Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Futuristic
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
Two friends. Two worlds. A selfish desire that threatens them both.
Raijin killed a witch and found himself cursed.
Sandro went to Raijin’s aid and became an assassin’s target.
Neither expected that they would trigger the biggest upheaval their world had seen in a thousand years.
And that it was the love between them that would lift the curse.
Cursed, the second book in the Balance of Magic series, is a slow-burn m/m fantasy romance featuring friends-to-lovers who become soulmates, irate death gods, curses, inept, narcissistic politicians, curious, compassionate witches, and a found family.
The Review
Once again, I was thoroughly entertained by the “A Balance of Magic” series by Jackie Keswick – futuristic fantasy that is amazing, with a wonderful romance too.
Commander Tan Hao of the Custodia Clan has cancelled the summer Solstice Council. Facing a threat, each clan sent a designated hunter to Dimmuborgir to deal with it. None of the twelve hunters returned.
What’s the truth about this tragic accident? Now the Elders of the clans are meeting again to send another twelve designated hunters to fulfill the clans’ obligation.
With the death of his parents, young Sandro was not accepted by Elder Pietro of the Lugano Clan. He was sent to Commander Hao of the Custodia Clan. There Sandro grew up, always wondering what really happened to his parents, never feeling fully accepted by his true clan. The only other clan elder he felt a connection with was Gedele Perkhon of the Latvian Clan. Sandro studied and trained and became an expert watcher and skilled hunter. The one thing that he loves feels the most comfort from is nature. Sandro has been selected to replace the lost hunter for the clan.
Raiijin lived in Japan among the Yamakage Clan, with his father Rakurai. He studied and worked hard, and possesses magic and abilities beyond belief. He’s also an expert hunter. Rakurai was a great hunter, and was sent to Dimmuborgir to deal with a threat and never returned. Six months after the tragedy, Clan Elder Daisuke calls on Raiijin and informs him of his father’s fate, and delivers a mysterious missive from Rakurai. Daisuke also requests that he replace his father as a hunter for their clan. With the secrets of the missive in mind, Raiijin leaves his home for Italy.
When Raiijin arrives in Italy, the first person he meets is Sandro. They soon become friends, and are sent out on some very questionable and dangerous assignments. When a curse is placed upon one of them, will they and find a way to survive it?
Keswick wowed me with Caught, the first book of “A Balance of Magic” series and she did so again with Cursed. I love her writing, and her imagination and descriptions are vivid and amazing. Cursed is an adventure novel filled with danger, surprises, secrets, warmth and romance.
Just as much as I loved Rakuari and Tenzen from Caught, I loved courageous Raiijin and shy Sandro. They’re all fantastic, warm and loving characters. Shinigami Okandi is interesting too, being the eldest death god, advising Raiijin and Sandro.
This novel has lots of unique ideas – how the Yuvine age. The damage humans did when they learned of the veil and the transit of souls.
There are lots of different ethnicities too: Japanese, Italian, Irish, Jewish, etc., that each clan was built from, and various religions.
There’s also the fascinating history of Yamakage Jumon, the first Yuvine, who came from the Otherworld and founded the Yamakage Clan. There are witches, demons (rafeet, krull, souruita, bane), and what happens to their souls when they are dead. There’s also political corruption within several of the clans that use the hunters for their orn gain. And so much more that makes this an exciting novel.
I highly recommend reading Caught first, which introduces introduce Rakuari and Tenzen.
I’m excited to see what Keswick will bring to the next novel in this incredible series!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
