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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
(Cursebreakers #1)
by
Fall in love, break the curse.
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been ...more
Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
Nothing has ever been ...more
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Hardcover, 484 pages
Published
January 29th 2019
by Bloomsbury YA
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Start your review of A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers, #1)

This is hands down one of the best fairy tale retellings I have ever read. I did not have high expectations at all, having found Brigid Kemmerer’s Letters to the Lost to be a MEH read (please don't curse me!), but this story hooked me right from the start.
I even had to check twice to see if Brigid Kemmerer really wrote this because I do not remember her writing style being so elegant and feeling like a lover’s caress. Oh my!
Well, look, Valentine’s Day is coming up, I can’t help but be a little ...more
I even had to check twice to see if Brigid Kemmerer really wrote this because I do not remember her writing style being so elegant and feeling like a lover’s caress. Oh my!
Well, look, Valentine’s Day is coming up, I can’t help but be a little ...more

quick! someone call the vatican and let them know a miracle has happened, because this is the first time i am giving a fairytale retelling 5 stars!!
this. book. is. phenomenal. like, honestly guys. you need to stop what you are doing and go get this book. the idea of ‘beauty and the beast’ has been retold multiple times, but this made me feel like i was experiencing the story for the first time, which is such an accomplishment. this is fresh and original and everything about it is just so ...more
this. book. is. phenomenal. like, honestly guys. you need to stop what you are doing and go get this book. the idea of ‘beauty and the beast’ has been retold multiple times, but this made me feel like i was experiencing the story for the first time, which is such an accomplishment. this is fresh and original and everything about it is just so ...more

Video review - https://youtu.be/w9617uq7Kk0?t=1030
Unpopular opinion here, but I was just so bored. I was into it for probably 300 pages because I figured it had to get some dimension to it at some point, but it never did. I loved the rep with the main character having cerebral palsy, she was probably my favourite character out of all of them, but she was still a tough one to pin down because things were presented but never really expounded upon (not even just with her personality, it was an ...more
Unpopular opinion here, but I was just so bored. I was into it for probably 300 pages because I figured it had to get some dimension to it at some point, but it never did. I loved the rep with the main character having cerebral palsy, she was probably my favourite character out of all of them, but she was still a tough one to pin down because things were presented but never really expounded upon (not even just with her personality, it was an ...more

Read again with For Love Of A Book
Fairyloot Book Of The Month! Click on link below the picture to see the GOODIES! =)

THE GOODIES
Omg!! THIS WAS THE BEST RETELLING EVER AND IS IN MY FAVORITES LIST!! I need the next book NOW!!

Harper comes from modern day DC. She has cerebral palsy and she’s bad ass! Harper gets sucked into another world when she attacks Commander Grey when she sees him carrying a woman away. She thinks he is going to kill the lady. Suddenly Harper gets transported into another ...more
Fairyloot Book Of The Month! Click on link below the picture to see the GOODIES! =)

THE GOODIES
Omg!! THIS WAS THE BEST RETELLING EVER AND IS IN MY FAVORITES LIST!! I need the next book NOW!!

Harper comes from modern day DC. She has cerebral palsy and she’s bad ass! Harper gets sucked into another world when she attacks Commander Grey when she sees him carrying a woman away. She thinks he is going to kill the lady. Suddenly Harper gets transported into another ...more

Oct 05, 2018
emma
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
retelling,
fantasy,
couldn-t-wait-to-read,
1-and-a-half-stars,
owned,
reviewed,
fairytale,
unpopular-opinion,
diverse,
arc
Well, this was...something.
Like. This book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, except take away the dope library and all the nice songs and France (okay yes I know the Disney version isn’t the original but I LIKE huge libraries and nice songs and France!!). Anyway take all that stuff, and replace it with scenes from gritty modern-day D.C. and blood and monsters and blood and oh my god SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND BLOOD.
And also a love triangle.
Following? No, not even slightly? That’s fair, and also me ...more
Like. This book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, except take away the dope library and all the nice songs and France (okay yes I know the Disney version isn’t the original but I LIKE huge libraries and nice songs and France!!). Anyway take all that stuff, and replace it with scenes from gritty modern-day D.C. and blood and monsters and blood and oh my god SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND BLOOD.
And also a love triangle.
Following? No, not even slightly? That’s fair, and also me ...more

