What do you think?
Rate this book
Under Her Cursed Scythe
A harmless small town girl by day and a merciless killer at night.
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact.
When she unexpectedly encounters the Blessers- a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both, she begins to doubt her decisions of killing, and eventually leads her to discover the dark secrets behind her witchy family and that cursed ring she holds…
Alivia must find a way to redeem her sins and prevent herself from becoming the monster she fears the most! "Cursed Scythe is a perfect blend of magic, mystery, pain, happiness, spells and so on… I am in love with this series...The writing style of author is amazing and appreciated. The character development is also nice . The plot of the story is also awesome...I would love to recommend this book to all who are lovers of fantasy, Harry Potter and Lord of the rings…" Goodreads Reviewer
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact.
When she unexpectedly encounters the Blessers- a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both, she begins to doubt her decisions of killing, and eventually leads her to discover the dark secrets behind her witchy family and that cursed ring she holds…
Alivia must find a way to redeem her sins and prevent herself from becoming the monster she fears the most! "Cursed Scythe is a perfect blend of magic, mystery, pain, happiness, spells and so on… I am in love with this series...The writing style of author is amazing and appreciated. The character development is also nice . The plot of the story is also awesome...I would love to recommend this book to all who are lovers of fantasy, Harry Potter and Lord of the rings…" Goodreads Reviewer
580 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2018
2 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 20, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
"A harmless small town girl by day and a merciless killer at night."
Any premise that starts with this line is going to immediately capture my attention!! Then add in a reaper and a shadowy group chasing her and I was all in for Under Her Cursed Scythe. You may be skeptical... surely this girl wasn't really a killer... BUT she IS!! And it's an incredible, wild ride!! And by an indie author from Hong Kong...
The copy I received has an updated cover compared to the one on Goodreads... but actually I kind of love both! I would have certainly looked at both books scrolling past either cover. I kind of love the original cover because I'm a color lover and the pinkish red color really captures my attention. But the clean reaper cover really does give you a better sense of what this book is all about... That's right! REAPERS!! I think the title, Under Her Cursed Scythe, is quite imaginative and gives me a sense that this is coming from Asian influenced ideas of the afterlife, while embodying a more universal look at reapers.
The Premise
Under Her Cursed Scythe is about a girl who reaps souls in order to fulfill a pledge to a demon. Made by her mother to bring back her brother, she pays the price because she's the only one who can wield the reaper's ring! Working against a Halloween deadline, Alivia is being hunted by a group called Blessers, tasked with taking out those who prey on magical-less humans. Their next target? Alivia!! And they kill and ask questions later...
Right away I was drawn into the world of the dead and reapers as Alivia targets her newest victim. I wasn't sure what to think of her in the beginning. She's young, tough as nails, bitter but skilled and resigned to her task. The more I learned about her the more I fell under her spell. We meet the Blessers and the kids in her class at school and you start to believe you know what's going to happen... But you really don't have a clue!!
Alivia kills for one reason. Family. And as she and we learn more about her family we see a shift start to happen in Alivia. She makes one tiny decision differently than she normally would... And then she makes a massive mistake and feels she's irredeemable. I totally enjoyed following her as she fought the blessers, became friends with a cowardly but wise boy, learned about her zombie brother, and comes to terms with her hateful, abusive mother.
Under Her Cursed Scythe takes us on a journey through a killer's mind. That killer is only 14 years old! I know this shocked me. Because this doesn't read like a middle grade book at all. This is totally a YA series. It has dark themes of longing, acceptance and choosing for yourself. As Alivia meets others who show her a different way, she realizes that there is more to life than fate. There is choice!
My Experience
I was captured right away by the dialogue in Under Her Cursed Scythe as we first meet the Blessers. No names are used but we get to know them organically, first through their clothing, then by their personalities and eventually we get their names. They talk over one another, cut each other off and jump in to finish each other's sentences just like any group of friends. It's a more natural way of talking, but also allows the reader to piece things together for themselves. We aren't told implicitly what is going on but are given plenty of clues through their conversation to get all of the implications. It was so good!! I loved this writing style so much!!
It reminded me very much of the writing style and dialogue patterns I find on Chinese and Korean dramas. It's entirely Asian and is a masterful way to use dialogue not to info dump but to show what is going on. If you enjoy dialogue you'll really enjoy Under Her Cursed Scythe... because there are long, long, long dialogues but I kind of loved that?! And we meet everyone through these dialogues... All of the side characters have extraordinarily strong presences which make having so many easier to keep separate.
However... This was written by an author who has a degree in the English Language from an Asian university, but who hasn't lived in an English speaking country for more than 6 months. So the English usage was rough. Most readers would consider this poorly written. It's not at all but at times the English isn't said the way English speakers would say it. Under Her Cursed Scythe really needs a native English editor to go through it with a fine tooth comb and help fix word usage and make the story flow.
The other problem is that this reads like its two separate books. And at 580 pages it very well could have been! In the first half we have loads of characters and dialogues between them. In the second half of the book we follow two characters who sit around and talk almost the entire time. We learn a lot about Alivia and her motives and see her grow so much... but it feels like a totally different book from the first half. I loved the climax in the middle of the book and all of the reveals... but the pacing just didn't work. We either need two separate books that can stand separate from one another or we need to merge the two halfs of the story better and reveal some things earlier and some things later.
I really loved the plot, world and characters in Under Her Cursed Scythe and for an author who isn't a native English speaker I was blown away by the narrative style. It just needs the soft touch of a native English editor!
Why did I enjoy the world of Under Her Cursed Scythe?
-The Blessers!
GAHHHHH I loved the bond between each blesser and their magic. I loved that the magic was embodied in objects and had a Pokemon feel.
-Witches and Warlocks!
Blessers hunt these dark, demon dealing souls who prey on humans that don't know about the magic in the world.
-Which side are we on?!
I really loved the mixed up morality. On one hand Alivia is a killer. On the other she's aware that what she does is wrong. Yet she can't turn herself over to the Blessers... Nothing is clear cut!
-Angela and Joshua!
These two... they made my heart melt! I feel like the world gives us people like this in our own lives that help us to find our path.
-DEMONS!
Woah! I didn't really expect the dark direction this story took... I mean it is about reapers but there are death surprises, twists and more darkness. It suits the morally grey tone of the book.
Under Her Cursed Scythe is a really compelling paranormal read about reapers, blessers and demons. It follows a girl whose had to become a killer for her family. Is it too late or are the blessers going to take her out before she can save herself and choose miracles?!
*I totally did my rating specific to Under Her Cursed Scythe because of the fact the author not being a native English speaker.
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐ English Usage*
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐ Pacing*
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot*
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
B+ Cover & Title grade
Thanks to the author J.M. Wong for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
April 10, 2019
My Rating : 4🌟
I ended up LOVING the characters so much!!!Omg I can't believe I read this book in a single sitting!!
Thankyou J.M.Wong for the review copy! 😍
.
This book revolves around our main character Alivia, who tries really hard to help her family as well as escape the clutches of the 'Blessers'. The first thing I really loved about this book was the format in which the story is told. So it starts at a later date, and as the plot progresses, you get a flashback of the events that happened leading to the end, which is where the book actually started. Plus the fact it happens around halloween is just a bonus. Now coming to the characters. When you start reading this book, you get really interested in the style of presenting the story, you automatically start expecting the characters to exhibit certain characteristics. And they definitely do not disappoint. During the first half of the book , it's not clear how the magic system works, or who the characters are because there are no explicit descriptions to them and character traits to define them as characters. But it kind of helps the story in a way as you go into the second half of the story.
.
Now coming to the actual plot-line, the starting of the story might feel a little cliched, and I almost thought the ending would be predictable. BUT it definitely held it's promise and delivered a great deal. You can see the progress in the writing style within the book itself. One thing that irked me was the editing. I know this is a self-published book, but if the editing was better, this could have been even more interesting. One more point to note is the age of the characters. They exhibit the character traits of Young adults, but they are only 13/14 years old which was a bit confusing at times. The magic usage and the categories of people in this magic system could have been explained a little better. It made sense, but I didn't understand it clearly for a long time. The backstory for Alivia could have been explained better. You don't get to understand why she is doing what she is doing until the end and that was slightly frustrating.
