Ohana Reviews

Review ❀ Kin of the Curse

Reviewer: @mmjayoh

Book: Kin of the Curse

Author: @AliKatMeow

Title and Cover: The title is catchy and fun. It pairs nicely with your cover as well, which looks very professional. I love the font choice and the image featured. It doesn't necessarily scream supernatural, but it's an inviting cover nonetheless. Great work, here!

Blurb: The blurb is very nice. It's concise but still clearly and effectively describes the premise of the story. After reading, I'd be intrigued to check out the whole story. And, I didn't notice any obvious errors.

Plot Overview: So far, the plot has been engaging and smart. What I mean is there are no obvious plot holes or oversights. In murder mysteries, sometimes authors may overlook obvious questions or force their main characters to pursue a certain angle. However, in your plot, every choice taken by Lucien has felt logical and well thought out.

The first chapter was an exciting start! I love the imagery used to set up the story and scene. Everything felt so vivid and the fall time was the perfect setting for this dark, fantastical story. I loved the inciting incident at the end of chapter one–it was unexpected and engaging.

The twist of Lucien being to blame for Charlotte wandering around that night added some needed tension. And the story has been intelligently set-up as it would make perfect sense for Lucien and Castor to play detectives–since Castor's family is catching the blame, they both have an invested interest to find the killer.

I particularly liked how Lucien discovered Charlotte's been keeping secrets from him, and how you introduced the vampire element. Wizards and vampires existing together is a fun concept, and the two worlds have been woven together nicely.

Pacing: The pacing has felt perfect, so far. Nothing is too rushed and everything seems to be unfolding very organically. Well done!

Style and Flow: I love your writing style. You use vivid imagery and descriptions to clearly convey each scene, and the words you choose are perfectly suited for this dark whimsical story. For example, I love the descriptions in the introduction to chapter four.

Furthermore, I have no complaints in regard to story flow as the story moves along nicely.

Characters: You've done a wonderful job introducing the Vale family as mysterious and misunderstood. I find their dark ancestry intriguing and it could make for an interesting plot point moving forward.

Also, I love how you set up the Cromwell family as strained–the added tension of Lucien's parents' anger towards him about hanging around the Vale's and blaming him for Charlotte leaving adds some exciting tension to the plot.

Lastly, I appreciate the intricate dynamic between our main characters: Lucien and Castor. It's fun to read how protective Castor can be over Lucien at times, since Lucien often seems timid or a bit sheltered. For instance, when Castor brings him to Nevermourn, the way he scolded Lucien for presenting his neck to Sebastian shows how much Castor really does care for Lucien. I'd be interested to see how their relationship transforms as the mystery unravels.

Grammar/Spelling: I genuinely did not notice any errors, so great work here! It made the story easy and enjoyable to read.

Final thoughts: This was a wonderful start to a supernatural murder mystery. The concept feels fresh, and I love the world you have created through vivid descriptions and interesting characters. I'm sorry I didn't have more to offer in regard to critiques, but I think you're on an excellent path already. Hope you keep writing and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this story to a friend! Great writing! (: