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plsnotanotherdamselindistress's review
adventurous
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
My review in note form:
Summary
Solid worldbuilding but weak characters making the story flat and thus the minor issues with the plot more pronounced.
But maybe this is one of the book series that improves with each book because the story definitely could have potential.
++ love pirates especially pirate romantasy (the changes of scenery, time on the ship, battle on the sea, camaraderie)
++ worldbuilding (the view of the island from different perspectives with the first we got introduced to being the indoctrinated one)
+ the idea of the matriarchal and cultlike culture
+- slow-burn was a good choice and I like how at the end of book one they are not already in a relationship but him immediately after meeting her having to supress how much he cares for her...
- somehow the plot got a little bit lost with all the side quests suddenly happening which made this book feel like a sequel as in the actual quest I assumed this book would be about they only start on at the end of the book
-- I feel like the fMC had potential with escaping after starting to get the idea everything she believed had been a lie and slowly coming to terms with that but of course not suddenly being able to change that she is still a naive and awkward young women only learning about real life...BUT I felt like her spectrum of emotions was very narrow...e.g. being betrayed again and again and still the one time she gets angry the fire she burns with in that moment may be comparable to that of a match...and most importantly I would have loved to read about her character development especially her starting to become a little bit independent and just her getting to know herself after now not having to fit into the role she had been groomed for her entire life
-- this was not the found family it could have been with the fMC really only having contact with the mMC and maybe his best friend but as the rest of the crew is not really trusted by the mMC and immediately dislike the fMC because of their sexist believes there really are no budding relationships of any kind happening
Summary
Solid worldbuilding but weak characters making the story flat and thus the minor issues with the plot more pronounced.
But maybe this is one of the book series that improves with each book because the story definitely could have potential.
++ love pirates especially pirate romantasy (the changes of scenery, time on the ship, battle on the sea, camaraderie)
++ worldbuilding (the view of the island from different perspectives with the first we got introduced to being the indoctrinated one)
+ the idea of the matriarchal and cultlike culture
+- slow-burn was a good choice and I like how at the end of book one they are not already in a relationship but him immediately after meeting her having to supress how much he cares for her...
- somehow the plot got a little bit lost with all the side quests suddenly happening which made this book feel like a sequel as in the actual quest I assumed this book would be about they only start on at the end of the book
-- I feel like the fMC had potential with escaping after starting to get the idea everything she believed had been a lie and slowly coming to terms with that but of course not suddenly being able to change that she is still a naive and awkward young women only learning about real life...BUT I felt like her spectrum of emotions was very narrow...e.g. being betrayed again and again and still the one time she gets angry the fire she burns with in that moment may be comparable to that of a match...and most importantly I would have loved to read about her character development especially her starting to become a little bit independent and just her getting to know herself after now not having to fit into the role she had been groomed for her entire life
-- this was not the found family it could have been with the fMC really only having contact with the mMC and maybe his best friend but as the rest of the crew is not really trusted by the mMC and immediately dislike the fMC because of their sexist believes there really are no budding relationships of any kind happening
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol
fromjuliereads's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
4.5
Wow. This book really surprised me. It has so many fantastic elements, good characters, a good story. I really like the world, set up, premise for the story - how could I not? It's essentially leading to a quest, one of my favourite things! This is very much a set up for that. We get to know the characters and for them to all connect, learn the power players and lay of the world.
I read this so quickly. It's enticing and I really like the characters! Aoife is difficult to like at first but she grew on me. Declan is a great character as a pirate. There was one scene with him that I disliked though - the author says he is based on Dean from Supernatural, and while I see that in most of his character, Dean would never... To make a point in one scene, Declan basically forces himself onto Aoife, pushing her under him on a bed with no warning. It felt icky to me and I get it was him acting and making a point, it felt like a bit much.
I will say though that I liked the panic attack rep in this! I actually teared up at a few lines because it felt so real and true what the characters were saying about panic attacks.
Anyways. It ended at an interesting point and I'm curious to see how the next book goes!
I read this so quickly. It's enticing and I really like the characters! Aoife is difficult to like at first but she grew on me. Declan is a great character as a pirate. There was one scene with him that I disliked though - the author says he is based on Dean from Supernatural, and while I see that in most of his character, Dean would never...
