Today I’m excited to participate in the Bookstagram & Creative Tour for The Cursed
and the Broken by Chloe Hodge hosted by MTMC Tours. This is a steamy, enemies-
to-lovers dark fantasy romance perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Kerri
Maniscalco and it was published on April 15th, 2022!
….
Title: The Cursed and the Broken
Series: The Cursed Blood #1
Author: Chloe Hodge
Publication Date: April 15th, 2022
Genres: Dark Fantasy Romance
Pages: 438
Format: eBook, Paperback
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
SYNOPSIS:
Years ago, the dark queen was executed by witches, her cultists hunted down like rats and forced into hiding. Their black magic buried and put to rest, all was well in the world... or so we thought.
Kitarni Bárány, witch and shepherd of her flock, has always been different. There's a darkness in her blood and a destiny beyond the border of her small village. Corruption is spreading, and the whispers of cultists stir through the woods once again.
Betrothed to the heir of the Wolfblood Clan, she risks not only her life but her heart. United, they must stand against the cultists, or watch the Kingdom of Hungary fall.
Cursed by Death and controlled by Fate, Kitarni is forced to meet her demons ... or die by them.
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BOOK REVIEW
[I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest opinion]
There are just some words that if they appear anywhere near a book description then I am in! Witches, dark magic, Fate, Death, strange happenings in woods, this book had them all. And I was not disappointed I had a great time reading this one. From the beginning I loved the characters. Kitarni had a presence right from off set that drew me in and made me want to know her more.
She has been treated badly by her fellow witches for having powers that they did not understand and very much feared. She has a strong moral code that she adheres to. And despite their ill treatment of her, she still has the desire to protect her village. When one of her tormentors goes missing and with the village elders showing no interest in investigating, Kitarni sets off to find out what has happened to the girl and encounters far more than she bargained for.
This was quite dark in places as there were ritualistic killings and dark magic afoot. I found the world building so compelling and was drawn in by the lore of the place. I loved the idea of witches splintering off due to how they responded to the tyranny of humans and their witch hunts. Some went into hiding preserving their old ways, while others turned to the dark arts in retaliation. The fight between the witches and the cultists drives the main plot and I loved how Kitani is drawn into it. I loved how Fate and Death visit the living and have their own machinations influencing what is happening in the world. I am a sucker for a good enemies to lovers while also being betrothed as part of a political alliance. I think that is a specific trope in itself? and I absolutely love it! Kitarni and Dante are hostile to reluctant allies( all on Kitarni's part to be fair! Dante didnt seem as quick to reach for his blade as she was! lol)
I read this book in the space of two days, I would have been faster if real life didn't interfere! I am so excited for whats to come in the series, the setup for book 2 has me so intrigued, we are left with alot of unresolved tension and I really want to see where the author takes the storyline! highly recommend it to fantasy readers!
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INTL Tour-wide Instagram Giveaway!
Head over to my Instagram account to enter the tour giveaway where one lucky
reader will win a paperback copy of The Cursed and the Broken!
Ends on April 27th, 2022. Winners will be announced on @mtmctours’ Instagram
account.
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Tour Schedule:
April 15
@paperfury - Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 16
@readwithacapricorn - Bookstagram
April 17
@thereaderandthechef - Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 18
@picklesbooks - Bookstagram
April 19
@bookishy - Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 20
@librarybrookes - Bookstagram
April 21
@nelthewhichcraftsbooks - Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 22
@the_bookaddict - Bookstagram
April 23
@shaked_reads - Bookstagram & Book Blog
April 24
@that.bookmom - Bookstagram & Booktok
About Chloe Hodge:
Chloe Hodge was born in Adelaide, South Australia to New
Zealand parents and a Hungarian heritage.
In 2017 she completed a Bachelor of Journalism &
Professional Writing at the University of South Australia,
receiving recognition as a high performing student in the
top 10 percentile. She was a finalist for the Julie Duncan
Memorial Award, and holds a lifetime membership to the Golden Key International
Honour Society. Hodge then proceeded to work for the Australian Broadcast
Corporation (ABC) as a radio producer in Adelaide, before spending some time in
regional SA as a broadcast news reporter. Thereafter, she worked as a journalist for
a technical grape and wine magazine before founding her own small editing
business, Chloe’s Chapters, and starting a career as a Young Adult Fantasy author.
She now spends her time crafting fantastical novels brimming with magic and
mystery, and building worlds rich with colour and history. Hodge creates a
character cast full of underdogs and the morally grey---always seeking to triumph
over evil, or perhaps live long enough to see them become it.
Hodge lives in Brisbane, QLD, with her husband and two dogs. She can be found at
chloehodge.com or you can contact her on her Bookstagram account
@chloeschapters
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CHARACTER Q&A -
1. Hi Kitarni! Can you introduce yourself?
Hello, I’m Kitarni, the eldest daughter of the Bárány family and shepherd of my village. I
am also betrothed to Dante Sandor, heir of the Wolfblood Clan … insufferable asshat
that he is.
2. Tell us what life is like as a witch in your village!
Constant. Unchanging. Boring as all hell, if I’m being honest. We don’t engage with the
outside world very often unless we need to go to the markets in the neighbouring
village. It’s too risky with humans persecuting witches, so there’s not much in the way of
excitement when you’re stuck behind invisible wards. Honestly, I don’t feel like I belong
here. I’d much rather be out there—beyond the woods and exploring the world!
3. We heard you had a little brush with Death in your barn...can you tell us
about it?
I … don’t like to remember that night. It was the Day of the Cursed. We’d huddled
inside, protected by our enchantments … until Eszter made a run for it to help the
animals, because of course she did. I remember the wind shrieking and the cold. It was
so cold in that barn, but all I could think about was saving Eszter, getting her to safety. I
thought I was going to die. Maybe … maybe I still will.