.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Alivia and Joshua. You get the hint right from the start, but it's nice to see the relationship progress. The characters were all flawed and really relatable ( Not on the soul reaping level, but that would be cool too! ) and it gets really dark in the middle and I did not expect that! And can I just say I absolutely loathe the 'supposed to be mother' character? There were a lot of great friendships, lovely characters, and that ending was absolutely amazing!! I was so confident it would end one way, and I was shocked at how it ended!.. Not to spoil, but I wish I had a brother like that!. THE ENDING!! Omg unexpected bonds were made, so many heartwarming moments and it was just amazing!..
.
Overall, the plot was really interesting, the characters were adorable and I loved them to bits ( Even the bad ones ), the writing & editing could have been better, and the highlighted texts explaining what is happening next to few conversations were a little distracting. But, if you are a fan of Grim Reaper like stories, or just a bunch of 14 year olds kicking ass and leading a double life, some really dark character traits that gets better, definitely give this book a try. I definitely enjoyed my time reading this book!
I ended up LOVING the characters so much!!!Omg I can't believe I read this book in a single sitting!!
Thankyou J.M.Wong for the review copy! 😍
.
This book revolves around our main character Alivia, who tries really hard to help her family as well as escape the clutches of the 'Blessers'. The first thing I really loved about this book was the format in which the story is told. So it starts at a later date, and as the plot progresses, you get a flashback of the events that happened leading to the end, which is where the book actually started. Plus the fact it happens around halloween is just a bonus. Now coming to the characters. When you start reading this book, you get really interested in the style of presenting the story, you automatically start expecting the characters to exhibit certain characteristics. And they definitely do not disappoint. During the first half of the book , it's not clear how the magic system works, or who the characters are because there are no explicit descriptions to them and character traits to define them as characters. But it kind of helps the story in a way as you go into the second half of the story.
.
Now coming to the actual plot-line, the starting of the story might feel a little cliched, and I almost thought the ending would be predictable. BUT it definitely held it's promise and delivered a great deal. You can see the progress in the writing style within the book itself. One thing that irked me was the editing. I know this is a self-published book, but if the editing was better, this could have been even more interesting. One more point to note is the age of the characters. They exhibit the character traits of Young adults, but they are only 13/14 years old which was a bit confusing at times. The magic usage and the categories of people in this magic system could have been explained a little better. It made sense, but I didn't understand it clearly for a long time. The backstory for Alivia could have been explained better. You don't get to understand why she is doing what she is doing until the end and that was slightly frustrating.
.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Alivia and Joshua. You get the hint right from the start, but it's nice to see the relationship progress. The characters were all flawed and really relatable ( Not on the soul reaping level, but that would be cool too! ) and it gets really dark in the middle and I did not expect that! And can I just say I absolutely loathe the 'supposed to be mother' character? There were a lot of great friendships, lovely characters, and that ending was absolutely amazing!! I was so confident it would end one way, and I was shocked at how it ended!.. Not to spoil, but I wish I had a brother like that!. THE ENDING!! Omg unexpected bonds were made, so many heartwarming moments and it was just amazing!..
.
Overall, the plot was really interesting, the characters were adorable and I loved them to bits ( Even the bad ones ), the writing & editing could have been better, and the highlighted texts explaining what is happening next to few conversations were a little distracting. But, if you are a fan of Grim Reaper like stories, or just a bunch of 14 year olds kicking ass and leading a double life, some really dark character traits that gets better, definitely give this book a try. I definitely enjoyed my time reading this book!
March 8, 2019
Under her cursed scythe.
~
Thank you for the review copy @j.m.wong :)
~
I have never been too fond of fantasy novels but lately I am more welcoming in my attempts to give them a try. So when my eyes fell on this cover, I was more than happy to give it a read. Under her cursed scythe is a fantasy young adult novel and first in its series.
~
Alivia, the protagonist is not a normal teenager for she carries within herself the deepest secrets. While she looks like any other young girl during the day, she turns into a Grim Reaper at night as she goes on a killing spree. She feels no remorse as she takes lives like it's another chore. One fine day things change when she meets the Blessers and seeks for answers. The book oozes mystery which is an ingredient for a perfect fantasy novel.
~
The characterization was fairly good especially when it comes down to the protagonist. The language is simple and flows with ease. Now that I have read the first book, I'm curious about where the story would lead to in the next one. The plot is unique considering how there are not many novels out there that focusses on a young teenage girl associated with the concept of death. I, however had serious problems with reading this book since it came in pocket-size and the font was extremely tiny. It strained my eyes and I only wish how better it would have been if it were in a decent sized paperback. Nevertheless, a good story overall.
~
Rating - 3.7/5.
~
Thank you for the review copy @j.m.wong :)
~
I have never been too fond of fantasy novels but lately I am more welcoming in my attempts to give them a try. So when my eyes fell on this cover, I was more than happy to give it a read. Under her cursed scythe is a fantasy young adult novel and first in its series.
~
Alivia, the protagonist is not a normal teenager for she carries within herself the deepest secrets. While she looks like any other young girl during the day, she turns into a Grim Reaper at night as she goes on a killing spree. She feels no remorse as she takes lives like it's another chore. One fine day things change when she meets the Blessers and seeks for answers. The book oozes mystery which is an ingredient for a perfect fantasy novel.
~
The characterization was fairly good especially when it comes down to the protagonist. The language is simple and flows with ease. Now that I have read the first book, I'm curious about where the story would lead to in the next one. The plot is unique considering how there are not many novels out there that focusses on a young teenage girl associated with the concept of death. I, however had serious problems with reading this book since it came in pocket-size and the font was extremely tiny. It strained my eyes and I only wish how better it would have been if it were in a decent sized paperback. Nevertheless, a good story overall.
~
Rating - 3.7/5.
January 29, 2019
Name- Under Her Cursed Scythe
Written & Published by- J.M. Wong
Pages- 556 (A6 Paperback Version)
Review-
What is it exactly that forces a sweet young girl to reap souls mercilessly?
Alivia, is a 13 year old school girl. Mistaking her as sweet and innocent might cost you your soul.
A school girl in the morning and a reaper of souls at night, Alivia's life is anything but normal with her ever demanding mother and her zombie of a brother for whom she painstakingly reaps innocent soul so as to please her mother who in turn wishes to please the devil, Lord Beelzebub himself for keeping her son alive by unnatural means. In this dark tale Alivia finds her light in a community of blessers and in one blesser to be particular.
This is a dark fantasy which you may or may not read at Halloween but should read once for sure.
To be honest among hundreds of fantasies out there, Wong decided to stick with Alivia and the blessers who will definitely make an impact on the mind of the readers.
In terms of narration which was simple enough, I agree with what the author mentioned in the beginning that the story might appear completely different from what it actually is. Hence, I believe in this particular book morning might not show the rest of the day.
The characters seemed confusing at the beginning but was best discovered later in the book.
The book was extraordinarily high on emotions on some places which was the best aspect. Although I believed the book could have done without some of the details which stretched a bit.
I loved the storyline which was definitely refreshing. A fantasy which should definitely be read and a story which deserves to be known.
Written & Published by- J.M. Wong
Pages- 556 (A6 Paperback Version)
Review-
What is it exactly that forces a sweet young girl to reap souls mercilessly?
Alivia, is a 13 year old school girl. Mistaking her as sweet and innocent might cost you your soul.
A school girl in the morning and a reaper of souls at night, Alivia's life is anything but normal with her ever demanding mother and her zombie of a brother for whom she painstakingly reaps innocent soul so as to please her mother who in turn wishes to please the devil, Lord Beelzebub himself for keeping her son alive by unnatural means. In this dark tale Alivia finds her light in a community of blessers and in one blesser to be particular.
This is a dark fantasy which you may or may not read at Halloween but should read once for sure.
To be honest among hundreds of fantasies out there, Wong decided to stick with Alivia and the blessers who will definitely make an impact on the mind of the readers.
In terms of narration which was simple enough, I agree with what the author mentioned in the beginning that the story might appear completely different from what it actually is. Hence, I believe in this particular book morning might not show the rest of the day.
The characters seemed confusing at the beginning but was best discovered later in the book.
The book was extraordinarily high on emotions on some places which was the best aspect. Although I believed the book could have done without some of the details which stretched a bit.
