Cursed by Monica Wolfson – a Review

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Description:
When 17-year-old Sasha orders her latte at a local café, she hardly expects to get robbed. Strangely, the men don’t want money from the register. Instead they are interested in the necklace she is wearing that her mother gave her years ago.
Sasha can’t understand why the men would want the worthless piece of stained glass that hangs around her neck from a leather cord. It’s not worth anything or is it? She comes to realize not all value is measured in dollars and cents.
This is the night she meets Evan, who saves her life by distracting the robbers as the couple dodge flying bullets. It takes days for Sasha to acknowledge that her burgeoning magic abilities helped keep them safe. She’s adamant in keeping that secret from Evan. She doesn’t want him to know she’s a freak.
Cursed is a thrilling romantic and exhilarating read. Monica Wolfson takes readers to a fantasy world they won’t want to leave

Review:

Cursed by Monica Wolfson is her first foray into Young Adult.  The heroine of this story is Sasha, whom we meet right away sitting in a café, and two men attack her trying to steal her necklace.  On the same night she meets our hero, Evan, as he is behind the counter at the café.  Sasha has some magical abilities, which she uses to help fight off the attackers, with help from Evan. 

Sasha finds herself attracted to Evan, but he isn’t really interested in any kind of relationship.  When Sasha discovers her life is in danger, she tries to find out why from her mother, Willow.  At the very beginning of the story, in a prologue, we are in the past when we see Sasha’s mother at the age of 17, running away from home, and her angry mother, the Queen of Tysseland, puts a curse on her.  It is later that we find out that this curse is on Sasha, and her chance of surviving is nil. 

Sasha learns her mother’s secret, and that her mother is the daughter of a Queen in a universe she has never heard of.  Her mother refuses to tell her anything, other then she is trying to help her.  Sasha decides she must find a way to break the curse and try to save herself.  Evan having come to Sasha’s rescue a few times, begins to realize that he is falling for her; and offers his help, as they both find a way to enter the universe, Tysseland.

What follows is an interesting fantasy tale into a universe run by an evil Queen, who is Sasha’s grandmother.  Sasha learns to use some of her powers, but she is no match for the very powerful Queen.  The last quarter of the book is exciting and at times fun meeting the different characters, as they all help Sasha escape the wrath of the Queen, who wants her dead. 

Evan and Sasha made a nice couple, as this was a slow build on the romance, which made it more realistic. I liked Sasha, as the heroine, who was determined to do what she had to do to save herself, despite the danger and threat on her life.  Evan proved himself to her by being with her every step of the way, even if he had no powers.  The power of love did come through at the end. 

I thought this was a good storyline, especially being in Tysseland.  I did feel it was a bit slow early on, and despite her wanting to protect her daughter, I wasn’t crazy about Sasha’s mother.  I would have liked more about Tysseland, as well as Sasha’s mother and friends helping her.  Sasha & Evan against the powerful Queen needed a little more firepower and support.  However, that being said, it does have excellent potential to continue into an excellent series

Review by Barb

Copy provided by Author