I did the first. It made me even more excited and eager to dive into The Curses.
With the return of Wolf, Summer is more invested than ever in breaking the apparent curse on the Grace family. The curse that means when a Grace falls in love, one of the couple will die. She enlists the help of River and Marcus, and with a little snooping, discovers a new player who might be able to help. Meanwhile, something is wrong with Wolf and Fenrin, and it may all be linked. Summer has a knack for finding the truth, so she's on the case.
I love the atmosphere this novel evokes. I have no trouble imagining a small British town right near the beach, and the oppression and moody feelings it evokes. I loved the descriptions and I feel like I know the Grace house and its yard, I can see it so well in my mind's eye.
This book is much more paranormal than magical realism: after the ending in The Graces confirms the existence of magic in this world, we see more of it performed by this little coven. It removed a huge element of the 'woooo mysterious Graces everyone worships' to have the book from Summer's point of view, but it really did work to see everything about the infamous Graces from an insider's point of view. Especially since she kinda knows how everyone treats the Graces, but she grew up with it and likes it, and it was especially satisfying to see the Graces lose some of that power at times.
I found I enjoyed The Curses more than The Graces, probably because Summer's character is more consistent and less confusing than River. In The Graces, River is a highly unlikeable hypocrite who simultaneously hates everyone and wants everyone to love and admire her. She hates the girls who are attracted to Fenrin, yet the entire plot is triggered by her desire for him. Summer, in comparison, is an unapologetic wannabe badass who openly admits the darkness within her and never pretends or tries to be something other than what she is. I found that the exploration into why Summer and even Fenrin were drawn to River was interesting and helped explain things in The Graces that River, as an unreliable narrator, deliberately left out. In contrast, Summer is a truthful narrator, and I feel that we always saw the real her.
However, consistency was still an issue in this novel. In The Graces, Esther knew about Fenrin and Wolf, and very nearly said it was 'disgusting'. Why, then, would she allow Wolf to stay in her house? To allow Wolf and Fenrin to continue their relationship? She's seemingly OK with it, and it's so weird, especially since her earlier homophobia seems to have 'magically' disappeared. Summer claims that the siblings all worked together to hide it from their parents, which doesn't line up with what Esther knew in The Graces.
Another thing that bothered me was that one of the characters was 16 when his love interest died at age 23. That's a pretty huge age difference, and it didn't seem to be an issue at all. But at the same time, the narrative also suggested they were the same age, so some consistency here would be nice.
However, I found the exploration of the theme of forgiveness really strong, and I could feel a lot of empathy for both Summer and River. I absolutely loved the fierceness of the love for family, even if that family was broken - and I don't necessarily mean blood family: I mean Summer's coven. Summer loves fiercely, and I loved seeing her relationships come to play in this novel.
Overall, I was super excited to read this book and I'm really glad I did. I think if you've read and enjoyed The Graces, you'll probably also really enjoy The Curses. I know I did.
Also - these covers are just PHENOMENAL. Not the colourful ones: the ones with just the metallic text. WOW. I love them.
The Curses is the sequel to The Graces, told from the point of view of the youngest Grace sibling, air witch Summer. With the time elapsed between releases, I did re-read The Graces: I planned on doing a light, skimming re-read, but it sucked me in and I really enjoyed it - probably more the second time that I did the first. It made me even more excited and eager to dive into The Curses.
With the return of Wolf, Summer is more invested than ever in breaking the apparent curse on the Grace family. The curse that means when a Grace falls in love, one of the couple will die. She enlists the help of River and Marcus, and with a little snooping, discovers a new player who might be able to help. Meanwhile, something is wrong with Wolf and Fenrin, and it may all be linked. Summer has a knack for finding the truth, so she's on the case.
I love the atmosphere this novel evokes. I have no trouble imagining a small British town right near the beach, and the oppression and moody feelings it evokes. I loved the descriptions and I feel like I know the Grace house and its yard, I can see it so well in my mind's eye.
This book is much more paranormal than magical realism: after the ending in The Graces confirms the existence of magic in this world, we see more of it performed by this little coven. It removed a huge element of the 'woooo mysterious Graces everyone worships' to have the book from Summer's point of view, but it really did work to see everything about the infamous Graces from an insider's point of view. Especially since she kinda knows how everyone treats the Graces, but she grew up with it and likes it, and it was especially satisfying to see the Graces lose some of that power at times.
I found I enjoyed The Curses more than The Graces, probably because Summer's character is more consistent and less confusing than River. In The Graces, River is a highly unlikeable hypocrite who simultaneously hates everyone and wants everyone to love and admire her. She hates the girls who are attracted to Fenrin, yet the entire plot is triggered by her desire for him. Summer, in comparison, is an unapologetic wannabe badass who openly admits the darkness within her and never pretends or tries to be something other than what she is. I found that the exploration into why Summer and even Fenrin were drawn to River was interesting and helped explain things in The Graces that River, as an unreliable narrator, deliberately left out. In contrast, Summer is a truthful narrator, and I feel that we always saw the real her.
