Book Review: The Pirate's Wish by Cassandra Rose Clarke

The Pirate's Wish
Author:  Cassandra Rose Clarke
Publisher:  Strange Chemistry, 330 pages
Publication Date:  June 18, 2013

From Goodreads:
After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword and their wits. But Naji has unseen enemies, and Ananna must face the wrath of the Pirate Confederation.

Together, they must travel afar, defeat their foes and break the mother of all curses. With all this going on, falling in love would be such a bad idea... All of this and much, much more await, in the swashbuckling sequel to The Assassin's Curse.

Review (slight spoilers for The Assassin's Curse):
Great conclusion (this is a duology), filled with action and adventure.  It picks up right where The Assassin's Curse left off, with Annana and Niji on the magical island, needing to get off the island to complete the three impossible tasks that will cure Niji of the curse.  Of course, one of the impossible tasks is true love's kiss, and Annanna knows she can fulfill that "impossible" task, but does she want to?  That task is completed a lot sooner than you would think, and it doesn't exactly happen the way Annanna wants it to.  Which leads to a lot of tension between Annana and Niji.  This is where I would have loved to have chapters from Niji's POV.  What was going on in his head?  He's so stoic most of the time it was hard to know what he was thinking and feeling.

There's a new character who is pretty hilarious, a manticore with a name no one can pronounce.  She's pretty obnoxious (and deadly, since she eats humans, although she only eats men), but she and Annana enter into a friendship that grows throughout the novel.

Most of the novel revolves around Annana and Niji's quest to complete the three impossible tasks.  There are even more pirates in this book than the first one, which was fun. Ananna is even stronger in this novel than in the last one, at least in some parts of her life.  She's brave, impulsive, and passionate, but she's also very insecure when it comes to Naji.  He's also pretty insecure, and even more self-conscious when it comes to his scars.  He broods.  They fight.  She riles him up.  He tries to protect her.  But it is a relationship you root for.  

The ending is satisfying, although it may not please everyone.  I wouldn't have minded having an epilogue that shows how it all works out.  I guess I'll just have to use my imagination!  

Posted by:  Pam