The+Assassin's+Curse

The Assassin's Curse, by Cassandra Clark

2012; Fantasy ; Krks 13+;    See the NHU-PAC entry [|here].  //Kirkus Reviews starred (September 15, 2012) //  //"A kick-ass pirate heroine gets into and out of (mostly into) trouble in this invigorating fantasy. Within the first five pages of this debut, Ananna of the Tanarau ditches her wedding, meant to ally her pirate clan to the Hariri. She may escape this unwanted bond, but she finds herself in another, far more powerful one when she saves the life of Naji, the assassin hired by the Hariri to bring her back or kill her. Now magically connected to the scarred blood magician, she attracts the collateral attention of malignant Otherworldly powers. If she wants any chance at a future that includes her own ship--hell, any future at all--she must quest with Naji for a cure to the curse that binds them together." //

Recommended by 7th grader who wrote: "It has a lot of action and romance, but not too much of either!" She's now reading the sequel :-)     Comments: <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #454545; display: block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #454545; display: block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #454545; display: block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">It's getting some play here. i like the combo of sassy heroine, soft assassin, and hesitant romance.Amy, Barrington Middle School