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The Hidden Dagger #3
Curse Bound
Kael's worst fears have come true. Betrayal has shaken the Guardian Circle, the High Guardian is dead, and Ayianna and Prince Vian are in the hands of the Sorceress, but he and his companions must finish their quest, before they can attempt a rescue mission. Unfortunately, Desmond's parting gift left them stranded on the western cliffs of Nälu.
Jathil, once heir to the throne of Arashel, believes her father will aid them, but first she must face the crimes of her past. When she does, she could never believe the outcome, nor the rippling effect it would have on the nations.Meanwhile the Alliance braces for war, but division threatens to undermine their efforts. When Nerissa returns from Ganya with the dragon regiment, she discovers a bigger problem. The curse bound are waking up.
As the quest nears completion, Kael is forced to choose between his heart and duty, and neither choice bodes well with him. Either way, he will face the Sorceress and her armies sooner or later. The battle for Nälu has begun and there can be only one victor.
Jathil, once heir to the throne of Arashel, believes her father will aid them, but first she must face the crimes of her past. When she does, she could never believe the outcome, nor the rippling effect it would have on the nations.Meanwhile the Alliance braces for war, but division threatens to undermine their efforts. When Nerissa returns from Ganya with the dragon regiment, she discovers a bigger problem. The curse bound are waking up.
As the quest nears completion, Kael is forced to choose between his heart and duty, and neither choice bodes well with him. Either way, he will face the Sorceress and her armies sooner or later. The battle for Nälu has begun and there can be only one victor.
389 pages, ebook
Published June 27, 2019
14 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Mbewe
12 books264 followersWriting as J. L. Mbewe, Jennette is an author, artist, mother, wife, but not always in that order. Born and raised in Minnesota, she now braves the heat of Texas, but pines for the Northern Lights and the lakes of home every autumn. She loves trying to capture the abstract and make it concrete. She is currently living her second childhood with her wonderful husband and two precious children who don’t seem to mind her eclectic collections of rocks, shells, and swords, among other things. Here, between reality and dreams, you will find her busily creating worlds inhabited by all sorts of fantasy creatures and characters, all questing about and discovering true love amid lots of peril.
Her debut novel, Secrets Kept, was nominated for the 2014 Clive Staples Award.
Her debut novel, Secrets Kept, was nominated for the 2014 Clive Staples Award.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 11, 2019
Originally posted on: The Quirky Book Nerd
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Full Trilogy Review:
I really enjoyed reading this trilogy. There are so many secrets and twists and turns in the plot it is easy to become engrossed and it is hard to put down. The story moves at a solidly fast pace and is packed with many moments of gripping action which pulled me in from the start. There is a good deal of thought and time put into every element of these novels, creating a unique and fascinating narrative. With their rich world and characters, these books make for a fun and immersive fantasy read.
This series begins following a young girl named Ayianna who has just found out she is betrothed to one of the most eligible bachelors in the land. Ayianna and her father set out to meet him and begin this new chapter of her life. However, very soon after arriving, they are attacked by a mysterious group of men, leaving her father dead and Ayianna running for her life. Quickly, it becomes clear that this is not just an isolated event—that her father was keeping some important secrets and that their world is facing a great danger. Reluctantly teaming up with an elf named Kael, Desmond her betrothed, and Prince Vian, Ayianna sets off to find her mother and unravel the mystery her father left behind.
Much more happens during the course of this trilogy, but since this is a spoiler-free review, I’ll keep from going into any more detail about the plot. However, I will say it remains consistently fresh and intriguing throughout the entire narrative. There is plenty of gripping action and adventure, surprising revelations, and mysteries that keep you wanting more. I particularly loved the fight scenes, especially when the characters were up against frightening creatures like the imps. This made for many exciting and heart-pounding moments.
Occasionally, I found that the plot sometimes became a bit slow and repetitive, primarily in the first novel. For instance, when Ayianna and her companions begin their journey through the forest, it progresses a bit slowly with the characters arguing about the same things—Vian and Desmond wanting to lead them in another direction and Kael insisting he knows where to go. While there are some moments of action and adventure, it felt as though a lot of this portion of their journey consisted of this with not quite enough variety in their interactions. However, this was not a frequent issue.
The best part of these novels is the incredibly beautiful and detailed writing. Mbewe has a great talent with words, taking the magic and fantasy to a new level. The worldbuilding is absolutely fantastic the whole way through and makes you feel like you are really in the world. Mbewe constructs it in a way that is original but has that classic fantasy novel style and feel. Every setting enhances the tone of the scene that takes place in it and adds tons of dimension to the plot.
