Review – Skin Curse (The Gate Cycle, Book 2) by Kristin Jacques (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Length: 314 pages
Publisher: Independently published
Release Date: November 9, 2020
ASIN : B08N3NBNRN
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the The Gate Cycle
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Azzy Brimvine knows her brother is in the vast city of Avergard. She must find him, but time is not on their side.

In the House of Seven Smiles, Azzy struggles to understand the constraints and limits of her power. She finds the whispering voices that guided her for so long, suddenly silent. The enigmatic Lord Wallach is both a frustrating ally and a dangerous mystery, and a strange entity lurks among the household servants. The haven Azzy sought may not be as safe as she thought… but is anywhere truly safe in the Above?”

Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Gate Cycle. I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle.

Story (5/5): This was such a dark and beautifully written fantasy. The story was incredibly engaging and it was hard to put this book down. I loved watching Azzy navigate this dark city of people who have been turned into monsters because of the magic that assaults them. It’s gritty and gory but somehow still beautiful in a dark way.

Characters (5/5): The characters are a big part of what makes this story amazing. They are unique and interesting and even the side characters are intriguing and engaging to read about. I loved all of the characters in here, even the cruel characters were incredibly well done.

Setting (5/5): This is an amazing dark and complex world, I really love it. The tone shifts in this book from Azzy surviving a dark monster filled adventure to her journey through the beautiful and deadly city of Avergard and her time in the House of Seven Smiles. In Avergard the monsters lurking are a more polished sort and the setting here was just as fascinating as in the previous book.

Writing Style (5/5): I love Jacques’ writing style so much. I can’t even really pinpoint what I love…her writing just flows so beautifully, has perfect pacing and is a complete joy to read. I loved everything about this book and the writing was just a dream to read. After reading a few lackluster books prior to this one it was such a relief and pleasure to fall back into this fantasy world. Jacques also does just enough recapping that I didn’t feel like I needed to reread the first book to understand what was happening in this one.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I adored this book. I love the world, the characters, the story, and the dark tone to it. It is beautifully written, effortless to read and impossible to put down. I would highly recommend it to those who enjoy dark fantasy.