I will say though that I liked the panic attack rep in this! I actually teared up at a few lines because it felt so real and true what the characters were saying about panic attacks.
Anyways. It ended at an interesting point and I'm curious to see how the next book goes!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Death of sisterchaoticreader22's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
Minor: Death
booksalacarte's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? No
4.25
On These Black Sands- 4.25⭐️ 2.75🌶️
In one month Aoife Cascade will turn twenty and take her seat on the Council of Cregah, an honor she’s been preparing for her whole life. But when she lets a secret slip to her mother, all the plans for her future are quickly upended. Believing the people of Cregah will be better off without her, Aoife decides to flee in hopes of finding a place where her loose tongue can’t hurt anyone.
Until she comes upon a pirate captain who needs her help.
Captain Declan McCallagh is young compared to the pirate lords, but after twelve long years on the grueling Aisling Sea, he has earned a well-respected ship and the attention of the lords, who seek to put him in his place. All he wants is to leave the Aisling Sea--and his past --behind him, and finding the enchanted dagger is the final key to making that happen… the same dagger his sister and her rebel group need to overthrow the council. He’ll have to decide whether to help a people he no longer claims as his own or take this weapon for himself.
That is, if the runaway heir he has asked to help doesn’t ruin everything first.
When no one can be trusted, can Aoife and Declan learn to rely on each other? Or will their pasts keep them from saving the very people they walked away from?
——————
✨My Opinion✨
I loved this book! The pirates! The Fae! The Celtic influence (hello, my name is Erin!).The tension. the conflicts. The adventure. The action. The politics! Yup. I’m here for it!
Mixing fae and pirates was really surprising and original! I have never come across this type of story before. And just the possibility of a complete magic system with lord and fantastical beasts puts this series right down my alley.
I was immediately drawn in with Declan and his vulnerability. A pirate who is going through an internal battle…His moral grayness is complete with a devastating secret? I ate him up.
Aiofe (Ee-fuh) being awkward with poor comedic timing feel like a loving look at every bad joke I didn’t land. She is a bit useless in a realistic way. Her competence raises minimally in the 2-ish weeks during this portion of the story. Thankfully, there wasn’t a “ta-da you are a natural pirate” moment for her. Her cyclical thinking was sometimes a lot and repetitive, but it has a purpose so I’ll let it pass. (Anxiety rep!)
Cait was a great look into the corruption of the Council of Cregah and how it’s effecting the people who rely on it for everything. I’m excited to see her part of the story even more.
The insta-love/slow burn mix is nice, not forced. The tension is there but I appreciate things not progressing so fast since the timeline of the book was so short.
The cliffhanger was really well done. I’m anxious just writing this review because I am starting book two ASAP!
In one month Aoife Cascade will turn twenty and take her seat on the Council of Cregah, an honor she’s been preparing for her whole life. But when she lets a secret slip to her mother, all the plans for her future are quickly upended. Believing the people of Cregah will be better off without her, Aoife decides to flee in hopes of finding a place where her loose tongue can’t hurt anyone.
Until she comes upon a pirate captain who needs her help.
Captain Declan McCallagh is young compared to the pirate lords, but after twelve long years on the grueling Aisling Sea, he has earned a well-respected ship and the attention of the lords, who seek to put him in his place. All he wants is to leave the Aisling Sea--and his past --behind him, and finding the enchanted dagger is the final key to making that happen… the same dagger his sister and her rebel group need to overthrow the council. He’ll have to decide whether to help a people he no longer claims as his own or take this weapon for himself.
That is, if the runaway heir he has asked to help doesn’t ruin everything first.
When no one can be trusted, can Aoife and Declan learn to rely on each other? Or will their pasts keep them from saving the very people they walked away from?
——————
✨My Opinion✨
I loved this book! The pirates! The Fae! The Celtic influence (hello, my name is Erin!).The tension. the conflicts. The adventure. The action. The politics! Yup. I’m here for it!
Mixing fae and pirates was really surprising and original! I have never come across this type of story before. And just the possibility of a complete magic system with lord and fantastical beasts puts this series right down my alley.
