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Lingering Sea #1
To Kill a Curse
Would you touch the one you loved, even if it might kill them?
Antonio, a merchant sailor, has no idea how dangerous Fina Perona is when he rescues her from drowning in the middle of the Lingering Sea. His ship is headed to the home Fina just abandoned, carrying desperately needed payment for her father's prized wine stores. Pirates attack, and as Antonio and Fina escape the clutches of slavery, she steals back her family's small fortune from the pirate captain's quarters. Fina doesn't need Antonio's protection, she's more dangerous than he could ever be, but she needs his experience as a navigator and agrees to give him a cut of the payment in exchange for his help. Returning the money is the only way Fina knows how to atone for inadvertently killing her own brother, but what she doesn't realize is, before Antonio was a sailor, he was a thief.
While threats of curses, witches, bandits, pirates, and traitors are all very real, Fina and Antonio are the most dangerous players in this story of true love and betrayal. Will they become each other’s demise or salvation as they set out to find redemption and to kill a curse?
Antonio, a merchant sailor, has no idea how dangerous Fina Perona is when he rescues her from drowning in the middle of the Lingering Sea. His ship is headed to the home Fina just abandoned, carrying desperately needed payment for her father's prized wine stores. Pirates attack, and as Antonio and Fina escape the clutches of slavery, she steals back her family's small fortune from the pirate captain's quarters. Fina doesn't need Antonio's protection, she's more dangerous than he could ever be, but she needs his experience as a navigator and agrees to give him a cut of the payment in exchange for his help. Returning the money is the only way Fina knows how to atone for inadvertently killing her own brother, but what she doesn't realize is, before Antonio was a sailor, he was a thief.
While threats of curses, witches, bandits, pirates, and traitors are all very real, Fina and Antonio are the most dangerous players in this story of true love and betrayal. Will they become each other’s demise or salvation as they set out to find redemption and to kill a curse?
350 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 2019
30 people are currently reading
955 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Jenkins
9 books281 followersWith my degree in History and Secondary Education, I had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, I’m obsessed with ancient warfare. Weird? I know.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, I feel blessed to be able to fulfill both my ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.
I have three children who are experts at naming my characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom I am secretly afraid).
I have three children who are experts at naming my characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom I am secretly afraid).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 25, 2019
"Beware the touch of the snake! Her skin is poison, and she carries misfortune wherever she goes!"
Fina Perona is a walking curse. Those who touch her skin have terrible luck, sometimes lethal, befall them. Since getting cursed, Fina has pushed everyone away for their own safety. Soon she becomes too dangerous for even her own village so she decides to steal a boat and leave the only home she's ever known. But a terrible storm crashes her little boat and she is saved from the wreckage by a mysterious stranger and a crew on a merchant ship, with her family's payment and means of survival aboard. As has been since getting cursed, terrible misfortune comes upon her rescuers and they find themselves captured by pirates who are in search of the large chest with her familys money inside. When the pirate captain learns of Fina's curse, he sees it as a terrible weapon that he wants for himself.
"True, she might not know the world outside of her village very well, but she wasn't a child. And no matter how good he was with his lock picks or his fancy knowledge of the stars, she would always be the more dangerous of the pair. He just didn't know it."
Already planning an escape, Antonio, Fina's mysterious rescuer, comes to her aide, and together the two are able to flee from the pirates along with the chest of money. Together, they embark on a great journey of adventures, self-discovery, and even though Fina has been pushing people away her whole life, she finds that Antonio is somehow slipping past all her defenses.
"Antonio. A magician of many talents."
This was an intriguing read. It was a bit slow for the first portion of it but after their escape from the pirates the speed picked up a bit and I found myself invested in the two's story. Told from the point of view of Fina, and the point of view of Antonio through journal entries, it goes back and forth between the two. Antonio was a very closed off person to Fina but through his journal entries we get to see the happenings in his head. They both have their secrets and hold them close to their hearts which is a bit painful to watch at times cuz all I could think at certain points was dang if they would just tell each other what's up some of these issues could have gotten resolved much quicker. But alas, they do not. I had a bit of a hard time feeling a connection between the two, it seemed a bit forced at times. I did enjoy the ending and felt it wrapped up nicely. Some points in the plot seemed a little rushed and I wish there could have been more interactions between Fina, Antonio, and the pirate captain. Recommended for fans of high seas adventures, curses that kill, and opposites attract romance. I give this 3 out of 5 stars.
