A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid

 Title: A Curse so Dark and Lonely 

Author: Brigid Kemmerer 

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult 

Genre: Fantasy 

Series: Curse Breakers, book one 

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I bought a copy of this book and reviewed it. 

I bought myself this book for my birthday this year, because some friends of mine on Discord wanted to do a read along. I just finished this book last week and I still can’t get it out of my head. I love retellings of fairy tales, but it’s rare that I come across one so unique. This creative, tender spin on a traditional Beauty and the Beast tale was wonderful, but my favorite part of it was how the main character, Harper, has cerebral palsy, just like me! Lyrical, fast-paced, surprising and heartfelt, I loved A Curse so Dark and Lonely, and I can’t wait for the sequel! I’m so happy that I bought this book, because it might be one of my very favorites that I’ve read recently. Magical, dark, and romantic, I loved it so much! 

Prince Rhen, of the kingdom of Emberfall, leads a life of darkness, destruction and death after being cursed by a beautiful, wicked enchantress named Lilith. He is doomed to relive his eighteenth year until a girl from another world falls in love with him. Enter Harper, a defiant young woman who is used to fighting. After all, her mother is dying, her father is gone, and she has cerebral palsy. But when she finds herself abducted and swept away to the magical, dangerous world of Emberfall, she has no idea what to believe. At first, she wonders if she’s crazy. But when she realizes she’s actually living in a fairy tale, Harper begins to wonder if she can’t be a hero to Rhen and his people, if it means getting back home... 

I loved this book so much! First of all, I’m a huge sucker for retellings, but this one was so unique! Beauty and the Beast is one of my very favorite stories, and I loved this twist on it. It was also refreshing to see someone just like me—stubborn and fierce but kind and gentle—in the spotlight! It meant so much to be that Harper had CP, and that it was written so authentically. More than once, I had to put the book down because I was just so overcome with emotion. I loved the prose, the gritty settings of D.C. (or Disi, as it was called) and Emberfall. My favorite part was watching Harper growing to love herself, and fall in love with Rhen. I loved this dark, lush fantasy with a sweet, tender romance at its center. I only wish that the ending had been more concrete, but this book is one of my favorites. I’m so happy that I actually bought it, because it was worth it! I loved all of the characters, but my favorites were Harper and Gray. And that ending; I cannot wait to read the sequel! The bottom line: Romantic, dark, and surprising, I loved A Curse so Dark and Lonely! Next on deck: The Deep by Alma Katsu!