Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - A Curse for True Love

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A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber

11 reviews

meguniqueuser's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I enjoyed this book, but barely, and not nearly as much as the first two. It doesn’t feel like it fits with the other two books in the series. It prominently features an abusive relationship, and while it does condone the abuser that doesn’t make it fun or interesting to read about.

The author is very descriptive and poetic. She knows fairytales well and gives these books a sense of wonder and detail. However, it wasn’t very cohesive and the plot itself was so so.

It’s revealed why the story curse was cast, but it’s revealed so poorly. This is a major plot point in the series, it should not be a throw away line.

This series also has a bad habit of not forgetting about characters if they no longer pertain to the plot. Eva’s sister is forgotten, half the valor children are faceless even when “on screen”, Luc is thrown in and out of the story as needed.

Finally, that epilogue was very weird. Actually, the whole ending was a bit unsatisfying.

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noellegrace8's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Okay why were people so mad about this book?? I do agree that there are a lot of loose ends, but doesn't that just mean we'll get more answers in some of her other books? She's coming out with a new Caraval book in a couple months. I actually haven't even read Caraval yet, mostly because I didn't know it existed, but now I think I'm going to. This trilogy was SO good.

Good things: Evajacks is as enticing as ever. And the plot introduces new elements like the two trees and Jacks' heart, which keeps the interest up. Evangeline is portrayed as having more willpower than ever (if you don't think that's possible, just wait). I like that even she has some character development in this one, not just Jacks. I also usually hate the amnesia trope but man. This one... actually does it well?? I finally understood WHY people use it. You're given even more insight into just how much Evangeline is drawn to this man (fate), that not even loss of memory can separate them. Certain characters get their comeuppance. Others' is foreshadowed... but yeah. It was just... a well-written book.

The bad: again, loose ends. I'm confused as to why Marisol and Luc both just kind of disappeared. The history of the arch, the Valors, Jacks, etc.? That's clear as mud, still. I need more answers! Also, we really needed to have been given a glimpse into Apollo's character before meeting him in OUABH. Because his absolutely treacherous, vile behavior in this book is confusing. Was he always like this? Did the curses drive him mad? Unsure. Also, you get a quarter of the way through the book before Jacks makes an appearance, which is torture! But I also think it was done kind of well.... Additionally, I'm confused about Jacks' blood on the arch and the tavern door?? I kept expecting that maybe it's a protection spell or something? But no explanation. Just like there was no explanation for Eva's kiss breaking the spell. I have a theory that maybe someone else has to kiss him first, instead of him being the instigator? Unsure though. We better get a Lala book by the way. I need to know if she and Dain find love and break her curse. Also... how do they take out Jacks' heart and put it back in? It's just casually mentioned that we all have 2 hearts but never explained...

I give Rebecca Soler's performance 4.5/5⭐️. Too loud sometimes, but generally accurate to the text.

I give Dan Bittner 4/5⭐️. He didn't always sound the way I imagined the characters were talking, and his narration seems less organic than it should be.

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boba_nbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Spice Rating: 🫑 / 5 🌶️

Stephanie Garber's writing is some of the best I've encountered in a long time. Written in the same vein as Rebecca Ross, Garber's trilogies will be ones I will return to time and time again.

Evangeline seems to have the perfect happily ever after. She's married to the prince of the Magnificent North and lives in a legendary castle. But something about this ending doesn't feel right to her. Evangeline searches to figure out what exactly it is that she's missing, even though her husband is determined to keep Evangeline's past a secret. The only way for him to secure his happily ever after is to kill Jacks, and he will do anything to go down in history.

As I reflected on this book, I realized that I came away from it with a lot of unanswered questions. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and it kept me on my toes, quickly flipping page after page. Some of the characters disappeared without a trace, and others whom you thought would play a larger role didn't get much time on the page. I think this book could've been 200, or even just 100, pages longer, and that would've solved for some of the things I was wondering about.

However, I completely enjoyed this trilogy. It and the Caraval trilogy are definitely some of the best series I've read in a while, and I'm so glad I gave them a chance. I can't wait to see what else Stephanie Garber has in store for our friends in the Magnificent North.

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tale_of_tales's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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klsreads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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bbmaan's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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mad_ds's review against another edition

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2.5

genuinely disappointed. i truly enjoyed the first two novels in this trilogy and had high expectations for the finale. that cliff hanger had me so intrigued at the end of book two!! however, in this novel there were so many plot holes & things left unwrapped… and the curse,

simply ceasing to exist? really? WE SPENT THREE BOOKS FOCUSED ON THIS AND IT JUST POOFS AWAY?

i didn’t feel like the plot was very cohesive, it felt very pull-push with random sprinkles of extraneous side plot, finally wrapping up with a rushed ending. i did think apollo’s character mentality was interesting, (though he was an absolute toxic dirt bag, like, SIR) but honestly wished it could have explored that more and how much of that came from his curse vs. just the trauma.

now to the romance! in the previous two, i was 100% kicking my legs and giggling happily because evajacks… ~10/10~ love ‘em. sadly, in this novel the romance definitely took a step down for me. don’t get me wrong, in the first 1/3 of the book their… 🎶invisible string🎶, or for non taylor fans: the poetic pull of their hearts to eachother, (especially with jacks protecting eva always, her not knowing who he is but feeling a pull anyways, adorable!) yet- after that, it felt fairly dull.

jacks i continued to enjoy as a charcter! (even if was in pain watching some of his choices…)

*eye twitch* like dude burning up your heart? please no…

however they did feel in line with his character so i can’t really complain haha. evangeline though… i’m not sure if she was like this in the first two books and i just overlooked it or…? but i felt she was so -weak- in this novel. the spunk, that go-get-it-attitude felt minor and instead as though she couldn’t do anything by herself. i can forgive the 1/3 as she had her memories wiped and that would have been incredibly scary and confusing (as the author so brilliantly wrote) but afterwards… i felt very ‘meh’ about the whole situation.

overall, i felt very neutral about the novel. there were parts i enjoyed, especially that 1/3 of the novel, and evajacks will be forever one of the most adorable book couples- but suffice it to say i wont be re-reading this novel. however! i think there is a LOT of potential for furthering either their story or simply within this universe. how will evangeline and jack’s deal with her being human and him an immortal fate??

what happens with the valors taking back the north?? what ever happened to her sister?? will lala have her own story or resolution after dane??

all i’m saying… if another book comes out i will be reading because the writing style, and (usually!) the plot are very engaging. :)

“Please, Little Fox, remember.”

“I’ve made my decision, Jacks. It’s you. It will always be you, until the end of time. And I’ll fight fate or anyone else who tries to tear us apart—including you. You are my choice. You are my love. You are mine. And you are not going to be the end of me, Jacks.”

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