The protagonist and first person narrator for this book is honestly what killed it for me. It was a really promising idea: a plague that inflicts magic (with an exacted price), an old god and an old curse, a prophetic legend, and a deck of cards which once completed would lift the curse. And a romantic lead who's tall, dark and handsome? Let's go. Unfortunately, our protagonist, Elspeth, seemed allergic to taking any agency in her situation. Her half-baked romance with Ravyn became the only thread by which we were to follow or care about the plot, and after (I think) 24 hours of knowing one another, they were already having the "what are we" talk.

It's a pass from me, sorry to be so negative about it. This book just wasn't for me, but I think it would appeal to people looking for a romance with light fantasy, a cool monster trope, and court politics.