Fina Perona is a walking curse. Those who touch her skin have terrible luck, sometimes lethal, befall them. Since getting cursed, Fina has pushed everyone away for their own safety. Soon she becomes too dangerous for even her own village so she decides to steal a boat and leave the only home she's ever known. But a terrible storm crashes her little boat and she is saved from the wreckage by a mysterious stranger and a crew on a merchant ship, with her family's payment and means of survival aboard. As has been since getting cursed, terrible misfortune comes upon her rescuers and they find themselves captured by pirates who are in search of the large chest with her familys money inside. When the pirate captain learns of Fina's curse, he sees it as a terrible weapon that he wants for himself.
"True, she might not know the world outside of her village very well, but she wasn't a child. And no matter how good he was with his lock picks or his fancy knowledge of the stars, she would always be the more dangerous of the pair. He just didn't know it."
Already planning an escape, Antonio, Fina's mysterious rescuer, comes to her aide, and together the two are able to flee from the pirates along with the chest of money. Together, they embark on a great journey of adventures, self-discovery, and even though Fina has been pushing people away her whole life, she finds that Antonio is somehow slipping past all her defenses.
"Antonio. A magician of many talents."
This was an intriguing read. It was a bit slow for the first portion of it but after their escape from the pirates the speed picked up a bit and I found myself invested in the two's story. Told from the point of view of Fina, and the point of view of Antonio through journal entries, it goes back and forth between the two. Antonio was a very closed off person to Fina but through his journal entries we get to see the happenings in his head. They both have their secrets and hold them close to their hearts which is a bit painful to watch at times cuz all I could think at certain points was dang if they would just tell each other what's up some of these issues could have gotten resolved much quicker. But alas, they do not. I had a bit of a hard time feeling a connection between the two, it seemed a bit forced at times. I did enjoy the ending and felt it wrapped up nicely. Some points in the plot seemed a little rushed and I wish there could have been more interactions between Fina, Antonio, and the pirate captain. Recommended for fans of high seas adventures, curses that kill, and opposites attract romance. I give this 3 out of 5 stars.
February 4, 2022
Clean romance
The story was super fun and very exciting. I loved the characters. I really think this author is great. The story moves along quickly and has a lot of action. It had a little twist in it. It I wasn't expecting. Very fun!
The story was super fun and very exciting. I loved the characters. I really think this author is great. The story moves along quickly and has a lot of action. It had a little twist in it. It I wasn't expecting. Very fun!
October 22, 2019
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.
October 19, 2019
I received an review copy as part of a blog tour
3.5 stars
A lovely Italian inspired world at the time of the Ottoman Empire. It was interesting and fun enough to read in one sitting, but didn't stir anything emotionally
Full review to come on https://sifaelizabethreads.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
A lovely Italian inspired world at the time of the Ottoman Empire. It was interesting and fun enough to read in one sitting, but didn't stir anything emotionally
Full review to come on https://sifaelizabethreads.wordpress.com
November 13, 2024
I'm a sucker for a piratey-feeling book, and this hit that spot fairly well. I wish there had been more time spent on ships and sailing, but the overland adventure was also interesting and well structured.
My chief complaint was that for female and male leads who were 25 and 28 respectively, they sure acted like they were barely 15 years old. I'm betting that in an earlier draft, they were intended to be teenagers but that the author decided to age them up (so that certain plot points didn't feel so icky because they were children) and then didn't consider reviewing the characters' dialogue or actions to make sure they were consistent with the change.
