Love love love to read stories like this one! It sends me to another world with a snap of fingers and dreamerland got me so right! Loved!

A fun romantasy featuring a strong magical heroine Aelia trying to thwart her former husband at the request of her former lover, Caiden. She falls for Tharan, a charming rogue along the way.

Quite a lot of characters (maybe slightly more than I preferred) and a big magical world. Aelia is terrific though and really like her. Big point for her being older than 30 yrs old! Of course I enjoy the love triangle too.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Title: A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster

Release Date: September, 17th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

In A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster, Aelia Springborn, once a queen, now lives in the shadows as a mercenary.

With her kingdom destroyed and family presumed dead, she uses her mind-bending abilities for hire. Her quiet life is shattered when Caiden Stormweaver, her former lover, tracks her down with an offer she can't refuse: help him stop her ex-husband, King Gideon, from harnessing the deadly army of the Alder King.

Despite their painful past, Aelia and Caiden strike a deal—after the mission, she will erase his memories of their relationship. Bound by magic and supported by friends, they embark on a perilous journey to save their continent. As they battle enemies and navigate treacherous landscapes, old flames reignite, complicating their mission.

Enter Tharan Greenblade, a charming playboy who captures Aelia’s heart, adding another layer of complexity to their quest. As the trio faces deadly threats and tests of loyalty, the stakes couldn't be higher. To be honest, I’m not usually a fan of love triangles, but this one was interesting.


What I Loved:
* Aelia Springborn: From a traitorous queen to a badass mercenary, Aelia’s character development is a wild ride. Her resilience and complexity kept me hooked from page 1.

* Rekindled Romance: The tension between Aelia and her former lover, Caiden Stormweaver, is amazing. Their journey to save the continent while dealing with their tumultuous past is a ride of emotions.

* High-Stakes Plot: The mission to thwart the deadly army of the Alder King kept me on the edge of my seat. The blend of magic, danger, and ancient evil reborn was thrilling and added a unique side to the plot.

* Love Triangle: Enter Tharan Greenblade, the charming playboy who adds a delicious layer of complexity to the story. Aelia’s entanglement with Tharan and Caiden created a dynamic that was both tense and captivating. I was confused at times who I was rooting for!

* Found Family Dynamics: The camaraderie and loyalty among the characters had me smiling. This aspect added depth and warmth to the story.

* Dark Fairytale Atmosphere: The setting and tone of the book are reminiscent of 'Nettle and Bone,' with its enchanting yet ominous world-building. The author masterfully creates a dark and magical ambiance.

* Sacrifices and Loss: The story tackles heavy themes with grace, exploring the sacrifices made for love and the pain of loss. This wasn’t just put there , but was detailed beautifully and managed in such a way, that it made for great character development. Aelia's journey through these trials made her an even more compelling character.

A Curse of Breath and Blood is a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. K.W. Foster has made a world rich in magic and danger, with characters that leap off the page and into your heart. Aelia’s transformation from a broken queen to a powerful force is inspiring, and the romantic entanglements left me smiling and even tearful at times.

If you're craving a dark fantasy romance that packs a punch, A Curse of Breath and Blood by K.W. Foster is your next must-read.

Thank you to The Publisher RCB Creative Inc | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles ,The Author K.W. Foster & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

This was a solid 3/3.5 star read until I hit the 35% mark where some head hopping happens. For context, head hopping is an instant DNF for me.
The few typos and repetition I found I could deal with since this is an ARC and will likely still go through some changes, but I don’t expect head hopping to be fixed in time for release, unfortunately, but I would be very willing to give this book another go if it were.
If it doesn’t bother you too much and you like Romantasy with an older protagonist you will most likely enjoy this book.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

It was a very fun romantasy read that would definitely fit the mold of those looking for something similar to SJM Novels or Fourth Wing. The world was massive and I could tell the author put a lot of thought into the world building for the novel. I'm always a sucker for "second chance" tropes and lovers to enemies kind of vibes so I enjoyed that aspect of it. I also felt for the FMC and her reasonings and I could understand and believe her choices and the reasonings behind them.

I had to take off a star because there were just so many characters and new things being introduced constantly that I had to go back and think "wait, what is this?" or "what are they talking about?" before it was explained later down the line - or often times just brushed over to never fully be explained again. I'm sure if I read it again it might be something I catch later down the line, but I don't like being overly confused during my first read through.

I took another star off because some of the conversations and things that were introduced seemed forced - it was unnecessary or just a thing that the author put to kind of make the plot "interesting" and move it forward, rather than having a specific reason for it. It was a bit jarring at times and broke the flow of the novel.

Either way, I did really enjoy the book overall and I can't wait to see the paper copy of the book in the stores!

A Curse of Breath and Blood has the gritty magical street smarts of Dresden Files combined with a grown up, glamorous Six of Crows (and a little Court of Thorns and Roses for spice).

We love to see a heroine over 30 kicking ass and taking names (and breaking minds along the way). Aelia is like nothing I’ve ever seen before from a female character in fantasy. She’s beautiful but messy, scared and imperfect, kind and cruel. She lived through difficult times and made bad choices and dealt with the aftermath. Heck, she’s still making imperfect choices and I can’t tell you how fun that is to read. If she was ever sunbeams and rainbows, she isn’t anymore and I ADORE that. The way K W Foster writes Aelia makes not just the character but the world itself feel so gritty and real and lived in.

A quick read and a fun one! I enjoyed every part of this from the simmering love triangle to the decadent balls. A great summer afternoon. Highly recommend.

A breathtaking journey! The fantasy elements were beautifully woven into this engaging romantasy. I couldn’t get enough of the characters and their magical world. Highly recommending it and would definitely be in the lookout for the next book by the author.

I'm keeping this spoiler-free but I just need to SCREAM about it.

The author broke me with:

“Your past is just a story, Aelia. Anytime you wish, you can start a new chapter.” 😭😭😭😭😭

I have never felt so seen in a book! A 30 year old kick-ass telepath MC in charge of her own destiny? Two love interests and they are both good, kind, respectful men?? Are you kidding? I may never go back to YA again!

It's hard to believe this is the author's debut! I can't wait to read the sequel!

To be read while drinking a turbo-charged quadruple espresso hazelnut latte with whip, because you will not be able to put it down until you're done!

This book was so good! It has everything you could want in a romantasy. I also really enjoyed the first and third pov changes, which I normally don't; I think it fit the story really well. And a 30+ FMC??? Yes please! I absolutely fell in love with the characters, the world, and that ending!! I cannot wait to see what happens next