Steel and Stone: The Curse of the Stone Keep

Cursed Kingdoms #2

by Silvana G. Sánchez

What if Prince Phillip failed to break Aurora's curse, and Hades whisked her away to his kingdom?

A princess with a secret and a cursed kingdom to save.

A mysterious illness has decimated the kingdom of Stonewall, snatching the king and queen’s lives. The barren Stone Keep is left in Princess Aurora’s hands, sustained only by the Steelborn’s coffers.

But Aurora wants more than her kingdom’s survival. And to lift the curse that burdens her kingdom, she must dive into the Netherworld and beg for the Dark Prince's help. The catch is, none who’s traveled to the Realm of Death has ever made it back.

Can she outwit the Dark Prince, and escape his island? And given the chance, will she want to?

A broken prince striving to risk it all in the name of true love.

When Aurora broke Prince Phillip’s heart, he vowed never to set foot in the Stone Keep. But when a coup rises against the crown of Whitehaven, the threat of war reopens his old wounds. Phillip must warn the kingdom of Stonewall.

Chaos ensues upon his arrival as Princess Aurora is dragged to the Netherworld, kidnapped by a dark god. To rescue the princess, Phillip will need his captain’s help, as they plunge into a journey riddled with dangers—the worst of which is facing the Lord of the Netherworld himself.

Will Phillip’s valiant heart conquer Aurora's and defeat the god of death?

Steel and Stone is the second book in the Cursed Kingdoms series, packed with old gods, valiant heroes, and morally grey heroines. If you like Enemies to Lovers, Hades and Persephone’s mythos, and twisted fairytales, you’ll LOVE Steel and Stone!

** This is a dark and steamy Sleeping Beauty retelling featuring morally grey heroes. This is an enemies-to-lovers and fated-mates story suitable for 18+. Steel and Stone is the second book in the Cursed Kingdoms series and the story will continue through future books. **

Books in this series include:

Ash and Snow
Steel and Stone
Cinders and Blood
Fur and Thorns

Genres: Fantasy

ebook

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Silvana G. Sánchez weaves tales of forbidden love and redemption. Her pen blurs the lines between good and evil, writing compelling heroes and irresistible villains with a heart of gold.
She lives her own happily ever after with her dashing prince, Eric, and darling son, David, in their home in the mystical city of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Don’t be afraid to drop her a line. She doesn't bite. Not always, anyway.

Reviews

[Amanda Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really well written and enchanting. I found myself immediately drawn and wondering how it was going to play out. Also this one is standalone, so you don’t need to have read the first book! I didn’t, and I hadn’t felt lost when reading. I would have never thought to mix the Sleeping Beauty story— Aurora and Phillip— with Hades and Persephone. Like Aurora traveling to the Netherworld, and Phillip (eventually) going after her, a dark god, Prince Hades… Though there is a fated mates trope, at first it definitely didn’t feel like a straightforward love story as there were many different playing characters.

Thank you R&R Tours for the early copy!

[Sumbul Arsalan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rarely rate a book less than 3 stars but sometimes stories are good but they need some improvements. Same happened with me with "Steel and Stone".

The story had lots of different characters coming and going, but their personalities didn't change much as the story went on.

I found it confusing that Phillip liked Eloise but was chasing Aurora. The story could have had more exciting parts.

Aurora seemed uncertain when she entered the death realm and quickly got close to someone for comfort. Her fast attraction to "Daegal" after just a few hours felt strange. It would have been nice if Aurora's character became stronger throughout the story.

The story mostly happened in the netherworld, but it didn't feel like it was moving forward.

The surprise twist with Hades and Persephone at the end was unexpected, but it happened too quickly, so I couldn't enjoy it fully.

[Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Book Release Day to Steel & Stone by Silvana G. Sanchez! I was an ARC reader for it and loved it! Binged this one right after book one and loved this one as well. These are fast-paced, fun, and steamy Fantasy Romance books.

