Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 #Bookreview of A Curse of Wings and Gems

By: S.D. Huston

Publisher: Literary Dawn Press LLC

Publication Date: January 20, 2026

ISBN: 978-1962761062

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: November 14, 2025

A Curse of Wings and Gems: A Cursed Royals Fantasy Romance by S.D. Huston is a fantasy romance novel set in a richly built world called Agondray. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of its two protagonists, Edmar and Emira.

Edmar is one of the four immortal Dragon Kings. He is an Ice Dragon who rules the kingdom of Cyaneus. He and his brothers are, however, victims of a thousand-year-old curse linked to Snow Princess and the gods. The curse forces them into endless cycles of fate-bound marriages and to break it, one requires the Dragon's Kiss. However, no one can withstand a kiss from an Ice Dragon, which means one thing: finding the right bride may be next to impossible.

Elsewhere, Emira, a mermaid, is bound by an invisible tether to unquestionably follow her father's demand for her to marry the Seat of the Dwarf. The latter is not supposed to know what she is or what her magic can do. Emira’s father plans to use her uncontrolled magic on him which could lead to her death. Emira, however, becomes defiant and devises a way to rid herself of the painful magic. Her quest for freedom sends her directly to the Sea Witch, who offers her temporal but painful relief before sending her on a quest that is shrouded in danger and potential deception, to steal the God's Stones through which she believes she will be permanently free. This journey, however, leads her directly into the arms of the one man she once saved and whom she has longed for all her life. There, she finds herself torn between the terrifying knowledge that she must betray him to secure her own survival.

This story presents multiple, complex, and nuanced character motivations. Readers are shown what feels like a deal with the devil: a trope that is executed perfectly, fully immersing them into a dangerous game that has looming threats that undercut any glimmer of hope or satisfaction. Every tender moment in the plot carries a constant sense of anxiety that is laced with dramatic irony. The betrayal element strongly feels like the engine of the entire narrative and the "poison" that ensures that no moment of happiness is pure and that no victory comes without a cost.

A Curse of Wings and Gems is a story that questions whether true love can really bloom from a foundation of deception. It also questions what we would value more and where our loyalties would lie when forced into impossible situations. The characters are crafted with such profound depth that ensures that the reader is inescapably implicated in their central conflict. The character who is planning a betrayal is morally grey, and instead of pushing away the reader, the way she is written fosters profound empathy for her. This is all thanks to the author's masterful hand in creating characters that are deeply relatable and whom the reader finds themselves deeply caring for.

Quill says: A Curse of Wings and Gems, though deeply complex, is deeply rewarding. It is a book that respects its audience's intelligence by presenting a layered world, all while using clear narrative techniques that make sure that the reader's experience is totally immersive and comprehensible. It is a great read with a perfect blend of high-stakes fantasy and intense, slow-burning romance that those who enjoy fairy tale retellings will feel right at home with. It will also be enjoyed by those who believe that the most powerful magic is not in spells or curses, but in the often impossible choices we are forced to make.

For more information about A Curse of Wings and Gems, please visit the author's website at: sdhuston.com/