There were some continuity errors. For example, at different points, it was said that Fina Perona's family had 7 sons, that they had 7 total children, that Fina had all brothers, and that she had an older sister who was married with children. This was especially confusing in the older chapters when Fina was thinking about her family often and reliving memories with them.
On the topic of Fina's family, her trauma with them (her way of taking all the responsibility and assuming that everyone blamed her, that things were in fact her fault, and that her own family would be glad if she never came back) was very unique. It was so raw and real, and I felt so strongly sympathetic for Fina in those moments.
The settings were well described and vivid. I appreciated how well I could paint a picture in my head. However, the cities were all thinly veiled copies of existing locations in the Mediterranean (e.g. Venez was obviously Venice, etc.). The similarities to real-world or historical places were so blatant that it made me frustrated the author didn't try to come up with more original ideas. I don't think the homage of this book's settings to existing places worked for me.
In a similar vein, the main character at one point mentions and tells the story of a myth in the world, and it is so clearly the myth of Orion and Artemis just with different names. I see that as a missed opportunity to write something original.
The love story was interesting. The chemistry wasn't really there, but I enjoyed seeing both characters' perspectives. I liked Antonio's better; his inner turmoil was intriguing, and even though his perspective was only shown in snippets before every other chapter, I could see his development in the log entries. I loved that. Fina was very annoying; she was always pushing Antonio away so she wouldn't hurt him, repeating in her head the exact same explanation/dialogue every time, so that got old fast. Also, she suffered from extreme "Hot Girl" syndrome—every single male character (not in her family) at one point or another commented on her figure, lusted after her, or joked/talked about wanting to be with her. I really dislike a main female lead who has a core tenet of being so attractive that she can't talk to 90% of the other characters (because most characters in this book were men) without being sexually harassed. There was a clever moment where Fina weaponized her curse against someone who treated her this way, but other than that, I couldn't get behind her unbelievable desirability.
All in all, an interesting read. Not sure yet whether I will continue reading the rest of the series. I definitely thought this was a standalone novel at first.
My chief complaint was that for female and male leads who were 25 and 28 respectively, they sure acted like they were barely 15 years old. I'm betting that in an earlier draft, they were intended to be teenagers but that the author decided to age them up (so that certain plot points didn't feel so icky because they were children) and then didn't consider reviewing the characters' dialogue or actions to make sure they were consistent with the change.
There were some continuity errors. For example, at different points, it was said that Fina Perona's family had 7 sons, that they had 7 total children, that Fina had all brothers, and that she had an older sister who was married with children. This was especially confusing in the older chapters when Fina was thinking about her family often and reliving memories with them.
On the topic of Fina's family, her trauma with them (her way of taking all the responsibility and assuming that everyone blamed her, that things were in fact her fault, and that her own family would be glad if she never came back) was very unique. It was so raw and real, and I felt so strongly sympathetic for Fina in those moments.
The settings were well described and vivid. I appreciated how well I could paint a picture in my head. However, the cities were all thinly veiled copies of existing locations in the Mediterranean (e.g. Venez was obviously Venice, etc.). The similarities to real-world or historical places were so blatant that it made me frustrated the author didn't try to come up with more original ideas. I don't think the homage of this book's settings to existing places worked for me.
In a similar vein, the main character at one point mentions and tells the story of a myth in the world, and it is so clearly the myth of Orion and Artemis just with different names. I see that as a missed opportunity to write something original.
The love story was interesting. The chemistry wasn't really there, but I enjoyed seeing both characters' perspectives. I liked Antonio's better; his inner turmoil was intriguing, and even though his perspective was only shown in snippets before every other chapter, I could see his development in the log entries. I loved that. Fina was very annoying; she was always pushing Antonio away so she wouldn't hurt him, repeating in her head the exact same explanation/dialogue every time, so that got old fast. Also, she suffered from extreme "Hot Girl" syndrome—every single male character (not in her family) at one point or another commented on her figure, lusted after her, or joked/talked about wanting to be with her. I really dislike a main female lead who has a core tenet of being so attractive that she can't talk to 90% of the other characters (because most characters in this book were men) without being sexually harassed. There was a clever moment where Fina weaponized her curse against someone who treated her this way, but other than that, I couldn't get behind her unbelievable desirability.