However, consistency was still an issue in this novel. In The Graces, Esther knew about Fenrin and Wolf, and very nearly said it was 'disgusting'. Why, then, would she allow Wolf to stay in her house? To allow Wolf and Fenrin to continue their relationship? She's seemingly OK with it, and it's so weird, especially since her earlier homophobia seems to have 'magically' disappeared. Summer claims that the siblings all worked together to hide it from their parents, which doesn't line up with what Esther knew in The Graces.
Another thing that bothered me was that one of the characters was 16 when his love interest died at age 23. That's a pretty huge age difference, and it didn't seem to be an issue at all. But at the same time, the narrative also suggested they were the same age, so some consistency here would be nice.
However, I found the exploration of the theme of forgiveness really strong, and I could feel a lot of empathy for both Summer and River. I absolutely loved the fierceness of the love for family, even if that family was broken - and I don't necessarily mean blood family: I mean Summer's coven. Summer loves fiercely, and I loved seeing her relationships come to play in this novel.
Overall, I was super excited to read this book and I'm really glad I did. I think if you've read and enjoyed The Graces, you'll probably also really enjoy The Curses. I know I did.
Also - these covers are just PHENOMENAL. Not the colourful ones: the ones with just the metallic text. WOW. I love them.
November 29, 2018
Kiersten and I both really enjoyed the first book in this series, and couldn't wait to return to the world of The Graces. Eve switched things up a bit with book two, and I really enjoyed the changes.
One of the biggest changes was that the story was told by Summer. This really changed the whole tone of the book for me. Summer was a Grace, and watching the story unfold from an insider's point of view versus an outsider's point of view, really shed some light on a lot of different things. And let's face it, this story focuses on a curse, which affects the Grace family, and therefore, the story should be told by one of their own.
The other difference that really stood out to me was that this one felt like more of a mystery, than the previous book. There were quite a few things the siblings were trying to fix. First and foremost, they were trying to solve the problem of Wolf, and that led them to researching the family curse, which subsequently led to the discovery of some cool magic and how it was linked to a horrible event in the Grace family history. But the mystery continued from there, and I really enjoyed following the path as the Graces uncovered more and more pieces of that puzzle.
The Curses also had all those things I loved from the first book. This book was brimming with magic and Eve did such a fabulous job wrapping it around me. She painted many a mysterious and etherial scene, which kept me captivated and wanting to know more. We also got a different look into the Grace family dynamic, and I really enjoyed this view into the sibling bond.
The ending was rather sweet too. After all the darkness and loss, it was a nice way to leave that world. There was redemption, rekindled love, and revelations, which was all served up with a dash of hope.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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One of the biggest changes was that the story was told by Summer. This really changed the whole tone of the book for me. Summer was a Grace, and watching the story unfold from an insider's point of view versus an outsider's point of view, really shed some light on a lot of different things. And let's face it, this story focuses on a curse, which affects the Grace family, and therefore, the story should be told by one of their own.
The other difference that really stood out to me was that this one felt like more of a mystery, than the previous book. There were quite a few things the siblings were trying to fix. First and foremost, they were trying to solve the problem of Wolf, and that led them to researching the family curse, which subsequently led to the discovery of some cool magic and how it was linked to a horrible event in the Grace family history. But the mystery continued from there, and I really enjoyed following the path as the Graces uncovered more and more pieces of that puzzle.
The Curses also had all those things I loved from the first book. This book was brimming with magic and Eve did such a fabulous job wrapping it around me. She painted many a mysterious and etherial scene, which kept me captivated and wanting to know more. We also got a different look into the Grace family dynamic, and I really enjoyed this view into the sibling bond.
The ending was rather sweet too. After all the darkness and loss, it was a nice way to leave that world. There was redemption, rekindled love, and revelations, which was all served up with a dash of hope.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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February 20, 2019
Recensie volgt op mijn blog!
May 12, 2019
3.5 sterren. Het was even wennen om nu vanuit Summer te lezen en ik vond hem op sommige stukken erg langdradig.
February 9, 2019
↠ 4 stars
Laure Eve works a really wonderful story full of magical fabulism, but this one is likely a lot more digestible for most because the narrator isn’t River, like it was in the prior book, but Summer, who is more easily likeable. I actually liked River’s unreliability as a narrator, but I do think Summer’s voice is better in this story as she’s closer to the issue in this book.
One of the things I liked about the previous book, and this one too, is the focus on friendship rather than romance. Here, the sibling relationship between the Graces is one of my favourite aspects of the book. Summer doesn’t really have a love interest, and all her actions are motivated by a desire to protect her family and that’s something I don’t see enough of in YA.
I streamed through the plot very quickly, and loved the idea of enakelgh. It was also cool seeing River from a different perspective; her narrative made her feel like quite a vindictive person, but from Summer’s point she seemed less dangerous and more lost/calm/controlled. On that note, actually, I did really like the questioning that sometimes arose about whether someone deserved redemption for an evil act that they had previously committed.
TL;DR: A solid sequel that I really enjoyed, especially with the focus of sibling relationships, and with an ending that wraps up the whole series well (because I assume this is the final book?).
Laure Eve works a really wonderful story full of magical fabulism, but this one is likely a lot more digestible for most because the narrator isn’t River, like it was in the prior book, but Summer, who is more easily likeable. I actually liked River’s unreliability as a narrator, but I do think Summer’s voice is better in this story as she’s closer to the issue in this book.
