The Curse of Ophelia

Badass FMC, Friends that are family, banter, love and inner demons. Riddles to keep your mind reeling as you read every line and meticulously pick them apart trying to decipher their meaning before the answers are revealed.This story was absolutely amazing. After recently completing all of the SJM books, I was pleasantly surprised to be so trapped into a story. I expected to be dissatisfied from any books so soon after Queen Sarah Janet Maas, but if I'm being honest, Nicole may very well be the next SJM, Raven Kennedy or Jennifer Armentrout.Although I'm terrified of what will happen, I have to agree with Liz in her credits - I'm team Tolek. For now. (please don't turn him or Mal evil. Or kill them. OMG this is like twilight or the summer I turned pretty. I love both of them but don't want either to get hurt physically or emotionallyI'm excited to learn about Rina and Jez more as they both had odd encounters and seem to either be hiding something or just generally don't know.Notes I took that I will not be expanding on:-Takes on burdens/hides truths/self sacrifice like Aelin to protect loved ones-best friend banter (secretly in love?)-riddle to ponder-multi POV-flashbacks to past to help fill in blanks-TOD vibes-"who did this to you" but from girl = fresh and cuteperspective

This book was difficult to get through. I felt that it was all build up until around page 200 or so. The story was interesting but slightly difficult to follow and it was not a book that I felt I could not skim though or I would miss important details. The unspoken sexual tension between Ophelia and Tolek was interesting and I'm Curious to see where the author takes their charactersI did feel torn between liking the characters and feeling like their wasn't enough depth to them though. During the Spirit Volcano, I started to lose interest just because I felt like nothing had happened up until that point and I wasn't sure if the story was still going to drag on or if I had finally reached the climax of the book. I did guess early on who was behind the torture but the full decite was surprising.

Nicole’s writing is just beautiful. Poetic honestly. The way she describes feelings and scenery make it so easy to feel or picture exactly what she is trying to portray which is a talent I admire.There was a lot of emotion in this book that really tugged at my heart and again, I couldn’t appreciate more how well it was written.Ophelia is an emotional being who had gone through so much. Her anger is relatable, her pain is relatable. Regardless of the circumstances in the storyline, I found myself familiar with her thoughts and her feelings.It’s easy to see Nicole put a lot into this book which is another thing that is admirable.I will say this book was slower paced, but it made for a perfect book one in a series. Setting the scene for what’s to come. Everything was laid out perfectly and easy to comprehend. It wasn’t overwhelming which, as a fantasy reader I can appreciate.I easily fell in love with the characters. I’m always a sucker for a badass FMC and that’s exactly what Ophelia was in this book. She was fierce in a way I admired. The supporting characters were just important and just as lovable. I couldn’t even tell you who my favorite is yet, I’ll let you know as I continue the series 😉

Listen, this one drops you into it. But it will explain things in time. "The Curse of Ophelia" picks up two years after the conclusion of a war and the disappearance of Malakai during his Undertaking ritual to become a warrior. His childhood bonded Ophelia is left living in a world that remains haunted by the past and she descends into grief and alcohol abuse. While all of the rest of their friends have accepted his likely death, Ophelia never gives up hope. When an Angel insists that she continue to the now-outlawed Undertaking, Ophelia learns that the Curse (thought to be dormant) has reawakened in her.I adored so many things about this book. I loved Ophelia and adored watching her grow, learn to lean on her friends, and struggle through her substance abuse. I loved the found family aspect of this. And listen, I am absolutely Team Tolek but I fully support Ophelia in her choice. These are some great and complex characters - you KNOW I love that.I also enjoyed the world-building even if I don't understand a lot of it yet. I hope there are more answers upcoming. The only quibble I had was that I wish the villains had a little more subtlety to them. Otherwise, this was super well-written and I can't wait to read the next one! Deeply enjoyed this!

Story Idea: 4⭐️Plot: 3⭐️World Building: 2 ⭐️Spice: 0.5 🌶️The book was a good idea and the story is likable but there were some things that I couldn’t get past. The world building is lacking, I do not really understand the different clans and the roles they play. The characters severely lack depth and development. I am just not convinced I like any character except Tol and he barely gets any story time. The two main characters appear to have a strong love connection but there is no why behind it so it is not very believable. The ideas of the test and warrior plot aren’t super riveting and I feel like it all happened fast and yet was predictable. Decent book but could use a little more depth and character and world development..SPOILER….We also do not know yet if Malikai and Ophelia will end up together but so far I would much rather Tolek, he’s definitely my favorite and clearly loves her.

