Review - A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street

 

 

 

 Title: A Curse of Salt

Author: Sarah Street

Pages: 350

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Release Date: 25th May 2023

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

 A heartless beast
A sister's sacrifice
And a love so strong it will drown the raging sea ...
THIS FAIRY TALE IS CURSED

In a kingdom that fears the sea, Ria Lucroy longs to be brave.

Bodies are washing ashore and everyone knows who's to blame. Legends of the Heartless King shroud the continent in fear; they call him a pirate, a monster, a god. When his mercenaries raid her father's merchant ship, Ria's family is faced with a horrifying demand. They will spare his life, in exchange for one of his daughters.

Determined to save her sisters, Ria launches herself into the world of pirates. Face-to-face with the Heartless King, she finds he is far more than the stories told. He is a man, with a human name and blood-stained hands, bound to the seas by a centuries-old curse. As their chemistry blooms into something more, Ria finds herself caught in an ancient web of secrets.

Battling creatures of the deep alongside those that reign its surface, Ria discovers how to love a heartless man and that some curses aren't so easy to break.

Prepare for stormy seas and swoony romance in this addictive enemies-to-lovers fairytale romance. Perfect for fans of Brigid Kemmerer's Cursebreakers series and Sarah J Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Hachette Children's Group and NetGalley*

Ria Lucroy lives with her sisters and father near the sea, which Ria has always found herself drawn towards.

One day, Ria's father's ship is attacked and her father is the only survivor, but on the condition that he sends Ria's sister to the murderous Heartless King. The King is a pirate known for his cruelty and savage ways.

Determined to save her sister from this fate, and her father who is adamant he will not give his daughter up, Ria takes her sister's place.

On the Heartless King's ship, Ria learns of secrets that have been kept from her that put her life in jeopardy.

Can Ria survive her time on the Heartless King's ship?

Upon learning that this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling with pirates, I was instantly intrigued and was interested to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed.

Ria was a likeable and relatable protagonist. I liked how much she cared for her family and was willing to put herself at risk for them. I felt sorry for her when she learned that they had kept things from her.

I liked several of the crew members on the Heartless King's ship, but there weren't any characters that really stood out for me.

The plot was mixed for me - I started off enjoying the book, but after a while I did find myself losing interest. It didn't help that I wasn't overly invested in what happened and I wasn't a big fan of the romance.

The writing style was easy to follow.

I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was a mixed read.