One of the things I liked about the previous book, and this one too, is the focus on friendship rather than romance. Here, the sibling relationship between the Graces is one of my favourite aspects of the book. Summer doesn’t really have a love interest, and all her actions are motivated by a desire to protect her family and that’s something I don’t see enough of in YA.
I streamed through the plot very quickly, and loved the idea of enakelgh. It was also cool seeing River from a different perspective; her narrative made her feel like quite a vindictive person, but from Summer’s point she seemed less dangerous and more lost/calm/controlled. On that note, actually, I did really like the questioning that sometimes arose about whether someone deserved redemption for an evil act that they had previously committed.
TL;DR: A solid sequel that I really enjoyed, especially with the focus of sibling relationships, and with an ending that wraps up the whole series well (because I assume this is the final book?).
January 13, 2019
Really disappointed with this book. Loved the first one. Kept me guessing throughout and was completely engrossed. This second book in the series just didn’t give me the same feels. Found it a lot slower pace and the overall plot felt a lot slower and less gripping. I liked the fact that this book was from a different perspective. (Summer instead of river) but that’s about the only thing I did like. I usually love Laure Eve. But so gutted to admit I didn’t really like this one.
May 7, 2020
I don't know whether I'm just gonna wait til the future or if I'm done with this book. I loved the first book but I cannot get into summers perspective. Just not for me. Shame really.
November 12, 2019
Persönliche Meinung
Band eins hatte ich vor zwei Jahren gelesen und war recht stark begeistert davon gewesen. Mir gefiel der Schreibstil, die Figuren und dieser mystery touch. Und das Ende war einfach sooo geil.
«Damals hatte ich zum ersten Mal wirklich verstanden, dass Erwachsene, wenn sie mit der knallharten Realität konfrontiert werden, oft genauso wenig wie Teenager wissen, was sie tun sollen.
Das war kein tröstlicher Gedanke gewesen, aber seltsam befreiend.»
Überraschenderweise wusste ich noch relativ viel, so dass ich ohne Mühe mit Band zwei starten konnte. Der Einstieg viel wirklich leicht und es knüpft praktisch zeitnah an das Ende von Band eins an, nur dass es dieses Mal aus Summers Sicht erzählt ist. Das war grundsätzlich dann auch schon mein größtes Manko. Durch Summer verlor die Familie Grace das magische und mysteriöse, dass sie noch hatten, als River die Geschichte erzählte. Es war sofort klar, dass sie Hexen sind und Magie können, während es in Band eins immer so schwammig war und auch gut einfach Einbildung hätte gewesen sein können. Summer war zwar eine interessante Person, aber mich hats einfach gestört. Mir gefiel River so viel besser. Summer hatte sich auch nie wirklich ihrem Alter entsprechend verhalten, sondern eher viiiel älter. Das fand ich irritierend. Außerdem bekam ich den Eindruck, dass Laure Eve nicht so genau wusste wohin mit der Geschichte. Erst ging es um River, dann um die Cousine und am Ende dann plötzlich um was ganz anderes. Auch fehlte mir hier irgendwie der Zusammenhang zu Buch eins.
«Um zu leben, wirklich zu leben, muss man etwas riskieren.»
Mini Spoiler
Ich fand es enorm schade, dass River nun doch nicht Böse war, wie sich das am Ende von Band eins abgezeichnet hat, im Gegenteil, River war in diesem Buch ein sehr schwacher Charakter. Meeega schade, weil genau dieser Punkt eigentlich meine Motivation war. Das River eine Hexe ist und „Evil“ das war so genial, und dann kam alles ganz anders… Die Idee mit dem Trickster fand ich cool und auch das Ende gefiel mir grundsätzlich gut. Die Szene mit River und Summer am Ende fand ich aber sehr seltsam und fragte mich, was die da zu suchen hatte. Klar dachte man mitunter ob Summer verliebt ist in River aber wie, dass dann so angesprochen wurde war irgendwie awkward.
Spoiler ende
«Aber irgendwann sah man sich um und erkannte, dass das mit dem Erwachsenwerden eine Lüge war. Man stolpert einfach genauso blindlings ins Erwachsenendasein hinein, wie man blindlings durch die Kindheit gestolpert war.»
Alles in allem hat es aber Spaß gemacht das Buch zu lesen, der Schreibstil war okay. Meiner Meinung nach nicht ganz so gut wie im ersten Buch. Es fehlte der Charme des mysteriösen und der rote Faden war auch etwas wirr, aber ich bin happy, dass ich nun endlich das Buch lesen konnte, weil mich die Familie Grace und River nie so ganz losgelassen hatte.
Fazit: nicht ganz so gut und mysteriös wie Band eins
Band eins hatte ich vor zwei Jahren gelesen und war recht stark begeistert davon gewesen. Mir gefiel der Schreibstil, die Figuren und dieser mystery touch. Und das Ende war einfach sooo geil.
«Damals hatte ich zum ersten Mal wirklich verstanden, dass Erwachsene, wenn sie mit der knallharten Realität konfrontiert werden, oft genauso wenig wie Teenager wissen, was sie tun sollen.