I'm on the verge of breaking up with YA fantasy. Well, with the new releases anyway and just sticking to authors that have worked for me. And possibly reading YA fantasy that were released in the past, because the constant disappointments and anger I feel towards the new ones are slowly decimating my soul.
This was a flop for me. Here I was expecting to really enjoy this retelling and it just got worse as I read on.
I could not tell you what happened in the last 100 pages or so. I skim-read it ...more
This was a flop for me. Here I was expecting to really enjoy this retelling and it just got worse as I read on.
I could not tell you what happened in the last 100 pages or so. I skim-read it ...more

‘Twas a buddy read with my bestie, Tabi, even though she completely left me in the dust, haha!
Right, so...this was an AMAZING La Belle et la Bête retelling!!! And trust me, I’ve read half a dozen of them by now (Beastly, Cruel Beauty, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Uprooted, Hunted). Why no, I don’t have a problem…Why would you even think that?! ;)
I especially enjoyed the fact that, like Meagan Spooner’s Hunted, we were able to see inside the mind of the beast! I think that this book ranks just ...more
Right, so...this was an AMAZING La Belle et la Bête retelling!!! And trust me, I’ve read half a dozen of them by now (Beastly, Cruel Beauty, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Uprooted, Hunted). Why no, I don’t have a problem…Why would you even think that?! ;)
I especially enjoyed the fact that, like Meagan Spooner’s Hunted, we were able to see inside the mind of the beast! I think that this book ranks just ...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
#1 A Curse So Dark and Lonely
#2 A Heart So Fierce and Broken ?
If you've read the book and enjoy listening to great songs that are super emotional and reminiscent of characters, might I encourage you to listen to 'I'll Be Good' by Jaymes Young and cry over Rhen with me?
#2 A Heart So Fierce and Broken ?
If you've read the book and enjoy listening to great songs that are super emotional and reminiscent of characters, might I encourage you to listen to 'I'll Be Good' by Jaymes Young and cry over Rhen with me?
Harper’s life isn’t easy—her father has left her family with all his debts, her brother is working for the same loan sharks they owe, and her mother is in the final stages of cancer. Meanwhile, in the land of Emberfall, Crown...more

I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.
In case you didn't know already, one of my book talents are joining in the hype of the books months or years after the hype. A Curse So Dark and Lonely was really one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. I wasn't a fan of Kemmerer's popular Letters To the Lost book, but I still wanted to give this one a shot. Considering I'm not even a fan of YA fantasy and it's something ...more

I'm a simple girl...I hear book is a retelling of Beauty and The Beast, I add book to my tbr, I suffer waiting for book’s release date

Nov 11, 2018
Melanie
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
romance,
young-adult,
read-in-2018,
retellings,
lgbtqiap,
shifters,
buddy-reads,
fantasy,
arc

ARC provided by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.”
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast with a much darker theme. In this version, the Prince is forced to repeat the quest to find love over and over each season, while causing more and more bloodshed each time. But after three-hundred seasons, this season will officially be the very ...more

Mar 03, 2019
✨ A ✨
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2019,
five-stars,
young-adult,
guy-friendships,
that-ending-tho,
fantasy,
2019-release
I already knew that Brigid Kemmerer was a queen of YA contemporary. But I didn't know she is also a queen of YA fantasy. And boy was this sublime.
I will admit that I was hesitant at first about reading this. Some authors are only good at a certain genre and when they decide to branch out, the results are disastrous. Phew! So glad that wasn't the case here.
This beauty and the beast retelling was different and unique but still stuck to the original plot as well. I did not expect this to feature ...more
I will admit that I was hesitant at first about reading this. Some authors are only good at a certain genre and when they decide to branch out, the results are disastrous. Phew! So glad that wasn't the case here.
This beauty and the beast retelling was different and unique but still stuck to the original plot as well. I did not expect this to feature ...more