I loved the storyline which was definitely refreshing. A fantasy which should definitely be read and a story which deserves to be known.
January 3, 2019

Title : Under Her Cursed Scythe
Author : J.M. Wong
Format : Paperback
Length : 560 pages
My Take on this book :
Cursed Scythe is a first book in the blessed or cursed series.
Cursed Scythe is a perfect blend of magic, mystery,pain, happiness,spells and so on…
If some ask me, what the book is actually about ?? I will say that it is a blend of Harry Potter and Lord of the rings.
It is a story of a girl Alivia and her death, a Cursed ring which she holds….her unexpectedly meeting with Blessers… Will she able to catch her killer ?? Will she able to reveal secrets of her witchy family and cursed ring ??
Grab the novel to reveal secrets of her life….
I am in love with this series .The best thing I like about the book is its size.. it is A6 size novel which can carried easily without any problem.The writing style of author is amazing and appreciated. The character development is also nice . The plot of the story is also awesome.
The story is set up at the time of Halloween 🎃🎃 ,so yes we can say that this a perfect pick for Halloween …
Language used by author is easy to understand. The word usage is also marvelous.Cover of the book is beautifully designed.
I would love to recommend this book to all who are lovers of fantasy , Harry Potter and Lord of the rings….
Book in One word : Marvelous
My Ratings : 5/5 🌟
Happy Reading !!
Thank you author for providing me the book in exchange of an honest review.
Title : Under Her Cursed Scythe
Author : J.M. Wong
Format : Paperback
Length : 560 pages
My Take on this book :
Cursed Scythe is a first book in the blessed or cursed series.
Cursed Scythe is a perfect blend of magic, mystery,pain, happiness,spells and so on…
If some ask me, what the book is actually about ?? I will say that it is a blend of Harry Potter and Lord of the rings.
It is a story of a girl Alivia and her death, a Cursed ring which she holds….her unexpectedly meeting with Blessers… Will she able to catch her killer ?? Will she able to reveal secrets of her witchy family and cursed ring ??
Grab the novel to reveal secrets of her life….
I am in love with this series .The best thing I like about the book is its size.. it is A6 size novel which can carried easily without any problem.The writing style of author is amazing and appreciated. The character development is also nice . The plot of the story is also awesome.
The story is set up at the time of Halloween 🎃🎃 ,so yes we can say that this a perfect pick for Halloween …
Language used by author is easy to understand. The word usage is also marvelous.Cover of the book is beautifully designed.
I would love to recommend this book to all who are lovers of fantasy , Harry Potter and Lord of the rings….
Book in One word : Marvelous
My Ratings : 5/5 🌟
Happy Reading !!
Thank you author for providing me the book in exchange of an honest review.
February 4, 2019
According to me , picking up the character of Alivia is quite interesting . Alivia , a 13 year school girl during day time and a reaper of souls at night , a merciless killer at night .
This is a dark fantasy , which reminds me very much of #halloween .
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact.
But then she meets a particular blesser (a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both) and doubts in herself for killing so mercilessly .
She starts finding way to to redeem her sins and prevent herself from becoming the monster she fears the most . 💥The most important things that to be noted are :- 👉 The narration was impressive and quite simple and sophisticated . Even the plot of the story was also amazing .
👉 The cover is beautiful & depicts a perfect dark theme.
👉 Characterisation was amazing & the plotting style was great.
This is a dark fantasy , which reminds me very much of #halloween .
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact.
But then she meets a particular blesser (a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both) and doubts in herself for killing so mercilessly .
She starts finding way to to redeem her sins and prevent herself from becoming the monster she fears the most . 💥The most important things that to be noted are :- 👉 The narration was impressive and quite simple and sophisticated . Even the plot of the story was also amazing .
👉 The cover is beautiful & depicts a perfect dark theme.
👉 Characterisation was amazing & the plotting style was great.
April 17, 2019
What a mind-boggling, thrilling and awesome novel it was!
The first part of “The Blessed or Cursed Series”, by J.M.Wong, under her Cursed Scythe is very amazingly written with all the characters well described. At first by the cover of the book, I wasn’t able to make out what the story is all about, but later as I dived deeper into the novel, I was not able to keep this aside due to the curiosity that emerged in me about what is going to happen next.
The story is about this little girl named Alivia, who is a harmless girl by day and a merciless killer at night. Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, one day while reaping souls she is encountered with a group called as BLESSERS, who are neither witches nor witch-hunters but bears the characters of both. After her meeting with them, she starts doubting the intentions of her killings and thus, she leads her to discover the dark and cursed secrets that lead her to this path and her witchy family.
Loved the concept of the book, the dark series is very thrilling to read. This is just not a normal fantasy book, but it has that power to keep your attention on it till the very last page of the novel. It is not very normal to show a young girl in a dark character who is busy killing people mercilessly, so it was a unique experience for me to have read this book. The book is a mixture of magical fantasies like spell, love, hatred, magic, pain etc. The book is set during the Halloween and will definitely give you chills in the world of secrets, mystery, magic, souls, witches, blessers and so on.
All the characters have really come out very well and they have grown with the development in the story. The cover is beautiful, which truly depicts a dark theme. The book has plots with many sub plots build in it and with the upcoming series it has the potential to do great. I will be eagerly waiting for the other parts of this series to read.
Only on econ which I could have found with this book was that the size of the book is very small, so the font was indeed small and it gave my eyes a lot of strain while reading it and was sometimes creating confusion, hence for the next part I will be hoping that the book size will be big enough. The language was good and appealing. A must recommended book for everyone to read it.
The first part of “The Blessed or Cursed Series”, by J.M.Wong, under her Cursed Scythe is very amazingly written with all the characters well described. At first by the cover of the book, I wasn’t able to make out what the story is all about, but later as I dived deeper into the novel, I was not able to keep this aside due to the curiosity that emerged in me about what is going to happen next.
The story is about this little girl named Alivia, who is a harmless girl by day and a merciless killer at night. Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, one day while reaping souls she is encountered with a group called as BLESSERS, who are neither witches nor witch-hunters but bears the characters of both. After her meeting with them, she starts doubting the intentions of her killings and thus, she leads her to discover the dark and cursed secrets that lead her to this path and her witchy family.
Loved the concept of the book, the dark series is very thrilling to read. This is just not a normal fantasy book, but it has that power to keep your attention on it till the very last page of the novel. It is not very normal to show a young girl in a dark character who is busy killing people mercilessly, so it was a unique experience for me to have read this book. The book is a mixture of magical fantasies like spell, love, hatred, magic, pain etc. The book is set during the Halloween and will definitely give you chills in the world of secrets, mystery, magic, souls, witches, blessers and so on.
All the characters have really come out very well and they have grown with the development in the story. The cover is beautiful, which truly depicts a dark theme. The book has plots with many sub plots build in it and with the upcoming series it has the potential to do great. I will be eagerly waiting for the other parts of this series to read.
Only on econ which I could have found with this book was that the size of the book is very small, so the font was indeed small and it gave my eyes a lot of strain while reading it and was sometimes creating confusion, hence for the next part I will be hoping that the book size will be big enough. The language was good and appealing. A must recommended book for everyone to read it.
July 1, 2019
The book is centered around a young girl named Alivia. She spends her days slumbering in school, always being on the bad side of luck, which has branded her "The Jinx" by her classmates. By night, however, Alivia hunts down and reaps the souls of marked ones with the help of her ring. That is until one day she gets tracked down by the blessers- agents who collect reaper's rings.
As we get closer and closer to halloween, Alivia begins to question her reaping ways and begins to uncover secrets about her family and her dark reaper's ring.
First of all, I really want to say that I think the cover art on this is beautiful. I do so enjoy having it on my shelf and I love the font of the title. If I found this in my local bookshop it would probably be a cover buy.
So the book starts off with a transcribed conversation between two voices. This conversation is set after the events in the book, which was a bit confusing to me at first. Then you are portaled back to a few days before Halloween. As we follow Alivia, we meet some key characters along the way. Some of the conversations make me feel like the book is written for a younger audience than me.
The relationship between Alivia and her mother is a tough cookie to swallow. Her mother has two children and only cares for one, leaving Alivia broken and lonely. I think it's very important to recognize these deep psychological issues surrounding characters in Wong's writing.
