3.67 AVERAGE

diana666's profile picture

diana666's review

4.75

This was 100% just fun vibes and I loved every single page. Almost didn’t want it to end. 

A literary masterpiece? No. But a fun, steamy and adventure filled sirens + vampire pirates read. Lots of banter and funny lines as well, I was entertained from start to finish.
xbookishlibra's profile picture

xbookishlibra's review

5.0
adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

rockchick19's review

4.0
adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
lape_titemortt's profile picture

lape_titemortt's review

3.5

3.5 ⭐️ Re-Read 

If you’re looking for a SPICY & DARK Little Mermaid retelling that meets Pirates of the Caribbean then you will love this book. 

I normally love Karina’s books but this one was…..different. 
I love spicy books but Karina made this one SPICYYYY. The characters were ALWAYS having sex even in situations they shouldn’t be. This was definitely more spice than plot, which was unfortunate. 

However, the little plot that was there, I enjoyed. I liked the dark twist on the Little Mermaid. And I enjoyed Maren’s fight and strength. 

This was a standalone but the ending felt too open and underwhelming. 

Thank you, Metal Blonde Books
&  NetGalley for my gifted advanced book copy 💕
All my reviews are my own opinion.
mookayla's profile picture

mookayla's review

5.0
adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

A Ship Of Bones and Teeth was my first Karina Halle read, and it did NOT dissappoint.  Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean colliding with The Little Mermaid—but with a dark romance twist—and you’ve got this book. I was hooked from the first page (pun intended). The story is the perfect blend of adventure, danger, and desire all coming together to make the perfect fantasy! Maren is such a strong, enjoyable character who keeps everyone on their toes. And I loved that the mermaids (Syrens) were horrifying killing machines that would lure men to their deaths as opposed to your more mystical variety of mermaid. More killer mermaids in my fantasy books please! Captain Battista was also everything one could possibly want in their next book boyfriend- passionate, possessive, and a mouth that could make a sailor blush! While the book is packed with so much fun and witty banter, it also doesn't shy away from deeper themes like grief, vengeance, and redemption- all while leaving me feeling hopeful and happy. ♡

If you love dark romantasy retellings, pirate vibes, and killer mermaids- this is the perfect summer read for you! 🌊

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review this title- this one had been on my TBR for a while! 📚

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶 
(Let me re-state, a mouth that will make a sailor blush 😊)

If You Liked That, Read This:
• The Little Mermaid 🧜🏻‍♀️
• Pirates of the Caribbean 🏴‍☠️

Tropes/Vibes:
• Dark Romantasy
• Mermaid x Pirate 
• Possessive MMC 
• Found Family
• Dual POV 
• Touch Her and ☠️
adventurous dark emotional hopeful medium-paced
Loveable characters: Yes

Imagine fan-fic of The Little Mermaid crossed with a rogueish blood-sucking Pirates of the Caribbean, and you get this 🌶🌶🌶 spice adult fantasy. An easy, fun read. 

Let me start by saying I love the cover of this book; it is the reason I picked it up initially. I have to say it goes well with the dark romance theme. I am also a massive fan of mermaids and Pirates in general, so I was hoping this would be an adult version of The Little Mermaid meets The Pirates of the Caribbean.

Maren is a Syren. Ten years ago, she sold her soul to the sea witch Edonia, giving up a life underwater in exchange for the love of Prince Aerik on land. However, the marriage is not what she thought it would be. And as the old saying goes, "careful what you wish for", especially when making deals with the devil. Maren is stuck in an abusive relationship, and the prince doesn't seem so charming after all. Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, their ship is attacked by the notorious Captain Ramsay, and she is taken hostage.

I don't know how I feel about this book; I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I enjoyed the world-building; the author has obviously done plenty of research on her subject, but sadly, the book just didn't hit the spot for me. I have read other books by the author and really like her writing style and pacing. I guess I just wanted the fairy tale and happy ever after, which I didn't feel I got with this book. Whilst I enjoyed some of the smut, the insta lush to love just felt a little off.

There are quite a lot of trigger warnings in the book, but the author does a brilliant job of listing them all and giving you a rundown of what to expect before you start reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Metal Blonde Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

DNF at 51%

I really tried with this one. It’s definitely different from what I normally go for but the plot was promising! I just couldn’t do it. The writing was not up to par and the character’s dialogues had me rolling my eyes.
I love fantasy so much but this was not it for me
sophiehowes's profile picture

sophiehowes's review

3.0
dark fast-paced