Mar 20, 2019
Angelica
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
read-2019,
fantasy,
reviewed,
fairytales,
fall-off-that-cliff-hanger,
release-2019,
first-in-series,
retelling,
meh
Let it be stated for the record that I read this book in one sitting. I went to sleep at almost 3am reading this. I had to be at work at exactly 9am. Do I have any sense of 'adult responsibilities' or any real concept of priorities??
Clearly not.
And I regret nothing!
This book was strange for me. I honestly had no idea how I would rate it because while I was completely addicted while reading, I also didn't love it. I wasn't even close to loving it. And I don't know what to make of that.
This book ...more
Clearly not.
And I regret nothing!
This book was strange for me. I honestly had no idea how I would rate it because while I was completely addicted while reading, I also didn't love it. I wasn't even close to loving it. And I don't know what to make of that.
This book ...more

Nov 20, 2018
Chelsea Humphrey
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Chelsea by:
Melanie
Shelves:
from-publisher
I've been struggling to find the words to describe my feelings toward this book. Though I didn't feel blown away or well connected to any of the characters, it was a breezy read and I never found myself not wanting to pick it up. Many early readers have compared this to the ACOTAR series, but I feel as if they are two completely different beasts. This book is definitely catered toward a younger audience and contains a much tighter grip on its sexual content. In fact, up until the final quarter
...more

Jun 01, 2019
Cardan Greenbriar
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Every single person who has an unlimited love for Beauty and The Beast
This review
is an unpopular praise of a teen girl
who has watched Beauty and The Beast (1991) exactly 113 times,
listened to its ending song over 400 times,
spent a fortune on everything Belle,
and then finally read her first complete retelling of a fairy-tale.
OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod
I don't even remember how I ended up reading this (probably because of the beautiful cover) but anyways I did and I am so proud of my naive decision.
This book got a lot of ...more

A solid Beauty and the Beast retelling with well-developed characters and relationships. Harper is a great main character because she has a realistic blend of strength and doubtfulness and a good head on her shoulders that makes her worthy of being a fantasy heroine. Rhen’s inner conflicts make him his own developed character rather than just a love interest. Grey, despite being a supporting character, is also just as likable (arguably more so). I enjoyed reading about the relationships between
...more

Jan 30, 2019
Zainab
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites,
2019-releases
I've been reading this book all day and I mean all.friking.day. My eyes are burning and so very tired but it was worth it. So worth it!
For those who don't know, this book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but it is actually so much better than the original. Don't get me wrong I like the original one but the whole talking teacups and dancing candles is kind of off-putting. In this one the prince has only one (very loyal) commander. So that was cool.
And the ending! Oh my God the ending! Can't ...more
For those who don't know, this book is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but it is actually so much better than the original. Don't get me wrong I like the original one but the whole talking teacups and dancing candles is kind of off-putting. In this one the prince has only one (very loyal) commander. So that was cool.
And the ending! Oh my God the ending! Can't ...more

Jan 27, 2019
April (Aprilius Maximus)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2019,
favourites
4.5 stars!
THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN OMG
THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN OMG

This book is like receiving a warm magical hug...and then a swift smack in the face all at once. Which, aww, that is amazing. That is just what I'm here for! I absolutely adore Letters to the Lost (like pls put it on my all time favourites list) so I had high hopes I'd adore Kemmerer's foray into epic fantasy too. And well OF COURSE. (I also have her Elemental series on my TBR...this year = Year of Kemmerer.)
this is a beautyand the beast retelling!
I'm a ferocious fan of retellings, but I like ...more
this is a beautyand the beast retelling!
I'm a ferocious fan of retellings, but I like ...more

THE GOOD:
* OH MY GOD I AM DEAD, this is coming to you from the beyond, where my soul was expelled after reading this book
* in case you didn’t know, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and it is GLORIOUS
* the main character has cerebral palsy, and she’s a goddamn badass, I would let her walk all over me and say thank you
* the writing is beautiful and mesmerising and this book had almost 500 pages but I absolutely FLEW through it because this is what good literature does to me
* there’s such a ...more
* OH MY GOD I AM DEAD, this is coming to you from the beyond, where my soul was expelled after reading this book
* in case you didn’t know, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and it is GLORIOUS
* the main character has cerebral palsy, and she’s a goddamn badass, I would let her walk all over me and say thank you
* the writing is beautiful and mesmerising and this book had almost 500 pages but I absolutely FLEW through it because this is what good literature does to me
* there’s such a ...more

