Tortuga Bay

Recently, the award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction, S.R. Staley, captured my attention with his “Tortuga Bay” story. First, the book cover hooked me while sending me back in time, into my childhood where anything to do with pirates would grab me inside a world that I’ve always found fascinating. I had an amazing and beautiful childhood; therefore, anything that reconnects me with those times when I was dreaming of being a female pirate instantly has my vote.

It’s the first time reviewing a book where I feel the need to praise the cover designer also. I will not focus on this because our goal here is to do a book review. But… I have to say it… Congratulations to the cover designer! Because of him, I eagerly started reading “Tortuga Bay.”

Also, because of the attractive cover, I didn’t even notice that I had the second volume of a series, in my hands. Well… when I did notice, I didn’t have the first volume in hand, so I said let’s give it a try. And… I was not sorry… not even for one moment! “Tortuga Bay” works perfectly well as a stand-alone novel.

I can’t lift up the author high enough for the remarkable work he has done. The reader’s attention is grabbed from the first page. You don’t have time to feel bored… you find yourself in the middle of the action.

At the same time, you find yourself accompanying very powerful characters during their actions, on the pirates’ ship, in sea battles, royal intrigues, weapons, Haitian voodoo, forbidden romance and love, breathing and feeling the captain’s emotions – Isabella, the female pirate. The first impression was that I have in my hands an adventure book but… soon, all my attention was focused on another element… a prophecy.

“No, Isabella, you were following the prophecy, a promise that was made to you many years ago when you were a slave girl in Santo Domingo.”
“A prophecy is not a promise.”
“To a girl, with nothing to live for, whose world consists of links between brutalities, a prophecy becomes a promise.”
Isabella turned back to the port, the glow of the fires consuming everything made by man. “A promise of something bigger than yourself.”
“Every child needs that promise.”
“But what of an adult? Do we need the same promise?”

It is a prophecy that haunted Isabella, from the moment her now dead mother had made it; a prophecy which Isabella wants to escape from. In fact… this aspect hooked me so well that it soon became my reason for reaching the end. My heart was beating faster while I was curious to see how the author will solve its “mystery.”

I simply loved the way in which S.R. Staley conducts the development of this issue. He gives hidden clues, all over… and in the end he didn’t disappoint my desire to be surprised.

Moreover, nearly all of the book is filled with action turns that kept me busy wanting to see what will happen next.

“She had to resist. No! I’m not ready to go yet! Isabella forced her eyes up again. Could He hear her? “Please“, she whispered. “Don’t take me yet. I have not fulfilled the prophecy. This can’t be the prophecy…your prophecy.”

Behind all the visible actions, behind all the amazing adventure with pirates, what yelled at me most was Isabella’s struggle to decipher what haunts her.

‘ “I have discovered the meaning of the prophecy,” she whispered in his ear.’

And… in this moment… a tear came into my eyes and my heart completely melted.

It was the last page of “Tortuga Bay”, this most wonderful book.

Today… My list of favorite authors became even longer… it has a new name written with golden letters: SR. Staley, the writer who knew how to hook my soul.

Five Stars from the bottom of my heart.