All in all, an interesting read. Not sure yet whether I will continue reading the rest of the series. I definitely thought this was a standalone novel at first.
December 24, 2024
Can we consider this a fantasy book? I'm at a loss. I guess it had witch power in it, but it seemed so realistic. Maybe it doesn't belong on that shelf.
So Fina picked flowers in the yard of a mean old witch who cursed her with a snake scar. After that, anyone who touched her had bad things happen. Most of all, her brother Luca, who has kissed her cheek and died.
So Fina runs away. He runs away to save her family.
Then she nearly drowns, and Antonio saves her in a fish net. Fina doesn't want people to know her name or her curse, but it wasn't long before pirates were after them.
The other story going on along with this one is the pages of Antonio's journal. His mother was thought to be a witch, and when he was 11 they tried as a family to run away, but Antonio got distracted as 11 year old boys do, and the boat set sail without him. Managing to stay alive till now, he is determined to find his family.
So crazy stuff happens, which I can't reveal without ruining the story, but Antonio and Fina end up on a "road trip." Chaos followed them everywhere, but Antonio refused to believe in curses. Fina tries to keep him away, but he keeps touching her and having mostly minor things happen.
Aah. It's so hard to review a book that is this deeply layered. It really is so good. I know I say it a lot, but I love stories where two people are really broken, and they put they pieces back together while falling in love.
The ending, well, not the ending, but almost the ending was every great Juila Roberts movie perfect. The actual last words left me gaping.
So Fina picked flowers in the yard of a mean old witch who cursed her with a snake scar. After that, anyone who touched her had bad things happen. Most of all, her brother Luca, who has kissed her cheek and died.
So Fina runs away. He runs away to save her family.
Then she nearly drowns, and Antonio saves her in a fish net. Fina doesn't want people to know her name or her curse, but it wasn't long before pirates were after them.
The other story going on along with this one is the pages of Antonio's journal. His mother was thought to be a witch, and when he was 11 they tried as a family to run away, but Antonio got distracted as 11 year old boys do, and the boat set sail without him. Managing to stay alive till now, he is determined to find his family.
So crazy stuff happens, which I can't reveal without ruining the story, but Antonio and Fina end up on a "road trip." Chaos followed them everywhere, but Antonio refused to believe in curses. Fina tries to keep him away, but he keeps touching her and having mostly minor things happen.
Aah. It's so hard to review a book that is this deeply layered. It really is so good. I know I say it a lot, but I love stories where two people are really broken, and they put they pieces back together while falling in love.
The ending, well, not the ending, but almost the ending was every great Juila Roberts movie perfect. The actual last words left me gaping.
January 23, 2025
What a gem!
I absolutely loved this book. I found it quite by accident, read a sample, and got hooked right away. What a great ride!
The characters were so likable, even Antonio as he suffered with his “demons.“ The members of the crew, and even the pirate captain, felt so three-dimensional. The pace was excellent, drawing the reader in as Fina and Antonio navigate a wild journey that begins with her attempted escape from her family and all she knows.
Themes of redemption and forgiveness, including forgiveness of oneself, are woven throughout the tapestry of the story. There is also sadness and grief, along with regret and self-recrimination. It amazed me how easily the author blended all of these themes together in a seemingly effortless manner, making it easy to see how we can be affected by how others treat us and our belief in ourselves… even beliefs that are unfounded.
Sometimes you can read a book and just connect; and I felt that way, especially when Fina was experiencing the joy of heading into the wind at the prow of their little boat; in her fear when approaching the cliff that represented not only a physical threat,, but also change beyond what she could imagine for her life. The book read so easily and I really didn’t want to put it down.
It seems as if this may be the first of a series, and I look forward to reading the next book.
I absolutely loved this book. I found it quite by accident, read a sample, and got hooked right away. What a great ride!
