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    Cursed
    Cursed
    Cursed
    Audiobook11 hours

    Cursed

    Written by Jennifer L. Armentrout

    Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Dying sucks, and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies.

    Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things-including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming that Ember's curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities weird even her out.

    When Ember learns that the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to losing not only her heart but her life. For real this time.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 25, 2014
    ISBN9781494574352
    Cursed
    Author

    Jennifer L. Armentrout

    # 1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. Find her on Twitter @JLArmentrout or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

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    Reviews for Cursed

    4/5

    107 ratings19 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Plot: 3 stars
      Characters: 3 stars
      Style: 3 stars
      Pace: 3 stars

      I hate to say it, but I feel like I've read this same story elsewhere. Oh sure, in bits and pieces, but there was nothing that made this stand out in any way. It was just bland and predictable, from the little sister who can raise the dead (Which I swear, I remember reading in another unrelated book that involved an aunt and a car chase or three) to the oh so predictable love triangle and badddie who isn't and good guy who isn't conflict. It's like all the tropes of the YA universe rolled into a lackluster book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Really enjoyed this. Going to look and see if there is a sequel.
    • 5/5
      Jennifer L. Armenetrout has done it again! I hope this gets picked up for a sequel. Her writing is incredible and the characters are amazing
    • 3/5
      Goof book but it feels as of there was supposed to be a seconden part, except there isn´t...
    • 5/5
      I've waited for this book from the first time I read about it when it first was announced on Jennifer's official blog. Not to be able to touch anyone or anything without them dying  intrigued me and I instantly added Cursed to my TBR list.For seventeen year old Ember life isn't so easy. Having a gifted little sister who can bring back the dead to life and a mother who's out of it most of the time is hard. Ember is a very strong character who instead of giving up on her life two years ago when her dad died and her mum locked herself up, she took care of her little sister and herself. But no matter what, Ember still needs help, so when Hayden and his stepfather Cromwell, basically kidnap her, her sister and her mum, claiming that they can take care of them and help them control their gifts, Ember doesn't have a choice but to go along with them and see where it leads her, specially when secrets about the accident that changed her life forever starts to reveal. But Ember isn't welcomed from everyone at the new house because of her ability to kill with a simple touch, a curse rather than gift, or so she thought. To keep her sister, Ember places her trust in the hands of gorgeous Hayden whom she often finds herself wanting to kiss, to figure out who is threatening her and why and what really happened with her father.I loved, loved this book. Seriously, I just couldn't get enough, it was just that awesome. But really, I shouldn't be surprised. After all it was written by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Filled with mysteries and secrets, Cursed kept me always on edge, wondering who Ember was right to trust and who wasn't, who could be an enemy and who was a friend. Characters that you couldn't get enough of and a dangerous romance. Jennifer's writing is just so addicting! She makes the simplest touches so sensual and the ever present sexual tension that makes her books the hottest. You really should read this book. It was just so good and I loved every second of it. I hope there is a sequel to Cursed. I want more Ember and Hayden, they are so perfect together. Hayden is so hott, and so adorable. He made me go 'aww' in most of the scenes that I wasn't already swooning in. Fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout be prepared for a whole new level of hotness and a world unlike any other. 
    • 4/5
      Jennifer L. Armentrout always creates the most strongest and unique characters that always stay with me. The story starts out wonderfully and within the first few chapters, really builds up and takes off with a great ending that was quite satisfying but definitely has the potential to turn into a series - I really love that!Ember's 5 year old little sister has the ability to bring people and animals back to life. And after a horrible car accident that kills Ember and her father, little Olivia was able to get to Ember, touch her, and bring her back to life. Ever since then, Ember has been "cursed" with the the ability to kill all living things with the slightest touch - whether she touches you or you accidentally bump into her, there is absolutely nothing that can save you. Imagine being a teen that not only has to cope with everything that she has lost, but keep on a brave face and have to force herself to move on for her little sisters well-being and safe-keeping? I was amazed on how well rounded Armentrout created Ember's character - we were able to see her at her most vulnerable typical teen state, to how she is coping with her new responsibilities and loss, how she deals with her "curse" and then eventually, her interest in Hayden.Armentrout definitely knows how to create the most swoon-worthy love interests. Hayden is, of course, another strong male character who is genuinely caring and over-protective of his "family" and with Ember too. He may come off a bit creepy at first, but definitely likable. His abilities took me by surprise and are amazing. He is definitely one to keep your eye on. His family dynamic is unique and their abilities, although not surprising and a bit predictable, their personalities were right on target. Although the story has somewhat been done before and was a bit predictable too, it did grab and hold my attention and I ended up reading the whole book within a day. There is a mystery going on, I just couldn't put it down. And it did help that the relationship growing between Ember and Hayden was different and very moving. We definitely need more Hayden's in this world...Overall, I loved the entire story - it definitely gave me a 'X-Men' vibe with a contemporary mix and I really enjoyed all of the characters! I am definitely hoping that there will be a second book!... and soon!
    • 5/5