If you're looking for a book with:
💛Slow burn adult fantasy romance
💛Enemies to lovers
💛Fated mates
💛Dual POV
💛Touch her and it's the end of you
💛Hades and Persephone mythos
💛Love Triangle
then this is for you!

This is book two in Silvana's Cursed Kingdoms series. Both are available to read now.

Silvana was also kind enough to gift me book one so I could catch up and I loved that as well. I will defintiely be reading the rest of this series! Tysm for letting me be an ARC reader! Xx

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you know when you wake up from a dream and go, “Wow. That was a weird one.” Steel and Stone reminds me of that. Let me explain.

This book is a mix of Greek mythology and a classic fairytale. Hades & Persephone and Sleeping Beauty. To combine those two, you get a pretty cool mashup.

Each character had their own unique backstory which I really appreciated. The prose was very pretty. It had a very classic fairy-tale feel that swept me away, transporting me to another time.

And while I enjoyed the author’s ability to describe things in a whimsical and beautiful way, there were things that I felt were lacking, which if done a little differently, could have made me love this book more.

As a reader who only knows the basics when it comes to Greek mythology, there were times in this book where I had to stop and look up who/what was being described. There were certain creatures that are introduced by name, but are never fleshed out more than that. Which stinks because it took me out of the story a few times.

The dual POVs, which I really enjoyed, were unfortunately lopsided for me. I liked one POV over the other, (Philip over Aurora) which really bummed me out because everytime they switched, I found myself wanting to just get through the chapter to make it back to Philip’s. I honestly would have read an entire book with just his storyline.

The romance for me, again from Aurora’s POV, felt hollow. Philip’s POV regarding romance was much better. It was deeper and I was way more connected to his love story. Also, the more mature love scenes in this book were fantastic. Very beautifully and tastefully done.

At times I thought, well maybe it’s written this way because it’s going for a classic fairytale vibe. A lot of the classics have “love at first sight”. I’m not sure if this is what the author was going for, but it’s what I had to convince myself was happening. This problem “works itself out” in the end, but all I could keep thinking (and writing in my notes) through the start of Aurora’s romance storyline was, “This isn’t believable.”

The twist was good. You sort of see it coming though, especially if you read the chapter titles. (I don’t recommend this!!!)

I was happy with the way the story had a nice little bow placed on top at the end. Very satisfying.

Overall, if you are familiar with Greek mythological creatures and figures, classic fairytale storytelling, and beautiful prose that transports you to medieval times, you will really enjoy this book.

3/5 stars!

**I received this copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

[Bookish Lady Night · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book review: This book was amazing! So well written I absolutely love sleeping beauty and any Hades and Persephone retelling! You will totally be submerged in this enchanting tale! It’s steamy romance along with a wonderful story. It’s faced paced but you don’t feel lost with any of it. The cover also is stunning so it hooked me before I even opened it but once I started reading I felt the constant urge to just keep reading. The world building and the touches woven through of mythology is wonderful. The characters are well rounded and the emotions the books takes you through are really good. I loved her take on fated mates and I absolutely love dual POV books! It’s a standalone but there is a first book that you can read but you totally don’t have to you won’t feel lost at all with this story. Definitely a great read for your list!

If you're looking for a book with:
❤️Slow burn adult fantasy romance
❤️Enemies to lovers
❤️Fated mates
❤️Dual POV
❤️Touch her and it's the end of you
❤️Hades and Persephone mythos
❤️Love Triangle

@silvanagsanchez @rrbooktours
#rrbooktours #rrbtsteelandstone #cursedkingdoms #steelandstone #silvanagsanchez #fantasyromancebooks #fantasyromance #romantasy #hades #hadesandpersephone #fairytaleretelling #darkfantasybooks #booksofinstagram #spicyreads #spicybooks #spicybookstagram #bookish_lady_night

[Lois Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a mash up retelling of Sleeping Beauty and Hades and Persophone and I was here for it! what a creative twist. It was a little long for my usual read but I’m not complaining about it. It was a great world to spend time in. Aurora was so curious and strong going through what she did. Phillip was very determined to help her and her kingdom despite his broken heart. Can’t wait to read the next book.

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are slight kernels of the classic Sleeping Beauty in this story but I find much more of a connection to Greek Mythology. The Hades/Persephone and Orpheus/Euridice stories have a stronger connection. I was wavering on my rating as this is an extremely well written book, with descriptive language, especially for settings. My one struggle was with the Princess Aurora character and how she vacillated in her feelings, and as you read the book, you will see what I mean. The first person perspective from her at times made you want to say "What?!!" I was happiest with the story of Prince Phillip and Eloise - there was a constancy there that let you project and you were then happy with your projection. By all means, read this book, it is lengthy, but it will definitely evoke a response from you, which all great stories do!

[cecereads23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this book when I saw the cover, I was like this will be something that I like. I did not really know a lot more and I think that this was a good thing. I loved the way that we saw the relationships in this book with the core idea of what the word ‘fated’ means. Aurora was a character who gave up it all for her kingdom and Philip wants to help Aurora come back however, add Hades in the mix and we all know that we are going to be in for a bumpy ride. I loved the Greek myth element and how it played out and the spicy themes were very spicy. It was a great build up with a great pay off and I cannot wait to read more in this world and this author. This gave me everything I needed and considering my month has not been great when it comes to reading this month it did exactly what it did on the tin. I found myself rooting for all the characters and my emotions changed during the book towards the different people in the book especially as things started to change and you see that what if it’s not your fate that you thought, and it was a fate that is even further back. This world is intricate and I am so intrigued to know what could be next because it is a wide enough world to know that this is something that can only grow especially when a certain God is mentioned a number of times.

[Sapphyre Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steel and Stone by Silvana G Sánchez is book 2 in the Cursed Kingdoms series.
I enjoyed the first one but this one was better for me. From the snippets we saw of Phillip in book 1, I had a poor opinion of him but he has grown in my estimations throughout book 2. And even though this is book 2, you can read it without having read book 1. Silvana’s writing is so lovely and descriptive so you should definitely also go read the first book 💜
Steel and Stone went very differently from what I was expecting. I love that we have Greek mythology entwined in this Sleeping Beauty retelling. It’s not a combination you would expect but I am here for it. Throughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more.

[elder_millennialnitemar_reads (Ashley) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚔️Steel & Stone Review⚔️
@silvanagsanchez
Book #2 in the Cursed Kingdoms series

Although this is the second book, it acts as a standalone!

I love fairytale retellings, Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite!

The story is a beautiful blending of Aurora, Philip, Persephone, and Hades.

This book was amazing! I consider this a MUST read! Enemies to lovers will get me every time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

You should check it out if the below are your jams:

⚔️ Dual POV
⚔️ Mythology Blending
⚔️Morally Grey MCs
⚔️Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Slow Burn 🔥
⚔️Dark Fairytales

Thank you so much #RRBookTours and #SilvanaGSanchez for this gifted copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion. I had a fabulous time with this read!

[Marie Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this hadn't been an ARC, I probably would have quit reading it about a quarter of the way in. It did get better, but I did never truly get into the book the way I did with book 1. It wasn't what I'd expected out of the Philip and Aurora story from what we'd seen of Philip in book 1. It says it has "morally grey heroines" but doesn't really deliver. And the final battle gets over so quickly that I hardly noticed there was a battle.

Thankfully, this series moves on to new characters and new retellings with each book. So I'm holding out hope that Cinderella's story in book 3 is more my style.

[Shy Mysterious · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Book Review: Steel and Stone - Cursed Kingdoms: Book 2 by Silvana G. Sánchez 🏰

Hey there, fellow bookworms! 📖✨

I had the incredible opportunity to dive into this dark and enchanting world, thanks to Booksirens and the talented Silvana G. Sánchez. Let me tell you, "Steel and Stone" is a gripping rollercoaster of a story that had me on the edge of my seat!

