Publication: 11th May 2023 – Michael Joseph
Has she been sent to save the realm or destroy it?
As Spymaster to the Queen, Aya’s blood oath ensures she protects those she fights alongside – including Will, the Queen’s Enforcer and Aya’s bitter rival.
When rumours of dark magic rise in a nearby kingdom, both are sent to investigate.
But when Aya’s power acts beyond her gods-given affinity, she risks being turned into a weapon in a war she doesn’t know how to win.
And when her relationship with Will unexpectedly shifts, neither knows the danger that will follow …
I LOVED The Curse of Saints!!! I wish I could reread it for the first time and, at the same time, I can’t wait for the sequel to come out, because I really need to know what happens next. There is political and religious intrigue, a perfect slow-burn romance, there is magic, gods, and spies, a cast of fantastic morally gray characters that come to life under the author’s addictive writing style.
The story is told from the point of view of the two protagonists (with a third added in the middle of the narrative). Aya has the affinity of persuasion and she is the Spymaster of the Queen, one of the three members of her inner circle. One of the other members is Will, the Queen’s Enforcer, and Aya’s rival, ever since their training days together. They have both taken a blood oath to protect the Queen and the kingdom and, when rumours of dark magic arise and the threat of a war looms near, the two of them have no choice but to team up and investigate. And when Aya unleashes a power predicted in ancient times, Will may be the only one who can help her figure out the truth.
My favourite parts of the story were every time Aya and Will interacted with each other (which, thankfully, were most of the book). Seriously, these two characters together were incredible! The tension, the attraction to each other, their witty exchanges were too much to handle sometimes (I mean, “I would’ve let the entire world burn for you”). Because of their past, she doesn’t trust him and his broody mood doesn’t make things any easier, but sparkle flies and their chemistry is off the charts.
The Curse of Saints is an incredible debut and the first book in a fantasy trilogy. If the romance is not enough to entice you to read it, there is an intriguing world building of magic and gods, a cast of well-developed and authentic characters, a badass heroine, a complex hero with a few secrets, a few unexpected twists, and an ending that leaves you wanting for more!
A huge thank you to MichaelJoseph and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of this wonderful novel.
Kate Dramis is an Atlanta-based writer whose obsession with fantasy worlds and escaping into a good love story eventually drove her to chase her dreams of being an author.
Inspired by a dream about a woman calling down lightning to save a friend, The Curse of Saints is Kate’s debut fantasy novel and the first in the trilogy.
When she’s not busy writing banter that makes her laugh in an embarrassingly loud fashion, you can find her impulse-booking her latest travel adventure, snuggling with her three dogs and cat, or tormenting her growing legion of readers on TikTok and Instagram with vague book teasers.
You can connect with Kate on her social media sites, and visit https://www.katedramis.com/
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