The characters were so likable, even Antonio as he suffered with his “demons.“ The members of the crew, and even the pirate captain, felt so three-dimensional. The pace was excellent, drawing the reader in as Fina and Antonio navigate a wild journey that begins with her attempted escape from her family and all she knows.
Themes of redemption and forgiveness, including forgiveness of oneself, are woven throughout the tapestry of the story. There is also sadness and grief, along with regret and self-recrimination. It amazed me how easily the author blended all of these themes together in a seemingly effortless manner, making it easy to see how we can be affected by how others treat us and our belief in ourselves… even beliefs that are unfounded.
Sometimes you can read a book and just connect; and I felt that way, especially when Fina was experiencing the joy of heading into the wind at the prow of their little boat; in her fear when approaching the cliff that represented not only a physical threat,, but also change beyond what she could imagine for her life. The book read so easily and I really didn’t want to put it down.
It seems as if this may be the first of a series, and I look forward to reading the next book.
May 2, 2024
Starts off clunky then builds momentum
My initial impression was that the author was young and inexperienced as the writing lacked grace and the dialog seemed meh. However, the story picks up in terms of layering, depth, and tension, and the action keeps the pages turning (or scrolling). By the end of the book, the writing is more compelling and natural, and the plot gets a little surprise twist.
The romance is developed in an enjoyable way, and the ending is well executed.
There are typos scattered throughout, (mostly missing words like an, of), but they are minor issues easily ignored. There is some peril, references to slavery, issues of grief and loss, frequent mentions of superstitions, magic, and thievery. The romance and story are PG.
Overall, the protagonists are likable and well suited for each other, so the story is enjoyable.
My initial impression was that the author was young and inexperienced as the writing lacked grace and the dialog seemed meh. However, the story picks up in terms of layering, depth, and tension, and the action keeps the pages turning (or scrolling). By the end of the book, the writing is more compelling and natural, and the plot gets a little surprise twist.
The romance is developed in an enjoyable way, and the ending is well executed.
There are typos scattered throughout, (mostly missing words like an, of), but they are minor issues easily ignored. There is some peril, references to slavery, issues of grief and loss, frequent mentions of superstitions, magic, and thievery. The romance and story are PG.
Overall, the protagonists are likable and well suited for each other, so the story is enjoyable.
April 22, 2020
Lovely sweet romance with action and magic. I loved the setting (pseudo-historical Italy, if I’m not mistaken?), and the characters (mostly for their witty dialogue). I was actually able to read a manuscript of this before it was finished and the author ended up making a few major changes in the storyline that were so good—Fina is more proactive, the villain has a stronger motive, and the magic of the curse is more developed and believable. There are still some loose ends that I wish were explained... but I guess that’s what the next books in the series will be for?
BUT - the cover doesn’t match. Fina is supposed to have dark hair! The skull is okay because it’s symbolic, but basically, pretty-but-inaccurate-cover strikes again.
BUT - the cover doesn’t match. Fina is supposed to have dark hair! The skull is okay because it’s symbolic, but basically, pretty-but-inaccurate-cover strikes again.
September 27, 2024
I really enjoyed the characters, romance, setting, and story line in this book. There were enough different intertwining elements that kept the story fresh and less predictable. It was a fun read! However, the editing was very poor. There were tons of typos, some glaring enough that I had to guess what the author meant to say. Also, the number of Fina's siblings was very unclear (I'm pretty sure it changed a couple times), and I'm 90% sure that at some point the author changed Fina's age, but missed some of the references during the update. So I was a bit unnecessarily confused, but overall it was a unique and engaging read.
August 6, 2022
I listened to this as an audiobook
It was a fun and engaging read full of high sea adventures, an Italian inspired setting, danger, romance, and personal development.
I was surprised to see it was a series because most of the conflicts wrap up in this book, but looking at the description it looks like book 2 is a spin-off companion novel focusing on a side character rather than a sequel. And the description is intriguing!
Content level felt fitting for the young adult level. There was some violence, mistreatment, and light innuendo but overall pretty mild.
