A.K. Nikole

The Seer’s Curse is the debut book from A.K. Nikole, a YA fantasy novel that weaves together multiple timelines in a fantasy romance that will have younger readers glued to their books. The novel operates on two primary plot threads: Rune’s contemporary awakening to her magical heritage following her grandmother’s death, and Perrone’s 17th-century journey from sheltered ignorance to supernatural awareness in witch-hunt era Rouen. The result is a book that is both gripping and emotionally engaging for older kids and teenagers.

When Mamó Madelelina Leblond tells her granddaughter Rune, “Magic flows in your veins, my child,” she does more than reveal a family secret; she sets in motion a chain of events that stretches back through centuries of hidden history. Rune has grown up in an isolated mountain valley, learning herbalism, weather lore, and self-reliance under Mamó’s gentle guidance, never suspecting these lessons were part of a magical inheritance. Her grandmother’s death, and the mysterious green leather journal she leaves behind draws Rune into the legacy of her ancestor named Perrone.

Perrone is an ordinary young woman with no inkling of the extraordinary forces shaping her life. The daughter of Rouen’s head Keeper during the height of the witch hunts, she enjoys comfort and privilege, dreaming of palace balls and romance. Yet her world rests on carefully guarded deceptions designed to keep her true heritage hidden. Her recurring dreams of the mysterious Jovier begin to erode that normality. Soon, she will learn that the same magic she has been shielded from all her life now marks her as the key to an ancient prophecy.

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Overall, this is an accomplished, page-turning debut novel from A. K. Nikole and the perfect late summer escape for younger readers who enjoy fantasy that includes a dose of romance and mystery. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Outlander and A Discovery of Witches.