      Cursed is amazing. By the end of the first paragraph, I was hooked. Between the fast-paced, suspenseful plot and complex characters, I could not put this book down. Armentrout kept me guessing the entire time, and that doesn't happen often. I love the fact that nothing about this book is predictable. Be prepared to lose some sleep with this one.Ember, which sounds a lot like Amber, so I felt an instant kinship with her, is a unique and likable character. She's incredibly strong and independent, and even though she's jaded from the life she's lived, she's not whiny. She's a fighter, and she's incredibly loyal to those she loves. Armentrout has a talent for creating inspiring YA female leads, and Ember is no exception. She's very different from Katy and Bethany in the Lux series and Alex in the Covenant series, but she's awesome in her own right. I also am impressed by the fact that Armentrout can create so many unique female leads with individual voices. That's difficult to do, especially when you're writing as many series as she is. Hayden, while a bit creepy, is really kind of swoon-worthy. He knows he's a creeper, Ember knows he's a creeper, but he means well... or so it seems. In their situations, I don't really know how I would have reacted, had I been Ember. I also don't know if Hayden knows what normal conduct is and is not. That being said, I pretty much adored him, creeper or not. He's not the typical YA hero-type, and I love him even more for that. The plot is fast-moving, and while it's not completely action-packed, it's still intense and suspenseful. I could not figure out what was going on, and every time I learned one thing, ten more things would appear that I needed to figure out. There's a mysterious element to the plot that I enjoyed, and I had no idea who the bad guy was until it was revealed. I was a bit shocked. Armentrout had me totally convinced it was someone else. The pacing was spot on, and nothing felt rushed or too slow. The world-building was done well, and everything made sense. I got a good handle on the world Armentrout created. The ending tied things up nicely, but left room for a sequel. One question went unanswered. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries, sweet paranormal romances, and well, just good books in general. Cursed has a different feel than the Covenant series and the Lux series, and it's impossible to compare it to those to series. However, I enjoyed it in its own right, and I know this is a book I'll read and re-read about a billion times. Give Cursed a try. You won't be disappointed.
    • 4/5
      I always jump when I see the Jennifer is releasing a new book. I have not read any of her books and not liked them so CURSED was a no brainer, must read for me. Ember can not touch anyone or anything alive without fear that she will kill them. She takes care of her little sister and her depressed, catatonic mother on her own until one day when a mysterious boy her age changes everything. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like to be Ember. To not be able to be touched, kissed, held or hold, touch or kiss anyone else has to be pure torture. She takes very good care of her little sister with great sacrifice to herself and is just happy to make it day to day. When Hayden is first introduced to the story I could tell right away that he and Ember would have an instant connection. He was mysterious and likable with many sides to him. Ember quickly finds out that her and her sister are not alone in the supernatural world and are whisked away to live among others. Ember as you can imagine is not to happy to have her life uprooted and does not take anything that is told to her to heart. The relationship between Ember and Hayden is pretty rocky and has many ups and downs. They don't really trust each other which makes things harder.There was great character development throughout CURSED and some mystery on top of everything. There was some slow pacing in the beginning but once everything picked up I had no trouble staying connected to the story and characters. The mystery unravels at a good pace but the bad guy was a little obvious after a bit. It looks like CURSED is a stand alone novel but I wouldn't mind seeing another book added to it.
    • 5/5
      When I finished reading Cursed, I found myself eager for me. It is meant to be a stand-alone, but I hope that Armentrout decides to turn this one into a series down the line because I absolutely adored Ember and Hayden.At only 288 pages, Cursed is a quick read that readers will easily lose themselves in. I adore Armentrout’s Covenant series, as well as her Lux series, but I think Cursed might actually be my favorite of her titles. (I swear I say this every single time she release a new book, but it is true.)The story is set around Ember McWilliams and her younger sister, Olivia. After she and her father were killed in an accident – that led to her sister bringing her back to life – things for Ember have been tough. Her mother seems to be tuned out, unable to care for either her or her sister, leaving everything on Ember’s shoulders. That’s bad enough for any teenager, but when you also have the ability to kill someone with your touch? Well, that just makes things even more difficult.What Ember doesn’t know is that since the accident, people have been watching over her and her sister, and they know what both girls are capable of. When they bring the girls to an isolated location, she is left to wonder what they want with her, and what they are going to do to both her and her sister.But just when Ember thinks she knows what is going on, the truth is finally revealed, and it’s far from what she could’ve ever expected.Cursed was full of suspense, and a romance that’ll make Armentrout’s fans happy. The relationship between Ember and Hayden kind of reminds me of Alex and Aiden (that isn’t a bad thing). There were times when I wanted to scream at both Ember and Hayden, but the way Armentrout built their relationship was wonderful (there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments between them, I promise).Honestly, my only problem with this book is that it ended.I need moreeeeeeee.
    • 5/5
      Although I consider this book one of my favorites, I don't think I would be emotionally prepared to re-read if I ever decided to do so. For most of the book I felt sad and depressed but I was still invested in the story, well, that's understandable since Ember, the main character's touch kills. I guess I shouldn't have expected her to be all lively and happy, not being able to have that connection with someone is certainly a depressing existence. This is one of those books that I had to step away from a few times, it was so intense with emotions, a lot of anger, sorrow, heartache, even paranoia. Ember felt she's cursed and soulless, she's estranged from the life she had before her curse, and she is all alone to deal with her current life. Which ever way you look at it, Ember is a very stubborn or determined girl, she was not able to be swayed one way or another about what she believes, and doesn't put her trust in anyone and carries a lot of anger, understandably.

