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steph01924's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent conclusion to a debut author and duology. Looking forward to seeing more from Tolcser! Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult.
books4susie's review against another edition
4.0
I had put off reading this book for a while especially since I couldn’t find a recap of the first book. Fortunately, I surprised myself by not needing it at all. A few characters from the first book didn’t return but I feel like the author dropped a major hint involving a minor character. I hope that there is a third book or spinoff to flesh out this new story line.
thebookishunicorn's review against another edition
3.0
Actual Rating 3.5 Stars
"Slithering through the deep like a drakon, that's how your fate comes for you."
"Slithering through the deep like a drakon, that's how your fate comes for you."
hiveretcafe's review against another edition
5.0
what a fantastic duology
------------------------------
This review was originally posted on my blog: Hiver et Cafe
I received an advanced copy from the distributor in exchange for an honest review
Whisper of the Tide picks up several months after the point at which Song of the Current finishes. Caro and Markos are super cute and they are making sense of their place in each others' lives. Markos is trying to puzzle out his role in Akhaia's future and his duty to his people. Meanwhile, Caro is doing her best to keep her promise in aiding Markos and figuring out her own place in his life when her soul belongs to the sea. Enter the Archon's proposal to Markos -- marry his daughter and he will provide the necessary troops to back Markos' rightful claim to the throne. With this offer quickly expiring, Markos and Caro must figure out their priorities -- their love or the fate of a country.
Song of the Current was such a fantastic read. It touches on fate and being meant for something more and the gods that guide their paths. It is such a book that characterizes all the things that I love -- tricky gods and their lore, pirates and revolutionaries and royalty, some magic, some political intrigue and some really great characters. Whisper of the Tide takes that and ups the ante. The stakes are so much higher in this book with Markos' life constantly hanging in the balance and Caro continuing to grapple with her own fate. So much more seems to happen in this book as well. There's a lot of sailing and a lot of journeying back and forth to the various places that the story happens in.
Really, one of the standout aspects of this book is all the strong female characters, whether they be good, bad or morally ambiguous. While the strong female characters were prevalent in Song of the Current, they truly shine in Whisper of the Tide. We meet so many truly interesting female characters who are strong in their own way, like Long Dido -- the six foot something, enigmatic, not quite human, pirate Queen. She is such a fascinating character in the brief moments we get to meet her and I hope that Tolscer has something planned for her since she does have that sort of perennial, ageless quality to her. Another one of the more interesting female characters, is Lord Peregrine's wife who we only get to meet briefly in the beginning, but what she does reveal is so telling as to who she is -- an intelligent, cunning woman who would like to know all the paths that lay before her to make the best decision. Truly a Slytherin.
Fate is such a strong running theme throughout this duology. Where Song of the Current touches on accepting one's fate when it comes for you, Whisper of the Tide is about challenging the fate handed to you. Caro is never without a fight in her when things don't go the way she'd like them to and it is no different with the fate that is handed to her by the Sea Goddess. Markos grapples with his own fate that he has been pushed into by the people around him simply because the empire is seen as his birthright. He doesn't really want to be emparch at all, but as he was born into the Andela family, it is seen as his duty to fight for the throne.
There are definitely some tidbits that are sprinkled into the book that leave room for a companion series or something of the like, and I would really be more than happy for something like that to happen. Whisper of the Tide really wraps up the story nicely, despite my desire to read more of Caro and Markos. However, there is so much more of this world that I want to see, like Long Dido and little Daria and maybe more of the shadowmen. This duology is such a strong fantasy series and one of my favourites now. I look forward to whatever Tolcser puts out in the future.
------------------------------
This review was originally posted on my blog: Hiver et Cafe
I received an advanced copy from the distributor in exchange for an honest review
Whisper of the Tide picks up several months after the point at which Song of the Current finishes. Caro and Markos are super cute and they are making sense of their place in each others' lives. Markos is trying to puzzle out his role in Akhaia's future and his duty to his people. Meanwhile, Caro is doing her best to keep her promise in aiding Markos and figuring out her own place in his life when her soul belongs to the sea. Enter the Archon's proposal to Markos -- marry his daughter and he will provide the necessary troops to back Markos' rightful claim to the throne. With this offer quickly expiring, Markos and Caro must figure out their priorities -- their love or the fate of a country.
Song of the Current was such a fantastic read. It touches on fate and being meant for something more and the gods that guide their paths. It is such a book that characterizes all the things that I love -- tricky gods and their lore, pirates and revolutionaries and royalty, some magic, some political intrigue and some really great characters. Whisper of the Tide takes that and ups the ante. The stakes are so much higher in this book with Markos' life constantly hanging in the balance and Caro continuing to grapple with her own fate. So much more seems to happen in this book as well. There's a lot of sailing and a lot of journeying back and forth to the various places that the story happens in.
Really, one of the standout aspects of this book is all the strong female characters, whether they be good, bad or morally ambiguous. While the strong female characters were prevalent in Song of the Current, they truly shine in Whisper of the Tide. We meet so many truly interesting female characters who are strong in their own way, like Long Dido -- the six foot something, enigmatic, not quite human, pirate Queen. She is such a fascinating character in the brief moments we get to meet her and I hope that Tolscer has something planned for her since she does have that sort of perennial, ageless quality to her. Another one of the more interesting female characters, is Lord Peregrine's wife who we only get to meet briefly in the beginning, but what she does reveal is so telling as to who she is -- an intelligent, cunning woman who would like to know all the paths that lay before her to make the best decision. Truly a Slytherin.
Fate is such a strong running theme throughout this duology. Where Song of the Current touches on accepting one's fate when it comes for you, Whisper of the Tide is about challenging the fate handed to you. Caro is never without a fight in her when things don't go the way she'd like them to and it is no different with the fate that is handed to her by the Sea Goddess. Markos grapples with his own fate that he has been pushed into by the people around him simply because the empire is seen as his birthright. He doesn't really want to be emparch at all, but as he was born into the Andela family, it is seen as his duty to fight for the throne.
There are definitely some tidbits that are sprinkled into the book that leave room for a companion series or something of the like, and I would really be more than happy for something like that to happen. Whisper of the Tide really wraps up the story nicely, despite my desire to read more of Caro and Markos. However, there is so much more of this world that I want to see, like Long Dido and little Daria and maybe more of the shadowmen. This duology is such a strong fantasy series and one of my favourites now. I look forward to whatever Tolcser puts out in the future.
salembooks's review against another edition
3.0
Going into this duology, I expected a very different storyline because I kept seeing it pitched as a pirate book. I was pleasantly surprised that it has some exciting pirate elements- swordfights, a visit to a Pirate Island, a shipwreck, danger on the high seas, but it is much more original than just a pirate tale. It is the story of a group of characters trying to overcome their past to find themselves and their place in the world. I love that Sarah gives us a Breakfast Club type crew and takes the time to develop each in their own way- the Emparch (King), the wherryman’s daughter, the exiled pirate, the revolutionary, and the shadow(wo)man struggling with revealing her magic.
Whisper of the Tide explores the idea of being “chosen” by specific gods, whether they be of the river, the ocean, or others that I am sure exist in this world. We know that some are chosen by the gods, but one of the main themes is what does that mean in regards to fate, destiny, and free will? What happens when you are/ are not favored, when a god turns their back on you, or expects things of you that you are not willing to give… Toward the end, we are given a hint that maybe there could be another story of a chosen one (please??).
At its core, Whisper of the Tide is a story of love (I LOVED Caro and Markos’ banter), strength, and determination and I can’t wait to read more from Sarah Tolcser.
Whisper of the Tide explores the idea of being “chosen” by specific gods, whether they be of the river, the ocean, or others that I am sure exist in this world. We know that some are chosen by the gods, but one of the main themes is what does that mean in regards to fate, destiny, and free will? What happens when you are/ are not favored, when a god turns their back on you, or expects things of you that you are not willing to give… Toward the end, we are given a hint that maybe there could be another story of a chosen one (please??).