On top of the vivid descriptions of the world, Mbewe fills it with its’ own very interesting history. This element adds so much more depth to the story. It is clear that she put a huge amount of time and effort into imagining every bit of it. There are also plenty of different creatures that add to the fantastical nature of the narrative. This also adds variety to the characters as they are not all humans. And each type of creature has a part in the history of the world with fully developed backgrounds.
Mbewe completes the building of the plot with some very well-created and multi-dimensional characters. Even some of the more minor characters are developed fully. Kael was definitely my favorite out of everyone. His personality and dialogue are some of the best aspects of the story. He is sarcastic and funny with a true heart of gold and is just plain loveable
It took me a little while to decide how I felt about Ayianna as I did not entirely connect with her at first. However, she proved to be quite a strong heroine in the long-run. There were times where I felt she was not quite reaching her full potential when it came to being the tough, independent character she is through the majority of the book. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is a pretty accurate reaction to the situation she has been thrown into. Her life goes through so much upheaval and she is dealing with a massive amount of grief. Yet she pushes through it and bravely carries on through this journey.
One other issue I had with the characters at times was that their emotions were not always addressed in a consistent or realistic way. There were many instances where I did not think Ayianna’s feelings and thoughts matched up with the gravity of the situation. After everything she had gone through, her reaction lacked some intense emotion it could have had, allowing the reader to connect and sympathize with her even more. The early tension between Kael and Ayianna seemed a bit confusing. It quickly felt a bit forced and like there was not really a need or reason for it. That being said, I absolutely loved their dialogue with each other and ended up really liking their relationship.
I do consider the issues I did have with the narrative rather minor in the grand scheme of things. The characters developed well throughout the course of these books and they grew into their newfound roles. None of the main characters are ever one-dimensional and they became more complex as the narrative progressed. Constantly growing as people and in their relationships with each other, they are always interesting to follow and learn more about. The worldbuilding remains detailed and vibrant, expanding more and more, and is always fully and uniquely constructed. The writing is consistently rich and beautiful. Overall, this is a really solid trilogy.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Full Trilogy Review:
I really enjoyed reading this trilogy. There are so many secrets and twists and turns in the plot it is easy to become engrossed and it is hard to put down. The story moves at a solidly fast pace and is packed with many moments of gripping action which pulled me in from the start. There is a good deal of thought and time put into every element of these novels, creating a unique and fascinating narrative. With their rich world and characters, these books make for a fun and immersive fantasy read.
This series begins following a young girl named Ayianna who has just found out she is betrothed to one of the most eligible bachelors in the land. Ayianna and her father set out to meet him and begin this new chapter of her life. However, very soon after arriving, they are attacked by a mysterious group of men, leaving her father dead and Ayianna running for her life. Quickly, it becomes clear that this is not just an isolated event—that her father was keeping some important secrets and that their world is facing a great danger. Reluctantly teaming up with an elf named Kael, Desmond her betrothed, and Prince Vian, Ayianna sets off to find her mother and unravel the mystery her father left behind.
Much more happens during the course of this trilogy, but since this is a spoiler-free review, I’ll keep from going into any more detail about the plot. However, I will say it remains consistently fresh and intriguing throughout the entire narrative. There is plenty of gripping action and adventure, surprising revelations, and mysteries that keep you wanting more. I particularly loved the fight scenes, especially when the characters were up against frightening creatures like the imps. This made for many exciting and heart-pounding moments.
Occasionally, I found that the plot sometimes became a bit slow and repetitive, primarily in the first novel. For instance, when Ayianna and her companions begin their journey through the forest, it progresses a bit slowly with the characters arguing about the same things—Vian and Desmond wanting to lead them in another direction and Kael insisting he knows where to go. While there are some moments of action and adventure, it felt as though a lot of this portion of their journey consisted of this with not quite enough variety in their interactions. However, this was not a frequent issue.
The best part of these novels is the incredibly beautiful and detailed writing. Mbewe has a great talent with words, taking the magic and fantasy to a new level. The worldbuilding is absolutely fantastic the whole way through and makes you feel like you are really in the world. Mbewe constructs it in a way that is original but has that classic fantasy novel style and feel. Every setting enhances the tone of the scene that takes place in it and adds tons of dimension to the plot.
On top of the vivid descriptions of the world, Mbewe fills it with its’ own very interesting history. This element adds so much more depth to the story. It is clear that she put a huge amount of time and effort into imagining every bit of it. There are also plenty of different creatures that add to the fantastical nature of the narrative. This also adds variety to the characters as they are not all humans. And each type of creature has a part in the history of the world with fully developed backgrounds.
