ARC Review: The Pirate's Wish (The Assassin's Curse #2) by Cassandra Rose Clarke

A whimsical, fantastical adventure which keeps you on your toes.

Title: The Pirate's wish  
Series: The Assassin's Curse 
Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke  
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Releasing: 4th of June, 2013  
My ratings: 5 out of 5 stars.
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assandra Rose Clarke has managed blow me away.....again. What a great ride The Pirate Wish was! The sequel of The Assassin's Curse, which marks the end of the duology, ticked all the boxes for me. It had everything The Assassin Curse had and more.

In The Pirate's Wish, Ananna and Naji are still stuck in the Isles of Skye but now they have three impossible task to break the curse. Ananna knows of one way but is she is not brave enough to tell it to Naji. Amongst desperation and hopelessness, with the help of some allies they make on their way, Naji and Ananna set out on another adventure to cure themselves of the curse.

The last book in the duology, was also marked with Ananna's sass and Naji's scowls. Ananna's way of talking endearing as ever and gave her much creditability as a pirate. Admittedly, there was much more angst in this time as feeling are revealed and tensions are high. There were some situations where Ananna could have handled herself better but I was glad that Clarke wrote Ananna as clever and smart but she did not ignore that she was still seventeen and her inexperience highlighted some of her faults. However, at the end of the day Ananna manages to maintain and achieve what she always wanted of her life. She learns a lot on this adventures, falls in love but also takes away a lifetimes worth of lessons.

Naji as always was broody and mysterious. I loved how he managed to convey so much and so little at times with just his eyes. I love it when authors write emotions through eyes, it just makes scenes come alive. In fact, in my opinion Naji was too mysterious this time. after spending so much time with Ananna you would expect him to me more forth coming. At times I felt, I wish I could know what was going on in his head. A scene or a chapter from his point of view would have been helpful *hint hint*. But I stand firm that I love the interactions between Naji and Ananna. When they talk, they are either threatening or pleading with each other or arguing and sometimes there was silence. silence can so much more powerful than words sometimes.

In The Pirate's Wish, there is resolution for Ananna and Naji which made my heart clench with pain. The Island of Bone scene and the scene on board of the Gold life were heart breaking and to give Clarke credit I felt I was present there and looking on as the story unfolded in front of me.

Even this time around, the book was riddled with interesting characters, magic, adventures and action. I loved every moment of it. I especially loved the Manticore, an odd mix of cute, loveable and annoying all at the same time. I really enjoyed the growing relationship between Ananna and her.

I am not sure how I felt about the ending as like any YA, you would think it would be a candy filled happily ever after but I am glad Clarke didn't take that route. She stayed true to her characters and gave them the happy ending they deserved and not what the reader thought they would like to see. It was also interesting that homosexuality was incorporated so smoothly in the story line and it was treated correctly.

The Pirate's Wish was a fantastical read, with characters that came alive and a world as vivid and intriguing as any I have come across. It was a book which would stay with you long after you have read the last page. Pirates, magicians, assassins, queens, wizards, witches and monster abound in this story of love, courage, friendship and of course some teenage angst thrown in. I loved every moment of it and completed this book in a day. I cannot get enough. I am so pleased that Cassandra Rose Clarke is writing a two more books in this extra ordinary world weaved with fantasy and adventure. From now on, without any doubt Cassandra Rose Clarke is by auto-buy author. so don't wait and pick this series up, I promise you won't be disappointed.

 ARC provided by Strange Chemistry.

A special thanks to Amanda at Strange Chemistry to sending me this book when I was going crazy for it.

Releases 4th of June.