THE CURSED ONE Book Review

The Cursed One (book 1 in Chaos Saga) by Monika Guss, eBook, 365 pgs

Synopsis from Goodreads: She was never meant to be seen. Bound to a forgotten prophecy, Lyrianna Cavendish has spent her life hiding the power that could save the world…or destroy it. But when the Trial of Powers exposes her secret, everything changes.

Thrown into the deadly ranks of the Chosen, Lyrianna is surrounded by enemies who fear her, rulers who want to control her, and a kingdom on the brink of collapse. And then there’s Arès, a ruthless commander sworn to stand against everything she is. He should hate her. He tries to hate her. But the more her power grows…the more he’s drawn to her.

As the Wall begins to crack and Chaos seeps into the world, Lyrianna’s magic evolves into something no one can understand, and no one can stop. Hunted, feared, and torn between duty and desire, she must uncover the truth about what she’s becoming… 

BOOK REVIEW: This became almost like a comfort book. When I didn't want to read anything else, this is the book I read. I hate how long it took me to read it but I think I read it slower than normal because I didn't want the story to end. It is such a great start to the saga and I can't wait to see what the author brings to come. Lyrianna has that familiar feel in that her parents died when she was young and she was raised by someone else only to discover the powers that she has cannot be hidden no matter how hard she tries. Yes you can use that description for some other characters but her story is so much more and I love the chaos that Arès brings to her life. Not the Chaos but chaos.

We do get the story told by Lyrianna and Arès but mostly Lyrianna. I very much enjoyed watching Lyna (short for Lyrianna) journey and come into her own. I don't know if the author is planning to eventually have a map created but I would love to see one because the world that she has created is amazing and I want to see where everything is as she sees it. I also really want to see what Chaos beyond the wall looks like!

This is another 5 star read for me! It is the debut novel from this author and she did a great job! Like I said, the world she has created is great. The characters are interesting and unique. I love all the personalities that she has given to them and I love the powers and the way they can be used. I'm so grateful that the author reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to read her book. I have enjoyed very much getting into fantasy and romantasy this year. We do get a some spice but not super spicy in my opinion. Again, I can't wait to see what happens next.

5/5 Stars

2026 Reading Challenge: 47/55 complete