      I felt Embers emotions every step of the way, when Ember was pissed off, I felt pissed off. Although, I pleaded for her to reign in her emotions because I saw that she needed perspective and wasn't going to get it with all that baggage of feelings she was carrying around. She alone has to deal with what's happened to her and make sure her family is safe and on top of all that, she has to figure out if she can control her ability.

      The book is called Cursed so I guess Armentrout did the title justice, it's not a sweet story about a girl whose skin kills with just one touch, it's a heart-wrenching emotional explosion.

      So happy it's a non-series for two reasons: one, I don't have to wait for the next book to be released and two, I don't how I would've been able to continue it, so two defeats reason one.

      So, I think I should clear up that I really do like this book, I just tend to get completely lost in well written books no matter how difficult the topic and I have to be honest how it made me feel and also see past (or accept) the feelings I felt because maybe they are the feelings the author wants to convey. One of the things I liked about this book was the romance between Ember and Hayden, alone, no romantic triangle.
    • 4/5
      Everything that I have read by Jennifer L. Armentrout I have loved. Cursed is no exception. Ember McWilliams is in a difficult position. Her father was killed in a car crash, her mother is in a state of depression, she has to raise her little sister, and everything she touches dies. When a stranger appears in her life, her world gets turned upside down even more than it already has. Ember had to figure out who she can trust to keep her family safe.Cursed had me hooked from the first page. Armentrout knows how to grab her audience and keep them glued to the pages. This book is really fast paced, but it's the characters that really drive this novel. I especially liked the relationship between Ember and her sister. Ember is forced into a parental position when her mother checks out. She desperately wants to give her everything, but at the same time keep her safe. Ember is thrust into a new situation and she doesn't know how to respond. The one person who is saying 'trust me', she's not sure she can trust. She's also attracted to Hayden, who is the son of the man she's not sure she can trust. Ember is a plethora of emotions. She's very confused, and all that she wants is to be a normal teenager without feeling like her entire existence is a mistake.Cursed is a really entertaining read. Jennifer L. Armentrout didn't disappoint me one bit. I liked everything from beginning to end. I can't wait to read what she writes next.
    • 3/5
      I have mixed feelings about this one. There was a fair amount of weird, stalker-like behavior on the part of the love interest, and a lot of secretive behavior from the adults who were supposedly only interested in the well-being of the heroine and her sister. I mainly finished it to see who had murdered their father and was terrorizing the heroine.
    • 4/5
      I love this author! Her books are always well written with amazing plots and details. Getting into this book was easy.Obviously, it was the characters that got me hooked. Watching struggling teen deal with lots of a family, friends, and herself, Ember is a fighter. She survives to keep what left of her life together, which I wholly admire. Her ability to keep her head down, to look past everything else and do what is best for her sister touched my heart. Ember is undeniably the most selfless person I ever met.The plot of the book is quite extravagant. It had lots of mysteries that I was itching ti be solve. Questions that I demanded to be answered. I favored those parts in the book the most cause it got me all tingly inside. Searching for clues, asking right and wrong questions, getting people riled up! So much fun! The love interest is really interesting. This isn't the normal love interest. They both have lost families, so they relate to each other really well. They both have powers that can be deadly and really have to work on control. I like that despite to hated toward Ember she had a friend who stood up for her. Though at times this guy was a little hot/cold, which turn me off. Overall, I liked that they overcome a lot of trials together making their love and friendship stronger.Cursed is entertaining. It's captivating and very alluring from the first page. The hard life and the secrets kept from Ember will have the reader racing along the pages reader faster. Impressive with emotions and a great plot, Cursed is fantastic!
    • 5/5
