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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Clare Sager has made us go through so many emotions from enemies to lovers to friends - ugh and then this cliffhanger ending! The emotional rollercoaster that Vice rides is genuine and heartbreaking. Knigh manages his own demons and society expectations after finding a new place amongst a pirate crew. I adore Perry's sage advice to both of them, especially about Vice choosing joy. The characters have continued to grow since the beginning though growth isn't always linear. Loved the addition of Knigh's family, and as always Barnacle and the kittens. Clare Sager is the queen of sassy inner dialogue that feels genuine and relatable! We both cannot wait for the final installment in the Beneath Black Sails series.
I asked my husband to help me write this review, since he's read it too! Everytime I pass Andrew a book, he asks if it's about pirates.
My husband's concise review is as follows:
"It's an excellent piratical adventure. Read it."
I love Clare’s work. Under Black Skies had so much going for it. Great character growth first and foremost. And such an intriguing story. I had a hard time getting into the book in the beginning but that faded and I was met with a fantastic end that left me yearning for the next book!! I love Vice and Knigh and there complicated relationship. I love that Vice is starting to grow and show that she’s trying! It was just great all the way around.
Kudos to Clare, yet again! And bring on Book 4!!
I'll start by saying I received a free ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. So we're back at it again with more Knigh and Vice. They're inching closer and closer to Drake's treasure, sought after by pirates for centuries and promised to be of value beyond comprehension. They're also struggling with their feelings, after hurting each other in all kinds of ways they've decided it's best if they're just friends. Cause that always works out well for people with that kind of chemistry.
You can definitely see the character growth in both Knigh and Vice. In book one I wasn't sure how their relationship was going to work with all of their separate traumas and inabilities to commit but they're really pulling through. I love the romance because neither of them is satisfied to let the other be unhappy and they're so good at acknowledging when the other is suffering. They're getting so much better at knowing one another and pushing themselves to be better about it. Yet they're also simultaneously both so ignorant of their own issues which is the perfect combination for angst.
My only criticism would be the back and forth being a bit heavy towards the middle. They rehashed their feelings so many times that it felt a little repetitive. That's definitely not a bad thing for everyone, but I think compared to the last book I was just expecting a lot more pirate action. I do understand that there are four books in this series though and we can't just rush into a whole war and everything. I think that the ending also made up for some of the middle that I struggled through.
Now I don't want to spoil anything because I definitely think this whole series is worth the read but I will say I feel GUTTED by that ending. I didn't know I was signing up for a top tier cliffhanger but I did ask for the angst so I don't know what I expected. I'm very excited to see how everything gets pulled together in the finale (I'm pretty sure this is a four book series but I could be wrong). If you're a fan of fantasy, romance, pirates, or fae, this series really just has it all and should be on your shelf ASAP.
Oh yeah even with the great romance and all the pirate battles, my favorite characters are probably Barnacles and her whole squad and I demand more page-time for them.
This review and all my others can be found at: https://aworldshapedbybooks.blogspot.com/
I don’t know where Clare Sager has been all this time, but WOWIE does she know how to write a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas with the most PERFECT tale of enemies to lovers. Booktok, come forth.
Read this series and wallow in pain with me while we wait until the final book comes out NEXT YEAR.