Das war kein tröstlicher Gedanke gewesen, aber seltsam befreiend.»
Überraschenderweise wusste ich noch relativ viel, so dass ich ohne Mühe mit Band zwei starten konnte. Der Einstieg viel wirklich leicht und es knüpft praktisch zeitnah an das Ende von Band eins an, nur dass es dieses Mal aus Summers Sicht erzählt ist. Das war grundsätzlich dann auch schon mein größtes Manko. Durch Summer verlor die Familie Grace das magische und mysteriöse, dass sie noch hatten, als River die Geschichte erzählte. Es war sofort klar, dass sie Hexen sind und Magie können, während es in Band eins immer so schwammig war und auch gut einfach Einbildung hätte gewesen sein können. Summer war zwar eine interessante Person, aber mich hats einfach gestört. Mir gefiel River so viel besser. Summer hatte sich auch nie wirklich ihrem Alter entsprechend verhalten, sondern eher viiiel älter. Das fand ich irritierend. Außerdem bekam ich den Eindruck, dass Laure Eve nicht so genau wusste wohin mit der Geschichte. Erst ging es um River, dann um die Cousine und am Ende dann plötzlich um was ganz anderes. Auch fehlte mir hier irgendwie der Zusammenhang zu Buch eins.
«Um zu leben, wirklich zu leben, muss man etwas riskieren.»
Mini Spoiler
Ich fand es enorm schade, dass River nun doch nicht Böse war, wie sich das am Ende von Band eins abgezeichnet hat, im Gegenteil, River war in diesem Buch ein sehr schwacher Charakter. Meeega schade, weil genau dieser Punkt eigentlich meine Motivation war. Das River eine Hexe ist und „Evil“ das war so genial, und dann kam alles ganz anders… Die Idee mit dem Trickster fand ich cool und auch das Ende gefiel mir grundsätzlich gut. Die Szene mit River und Summer am Ende fand ich aber sehr seltsam und fragte mich, was die da zu suchen hatte. Klar dachte man mitunter ob Summer verliebt ist in River aber wie, dass dann so angesprochen wurde war irgendwie awkward.
Spoiler ende
«Aber irgendwann sah man sich um und erkannte, dass das mit dem Erwachsenwerden eine Lüge war. Man stolpert einfach genauso blindlings ins Erwachsenendasein hinein, wie man blindlings durch die Kindheit gestolpert war.»
Alles in allem hat es aber Spaß gemacht das Buch zu lesen, der Schreibstil war okay. Meiner Meinung nach nicht ganz so gut wie im ersten Buch. Es fehlte der Charme des mysteriösen und der rote Faden war auch etwas wirr, aber ich bin happy, dass ich nun endlich das Buch lesen konnte, weil mich die Familie Grace und River nie so ganz losgelassen hatte.
Fazit: nicht ganz so gut und mysteriös wie Band eins
March 7, 2020
"Wat ik verder ook met mijn leven zou doen, wat ik verder ook zou worden, binnen in mijn zat een felle, brandende kern die heks fluisterde." ~ p30.
Ik ben enorme fan van het eerste boek, maar wist ook dit deel mijn hart te veroveren? Niet helemaal, helaas, maar ik blijf wel enthousiast!
"Niemand durft het onder ogen te zien, maar De harde waarheid luid: er zijn op deze wereld maar heel weinig mensen die krijgen wat Ze verdienen." ~ p94.
Vervloekingen in het tweede en laatste deel uit de Graces tweeluik. In het eerste deel heb je kennis mogen maken met de Graces, en na alle gebeurtenissen van de afgelopen maanden vinden ze het tijd om hun geheimen te begraven en terug te keren naar het gewone leven. De vloek op de familie weerhoudt hun daar echter van. Summer vindt een set tarorkaarten en ontdekt dat River de sleutel is tot het verbreken van de dodelijke vloek. Daar komt heel veel kracht bij kijken, en een flink risico. Is datbhet wel waard?
Het koste me wat moeite om dit keer in het verhaal te komen, wat erg jammer was. Het eerste deel vond ik echt geweldig, en vreesde tijdens het lezen dat dit deel mij teleurgesteld achter zou laten. Gelukkig sloeg het na 1/3 compleet om, en las ik daarna zonder twijfels in sneltreinvaart verder. Het verhaal werd weer iets spannender, het verhaal wat mysterieuzer en de kracht spatte van de pagina's af. Twijfelde je in het eerste deel nog aan de Graces, dan wordt alle twijfel weggehaald. Een heerlijke magische wereld om jezelf even in te verliezen, met genoeg details om het echt te laten voelen.
"Er bestaat geen geluk zonder verdriet, geen liefde zonder haat, geen macht zonder gevolgen. Het een bestaat bij de gratie van een ander en maakt je bewust van het ander." ~
p254.
Helaas maakt de moeilijk start het wel zo, dat ik niet hoger uit kom dan 4 sterren. Ik heb hem zelfs even aan de kant moeten leggen in het begin, omdat ik het gevoel had met lange tanden te lezen. Toch 4 sterren? Ja, absoluut! Omdat meer dan de helft toch echt absoluut de moeite was om te lezen, en het verhaal echt mooi is afgerond.
www.facebook.com/thebookbabecisz
Ik ben enorme fan van het eerste boek, maar wist ook dit deel mijn hart te veroveren? Niet helemaal, helaas, maar ik blijf wel enthousiast!
