Under The Book Cover: pirates

Book Review: On Twisting Tides by Val E. Lane

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!

___________________________________________________________________________

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."

___________________________________________________________________________

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!

Plot:

We pick up almost right where From Tormented Tides left off with Katrina and Milo dealing with the aftermath of the curse being broken. Do they get to be happy and swim off into the sunset together? Of course they don’t because we love to see characters suffer! This time around, the two of them have to set out on a quest to stop one very angry ex-siren from ending the world. No pressure, right? That’s as vague as I can be without spoiling things, but let’s just say pirate curses are the least of their worries now. I did not expect the story to go where it did, but I found myself enjoying it more than I thought I would, surprisingly. There’s so much packed into the 324 pages of this book and I loved every second. There was action, there was character development, there were moments that I was stressed and some where I cried, and I would absolutely go through the emotional roller coaster all over again. I loved seeing the world expanded and explored more, and I am so excited to see where the story goes in book three after the ending of On Twisting Tides!

Characters:

A descendant of a siren, a 300 year old pirate, the rich girl collage roommate, and a grumpy mechanic hop on a boat. I know, that sounds like the start of a cheesy joke, but that’s our cast of characters! Book one introduces us to them, lets us get a feel for them and see what’s basically the start of their journey. Book two throws them into the deep end and we get to follow them as they try their best to stay afloat.

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.

Writing:

I’m big on writing. Obviously. If it’s difficult to stay focused or really feel like I’m getting invested in the world and the story as a whole, I’m going to struggle. But reading On Twisting Tides (or really Val E. Lane’s writing as a whole because I felt this way about From Tormented Tides as well) feels effortless. I jokingly compared the writing to the call of a siren to a weary sailor lost at sea, but it’s a good comparison. There’s just something about her writing that will draw you in and make you want to read for hours on end. The way she weaves the story together with these highs and lows seems almost like it comes naturally for her. This series is like a wave: the crest of the story is full of action and excitement that makes you want to stay up until the wee hours of the night reading. And the trough of the story is calm and emotional and character driven and makes you cry your eyes out because of how wonderfully written the calmer moments of the story are. I’m in awe of how she balances out those emotional moments with the high stakes scenes so well. I enjoy character driven stories and plot driven stories, and On Twisting Tides is a fantastic showcase of how to blend those two together into one book that you’ll continue thinking about long after you’ve finished the final page. I think it’s safe to say that I’m hooked on Val’s writing and will absolutely read anything she writes.

On Twisting Tides is exactly what you look for when you pick up a sequel. The plot is so exciting and has moments of heart racing action and heart wrenching emotion, the characters feel realistic and go through their own unique journey of growth, and the writing is addictive and will have you reading until the early morning hours. I could not have asked for a better continuation of a story that I love so dearly, and I’m more than happy to say this was one of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given a book.

Share |

Book Review: The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie

advance reader copy 6:46:00 AM

Title: The Edge of the Abyss

Author: Emily Skrutskie

Pages: 320

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: 18 April 2017

From Goodreads: "Three weeks have passed since Cassandra Leung pledged her allegiance to the ruthless pirate-queen Santa Elena and set free Bao, the sea monster Reckoner she’d been forced to train. The days as a pirate trainee are long and grueling, but it’s not the physical pain that Cas dreads most. It’s being forced to work with Swift, the pirate girl who broke her heart. But Cas has even bigger problems when she discovers that Bao is not the only monster swimming free. Other Reckoners illegally sold to pirates have escaped their captors and are taking the NeoPacific by storm, attacking ships at random and ruining the ocean ecosystem. As a Reckoner trainer, Cas might be the only one who can stop them. But how can she take up arms against creatures she used to care for and protect?

Will Cas embrace the murky morals that life as a pirate brings or perish in the dark waters of the NeoPacific?"

Thank you to Flux Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and then some. I honestly could not have asked for anything better and the wait was absolutely worth it. I read The Abyss Surrounds Us back in December 2015, so the wait for a sequel has been long and hard indeed. But I absolutely loved every single page in The Edge of the Abyss and I think it was a wonderful ending to a fantastic duology!

"It's got more monsters, more pirates, more salty pirate language, and way more "equal footing" than the first book." -Emily Skrutskie

Plot:

Three weeks have passed since Cas Leung fled the shore and everything she knew, pledged her allegiance to the pirate queen, Santa Elena, and let loose the Reckoner, Bao, she was forced to train. Being a pirate trainee is difficult, but not as difficult as being forced to work with the pirate girl who broke her heart. But bigger problems arise when Cas realizes that Bao isn't the only Reckoner swimming free. Illegally sold Reckoners have broken free from their captors and are attacking ships in the NeoPacific and destroying the biosystem. As a Reckoner trainer, Cas may be the only one that can stop them and save the waters, but can she harm the creatures she's always loved and protected?

I knew going into this book that it was going to be amazing, but it absolutely blew all of my expectations out of the water. There was so much more to this book and I couldn't believe that there was so much packed into 320 pages. You get amazing character development from Cas, relationship development with Cas and Swift, more world building, more monsters, more pirates, just plain more. I really enjoyed the internal struggle that Cas went through when it came to having to fight the Reckoners (or Hellbeasts as they named them as they were not trained like Reckoners were) because it basically came down to where her loyalties were- with Santa Elena on the ship or back on the shore with her family and what had been basically her whole life. The relationship between Cas and Swift was, once again, not the main focal point, but still a big part of the story. There was a lot of back and forth between them, but it really helped drive the plot forwards, especially when it came to character development for Cas. A new element of this story that was really interesting to read about was the Salt system and just how many other pirate ships there were. It's not something that's really touched on in the first one, but you're introduced to several different pirate captains that are so different in so many ways. I loved that the world was expanded on with this element, and it was great to see that even pirates will work together when it comes to saving their ocean. The rogue monsters that show up were so incredibly scary to read about, because I was so used to the trained Reckoners. Hellbeasts are assumed to be the stolen and sold Reckoners that have escaped from their pirate ships and now occupy the NeoPacific. It was really terrifying to think that there were these literal giant monsters living out in the ocean and basically destroying everything in their path! Going from trained killing machines to rogue killing machines was such a wild ride, but it was so much fun at the same time. With this being the concluding book, you get all of the resolution you could have wanted when it comes to relationships and life choices, and an ending that closes things up with a beautiful bow on top but could also leave an opening for future books. Everything flowed so well and there was never a time where I felt bored or like there wasn't anything happening when it came to the story and as I said above, I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's fast paced and action packed with tons of monsters and a beautiful but still rocky romance that you can't help but ship.

I really hope someone appreciates these subtle (but not really) sea/ocean/ship jokes I'm tossing in.

Characters:
There was so much character development with Cas in this book and I could not get enough of it. I said above that I enjoyed the internal struggle that Cas was experiencing with where her loyalties lied, and I absolutely meant it. Of course it was hard seeing her trying to deal with that, but I loved how it helped shape her character as a whole. She was constantly fighting against all of the training and the way she had been raised in order to please Santa Elena and try to more adequately adapt to her new life at sea. She was constantly up and down and trying to figure out where she needed to be as a person throughout the entire book, but she finally found her place at the end and I could not be more happy with the path she took and the choices she made. Cas has completely evolved from the shore girl she used to be into an amazing person who knows what (and who!) she wants and isn't afraid to go for it. It's silly, but I felt like such a proud momma watching her essentially grow up throughout not only this book, but book one as well. Cas holds such a special place in my heart and I will forever consider her one of my all-time favorite book characters.

The relationship between Cas and Swift also got some serious attention in the book. But just like with the first one, it wasn't the main focal point, and that was something I really appreciated. Not only is the relationship between two females, but it's written in such a beautiful way that never feels like it's being forced down your throat. As you read about what these two characters are going through, you find yourself wanting them to be together and wanting them to work things out because they're just so darn good for one another. Sure, they don't always agree or get alone, and they definitely don't have the most perfect relationship ever, but they're always willing to try to work things out or work towards a solution that works for the both of them. This is such a healthy relationship and I love that it's not perfect, because it just feels right. I mean, let's be real, they're pirates that are on a ship for long periods of time and, not only that, but they're both fighting to eventually take over for the captain. There's going to be stress and conflict, of course, but it's handled so well and so realistically that you just find yourself shipping the two of them so hard from start to finish.

Seriously, anyone laughing at these awesome puns?

I also really enjoyed the side characters, Lemon, Varma, Chuck, and Santa Elena. They were all so perfectly pirate-y and I loved the way that each of them interacted with Cas. Of course, Santa Elena is ruthless and tough to be around, and she does kind of blackmail Cas at one point, but I respected her a lot. We got some backstory on how she became the captain of the Minnow, and I couldn't help but admire her and some of the choices she had to make in order to get where she was at. Lemon, Varma, and Chuck were just really great friends for Cas to kind of lean on, however temporary it may have been. But they all looked out for each other no matter what and that's definitely something that Cas needed with all that she was having to go through in this book.

Writing:
I can honestly say that I've never read a book about giant sea monsters and pirates before. The Abyss Surrounds Us and The Edge of the Abyss are so unique and fantastic and unlike anything you've ever encountered with a young adult book series before. The world itself is so beautiful, with giant sea monsters and floating cities, and then you have these pirates that are strong yet still caring and funny. There's such an eclectic mix of so many different things all wrapped up in this one book that all add up to making it a huge success. I think the fact that it's so different from other YA books out there is what makes it stronger. There's so much gorgeous description of the ships, monsters, the Flotilla, and even the ocean. You really get a sense that you're on the ship looking for Hellbeasts or celebrating the New Year with fireworks and food on the Flotilla and it's such a unique experience to just sit down and get lost in the world that Emily Skrutskie has created. There's nothing else like it out there and definitely a duology that no one should miss.

If you're looking for a duology filled with pirates, sea monsters, an LGBT romance, and an incredible story line, then these are the books for you. The Abyss Surrounds Us starts off the series with a cannonball bang and The Edge of the Abyss will sail straight into your heart and wrap things up nice and neat.

Share |