I am a person who prides myself of being able to tell very early on where the book is heading and what kind of problems will occur. I did not expect a certain secret to be uncovered but I got so excited and had to know the rest. Which is always a good sign.
The plot is very thrilling and I enjoyed the ending. It is a refreshing book, not your typical urban fantasy. I hope you too find this book interesting. If halloween is your favourite holiday, this book is perfect for you.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I have a fuller review on my blog
https://nouw.com/mostepotentebooks
As we get closer and closer to halloween, Alivia begins to question her reaping ways and begins to uncover secrets about her family and her dark reaper's ring.
First of all, I really want to say that I think the cover art on this is beautiful. I do so enjoy having it on my shelf and I love the font of the title. If I found this in my local bookshop it would probably be a cover buy.
So the book starts off with a transcribed conversation between two voices. This conversation is set after the events in the book, which was a bit confusing to me at first. Then you are portaled back to a few days before Halloween. As we follow Alivia, we meet some key characters along the way. Some of the conversations make me feel like the book is written for a younger audience than me.
The relationship between Alivia and her mother is a tough cookie to swallow. Her mother has two children and only cares for one, leaving Alivia broken and lonely. I think it's very important to recognize these deep psychological issues surrounding characters in Wong's writing.
I am a person who prides myself of being able to tell very early on where the book is heading and what kind of problems will occur. I did not expect a certain secret to be uncovered but I got so excited and had to know the rest. Which is always a good sign.
The plot is very thrilling and I enjoyed the ending. It is a refreshing book, not your typical urban fantasy. I hope you too find this book interesting. If halloween is your favourite holiday, this book is perfect for you.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I have a fuller review on my blog
https://nouw.com/mostepotentebooks
January 21, 2019
❤Under Her Cursed Scythe By J.M Wong❤
Genre: YA Fantasy
Book 1
.
Plot: A harmless small town girl by day and a merciless killer at night.
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact. When she unexpectedly encounters the Blessers- a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both, she begins to doubt her decisions of killing, and eventually leads her to discovering the dark secrets behind her witchy family and that cursed ring she holds.
.
My Opinion: We all have read many fantasy book which keep us curious till the end, this was one of them. Alivia the main protagonist is fighting her fears to come out of the strands of her own family. Her world is turned upside down & she is extremely worried about what to do next. Alivia is shown as strong and determined person yet when things aren't in favour nothing goes well & the same thing happens with her too. She lands in various situations & doesn't find any way to tackle them. The plot was amazing. It's a pocket size book of about 500 pages and was an amazing read for winters. The spooky Halloween things in the book made it more interesting. Characters were really well developed and had the potential to mess up with the reader's mind. Loved the book. The cover is beautiful & depicts a perfect dark theme. Eagerly waiting to read the next book in the series.
.
Pros: The book had many plots and sub plots which made it more amazing. Characterisation was amazing & the plotting style was great. Well, the author has many potentials, I hope she brings them out correctly. Alivia is a character which will stay with me forever. The language was moderate and sophisticated. I do recommend it to my dear book lovers.
Cons: The book has a very small font size which gave alot of strains to my eyes, confusions occurred at places.
.
Rating: 4.1🌟
Genre: YA Fantasy
Book 1
.
Plot: A harmless small town girl by day and a merciless killer at night.
Alivia stops at nothing to reap souls. But, unlike other murderers, her soul remains intact. When she unexpectedly encounters the Blessers- a group of "agents" who are neither Witches nor Witch hunters but bear features of both, she begins to doubt her decisions of killing, and eventually leads her to discovering the dark secrets behind her witchy family and that cursed ring she holds.
.
My Opinion: We all have read many fantasy book which keep us curious till the end, this was one of them. Alivia the main protagonist is fighting her fears to come out of the strands of her own family. Her world is turned upside down & she is extremely worried about what to do next. Alivia is shown as strong and determined person yet when things aren't in favour nothing goes well & the same thing happens with her too. She lands in various situations & doesn't find any way to tackle them. The plot was amazing. It's a pocket size book of about 500 pages and was an amazing read for winters. The spooky Halloween things in the book made it more interesting. Characters were really well developed and had the potential to mess up with the reader's mind. Loved the book. The cover is beautiful & depicts a perfect dark theme. Eagerly waiting to read the next book in the series.
.
Pros: The book had many plots and sub plots which made it more amazing. Characterisation was amazing & the plotting style was great. Well, the author has many potentials, I hope she brings them out correctly. Alivia is a character which will stay with me forever. The language was moderate and sophisticated. I do recommend it to my dear book lovers.
Cons: The book has a very small font size which gave alot of strains to my eyes, confusions occurred at places.
.
Rating: 4.1🌟
April 21, 2019
The book starts out a bit confusing because we are thrown into a scene where a boy who was murdered is trying to recount the last memories surrounding his life to a mysterious being in a purgatory-like environment. The boy’s memories are incredibly foggy, but one thing that he vividly remembers is being killed by a girl 8 days prior to Halloween.
Alyvia is a fourteen-year old grim reaper. Every night, she must reap souls on behalf of her tyrannical mother in order to restore her brother’s soul. While most reapers are doomed to lose the soul the way that Alyvia’s brother has, hers has remained intact. But unfortunately for Alyvia, no matter how many souls she reaps, she can never win her mother’s affections. Her mother only cares for her soulless brother, and Alyvia is just the family worker horse.
When Alyvia has a run in with the Blessers, we learn that reapers are generally witches or warlocks that are possessed by demons…but, Alyvia isn’t possessed by any demon. Her soul is still intact, and she doesn’t have any adverse reactions to silver, which she would if she was possessed. Nevertheless, the Blessers are intent on exterminating her for her role as a reaper. She manages to escape, but she starts to wonder if the killing is really necessary.
Overall, this story is a great read packed with adventure, love, pain, hatred, and of course, magic. I really loved Alyvia’s character because she realizes that she doesn’t have to blindly follow the demands of her mother. Her mother is full of secrets and betrayal, which unfortunately, Alyvia must learn. Alyvia discovers what true friendship is with Joshua (watching their relationship develop was really incredible). Oh, and trust me, the ending makes it all worth it.
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Alyvia is a fourteen-year old grim reaper. Every night, she must reap souls on behalf of her tyrannical mother in order to restore her brother’s soul. While most reapers are doomed to lose the soul the way that Alyvia’s brother has, hers has remained intact. But unfortunately for Alyvia, no matter how many souls she reaps, she can never win her mother’s affections. Her mother only cares for her soulless brother, and Alyvia is just the family worker horse.
When Alyvia has a run in with the Blessers, we learn that reapers are generally witches or warlocks that are possessed by demons…but, Alyvia isn’t possessed by any demon. Her soul is still intact, and she doesn’t have any adverse reactions to silver, which she would if she was possessed. Nevertheless, the Blessers are intent on exterminating her for her role as a reaper. She manages to escape, but she starts to wonder if the killing is really necessary.
Overall, this story is a great read packed with adventure, love, pain, hatred, and of course, magic. I really loved Alyvia’s character because she realizes that she doesn’t have to blindly follow the demands of her mother. Her mother is full of secrets and betrayal, which unfortunately, Alyvia must learn. Alyvia discovers what true friendship is with Joshua (watching their relationship develop was really incredible). Oh, and trust me, the ending makes it all worth it.
Thank you to the author for an eARC of this book. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2019
Book- Under Her Cursed Scythe
Author- J.M. Wong
Pages- 556
A sweet little girl disguised as a soul reaper
The moment you're mistaken by her looks as a sweet, innocent girl, you'll be dead with your soul ripped by her.
But why would a school going, leading a normal life by the day, 13 year old girl Alivia turn into such a monster at night ?
With a super thrilling fantasy with a Soul Reaper on the chase by a group of Blessers, the Author has done a fantastic job at weaving a mind-blowing fantasy, an amazing blend of magic, fun, thrill, mystery, pain, happiness, spells and the need to save thyself from becoming a monster ! The creativity level is top-notch !
The writing style is lucid, the book might be a bit lengthy, but the narration keeps you hooked till the end. The characters were really interesting and the plot was amusing with adventure, twists and turns, magic and murder, chasing and running, her sins and the ways to redeem it, of dark secrets and a cursed ring !
