I bought a copy of Piper J. Drakes‘ Wings Once Cursed & Bound way back in August of 2023 as part of a #ReadForMaui: A Read for Maui Read-A-thon. Maui was burning, and I bought several books by local authors in support.
My wings unbound, I am the Thai bird princess
The kinnaree
And no matter the cost,
I will be free.
Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it’s too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death.
But Bennet isn’t the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don’t seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he’ll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed. Bennett sweeps Peeraphan into a world of myth and power far beyond anything she ever imagined. There, she finds that magic exists in places she never dreamed—including deep within herself.
Meh. I thought this was OK, but nothing more. I liked that Peeraphan had a backbone and no problem expressing herself. I liked that Bennet was assiduous about consent at every stage, and the reader can see his internal struggles. I even think the world was interesting.
The problem was that the world felt only sketched out, and, frankly, I was bored for most of the book. There really isn’t much to the plot and no real twists or turns to keep things lively. I have book two. But I’m not even sure I will read it.
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