I’ve read and loved Annie Sullivan’s first two books, A Touch of Gold and Tiger Queen, so when I heard she was coming out with a sequel to A Touch of Gold, I was beyond overjoyed. I admired her visual writing style and well developed characters in her other two books and was sure I was was in for a treat this time too. Sadly, this book didn’t quite hit its mark.

One of the things I liked most about A Touch of Gold was how balanced the plot was. The slow moments were interspersed between the action scenes. As a result, Kora and Royce gradually got to know each other as the journey unfolded. In this book, they are already together and we see none of that romantic build up. I know this adventure reinforced their relationship, but the dynamics between them fell flat. The events in this books also unfold over the course of five days. With such a rushed timeline, the characters ended up being dragged from one action scene to the next with very little time in between. Needless to say, it was kind of exhausting for the reader.

I loved Annie Sullivan’s increased use of mythology in this novel. We were introduced to a plethora of Greek gods and demigods, and it was amusing to read about their interactions with Kora and her group. One demigod in particular stood out, and the character development he underwent was truly astonishing. Kora also gained confidence as a result of their adventure, and I have little doubt she will be a great ruler some day.

I loved A Touch of Gold and Tiger Queen so much I ended up buying hardcover copies of them to go along with my ebooks. I’m still undecided if I will for this one too or not. I think A Curse of Gold was a great way to bring Kora’s story to an end, and I definitely don’t regret reading it in ebook form. I would recommend this book to those who have read and enjoyed her other books, and to those looking for an escape during these uncertain times. I’m confident everyone who picks this up will find at least one thing they like about it.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley, opinions are my own.