Author- J.M. Wong
Pages- 556
A sweet little girl disguised as a soul reaper
The moment you're mistaken by her looks as a sweet, innocent girl, you'll be dead with your soul ripped by her.
But why would a school going, leading a normal life by the day, 13 year old girl Alivia turn into such a monster at night ?
With a super thrilling fantasy with a Soul Reaper on the chase by a group of Blessers, the Author has done a fantastic job at weaving a mind-blowing fantasy, an amazing blend of magic, fun, thrill, mystery, pain, happiness, spells and the need to save thyself from becoming a monster ! The creativity level is top-notch !
The writing style is lucid, the book might be a bit lengthy, but the narration keeps you hooked till the end. The characters were really interesting and the plot was amusing with adventure, twists and turns, magic and murder, chasing and running, her sins and the ways to redeem it, of dark secrets and a cursed ring !
April 21, 2019
🎀 The cover of the book is very simple. It shows the appropriate theme. I liked it's colour. The title justifies the book.
.
🎀 The characters are very unique and different. They seems a bit confusing at the beginning but later as the story picks up it's pace, the characters are developed perfectly. Appreciation to the author for the hard work.
.
🎀 The character of Alivia is very interesting. I liked her character a lot.
.
🎀 The plot is amazing. I liked the story line. It was refreshing.
.
🎀 The book is full of emotions and that is the best part about it. Story is full of twists and turns. It was amazing and it helps the reader to be hooked til the end.
.
🖤 The only thing that was not upto my expectations was the size and fonts of the book. Beginners may find it difficult to read.
.
❤ Overall, it's an amazing book with pure magical vibes.
.
🎀 The characters are very unique and different. They seems a bit confusing at the beginning but later as the story picks up it's pace, the characters are developed perfectly. Appreciation to the author for the hard work.
.
🎀 The character of Alivia is very interesting. I liked her character a lot.
.
🎀 The plot is amazing. I liked the story line. It was refreshing.
.
🎀 The book is full of emotions and that is the best part about it. Story is full of twists and turns. It was amazing and it helps the reader to be hooked til the end.
.
🖤 The only thing that was not upto my expectations was the size and fonts of the book. Beginners may find it difficult to read.
.
❤ Overall, it's an amazing book with pure magical vibes.
May 31, 2020
" The eyes...there's more about them. They are windows to the soul...Don't just scratch the surface. Look into her eyes. "
So I don't know where to begin from. Like I'm so happy and stunned altogether after reading this book. At first I was skeptical about reading it because of 580 pages and small font but then I thought of picking it up because I love Fantasy genre.
" There's always a Polaris star that will guide you out of misery,you just have to believe in it and let it guide you. "
The book follows the journey of Alivia, a normal school going girl who was tagged as Jinxed by her classmates. She hardly had any friends and was not at all good at grades. But she wasn't normal during nights. No one could have imagined her to be a soul reaping monster. She was trained by her mother to reap souls of the branded humans. But her encounter with the Blessers, who were something between witch hunters & wizards, shook something within her. She started finding out the dark secrets about her family and realized that she had to change herself for good. But her journey wasn't an easy one.What were the secrets that shook her? Was she really willing to change?" We all have darkness in our nature, don't we?
" The only difference is that we know how to maintain the balance while they don't...at least, not before. "
You definitely need to read this book. I'm in love with J.M wong's writing. The setup was perfect and so was the story. The twists & turns were what kept me on the edge. I used to sleep early mornings in order to finish the book. The characters were well developed and Joshua was my favourite amongst the lot. The language was easy and understandable. The book was overall amazing.Also I would have loved to give it a 5 star rating but there were some issues which were just highlighted but were left there and then. like- when Albert said that girls were better off in the kitchen rather than in schools and a source of distraction for guys by playing their love games. It felt odd to me.
So I don't know where to begin from. Like I'm so happy and stunned altogether after reading this book. At first I was skeptical about reading it because of 580 pages and small font but then I thought of picking it up because I love Fantasy genre.
" There's always a Polaris star that will guide you out of misery,you just have to believe in it and let it guide you. "
The book follows the journey of Alivia, a normal school going girl who was tagged as Jinxed by her classmates. She hardly had any friends and was not at all good at grades. But she wasn't normal during nights. No one could have imagined her to be a soul reaping monster. She was trained by her mother to reap souls of the branded humans. But her encounter with the Blessers, who were something between witch hunters & wizards, shook something within her. She started finding out the dark secrets about her family and realized that she had to change herself for good. But her journey wasn't an easy one.What were the secrets that shook her? Was she really willing to change?" We all have darkness in our nature, don't we?
" The only difference is that we know how to maintain the balance while they don't...at least, not before. "
You definitely need to read this book. I'm in love with J.M wong's writing. The setup was perfect and so was the story. The twists & turns were what kept me on the edge. I used to sleep early mornings in order to finish the book. The characters were well developed and Joshua was my favourite amongst the lot. The language was easy and understandable. The book was overall amazing.Also I would have loved to give it a 5 star rating but there were some issues which were just highlighted but were left there and then. like- when Albert said that girls were better off in the kitchen rather than in schools and a source of distraction for guys by playing their love games. It felt odd to me.
March 21, 2019
It is the first book in the 'Blessed or Cursed' series by the author. This book is a mixture of several magical fantasies including Harry Potter. The book is filled with magic, spells, love, hate, pain, etc. Alivia, a small girl is on a mission set by her mother that needs to reap souls for a ritual. Alivia, although hates to do this but accepts it in order to win some love from her mother who only intends to love her zombie son. Deprived of mother's love, Alivia reaps out almost adequate souls for her mother. But did she win her mother's love and affection? Did her mother's ritual succeed? Did Alivia succeed to learn the truth behind her mother? This is a quite huge novel, with the touch of various popular fantasies. I enjoyed reading it. The author did a good job. It is full of secrets, mystery, magic, souls etc. The book is set during the Halloween. The language is very easy to understand and storytelling is good too. The plot takes a twist towards the end and is not as the way it begins. But one thing that didn't work for me is the size of the book and font size. Otherwise everything is pretty okay.
April 1, 2019
This book was a really amazing read. I truly appreciate the way the author has expanded the horizons of her imagination and creativity to pen down her story which is set up in a totally different world.
The Language used was easy going and lucid,
Though this book was 500+ pages, it kept me gripped till the end all credit for which goes to the amazing narration of this story.
The writing style was good and to the point, it does not bore the reader instead it keeps one engaged into it.
The plot was fresh and strong with lots of twists, turns & adventures which make this a really fascinating read.
The storyline was beautiful and unique, I haven't read a book having such a wonderful & unique plot since long!
The character backgrounds and development was done really very well, I could connect with the protagonist Alvia, her courage, sorrow and valour touched my heart!
Overall, this was a very interesting and a gripping fantasy read, I would definitely recommend this & I'm eagerly awaited for the next book in the series!
The Language used was easy going and lucid,
Though this book was 500+ pages, it kept me gripped till the end all credit for which goes to the amazing narration of this story.
The writing style was good and to the point, it does not bore the reader instead it keeps one engaged into it.
The plot was fresh and strong with lots of twists, turns & adventures which make this a really fascinating read.
The storyline was beautiful and unique, I haven't read a book having such a wonderful & unique plot since long!
The character backgrounds and development was done really very well, I could connect with the protagonist Alvia, her courage, sorrow and valour touched my heart!
Overall, this was a very interesting and a gripping fantasy read, I would definitely recommend this & I'm eagerly awaited for the next book in the series!
April 18, 2019
Under Her Cursed Scythe This Is Not My Typical Genre But I Enjoyed Reading This Book. The Plot Was Interesting, The Narration Was To The Point And Easy To Follow. Loved Alivia And Her Brother Luke!!!
I Very MUCH Disliked The 'Supposed Mother'. Thoroughly Enjoyed The Friendships Displayed And The Way Joshua And Alivia's Relationship Evolved Throughout The Book As The Story Progresses.
Overall It Was A Very Unique Story Being Added To The Fantasy Genre World. My Only Critique Is That It Couldve Been Better Edited!!! The Ending Was Amazing Though, I Didn't See It Coming, Which Made It That Much Better. Thank You To Miss Wong For An Awesome Story!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Very MUCH Disliked The 'Supposed Mother'. Thoroughly Enjoyed The Friendships Displayed And The Way Joshua And Alivia's Relationship Evolved Throughout The Book As The Story Progresses.
Overall It Was A Very Unique Story Being Added To The Fantasy Genre World. My Only Critique Is That It Couldve Been Better Edited!!! The Ending Was Amazing Though, I Didn't See It Coming, Which Made It That Much Better. Thank You To Miss Wong For An Awesome Story!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 25, 2019
(The author kindly sent me a finished copy of this book. In no way are my views and opinions of this book tainted because of it.)
When the author first approached me offering to send me a copy in exchange of a copy, I immediately agreed because I'm in dire need of fantasy books about Grim Reapers, angels, demons and not just the usual magic stuff because I need a breather from those.
I have mixed emotions about this book. I'm on the Gray part where I like it and I don't. But first, let's break it down one by one.
I first of want to talk about the plot. I think it's amazing how we were introduced with magic from a different culture, I love the representation it provided. There's rarely any book with a 'magic' system that involves Asian culture so it's such a breather to see this book have one.
The writing style is also detailed. This one I'm also torn in between of.
On the very first part of the book, it states that the details that would be mentioned on this book would be important and to hold judgement before finishing the book.
I agree that it has a lot of important details that definitely played out well in the future of this book but some of the details weren't really necessary or important to the plot of THIS particular book of the series.
It may be important to the 2nd or 3rd book or so on and I just wished that the details that would be relevant would be revealed on THAT particular book. Because I'm pretty sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we would probably forget details of this book when the next book comes out.
One of the things I took note for this one was that one particular scene at the end and the interrogation part where the Blesser's first met Alivia. Most of those scenes are not exactly important and played out as a drag for a few pages.
The characters as well played an important role not just to the plot for each other. I think this is what most stories lack nowadays is the importance of each character to other characters.
I don't want to mention names but it's like, one character isn't just there to be someone's love interest, they're there to be a savior, a friend, a colleague, etc. It's important to have characters like that.
If there's anything that I want to praise highly about this one was the non sugarcoat events when it comes to the dark and gloomy topics like death and self harm.
I again don't want to get into too much details but I love how the author didn't shy away and romanticize self harm and suicide into some tublr/textpost way.
Suicide is suicide and there's no way to sugarcoat it. No matter how much some poets or novelists does, it's not an aesthetic or edgy topic to write about in books. You're either going to write it raw and gloomy or not at all. Suicide, self harming, is not something that should be written and compared to flowers and sunsets because it's not beautiful.
There's a scene in this book where Alivia was interrogated again. In there, they told her that she was coward, someone weak, for doing it. I don't know if the author has anything deeper lying into it but I do want to say that that's how elders view young people (teenagers) who commit suicide. That scene shows the ignorance they hold towards this topic.
At first, I was not in favor with how they handled the topic of suicide but then I realized that 'This is how people would react, this was how they reacted towards me'
There's a lot of topic this book handled. This book is so important because it is not your ordinary fantasy book where it's all magic and happily after. It tackles abuse, violence, death, suicide, you name it.
One of the downfalls of this book is probably when they said that girls should stay in the kitchen and let the man do the work because they'll definitely do it better.
I was not in favor of that one because there were no 'clapback' to it. It's fine to include those type of things but it should have a comeback because after that there's nothing else, it was back to normal. It would be better to shut that person up and let the readers now (especially the younger ones) that it is not okay to say that and it is wrong in many levels.
All in all, Under Her Cursed Scythe is not an easy and light read. The cover is so majestic and looks like a sweet read (My friends liked it. Even my mom did so that's cool) but this book left me sore but satisfied.
(I ALSO WANT TO MENTION REAL QUICK HOW A 12 YEARS OLD HERE HAD MULTIPLE 'TROPHIES' AND MY 16 YEARS OLD SINGLE ASS IS cRyiNG)
"We all have darkness inside us, don't we? The only difference is that we know how to maintain the balance while they don't"
When the author first approached me offering to send me a copy in exchange of a copy, I immediately agreed because I'm in dire need of fantasy books about Grim Reapers, angels, demons and not just the usual magic stuff because I need a breather from those.
I have mixed emotions about this book. I'm on the Gray part where I like it and I don't. But first, let's break it down one by one.
I first of want to talk about the plot. I think it's amazing how we were introduced with magic from a different culture, I love the representation it provided. There's rarely any book with a 'magic' system that involves Asian culture so it's such a breather to see this book have one.
The writing style is also detailed. This one I'm also torn in between of.
On the very first part of the book, it states that the details that would be mentioned on this book would be important and to hold judgement before finishing the book.
I agree that it has a lot of important details that definitely played out well in the future of this book but some of the details weren't really necessary or important to the plot of THIS particular book of the series.
It may be important to the 2nd or 3rd book or so on and I just wished that the details that would be relevant would be revealed on THAT particular book. Because I'm pretty sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we would probably forget details of this book when the next book comes out.
One of the things I took note for this one was that one particular scene at the end and the interrogation part where the Blesser's first met Alivia. Most of those scenes are not exactly important and played out as a drag for a few pages.
The characters as well played an important role not just to the plot for each other. I think this is what most stories lack nowadays is the importance of each character to other characters.
I don't want to mention names but it's like, one character isn't just there to be someone's love interest, they're there to be a savior, a friend, a colleague, etc. It's important to have characters like that.
If there's anything that I want to praise highly about this one was the non sugarcoat events when it comes to the dark and gloomy topics like death and self harm.
I again don't want to get into too much details but I love how the author didn't shy away and romanticize self harm and suicide into some tublr/textpost way.
Suicide is suicide and there's no way to sugarcoat it. No matter how much some poets or novelists does, it's not an aesthetic or edgy topic to write about in books. You're either going to write it raw and gloomy or not at all. Suicide, self harming, is not something that should be written and compared to flowers and sunsets because it's not beautiful.
There's a scene in this book where Alivia was interrogated again. In there, they told her that she was coward, someone weak, for doing it. I don't know if the author has anything deeper lying into it but I do want to say that that's how elders view young people (teenagers) who commit suicide. That scene shows the ignorance they hold towards this topic.
At first, I was not in favor with how they handled the topic of suicide but then I realized that 'This is how people would react, this was how they reacted towards me'
There's a lot of topic this book handled. This book is so important because it is not your ordinary fantasy book where it's all magic and happily after. It tackles abuse, violence, death, suicide, you name it.
One of the downfalls of this book is probably when they said that girls should stay in the kitchen and let the man do the work because they'll definitely do it better.
I was not in favor of that one because there were no 'clapback' to it. It's fine to include those type of things but it should have a comeback because after that there's nothing else, it was back to normal. It would be better to shut that person up and let the readers now (especially the younger ones) that it is not okay to say that and it is wrong in many levels.
All in all, Under Her Cursed Scythe is not an easy and light read. The cover is so majestic and looks like a sweet read (My friends liked it. Even my mom did so that's cool) but this book left me sore but satisfied.
(I ALSO WANT TO MENTION REAL QUICK HOW A 12 YEARS OLD HERE HAD MULTIPLE 'TROPHIES' AND MY 16 YEARS OLD SINGLE ASS IS cRyiNG)
"We all have darkness inside us, don't we? The only difference is that we know how to maintain the balance while they don't"
August 11, 2019
I had mixed feelings about saying okay to reading this book when J.M. Wong first approached me on Instagram. Don’t get me wrong, I love supporting small authors and indie authors, but I am often weary of reading work done by authors whose first language is not English. I am am sure they all write beautifully in their native tongue, but translating to English does not always go well and things can be confusing or just a bit too simple for me to really enjoy. However, I read the summary on amazon and goodreads and was very intrigued in the story so I decided to give it a shot.
I am so glad that I decided to take a chance on this book. The story was unique and entertaining. The complex story that Wong weaves throughout this book is amazing and the subtle hints she leaves through this heart racing tale plants ideas in your head and makes you wonder which path this fantasy world was going on.
The magic was brought to life in a fun and original way that made me eager to keep reading. The characters had depth and peculiar backstories that left me always wondering who was truly good and evil. Watching some of the characters battle wrong in their own ways really brought a lot to this story.
There were times the writing was a bit simple or confusing although it never took away from the story. There were times words were skipped or the wrong format was used (past tense instead of present tense and things like that), but overall I am impressed with how well Wong used the English language to build a complex and compelling story that had me feeling all the many emotions.
I am so glad that I decided to take a chance on this book. The story was unique and entertaining. The complex story that Wong weaves throughout this book is amazing and the subtle hints she leaves through this heart racing tale plants ideas in your head and makes you wonder which path this fantasy world was going on.
The magic was brought to life in a fun and original way that made me eager to keep reading. The characters had depth and peculiar backstories that left me always wondering who was truly good and evil. Watching some of the characters battle wrong in their own ways really brought a lot to this story.
There were times the writing was a bit simple or confusing although it never took away from the story. There were times words were skipped or the wrong format was used (past tense instead of present tense and things like that), but overall I am impressed with how well Wong used the English language to build a complex and compelling story that had me feeling all the many emotions.
June 25, 2019
It is a long book but an exciting one. As mentioned in the "warning" part, it requires you quite a lot of patience before you realize where the hidden gems were.
It sparked my curiosity when the book started without a clear description of the appearance of the characters in the first chapters. I was confused at first, but then, I understood the purpose of it. The crazy part about this book is that I think there is not a definite answer as to who one of mysterious speakers was because I thought it was a "she" at some point but then, in the end, it seems like a "he"...it's really interesting...I like how it leaves a sense of mystery at the end that I don't feel it needs to have a correct or wrong answer...
It's an interesting move to include Chinese characters into a book written in English and in fact, makes me wonder...if I knew what those Chinese characters meant, will there be hidden meanings behind them or a reason for choosing those Chinese characters?
Though I must admit there quite a lot of grammar mistakes, I do acknowledge the fact that the author isn't a native English speaker and has paid a lot of effort on constructing a beautiful novel with an unusual plot!
So glad that I found this book from Youtube! It was totally worth it!
It sparked my curiosity when the book started without a clear description of the appearance of the characters in the first chapters. I was confused at first, but then, I understood the purpose of it. The crazy part about this book is that I think there is not a definite answer as to who one of mysterious speakers was because I thought it was a "she" at some point but then, in the end, it seems like a "he"...it's really interesting...I like how it leaves a sense of mystery at the end that I don't feel it needs to have a correct or wrong answer...
It's an interesting move to include Chinese characters into a book written in English and in fact, makes me wonder...if I knew what those Chinese characters meant, will there be hidden meanings behind them or a reason for choosing those Chinese characters?
Though I must admit there quite a lot of grammar mistakes, I do acknowledge the fact that the author isn't a native English speaker and has paid a lot of effort on constructing a beautiful novel with an unusual plot!
So glad that I found this book from Youtube! It was totally worth it!
June 30, 2019
The plot of the book is interesting but the dialogue was unnatural and the writing didn't flow smoothly. The whole book was a little slow paced for my taste and it was hard to be fully invested in the story-line. There wasn't adequate world building or character development. I really tried to like the book but it just wasn't my cup of tea.I am grateful to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2019
1.5/5⭐️
So..as much as I wanted to, I didn’t like this book. In fact, I had to DNF it, because the grammar and spelling was so wrong, I felt like I couldn’t understand what was going on. I DNFed after about 3 chapters, 30 pages in.
So first of all, the GRAMMAR. I am really picky about grammar as incorrect grammar makes me cringe so hard. I wouldn’t recommend reading this book if that’s a pet peeve.
There was also incorrect French grammar which drew the line for me. There was a part that included the “switches back to English” in dialogue and that drew the line for me. Also, the French verbs used were wrong, and although I am not a native French speaker, I have been taking French class for four years, so I am offended when someone doesn’t do their best with research as to have good representation. This really bothered me.
I was also so confused as to what was going on throughout most of the beginning. I understood some scenes, like when her mom was being awful and forcing her to come home from school immediately, but I felt like it was one of those books where there was too much foreshadowing and the reader isn’t allowed to know much about the world. Can I also mention all the unnecessary indentations? Especially when the scene didn’t even change? I got so lost so quickly.
There might have been a good story here, and I’m going to give J.M. Wong some credit for writing a whole book and getting it published, but I just feel like it wasn’t executed the best, and that it requires some editing.
Thank you J.M. Wong for allowing me to read a copy of your novel in exchange for an honest review!
So..as much as I wanted to, I didn’t like this book. In fact, I had to DNF it, because the grammar and spelling was so wrong, I felt like I couldn’t understand what was going on. I DNFed after about 3 chapters, 30 pages in.
So first of all, the GRAMMAR. I am really picky about grammar as incorrect grammar makes me cringe so hard. I wouldn’t recommend reading this book if that’s a pet peeve.
There was also incorrect French grammar which drew the line for me. There was a part that included the “switches back to English” in dialogue and that drew the line for me. Also, the French verbs used were wrong, and although I am not a native French speaker, I have been taking French class for four years, so I am offended when someone doesn’t do their best with research as to have good representation. This really bothered me.
I was also so confused as to what was going on throughout most of the beginning. I understood some scenes, like when her mom was being awful and forcing her to come home from school immediately, but I felt like it was one of those books where there was too much foreshadowing and the reader isn’t allowed to know much about the world. Can I also mention all the unnecessary indentations? Especially when the scene didn’t even change? I got so lost so quickly.
There might have been a good story here, and I’m going to give J.M. Wong some credit for writing a whole book and getting it published, but I just feel like it wasn’t executed the best, and that it requires some editing.
Thank you J.M. Wong for allowing me to read a copy of your novel in exchange for an honest review!
January 4, 2021
I buddy-read this book with an Instagram friend, and from the off we both had issues with the book. For her, it was that some of the French phrases were not translated properly. I never would’ve caught these issues, because I do not speak, nor do I know French. However, the issues that caught my eye were the various grammar and spelling problems. I usually try to read through grammar issues, especially with self-published authors, but this one I feel needed a second look before making it to the publishing round.
———————————————————————————
Thank you so much to JM Wong for reaching out to me and requesting that I review her book! I am truly thankful for the opportunity. Receiving this book free of charge from the author in no way affects my opinion of the work.
———————————————————————————
Thank you so much to JM Wong for reaching out to me and requesting that I review her book! I am truly thankful for the opportunity. Receiving this book free of charge from the author in no way affects my opinion of the work.
July 1, 2019
I found the book in a book exchange corner and I am glad that I found it! Like the author, English is my second language as well and knowing that she has written a book entirely in ENGLISH really inspires me a lot! I showed the book to my English teacher and she encouraged me to read it and write a review for it so here I am!
I was even more surprised when I finished reading the book. The plot is super intriguing! There were so many mysteries and it felt like Harry Potter and the Shadow Hunters blend into one! I love Alivia, the main character very much because I can kind of resonate with her. I often feel like my parents like my younger brother more than me and the struggle Alivia faced in order to gain her mother's attention is just very like me...
SPOILER ALERT!
The suicide part was really shocking and dark! That scared me a bit but then, the author includes this little debate between the voices about this matter and it does reflect a lot on how different people think of suicide these days...
The ending was touching...I can see the author's personal values being reflected in this book and though it feels like a bumpy ride along the way, before reaching the ending, it was worth it!
I was even more surprised when I finished reading the book. The plot is super intriguing! There were so many mysteries and it felt like Harry Potter and the Shadow Hunters blend into one! I love Alivia, the main character very much because I can kind of resonate with her. I often feel like my parents like my younger brother more than me and the struggle Alivia faced in order to gain her mother's attention is just very like me...
SPOILER ALERT!
The suicide part was really shocking and dark! That scared me a bit but then, the author includes this little debate between the voices about this matter and it does reflect a lot on how different people think of suicide these days...
The ending was touching...I can see the author's personal values being reflected in this book and though it feels like a bumpy ride along the way, before reaching the ending, it was worth it!
July 1, 2019
3.5 stars. Thank you J.M.Wong for providing me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.
Just finished reading this book and it was okay-ish. Slightly confusing in several parts. Let's start at the beginning, the first couple of pages (5) when we meet our first characters the speech is just off, also their actions. For example: Soon!? Then where is this? Why am I- (is still struggling to comprehend the whole situation). Maybe it's just me but I've never seen actions in brackets. As I was saying, this is only in the first 5 pages. I did understand what was going on, the brackets were just confusing. Also, there is one page where they left Chinese characters. I don't know if it was just a mistake or it has a purpose there.
Anyway, as you continue reading this issue is fixed and it gets better.
As for the story, it was intriguing and I was really curious what will happen next. As for the writing style, it was rather simple. The characters were lovely, especially Alivia I really enjoyed walking in her shoes.
If like a fast Young Adult fantasy read with Grim Reapers in them, then by all means give this book a read, just be prepared to be confused at times + there are some grammar mistakes and typos.
Just finished reading this book and it was okay-ish. Slightly confusing in several parts. Let's start at the beginning, the first couple of pages (5) when we meet our first characters the speech is just off, also their actions. For example: Soon!? Then where is this? Why am I- (is still struggling to comprehend the whole situation). Maybe it's just me but I've never seen actions in brackets. As I was saying, this is only in the first 5 pages. I did understand what was going on, the brackets were just confusing. Also, there is one page where they left Chinese characters. I don't know if it was just a mistake or it has a purpose there.
Anyway, as you continue reading this issue is fixed and it gets better.
As for the story, it was intriguing and I was really curious what will happen next. As for the writing style, it was rather simple. The characters were lovely, especially Alivia I really enjoyed walking in her shoes.
If like a fast Young Adult fantasy read with Grim Reapers in them, then by all means give this book a read, just be prepared to be confused at times + there are some grammar mistakes and typos.
July 23, 2019
The author sent me a copy in exchange for an honest review. In no way, my reviews/opinions were affected or influenced by this.
The characters were awesome. They have their own distinct characteristic. All of them, they have their own strengths and weaknesses, and I think that is really important.
The first part was a bit confusing, but as the story goes, you will understand everything one by one.
There were grammatical errors, the choice of words was sometimes terrible.
I think the author was trying to use complicated words she could find, or something unique, but it didn't always come right with the sentence.
The plot, the idea was amazing! I loved it.
When it comes to fantasy, I'm really in between. I read fantasies, but they're not one of my favorite genres. When I saw and read the blurb of the book, I was intrigued.
I was happy when I read it, it didn't fail me. I haven't read anything that was the same as this concept, so I loved it.
Under Her Cursed Scythe was an amazing book for me. I just think that the author needs to be more careful with the typographical errors and grammatical errors next time because that is really important.
I am so excited to read the next books!
Check out my full review: https://jdlreads.wordpress.com/
The characters were awesome. They have their own distinct characteristic. All of them, they have their own strengths and weaknesses, and I think that is really important.
The first part was a bit confusing, but as the story goes, you will understand everything one by one.
There were grammatical errors, the choice of words was sometimes terrible.
I think the author was trying to use complicated words she could find, or something unique, but it didn't always come right with the sentence.
The plot, the idea was amazing! I loved it.
When it comes to fantasy, I'm really in between. I read fantasies, but they're not one of my favorite genres. When I saw and read the blurb of the book, I was intrigued.
I was happy when I read it, it didn't fail me. I haven't read anything that was the same as this concept, so I loved it.
Under Her Cursed Scythe was an amazing book for me. I just think that the author needs to be more careful with the typographical errors and grammatical errors next time because that is really important.
I am so excited to read the next books!
Check out my full review: https://jdlreads.wordpress.com/
November 1, 2019
thank you to Spotlight Tours and J.M. Wong for providing me a free copy of the book!
most of the characters are really interesting, especially our main character, Alivia. Alivia's character is quite unique. she's a 13 years old school girl during the day and a reaper of souls at night 🔪 everything changed when one day while Alivia was reaping souls, she encountered with a group called Blessers.
all characters were well developed and the plotting style was good too. if you're looking for a book with a spooky halloween and witchy twist then this one's for you! 🙌🏻🕸👻
i love reading Alivia and Joshua's relationship development in this book. Alivia is so lucky to have someone as nice as Joshua beside her 💙 moreover, watching Alivia turned from a blindly devoted daughter to a strong and determined girl was really incredible 👏🏻
overall, Under Her Cursed Scythe is definitely a perfect spooky halloween read 🎃 it's full of escapade, hatred, betrayal, family love, and witchy magic 🕸🔮 i highly recommend it to everyone who loves horror books with a little touch of magic 💫
most of the characters are really interesting, especially our main character, Alivia. Alivia's character is quite unique. she's a 13 years old school girl during the day and a reaper of souls at night 🔪 everything changed when one day while Alivia was reaping souls, she encountered with a group called Blessers.
all characters were well developed and the plotting style was good too. if you're looking for a book with a spooky halloween and witchy twist then this one's for you! 🙌🏻🕸👻
i love reading Alivia and Joshua's relationship development in this book. Alivia is so lucky to have someone as nice as Joshua beside her 💙 moreover, watching Alivia turned from a blindly devoted daughter to a strong and determined girl was really incredible 👏🏻
overall, Under Her Cursed Scythe is definitely a perfect spooky halloween read 🎃 it's full of escapade, hatred, betrayal, family love, and witchy magic 🕸🔮 i highly recommend it to everyone who loves horror books with a little touch of magic 💫
November 29, 2019
Alivia is a 13 year old girl who is living life of a normal school going girl by day but exceptionally off the wall life at night. She reaps out people's souls mercilessly in darkness of nights for her mean and manipulating mother. Blinded by earning her mother's affection made her killer. Before Halloween she has to collect so many souls in order to save her zombie brother but interference of blessers makes her task much difficult who only want to do is to exterminate her. .
.
This is totally a worth reading Book. First of all Book is extremely cute and tiny. Cover is kind of creepy too as for the story. Book is pretty thick but it never bored me for a moment. Narration is so strong that holds the reader attention till the end. Story is so refreshing and exciting. Twists and turns of the book makes it more interesting. There are lots of time i felt bad for Alivia even though i know that she is not innocent and that is the beauty of the story. Author did a really great job with creating a bridge of emotions between readers and characters. I would love to recommend this one.
.
This is totally a worth reading Book. First of all Book is extremely cute and tiny. Cover is kind of creepy too as for the story. Book is pretty thick but it never bored me for a moment. Narration is so strong that holds the reader attention till the end. Story is so refreshing and exciting. Twists and turns of the book makes it more interesting. There are lots of time i felt bad for Alivia even though i know that she is not innocent and that is the beauty of the story. Author did a really great job with creating a bridge of emotions between readers and characters. I would love to recommend this one.
June 23, 2019
I was so confused into what was going on throughout the beginning of the book. I understood some scenes . But I felt like the events that where happening overshadowed the world building which was non existent .
There might be a good story here but just this story isn’t for me. I need to give J.M.Wong some credit and getting it published.
Thank you J.M Wong for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for a honest review.
There might be a good story here but just this story isn’t for me. I need to give J.M.Wong some credit and getting it published.
Thank you J.M Wong for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for a honest review.
June 18, 2020
As it's said magic is all we need if we believe in it this book by @j.m.wong is an absolute magical read indeed
Firstly I thought that this wasn't my cup of tea as I'm not much into fantasy but when I started it the story seems a bit heavy for me to adapt it but later as I proceeded suddenly it all started making sense and read seems light and I no longer want it to be get finished!! Pages of this book is inked by the spooky yet magical story of alivia a 13 year old school girl who has hidden secrets when it comes to night she's a different girl who belongs to a different world full of magic , fantasy and horror
I would like to take a moment to appreciate the intriguing plot and the writing style of the author which makes this book more light and worth reading
Cover and title is absolute complimentary to the story ✨
Firstly I thought that this wasn't my cup of tea as I'm not much into fantasy but when I started it the story seems a bit heavy for me to adapt it but later as I proceeded suddenly it all started making sense and read seems light and I no longer want it to be get finished!! Pages of this book is inked by the spooky yet magical story of alivia a 13 year old school girl who has hidden secrets when it comes to night she's a different girl who belongs to a different world full of magic , fantasy and horror
I would like to take a moment to appreciate the intriguing plot and the writing style of the author which makes this book more light and worth reading
Cover and title is absolute complimentary to the story ✨
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews