A high-stakes, fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining read! For centuries the Drakeford family has been living with a curse that is ever more quickly stealing their humanity and their lives, and nineteen-year-old Maggie Drakeford is no exception. So when a strange man claiming to be her family's Curse Keeper suddenly appears at their door with an offer to help them break the Drakeford Curse once and for all, Maggie knows she cannot refuse. As they search for ancient relics and magical items their travels will take them across the globe, but with only six days until the curse becomes permanent, will they be able to gather everything in time? Putting her trust in a literal demon might not be Maggie's best move, and Laszlo is only slightly regretting the whole ordeal, but without each other they have no hope of saving themselves. 

This was one of those books that truly flew by, over five-hundred pages and I honestly would have kept reading more. Despite being a somewhat fast-paced tale - given the six day deadline - the novel never felt rushed to me. Also, it's not often that a curse comes across as legitimately terrifying in a life-or-death way, so this was a pleasant surprise and really added to the tension and urgency. Maggie was a great character, young but determined and so clearly desperate to save her family, and Laszlo, snarky, conceited, and scheming, was the perfect counterpart. I can't decide if I want this to remain a standalone, but either way it's a wonderful adventure and one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year!