"Niemand durft het onder ogen te zien, maar De harde waarheid luid: er zijn op deze wereld maar heel weinig mensen die krijgen wat Ze verdienen." ~ p94.
Vervloekingen in het tweede en laatste deel uit de Graces tweeluik. In het eerste deel heb je kennis mogen maken met de Graces, en na alle gebeurtenissen van de afgelopen maanden vinden ze het tijd om hun geheimen te begraven en terug te keren naar het gewone leven. De vloek op de familie weerhoudt hun daar echter van. Summer vindt een set tarorkaarten en ontdekt dat River de sleutel is tot het verbreken van de dodelijke vloek. Daar komt heel veel kracht bij kijken, en een flink risico. Is datbhet wel waard?
Het koste me wat moeite om dit keer in het verhaal te komen, wat erg jammer was. Het eerste deel vond ik echt geweldig, en vreesde tijdens het lezen dat dit deel mij teleurgesteld achter zou laten. Gelukkig sloeg het na 1/3 compleet om, en las ik daarna zonder twijfels in sneltreinvaart verder. Het verhaal werd weer iets spannender, het verhaal wat mysterieuzer en de kracht spatte van de pagina's af. Twijfelde je in het eerste deel nog aan de Graces, dan wordt alle twijfel weggehaald. Een heerlijke magische wereld om jezelf even in te verliezen, met genoeg details om het echt te laten voelen.
"Er bestaat geen geluk zonder verdriet, geen liefde zonder haat, geen macht zonder gevolgen. Het een bestaat bij de gratie van een ander en maakt je bewust van het ander." ~
p254.
Helaas maakt de moeilijk start het wel zo, dat ik niet hoger uit kom dan 4 sterren. Ik heb hem zelfs even aan de kant moeten leggen in het begin, omdat ik het gevoel had met lange tanden te lezen. Toch 4 sterren? Ja, absoluut! Omdat meer dan de helft toch echt absoluut de moeite was om te lezen, en het verhaal echt mooi is afgerond.
www.facebook.com/thebookbabecisz
May 21, 2019
This series was interesting to say the least. Magic and the relationship between parents and children were at the forefront of this duology. It was a surprise to even me that I liked this book as much as I did considering how I came across it. Short and sweet, in my personal opinion.
August 26, 2019
Verhaal: 4/5
Karakters: 3,5/5
Schrijfstijl: 3/5
Papier/audio? Ik heb het boek gekocht.
Herlezen: Ja.
Karakters: 3,5/5
Schrijfstijl: 3/5
Papier/audio? Ik heb het boek gekocht.
Herlezen: Ja.
October 19, 2018
True magic and mayhem follow the Graces as they navigate their way through friendship, fitting in, and love. I loved the ending and the twists they encountered.
November 18, 2019
I had only vague impressions about the first book in this series, the Graces - so the emotional, novella-leght review I had written about it really managed to surprise even myself :D i had literally no memory about all the Twilight references and "manlier kind of vanillas" I had ranted about in there - which is a good thing, obviously. I found none of that cringey stuff in the Curses, maybe because the POV had changed.
So what I did remember was that the Graces were witches and the main character of the first book had some curse-casting abilities. So I was naturally thrilled that the POV had been shifted, and I was finally able to throw myself into the witch world. Or I was not, because the main characters were still teenagers and the adult witches were not telling them anything. Oh, well.
Like the Graves, the Curses was a light-stepping book about teenagers and their problems with a touch of undefined magic. Well, I was not looking for anything deep and heart-wrenching, and besides this edition is gor-geous and I had a long journey to sit on a train. So this book was fun and entertaining, but that was about it. Yes, I would read it again. No, it did not change the way I see the world like my favorite books do. But it was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed myself - after all, the Twilight series would be much more interesting as well from the Cullens point of view (sorry couldn't resist).
So what I did remember was that the Graces were witches and the main character of the first book had some curse-casting abilities. So I was naturally thrilled that the POV had been shifted, and I was finally able to throw myself into the witch world. Or I was not, because the main characters were still teenagers and the adult witches were not telling them anything. Oh, well.
Like the Graves, the Curses was a light-stepping book about teenagers and their problems with a touch of undefined magic. Well, I was not looking for anything deep and heart-wrenching, and besides this edition is gor-geous and I had a long journey to sit on a train. So this book was fun and entertaining, but that was about it. Yes, I would read it again. No, it did not change the way I see the world like my favorite books do. But it was a fun, quick read and I enjoyed myself - after all, the Twilight series would be much more interesting as well from the Cullens point of view (sorry couldn't resist).
June 13, 2019
Het tweede deel uit de serie The Grace's is anders dan het eerste deel. Het wordt nu verteld vanuit Summer, de jongste van de familie Grace. Samen met haar zus Thalia en broer Fenrin vormt ze met vriendin River een heksenkring, de 'enakelgh'. Doordat River een 'geestheks' is, een heks niet opgegroeid in een heksenfamilie, versterkt ze de krachten en de magie van de anderen.
