Review: mermaids & vodoo
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 24, 2012
"1)You remind me of the babe. 2)What babe? 1)The babe with the power. 2)What power? 1)The power of voodoo. 2)Who do? 1)You do. 2)Do what? 1)Remind me of the babe!" - Labyrinthwhen Ciel witnesses Alvaro being stabbed , she decides to weave some magic and to rescue him from death by giving him a new life as a merman.after Tears on a Tranquil Lake, this is the second book in the Ciel's Legacy Trilogy. even if i was not able to read the first one , i did not get lost or confused reading the sequel. Ciel provided some information about her past and it was done in such a way that was neither superfluous nor did it distract me from enjoying this second book.author Marsha A. Moore's world of merfolk, pirates and vodoo practictioners was certainly unique. the worldbuilding was excellent and so was her take on mermaids and mermen . i have never come across merfolk who had the capacity to walk, mingle among humans and stay out of the water for long periods of time except in these pages. i had to suspend my disbelief as i was trying to picture this in my mind. i love how Ms. Moore steered clear of stereotypes. she gave mermaids a fresh look!the inclusion of vodoo also made the story more interesting and magical for me.all the characters are memorable in their respective ways. Ciel and her girlfriends Omarosa and Sesi have more than scales and fins that bond them to each other. Teega, Ciel's Mambo, sounds frightening with her powers but she is like a mother to Ciel and i find her sweet and loving. she even has quite a wicked sense of humor which she resorts to in order to protect her charges.the pirates were an interesting lot as well especially Alvaro. he is too good and honest to be one but after reading the book, i learned that even among their lot, they practice, respect and have their own concept of honor.my favorite though is Pearl, a smart, talking cockatoo. there is more to her chatter and feathers that meets the eye and she plays a significant role in the story.the only thing that made me a tad uncomfortable was the descriptions of Ciel and Alvaro's intimate moments together. i could not help it but my imagination just went into overdrive at those scenes.overall, i liked Ciel's adventures and misadventures. together with her human and not so human allies, Ciel went through a lot of challenges here.things worked out well somehow and i keep wondering what is in store for her, Alvaro, Teega, her friends and the rest of the pirates in the third book. that would indeed be something to look forward to.Disclosure of Material Connection: i received a copy of Tortuga Treasure: Ciel's Legacy from the author herself. i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.