THE CURSED ROSE

Treasure hunters Filore and Shane must stop an evil witch and save an enchanted kingdom in the third installment of their fairy-tale adventure.

Left separated and temporarily defeated at the end of The Severed Thread (2023), tan-skinned, dark-haired Fi and Shane (who’s white) must now gather their friends and allies to fight for their happily-ever-afters. Readers who have been following the series will be excited about all the threads that are finally tied off, such as the history of the spooky, enigmatic Spindle Witch and the fate of Filore and her Butterfly Curse. As in the first two installments, the well-paced prose is emotionally evocative and painterly. The author weaves together magic and romance in an action-filled plot and populates the book with characters who are distinctive, likable, and competent. One unusual characteristic of this trilogy is the fact that the three volumes feel much like one very long book: The first two lacked satisfying conclusions, and this third one reads like an ending without a beginning. Now that all the books are out, readers who want to join Fi and Shane on their gender-swapped “Sleeping Beauty”–inspired journey can do so from beginning to end, enjoying the full story arc.

A satisfying close to a magical trilogy.