A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer - Restarting August 14th 2023

[Klancy]

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

[✨ A ✨]

you need to add the authors name to the topic title 😃

[Klancy]

Thanks for letting me know! I added the author 👌🏻

[Max]

Will join, but a little bit late to this one!

[Klancy]

I'm so pumped to start this book today!

[Klancy]

19%

(view spoiler)[Harper just climbed down the trellis to try and escape. (hide spoiler)]

[Klancy]

32%

Evalyn commenting that the Secret Service sounds vicious actually made me laugh out loud.

[Klancy]

46%

Rhen is so soft and adorable. I love his character!

[Klancy]

I really liked this book! If you can't tell by the fact that I didn't update about it until after I finished it. 🤣I couldn't put the book down.

What did you guys think of the ending? (view spoiler)[With Rhen becoming the monster and taking out the enermy's army and it being revealed Grey could be the heir to the throne (hide spoiler)]

[✨ A ✨]

Im going to start this on the weekend, I'm really excited!

[Klancy]

Azrah wrote: "Im going to start this on the weekend, I'm really excited!"

Hope you enjoy it! 🤗

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

I’m hoping to start this weekend too, I’m hoping your speedy read through means it’s good 😛

[Klancy]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "I’m hoping to start this weekend too, I’m hoping your speedy read through means it’s good 😛"

It helps that things at work were super slow so I could focus on reading more, but I definitely didn't want to put the book down! It was good 😁

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Started this today at work and was mad when I had to stop so I’m looking forward to diving back in tonight.

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

@klancy I’m not sure how to post my reading updates in this group via my phone. (I’m so used to using GRs through a PC.) I’m moving through this book fairly quickly though, it’s really compelling and I’m hooked. I’m doing updates via my profile so I’ll copy and paste them here when I finish if that works!

[✨ A ✨]

Im starting

[✨ A ✨]

@crystal did you find a spot on the spreadsheet for this book yet?

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Not yet Azrah, can’t find a decent one to add it to aside from the large pg count one.

[✨ A ✨]

I'll check for you : D maybe we can shift something around

[✨ A ✨]

Chapters 1 - 10 (view spoiler)[i like how feisty Harper is. And I'm liking Grey a lot more than Rhen at the moment. (hide spoiler)]

[Klancy]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "@klancy I’m not sure how to post my reading updates in this group via my phone. (I’m so used to using GRs through a PC.) I’m moving through this book fairly quickly though, it’s really compelling a..."

I feel like that should work! You can ask Sarah or Abby too if you want to confirm if it's alright.

@Azrah (view spoiler)[I also really liked Harper! I thought she was hilarious whenever she sassed Grey or Rhen (hide spoiler)]

[✨ A ✨]

Chapters 11 - 23 (view spoiler)[i love Grey so much!! And I find it hilarious how jealous Rhen is of Grey and Harper's friendship even though he won't admit it to himself 😂. (hide spoiler)]

[Klancy]

Crystal, you could read the book for #45 read a book with two letter 'R's in the title

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

14% (view spoiler)[ I am really loving the heroine and teenage badass Harper. She is determined and certainly isn’t a damsel in distress. The lengths she goes to return home like climbing out a castle window and down a trellis with cerebral palsy shows how little shit she takes from anyone. And one can always admire someone who sticks up for others especially strangers. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

18 %(view spoiler)[ All these references to the horrible monster that he is. At first I was thinking wolf but now I’m not so sure. He says it changes each season, that's curious. And way to leave the reader guessing :) (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

36% / 38% (view spoiler)[ "Damn this is good. I have so many feelings for our hero, or maybe we can call him an anti hero. It’s no wonder his curse manifests in multiple ways when even after all this time he hasn’t learned a thing. His hierarchical upbringing is so ingrained even basic emotion is too much to ask. But goodness all this time and he’s basically done so little. How interesting the author wrote these scenes where you’re almost rooting for Grey, more than the prince, but then she quickly slides him back in like “don’t forget about him.” It’s like he has all these internal convictions and emotions that he knows are right yet outwardly his ego disallows him from acting on them.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[✨ A ✨]

Chapters 24 - 32 done (view spoiler)[im loving the vibes between Rhen and Harper. That dancing scene 👌

Lilith is psychotic and I hate what she does to Rhen. (hide spoiler)]

[✨ A ✨]

finished! (view spoiler)[i kinda guessed that grey was the halfling but it still came as a shock 😂. I like that Harper isn't completely in love. Because that would have been the predictable route for the story to go. I'm so excited for the next book and I hope we get a Grey POV (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

40% (view spoiler)[ How interesting the author wrote these scenes where you’re almost rooting for Grey, more than the prince, but then she quickly slides him back in like “don’t forget about him.” It’s like he has all these internal convictions and emotions that he knows are right yet outwardly his ego disallows him from acting on them. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