At its core, Whisper of the Tide is a story of love (I LOVED Caro and Markos’ banter), strength, and determination and I can’t wait to read more from Sarah Tolcser.
rachelwrites007's review against another edition
5.0
This was even better than book 1. It reminded me a lot of [b:Crown Duel|596307|Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1)|Sherwood Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328047915s/596307.jpg|28162970] for it's court intrigue and spying and romance. I loved the adventures Caro and co. got into, and Markos's little sister NEEDS her own book (or at least her own novella).
I thought this one was easier to get into than the first as there was no real down time, and both books in the series are on my favorites list because of their unique world-building with river/ocean gods, swoony romance, and politics. (Also POINTS for making sure the science-y side character/girl could be interested in both make-up and science!)
If you liked Sherwood Smith's [b:Crown Duel|596307|Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1)|Sherwood Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328047915s/596307.jpg|28162970], Pirates of the Carribean, [b:The Girl from Everywhere|21979832|The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere, #1)|Heidi Heilig|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653s/21979832.jpg|41290415], and/or [a:Tamora Pierce|8596|Tamora Pierce|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1209044273p2/8596.jpg] you'll want to dive headfirst into Caroline's story.
I thought this one was easier to get into than the first as there was no real down time, and both books in the series are on my favorites list because of their unique world-building with river/ocean gods, swoony romance, and politics. (Also POINTS for making sure the science-y side character/girl could be interested in both make-up and science!)
If you liked Sherwood Smith's [b:Crown Duel|596307|Crown Duel (Crown & Court, #1)|Sherwood Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328047915s/596307.jpg|28162970], Pirates of the Carribean, [b:The Girl from Everywhere|21979832|The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere, #1)|Heidi Heilig|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1434729653s/21979832.jpg|41290415], and/or [a:Tamora Pierce|8596|Tamora Pierce|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1209044273p2/8596.jpg] you'll want to dive headfirst into Caroline's story.
thestoriedblog's review against another edition
5.0
This book was so much fun to read. I honestly felt like I was on my own Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. This adventure actually made me giddy as I read it. What made it even more fun was the fact that it really wasn’t emotion-porn as a lot of other high fantasy stories tend to be especially with a female lead. Solid action, gripping romance, steady plot, pirates, a hunt for treasure, assassins, and sea gods. What’s not to love?
bookishneverland's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Song of the Current and it was great and I think Whisper of the Tide was a great conclusion to the first book. I'm kinda sad there isn't another book because I truly enjoy reading about Caro and Markos. In this lovely sequel we see Caro struggle with her bond to the sea god. We see Caro struggle her relationship with Markos while also wanting to travel the seas. All in all a great conclusion to an interesting story about a girl who always wanted to travel the rivers but was destined for the sea.
Thank you netgalley for this eARC.
Thank you netgalley for this eARC.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
5.0
Whisper of the Tide is the next (and final) book in the Song of the Current duology by Sarah Tolcser and if you are looking for an action-packed story consider picking this series up. There are pirates, ship wrecks, swoons, and great characters in this one and I found it difficult to put this one down.
This book picks up shortly after Song of the Current wraps up and as Markos continues to try to gain support for his claim to the Akhaian throne, Caro is doing whatever she can to keep Markos alive. With continued threats on his life and no military support, things are definitely questionable for Markos but he wants to do what he feels is right for his people and with Caro at his side, he will continue on.
From the beginning of this book it is clear that Markos and Caro care for each other but they are also clearly from very different backgrounds and expectations. Caro is missing the water and her ship and with the hovering presence of the ocean goddess pushing her to do her bidding, I could feel an impatience in her. When an offer is presented to Markos that could truly help him get his throne, they both have to make a decision. This was the part that made me a little angry with Caro – she basically decided for both of them and while it felt like she was sacrificing her happiness, she was sacrificing Markos’ too.
As the story continues, Caro finds herself working with someone she never would have imagined from her past. I really enjoyed the buildup of this partnership and, like Caro, never knew whether Melanos was going to turn on her or not. There were a number of times where he actually came through for her and I never would have thought he would based on what I knew of him. While they work together to find a secret treasure, there are other forces they are up against because of who they are and what they have done.
There are a number of different pieces of this story that all eventually tie back to a connected storyline. I don’t want to say much but there are some secret plots at work here that include each and every one of these characters, as well as some new ones. I really enjoyed how Tolcser eventually brought everything together and resolved them. No question, both Caro and Markos face off with dangerous throughout the entire book and I loved learning about all the connections.
