Golden Curse by M. Lynn (eARC)

TITLE: Golden Curse

AUTHOR: M. Lynn

RELEASES: 5 October 2018

GENRE: YA Fantasy/Fairytale Retelling

A curse. A hidden identity. A dangerous love.

Ten year old Persinette Basile was forced to flee the palace of Gaule for her life.
Now at eighteen, she must find a way to return in order to obey a curse on her family line.
The prince won’t know who she is. Not anymore. But she knows him and what he will do if he discovers her true name.
Made to fight for her life to earn her place, she vows to find a way to break the curse no matter the cost.
——-
To. The. Death.
The words describing the tournament turn Prince Alexandre Durand’s blood to ice.
The last warrior standing will win a spot at his side.
As he’s thrust onto the throne, forbidden magic, dangerous betrayals, and a complicated love could tear his reign apart.
When the secrets begin to unravel, will Alex stay true to the laws and traditions of Gaule or will he give it all up for a woman who deceived him?
Inspired by the Rapunzel story, this is the golden-haired princess as you’ve never seen her before.

MY THOUGHTS: This retelling of Rapunzel was entirely unexpected. Aside from knowing it’s a retelling, I wasn’t sure which direction it would go, but I’m so glad I picked this up! I found the beginning a bit slow, which isn’t uncommon for me, but this was truly a great book! After the tournament and meeting Edmund, I was hooked! Etta is super cool and isn’t in it for the glory, even though she totally could be with her skill set. In her world, magic is forbidden and punishable by death. Her curse stems from magic and puts her directly in the path of those who are most likely to throw her under the bus. The characters are really well written and the story itself is brilliant. I already have book 2 on my kindle ready to go.

There’s a bit of magic, a lot of lies, and just enough drama, intrigue, and romance to keep you going. I found Etta’s personality really interesting. She fights an internal battle due to her family’s curse and the situation in which she finds herself following the tournament. I sympathise with her, though. She makes the best of a really tough situation. And that cliffhanger!!! Ugh, so good. I love Etta + Alex. Although, I am disappointed in Alex. I get his position, but he could start making better decisions. Politics suck!