Curse Bound by J. L. Mbewe [Review + Blog Tour]

I often find the final book in a trilogy plays a pivotal part of how I view the series as a whole. If successful and well-written, I will return to it over and over again.  If lackluster or disappointing, it can dim the excitement and joy I felt for the earlier installments.  Read on for my review of  Curse Bound --author J.L. Mbewe's conclusion to her debut fantasy trilogy ...


Title: Curse Bound (The Hidden Dagger #3)
Author: J. L. Mbewe
Published: 2019 by BrokenSeed Books

About the Book:

"Kael's worse fears have come true. Betrayal has shaken the Guardian Circle, the High Guardian is dead, and Ayianna and Prince Vian are in the hands of the Sorceress, but he and his companions must finish their quest, before they can attempt a rescue mission. Unfortunately, Desmond's parting gift left them stranded on the western cliffs of Nälu. Jathil, once heir to the throne of Arashel, believes her father will aid them, but first she must face the crimes of her past. When she does, she could never believe the outcome, nor the rippling effect it would have on the nations. Meanwhile the Alliance braces for war, but division threatens to undermine their efforts. When Nerissa returns from Ganya with the dragon regiment, she discovers a bigger problem. The curse bound are waking. As the quest nears completion, Kael is forced to choose between his heart and duty, and neither choice bodes well with him. Either way, he will face the Sorceress and her armies sooner or later. The battle for Nälu has begun and there can be only one victor."

The Artist Librarian Review:

It's bittersweet to come to the end of this trilogy that I started reading nearly 5 years ago with Secrets Kept.  Curse Bound covers events immediately after Darkened Hope and follows several different groups of characters from the original quest: Ayianna and Prince Vian traded their lives for the safety of their friends and are now captive in the heart of enemy territory.  Kael, Jathil, and Tariq frantically search for the final ingredient to craft a life-saving tonic.  Finally the remnants of the Guardian Circle prepare for war in the city of Praeten and watch over the sleeping cursed bound citizens in Kvazkhun.

Though it's been over a year since I last read this series, I was able to quickly reacquaint myself through the character list at the beginning of the book which spotlights each main character and their role in the series thus far.  I think it would be possible for someone to jump straight to Curse Bound, but reading the trilogy through would be more preferred to give background and foster connection to the characters.  The story continues where it left off from the previous book at full speed. 

Appropriately, considering the title, much of the conflict of the novel comes through curses: Some are physically affecting curses, like the harpy curse which threatens to consume Ayianna or the Sorceress' curse on the plains' people that compel them to serve her.  Others are subtle, like Kael's struggles to overcome his past failures or Vian's status as the marked firstborn of King Valdemar that makes him a target of Semine, who is convinced that his sacrifice will allow her evil mistress Raezana to rise again.

While I did enjoy the conclusion of this trilogy, I did feel a slight letdown on the ending in regards to the fate of one antagonist, because the story feels complete minus that one character.  However, I have a feeling that perhaps it was intentionally left open-ended by the author so she can return to this story world and write more about Nälu in the future ... Other than that, I think overall, with diverse characters, detailed world building, and a subtle spiritual thread, The Hidden Dagger Trilogy is a solid indie debut for author J. L. Mbewe and is unique entry in the growing Christian Fantasy market.

Do you read indie published books?  What are some of your favorite?  Are there 3rd books in trilogies that affected how you ended up viewing the entire series?

[Disclosure: I received a complimentary ARC of this book for review purposes through the participation of this blog tour.]


About the Author

Writing as J. L. Mbewe, Jennette is an author, artist, mother, wife, but not always in that order. Born and raised in Minnesota, she now braves the heat of Texas, but pines for the Northern Lights and the lakes of home every autumn. She loves trying to capture the abstract and make it concrete. She is currently living her second childhood with her wonderful husband and two precious children who don’t seem to mind her eclectic collections of rocks, shells, and swords, among other things. Here, between reality and dreams, you will find her busily creating worlds inhabited by all sorts of fantasy creatures and characters, all questing about and discovering true love amid lots of peril. Her debut novel, Secrets Kept, was nominated for the 2014 Clive Staples Award. Her second novel, Darkened Hope was a semi-finalist for the 2017 Alliance Award.


Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, July 8th
Tuesday, July 9th
Wednesday, July 10th
Thursday, July 11th
Friday, July 12th
Saturday, July 13th
Sunday, July 14th

4 comments

  1. Laura A. GraceJuly 15, 2019 at 3:30 PM

    Great review! I admit I was too concerning that antagonist you're referring too, but I think it made an interesting twist being open-ended. This was a really bittersweet ending! I totally cried. LOL! Thanks so much for sharing and glad you enjoyed Curse Bound overall!

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    Replies
    1. The Artist LibrarianAugust 7, 2019 at 2:40 AM

      Yes, I did appreciate that there was some realism in that the good guys don't come out of it totally unscathed, but it was definitely bittersweet!

      Delete
  2. J. L. MbeweJuly 17, 2019 at 3:46 PM

    Thank you so much, Jen!!! It seems I will have to write the next trilogy so y'all can see what happens to that particular antagonist . . . . :-D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Artist LibrarianAugust 7, 2019 at 2:41 AM

      LOL, I'm all for it especially if Jathil is in there somewhere! =)

      Delete

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! Comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

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