👸 Princess Aurora is no typical damsel in distress. She's got secrets that would make your jaw drop! When a deadly curse takes hold of her kingdom, she embarks on a dangerous journey to the Netherworld, seeking the aid of none other than Prince Hades himself. But escaping his shadowy domain isn't child's play.

⚔️ Enter Prince Phillip, who's got a broken heart and an undying love to reclaim. The chemistry between Aurora and Phillip is electric, and the enemies-to-lovers theme had me hooked from the get-go. Plus, if you're a fan of Hades and Persephone's mythos, you're in for a treat!

💔 There's drama, there's danger, and there's a dark god thrown into the mix. With Aurora kidnapped and whisked away to the Netherworld, Phillip and his trusty captain have to brave the worst of dangers, including a face-off with the fearsome Prince Hades himself.

🖤 "Steel and Stone" is a dark and steamy Sleeping Beauty retelling with morally grey heroes that make the story all the more intriguing. If you're into twisted fairytales and fated-mates, you absolutely need this on your TBR list. Just a heads up, it's suitable for 18+ readers due to its intensity.

📚 And remember, this is only the second book in the Cursed Kingdoms series, so there's more epic storytelling to look forward to!

Warm Regards,
Mysterious Shy 🌙✉️

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit on the lengthy side - so not something that you're going to finish as a weekend read, but it's worth the read.

Sleeping Beauty meets Hades/Persephone is a masterfully woven retelling of both stories!! If you have doubts that this could be done then I suggest you open this book up.

A Princess with dark secrets, and feeling left without options. A dark offering to an even darker Lord. The Lord of Sleep a Prince of the Underworld. The Lord of Death. An alliance, a bargain.....a last ditch, hail mary to save her distraught Kingdom.

A Prince with a broken heart. Chasing a love that may not be worth chasing. A Prince who vowed to protect everything his lost love held dear. Is the promise one that can be kept in the midst of an attack of the Fae.

Oh - and if Sleeping Beauty and Hades were not enough action in this world there is conflict with the Fae who have waged war on the earthly Kingdoms.

A warrior Princess who was the friend who introduced old ceremonies and led the Princess Aurora into the hands of Hades.

What could possibly go wrong?

There are so many twists, turns and so much action that the reader will never get bored. So even with it's length you are captivated, held in awe. You find yourself wondering what will happen next.

I did at times question the poetic love of Phillip - I mean he did state that when she took the ring off in the first scene that he knew her love was not real. And yet, despite this, he actually protects her Kingdom and then follows her into the underworld???

And Aurora - her feelings are always changing.

Definately a good read!!!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Clarice · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

3/5 ⭐️

I gave this book 3 stars because I honestly can’t decide if I love it or hate it! Haha. It was hard to get in to, partly because the author overused uncommon descriptor words that made it feel like they went to the thesaurus every time they needed to describe something. It just messed up the flow for me. The other thing was that the author used the actual technical names for pieces of the armor that made me have to stop and go look up pictures to figure out what the characters were doing or looked like (so if you’re not an armor aficionado, have some kind of reference handy!). I also feel like the book leaves the reader in a lot of confusion for a long time, that can be hard to stick through because you’re meeting characters and events are happening that are trivial and you don’t really start getting answers until over halfway into the book. The overall idea for the story was great (I kinda wish it had been a dualology or even a trilogy because this story has so much potential) I just felt like it needed a little refinement to remove some of the fluff and add more forward movement. It’s VERY plot heavy, which I enjoy, but it was a lot of little movement to set up for the major stuff at the end of the book. It felt like the end was rushed because so much happened at once. I also liked that it was dual POV, even if I didn’t enjoy one of the POVs as much as the other. It’s an added layer to see how each side of this story progresses and all comes together in the end. If you want an emotional roller coaster, then check this book out!

