The Night’s Chosen (The Cursed Queens #1)

FAIRYTALE:  Eira is the Chosen One for her kingdom. Cadeyrn is an old friend she can’t forget. As heiress to the throne, Eira has responsibilities. Her duty is to marry another Chosen One and bind two nations together. So she tucks her heart away and moves forward with the wedding preparations, until tragedy strikes and her father, the king, is poisoned, causing him to slip into a deathlike slumber. The dark magic of the potion is old and unfamiliar to those who might help. With evil closing in on her, Eira embarks upon a dangerous journey to find a way to save her father. Cadeyrn braves the perils with her, but each step they take together pulls her future apart.

E. E. Hornburg has invented a world with several charming aspects. Her vision of a free-thinking society with fewer sexual hang ups is refreshing. Her pantheon of deities offers cultural variation, and her main character’s devout nature is an admirable trait. Unfortunately, the story presents as a hodgepodge of well-worn sword and sorcery themes sewn together with equally threadbare fairytale tropes in a discordant jumble. The telling rather than showing style of writing deprives readers of the chance to experience the tale for themselves. A lack of basic editing makes this story even harder to get through. With that said, the value in Ms. Hornburg’s story-telling lies in the smaller touches which are sprinkled like stardust throughout the pages.

Starling Gray