.
Wolf is teruggehaald uit de dood, maar er is iets aan de hand met hem. Via de 'enakelgh' komen ze erachter wat er speelt en levert het een spannende kelderscène op.
.
Die scène is dan ook wel het enige boeiende aan het verhaal. De rest is lang niet zo interessant en een beetje langdradig. Ik miste ook een beetje magische diepgang. Er wordt naar mijn gevoel te weinig verteld hoe de krachten voelen en opgewekt worden.
.
Op deel 3 zal ik niet reikhalzend zitten wachten. Dat zien we dan wel weer of ik het wil lezen.
.
Wolf is teruggehaald uit de dood, maar er is iets aan de hand met hem. Via de 'enakelgh' komen ze erachter wat er speelt en levert het een spannende kelderscène op.
.
Die scène is dan ook wel het enige boeiende aan het verhaal. De rest is lang niet zo interessant en een beetje langdradig. Ik miste ook een beetje magische diepgang. Er wordt naar mijn gevoel te weinig verteld hoe de krachten voelen en opgewekt worden.
.
Op deel 3 zal ik niet reikhalzend zitten wachten. Dat zien we dan wel weer of ik het wil lezen.
Read
October 20, 2022Ik moet gewoon bekennen dat ik dit boek beter vond dan het eerste…
Er werd veel meer op de spanning ingespeeld.
Ik moet ook zeggen dat het feit dat ik subtekst niet meekrijg voor mij het een leukere ervaring kan maken dan voor andere. Moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik Summers ding voor River niet doorhad in het eerste boek, maar dat pas in dit boek door haar niet subtiele gedachtegang doorkreeg.
Wolf was een cute, toen wou ik dat ie oploste in zeeschuim, realiseerde dat het niet zijn schuld was, dat hij er überhaupt niet is, tot rouwen aan toe.
Summer en Morgan zijn cute, maar heb toch echt gedacht dat haar echte naam Alice was ??? ik weet niet waarom, ergens in het eerste boek wordt die naam vermeld…
Nee ik vond deze tweede echt een stuk leuker dan de eerste
Er werd veel meer op de spanning ingespeeld.
Ik moet ook zeggen dat het feit dat ik subtekst niet meekrijg voor mij het een leukere ervaring kan maken dan voor andere. Moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik Summers ding voor River niet doorhad in het eerste boek, maar dat pas in dit boek door haar niet subtiele gedachtegang doorkreeg.
Wolf was een cute, toen wou ik dat ie oploste in zeeschuim, realiseerde dat het niet zijn schuld was, dat hij er überhaupt niet is, tot rouwen aan toe.
Summer en Morgan zijn cute, maar heb toch echt gedacht dat haar echte naam Alice was ??? ik weet niet waarom, ergens in het eerste boek wordt die naam vermeld…
Nee ik vond deze tweede echt een stuk leuker dan de eerste
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2019
The Curses by Laura Eve - A Graces Novel
Blurb~
“Picking up the pieces after the chilling events of the previous year isn’t easy, but the Grace siblings are determined. Wolf is back after a mysterious disappearance, and everyone’s eager to return to normal. Except Summer, the youngest Grace. Summer has a knack for discovering the truth—and something is troubling her. But exposing secrets is a dangerous game, and it’s not one Summer can win alone. At Summer’s behest, the coven comes back together, drawing their erstwhile friend River back into the fold. But as the coven’s powers magnify, Wolf’s behavior becomes unpredictable—and Summer must question the nature of the friend she so loves. This riveting sequel to The Graces is saturated with magic, the destructive cost of power, and the nature of forgiveness.
My Review~
“Ok, The Curses is not a stand-alone. Once again, I requested a book because the cover was so awesome! Not realizing it was part of a trilogy, I had to check out The Graces from the library before I could read this. JIC you’ve not read it already, I think the following review by: rhapsodyinbooks provides a good synopsis of The Graces without giving away spoilers, so I’ve included it here (with permission) so you can get the gist before reading my review of The Curses.
From: rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com~
“The Grapes are a family with rumored magical powers who draw everyone into their orbit and punish those they don’t like. Despite the risk however, “everyone in this town was in love with a Grace.” Summer Grace is 15, and twins Fenrin and Thalia are 17. All the girls at school try (unsuccessfully) to imitate the ethereal beauty of Thalia, and all of them are in love with Fenrin, “more creature than boy.” When River Page, 15, transfers into their school, she becomes fascinated with the Graces along with everyone else. She manages to become friends with Summer, who is in her grade. Through Summer, River also gets to know Fenrin and Thalia as well, even getting invited to the Grace house and to Grace parties, something no one else has managed to do. But River has secrets of her own, and soon the four of them get entangled in a situation that it seems even magic can’t fix. Or can it?
Evaluation: This is a book about magic, witches, coming of age, first love, and even the biggest hellscape of all: The High School Cafeteria! But in my opinion, the two biggest draws to this book are the fae aspect of the Grace family, and the excellent set of twists the author has woven into the plot. It reminded me in that way of the book We Were Liars. I think this will be very successful in the young adult market.”