Mbewe completes the building of the plot with some very well-created and multi-dimensional characters. Even some of the more minor characters are developed fully. Kael was definitely my favorite out of everyone. His personality and dialogue are some of the best aspects of the story. He is sarcastic and funny with a true heart of gold and is just plain loveable
It took me a little while to decide how I felt about Ayianna as I did not entirely connect with her at first. However, she proved to be quite a strong heroine in the long-run. There were times where I felt she was not quite reaching her full potential when it came to being the tough, independent character she is through the majority of the book. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is a pretty accurate reaction to the situation she has been thrown into. Her life goes through so much upheaval and she is dealing with a massive amount of grief. Yet she pushes through it and bravely carries on through this journey.
One other issue I had with the characters at times was that their emotions were not always addressed in a consistent or realistic way. There were many instances where I did not think Ayianna’s feelings and thoughts matched up with the gravity of the situation. After everything she had gone through, her reaction lacked some intense emotion it could have had, allowing the reader to connect and sympathize with her even more. The early tension between Kael and Ayianna seemed a bit confusing. It quickly felt a bit forced and like there was not really a need or reason for it. That being said, I absolutely loved their dialogue with each other and ended up really liking their relationship.
I do consider the issues I did have with the narrative rather minor in the grand scheme of things. The characters developed well throughout the course of these books and they grew into their newfound roles. None of the main characters are ever one-dimensional and they became more complex as the narrative progressed. Constantly growing as people and in their relationships with each other, they are always interesting to follow and learn more about. The worldbuilding remains detailed and vibrant, expanding more and more, and is always fully and uniquely constructed. The writing is consistently rich and beautiful. Overall, this is a really solid trilogy.
July 19, 2020
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/uvCqGUksibc
I feel a little bit like Frodo from Lord of the Rings right now.
“It’s done.”
I honestly had no words when I finished reading this book. It took me on an adventure and left me DEEPLY wondering if these characters would be successful.
So much hoping.
So much fighting.
So much...crying?
Yes, I cried. And more than once so be forewarned readers! I cried because I was happy and because I was sad. I felt like a little ball of emotions throughout all of this. Just…yes. Let's leave at that.
The maze was incredible! I was totally riveted during those chapters/scenes (through the whole book really, but especially this part). Just gave me chills and angst. Haha!
There might have been a time or two I wanted to yell "STOP HURTING MY ELF KAEL!!!" Haha! He grew so much in Curse Bound, but he had to go through some hardships that just made me ache. He's such an awesome hero!
Overall, this was a perfect conclusion to The Hidden Dagger Trilogy! I'm not sure what else I can say since my heart is over here still recovering, but it's not to be missed for fans of these stories.
*(I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.)*
I feel a little bit like Frodo from Lord of the Rings right now.
“It’s done.”
I honestly had no words when I finished reading this book. It took me on an adventure and left me DEEPLY wondering if these characters would be successful.
So much hoping.
So much fighting.
So much...crying?
Yes, I cried. And more than once so be forewarned readers! I cried because I was happy and because I was sad. I felt like a little ball of emotions throughout all of this. Just…yes. Let's leave at that.
The maze was incredible! I was totally riveted during those chapters/scenes (through the whole book really, but especially this part). Just gave me chills and angst. Haha!
There might have been a time or two I wanted to yell "STOP HURTING MY ELF KAEL!!!" Haha! He grew so much in Curse Bound, but he had to go through some hardships that just made me ache. He's such an awesome hero!
Overall, this was a perfect conclusion to The Hidden Dagger Trilogy! I'm not sure what else I can say since my heart is over here still recovering, but it's not to be missed for fans of these stories.
*(I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts expressed are my own and was not required to write a positive review.)*
July 15, 2019
It's bittersweet to come to the end of this trilogy that I started reading nearly 5 years ago with Secrets Kept. Curse Bound covers events immediately after Darkened Hope and follows several different groups of characters from the original quest: Ayianna and Prince Vian traded their lives for the safety of their friends and are now captive in the heart of enemy territory. Kael, Jathil, and Tariq frantically search for the final ingredient to craft a life-saving tonic. Finally the remnants of the Guardian Circle prepare for war in the city of Praeten and watch over the sleeping cursed bound citizens in Kvazkhun.
Though it's been over a year since I last read this series, I was able to quickly reacquaint myself through the character list at the beginning of the book which spotlights each main character and their role in the series thus far. I think it would be possible for someone to jump straight to Curse Bound, but reading the trilogy through would be more preferred to give background and foster connection to the characters. The story continues where it left off from the previous book at full speed.
Appropriately, considering the title, much of the conflict of the novel comes through curses: Some are physically affecting curses, like the harpy curse which threatens to consume Ayianna or the Sorceress' curse on the plains' people that compel them to serve her. Others are subtle, like Kael's struggles to overcome his past failures or Vian's status as the marked firstborn of King Valdemar that makes him a target of Semine, who is convinced that his sacrifice will allow her evil mistress Raezana to rise again.
