Cursebreaker Series: A Curse So Dark And Lonely

✍ Scribed by Brigid Kemmerer

• Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
• Year: 2019
• Tongue: en-US
• Weight: 279 KB
• Category: Fiction
• City: New York Bloomsbury 2019
• ISBN: 1681195097

✦ Synopsis

"Absolutely spellbinding." --Stephanie Garber,*#1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval and Legendary***
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***In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer. *
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Fall in love, break the curse. **

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. 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.

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From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Prince Rhen, heir to Emberfall, is cursed to repeat the autumn of his 18th birthday until he can find a woman to fall in love with him even as he transforms each season into a monstrous beast. The season resets after every failure-all 327 of them. When Harper intervenes in what looks like an abduction on the streets of Washington, DC, she is transported into another world. Instead of worrying about her dying mother or the risks her brother is taking to pay off their absent father's debts to a loan shark, Harper is trapped in Emberfall at the center of the curse. Harper, who has cerebral palsy, is shocked to learn that she is Rhen's last chance to break the curse. But Harper isn't sure if the fate of a kingdom can be enough to make her fall in love. Kemmerer's "Beauty and the Beast" retelling introduces a unique world filled with fantasy and menace. Rhen is an accomplished if pessimistic strategist while Harper is impulsive to the point of recklessness. Despite their obvious tension and occasional chemistry, Rhen's evolving friendship with his guard commander Grey is often more compelling than Harper's interactions with either man. While Harper and Rhen accomplish much over the course of the novel, this installment has little in the way of closure. VERDICT Rich world-building, hints of a love triangle, and unresolved questions will leave readers anxious to see what happens next. A strong choice.-Emma Carbone, ­Brooklyn Public Libraryα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

“Harper is the undisputed hero . . . Avoiding disability inspiration tropes, she is a fallible, well-rounded character who fights for the vulnerable and resists being labeled as such herself despite how others perceive her. A fast-paced, richly detailed feminist epic.” ― Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This enthralling modern fable champions altruism while illustrating intimacy's relationship with honesty, respect, trust, and consent.” ― Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A complex, creative, and compelling reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. ” ― School Library Connection, starred review

“A fresh twist on an old story. . . . Fans of Sarah J. Maas will be eager for this one.” ― Booklist

“Kemmerer knows how to blend a compelling story with a swoony romance, and the love triangle that inevitably develops . . . is organic and unforced because of strong characterization.” ― BCCB

“A unique world filled with fantasy and menace . . . will leave readers anxious to see what happens next.” ― School Library Journal

“Absolutely spellbinding. A Curse So Dark and Lonely expands on all the beloved themes of 'Beauty and the Beast' to create an intensely original retelling: one full of fierce new characters, wicked magic, and wondrous amounts of heart. Brigid Kemmerer doesn't just tell a story, she builds an entire world that you will never want to leave.” ― Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of CARAVAL and LEGENDARY

“I couldn't get this creative, suspenseful take on 'Beauty and the Beast' out of my head.” ― Sara Holland, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of EVERLESS

“Slow burning, big hearted, magical fun! I loved every minute.” ― New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins

“Heartwarming, thoughtful, and romantic: Brigid Kemmerer took me on a magical journey with this dark fairy tale about growing up, falling in love, and making impossible choices. I can't wait to see where these characters go next.” ― Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling co-author of MY LADY JANE and MY PLAIN JANE

“Beautifully dark, filled with wild adventure and a modern-day heroine every reader will find a bit of themselves in.” ― Alexandra Christo, author of TO KILL A KINGDOM

“Has everything you'd want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale: a finely-drawn fantasy world, a heroine rarely seen in fiction, and a tortured hero with a secret. I have only one complaint: I wish the sequel were already available!” ― Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of A SPARK OF LIGHT and SMALL GREAT THINGS

“Readers looking for a different sort of coming-of-age story or teen protagonists grappling with complex situations will fall in love with this romance-tinged novel.” ― Starred review, Booklist on MORE THAN WE CAN TELL

“A must-have for any YA collection. Give to teens who enjoyed A Boy Called It by Dave Pelzer or The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.” ― Starred review, School Library Journal on MORE THAN WE CAN TELL

“This book is going to fly off the shelves to all teens, but it will hold special interest for those looking for a tear-jerking romance and serious readers of realistic fiction.” ― VOYA on LETTERS TO THE LOST

“A great concept, delivered in a compulsively readable package . . . romance readers will stay up late to finish this very satisfying and heartfelt read.” ― Booklist on LETTERS TO THE LOST

“Explores the ideas of carving identity out of pain and the way perception colors expectations.” ― BCCB on LETTERS TO THE LOST

“Readers will find themselves rooting for the real Declan to win Juliet's heart the same way his online persona did. Consider this tale of modern star-crossed love as a first purchase for YA collections.” ― School Library Journal on LETTERS TO THE LOST

✦ Subjects

Kings, queens, rulers, etc. -- Fiction