Thanks so much to NetGalley and Blink Publishing Co for letting me have a chance to read and review this fun book. This was a continuation and sequel to A Touch of Gold and it was a bit of a slow start, but then picked up and got into lots of fast-paced action and enjoyable storytelling.
The story continues in this book about Princess Kora and her father, King Midas, with his curse of turning everything he touches to gold. The King is still trying to deal with his curse and how it messes with him and his mind with the help of his daughter, Kora and she is still trying to be okay with herself with her golden skin and her situation as King Midas' daughter.
While it started a bit slow, at first, some parts picked up right where they left off like with Kora and her relationship with Royce. Also, there's some unrest in the kingdom with Kora and her father, King Midas, as rulers with the people being afraid and nervous of the magic and the curse and then at a party, some satyrs and creatures show up and start attacking everyone to go after Princess Kora because Dionysus has put an order out for her to be killed. Dionysus wants her and her father dead and their kingdom burned so Kora has to set out with her group of friends to find out why Dionysus wants her gone and how to stop him.
Princess Kora goes out on a quest with her friends to see if she can remove the curse from her father, save him, their kingdom and stop Dionysus with his plans to destroy them and the kingdom.
This turned out to be a bit more exciting and fun than I thought after they left to go on the quest because then they had to seek out the Oracle, figure out riddles, go after the Gorgons, seek out and get help from Poseidon and Triton and ride the Pegasi to get to the island where Dionysus resides.
As a lover of all things to do with mythology, I loved this book even more than the first one. It was very entertaining, enjoyable, and fun to read. I wanted to read more and I liked how the story ended, but there were a lot of tense parts and some high stakes as they went along too.
If you read the first book, A Touch of Gold, and liked it, you'll love this one too. I would recommend reading this, but make sure to read the prior book of A Touch of Gold first so you'll get more out of this one. Make sure to keep this on your list and read it when it comes out, it's a fun and entertaining read! ( )

A fun sequel that I enjoyed even more than the first installment. King Midas' daughter, Kora, must find a way to defeat Dionysus (the god who cursed her father and as a result forever changed her) before he comes to their kingdom and attacks them again. Her father is weak and a myriad of beasts have started attacking the kingdom trying to attack Kora. She sets out with her lover, Royce the admiral of her father's fleet, in order to find Triton, a god who can lead them to Dionysus' hidden island. Along the way they encounter gods, monsters, and other horrible creatures and must stay alive using their wits and a half formed plan. Lovers of mythology will delight in this young adult adventure novel. Readers will want to know, are there more books in this series forthcoming?! ( )

With a dive into Greek mythology, this book twists and turns with the gods, Midas' touch, and a heroine, who is hard not to root for.

Kora is determined to break the curse set on her father (and by blood, her) thanks to Dionysus. But it's not an easy task as she runs up against creatures and gods alike. Luckily, she's not alone and even finds help in unexpected places.

Note: I did read the first book in this series and would highly recommend that the series be read as such. This second one can be read as a stand-alone, but it does take some time to sink in, and the characters will seem different if book one was read first.

Anyone who enjoys tales with twists on Greek mythology is sure to enjoy this one. The gods are sneaky and cruel as always, but there are several surprises too. Plus, I enjoy the fact that this is a retelling of Midas' Touch...a tale I haven't seen a lot of retellings on yet. The book is packed with action and doesn't leave a moment for boredom. Kora has her hands full, not only with the gods, but with her seafaring friends as well. I especially enjoyed Titus' place in this book... it was an interesting twist on his character and did help to make Kora even more likeable than before.

Romance. There is some, but it doesn't steer the entire plot. Not by any means. Kora's main goal is to break the curse, and that's what this tale is about. So, anyone hoping to smolder on this end, will be disappointed. Still, there is some there, and it adds a sweetness to the tale that would be missing otherwise.

While I enjoy Kora's adventure, I did find many things a bit rushed. Not in the sense that it was confusing or too quick, but rather, the action scenes and other moments could have simply been built out a bit more. So, I felt hurried along when I would have loved to linger.

But it's definitely worth a read to anyone who enjoys these types of retellings.

I received an ARC and enjoyed reading quite a bit. ( )

"A Curse of Gold" by Annie Sullivan is the second book in the “A Touch of Gold” duology. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first in the series to fully enjoy this entry. “A Touch of Gold,” the first book in the series, is a “King Midas” retelling. Kora, our heroine, is King Midas’s daughter. She has been touched by King Midas and cursed. Her skin is gold and she has secret powers.

In “A Curse of Gold” Kora seeks to break the curse once and for all. Her people do not trust her to become their ruler and Dionysus (the one who cursed her father) is now trying to kill her and overthrow the kingdom.

This book is full of adventure as the characters embark on this dangerous quest to stop Dionysus and break the curse once and for all. I enjoyed seeing the old gang from the first book back together. Ms. Sullivan does an amazing job building her characters. The side characters are well done, and they are some of my favorites. I love the friendship theme running throughout. Although this is a quest story, there is still a lot of focus on characterization and character growth.

There is also so much adventure and action! There are oracles, quests, sea monsters, gods, and a myriad of other creatures from Greek mythology. Through it all, Kora learns what it takes to be a good ruler and leader, she protects and fights for her people and puts her people above herself. The conclusion is nonstop adventure and action! If you pick up “A Curse of Gold,” buckle your seatbelts for a wild ride!

Content: This is a clean read. The only content is a reference to a man being drunk and a woman is naked after being released from a curse.

Rating: I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Annie Sullivan, Blink and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. ( )