It was a fun and engaging read full of high sea adventures, an Italian inspired setting, danger, romance, and personal development.
I was surprised to see it was a series because most of the conflicts wrap up in this book, but looking at the description it looks like book 2 is a spin-off companion novel focusing on a side character rather than a sequel. And the description is intriguing!
Content level felt fitting for the young adult level. There was some violence, mistreatment, and light innuendo but overall pretty mild.
November 22, 2019
3.5 stars
Read my full review on Cover to Cover Book Blog.
This book follows Serafina, or Fina, as she attempts to run away from home. I say “attempts,” because she doesn’t get far before her little boat capsized during a storm and she was fished out of the water by Antonio, and taken aboard the ship he works on and inadvertently takes her under his wing for protection. Which was good, because she may have been much more dangerous than he was, but she had zero clue of life outside her small village.
I’m not going to lie, I went into this one with a little bit of Shatter Me expectations. I mean, it’s the same thing… in theory. Whereas Juliette’s skin killed anyone who touched her, Fina had a cursed scar, that made something bad befall anyone who touched her skin-to-skin. It wasn’t always death, but it was always something unfortunate. They could break their leg, lose their life savings or their job, etc. Living in a small town as she did, she was treated as an outcast, someone to be watched and scorned.
It was kind of like a Daughter of the Pirate King and Shatter Me cross-over. with it’s own little spin on it and more simplistic writing. It may not have been intricate or particularly amazing, but the writing in this one really fit the story. It had a relaxing, distant cadence to it that actually worked pretty well for it. The author tried to build a few layers of secrets in the beginning, but I’m not sure it paid off like she wanted it to, and I actually kind of … preferred it that way? The simple approach matched the simple girl it described, and made this a really easy, quick, enjoyable read.
But Fina was no badass, sarcastic heroine. She was just a girl, with a terrible curse, and an inability to sell a lie. She was determined, wild, loyal and willful, but she was also raised in a small town as the only girl in her family. Typically, she learned cooking and chores of the like, and she knew nothing of sailing or any real survival skills, and never learned to hide her heart that she leaves on her sleeve.
This is where Antonio, or Tony, comes in. He was no teasing, flirtatious hero that I’ve come to expect with YA adventure books. As Fina says in the book, he was considerate, but not friendly. Logical and a bit abrupt, but still compassionate. Reliable and loyal, but not looking for credit or attention. And he tries to hide it – but he has a strong moral compass, especially for a pessimistic, thieving pirate.
They were kind of fun to watch, with Fina antagonizing him and Tony trying to resist and just be the stoic protector. I should also mention, He is too practical to believe in her curse, and doesn’t believe it, thinking that she puts all guilt on herself for something that she didn’t cause – her father’s crops dying year after year, and her brother dying after kissing her cheek. He frequently scoffed when she described what she did to gain her curse (picked flowers in a black witch’s yard) and honestly had me questioning whether it was going to be real or not in the end.
Tony might have been mighty cool, but the romance wasn’t very pervasive, either. While it was a main plot line, of course, it frequently took a backseat, and so the reader got to see the attraction build and build in them as they gallivant all over the world (it seemed), running from an enemy and towards their goal.
While there were certainly little things this one that made me raise my brow, overall, I can’t complain. Was the ending a bit too convenient? yeah. Did Fina’s forgiveness come a bit too easily? yeah. But it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book and I kind of enjoyed the tightly wrapped package this book presented. Except for the fact that we never hear Tony’s mom’s side of the story! That was rather rude, I thought.
I picked this book up when did, because it was at a particularly busy time in my life with midterms and general blogging mayhem (definitely signed up for too much this month 🙈), but I thought it sounded like an enjoyable, simple read that would not get me too invested that I couldn’t stop and be productive, but still be “into” the story, which is exactly what it was. Please don’t mistake this for a pulse-pounding, edge of your seat masterpiece, because it’s not that. But it was entertaining, at times amusing, and rather delightful.
Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours, of course, for the work you do 😄
Read my full review on Cover to Cover Book Blog.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, but it does not influence my opinion of the book nor the contents of this review in any way.