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥🌹𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞•𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪🌹🔥

🌹𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗕𝗬 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗩𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗚. 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗭
🌹𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️//𝟱
🌹𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝟮 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗦 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦

★☆★

Thank you so much to @silvanagsanchez & @rrbooktours for my gifted eARC and the opportunity to read and review 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Oh my gosh this book was absolutely everything to me. A Sleeping Beauty/Hades and Persephone retelling?! Literally say no more. I instantly knew I could not miss this one, and it didn’t disappoint!

I literally ate this book up, I couldn’t put it down! The twists and turns were amazing and kept my enthralled throughout the entirety of the book. I really loved the world building and thought the mythology and lore was written very well and blended with the plot of the story beautifully. I loved the Sleeping Beauty AND Hades and Persephone vibes - it made for some pretty unique world building and plot lines but it was excellently written!

I enjoyed the characters and the relationship dynamics between Aurora and Phillip. Their chemistry was amazing and the enemies to lovers storyline between them had me swooning on multiple occasions. I loved that we got a dual POV storyline! It’s always so amazing being able to read the story and see the plot from different POVs!

Overall, this was an amazing read!! I definitely recommend if you love:
🔥Morally Grey MCs
🔥Dark and Steamy Fairytale Retellings
🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥Fated Mates
🔥Slow Burn Romance
🔥Dual POVs

This is Book 2 in the Cursed Kingdoms series, but it can be read as a standalone!🌹🔥

★☆★

[Lois Karasek · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of diverse players in this story, but not so many that you can't keep them straight. Most of them come directly from Greek mythology. There are a lot of different iterations of the story surrounding the two main characters, but you will want to add this one to your library for sure. In this one, Persephone has an a.k.a., which is not revealed until the very end, so I'm not going to reveal it now.

We have good guys and bad guys, good guys that seem like bad guys, and vice-versa, and sometimes it is difficult to tell which is which, but they all share equally in the mystery, the majority of which takes place in the Netherworld, the realm of Hades. The story begins, however, in the upperworld, where the realm of Stonewall is being threatened for takeover by the tyrant Maegon: Stonewall is under the auspices of Princess Aurora, who is fated to Prince Phillip of Steelborn. Aurora falls under a sleep spell by Hypnos, the Lord of Slumber. and is taken to the Netherworld. When Phillip finds out she's gone, he and his faithful captain, Eloise Moorskill, go after her. The tests they must pass and hurdles they must leap are numerous and challenging.

Be advised this is a lengthy story, so don't think it's going to be a quick read. Ms. Sanchez effectively weaves numerous interesting and exciting mini-stories within this extraordinary supernatural saga. It's a highly engrossing read, written beautifully.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Witchy Reads]

I DNF'd at 20%

Thank you to Goulish Books and BookSirens. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I requested an ARC copy because I thought this was a Hades and Persephone crossed with Sleeping Beauty retelling. And there is a bare-bones comparison to those two things, but nothing more.

This book is waaaaay too high fantasy for my liking. I also couldn't get into the characters or how they are written.

Phillip comes off as a whiny, nice guy, a "m'lady" type. He is supposedly head over heels in love with Aurora but also unabashedly flirts like his life depends on it with his Captain of the Guard, a woman. Honestly, I was most disappointed that their scenes together didn't always end in rough tumbling in the sheets. It was so heavy-handed that even the most lackadaisical reader would suffer epididymal hypertension, and not in a good slow-burn romance kind of way.

Aurora or Beauty is written very meek and is underwhelming as a WMC. The story goes back and forth between two storylines following each of these characters, and while Phillip was annoying, at least his story had something going on.

In the end, though, I couldn't muster my way through it. There is a potential for a story in there that I might enjoy, but this is clearly not the one for me, and that's okay.

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the cover photo of this book. It is so gorgeous. The title of the book is also quite interesting and I had to know what is going on inside the book.

This story plunges you into the action from the beginning, as Princess Aurora decides tо join Hades оn a perilous quest tо save her kingdom. The adventure begins as soon as she agrees tо gо with the chosen emissary, and the story never loses its momentum.

