3.66 AVERAGE

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

sunflwrmaria's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 10%

the content warning put me off it immediately. i also spotted quite a few errors, and i want to enjoy a book, not review it.
adventurous dark medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous challenging dark fast-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

Good combination of darkness and plot in this The Little Mermaid re-telling, perfect for fans of The Little Mermaid that perhaps didn't love Prince Eric or the fact that Ariel left the ocean for a meager man. 

It was action packed with a fast moving plot, but also had tons of spice. I'm a sucker for all things pirates and these ones didn't disappoint! The characters were well-rounded and had alllllll the unhinged darkness. The ending was exactly what you'd want it to be and I loved the fact that this was a standalone. 

The only reason it's not 5 stars is because I tend to only give 5 stars for absolute love-of-my-life books. This was an all around entertaining read and I definitely recommend it, it's just not a literary masterpiece.

***Thank you Karina Halle for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***
adventurous dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Yes

A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle is a dark romantasy retelling of The Little Mermaid. This story follows Maren who makes a deal with a sea witch to give up her life under the sea so she can be with Princee Aerik. Little did she know Prince Aerik was not the man of her dreams. After suffering abuse at the hands of her husband over the past decade, she is desperate to reclaim her old life. While traveling across the sea, their ship is invaded by Pirates.

I really enjoyed this book! From the very first page, I was hooked. The characters are so well written, the descriptions are vibrant, the dialogue is perfect. This book was entertaining from start to finish and had a good balance of banter, pirate action, spice, and excitement. I really enjoyed that this story wasn't an exact retelling of The Little Mermaid, yes it had many similar elements but it really made the story its own. While this is a dark romance, I would say it's on the lighter side of dark which is great for me because I was a little worried at the start of the story but it was not nearly as dark as I expected. I highly recommend this book and I do plan to read the second book in the series. Karina Halle is cementing herself as one of my favorite romantasy authors! This is not my first book written by her and certainly will not be my last!

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

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.
adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced
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

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.
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 ☠️