Review by Kirkus Book Review
The curse tournament continues to collapse following the events of All of Us Villains (2021). The five champions must end the tournament--either with a single victor or by destroying it--before the curse breaks and takes all of them with it. Alistair and Gavin fall on the side of wanting to win--Alistair to protect his brother, Hendry, brought back to life by the tournament's high magick; Gavin, in defiance of a family that raised him for the slaughter. They end up an unlikely team in order to stand against the alliance of Isobel, Finley, and Briony, who are seeking to destroy the tournament. Alistair and Gavin battle mistrust, an attraction, and their vulnerabilities--the Reaper's Embrace curse that's consuming Alistair, and Gavin's messed up magick (courtesy of cursemaker Reid). Reid's betrayal of Isobel (herself suffering from the side effects of a spell that saved her life) backfires on him, pulling him closer to the tournament than he'd like. To have a shot at surviving, the champions must directly confront history and their family stories so as to defeat the trials that will end the curse--but damaging the curse allows the outside world's intrusions, including close-to-home threats and dangerous parties seeking high magick for themselves. Expanded tensions help keep the story fresh and the action inventive, but it's the characters that shine. Finley reads Black; the other champions are cued White. A high-stakes conclusion with satisfying finality. (Fantasy. 13-adult) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
