A Curse of Gold

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Princess Kora and her father King Midas are cursed by the god Dionysis, and their people don't respect their cursed rulers. But if Kora can defeat the god that threatens them, can she earn the respect of her people?

Normally I don't like reading a series out of order, but I found it difficult to find the first book in this series, A Touch of Gold, from the library. I wish I had known at the time that the book was free through my Prime membership! The first book introduces King Midas' daughter Princess Kora. Midas stops using his infamous Midas touch after turning Kora's skin golden and almost killing her. Some of his powers have transferred to Kora, so she can also turn objects into gold.

In A Curse of Gold, Kora is dealing with being the heir to a throne where the people don't want her -- both she and her father are cursed. Then Dionysus, the god who originally cursed Midas, sends his minions to kill Princess Kora. Kora decides that to protect herself and her kingdom, she must find Dionysus and defeat him.

Kora solves several riddles to visit the Oracle, learns about the Greek gods and titans, and ambles off on a journey to find Dionysus' island. The story reads like a swashbuckling adventure novel, including a sea voyage with monsters. Those looking for Percy Jackson with a female hero need to look no further.

The writing is descriptive but odd, as most of us are so used to reading third-person narratives. Having the book in the first person makes sense because the action is through Kora's eyes, but readers may take a while to get used to it. Since it's a YA book, teens may enjoy the narrative because Kora is telling them a story.

Alana Kerr Collins has a soothing yet powerful voice, which makes her a good narrator. Her inflection gives emotion to the reading. Because the book is written in the first person, her narration directly reflects on Kora's character. Collins makes Kora seem older than I pictured her.

Fans of Greek mythology, adventure stories, and fairy tale retellings will enjoy this novel. Teens who enjoy Percy Jackson and its spinoff series will also love this book.

Annie Sullivan is the author of three YA fantasy novels. She works in publishing and lives in Indianapolis.

Series: A Touch of Gold, #2

Publisher: Blink

Narrator: Alana Kerr Collins

Running Time: 11 hours, 2 minutes

Release Date: September 22, 2020

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I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a digital audio recording of this title from the publisher through Libro.fm as a librarian review copy, and this is the copy I ended up reading/listening to. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.