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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book and I can't wait for the sequel. It was beautifully written, and the action scenes in particular were incredibly well-done and immersive.
The characters had good depth and felt believable and unique, including the women, which is rare in most of the genres this book falls into. Nightingale's introspection and development throughout the book was convincing and satisfying, without closing all the loose ends for the next book.
The romance is very slow burn, which I liked, but may not be for everyone. There's a much larger focus on Nightingale and his struggle with his own identity and control than there is on the romance.
I can't speak much to its accuracy or success as nautical historical fiction because it's my first book in the genre, and it seemed a bit confusing at times. I would have appreciated a labeled diagram/glossary/appendix of some sort, and perhaps a few footnotes explaining why certain actions were being taken.
Overall, definitely one of my new favorites, and I'm decently sure I'll be buying anything this author publishes in the future.
The characters had good depth and felt believable and unique, including the women, which is rare in most of the genres this book falls into. Nightingale's introspection and development throughout the book was convincing and satisfying, without closing all the loose ends for the next book.
The romance is very slow burn, which I liked, but may not be for everyone. There's a much larger focus on Nightingale and his struggle with his own identity and control than there is on the romance.
I can't speak much to its accuracy or success as nautical historical fiction because it's my first book in the genre, and it seemed a bit confusing at times. I would have appreciated a labeled diagram/glossary/appendix of some sort, and perhaps a few footnotes explaining why certain actions were being taken.
Overall, definitely one of my new favorites, and I'm decently sure I'll be buying anything this author publishes in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Outing
Minor: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Slavery, Colonisation
This book had such an exciting plot, it was a real nail biter at times! The characters were so well thought out, I loved Captain Nightingale. I liked the slow burn romance as it obviously wasn’t the number 1 priority of the characters and made the book feel more authentic. At times I had to remind myself it wasn’t a work of non fiction. It was clearly well researched and the historical note at the end drove that point home.
I really hope to read more about Nightingale and Courtney in the future.
I really hope to read more about Nightingale and Courtney in the future.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You know that feeling when you discover a debut author and you wish they had a back catalogue of a dozen books to read? That’s Katie Daysh. I could take a whole series from her in a sitting.
Leeward is set mostly in 1800 (but brings in storylines from earlier years). HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web of intrigue. Nothing is as it seems.
This is a rollicking high seas adventure and the adventure sequences themselves are heart racing. You can taste the blood and the salt and smell the gunpowder. They’re fast paced and exciting and you feel like you’re part of the action.
But there’s plenty of heart here, too. Captain Nightingale is a gay man in the late 1700s - hiding his truth to save his life. And he’s dealing with the trauma of his past and what has happened to those he has loved. His relationship with his wife is exquisite.
I would have liked to have felt the attraction between Nightingale and his love interest aboard the Scylla a little more, and I stumbled over the use of “invite” as a noun (which is a huge pet peeve of mine in present day English), but other than that, I have no complaints.
Leeward is incredibly well researched. I don’t know anything about sailing ships or seafaring or warfare in the Napoleónic era (despite having read Hornblower 20 years ago), but Daysh seems to know every single part of a ship, the rules of the admiralty, the price of eggs, you name it. And it’s all peppered to create a richness of world building that enhances but in no way overwhelms. That’s SUCH a skill!
Bonus points for the inclusion of so many classical references (Ulysses, Scylla, Circe). That really hit the sweet spot for me! (If you’re not into your classics, don’t worry, everything is neatly and simply explained.)
As I said at the start of this review, I could take so much more of Daysh’s writing, so I’m beyond thrilled there are two more to follow in the series. I’d pre-order them now if I could!
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
Leeward is set mostly in 1800 (but brings in storylines from earlier years). HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web of intrigue. Nothing is as it seems.
This is a rollicking high seas adventure and the adventure sequences themselves are heart racing. You can taste the blood and the salt and smell the gunpowder. They’re fast paced and exciting and you feel like you’re part of the action.
But there’s plenty of heart here, too. Captain Nightingale is a gay man in the late 1700s - hiding his truth to save his life. And he’s dealing with the trauma of his past and what has happened to those he has loved. His relationship with his wife is exquisite.
I would have liked to have felt the attraction between Nightingale and his love interest aboard the Scylla a little more, and I stumbled over the use of “invite” as a noun (which is a huge pet peeve of mine in present day English), but other than that, I have no complaints.
Leeward is incredibly well researched. I don’t know anything about sailing ships or seafaring or warfare in the Napoleónic era (despite having read Hornblower 20 years ago), but Daysh seems to know every single part of a ship, the rules of the admiralty, the price of eggs, you name it. And it’s all peppered to create a richness of world building that enhances but in no way overwhelms. That’s SUCH a skill!
Bonus points for the inclusion of so many classical references (Ulysses, Scylla, Circe). That really hit the sweet spot for me! (If you’re not into your classics, don’t worry, everything is neatly and simply explained.)
As I said at the start of this review, I could take so much more of Daysh’s writing, so I’m beyond thrilled there are two more to follow in the series. I’d pre-order them now if I could!
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
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
It physically pains me that I cannot wipe my memory and re read this book for the first time
4 stars. Recommend.
I rarely read naval/military fiction, but this book caught my eye on NetGalley, in large part because of its LGBTQ angle, plus I DO love historical fiction a lot. The book was well worth it, though for those mostly drawn for its LGBTQ+ storyline, just be forewarned that it's really a pretty minor part of the book. Having said that, it becomes pretty obvious at one point that there will be at least one sequel, so let's say that this book is the ultimate "slow burn" when it comes to its possible MM romance? I'm in.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.
I rarely read naval/military fiction, but this book caught my eye on NetGalley, in large part because of its LGBTQ angle, plus I DO love historical fiction a lot. The book was well worth it, though for those mostly drawn for its LGBTQ+ storyline, just be forewarned that it's really a pretty minor part of the book. Having said that, it becomes pretty obvious at one point that there will be at least one sequel, so let's say that this book is the ultimate "slow burn" when it comes to its possible MM romance? I'm in.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
emotional
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
“Go and avenge your Patroclus”” has to be a fave quote from this.
Full of hidden queerness, grief and a family like energy this follows our mcs captain nightingale and lieutenant Courtney.
It contains clear and good references to Homer and the Greek myths and names of old
We have illegal plans, plenty of at sea betrayals but also a growing strong loyalty.
Historical based ( ie mentions real events and places just isn’t necessarily factually accurate or a biography of them) romance done and executed well.
Full of hidden queerness, grief and a family like energy this follows our mcs captain nightingale and lieutenant Courtney.
It contains clear and good references to Homer and the Greek myths and names of old
We have illegal plans, plenty of at sea betrayals but also a growing strong loyalty.
Historical based ( ie mentions real events and places just isn’t necessarily factually accurate or a biography of them) romance done and executed well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail