This was an impressive first book by this author and a start to what I think is a duology. Her writing was captivating, the magic system seemed a lot different than the typical run-of-the-mill stuff in YA, and the world-building was phenomenal and I want more, more, more. In the blurb on Goodreads, it mentions how this would be for fans of the Caraval series and honestly, I agree with that when it came to the crew visiting the different islands. Every place was so unique along with the people there that is was truly magical.
Other than my intensely piqued curiosity over why/how Amora didn’t seem to know ANYTHING going on in her soon-to-be-kingdom, the main reason I enjoyed this book so much was the characters. Dudes, Amora is the real deal when it comes to strong heroines. Some of the scenes with her fighting and using her magic were so visceral…Sometimes that bothers me depending on how intense it is but here, it was so impressive. She might not be that relatable to most common people in that aspect but there are other parts of her that are. She cares SO much for her people, her kingdom and was horrified when she learned what kinds of things were happening that she didn’t know about. I loved her surety that she was the right person to next take charge of the kingdom because she wanted to fix things so badly. Even with that surety though, she still had moments of vulnerability that bring her more down to earth. I greatly enjoyed reading about her journey through the book and can’t wait to see what the next one will bring, especially after that ending.
Bastian, obviously, was a favorite as well (and I think he’ll be a fan favorite with basically everyone). He’s a dashing pirate that’s impeccably dressed and has a smile that earned an insta-swoon from me. There were a few STEAMY kisses that I loved, obviously. And again, I can’t wait to see what the next book brings for him as well after that ending……….As for Ferrick, he really grew on me (wasn’t sure what to think of him at first, kinda annoyed me a little) and now that I’m thinking about it, that’s kinda punny, lol. Vataea too, also super amazing. Hope to see her use more of her magic in the next book.
Overall, solid start, but just wasn’t quite a five-star read for me. Might just be my mood though (I’m super pregnant and super tired and some days super cranky, lol). Will 100% be snatching up that second book!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Imprint for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!