The Blood Curse - Emily Gee

Those who drink the water shall thirst for blood. They shall be as wild beasts. 

A blood curse is ravaging the Seven Kingdoms. Fugitive Osgaardan prince, Harkeld, is the one person who can destroy it. Guarded by Sentinel mages, pursued by Fithian assassins, he begins the final—and most dangerous—stage of his quest: entering the cursed kingdom of Sault, where drinking even one drop of water means madness and death. 

But the mages aren’t the only travellers heading east. Princess Brigitta, abducted by Fithian assassins, is also bound for Sault—unless she can escape. And in close pursuit is her loyal armsman, Karel. 

Young orphan, Jaumé, is also headed for Sault—where he will be forced to make decisions that will change the fate of the Seven Kingdoms forever. 

My thoughts:

This is old school fantasy, it's light and they are on a journey.

First we have Harkeld and the witches. Sometimes I just wanted to hit him. The witches are good! They are trying to help! Do not be an ass about it. It's the whole, oh you lied to me, Innis is not a man! Get over it Harky boy. But then again I can understand his anger, I'd be totally embarrassed too. 

Also, the witches have been dying like flies so far, they do not seem that powerful.

Another POV is Britta who has been taken by assassins. She had courage. She truly has grown.

And then there is the little POV of Jaume and Brennick. They are hunting Hark.

This world is so messed up. There is a curse who turns people into sorts of zombies who kill and kill. It's really bad and the whole continent is going under. They are also bigots who hate witches, and that had me so mad DO not kill those who are helping. But then everyone always has to hate someone.

Conclusion:
It was light, it was a fast read and then in was over. I do like a good trilogy

Cover
pretty

Paperback, 575 pages
Published June 23rd 2015 by Solaris
The Cursed Kingdoms #3
Fantasy
Own

The fire prince - Emily Gee

The fugitive Osgaardan prince, Harkeld, is that man—whether he likes it or not. But the bounty on Harkeld’s head is high. He has outrun his father’s soldiers, but he can’t outrun the assassins who seek him—Fithians, trained in the art of killing. Even the Sentinel mages who guide and guard him are no match for Fithian steel. Faced with the ever-present threat of death, Harkeld must learn to use his fire magic. Or die.

Meanwhile, dark plots are unfolding in Osgaard’s gold-tiled palace, snaring Princess Brigitta and those she loves. And in the eastern kingdoms, young orphan Jaumé journeys with a band of mysterious and dangerous fighters, heading north for a purpose he does not understand.

My thoughts:

This is a complicated book, not the book itself, oh no, that is simple, but how I like it. Why do I even like it? I think it's because I could read it fast, it was simple and just pure escapism. No need for my brain to get involved. Cos the history, meh, the characters, meh. See my dilemma?

Harkeld is quite the arrogant piece of shite isn't he? They are trying to help you! Gods, you really can be an asshole!

Right, he is with the witches trying to save the world. One of them Innis, has the hots for him. Innis, well I liked her, but she was a bit too interested in him

Then we have the kid Jaume *yawns* boring

Then it jumps to Brigitte's chapters, which totally was the best ones. She has an evil brother, an evil kingdom and there is danger there.

All while people die like flies. I mean come on. You guys are supposed to be good! Not die and die and die and die.

Conclusion:

And still I read on, and will read the last one. Go figure. 

Cover

he is hot

Mass Market Paperback, 559 pages
Published August 27th 2014 by Solaris
The Cursed Kingdoms #2
Fantasy
own

The sentinel mage - Emily Gee

Her magic may be the only thing that can save a prince—and the Seven Kingdoms.

In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break it: Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels.

Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the forbidden: become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him.

But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death. 

My thoughts:

A kind of light-ish fantasy. There wasn't really that much worldbuilding, fine there are different kingdoms and a sea, and one kingdom likes to conquer others..ok. Not what I call lots of worldbuilding. And the magic part, I guess it's hereditary? How do people get different powers? I do not know, I was not told. I was just told the bad kingdoms killed everyone with magic and another continent did not. Still, good.

The story then. A curse is making people into bloodthirsty beings. There is one way to stop it so the magic peeps comes to the bad kingdom to get a prince. The one prince who can stop it, then one who has magic. The judgmental idiot who judges before seeing facts, gods that one part that happened made me so mad. I would have beaten him to a bloody pulp. I could take the idiot things he said but that one part. Yes I do NOT like Harkeld.

The magicians, shapeshifters are a nice group. Innis is the one in focus, she is young and being built as Harkeld's love interest. She thinks he has hidden depths, and sure he has, just as he stops being an idiot. I liked his friend more.

Conclusion:

A lot of people are hunting for them.There is action and at the end I did want more. Sure I complained about stuff, but it was light and fun and I will read more. I almost finished in a day, that is good.

Oh I forgot, there is also this young boy fleeing for his life. And Harkeld's half sister who has to married a creep who is only there to have smexy times with her.  Though I should not call it smexy times, it was marital rape. So she had it bad. 

Cover 

good

Paperback, 509 pages
Published January 25th 2011 by Solaris
The Cursed Kingdoms #1
Fantasy
own