This book follows Serafina, or Fina, as she attempts to run away from home. I say “attempts,” because she doesn’t get far before her little boat capsized during a storm and she was fished out of the water by Antonio, and taken aboard the ship he works on and inadvertently takes her under his wing for protection. Which was good, because she may have been much more dangerous than he was, but she had zero clue of life outside her small village.
I’m not going to lie, I went into this one with a little bit of Shatter Me expectations. I mean, it’s the same thing… in theory. Whereas Juliette’s skin killed anyone who touched her, Fina had a cursed scar, that made something bad befall anyone who touched her skin-to-skin. It wasn’t always death, but it was always something unfortunate. They could break their leg, lose their life savings or their job, etc. Living in a small town as she did, she was treated as an outcast, someone to be watched and scorned.
It was kind of like a Daughter of the Pirate King and Shatter Me cross-over. with it’s own little spin on it and more simplistic writing. It may not have been intricate or particularly amazing, but the writing in this one really fit the story. It had a relaxing, distant cadence to it that actually worked pretty well for it. The author tried to build a few layers of secrets in the beginning, but I’m not sure it paid off like she wanted it to, and I actually kind of … preferred it that way? The simple approach matched the simple girl it described, and made this a really easy, quick, enjoyable read.
Everyone is a pirate. Fina most of all.
She steals what is not hers; my thoughts, my concern, even, at times, my adoration.
I follow her and she pushes me away.
But Fina was no badass, sarcastic heroine. She was just a girl, with a terrible curse, and an inability to sell a lie. She was determined, wild, loyal and willful, but she was also raised in a small town as the only girl in her family. Typically, she learned cooking and chores of the like, and she knew nothing of sailing or any real survival skills, and never learned to hide her heart that she leaves on her sleeve.
This is where Antonio, or Tony, comes in. He was no teasing, flirtatious hero that I’ve come to expect with YA adventure books. As Fina says in the book, he was considerate, but not friendly. Logical and a bit abrupt, but still compassionate. Reliable and loyal, but not looking for credit or attention. And he tries to hide it – but he has a strong moral compass, especially for a pessimistic, thieving pirate.
They were kind of fun to watch, with Fina antagonizing him and Tony trying to resist and just be the stoic protector. I should also mention, He is too practical to believe in her curse, and doesn’t believe it, thinking that she puts all guilt on herself for something that she didn’t cause – her father’s crops dying year after year, and her brother dying after kissing her cheek. He frequently scoffed when she described what she did to gain her curse (picked flowers in a black witch’s yard) and honestly had me questioning whether it was going to be real or not in the end.
He sighed and let his hand fall. “It’s not fair for such a small person to have to take on all of the problems around her.” He bent lower to meet her at eye level. “This guilt you feel, it doesn’t belong to you.”
Tony might have been mighty cool, but the romance wasn’t very pervasive, either. While it was a main plot line, of course, it frequently took a backseat, and so the reader got to see the attraction build and build in them as they gallivant all over the world (it seemed), running from an enemy and towards their goal.
While there were certainly little things this one that made me raise my brow, overall, I can’t complain. Was the ending a bit too convenient? yeah. Did Fina’s forgiveness come a bit too easily? yeah. But it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book and I kind of enjoyed the tightly wrapped package this book presented. Except for the fact that we never hear Tony’s mom’s side of the story! That was rather rude, I thought.
I picked this book up when did, because it was at a particularly busy time in my life with midterms and general blogging mayhem (definitely signed up for too much this month 🙈), but I thought it sounded like an enjoyable, simple read that would not get me too invested that I couldn’t stop and be productive, but still be “into” the story, which is exactly what it was. Please don’t mistake this for a pulse-pounding, edge of your seat masterpiece, because it’s not that. But it was entertaining, at times amusing, and rather delightful.
Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours, of course, for the work you do 😄
April 18, 2025
Clean adventure story- book 1 of 3.
No profanity or sex.