This book was a great surprise to me, great world building, a friend group of mature people with strong ties to one another, there where parts where I grew frustrated with the FMC but that needed to happen to really show you her growth and the feelings she was going through. Ophelia is a warrior at heart and a formidable woman, her strength and the grit with which she held on to her love was incredible and I must say my favorite part was the ending, because while it did in fact deliver a strong hook for following books, the story does give you a sense of closure or at least an oasis from which the story may move forward, it felt like a moment to catch my breath, as much as I want to keep on reading this compelling story, I also wanna process and relish all the teachings and beautiful moments it gave me 🖤🖤Absolutely amazing

I loved the world building in this and how broken but also how strong our fmc Ophelia is. Never giving up on finding her lost love Malakai alive after two years. The camaraderie between herself, her sister Jez and their friends Cy, Rina and Tol is just beautiful and the lengths they go through for each other and their quest is amazing. I loved seeing Ophelia's rage and hope for more of it.I'm team Tol all the way. Lol.

I loved all the world building, and there was a variety of characters unlike a lot of other books, got me out of my fantasy reading slump

— 4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"I was Ophelia Tavania Alabath, daughter of one of the most powerful Mystique bloodlines, future Second of our clan, and no one harmed those I loved without having to answer to me."📖 | 394 pages👤 | author Nicole Platania🏢 | published independently📅 | release date 7 Feburary 2023What you can expect:— New Adult Fantasy Romance— First Instalment In A Series— First-Person POV— Dual POV— 'Chosen One'— Friends-to-Lovers— Magic And Mythology— Riddles and Quests— Secret Identities And Betrayals— Found FamilyTrigger & Content Warnings include: depictions of grief, alcohol dependency and withdrawal symptoms, blood/gore, death of a loved one, violence, torture, some sexual content.The Curse of Ophelia is the first in a new Fantasy Romance series by debut author Nicole Platania. As a descendant of a prestigious and powerful bloodline of warriors, all Ophelia ever dreamed of was completing The Undertaking and taking her rightful place as a Mystique warrior alongside her first and only love, Malakai. Instead, war ravaged her lands and a deadly curse fell upon her people. Two years later and the war is over. The curse is lifted Malakai is gone. It’s been two years since Ophelia has seen the boy she loves. When a treaty was signed ending the war and lifting the curse on Mystique Warriors, Malakai left to attempt the sacred ritual known as the Undertaking. He never returned, and the Undertaking was declared forbidden. Ophelia’s world crumbled around her, and since then she has pursued a fruitless search for answers. When the deadly curse resurfaces only on her, Ophelia finds solace in the idea that when she dies, she may finally be reunited with her lost love. Then, a messenger appears, telling her that she alone may be the one to save her people. With her closest friends by her side, Ophelia embarks on a race against death—one that will not only challenge her physically, but make her question the Mystique leaders, the Angels, and her belief in love. Can she win the fight against fate before the curse takes her life, or will the betrayals exposed along the way kill her first?The best way that I can describe The Curse of Ophelia is sheer, enjoyable chaos. I can't lie, there were multiple moments I had no idea what was going on, however the vibes were strong and I still had a great time. Author Nicole Platania has created an immersive and atmospheric world filled with intriguing lore and a strong sense of history. My favourite aspect of this book is how fundamentally raw and vulnerable the introduction to our main character, Ophelia, is. I will admit that there were some moments where I did not particularly enjoy her as a character, however that just seeks to give credit to the author's incredible writing ability as author Nicole Platania has written an incredibly flawed and diverse cast of characters. For the very first time in my reading experience, we meet the main character as she is already near rock bottom. Ophelia's entire life has been upended, and we meet her as she is struggling to accept her new normal. Feeling robbed of her heritage and the boy she loves, Ophelia largely exists in a cloud of bitterness, anger and despair. It was such a refreshing take to begin the series with the main character in such a low state, as we then get the joy of watching her regain her fight, rise back up and find her footing. Ophelia is fiercely passionate and loyal to the people in her life, and her refusal to accept Malakai's death tugged on my heartstrings. We follow Ophelia on a journey filled with triumphs and failures... and I felt genuine pride over her character development through to the end.I will admit that I wasn't expecting an alluded love triangle within this series, however I do admit to absolutely falling in-love with Tolek's witty and loving nature. His devotion and loyalty for his friends are unchallenged, as is his clear love and longing for Ophelia. I love that Tolek refused to give up on Ophelia when she lost her way, and maintained a constant emotional and physical crutch of support when it was necessary. I definitely don't have a clear preference between Tolek and Malakai as of yet as the majority of Malakai's appearances are set in the past, and I firmly believe present-day Malakai will be fundamentally different based on his traumatic experiences. I look forward to getting to know both characters better in the sequel, The Shards of Ophelia.I was utterly enraptured with the journey that Ophelia and her friends find themselves on throughout this story as I found myself unwilling to put the book down. The dynamics in the group are a varied mix that leave a firm impression on every single page, and I had a lot of fun anticipating and guessing the twists and turns that are teased throughout the story. Whilst I accurately guessed a couple, there were some moments where I felt genuine shock and bafflement over what I was reading. The Curse of Ophelia concludes with a solid ending and strong build-up on what to expect within the next book.

Probably the best debut novel by an indie author I’ve ever read. The journey and growth Ophelia goes on throughout the book is tragic yet so healing and will make so many people feel seen. Definitely give it a read if you’re a romantasy lover!