Kinda get it now, right?
Okay, on with MY review of The Curses. This is pretty much a new favorite series for me. I was excited to read this one. Eve is a very good writer and lucky me- I got to read them back to back. The third is already on Amazon so YAY! I feel like Eve really captures the sense of Pagan witches in modern society and how they are so harshly judged, and outsiders are suspicious of them. She put a twist on this book by changing the character POV to Summer, the youngest Grace sibling. This allowed you to see things through a different lens, so to speak. Eve has a special talent for drawing you in to the story. It has magical and fantasy elements of course, but also gives a bit of mystery and suspense.
The story is fast paced, to me, for this type of novel. Things happen like waves, fast and almost drowning, but then the group uses powers to afront any wrongs or difficulties. I couldn’t quite figure out exactly WHO was the “bad guy.”
This book is a page turner. Entrancing and engaging, I found it hard to put down and was engrossed in the story from the beginning of The Graces. I really like the family history aspect of the story. It adds dimension and gives a unique facet to the narrative.
The character development was solid. The siblings have a strong bond and stick together through thick and thin. And they go through a LOT in this book. Eve has written them to be resourceful and resilient, however, and you are pulled in by them as well. You get a better sense of their personalities in this book, especially Summer’s. Providing some background to the family in general, the reader feels a realistic dynamic between the brother and sisters. The author has created characters that the reader can sympathize with.
The Curses was an easy and enjoyable read. There was a bit of a shocker ending, and though somewhat sad, the reader is left hopeful. I will be glad to read the third in this trilogy and have everything tied up in a nice little bow. I rate this book a 5/5 stars and am looking forward to adding the physical copies to my bookshelf.
I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Kobo, IG, FB, Pinterest, Litsy, and my own blog.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide links to all sites as I am using my phone.
Blurb~
“Picking up the pieces after the chilling events of the previous year isn’t easy, but the Grace siblings are determined. Wolf is back after a mysterious disappearance, and everyone’s eager to return to normal. Except Summer, the youngest Grace. Summer has a knack for discovering the truth—and something is troubling her. But exposing secrets is a dangerous game, and it’s not one Summer can win alone. At Summer’s behest, the coven comes back together, drawing their erstwhile friend River back into the fold. But as the coven’s powers magnify, Wolf’s behavior becomes unpredictable—and Summer must question the nature of the friend she so loves. This riveting sequel to The Graces is saturated with magic, the destructive cost of power, and the nature of forgiveness.
My Review~
“Ok, The Curses is not a stand-alone. Once again, I requested a book because the cover was so awesome! Not realizing it was part of a trilogy, I had to check out The Graces from the library before I could read this. JIC you’ve not read it already, I think the following review by: rhapsodyinbooks provides a good synopsis of The Graces without giving away spoilers, so I’ve included it here (with permission) so you can get the gist before reading my review of The Curses.
From: rhapsodyinbooks.wordpress.com~
“The Grapes are a family with rumored magical powers who draw everyone into their orbit and punish those they don’t like. Despite the risk however, “everyone in this town was in love with a Grace.” Summer Grace is 15, and twins Fenrin and Thalia are 17. All the girls at school try (unsuccessfully) to imitate the ethereal beauty of Thalia, and all of them are in love with Fenrin, “more creature than boy.” When River Page, 15, transfers into their school, she becomes fascinated with the Graces along with everyone else. She manages to become friends with Summer, who is in her grade. Through Summer, River also gets to know Fenrin and Thalia as well, even getting invited to the Grace house and to Grace parties, something no one else has managed to do. But River has secrets of her own, and soon the four of them get entangled in a situation that it seems even magic can’t fix. Or can it?
Evaluation: This is a book about magic, witches, coming of age, first love, and even the biggest hellscape of all: The High School Cafeteria! But in my opinion, the two biggest draws to this book are the fae aspect of the Grace family, and the excellent set of twists the author has woven into the plot. It reminded me in that way of the book We Were Liars. I think this will be very successful in the young adult market.”
Kinda get it now, right?
Okay, on with MY review of The Curses. This is pretty much a new favorite series for me. I was excited to read this one. Eve is a very good writer and lucky me- I got to read them back to back. The third is already on Amazon so YAY! I feel like Eve really captures the sense of Pagan witches in modern society and how they are so harshly judged, and outsiders are suspicious of them. She put a twist on this book by changing the character POV to Summer, the youngest Grace sibling. This allowed you to see things through a different lens, so to speak. Eve has a special talent for drawing you in to the story. It has magical and fantasy elements of course, but also gives a bit of mystery and suspense.
The story is fast paced, to me, for this type of novel. Things happen like waves, fast and almost drowning, but then the group uses powers to afront any wrongs or difficulties. I couldn’t quite figure out exactly WHO was the “bad guy.”
This book is a page turner. Entrancing and engaging, I found it hard to put down and was engrossed in the story from the beginning of The Graces. I really like the family history aspect of the story. It adds dimension and gives a unique facet to the narrative.