Mar 21, 2019
Nick
marked it as to-read
I guess I will love this

“Failure isn’t absolute.”
But this book is an absolute failure.
I'm not even going to bother with the niceties because this will turn into a full blown rant anyway.
I'll start with the obvious: plot holes so big you will never ever accidentally fall into them cause you can spot them from miles away. So apparently the curse means that there is one girl for one "season" and the season usually ends when summer ends and the prince turns into a monster, or when the mission is aborted because it's ...more
But this book is an absolute failure.
I'm not even going to bother with the niceties because this will turn into a full blown rant anyway.
I'll start with the obvious: plot holes so big you will never ever accidentally fall into them cause you can spot them from miles away. So apparently the curse means that there is one girl for one "season" and the season usually ends when summer ends and the prince turns into a monster, or when the mission is aborted because it's ...more

Jul 20, 2019
Whitney Atkinson
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2019
I don't care what y'all say, you can pull Beauty & the Beast retellings out of my cold, dead hands.
This book was as enchanting and angsty as I was hoping it would be. I read well over 200 pages of it in one sitting the night I picked it up, which at my current mental state should be considered an Olympic feat. I was glued onto the story from the main character's strong will to the love interest's angst-ridden curse. The writing, though not entirely glowing, did sweep me away. The first issue ...more
This book was as enchanting and angsty as I was hoping it would be. I read well over 200 pages of it in one sitting the night I picked it up, which at my current mental state should be considered an Olympic feat. I was glued onto the story from the main character's strong will to the love interest's angst-ridden curse. The writing, though not entirely glowing, did sweep me away. The first issue ...more

“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.“
Story
When Harper sees a man Kidnapping a young unconscious woman, she knows she needs to act fast. She saves the woman, but get captured herself. Suddenly she’s not in DC anymore, she’s in another land, another world.
The man who kidnapped her is a Kings guard - Grey who serves a prince named Rhen.
They tell her she needs to stay.
But Kidnapping stays Kidnapping, even if your ...more
Story
When Harper sees a man Kidnapping a young unconscious woman, she knows she needs to act fast. She saves the woman, but get captured herself. Suddenly she’s not in DC anymore, she’s in another land, another world.
The man who kidnapped her is a Kings guard - Grey who serves a prince named Rhen.
They tell her she needs to stay.
But Kidnapping stays Kidnapping, even if your ...more

They believe her limp is the result of a war injury, but Harper is quick to correct them. "I was born this way," she'll snap, "and I'm going to die this way, so teach me to work around it."
Not bad. Not bad at all.
Honestly, I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings and this one was exceptionally good. I loved loved loved, Harper— a strong witted girl with cerebral palsy, who accidentally gets transported from modern D.C. to an unknown fantasy magic land (honestly everyone's biggest wish ...more

this book is..... literally a disney movie, and y'all need to read it immediately
everything about it is so magical and charming and you can't help but fall completely in love with the world and all of its characters
reading a curse so dark and lonely on a cold night with a mug of tea and wrapped in several blankets is the highest, purest form of self care and i just want everyone to feel as warm and happy as i did while reading it throws fairy dust in your face READ THIS BOOK!!!
this is ...more
everything about it is so magical and charming and you can't help but fall completely in love with the world and all of its characters
reading a curse so dark and lonely on a cold night with a mug of tea and wrapped in several blankets is the highest, purest form of self care and i just want everyone to feel as warm and happy as i did while reading it throws fairy dust in your face READ THIS BOOK!!!
this is ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Books Ever After: Readalong - 21 t/m 30 november 2019 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely - Brigid Kemmerer | 35 | 47 | Dec 04, 2019 04:48AM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer - Restarting October 27th 2019 | 140 | 102 | Oct 31, 2019 06:07AM |
Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring Young Adult novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA stories like The Elemental Series and Thicker Than Water (Kensington). A full time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband, her boys, her dog, and her cat. When she
...more
Other books in the series
Cursebreakers
(3 books)
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“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.”
—
112 likes
“We are all dealt a hand at birth. A good hand can ultimately lose - just as a poor hand can win - but we must all play the cards the fate deals. The choices we face may not be the choices we want, but they are choices nonetheless.”
—
76 likes
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