​Realistically 3.5 stars for some of world/character building points, but I so immensly enjoyed the read that I'm giving it a strong 3.8. Which is essentially 4, so 4 stars!!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy!
The Queen of Cursed things seems a bit daunting at first when you see the glossary at the beginning. Different sects of Gods and humans and it seemed to be that there was a lot going on. I feared for not, however. Ignore the glossary at first and get right into the story is my suggestion.
Alana is cursed by being born clan to the serphant God. She knows almost nothing of her kind and has been hiding her secret all her life, until a situation unfolds where she is forced to reveal her mark. Everyone in her village turns against her and she is brought to the cruel high king for death. However, death is not on the Agenda for Alaya. Many have other more devious plans for her.
Queen of Cursed Things was a better read and more complex than I had expected. Simply put I loved it. Sade and Kian, Alaya's two close friends are the only ones that do not turn against her when they find out her secret. It doesn't mean they aren't hurt or angry, but they both learn to get passed it to help their friend.
We get some plot twists and there was a point I started crying when I realize literally no one is on Alaya's side, truly, but mostly at what happens at Sade's confession scene. Brava S.M. Gaither, brava. That scene was pure emotion.
I get why Sade and Emerys did the things they did after the quartet returns from Amara (aka dragon god Land) near the end, but it was still heart-wrenching. Sade I forgave completely later, but not Emerys. And I'm glad it was Sade who brings Alaya back from the brink of madness. Though betrayals like that from two of the only people you trusted doesn't just go away. Alana is broken by the end and I think she really did make the right decision in the end.
I love journey fantasy plots. There is just something so fun about characters getting to know each other, little quirks, little spata, and all the fun things they get to fight and evade. This book definitely delivered on all those points.
Things I have quarrel with: STEP. IT. UP. EMERYS. I literally have no idea what his relationship with Alaya is. Are they friends could they be more? I so desperately hoped they would. But by the end I could also see the glimmer of Emerys and Sade being together. I just don't know, what Emerys' relationship with ANYONE IS. Especially after the fight scene between Emerys and Alaya near the end. That just did not go as I expected. WHY DID NO ONE APOLOGIZE. BETRAYAL IS STILL BETRAYAL YOU TERRIBLE friends/lovers? Idk, like I said, by the end I don't really know what anyone's relationship with anyone is.
Finally, very minor, these names literally drove me mad. It's like they were made to be edgy and different but really I just got annoyed. Alaya is just an awful name and sounds like a poor excuse for Alana (*nods* at Tamora Pierce). Sade just sounded harshand like a failed attempt for Sadie. and Emerys, well I just kept ausing to figure out how on Earth to say his name. It doesn't flow off the tongue fast enough for me to keep reading his name. I think at the end I decided on the pronunciation as Em-er-is.
My hopes for book 2:
1. Emerys and Sade step up their game to support our girl and find ways to fix what they broke.
2. That Alaya does not spend the entirity/majority of the book away from Sade and Emerys. And then a love triangle happening while she is away. Please no. Just focus on the plot of and her finding what needs to be found for herself and returning.
3. Though the friendships we're strong, they were really tenuous. Yea that needs to stop.
4. Emerys apologizing and and stops being a passive little bitch both about his feelings and as a king.