Jennie's Reads

“Everyone must sacrifice something, Ophelia. That is a truth you must learn if you wish to play this twisted game.”

⭐️ 4.5
🌶 0.5
🗡 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🗡 “Who did this to you?”
🗡 Found Family
🗡 Chosen One
🗡 Dual POV
🗡 Emotional/Mental Healing

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Who doesn’t love an absolute bad ass warrior FMC? This Dual POV with both the FMC and MMC both believing they’ve made/are making the biggest sacrifices to save the people they love was a story that kept me on the edge! Plus, a little bit of chaos wrapped in undying friendships? Brilliance. ✨

Blurb

The war is over. The curse is lifted. Malakai is gone.

It’s been two years since Ophelia has seen the boy she loves. When a treaty was signed ending the war and lifting the curse on Mystique Warriors, Malakai left to attempt the sacred ritual known as the Undertaking.

He never returned, and the Undertaking was forbidden. Ophelia’s world crumbled around her.

Since then, she has pursued a fruitless search for answers. When the deadly curse resurfaces only on her, Ophelia finds solace in the idea that when she dies, she may finally be reunited with her lost love. Then, a messenger appears, telling her that she alone may be the one to save her people.

With her closest friends by her side, Ophelia embarks on a race against death—one that will not only challenge her physically, but make her question the Mystique leaders, the Angels, and her belief in love.

Can she win the fight against fate before the curse takes her life, or will the betrayals exposed along the way kill her first?

What I Enjoyed

The Chaos Crew: (I think that’s what they’re called- I can’t find the reference! Please correct me in the comments if I’m wrong) Not gonna lie, Tolek, Cypherion, Santorina, Jezebel straight held the book on their backs. I continued reading purely in anticipation of seeing more of the whole crew interact with one another. Cyph is just the big grizzly bear that’s the group’s protector, Jezzie holds Ophelia and the crew together like glue. Rina is the ACTUAL glue + voice of reason, while Tolek…. we’ll explore more of Tolek below. I’m here for their dynamic and dialogue!

Tolek: I just needed a special mention for Tolek here- the poor guy. He’s got a place in my heart. I feel his love and yearning for Ophelia. He is so extremely patient, and goofy. The golden retriever if you will – but with a bite. There are so many things left unsaid (my heart hurts for him), and I am intrigued to see how his character will grow in the continual books, and how his relationship with Ophelia will develop.

Malakai’s POV: I flip flopped between getting annoyed at his POV when we weren’t privvy as to who he was being held captive by. It felt a little drawn out, but over all, I think it really added some darkness and mystery to the plot. The fact that it took us so long to learn who it was (honestly, I guessed right way before we were exposed to the *twist*) kinda added to the suspense. It built to a perfect fruitition though, so I’m not mad about it. We also get a glimpse into this Warrior Price Ophelia is head over heels for – learn of his inner workings and really, I just felt so much pity for him.

World Building in terms of the Mystique Warrior path: I definitely enjoyed learning about the Mystique Warriors and their paths to becoming a warrior. It’s basically the book’s main plot, but to see a different rendition of magical warriors and how they come to be- I always love a different view. I’m curious and ready to learn about all the other clans.

Ophelia’s Character arc: We see Ophelia go from basically alcoholism because her life’s been turned upside down- having what she’s worked toward her who life halted, and her loved ripped from her heart… The pity party and the martyrdom (more in the next section on this) seemed a little much, but- I get it. She’s supposed to be this all powerful, strong, independent, warrior and she isn’t. It’s all the emotional healing and dependencies on others that bring about this healing- which made it a little more relatable as well, I think. However, once we get to the last 35-40% of the book, Ophelia becomes this beacon of hope and strength- a star that shines all in her own right, and I swell with so much pride thinking of her.

What I Didn’t Like

Ophelia Kept Playing this Martyr Game: Truly, I understand the need for Ophelia to want to protect everyone, for her friends to not want to sacrifice for her, for her to want to do it all by herself. I get it. But the constant repetitious reminder of it? It got a little repetitious and redundant after a while. *Spoiler* This does resolve itself somewhat in the Undertaking with the Spirits- so it’s not entirely for moot. Just a little annoying.

Vague and Ominous Angels: I GET IT THOUGH, I GET IT. Sometimes the Angels responses and appearances are just… “what?” “huh?” “why?” LOL – but I’m this is definitely Platania’s writing to make us just as annoyed and confused as Ophelia. And I get it. It irked me and made me feel like I was in Ophelia’s shoes. It created a *REACTION* from me as a reader, and that’s what you do as a writer. 😉

Notable Quotes

“I was not made for skirts, Father. I was made for swords.” – Ophelia

“One needs to break fully in order to heal.” – Cyph

“The oldest of the warriors—they had to be nearly five centuries old—they kept saying that they felt a shift coming. Like something was building in the atmosphere, waiting to combust.”

“This magic, whatever it was, was fickle. Good and evil in one.”

“Each image made me stronger than before—stronger than I ever had been in my life. Because I needed those memories, the people in them, and the lessons learned, to be who I was meant to be.”

“Desperation born of love could truly turn you rotten.”

“The Curse had changed my life in an unexpected way. I had been prepared to greet death, but found something worth fighting for.”

Theme Song

Over All Thoughts

The definitely starts off slow, and gives you a little pity party for Ophelia- but I think this really allowed you to understand the dynamics of her friendships, her relationship with her family, and how her entire world and being were taken away. Having everything torn out from under you and your life flipped 180 is hard, and it shows. With that being said, once things take off around mid-mark, it just flies, and The Curse of Ophelia is a beautiful read. Also reminding you that the Chaos Crew is worth getting to know. Highly recommend, as I’m on to the next- the Shards of Ophelia!

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