However, there were times when I felt confused оr lost. Maybe this іs because I'm not very familiar with the original story оf Sleeping Beauty. I have only read the Disney version of Sleeping Beauty hahaha. But I did enjoy the characters and the writing style. The character developments were great but I really wanted to see some more about Phillips and Aurora. The world-building is just fantastic and I could visualise myself in that beautiful world of fantasy. It was interesting tо see a different perspective and a different outcome. There were so many twists and turns and the book is filled with action and adventure.

I'm glad tо hear that there іs more tо come from the author! I'm looking forward tо it! I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves reading fantasy. Grab your copy today and you will love it.

[Nelli Lakatos · Rating 2 out of 5]

“ℋ𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝒷𝑒𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝑒-𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒, 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓁𝓂𝒶𝓉𝑒, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓃𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒. 𝒯𝓇𝓊𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝑜𝓇 𝓅𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓇𝒹𝒶𝒾𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓉𝑒. ℐ𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝓌𝒶𝓁𝓀𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝑒𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂 𝒶��𝒹 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓂, 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹, 𝓈𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒸𝒽𝒾𝓁𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓃. ℐ'𝒹 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒾𝓉.”

This novel was an interesting mix of Greek mythology, classical fairytale of Hades and Persephone and Sleeping Beauty.

To be honest I have been reading this book since October, not because I was bored or not interested in the storyline, I had just so many other books that I needed to read and this somehow wasn’t my priority. Even though I should have read it sooner for a book tour.

It’s kind of hard to gather my thoughts when I’ve been neglected this read for so long…

I enjoyed the story though, but something was missing from it, I felt like. It had Dual POV’s which I always love in a book. I liked Aurora’s characters better than Philip’s I found his quite boring and uneventful. It was unfortunate that Hades didn’t get a character since he definitely was my favorite of this whole book.

This is a second book in a series called Cursed Kingdom but it’s not necessarily to read book one before two. I’m pretty sure it’s following different characters and the storylines are completely different.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this twisted fairytale, we get not one but two epic love stories! Truth be told, I was on the edge of my seat from page one, that I didn't equate it to a retelling at all. That's how masterfully this is written. You don't have to be fairytale fan. Not to mention Hades and Persephone are my favorite Greek gods!

Aurora and Philip have a love for the ages however there is one love above Philip for Aurora. The people of her kingdom.

When a deadly disease befalls them, she summons Hades to plead for their lives. When she agrees to his terms, not even Philip can change her mind. But.....is it Hades? Will her people be saved? Will Philip get past his heartbreak?

This book has multiple point of views, drama, intrigue, romance to end all romances, action, fantastic worlds building and characters you fall in love with and root for. And Faes! You’ll read straight through without even realizing it.

I can't wait until book three. AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!!

[art.books.chemistry (SamE.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steel and Stone is like if you threw Sleeping Beauty qnd Persephone's origin story in a blender with a few pages of The Odyssey for seasoning. Sanchez weaves these stories together in such a way that they feel like their own cohesive tale but the Easter eggs are everywhere.

It's important to note that although the very beginning of this book intersects with the end of the first one (Ash and Snow), it is definitely a standalone. I can't decide whether I actually like our heroes and heroines, the author definitely loves her morally gray characters. But they are certainly strong and heroic during their various quests and adventures.

My only complaint is that it was starting to feel long. The chapters were nice and short allowing you to keep going in sequential order easily between the POVs but some of Beauty's parts felt repetitive at points, where nearly the same things happened day after day.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this! And I can't wait for the next book!

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Positives: This story has multiple POVs of the FMC and the MMC. It's a mix of monarchy and Greek mythology romantasy (which is unique and pretty cool). It is well written and not an ongoing series with an annoying cliffhanger. Happy endings.

