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lifeofafemalebibliophile's review
3.0
Read even more reviews at: https://www.lifeofafemalebibliophile.com/
I love novels set on the high seas so I couldn’t resist picking up this novel after reading the synopsis. The story follows a young woman named Serefina who bears the mark of a curse placed upon her by a dying witch as a child. Whatever or whoever she touches will have misfortune brought to them. Fina feels like a constant burden to those around her so she decides to escape her family’s vineyard and ends up on a merchants ship. Will she be able to escape the fates of her curse?
During Fina’s journey she strikes up a friendship a sailor named Antonio and soon they get separated from the ship’s crew as pirates take over and everyone is forced to leave the boat. There begins the duo’s journey and a budding romance. Both are cautious of each other since they are both hiding painful pasts and secrets, but they learn to start to trust each in order to survive on there journey.
This story is adventurous with a hint of suspense. There are so many mysteries to unravel and that aspect along with the action-packed keeps the reader engaged with the overall quest. While I enjoyed the book I felt like something was missing from the story. I wanted to see more depth in the characters and world-building behind the lore and magic of the setting. But all in all, it’s still a fun read!
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I love novels set on the high seas so I couldn’t resist picking up this novel after reading the synopsis. The story follows a young woman named Serefina who bears the mark of a curse placed upon her by a dying witch as a child. Whatever or whoever she touches will have misfortune brought to them. Fina feels like a constant burden to those around her so she decides to escape her family’s vineyard and ends up on a merchants ship. Will she be able to escape the fates of her curse?
During Fina’s journey she strikes up a friendship a sailor named Antonio and soon they get separated from the ship’s crew as pirates take over and everyone is forced to leave the boat. There begins the duo’s journey and a budding romance. Both are cautious of each other since they are both hiding painful pasts and secrets, but they learn to start to trust each in order to survive on there journey.
This story is adventurous with a hint of suspense. There are so many mysteries to unravel and that aspect along with the action-packed keeps the reader engaged with the overall quest. While I enjoyed the book I felt like something was missing from the story. I wanted to see more depth in the characters and world-building behind the lore and magic of the setting. But all in all, it’s still a fun read!
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Rockstar Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
ktbeth143's review against another edition
I wanted so bad to like this but I just couldn’t get into it. That’s not to say it isn’t good, it just clearly isn’t what I’m interested in right now. #moodreaderproblems
sometimesleelynnreads's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Flying Unicorn Press and RockStar Book Tours for this free copy.
Oh my gosh, both the book and this cover were pretty damn beautiful if I do say so myself.
But anyway.
I have a thing with journeys on the high seas, and even though these guys aren’t technically pirates – well at least not on the surface -, they are giving me that kind of vibe. Actually, the beginning of this book and the premise of the synopsis reminds me of the beginning scene of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, you know when Elizabeth Swan saves Will Turner? Except this book is kind of opposite since it’s the girl that was saved from the ocean?
Cooooooooool, right?
There is a little bit of a insta-love that happens between our two main characters: Fina and Antonio, but maybe it kind of works for this situation. You never know when your last moment is going to come around and sometimes you need to just have some emotions that aren’t always so stressful. Well, love can be stressful, but in a good way.
The thing about Fina though, is that she has powers that are reminiscent of Rogue from X-Men. Basically, anyone she touches, she can kill. It’s kind of hard to make any lasting relationships when you can’t touch anyone safely. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that, but I won’t spoil it for you.
Fina is a main character that I think is one of my favorites now. I have always been a stan of female characters that have a sordid past and just keep going no matter how shitty things have been for them. Even though the first time we meet her she feels like she deserves whatever death is coming to her – for clear reasons once we know more about it – she still seems to be fighting for life. Sure, she may think it’s just a panic instinct reflex or whatever, but there is some small part of her that does want to live, that does want to survive, and she’s doing what she needs to in order to do so. She doesn’t just lie down and take it, you know? I admire that about MCs and I would say that I admire this about her.
I can’t wait to see what others have to say about this book, and I’m hoping that they find Fina someone to root for like I do.
Oh my gosh, both the book and this cover were pretty damn beautiful if I do say so myself.
But anyway.
I have a thing with journeys on the high seas, and even though these guys aren’t technically pirates – well at least not on the surface -, they are giving me that kind of vibe. Actually, the beginning of this book and the premise of the synopsis reminds me of the beginning scene of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, you know when Elizabeth Swan saves Will Turner? Except this book is kind of opposite since it’s the girl that was saved from the ocean?
Cooooooooool, right?
There is a little bit of a insta-love that happens between our two main characters: Fina and Antonio, but maybe it kind of works for this situation. You never know when your last moment is going to come around and sometimes you need to just have some emotions that aren’t always so stressful. Well, love can be stressful, but in a good way.
The thing about Fina though, is that she has powers that are reminiscent of Rogue from X-Men. Basically, anyone she touches, she can kill. It’s kind of hard to make any lasting relationships when you can’t touch anyone safely. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that, but I won’t spoil it for you.
Fina is a main character that I think is one of my favorites now. I have always been a stan of female characters that have a sordid past and just keep going no matter how shitty things have been for them. Even though the first time we meet her she feels like she deserves whatever death is coming to her – for clear reasons once we know more about it – she still seems to be fighting for life. Sure, she may think it’s just a panic instinct reflex or whatever, but there is some small part of her that does want to live, that does want to survive, and she’s doing what she needs to in order to do so. She doesn’t just lie down and take it, you know? I admire that about MCs and I would say that I admire this about her.
