Rising From the Curse

by Maria A. Perez

The power of family bonds reaches across galaxies

After returning from a well-deserved second honeymoon, Mina receives distressing news: the United Rebel Front has rescued a group of prisoners from a Lostai labor camp, and one of them claims to be her first husband from Earth. He says the Lostai have also kidnapped their daughter and taken her to an unknown location. Mina and her Arandan husband, Montor, put their family plans on hold and assemble a small team of volunteers to rescue her daughter.

But this mission is fraught with danger and complications. Mina has no idea where to look for her daughter and everyone in her current life believes Mina to be a widow—including her Arandan friends. How will Montor react when faced with Mina’s first husband? His patriarchal society has strict rules for pursuing a female who is already married. He has always fantasized about the required duel to properly claim Mina as his wife.

In the midst of a galactic war, life-threatening conditions and a ruthless Lostai military are not the only challenges Mina must face if she is to rescue her daughter. When her past and present collide, the stakes are high as she risks losing everyone she’s ever loved in this thrilling conclusion to The Curse of Sotkari Ta saga.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 26, 2023

About the author

Maria A. Perez was born in Yonkers, NY, and grew up in New York City. She also lived in Puerto Rico and now resides in Boca Raton, Florida. She holds a Bachelor’s in Business and has spent a successful career in Corporate America working in Accounting and Finance. Early retirement has allowed Maria to focus on her dream of writing and becoming a published author. She is married with two young adult sons and a labradoodle daughter. Maria enjoys reading all genres, although she’s partial to dystopian, space opera and romance series such as The Hunger Games, The Expanse and Outlander. A diehard “Trekkie” and Star Wars fan, she is fascinated with the possibility of what is out there in unexplored space and the potential of the human race.
Follow Maria on Twitter (@MariaAPerez1) or connect with her at www.mariaaperez.com or on facebook.com/MariaAPerez.Author.

Reviews

[Linda Mundorff · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book One, our heroine, Mina, is kidnapped by aliens (the Lostai) because she has special embedded alien DNA and with the right training would make a formidable soldier in their galactic war. She spent four years fighting for the rights of others, or fighting against unimaginable emotional, mental, and physical abuse, attempted rape, and threats of bodily harm to her loved ones. By the third book Mina’s emotional journey is brought full circle, while she is forced to deal with a shocking new development and a decision that will change her life forever. The author could have made Mina bitter, hateful, and mentally broken; but instead, she created a character with incredible depth, character, and strength.
This is the third, and final book in the, “The Curse of Sotkari Ta,” series and it was absolute perfection! The author has written a series that is captivating, multi-layered, intelligent, and full of unexpected surprises. The author says to think of her series as, “Star Wars meets Outlander.” I would add to that, “Star Trek,” as we are introduced to a number of new worlds, all bonded through the same goal of ending the tyranny of the Lostai, while united in their goals of planetary unification, and a desire for peacefully coexistence with other alien nations.
Whatever your sci-fi passion, this author has packed this series with a variety of science fiction themed elements that will please any science fiction fantasy reader.

[Yves Bocquet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic fights lead to epic conquests in distant galaxies, where love still manages to prevail.

Maria Perez does it again throughout this third episode of the Curse of Sotkari Ta: she keeps the reader on the edge of its seat, turning the pages and forgetting bedtime.
Nina rises stronger than ever when her family is threatened and Montor can overcome generations of traditional modes to support her, but we, loyal readers, know he does not have a choice.
Perez takes us again on new worlds entirely born in her imagination, yet strangely credible in a science fiction universe. This is her strength, to make the imaginary credible, the hero human, no matter the creed or nature, and to build in that distant future, on those distant galaxies, a love story that defies the odds and circumstances, and makes us, the readers, true believers. We are almost sorry to see the saga end, but we turn the last page confident in the author's ability to engage us again soon.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of the Curse of Sotkari Ta series since the first book, it was what I was hoping for from a scifi series. Rising From The Curse does a great job in feeling like another part of the universe and I enjoyed what was going on. The characters felt like the same, Mina works as a main character and worked with everything going on.

"At the infirmary, she set me up in a cot that was only a bit more comfortable than the stretcher they had brought me in on. She extinguished the illuminating crystals and laid down on another cot. “Get some rest. Sharox will be back soon.” I knew rest was important for healing, but I couldn’t help but worry about Montor, Josh, and the rest of the crew. Were they OK? God, please watch over them."

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lesley Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conclusion to the saga of Mina! Abducted from Earth due to having the rare Sotkari Ta DNA and taken a long way from home. Now she has made a new life for herself in this unfamiliar place. Then the enemy abducts her daughter from Earth, along with her Earth husband. So now she must strive to find her daughter and negotiate the cultural minefield of both husband's being in the same place! Strong female roles as always, family ties, loyalty, reputation, love and lots more. As before good flow, action and an excellent Sci-fi book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Eileen Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great conclusion to an epic space opera

Mina's a housewife who is abducted by aliens because she was implanted with powerful genes. In this, the concluding tale, her daughter and earth husband have been kidnapped, and she will stop at nothing to save her daughter from the anguish she experienced as a captive.

As always, Ms. Perez does a terrific job with her fight scenes, highlighting the fact that Mina is an exceptionally accomplished woman, and it's valuable for us to see some of that through Mina's Earth husband's eyes as he realizes just how much she's grown and changed.

Highly satisfying conclusion to this captivating series.

[Erin M. Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion of the Satkari Ta series was just phenomenal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the whole series. As each book progressed, the story just kept on reeling me in. I am sad to see it end, and would love to read more about Maria's world. This last book, like the first two kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation on the next part of the book. I am interested in seeing and reading more from Maria, and as always the book did not disappoint in any way.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[J. Noore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last part of the Sotkari Ta trilogy with Mina, a home maker from Earth, turned supersoldier and hero in another part of the galaxy. If you thought 1 and 2 turned her world upside down, then 3 is a whole nother rollercoaster. Congrats to Maria A. Perez for keeping me on the edge of my seat.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved this series from the beginning. I found this series and author on TikTok and am so glad I took a chance on them. The world build has been great and the characters are some that will stick with you for a long time to come. I have loved Mina and how she has overcome all the obstacles placed in her way. Great series!

[Michael Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rising from the Curse is a fitting conclusion to a whirlwind adventure. Mina and Montor face the challenge of battling their enemy and protecting the people they love while they fight to hold their relationship together.

They are thrown a few curve balls along the way while navigating emotional minefields.

A fun read.

[shawn murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting conclusion to The Curse of Sotkari Ta trilogy. Just like in life there are a lot of twists and turns, not a straight line. I appreciate the author’s ability to get to a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to other books by this author.