Negatives: This book has 2 completing different ongoing stories with a lot of characters and it's a bit confusing. Yes they are related but not brought together until the end. It's a bit verbose. There's a lot of internal dialogue going on between conversations and it's easy to get lost and lose track of what the conversation was saying.

But if you like slow burns and a lot of backstory/character thoughts you'll probably enjoy this book.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

From the start of the story, it takes you right into it and what Princess Aurora wants to do. She has the guts to want to go with Hades to save her kingdom. The adventure starts as soon as she agrees to go with chosen emissary. It gets quite interesting.

I do have to stay, sometimes I felt like I was missing something. That could be due to the fact I never really paid much attention to the actual story of sleeping beauty. However, I did like the characters and how it was written. It gave another perspective and how things could have gone.

I like how there is more to come from the author! I can’t wait!

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a fairytale/mythology retelling and this was so beautifully I loved how unique it was and how cleverly the author spun it into something completely new and fresh. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and her characters. This is book two in Silvana's Cursed Kingdoms series, the first Ash and Snow is available now. I am so looking forward to the next in this series and the continuation of the Cursed Kingdoms series.

If you love slow burn, enemies to lovers, Hades/Persephone and adult fantasy romance this is definitely the book/series for you. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nikita Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Although this book was longer than I expected, I loved the way the read felt whimsical.

The author crossed a beloved fairytale and a Greek mythological tale, and the results were amazing! Totally unexpected and totally worth the read!

This story explores love in the romantic sense, the friendship sense and the sense of honour and duty.

The paths of the two main characters has many unexpected turns, but the end result was absolutely wonderful and so absolutely perfect!

This read has fantasy and adventure, spice, action and will keep you captivated!

I highly recommend this one!

[Nora Ellen (Nbbookery) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story started off pretty well. Aurora sacrifices herself for her people, Phillip tries to save her, sleeping curse, etc. Just good old Sleeping Beauty. Then, the author added in gods and goddesses, the fae, pirates, mythical creatures, you name it, it's in there. I thought there was way too much to focus on. The fairytale aspect got buried right from the get go, and we are left with a confusing mess of dieties and mortals, plus a minotaur. This bad boy was 80-something chapters, alternating between Phillip and Aurora's points of view, which I liked. The chaos, though? Not a fan. This was marketed as an adult twisted fairytale, but had pg-13 spice at best.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in the Cursed Kingdoms series, but you don’t need to have read book one to understand this one. I loved this book a lot more than the first. This book is a retelling of the sleeping beauty story that also offers some Hades and Persephone mythos thrown in for a bonus. This book offers the enemies to lovers’ trope with great characters. I love the world building and how you can really be immersed in the world. This is an 18+ read and feels like it with its steamy romance. After reading this book, I can say I am excited for the next one.

[Emelia (emeliaisreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.5

Dark Hades and Persephone romance with a Sleeping Beauty twist! If you love mythology and sleeping beauty (but add a little spice ✨), you don’t want to miss this one! Sánchez perfectly blends elements from both the classic Sleeping Beauty tale and the mythology behind Hades x Persephone, builds strong characters who you can easily fall in love with, all while incorporating strong world building, adventure and some unexpected twists! I absolutely enjoyed every minute! This is her second book in the Cursed Kingdom series, but it can be read as a stand-alone!

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I requested an ARC copy because I thought this was a Hades and Persephone crossed with Sleeping Beauty retelling. It hit the mark in some ways and missed as well.

As a fantasy genre lover, this is right up my alley. However, I wished the A story and B story were connected much sooner in the story. What I was expecting was very different from the synopsis of the overall book. I liked it but didn’t love it.

[Befany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whilst I enjoyed the story and the characters, I did struggle to fully engage with this book. The biggest challenge for me was the over-describing in each sentence; although it was pretty, everything was described in such a detailed way that it took away from the flow of the scene. It also made it hard to differentiate between general environment, and key locations we should be impressed by. The book would have been much shorter too if the writing was more to the point 😅

Overall, I do recommend the series as one to read and I look forward to the next one ☺️