I was immediately drawn in with Declan and his vulnerability. A pirate who is going through an internal battle…His moral grayness is complete with a devastating secret? I ate him up.
Aiofe (Ee-fuh) being awkward with poor comedic timing feel like a loving look at every bad joke I didn’t land. She is a bit useless in a realistic way. Her competence raises minimally in the 2-ish weeks during this portion of the story. Thankfully, there wasn’t a “ta-da you are a natural pirate” moment for her. Her cyclical thinking was sometimes a lot and repetitive, but it has a purpose so I’ll let it pass. (Anxiety rep!)
Cait was a great look into the corruption of the Council of Cregah and how it’s effecting the people who rely on it for everything. I’m excited to see her part of the story even more.
The insta-love/slow burn mix is nice, not forced. The tension is there but I appreciate things not progressing so fast since the timeline of the book was so short.
The cliffhanger was really well done. I’m anxious just writing this review because I am starting book two ASAP!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Grief
Moderate: Violence and Panic attacks/disorders
aspoonfuloflanguage's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
She was too stunned to speak.
I’ve been searching for a book to break my years-long reading slump. When I was a kid I could devour a series in a weekend. As an adult I still loved to read but it didn’t contain that same spark. Reading felt empty, almost as if I had lost a part of myself.
Earlier this year I became determined to get back into reading. I missed exploring different lands & allowing myself to be passionate about something I loved. About good storytelling, the art of writing, and exploring emotions through the lens of literature. While I had to dig to find my niche, I ended up stumbling across indie books, which led me here. I’m not going to write a synopsis, as you can find one easily on Google. But I… can I just?.. Vanessa is a genius not only with words, but at crafting a story.
Each chapter was told from the perspective of one of the three main characters, which would have normally put me off. However, she shifted perspectives seamlessly in a way that gave so much depth & dimension to the story while weaving a thread of intrigue throughout.
She lets you inside everyone’s head, but only to a certain extent. Its like showing all the cards but keeping a poker face because there’s a trick card tucked up the sleeve. Each character had their own secrets, doubts, agendas, pieces of the puzzle that’s guarded closely until, like a loose thread on clothing, gets tugged on by the right person at the right time.
It unravels slowly, gets tangled, cut, freed once more, tied to another thread, yanked, and all at once it comes undone. The hidden card flutters to the ground for all to see. As for the reader? We’re the first to know the hints but the last to discover the reveal. It’s infuriating and I love her for it.
But when that card is finally revealed? When she fully lets you into the character? It’s an experience. I literally blinked and the book was over, and I’m mad about it because I have to wait for book 2!
But I’m also so glad about it because you know what? I found my joy for reading again.
I’ve been searching for a book to break my years-long reading slump. When I was a kid I could devour a series in a weekend. As an adult I still loved to read but it didn’t contain that same spark. Reading felt empty, almost as if I had lost a part of myself.
Earlier this year I became determined to get back into reading. I missed exploring different lands & allowing myself to be passionate about something I loved. About good storytelling, the art of writing, and exploring emotions through the lens of literature. While I had to dig to find my niche, I ended up stumbling across indie books, which led me here. I’m not going to write a synopsis, as you can find one easily on Google. But I… can I just?.. Vanessa is a genius not only with words, but at crafting a story.
Each chapter was told from the perspective of one of the three main characters, which would have normally put me off. However, she shifted perspectives seamlessly in a way that gave so much depth & dimension to the story while weaving a thread of intrigue throughout.
She lets you inside everyone’s head, but only to a certain extent. Its like showing all the cards but keeping a poker face because there’s a trick card tucked up the sleeve. Each character had their own secrets, doubts, agendas, pieces of the puzzle that’s guarded closely until, like a loose thread on clothing, gets tugged on by the right person at the right time.
It unravels slowly, gets tangled, cut, freed once more, tied to another thread, yanked, and all at once it comes undone. The hidden card flutters to the ground for all to see. As for the reader? We’re the first to know the hints but the last to discover the reveal. It’s infuriating and I love her for it.
But when that card is finally revealed? When she fully lets you into the character? It’s an experience. I literally blinked and the book was over, and I’m mad about it because I have to wait for book 2!
But I’m also so glad about it because you know what? I found my joy for reading again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Murder
Minor: Kidnapping
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