The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray -- Christine Calella, Hardcover

Storms and pirates are nothing compared to the evil within men's hearts.

After a lifetime of abuse at the hands of superstitious townsfolk, Ophelia Young, a bastard child of the notorious pirate queen, is tired of paying for the sins of her mother. Despite playing by the rules her whole life, she's earned nothing but spite and suspicion. So when a naval officer saves her from the jeering crowd at her mother's hanging, Ophelia hatches a new hope of enlisting in the navy to escape her mother's legacy and redeem her own reputation for good. But Ophelia soon discovers that a life at sea isn't as honorable as she hoped.

Betsy Young is as different as she could be from her half-sister Ophelia. She's a nervous homebody who wants to keep her family safe and longs to be in love. So naturally, she's devastated when the son of their family's business partner rejects her hand in marriage and her sister joins the navy. But when her father contracts a life-threatening illness as well, Betsy has to bring Ophelia home to save the family business.

Unfortunately for the Young sisters, Betsy trying to get Ophelia recalled reveals that Ophelia enlisted fraudulently under Betsy's name, a secret which Ophelia struggles to keep from crewmates who would kill her if they knew she was the pirate queen's daughter. To save Ophelia from the naval authorities, Betsy will have to board a ship during hurricane season and brave all the dangers of the sea to get them both home safe.

Author: Christine Calella
Publisher: Page Street YA
Published: 04/09/2024
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.75w x 1.25d
ISBN: 9781645678724
Age Range: 14-UP

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/15/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 03/01/2024
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2024
Booklist 04/01/2024 pg. 58

About the Author
Christine Calella lives in a place she refers to as "New York City-adjacent." She spends her spare time singing show tunes in the shower, drinking more chai lattes than is strictly necessary, and either over- or under-watering an unfortunate string of houseplants named after sitcom characters. The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray is her debut novel.