      EEP!!! I won a contest to get a book of my choice and guess what I picked!!! YUP! This will be at my house next week!!!! ACK!!!!!HOLY COW! JLA has done it AGAIN!!!! Review to come...Ok, so I gave it 5 stars, I just had to. I had some issues with it, but I really liked it overall and I sped through it, so that must be saying something, yes??? There were a few grammatical/editing errors that I thought should not have been there considering this book was written a while ago. That was a bit disappointing, but it didn't stop me from loving it.A little background to the story. Ember is not your typical teen, she died. And not only has she been dead, she's been brought back to life by her little sister and now she has a "gift": whatever she touches dies. She's an outcast at school and even her mom ignores her. Then she sees Hayden, and suddenly her world is turned upside-down. She and her family are taken to Johnathan Cromwell's house where she is anything but different. There she meets a bunch of teens who are much like her, gifted. But they don't think she's gifted, they think she's cursed, as her "gift" didn't come around until after she was brought back to life. She would do anything to touch others again, to have that contact...and she does....Story-line: I really liked the plot of this book. Probably because it was so similar to another book that I absolutely love: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. So I was swept right into this book. And, of course, Jennifer knows how to write, so that just held my interest right there. She sets the background for a contemporary paranormal novel. The scenery is described so well, I felt like I was in Allentown...and then in West Virginia. Of course there is the "insta-love" factor in this book, would it be YA without that? But it didn't bother me, because if it did then certainly I would not like YA to begin with! The story-line has that Xmen feel to it, which I love.The characters: Welll, really, what is there not to like about JLA's characters. She develops them so well, you really do feel what they are going through. And they are always likable, even the evil ones!Ember McWilliams is strong and independent. She takes care of her family, because she doesn't have a choice. She forgoes friends and anything else, because she's an outcast and doesn't have a choice. She's a completely tortured soul, and you can feel it oozing right out of her from the very start. Of course, she has the obligatory geeky best male friend, Adam, but JLA never takes it any further than the friendship. Then there's Hayden Cromwell. Well, he's hot: RAWR! Not Daemon Alien hot, but not too far behind. JLA really knows how to write a lead male character that you want to be with, and I mean that in every sense of the word! He's sweet and caring and protective beyond belief. But he's also secretive and standoffish at times. And he has his own gift, one that allows him to get closer to Ember than anyone else. And the steaminess between him and Ember, with her not being able to touch him and all, WOW! My heart was pounding when they were near each other, and they weren't even doing anything! The tension really just caused my heart to constrict and my ears to smoke!The supportive characters are also well laid out. Olivia, Ember's little sister, is a typical little 6 year old girl. She's bratty and annoying but has unconditional love for her sister. Phoebe and Parker, the twins, who have their own abilities, don't make it a secret that they are not happy about Embers presence. Neither does Gabe, who doesn't like Ember from the very start and has no qualms about showing it. Hayden's father, Johnathan, is a hard one to read. You're not sure if he's good or bad or what his intentions are. But I'm sure that's what JLA intended...had to keep us guessing the whole time. And Ember's teacher, Mr. Theo, who connects with her immediately and shows that he is someone she can come to in her time of need.The writing: Well, I love Jennifer's writing. She is truly talented. This book has an easy flow. She could write a manual on how to raise chickens and I would buy it, because she just knows how to write. That's a talent right there. The pacing was dead on with this book. There was no slowness to it at all. It had me turning pages so fast, I thought my head would spin.My assessment: I really loved this book. I flew right through it, as I've done with all of JLA's books that I have read. I did figure things out about 1/2 way through the story, or even earlier, but I wasn't 100% sure until then. There were hints dropped here and there and it just seemed logical to come to the conclusion of where the story was going. Although, I didn't know why it was going there until the end. I can see how this could possibly be turned into a series, and of course I'd love to see where that would go. I really didn't want this book to end! I wanted it to go on and on so I could keep finding out more and more about Ember and Hayden. And also so I could watch their relationship grow. Anyone who likes JLA's books is going to devour this one. It not like her other books, but then again, her other books are not like each other.So, did I like it, heck yeah!Do I think you should go read it? WHY ARE YOU STILL READING MY REVIEW! GET TO THE STORE AND BUY THIS BOOK! I assure you, you will not be disappointed!5 shining stars from me.
    • 3/5
