The Cursed Key by Miranda Brock and Rebecca Hamilton

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: http://mirandabrockwrites.com/ and https://rebeccahamilton.com/
SERIES: The Cursed Key Trilogy
PUBLISHED: January 14, 2020 by Evershade Publishing
PAGES: 230
GENRE: Paranormal Fantasy

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Blurb

A forgotten past, a dark mage, and an unyielding curse.

Another team beat free-spirited archaeologist Olivia Perez to the dig of a lifetime, and now she’s left with the choice to wait for scraps or brave a dangerous, dusty tomb in hopes of finding other priceless artifacts. Her reward? A mysterious key she has no idea is cursed. Soon, Olivia realizes she’s brought home more than just an ancient rarity.

Malevolent visions begin to plague her. Unnerved by what they reveal, she casts away the key…unknowingly placing it into the waiting hands of a dark mage bent on destruction. Only when a shifter agent from the Paranormal Intelligence and Tracking Organization arrives searching for the key does Olivia realize what a huge mistake she’s made.

Forced to team up with the ill-tempered shifter, her journey to reclaim the cursed key leads down a twisting path of dark histories, dangerous magic, and deadly obstacles. But Olivia’s efforts to take back the ancient relic before the dark mage can destroy the lives of humans, shifters, witches, and fae alike are thwarted by her own dark past…and a price steeper than what she’s willing to pay.

Fans of Tomb Raider and Ilona Andrews will love the blend of urban fantasy, magical adventure, and paranormal romance in THE CURSED KEY from Miranda Brock and New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Hamilton!

Review

ALSO REVIEWED AT: Goodreads

Who are you? You do not know anymore, do you?

The Cursed Key is a captivating and seamless collaboration between authors Miranda Brock and Rebecca Hamilton, and is the paranormal tale of an ancient evil awakening. An enthusiastic archaeologist follows whispers on the wind to recover what she believes to be a mundane golden key among crumbled ruins, but what she discovers is that some things are meant to remain hidden. Shortly after, she’s plagued by visions, hunted by enigmatic shadows, and abruptly tossed into a reality she never knew existed. Upon learning the taste of power brings about all manner of dangers, she embarks on a journey for answers, perhaps even one that will prevent a vile and malevolent force from being unleashed onto the world.

The beauty of this story lies in its charming and exciting adventure. From the humid rainforests of Brazil, to the quaint town of New Haven, to the rolling hills of Scotland, to the hidden secrets of the English countryside, we travel the world in order to solve a thrilling mystery. Every step of the way we’re met with lethal riddles, alluring and charismatic individuals, and secrets waiting to be revealed. A little bit of tomb raiding, a little bit of magic, a little bit of trekking through the unknown, there’s no shortage of risky undertakings. The action is unrelenting and severe, with lives constantly hanging in the balance, and always keeping me on the edge of my seat.

Power and destruction were calling my name. It would be easy with the key around my neck to bring the blood and screams to life.

Brock and Hamilton introduce us to a small, yet diverse and developed cast of characters from all walks of life. Our main character is Olivia, and her curious nature is the catalyst for all the events that transpire throughout the story. Upon finding the cursed key, her destined life unfurls before her, and she’s forced to accept the world as she knows it is but a facade. She comes to meet Kael, an irritable officer that claims he works for a paranormal agency, and their relationship is not necessarily a cordial one…at the start. Together they follow a trail of clues that leads them to cross paths with flirty fae, watchful witches, and a mystical and dangerous foe. Each character is crucial, and perfectly weaved into this tale.

This book contains a highly original and an excellently planned plot, told with simple prose, making this not only an easy story to read, but one I was unable to put down. Although written by two separate authors, I found the level of cohesion to be incredible, and I was pleasantly surprised, as I have not yet read works from either. I found the pacing to be near perfect – the fat smartly trimmed, and the story moving along without a single hitch. I went into this story with expectations, and nearly all have been met.

The Cursed Key is an excellent start to a series that left me needing to know what happens next. While it ends at a cliffhanger, it’s not entirely jarring like some, and the initial arc ties up nicely. With beautiful environments, outstanding character development and evolution, and an intriguing mystery, this story has a lot to offer, and I’m excited to see where Brock and Hamilton take us in the future. If you’re looking for a paranormal fantasy with an electrifying adventure, then this is the one you want.

Note: A huge thank you to Xpresso Book Tours and the authors for providing me with an advanced complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Authors

From an early age Miranda Brock has always loved fantasy and adventure everything. Since she doesn’t live in a world of enchanting powers, mythical beasts, and things unbelievable she has decided to write about them. (Although, if you happen to see a dragon flying around, do tell her.) Born in southern Illinois, where she still resides with her husband and two children, she grew up running through the woods, playing in creeks, and riding horses. What started out as writing poetry grew into short stories and eventually led to her first novel, Souls Discovered. Miranda lives in the country where she finds inspiration in the simplicity and beauty around her. With the help of a ridiculous amount of coffee and some good music she writes whenever she gets a chance.

WEBSITE: http://mirandabrockwrites.com/

New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Hamilton writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance for Harlequin, Baste Lübbe, and Evershade. A book addict, registered bone marrow donor, and indian food enthusiast, she often takes to fictional worlds to see what perilous situations her characters will find themselves in next.

Represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA, Rebecca has been published internationally, in three languages: English, German, and Hungarian.

WEBSITE: https://rebeccahamilton.com/