This was a very interesting read for me, I enjoyed it as it’s definitely a young adult read that ends kind of on a cliffhanger, I still have so many questions. I really liked how Lana thought that a person’s strongest attribute is their curse, it’s interesting to think that way but I totally could see that being true. Lana’s curse is truth, therefore she never lies and believes she physically can’t and she is easily able to pickup on other people’s “curses”. I truly believe watching her mother become broken hearted over and over again made Lana jaded about love. She was forced to grow up for her age but at times you could still see the young kid she truly is come out when she was being immature and rude especially when it came to showing emotions. It was sometimes irritating how immature she could be towards authority figures or peers but I had to remind myself she’s only 15 which made me also annoyed by how cynic and hot and cold she could be. My favorite thing about the book is the mystery aspect, for instance the people that help her are mysterious about why, it’s like her mother is hiding things from her, and the ordeal that landed her at a strange school is interesting and kept me guessing about what will happen next. I am very interested in seeing what happens next after what all was revealed in the end. After reading this, I believe we are all cursed with our own virtues and they could be used for our own demise or used for our greatest stories. ( )

I started reading it yesterday. Even before I was close to finishing, I ordered the sequel because I was hooked. This has elements very similar to Maureen Johnson's Truly Devious series & Jennifer Barnes' Debutante series, both of which I really liked. Solid characters, involved plot and plenty left hanging to make the sequel a must read. ( )

To me, one of the signs of a great book is that you can't stop thinking about it after you are done. This is definitely one of those books. YA isn't normally my favorite genre, but Rebecca Donovan is one author who does a great job with them. I loved Lana's character right from the start. She is an extremely powerful person with more gifts than she knows. Her love for her friends far outweighs her love for herself, and that gets her into trouble.
This is a cliff hanger, and I cannot wait until the final two parts come out! ( )

The Cursed Series Parts 1 and 2
Rebecca Donovan
Review ***
Where to begin? I've admittedly been in a reading black hole for a bit. Every book I picked up lost my attention. Then, courtesy of The Next Step PR and the author, I received a copy of Cursed Parts 1 and 2. YAY! At last, I began reading something riveting and worthwhile. This story is penned excellence.
Curses are actually virtues, such as Belief and Honesty. Sounds counterintuitive, right? "..it's these traits, the ones we deem to be the most honorable, that cause the most destruction." Think about false belief/hope. It's paralyzing to believe in something or someone that will never exist. Honesty is a tough one. "Every day, I see what lying can do." Don't we all? Truth telling is a dangerous hurtful thing that should be handled with care.
From the first, I loved and hated Lana. Cursed with Honesty, she hurts feelings and seems flippant about everything. Her life is not easy with a sick mother and no money. One good thing- A teen girl who doesn't need validation from a boy is refreshing. She's gritty, tough and standoffish to basically everyone except her friends and family. Speaking of friends, Lana gives up everything worth anything to her in order to protect her friends. This happens after a night out partying goes South.For Lana. She's a victim of circumstances and chance who witnesses two violent crimes. Lana knows who did it but refuses to snitch. Her curse of Honesty would, in this instance, endanger her friends, so she temporarily shuts it off. Good or bad choice? Would her friends do the same?
In part 2, Lana is at a boarding school for prep girls gone bad. She's immediately aware that she doesn't belong because these girls are not her people. They're rich. Lana has connections, and that's how she got placed here. It's better than juvie. I don't do spoilers, so at this point, I felt like I was entering a funhouse with all the mirrors. Which way am I going? What's that noise? Help me get out of here now! Mysterious odd things transpire around Lana, and the boarding school becomes increasingly sinister and bizarre. Who can she trust? Can she trust herself?
It's awesome! I love the way this story begins with a dark feel and continues that menacing vibe throughout. I enjoyed Lana's whatever attitude. I've never read Rebecca Donovan before, and I found her writing immersive and thought provoking.
Cursed effectively lifted me from the reading black hole. Such an enjoyable read! But, Ms. Donovan.......that ending? I can't even right now. I'm in tatters over what is to come! ( )

I received this book in a Giveaway on Instagram. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟The Cursed Series by Rebecca Donovan. Everyone Lies, You can only save yourself. Lana and her friends go our on a Friday night and get into the hottest party spot in their small town but everything goes wrong and continues to get worse the entire night and Lana ends up in juvie and refuses to talk in order to save and protect her friends. Her lawyer pulls some strings and Lana instead of serving time in juvie is transferred to a rich private school full of other delinquents just like her but they come from wealthy, privileged backgrounds. Just as Lana is becoming accepted into the new peer group suspicious notes and messages begin to appear and strange things begin to happen around her just as she realizes she may be falling in love with someone completely out of her circle. As secrets begin to emerge the mysteries become thicker than Lana could have ever imagined. Lana doesn't know who to trust when she is the only one telling the truth. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com ( )