60%
(view spoiler)[First I hated Rhen’s inflated ego, then his total lack of care. It’s like after all this time he’s just given up and yet he’s never really tried. Where’s the fire, the passion, the need to do what’s right? More than halfway through and I’m kind of upset with his lack of growth. Every step forward Harper makes with him, his lackluster fire fades more and takes them two steps back. Honestly I can’t believe grey has stood by him so long smh (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished
Thoughts (view spoiler)[ Omg that ending, it's like a cliffhanger but not. And I really really hope the next book is Grey's. There are so many new questions and stories to tell! Once we knew there was a halfing, it was rather obvious who it was. (hide spoiler)]

[Tiera]

I have seen people reading this and saying it was wonderful. So I thought I would give it a shot!
7% - (view spoiler)[ Wait is this a beauty and the beast retelling... I'm getting those vibes.. (hide spoiler)]
26% - (view spoiler)[ This totally is a beauty and the beast retelling! I love it! Never read the blurb but the retelling aspect is kind of hidden in plain site! So clever so far, to make it recognizable and at the same time wholly new! (hide spoiler)]
37% (view spoiler)[ Love the characters, Harper has a great duality, fierce warrior, meets compassionate saint.. I'm getting vibes that the author is setting up Grey and Harper... Not sure if I'm down with that. (hide spoiler)]
46% (view spoiler)[ Yay finally getting some chemistry between Rhen and Harper.. I was getting a little worried that the author was going to end the story with some kind of insta love curse breaking ! (hide spoiler)]
69% (view spoiler)[ 😊 Aww Harper and Rhen's little courtship is cute.. I'm starting to get up in my feels despite how mushy it is lol! (hide spoiler)]
72% (view spoiler)[ "Because I have fallen in love with her" *sigh* I feel like that is almost the real curse breaker, the spoiled selfish prince finally loving something more than himself.. (hide spoiler)]
Finished: Well well, (view spoiler)[ Love the ending, with the HEA meeting TBC.. I wonder if the next in the story will be a retelling of a different tale. In all honesty though there were several parts that moved pretty slow.. I was never bored so to speak. I think the author did a great job of making this all her own but keeping it recognizable which is magic in itself! This one was a win for me and I love Grey so I'm really excited to see where this is heading! (hide spoiler)]

[Alice]

Chapter 10
(view spoiler)[ Okay so I'm having mixed feelings about Rhen, it's like he's hot one moment and then cold another. I'm really loving Grey and I figured that he's more than what meets the eyes, and so I'm super excited to learn more about him. Harper is just agh she's a very raw/real MC and I think that's awesome. So far I'm intrigued by the story but not entirely pulled in. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Yeah who knows when I'll get to this..

[Maddie]

I still haven't finished a book this month..

[Maddie]

Turns out I'll start it next as an audio XD

[Alice]

Maddison wrote: "Turns out I'll start it next as an audio XD"

Take your time lol

[Maddie]

Not sure how far in I'll get, but hopefully it isn't too hard to follow on audio.

[Maddie]

Are you able to update in %? I'm doing the ebook and it doesn't list the chapters as I go.

14% (view spoiler)[This jumped right in! I'm already invested, although I'm not a fan of the potential love triangle between her, Grey and Rhen.
It's also strange how she just accepts there's a curse.. Assuming she knows already XD It got right into it super quick! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

How far through are you now?

[Maddie]

I'm not sure whether to continue it tomorrow, or whether to start something new..

[Alice]

Maddison wrote: "I'm not sure whether to continue it tomorrow, or whether to start something new.."

I'm actually almost done with the book, I've just been so into it that I couldn't put it down! But yeah I could update with percentages.

[Alice]

79%
(view spoiler)[ Oh my, I'm just waiting for all this nice shit to fall apart. Like okay, everything is going good awesome, everyone is supporting Rhen and Emberfall people are loving Harper. Now I'm just waiting for that moment where I'm like Yep that's where it's going to start going downhill ya know? But so far still loving the story, I'm not obsessed with Rhen, but he's okay for now. I still loooooooveee Grey, but I don't ship him with Harper because I feel like he deserves someone different. I still love Harper, and omg yay for Freya and I loooovee Zo! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Oh wow alright. Bummer. I'll keep going tomorrow.

[Alice]

Maddison wrote: "Oh wow alright. Bummer. I'll keep going tomorrow."

I could wait for you if you'd like that. :)

[Maddie]

No you're all good. I read to 20% today, will read a bit more tonight as well. I'm loving it! It doesn't seem like anything special yet but for some reason I'm falling in love with it. I did love the few Elementals books of hers I read, think I need to read all of her books

[Alice]

Maddison wrote: "No you're all good. I read to 20% today, will read a bit more tonight as well. I'm loving it! It doesn't seem like anything special yet but for some reason, I'm falling in love with it. I did love t..."
Awesome, I actually just finished.

[Alice]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Okay what in the actual hell I totally didn't see that ending coming. I had to re-read the last couple of chapter 3 times to actually understand what happened! I'm praying that the next book has Grey's POV, because I love him so much and because I am utterly lost. I am so excited for the next book, and cannot believe that I loved this book as much as I did. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Did you like it? I'm reading bits at a time.

[Jammin Jenny]

Starting this weekened