      I fell in love with Jennifer’s Lux series and the second book in her Covenant series got me hooked so I was looking forward to reading Cursed. Sadly I was a little disappointed. It was by no means a bad book but it was probably my least favorite of the books I’ve read from Jennifer so far. While reading it I kept having this feeling of X-Men re-visited with Ember reminding me of a Rogue-like character. There was that same tension of her feelings for a guy and yet never being able to even touch much less kiss him without killing him or putting him or seriously harm him.Hayden was sweet but never truly grabbed me and made me fall in love with him. The supporting characters like the other residents of the mansion (again reminding me of the X-Men academy for mutants) were interesting and grabbed me enough that I wish we learned more about them and that they played a more active part.The story was interesting and though the main bad guy was pretty obvious there were a few twists along the way that surprised me. Again nothing that blew me away but nothing horrible either. So really overall not a bad book but everything could have been taken up another level and was missing the chemistry and zing that in present in Jennifer’s other series.
    • 5/5
      As always, Jennifer L. Armentrout provides an interesting plot with a killer romance. There wasn’t a single part of Cursed that I did not enjoy. One of the most interesting parts of the novel was all of the superpowers the characters had. I don’t think I would want any of the powers myself because they are all a little scary and have some serious drawbacks, but they were fun to read about. Ember’s power was the scariest of all: the ability to kill someone with a single touch. While the plot was great, the romance is what really makes CURSED stand out. There was so much tension between Ember and Hayden because of Ember’s death touch. Imagine not being able to touch anyone—especially your crush—what a lonely existence. Hayden tries to help Ember cope with both her “gift” and her left over trauma and sparks fly everywhere, but there is a lot that stands in the way of their relationship—including Ember’s serious lack of trust in Hayden’s family. Ember was in a horrific car crash and it was not an accident. As Ember tries to discover the truth behind the event that killed her father and destroyed her mother, she can’t help wondering what really happened and who caused it (and neither can I). Ember’s suspicions of Hayden’s family adds a lot of turmoil to their relationship and, of course, ads a creepy mystery to the story. As amazing as Cursed is, it needs a sequel! I have soooo many questions left about Hayden’s family, the mysterious car crash, and I would love to see more of Hayden and Ember—they are fabulous together.  Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers a fast-paced, romantic murder mystery that will leave readers dying for more.
    • 4/5
      Book takes place in a world that overlays Manhattan, but isn't on any map. It is filled with magic, fae and demons. Rio, the heroine, of the book is about to turn 25 and all kind of strange things begin to happen in her life. She sees a kidnapping while out on a job as a bike messenger. This is the start of the strange things soon an oversized trio of mythological hitman are on her tail. She seeks the help of local magician, Luke. With his help she finds the little girl who was kidnapped who in fact is the niece of the queen of the fae. We learn that both the fae and demons have an interest in Rio. It all comes to a climax at midnight on her birthday.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Magician and human struggle against competing paranormal forces to win love and acceptance of their past.Opening Sentence: Getting stabbed is hell on the dry-cleaning bill.The Review:I don’t normally do this, but I’m 100 pages into this book and I’m already frantic for book 2. After the first chapter I knew I was in trouble. Following the first five chapters, I realized that I had skipped lunch. Finally, after the first ten chapters I thought I’d take a breather and write my first impressions. This book is mind-blowing, stupendous, darn I love my review job and this book is a must read for any fan of romance, paranormal romance or just an amazing story. Off to finish this delightfully written book and will finish this review later.Usually with reviews, I give myself a few hours or even sleep on it before I write my review. Well, that is definitely not the case with this book. It has only been 10 minutes since I finished this book and I want book 2 STAT! This book reminds me of my favorite dessert — Dark Chocolate Godiva and Coffee Cheesecake. Rich, Creamy and Irresistible!The story of Luke and Rio is an engrossing read. It is not often that I will allow myself to just sit down and consume a book in one sitting or that I will feel compelled to sit and consume a book. This book left me with no ability to put it down. Every time I was dragged out of the world by my barking dog, it was sheer misery. Every time I heard a timer go off or one of my mobile devices ding, I was only dimly conscious of it. This book is better than anything I have read this whole year and that is saying a lot.The story was rich and rewarding. There were no plot holes that I even glimpsed. This world was everything that a reader dreams a world should be and then some. We are given a huge world