I can’t wait to see what others have to say about this book, and I’m hoping that they find Fina someone to root for like I do.
hollymbryan's review
4.0
I have been a fan of Jennifer’s since the moment I was blessed with an early e-copy of Nameless way back in 2015 (oh my…has it really been that long?!). I have now read Nameless three times, Clanless twice, and Fearless once, and I am a forever fan. I don’t think I even looked at the book summary when the notice for this blog tour came across my email – I merely saw the name Jennifer Jenkins and I jumped!
So, unlike Jennifer’s previous books, To Kill a Curse is actually an adult book, not YA. However, it’s not *adult* adult; it’s a clean fantasy romance that is a sweet, slow burn. I really enjoyed the concept of Fina’s curse and her quest to kill it, and I loved both Fina and Antonio. The way Jennifer told the story was third person but mostly from Fina’s POV, so she interspersed short journal entries from Antonio between some of the chapters. I felt this was key to getting to know what was really going on in Antonio’s head, because he’s definitely a mysterious character. Learning about him in these little dribbles of information is a great experience for the reader, because he’s extremely tight-lipped otherwise! Fina is such a sympathetic character and my heart really went out to her the whole time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure romance. The characters are great, the adventure is grand (there’s pirates!), and the romance is sweet. I love Jennifer’s writing, and I look forward to more adventures on the Lingering Sea!
So, unlike Jennifer’s previous books, To Kill a Curse is actually an adult book, not YA. However, it’s not *adult* adult; it’s a clean fantasy romance that is a sweet, slow burn. I really enjoyed the concept of Fina’s curse and her quest to kill it, and I loved both Fina and Antonio. The way Jennifer told the story was third person but mostly from Fina’s POV, so she interspersed short journal entries from Antonio between some of the chapters. I felt this was key to getting to know what was really going on in Antonio’s head, because he’s definitely a mysterious character. Learning about him in these little dribbles of information is a great experience for the reader, because he’s extremely tight-lipped otherwise! Fina is such a sympathetic character and my heart really went out to her the whole time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure romance. The characters are great, the adventure is grand (there’s pirates!), and the romance is sweet. I love Jennifer’s writing, and I look forward to more adventures on the Lingering Sea!
sometimesleelynnreads's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Flying Unicorn Press and RockStar Book Tours for this free copy.
Oh my gosh, both the book and this cover were pretty damn beautiful if I do say so myself.
But anyway.
I have a thing with journeys on the high seas, and even though these guys aren’t technically pirates – well at least not on the surface -, they are giving me that kind of vibe. Actually, the beginning of this book and the premise of the synopsis reminds me of the beginning scene of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, you know when Elizabeth Swan saves Will Turner? Except this book is kind of opposite since it’s the girl that was saved from the ocean?
Cooooooooool, right?
There is a little bit of a insta-love that happens between our two main characters: Fina and Antonio, but maybe it kind of works for this situation. You never know when your last moment is going to come around and sometimes you need to just have some emotions that aren’t always so stressful. Well, love can be stressful, but in a good way.
The thing about Fina though, is that she has powers that are reminiscent of Rogue from X-Men. Basically, anyone she touches, she can kill. It’s kind of hard to make any lasting relationships when you can’t touch anyone safely. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that, but I won’t spoil it for you.
Fina is a main character that I think is one of my favorites now. I have always been a stan of female characters that have a sordid past and just keep going no matter how shitty things have been for them. Even though the first time we meet her she feels like she deserves whatever death is coming to her – for clear reasons once we know more about it – she still seems to be fighting for life. Sure, she may think it’s just a panic instinct reflex or whatever, but there is some small part of her that does want to live, that does want to survive, and she’s doing what she needs to in order to do so. She doesn’t just lie down and take it, you know? I admire that about MCs and I would say that I admire this about her.
I can’t wait to see what others have to say about this book, and I’m hoping that they find Fina someone to root for like I do.
Oh my gosh, both the book and this cover were pretty damn beautiful if I do say so myself.
But anyway.
I have a thing with journeys on the high seas, and even though these guys aren’t technically pirates – well at least not on the surface -, they are giving me that kind of vibe. Actually, the beginning of this book and the premise of the synopsis reminds me of the beginning scene of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, you know when Elizabeth Swan saves Will Turner? Except this book is kind of opposite since it’s the girl that was saved from the ocean?
Cooooooooool, right?
There is a little bit of a insta-love that happens between our two main characters: Fina and Antonio, but maybe it kind of works for this situation. You never know when your last moment is going to come around and sometimes you need to just have some emotions that aren’t always so stressful. Well, love can be stressful, but in a good way.
The thing about Fina though, is that she has powers that are reminiscent of Rogue from X-Men. Basically, anyone she touches, she can kill. It’s kind of hard to make any lasting relationships when you can’t touch anyone safely. Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that, but I won’t spoil it for you.
Fina is a main character that I think is one of my favorites now. I have always been a stan of female characters that have a sordid past and just keep going no matter how shitty things have been for them. Even though the first time we meet her she feels like she deserves whatever death is coming to her – for clear reasons once we know more about it – she still seems to be fighting for life. Sure, she may think it’s just a panic instinct reflex or whatever, but there is some small part of her that does want to live, that does want to survive, and she’s doing what she needs to in order to do so. She doesn’t just lie down and take it, you know? I admire that about MCs and I would say that I admire this about her.
I can’t wait to see what others have to say about this book, and I’m hoping that they find Fina someone to root for like I do.