Review: The Curse of Doll Island

One of my many obsessions are horror movies. And not just any horror movies, I’m obsessed with old black and white horror movies, before CGI and the advent of slasher flicks. From Tom Browning’s Freaks to The Mummy I love old movies that evoke that anxious-crawl-up-the-back-of- the-couch kind of feeling, with dialogue, lighting, acting, and occasionally bad props and costumes. I love nothing better than curling up on a Saturday afternoon with a black and white favorite from the 1930s and a giant bucket of popcorn.
Ocean’s The Curse of Doll Island delivers that feeling book form. I devoured it in an evening. It has everything I love: a creepy setting, everyday objects trying to kill you, and rollicking witty dialogue. Did I mention frightening dolls that make Chucky look like an amateur?  Ocean’s world-building is stellar. The main characters, Rosie and Devin, are well developed and have solid character arcs. The story is well paced and whatever you do, do not skip the prologue. The Curse of Doll Island is horror/action-adventure tale in an enjoyable, easy read, novel that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime. While this is the first book of Ocean’s I’ve read, but it won’t be the last.

About Ocean

I live in a lovely Seacoast town along the coast of New Hampshire about an hour north of Boston (go Pats!.) I’ve gone by Ocean for over 20 years and my books are published by that single name. Easy to remember, right? As I often say, only the IRS calls me by my real name… and if they call – I run!
I have 5 books published. Two are by the ladies at Wicked Publishing and last year I published three as an indie. I tend to write about ordinary women that somehow get themselves into extraordinary situations. “The Curse of Doll Island” is an action adventure thriller. “Interview with a Lesbian Sasquatch” is a light-hearted novella. “The Crab Brothers” is an action-adventure children’s story (grade 4 reading level.) My current WIP is “Return to Doll Island.”
Thanks for checking out my work and if it’s your kind of book and you choose to read it, let me know what you think! My fb author page: https://www.facebook.com/oceanwrites/

The Curse of Doll Island: An Action Adventure Suspense Thriller
In 1732 a Shaman performed ‘The Curse of the Damned’ on two women, trapped their tormented souls in wax dolls, and banished them to a tiny island.
Fast forward 287 years. Rosie Moorea is a simple girl who lives an unassuming life. Her friends convince her that she needs to give herself a fun adventure. Overcoming long-standing anxieties, she books a solo vacation. All is uneventful until she meets the charismatic, professional skateboarding movie star, Devin Fitzroy, who convinces her to go on a picnic. With a setting sun and an approaching storm, they end up on an island rumored to be haunted by cursed dolls.
Rosie and Devin don’t believe the superstitions that the dolls come alive when the sun goes down. However, they’re about to discover there’s more to worry about than bugs and snakes when they find themselves stranded on an island that holds many secrets, most of them evil.
Forced to confront their own fears and insecurities, the women are thrown into situations that require quick wit and bravery to survive. Will they make it through the night to see the sunrise or will something more evil than they could ever have imagined get to them first? The Curse of Doll Island will take you on a harrowing adventure you may want to, but might never, forget.
The Curse of Doll Island is available here