to play in with magicians, demons, fae, mountain trolls, magical fox, grendels, poisoning, sleeping beauty, goblins and that is just the start. The research that went into this book must fill a large notebook. You can see that Ms. Day took care and joy in creating this world and all the creatures that reside within. Even some of the hideous creatures are just fascinating.The depth of this thought also includes a gigantic duck and its egg. Luke and Rio are called in to find the duck’s lost egg (I know it is hilarious, but wait there is more!). Ms Day’s wicked sense of humor thrums through this book. Here is a perfect example. “Guess it’s duck season,” Rio said and grinned. ‘“Wabbit season,” Luke corrected her….It took a rare person to appreciate a good Elmer Fudd line.” That rare person was me. I laughed so hard my sides hurt for 10 minutes.The humor and wit abound in this book. When you flip the page don’t be surprised when something magical or just plain odd happens because the world of Bordertown could have been named Looney Toons City.If I haven’t convinced you to place your hard earned cash down for this book then shame on you, but if you don’t and hear others talking about the wonder of Luke and Rio’s story, then you have well and truly been warned. While I wait not so patiently for book 2, I’m going to catch up with the rest of Ms. Day’s books. I’m glad to find another author to add the the favorite list.Finally, if a Smart TV executive reads this book or this review then option this series NOW! This is a show I would gladly watch once a week and it would fill the gaping hole that is found in the magical and romantic television void. You can thank me and all the rest of the viewers later.Notable Scene:A shudder snaked its way through Rio at the thought of Dalriata chaining Kit again, and Luke reached over and took her hand. The warmth of his fingers clasping hers sent a wave of reassurance to counter the fear.Rio stared at their joined hands, resting on the table, and wondered how long it had been since someone had held her hand. Just that simple, human bit of affection–so common and so ordinary–and she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d experienced it. She suddenly felt a little pathetic, so she pulled her hand away and put it in her lap, out of his reach.FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of The Cursed. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer - Shawnie:*eBook gifted by LITERAL ADDICTION in exchange for an honest review--Actual rating 4.5 SkullsThe Cursed is set in a backdrop of New York City, Manhattan to be precise, but nothing is as it seems. Welcome to Bordertown.Luke Oliver is Bordertown's resident 'dark and mysterious wizard;, and has been trying to keep a low profile. Nobody can hide forever though, and the past has a way of catching up you; no matter who you are. After having an interesting conversation with Maestro, an active member of the Order, in which he's given an envelope that contains a photograph of a young woman and nothing else, Luke is shaken; he knows the woman. He's seen her around his office building when she stops in to deliver packages, and he wants her like nothing else. Even though he's been trying to stay away from her and keep his feelings under wraps - for reasons he can never explain to her - he still feels like he knows her and things just don't add up. The burning question of the hour... Why does the League want the woman? And why do they want Luke, of all people, involved?Rio Jones - just one of the many names she uses as a shield to keep people at a distance - is an enigma. She's a 24 year old Bike Messenger in Bordertown, and her employer is a Siren. She didn't have an easy life, and from what Alyssa allows us to read in The Cursed, it's still not easy (sorry, no spoilers). After growing up in an orphanage run by a convent, Rio's got more scars and unanswered questions than she is willing to deal with, but it all comes out in the wash — or rather when she's twenty-four hours away from turning 25.The book starts out simmering, and then explodes into an all out rat race as Rio and Luke try to figure out exactly what's going on, and determine why everyone wants Rio. Turning twenty-five is significant in the supernatural world, but Rio doesn't think there is anything supernatural about her. Yeah, she can read minds, but that's nothing serious. Little does she know that things are about to get REAL serious, when two different factions basically start a war in their attempt to get her for themselves and keep her away from the other. I have to say, I was hesitant with this book, but I'm glad I got the chance to read it. I can totally see myself reading the next installments of the series. The love story that paralleled the main storyline was great. Luke and Rio had to come to terms with themselves and each other, but once they did, they were all in. My only complaint was that the book took awhile to get to where it was all going. All of the running around and the secrets/hints about who Rio really was, etc was annoying at times, yet hilarious at others.I give this 4 1/2 skulls, and absolutely recommend it.