I rates this sequel a 4.0/5 stars. I definitely liked the first one better. I feel like the following comments I wrote live while reading are a bit harsh but it’s because I had such high expectations after the first one. Check this series out if you like pirates with depth, evil sirens, with a slow burn and rated mates in a secondary character sideplot.
So chapter one of this sequel is a flashback and I feel like it is necessary but is set at the beginning of the first book instead of sequential after the events of the first book.
When Aoife comes back to the page, she seems to have regressed with her internal growth issues. Obviously she just went through drastic trauma and the realism of her feelings is protested really well, but almost too well so the character arc has backtracked. She’s also full of such self pity and guilt that it’s a bit cringe worthy. Her flaws and issues are deep and relatable, but a reader wants to see their protagonist a certain way and she went backwards to not bring likeable for me again. There’s ways to deal with her loss and still like her. But I’m not sure why I’m just annoyed with her.
Aaaah!!! Tommy has point of view chapter! I’m so stoked!
The instant love is rare and interesting. I’m not sure how I feel about it and it’s not what I expected.
Yikes. My limit is usually 3 POV. So far this one has 4.
I like that two options are given and neither are great choices.
The kraken!!!
I don’t truly understand what a fae is. Are they different definitions in different books? Is it kind of like dwarves are one way in Book A examples but slightly different in Book 45 example?
Oh no. Chapter 8 has the 5th POV. I’m not thrilled about this. The pace is already a bit slower than the first book.
I don’t like relationships with a being who is 600 years old. It loses so much power to me that way. Also, Maura’s theme of wanting to live and love and not be under control is the same theme Lani had in book 1.
When we’re hopping to 3 different settings and plots I lose track of who is where and the story feels disjointed.
Oooh I can’t give spoilers but I predicted chapter 14. Does this surprise character know what has happened already? Yikes.
I hope that one guy (no spoilers) and Cait don’t become a thing.
Chapter 19 was a bit too brutal for me but served it’s purpose to show the authenticity of pirates.
There’s a lot more internal thought process and indecision and a lot less action in this sequel. I’m hoping something actually happens soon. Everything has been at a standstill for a while.
The Maura/Tommy plot isn’t working for me. We know nothing about her and he knows nothing about her. I know that has been acknowledged but it just doesn’t make it believable or real or make me care.
I’m glad Lucy came back into the pool fire because she kind of just disappeared in the first book.
I know this is a random thought but my sister made fun of me last night for never watching tv or movies anymore. She loves reading too but said, “A movie is just a book you can watch.” And though that may be true for some, it’s not true for me. Movies are too loud and overstimulating. When I read, I can be surrounded by quiet. And the descriptions on a page give my imagination freedom to create the scene for myself, as if I’m the one choosing the cast, and directing the movements based off how I interpret the writing and how it makes me feel.
I’m at the halfway mark and struggling a little bit. There’s much less romance draw to this sequel since the main characters are separated. I keep putting the book down to do something else because it’s feeling a bit labored.
It kind of feels like the author is trying to accomplish too much with the side plots of Cait at home and this love triangle.
Sometimes her writing style reminds me of Hannah Whitten’s in “For the Wolf.”
Chapter 31 feels like a seesaw of him giving up but then not giving up and being very determined. Because of the slow progression of other character arcs this one feels rushed. I’m looking forward to something going right because so far the entire novel feels like a prolonged “All is Lost” moment.
For instance, the last line of chapter 32 is “And it was then, in that moment, that Aoife let go of all hope.” But we are only 56% of the was through so this isn’t supposed to be the lowest of the lows. It’s all just a bit depressing.
Chapter 36 was supposed to be this big scene we were all waiting for but I got confused quickly as if a few lines were accidentally deleted in editing. There’s also some time gaps that don’t make sense.
I’m not a fan of Adler. Hasn’t it been like 9 days since he lost who he lost?
In chapter 40 we have the same depressing ending: “And Aoife lost all hope of getting Declan back- of saving anyone.”
Feeling frustrated with the repetition: “His heart went cold as all hope washed away.”
The climax scene was exciting but there were too many people in the scene making it confusing so I had to keep rereading. The sentence structure was also labored making the pace slower.
I’m semi satisfied with the ending and 50/50 about reading the third in August 2023. I love these characters and the depth the author creates but liked the first book much more than this sequel.
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Cassie Swindon 