Cursed

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

A compelling novel from Jennifer L. Armentrout, the New York Times bestselling author of the Covenant and Lux series.

Dying sucks - and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows. Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things - including boys.

When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children with abilities even weirder than hers.

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

• ISBN10: 0983157278
• ISBN13: 9780983157274
• Publish Date: 18 September 2012
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 2 July 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Spencer Hill Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English

Reviews

[kate87]

Honestly? It was a good read I enjoyed it but felt a few things where alittle rushed and I guessed the ending, however feel like more of the story could be extended and this doesn't have to end with Ember.

[Angie]

I love books about death. I'm sure that sounds weird, but I do. Sadly, Cursed didn't work out too well for me. Ember can kill with her touch. For the last two years she's been very careful not to touch anyone (including plants and animals). On the flip-side, her little sister can bring things back from death. Including Ember after they were in a fatal car crash. Suddenly, a strange boy appears, then Ember wakes up in a strange house and is told it's her new home, full of other gifted teens. It's time for her to learn to control her power or die trying.

Cursed and I got off of a bad start. Olivia, Ember's five year old sister, is super annoying. Maybe this is how real children behave. I wouldn't know, but she got on my last nerve. And it seemed like everything revolved around her for the first third of the book. That child is spoiled and misbehaved, and I wanted to learn about Ember! Then when they're in the mystery mansion, things got even more frustrating. Everyone is going on and on about how Ember is sooo dangerous and can't be trusted around people. Um, what? She's spent two years covering up every inch of skin to avoid accidentally killing someone. How is she out of control and dangerous? This just seemed like a forced way to make her isolated even among her "own kind." No.

Of course, there's also a romance at the center of Cursed. Obviously Ember has to be able to touch the strange boy, Hayden. Yes, it's insta-love, but not even believable insta-love. She doesn't trust him, since he essentially stalked her for two years, then kidnapped her and her sister. He does try to help her control her ability so she can live a normal(ish) life, but his method was stupid. He wanted her to believe that she was gifted and not cursed. Unless you're a psychopath or a vigilante, killing with a single touch is not a useful ability. But he believes in her and thinks her scars are beautiful, and he can touch her because he's special. Kissing.

I just didn't care for Cursed too much. It did get better toward the end. Someone is trying to kill Ember, so that was fun, even though I knew who it was. Then the villain gave a several pages long monologue about the why of the situation, and it was just dull.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[littleread1]

This was one of those books for me that I LOVED while reading, and couldn't wait to get back to, but when it was over I was left irritated. Let me attempt to explain ...

***The following may contain some spoilers but nothing I would consider major***

Ember is a totally likable character. Her situation SUCKS majorly and I found myself rooting for her and her sister, Olivia, from the get go. That never wavered. She is the victim of horrible circumstance and comes out of it a stronger, if not better in the end, person.

My problem came with the whole kidnapping thing. I have a hard time with how she was treated after she was taken by these people who supposedly wanted to help her and she was able to be attracted to one of the kidnappers - who had stalked her for 2 years prior!

I just, feel dirty you know? I love everything else ever written by Armentrout, but this one left me feeling yucky. Like I said at the beginning, I was totally sucked into the story, the writing, as always, was great and the character were well flushed out. I just ... get mad now that I think about it. But you know, if there were to be a sequel, I would read it. That's got to say something. :-)

[kimbacaffeinate]

I am a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout and was delighted to be given the opportunity to review her newest novel Cursed. Armentrout brings her own spicy twist to death and kids with supernatural powers. This tale has mystery, suspense and an oh so sweet romance. I quickly consumed this and hope it becomes a series.

The tale begins when we meet Ember McWilliams; at first glance she is a responsible daughter, taking care of her five year old sister Olivia. We quickly learn there is so much more to this story. Ember’s Dad died in a horrific car accident almost two years ago and oh yeah so did Ember. Except, Olivia her gifted sister touched her and brought her back from the dead. This would be awesome, if everything Ember touched didn't die. She has scars from the accident, and wears long sleeves and gloves all year long. She was once a cheerleader and popular girl at school, now she is just known as “the freak”. When a strange, handsome boy named Hayden Cromwell shows up at school and the library she is intrigued. When he claims her curse is a gift, she is fearful. The tale that unfolds was romantic, mysterious, and humorous.

This novel has some interesting characters. I connected with Ember, and despite the cards she has been dealt, she tries to do all the right things and keep it together for Olivia. Olivia is as cute as any five year old, and I thought the author captured her emotions and mannerism beautifully. Hayden is swoon-worthy, mysterious and carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. He is fascinated, intrigued and in awe of how Ember has handled things. I did find his tendency to shelter her from things annoying as did Ember. Hayden’s family was very mysterious and his Father's smug, "these are my rules you will obey or else", made me nervous about his intentions. The children are all special like Olivia and each was taken in and adopted. They added to the suspense and I found myself wanting to know more about Parker, Phoebe and Gabe. Hayden’s dad and the other adults gave off mixed singles, creating suspense as I debated on whether to trust them or not.

The world-building was both delightful and frustrating. I loved the idea behind Ember’s curse and the other children’s abilities. The Cromwell’s safe house and the mention of a mysterious research center where children are cruelly taught to manage their abilities had me drooling for more details. Dead animals, death threats and secrets kept me turning the pages. The romance was sweet, but at times I wavered on whether I trusted Hayden. I was delighted that their relationship developed slowly and I enjoyed watching it unfold. There were a few awe moments, that should have romantic swooning. While the tale ended on a high note, I was left wanting more. I will be seriously frustrated if a second book isn't forth coming as this tale is not nearly complete.

Fans of Armentrout; for you Cursed is a must read and I am sure you will be delighted. If you haven’t read her books but enjoy paranormal romances with suspense this is a great book to pick up. I have this author on my auto-buy list and look forward to her next novel.

I want to thank Spencer Hill Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Jennifer Armentrout never fails to amaze me with her brilliancy in creating a vibrant world full of intriguing mystery and intelligently written world building skills woven into the very fabric of her stories. The imagery alone is astounding, as is the intense emotion that she packs into many of her wonderfully memorable characters. The integrity of the stories they have to tell are never compromised and are always blended in so flawlessly, that I usually find myself in awe of the world that she has created. For me, personally, getting the chance to read a book written by Jennifer Armentrout is almost like being in the presence of the Holy Grail, that is how incredibly talented I believe she is. That's why, when I was afforded the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Cursed, a brand new world that she has uniquely and originally created, I was more than a little ecstatic.

The world of Cursed may be vastly different from that of her Covenant Series, but it is just as imaginable and uniquely cultivated. It is a spirited story filled with intense intriguing emotion, mystery, and a thrilling dark macrabe world. The character development is outstanding and her character's are richly complex and captivating in so many ways that make them interesting and likable. Some are easy to connect with, while other's remain a bit of mystery, but that's the beauty in who they are and the story they have to tell. They possess hidden realistic flaws that make them exciting to read about and discover who they are, exactly.

Ember is a complex and complicated character, that shines on the pages. I found her to be quite relable on many levels, as she is possesses a few flaws of her own. She's different than most character's that I've read about before, with her physical scars and death's touch. It definitely made her an interesting character to get to know. Her quick fire temper and her ability to be as resourceful as she is at times, are the two things that I most identified with, as I was reading Cursed. Her intelligence, wit, and beautifully fragile and heartwarming relationship that she has with her sister, Olivia, was incredibly charming and sweet as well. Ember is definitely a character that anyone would be lucky to have in their corner, I know that I'd love to have her in my mine. She would make an a pretty amazing friend and sidekick to pal around with.

Hayden, on the other hand, is a beautifully dark, mysterious, and complex character full of so much depth and layers that make him intriguing. Reader's will definitely find themselves swooning over his handsome dark presence. The potentially dangerous vibe that Jennifer Armentrout cultivates, is used amazingly well and lends his character so much quality and appeal. He isn't unlikable or scary and I think that's the thing that makes him the most appealing to audiences, as well as intriguing. Cromwell, is a different matter all together, though. He's what I would call, a bit of a conflicting character, of sorts. While I was curious and intrigued by his steely nature, another part of me felt a bit of a creepy vibe where he was concerned. He came across as this mysterious smug individual that just didn't really sit well with me.

The relationship that slowly develops between Ember and Hayden over time, was beautiful and incredibly touching. Armentrout did an amazing job of exploring such an honest and realistic romance shared between the two. It's beautifully illustrated and emotionally tangible, sweet, and tender in such a raw that comes across in such an honest and relatable way. These two are addictive and incredibly easy to fall in love with. Reader's will find themselves rooting for the two of them, I have absolutely no doubts.

The twists and revelations, along with the mystery and intrigue help to create a wonderful enthralling story that is sure to captivate any reader. Cursed is a highly entertaining and richly dark compelling story that is bound to have anyone on the edge of their seat. This book will leave you breathless and anticipating more. Jennifer Armentrout doesn't disappoint! Cursed is such an exciting world to dive into and become absorbed in the pages and become wrapped up inside the character's and the stories they have to tell. It is incredibly un-put-downable!