Captain Cord McKinsey, a pirate cursed in 1716 for doing a good deed, now operates his schooner, the Sarah Jane, as a cruise ship. Doomed to remain effectively ship-bound and within the Caribbean waters, Cord, 34, has often reinvented himself and his ship over these near 300 years.
Though long despaired of ever breaking his curse, he becomes entwined in solving similar problems for passengers, problems that require extraordinary solutions. When his new Jamaican first mate, Ayanna, confesses she has been cursed by a Bokor, Cord agrees to help her locate a powerful shaman.
But the Bokor’s plan is more heinous and far-reaching than anyone suspects. The lovely Ayanna fails to mention that her mind and body are changing, taking form as a ravenous reptile. Even with the help of a psychic passenger, Cord may lose the people he cares for as well as his ship, the only square footage on land or sea where pain is not his constant companion.
Chris Rogers, best known for her novels of pure suspense, has previously confined any supernatural excursions to short stories featured in her Death Edge anthologies. In Paradise Cursed, Rogers gives imagination full rein to explore life’s darker mysteries.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is an entirely different paranormal novel than what I usually read. Paranormal is my favorite genre, and the less romance the better. This plot was very intriguing, and I was glad to find that I was not disappointed in this story.
Cord is cursed, immortal, forced to operate his ship for the rest of his life, he tries to make the best of it. His optimistic outlook was a surprise and made him very likable. Despite his own fate, he tries to help people along the way.
The story's plot is very location-based (the Caribbean is home to many voodoo myths and legends), and it really gives you a brilliant visual as you're reading. The fight against curses and dark magic is one that isn't as often in novels, and I liked the research that went into this novel. It's wonderful when an author does his or her research: it shows a new level of care.
I did, however, notice some typos and missing words, which had me rereading certain sentences, and that is why this book is only getting a four.
4/5--a really great plot!
Purchase this book from Amazon!
Thank you for the wonderful review, Lily. And thanks for noticing the ARC had some typos - that means you are a careful and thoughtful reader. Hopefully, we fixed any errors before the final publish date. A most valuable part of your review is that you were able to visualize the story as your read Paradise Cursed. Again, thank you so much for taking the time to post your thoughts.
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