The character development was solid. The siblings have a strong bond and stick together through thick and thin. And they go through a LOT in this book. Eve has written them to be resourceful and resilient, however, and you are pulled in by them as well. You get a better sense of their personalities in this book, especially Summer’s. Providing some background to the family in general, the reader feels a realistic dynamic between the brother and sisters. The author has created characters that the reader can sympathize with.
The Curses was an easy and enjoyable read. There was a bit of a shocker ending, and though somewhat sad, the reader is left hopeful. I will be glad to read the third in this trilogy and have everything tied up in a nice little bow. I rate this book a 5/5 stars and am looking forward to adding the physical copies to my bookshelf.
I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Kobo, IG, FB, Pinterest, Litsy, and my own blog.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide links to all sites as I am using my phone.
November 9, 2020
The Curses
Laure Eve
Wolf had been back from the dead for almost three weeks when we had our first midnight picnic of the year.
Plot.
After the shocking events of The Graces, where River brings Wolf back to life by dragging him out of the sea, the Graces aren’t a hundred percent okay.
Wolf is far more talkative, open, and reckless compared to him before he died.
Fenrin is more than happy with Wolf’s reappearance, but hates River for what she did.
Thalia is Thalia.
And Summer. Summer is lonely, missing her friendship with River, and wondering how everything went so wrong; but also despising being away from home.
When in there small little clearing in the woods where they like to hang out is starting to be filled with letters. Letters filled with money and wishes.
But also things are happening to people in the town, bad things the Graces suspect that they are connected and go for the only person they can think of who could be causing it all.
River.
What I Liked.
What I love about this book - series, it that it’s unique; it’s not high fantasy witches and magic, it is everyday people who are witches.
No fluff and sparkling, magic and wand waving, no unnecessary romance.
It’s brilliant.
We get to read from Summers point of view and she’s not the hard ass we were lead to believe in ‘The Graces,’ she wants to have a friend she can share a connection to.
It’s about the strength of friendship, and love between friends, having belief in things.
Just beautiful.
What I Didn’t Like.
That I had wait so long to read this.
Overall.
It’s a book/series which I feel everyone should read. The storytelling is magical, and real, and full of suspense.
Fantastic.
5/5*
Laure Eve
Wolf had been back from the dead for almost three weeks when we had our first midnight picnic of the year.
Plot.
After the shocking events of The Graces, where River brings Wolf back to life by dragging him out of the sea, the Graces aren’t a hundred percent okay.
Wolf is far more talkative, open, and reckless compared to him before he died.
Fenrin is more than happy with Wolf’s reappearance, but hates River for what she did.
Thalia is Thalia.
And Summer. Summer is lonely, missing her friendship with River, and wondering how everything went so wrong; but also despising being away from home.
When in there small little clearing in the woods where they like to hang out is starting to be filled with letters. Letters filled with money and wishes.
But also things are happening to people in the town, bad things the Graces suspect that they are connected and go for the only person they can think of who could be causing it all.
River.
What I Liked.
What I love about this book - series, it that it’s unique; it’s not high fantasy witches and magic, it is everyday people who are witches.
No fluff and sparkling, magic and wand waving, no unnecessary romance.
It’s brilliant.
We get to read from Summers point of view and she’s not the hard ass we were lead to believe in ‘The Graces,’ she wants to have a friend she can share a connection to.
It’s about the strength of friendship, and love between friends, having belief in things.
Just beautiful.
What I Didn’t Like.
That I had wait so long to read this.
Overall.
It’s a book/series which I feel everyone should read. The storytelling is magical, and real, and full of suspense.
Fantastic.
5/5*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'to-buy'
October 9, 2017I saw the book reveal a few weeks back (March 3rd) in Laure Eve's twitter feed and I got to say I'm super excited for the book! The first one was so mysterious, I was confused between rating it 4 or 3 stars. The cover is as gorgeous as the first one! Can't wait to get my hands on a copy! The synopsis is exciting as well.
December 11, 2018
~ARC provided by NetGalley~
Yaasss witchy reads!!! Bravo to the sequel. Although a little sluggish in some parts it was definitely a more magic centered read than the first one, which I enjoyed. I also appreciated accusing everyone of being the bad guy hahahaha! I enjoyed this book, hope there's a third!!!
Yaasss witchy reads!!! Bravo to the sequel. Although a little sluggish in some parts it was definitely a more magic centered read than the first one, which I enjoyed. I also appreciated accusing everyone of being the bad guy hahahaha! I enjoyed this book, hope there's a third!!!
Read
January 20, 2019This was a heck of a lot of fun - full of joyful magic. I missed River, though! The Graces set her up as such an incredible badass and then she didn't really live up to that in this book (also, make them lesbians u cowards!!) I liked the resolution of the whole Wolf issue though, and there were some excellently creepy moments.
Read
December 2, 2018I don't exactly know why I wanted to read this, since I didn't really love the first one or anything. I didn't really love this one, either. It was exciting, but it didn't make the most sense.
January 3, 2019
Stunning finale to this two partner, mysterious, taut, and emotionally charged, Laure Eve changes narrator but maintains the incredible energy that made The Graces so enigmatically addictive.
February 8, 2019
5 outta 5! It's been a long time coming but I'm so glad that it lived up to the first book, and more. Full review on The Copper Boom soon!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews