Hi hello and welcome to a post I haven't done in far too long. Today, I'm sharing my review of On Twisting Tides by Val E. Lane, the sequel to From Tormented Tides. This has been a highly anticipated release and I’m so excited to be able to share my thoughts! Be warned, I can’t resist a good pun so there will be many goofy water related puns and jokes throughout this review. Also, this will be spoiler-free so you can enjoy this review without having to worry about being spoiled for any major plot points or events that happen. Let’s get started!

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Title: On Twisting Tides

Author: Val E. Lane

Pages: 324

Genre: Fantasy 

Release Date: 27 March 2023

From Goodreads: "The curse is broken, but Katrina is still plagued by the haunting note left behind as a new semester begins in the coastal town of Constantine. And she’s still not sure how to admit to herself that she may never be the same after that night on Valdez’s ship. Meanwhile, Milo adapts to his second chance at life, but the heavy conscience of a pirate's past still weighs on his soul. When Katrina receives another chilling letter, she’s tasked with a burden that will require a journey across the sea…and he’s determined not to let her face it alone. But as Milo’s world unravels and Katrina battles newfound inner demons, holding back the ocean’s wrath may prove to be the least of their problems…and the shadows of the past may not be as distant as they seem."

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Thank you so much to Val E. Lane for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The ending of From Tormented Tides had me absolutely craving more. I wanted more Katrina and Milo, more siren lore, more pirates, more everything! So when the opportunity to sign up for a chance at an ARC of On Twisting Tides arose, I jumped on it quicker than Katrina jumps off of ships. I knew I would love the sequel just as much, if not more, than the first book, and I was right!

Katrina is trying her best to continue her life after breaking the curse and finding out she’s a siren. What is she supposed to do about that side of herself? Can she move on from the note she found or will it consume her? Milo is trying to find his place in the world after being cursed for 300 years and, understandably, he’s not only struggling, but he’s also finding it hard to leave behind his piratey behaviors, putting strain on his and Katrina’s relationship. I really loved seeing how the two of them interacted because obviously things aren’t perfect and they weren’t portrayed as such. With a lot of books, you can encounter insta-love relationships where the couple is so perfect and never has any problems. But here, these two are dealing with some heavy realizations and issues and they’re struggling with figuring out how to move on from the events of the first book. They both have opportunities to grow as individuals and together, and smooth sailing it is not, friends. But their relationship is definitely reminiscent of Elizabeth and Will from Pirates of the Caribbean so if you liked that couple, you’ll love Katrina and Milo!

As for our other crew mates, I really enjoyed getting more of Kenzie and Noah with this book! Of course I love our main characters, but Kenzie and Noah are also really big parts of the events of the story and I think they add so much to the scenes they’re in. Not only do they help Katrina in her quest, but they also get to develop their own kind of relationship, and I loved seeing it develop as the story progressed. Kenzie’s personality is just so refreshing and I think she balances out Katrina really well when she’s going through some of her rougher moments, and while Noah can be very stubborn and grumpy, he’s definitely a softie with Kenzie and seems to really care for Katrina and Milo in his own way. I appreciated that the side characters were actually given the attention they deserved and the ability to grow along with Katrina and Milo and I really hope that they make an appearance together again. 

The events of the story are incredibly trying on these characters in different ways and they all have things they have to deal with. By the end of the book, you’ll basically be reading about entirely new characters with how much they change on their journey, and I’m so excited to continue following the story of these wonderful characters in the next book! Also, there’s a surprise character comeback that had me yelling louder than Elizabeth Swann screaming FIRAR and that is all I will say.