The Cursed Queen's Daughter (Thirstwood, 2)

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4.0 (2)
 
0.0 (0)
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Author(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
February 10, 2026
ISBN
978-0316396028
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In this darkly romantic companion to The Forest King’s Daughter, a warrior princess finds herself in a strange shadow land where danger and secrets hide around every corner—and a mysterious shadow prince stands between her and the truth.

Fearless Thea has never known life outside of war. As the favorite daughter of the Sylvan King, she's a relentless fighter who longs to lead his army as First Huntsman, ignoring the pretty clothes and fanciful notions others enjoy. But when a mysterious dress full of dark magic appears on her hearth one evening, Thea doesn’t know how to fight an enemy she can't see or touch. Still, her curiosity builds as a new gown appears each night—until she gives in to temptation and is whisked to a forgotten land of shadows.

The prince of the shadow realm is a handsome host, and while Thea does all she can to resist his charms, it's clear he knows something about the long-ago disappearance of Thea’s mother. All he asks in return is for Thea to dance with him, their dangerous attraction growing each time she returns for more information. Meanwhile, shadows are seeping into the living realm, and Thea may have to embrace her own darkness if she has any chance of saving her beloved sisters and home from an otherworldly threat.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the second book in a spellbinding series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, with simmering romance and plot twists that will leave readers desperate to enter the Thirstwood themselves.

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Pixies, Silver Trees, Pretty Dresses
(Updated: June 04, 2026)
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Fairytale traditions blend with the modern fae trend in a drama and romance that's haunting yet snappy, with dances, dark corners, and sisters that stick together.

This second novel in the Thirstwood series stars warrior princess Thea, older sister to Cassia who was the heroine in the first installment. When a mysterious dress appears on her hearth, she knows not to trust it, but as secrets and half-truths pile up, Thea finds herself testing this unknown magic and entering an unknown realm where the shadows claw, a fearsome ruler lurks, and a too handsome stranger makes her start to question her power and her past, including the fate of the mother who left her.

This is one of those books that flies by. Fans of fae stories will love the various magical creatures, the brooding love interest wrapped in shadows, and bad guys who deserve to be taken down at the hand of those they hurt. The pixies are quirky and fun, and Thea tries out quite a few pretty outfits. Some of the story beats didn't land for me - this side character is kind of built up for nothing, and her dad the king just sucks (yes, he's not supposed to be nice, but he should still be logical?). On the other hand, Thea's assertiveness, the sparking romance, and the commitment to bittersweet solutions demand attention and set this book apart.

While this companion novel could be read on its own, I'd recommend starting with The Forest King's Daughter to get the full context of events before this (all helpfully summarized in the opening chapter) and the history between the sisters who are the heart of the series.
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YA Romantasy
(Updated: June 04, 2026)
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
The Cursed Queen’s Daughter is the second book in the Thirstwoood world. You would not have had to read Cassia’s story first, but I think the story was more enjoyable having read them in order. This story follows the warrior daughter, Thea, and the shadow prince, Damon, from Illuna. We learn the truth about Thea’s mother, Coventina’s fate, and the dangers of the shadow realm.
If you liked the first book, you are sure to like this one, as it follows the same hate-to-love framework for their romance. Damon keeps his secrets close for the majority of the story, so as a reader, I was eager to get back to their interactions to see what he would reveal next. Damon is known to have charismatic magic to make beings unthinkingly love him, so it was fun to see Thea’s stubbornness match his. At first, their love is a bit insta to fully get behind, but by the time all phases of the story play out, it feels more satisfying.
I enjoy the whimsical nature of a faerie people and think fans of Holly Black have a lot to like about the worldbuilding of this series. The author plans for this to be a trilogy, but there are four sisters, so I hope that Elly Blake writes in a way that she can revisit this world to complete the full set of sisters someday.
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