About a young woman who was cursed (unable to touch anyone w/out harm befalling them) at the age of 11. And a young man who lost his family at the age of 12, and looked for them ever since.
Although a series, the first book has a satisfying ending. But, I wil continue to the next book.
No profanity or sex.
About a young woman who was cursed (unable to touch anyone w/out harm befalling them) at the age of 11. And a young man who lost his family at the age of 12, and looked for them ever since.
Although a series, the first book has a satisfying ending. But, I wil continue to the next book.
April 8, 2020
This was really engaging and interesting. I like how it’s clearly historically anchored in the Mediterranean, Italy during Ottoman times specifically, but also magic and curses exist. The character descriptions are vivid, and I’m curious to see what the other books in the series will be about.
October 10, 2023
I love this book far! I haven’t finished it yet but it’s been great. It’s super intriguing with interesting twists and turns to the story. If you’re looking for an adventurous book that will hold your attention this is it! I definitely recommend reading it.
April 2, 2020
A totally fun, pirate fighting, swashbuckling adventure filled with magic and romance. Fina and Tony reminded me of Flynn Rider and Rapunzel from Tangled. I really enjoyed it.
April 9, 2020
Loved this book! The story is beautiful and I love the way the characters and all of the storylines fold together in the end. DYING for another book in this world.
May 21, 2020
I hate how she kept calling him Tony
September 22, 2020
Loved it enough to use for book club! Fun, adventuresome story.
December 4, 2020
3.5 stars
August 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! I haven’t read many pirate books, so this was a nice change of scenery!
January 4, 2022
Jennifer did a fantastic job creating an original story. I couldn’t wait to hear how Fina got rid of her curse, and what part Antonio played in that.
February 21, 2022
Took me awhile to get into. I think this just isn't my favorite genre.
August 20, 2023
3.5
Enjoyable. I may listen to the rest of the series. They are nice for dog walks.
Enjoyable. I may listen to the rest of the series. They are nice for dog walks.
June 13, 2024
Loved the story! A good point, characters, flow, I enjoyed it the whole way through. A few predictable parts, but I think it added to the story nicely.
February 7, 2024
Beautifully written. I felt as if i was in the book along with Fina and Antonio
November 15, 2019
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!
November 17, 2019
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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.
January 27, 2020
Adventure, Superstition, and Magic
This description first reminded me of a quirky TV show called Pushing Daisies, where the main character’s touch can bring things to life, but a second touch condemns to death.
Fina’s curse is more complicated than that. She knows that anyone she touches, or who touches her, will meet misfortune. The tricky thing is that some results are immediate, some are not. It had me wondering along with Antonio whether the curse is real or is she matching unrelated misfortunes to her touch.
This book was full of adventure from pirates to gypsies. Fins and Antonio are both on their own quests. I loved seeing the conflict of whether Antonio and Fina could both get what they most desired.
Content: clean (a kiss, one swear word, mild violence)
This description first reminded me of a quirky TV show called Pushing Daisies, where the main character’s touch can bring things to life, but a second touch condemns to death.
Fina’s curse is more complicated than that. She knows that anyone she touches, or who touches her, will meet misfortune. The tricky thing is that some results are immediate, some are not. It had me wondering along with Antonio whether the curse is real or is she matching unrelated misfortunes to her touch.
This book was full of adventure from pirates to gypsies. Fins and Antonio are both on their own quests. I loved seeing the conflict of whether Antonio and Fina could both get what they most desired.
Content: clean (a kiss, one swear word, mild violence)
August 25, 2021
Tropes done in a way that was, apparently, intolerable to me. I very nearly DNF'd about 70% of the way through. So many "he/she was caught staring at her/him" and wistful, longing glances. A lot of me thinking, "OH MY GODDDD hurry up and get the show on the road!" Character's background stories not developed enough for me so when time came to reference some obscure event it felt like it set things off course. World building was fine. Some funky grammatical errors, especially in the latter half of the book. The base idea here, witches, pirates, orphans, sailors - I like that. The execution just wasn't up to par for me personally.
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