Cursed by the Crimson Moon

A Dark Why-Choose Red Riding Hood Retelling (Twisted Curses: A Collection of Dark Fairytale Retellings)

De: Ava Zoe

Narrado por: Marie Walker

Two men. One curse. She refuses to choose.

When Lena learns she’s destined to be the next sacrifice to the forest’s curse, she refuses to accept her fate. Desperate to uncover the truth and shatter the Crimson Moon’s grip on her village, she ventures into the forbidden forest. Beside her stands Calder, her fiercely loyal best friend, and Alaric, the cursed Wolf who carries the weight of the village’s darkest secrets.

As ancient trials test their strength and trust, the trio must navigate a web of betrayal, love, and shadowy forces determined to see them fail. But breaking the curse comes at a cost—and the forest isn’t willing to let them leave unscathed.

Will Lena’s strength be enough to challenge the curse and claim a future of her own design?

Cursed by the Crimson Moon is a heart-pounding journey of love, sacrifice, and the battle against fate.

In this steamy wolves dark fairytale, discover a why-choose fantasy romance with dark magic, forbidden love, and fate that collide under the crimson moon. Perfect for fans of Grimm's Fairytales, From Blood and Ash, Serpent & Dove, and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

©2025 Ava Zoe (P)2026 Ava Zoe

A great, refreshed retell with why choose!

I don’t usually go for retellings—especially the ones that make it super obvious from the start—but I actually really liked the direction this one took. The twist helped keep it feeling fresh instead of predictable.

Ava Zoe mixed in a little bit of everything: dark fairy tale vibes, secrets, romance, some spice, and a why choose element. I also really appreciated that it’s a standalone. Sometimes you just want a complete story without committing to a long series, and this definitely delivered on that.

That said, it was a bit slower than what I usually read. It took me around 15 chapters before I really felt invested in the story and characters.

I did get the chance to listen to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job. I usually listen at about 1.5–1.6x speed, and it felt perfect at that pace. Honestly, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it if I’d only been reading it without the audio.

Little Red Riding Hood but with teeth

This story reminded of me the village mixed with curses and werewolves. It’s story of a a young woman fighting against the odds to reveal the truth behind the tales of the wolf in the woods. That unity and love can overcome all.

This isn’t my usual type of book I’d read but I enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a story where the female main character is the hero then look no further.

Dark and spicy!

The Village meets Little Red Riding Hood with a hint of The Hunger Games.
Sacrifices, secrets, and love triangles... oh my!
I love a retelling! This one checked off so many boxes: dark fairy tale, secrets, romance, spice and why chose! Ava Zoe does a fantastic job of giving a traditional fairy tale a new, dark twist.

A different twist on Red Riding Hood

I enjoyed this retelling of little red riding hood. It wasn’t too dark or tooo spicy. The narrators did a good job!

unique retelling and the narrator did a decent job

This was an interesting retelling where this community is stuck in a loop. Every 10 years they must sacrifice the strongest member to the wolf or suffer the consequences of breaking the deal. This year Lena is not OK with just allowing herself to be sacrificed. Her and Calder decide to find a way to break the curse and find themselves wrapped up in this new aspect of life. They have to learn to adapt, trust the wolf in human form, and figure out how to unravel the clues to break the curse.