The characters in this book are built out well and not only do we get some of my favorites from book one (Kente) but there are some new ones who show up and make a pretty big impact on our heroine and hero. Agnes, one of the new characters, wasn’t who I expected her to be so kudos to Tolcser on sneaking in that unexpected twist. Sorry to be so vague there, my friends, but I can’t say much on who she is and how she fits…just know that I’m not a fan. Of course, there’s Melanos. I won’t say he redeems himself, but I saw a different aspect to him in this book and thought it made him much more interesting.
In the end, this book gave me what I didn’t know I wanted with this series. While I enjoyed book one, I thought this one was slightly better and kept me turning the pages to see how things were going to end up for everyone. I’m not going to lie, there was a point that I wasn’t really sure where Tolcser was going to go next and it was getting really close to the end, so I was REALLY worried. With that said, things turned out as they should have (in my mind at least) so I was happy. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you turning the pages and is full of action, danger, and interesting characters, definitely check these books out. I’m looking forward to what Tolcser writes next!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
This book picks up shortly after Song of the Current wraps up and as Markos continues to try to gain support for his claim to the Akhaian throne, Caro is doing whatever she can to keep Markos alive. With continued threats on his life and no military support, things are definitely questionable for Markos but he wants to do what he feels is right for his people and with Caro at his side, he will continue on.
From the beginning of this book it is clear that Markos and Caro care for each other but they are also clearly from very different backgrounds and expectations. Caro is missing the water and her ship and with the hovering presence of the ocean goddess pushing her to do her bidding, I could feel an impatience in her. When an offer is presented to Markos that could truly help him get his throne, they both have to make a decision. This was the part that made me a little angry with Caro – she basically decided for both of them and while it felt like she was sacrificing her happiness, she was sacrificing Markos’ too.
As the story continues, Caro finds herself working with someone she never would have imagined from her past. I really enjoyed the buildup of this partnership and, like Caro, never knew whether Melanos was going to turn on her or not. There were a number of times where he actually came through for her and I never would have thought he would based on what I knew of him. While they work together to find a secret treasure, there are other forces they are up against because of who they are and what they have done.
There are a number of different pieces of this story that all eventually tie back to a connected storyline. I don’t want to say much but there are some secret plots at work here that include each and every one of these characters, as well as some new ones. I really enjoyed how Tolcser eventually brought everything together and resolved them. No question, both Caro and Markos face off with dangerous throughout the entire book and I loved learning about all the connections.
The characters in this book are built out well and not only do we get some of my favorites from book one (Kente) but there are some new ones who show up and make a pretty big impact on our heroine and hero. Agnes, one of the new characters, wasn’t who I expected her to be so kudos to Tolcser on sneaking in that unexpected twist. Sorry to be so vague there, my friends, but I can’t say much on who she is and how she fits…just know that I’m not a fan. Of course, there’s Melanos. I won’t say he redeems himself, but I saw a different aspect to him in this book and thought it made him much more interesting.
In the end, this book gave me what I didn’t know I wanted with this series. While I enjoyed book one, I thought this one was slightly better and kept me turning the pages to see how things were going to end up for everyone. I’m not going to lie, there was a point that I wasn’t really sure where Tolcser was going to go next and it was getting really close to the end, so I was REALLY worried. With that said, things turned out as they should have (in my mind at least) so I was happy. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you turning the pages and is full of action, danger, and interesting characters, definitely check these books out. I’m looking forward to what Tolcser writes next!
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
miloulou's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this one, even though it really bugged me that Markos was barely in it. Caro and Markos' relationship barely developed in this one, since she was missing for most of it. I wish there were more details about Markos, his experience marrying "Agnes", giving up his throne, figuring out his place in the world. Especially when's he's so conscious of the fact that he doesn't really have any useful skills beyond what his family name gave him. There wasn't as much details about the frogmen, Caro's family, nor being a wherryman, or even a captain on the seas. I missed that, all the details and the passion that was in the first book. Still, overall it was a great adventure.