While I did enjoy the conclusion of this trilogy, I did feel a slight letdown on the ending in regards to the fate of one antagonist, because the story feels complete minus that one character. However, I have a feeling that perhaps it was intentionally left open-ended by the author so she can return to this story world and write more about Nälu in the future ... Other than that, I think overall, with diverse characters, detailed world building, and a subtle spiritual thread, The Hidden Dagger Trilogy is a solid indie debut for author J. L. Mbewe and is unique entry in the growing Christian Fantasy market.
[Disclosure: I received a complimentary ARC of this novel for review purposes.]
Though it's been over a year since I last read this series, I was able to quickly reacquaint myself through the character list at the beginning of the book which spotlights each main character and their role in the series thus far. I think it would be possible for someone to jump straight to Curse Bound, but reading the trilogy through would be more preferred to give background and foster connection to the characters. The story continues where it left off from the previous book at full speed.
Appropriately, considering the title, much of the conflict of the novel comes through curses: Some are physically affecting curses, like the harpy curse which threatens to consume Ayianna or the Sorceress' curse on the plains' people that compel them to serve her. Others are subtle, like Kael's struggles to overcome his past failures or Vian's status as the marked firstborn of King Valdemar that makes him a target of Semine, who is convinced that his sacrifice will allow her evil mistress Raezana to rise again.
While I did enjoy the conclusion of this trilogy, I did feel a slight letdown on the ending in regards to the fate of one antagonist, because the story feels complete minus that one character. However, I have a feeling that perhaps it was intentionally left open-ended by the author so she can return to this story world and write more about Nälu in the future ... Other than that, I think overall, with diverse characters, detailed world building, and a subtle spiritual thread, The Hidden Dagger Trilogy is a solid indie debut for author J. L. Mbewe and is unique entry in the growing Christian Fantasy market.
[Disclosure: I received a complimentary ARC of this novel for review purposes.]
July 12, 2019
Curse Bound is powerfully emotional. It was quite an adventure and man, was I worried about these characters. I couldn’t believe how attached I was. I felt like these were my friends and I needed to get into this world and help them. Whew.
J. L. Mbewe’s writing as absolutely breathtaking. The world building is incredible. I could see the scenes perfectly in my mind, and this helped the realistic feel, even as a fantasy. I love when fantasy is written so well, you forget it isn’t real! That takes talent, and Mbewe certainly has that!
As I said, the characters were wonderfully realistic. I absolutely loved Kael. His growth in this story was monumental and made him a super strong main character.
I’m really impressed with this book. I highly recommend checking it out! Great characters, great writing – it’s certainly a worthwhile fantasy to read!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Unicorn Quester. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
J. L. Mbewe’s writing as absolutely breathtaking. The world building is incredible. I could see the scenes perfectly in my mind, and this helped the realistic feel, even as a fantasy. I love when fantasy is written so well, you forget it isn’t real! That takes talent, and Mbewe certainly has that!
As I said, the characters were wonderfully realistic. I absolutely loved Kael. His growth in this story was monumental and made him a super strong main character.
I’m really impressed with this book. I highly recommend checking it out! Great characters, great writing – it’s certainly a worthwhile fantasy to read!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Unicorn Quester. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
December 19, 2024
It's been a very long time since I read the first two in the series, so I was a little fuzzy on some of the beginning details. But the book was a great closing to an epic series.
December 24, 2019
I've been following this series and waiting with bated breath for the final chapter in the trilogy for what seems like forever!!! I feel like I need to re-read the entire trilogy back-to-back-to-back at some point, but my memory is pretty good and I didn't want to wait... so I snatched this up and read it as soon as it was available. And it was every bit the epic conclusion I'd been hoping for. The characters all had to dig deep and face some of their greatest fears. The epic war that has been building throughout the trilogy broke across the world and for a while I was extremely concerned about all of the characters and worried that none of them would survive all the difficulties they were having.
I feel like reviewing final books in series is always a bit of a difficult thing, because I don't want to spoil anything (like ANYTHING), but what I can say is that the promise of books 1 and 2 was kept. The characters grew mightily. The book took me on the final leg of the quest and made me cry (both happy and sad tears). It brought me to the edge of my seat and it made me want to jump into the story and wrap several of my favorite characters in bubble wrap and kidnap them from their author to protect them... this trilogy is epic and I loved it. The only downside is that it's over.
I feel like reviewing final books in series is always a bit of a difficult thing, because I don't want to spoil anything (like ANYTHING), but what I can say is that the promise of books 1 and 2 was kept. The characters grew mightily. The book took me on the final leg of the quest and made me cry (both happy and sad tears). It brought me to the edge of my seat and it made me want to jump into the story and wrap several of my favorite characters in bubble wrap and kidnap them from their author to protect them... this trilogy is epic and I loved it. The only downside is that it's over.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews