The Curse (Belador) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sherrilyn Kenyon (Author), Dianna Love (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 18, 2012 | Series: Belador (Book 3)

Evalle Kincaid will fight to the death for her supernatural friends.

But when Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love’s tough-as-nails heroine reveals her darkest secret, who among those she had trusted will be left standing?

With the freedom of an entire race hanging in the balance, Evalle has two days to make good on a promise that she suddenly has no hope of fulfilling when demonic Svart Trolls invade Atlanta. She takes a leap of faith, seeking help from the one man who recently put Evalle in his crosshairs—Black Ops specialist Isak Nyght. While trying to stop the bloody troll-led gang wars, Evalle unwittingly exposes a secret that endangers all she holds dear and complicates her already tumultuous love life with the mysterious Skinwalker, Storm. But when Evalle discovers she’s the number one target in the Medb coven’s ruthless plan to destroy all Beladors, the deadly Alterant is forced to make a game-changing decision with no time left on the clock.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The precarious action and genuine emotion in THE CURSE will continuously leave the reader breathless (SingleTitles Books Reviews)

The precarious action and genuine emotion in THE CURSE will continuously leave the reader breathless. (SingleTitles Books Reviews)

About the Author

Sherrilyn Kenyon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several series, including the Bureau of American Defense novels BAD Attitude, Phantom in the Night, Whispered Lies, and Silent Truth and the Belador series that includes Blood Trinity, Alterant, and The Curse. There are more than 25 million copies of her books in print in over one hundred countries. She lives with her family near Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her website at SherrilynKenyon.com.

Dianna Love is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Blood Trinity, Alterant, and The Curse in the Belador series. She is a national speaker who started writing while working over a hundred feet in the air, creating marketing projects for Fortune 500 companies. When not plotting out her latest action-adventure, she travels the country on a motorcycle to meet fans and research new locations. She and her husband live near Atlanta, Georgia. Visit her website at AuthorDiannaLove.com.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (September 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9781451671988
• ISBN-13: 978-1451671988
• ASIN: 1451671989
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but didn't advance the overall arc much September 18, 2012

By Jen TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

I really enjoy the Belador series. I think it's because the heroine, Evalle, is just so damn easy to root for. She has been kicked down, abused, and maligned her entire life. She is considered a monster, even by those she lives to protect. But she never wavers. She never acts dishonorably. She simply accepts those things about herself that she can not change and she soldiers on, always fighting the good fight.

As this third installment of her story begins, she is on the hunt for others of her kind. The goddess who oversees the Beladors has agreed to recognize Alterants as a race within her pantheon. But only if Evalle can bring them forward and they swear their fealty. First and foremost, she wants to find Tristan, but her search has been stymied by a rash of troll attacks in the Atlanta area. She must work with her VIPER team-mates to protect the humans.

On top of that, Storm is missing. And as he slowly reenters the picture, she must continue to come to terms with her feelings for him. (And Isaak too.) There is strain in her friendship with Quinn... let's not forget that he led the Medb to her at the end of the last book. He is trying to deal with his feeling for Kazira --while poor Tzader tries to honor his vow to let Brina go.

Plus... more trolls. Giant, black-ops, demon-infused, bounty-hunter trolls.

It's all part of the Medb plan to breach Brina's sanctuary and vanquish the Beladors. There's a lot of scheming, machinations and betrayals. There's also much violence and bloodshed. You won't find many dull moments.

However, I don't feel like we moved forward much here. Don't get me wrong, I was never bored. I was invested in the characters and deeply ensconced in this very complicated world. But in many ways this installment was almost like a placeholder. There were no huge developments in any of the relationships --and there are a lot of relationships at play. No big revelations about the Alterant race. No big movement in the war with Medb. I mean, stuff happens, it's just nothing game changing.

Did I enjoy the book? Absolutely. I love Evalle. I love Storm. And I am dying for Brina and Tzader to have some happiness. Or at least get on the path to it. It feels a little stalled, though. I wanted more. It all sort of seemed like baby steps. I'm ready for these characters to make some strides.

If you're interested in the Belador series, I strongly urge you to start from the beginning with Blood Trinity. I just don't think this is a series where you want to jump in, mid-way through.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars This series gets better with each book September 18, 2012

By Stephanie G

Format:Mass Market Paperback

If Evalle Kincaid wants to keep the freedom she nearly lost, she must convince a stubborn Alterant to swear loyalty and reveal their kinds origins to a goddess he doesn't trust. As if that wasn't enough on her plate, black-ops like military Trolls are in Atlanta and capturing Alterants for the Medb. Dealing with trolls will take some smart maneuvering but when she learns of the Medb's real plan, she'll have to call forth her deadly beast, an act that can condemn her, in order to stop them.

Evalle is half Belador, warrior race that fights to protect humans, and half Alterant, Belador mixed with unknown blood that shifts into a dangerous beast that's caused them to be feared and hunted. She's allowed to battle alongside the Beladors but is under constant watch and always has someone out to find a reason to lock her away. Evalle was born with the odds stacked against her but she doesn't wallow in self-pity. Instead, she fights for the innocent to show she's not a monster. Evalle isn't perfect, she likes to put herself in situations where she's over her head, but her faults in addition to her many strengths is what makes her a wonderful heroine.

There are a few bumps in the road in Evalle's new relationship with the Skinwalker (shapeshifter) Storm in the form of a human hunter. I'm not a fan of love triangles and I liked with the way things ended in this book but that possibility hasn't been completely dismissed. For now I'm happy with the way things are but that could easily change if the authors push Evalle towards the Alterant hating Isak. The chemistry between Evalle and Storm gets better each time they're together and I'd have a hard time seeing that change.

This book picks up not long after the last one ended. Evalle's to do list is out of control. She needs to find the Belador who sold them out to the Medb (evil witches/wizards), convince Tristen (a free Alternant with his own agenda) to swear loyalty to and reveal secrets to a goddess he hates, stop Trolls from terrorizing Atlanta and capturing Alternants and those are just the things she's aware of. But she's not fighting alone. At her side is Storm and her Belador friends Tzader and Quinn, strong supporting characters that have their own interesting side stories taking place.

Evalle guards herself against outsiders but she's opening up and revealing a little more with each book, adding well developed layers to her character. With Evalle taking the lead, The Curse offers action and a few surprise twists that went great alongside the bit of romance and personal turmoil that takes place. Like with most Urban Fantasy books, to fully understand what's happening in this series you need to go back to book one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Belador Book 3 is the Best Yet! September 18, 2012

By Katy A

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Once again, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love have worked magic.

I sat forward and went "WHAT????" and "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" a few times, and in other moments I was fist-pumping with a "Yes!"

The one thing I can say about this writing team is that they pull no punches when they tell a story. They are not afraid to take characters to the edge, from thrilling highs of achievement against impossible odds, to the absolute lows of wondering if a character you love has gone to the dark side.

I will not give spoilers, because I hate spoilers, but if you love Urban Fantasy and you want a good read, this series is for you, and this book is the best in the series so far.

Read it. You'll love it.