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From Tormented Tides #1
Mareas tormentosas
REVELA EL PASADO. ROMPE LA MALDICIÓN. APRUEBA LOS EXÁMENES…
Y NO TE ENAMORES DE LOS PIRATAS MALDITOS.
Katrina Delmar no tiene ni idea de que Milo, el encantador chico que conoció en una fiesta universitaria, murió en el mar hace trescientos años. Solo que se siente atraída hacia él desde el primer momento en que lo vio… al igual que con el misterioso Bellamy, cuyo atractivo es difícil de resistir.
Pero enamorarse de piratas no muertos es la menor de sus preocupaciones…
Cuando el despiadado capitán del barco pirata descubre que Katrina puede tener la llave para romper la maldición de su tripulación, se empeña en arrebatársela cueste lo que cueste.
El tiempo se agota y Katrina debe aprender en quién puede confiar para revelar los misterios del pasado antes de que ella y sus seres queridos se vean arrastrados por su propia maldición.
Y NO TE ENAMORES DE LOS PIRATAS MALDITOS.
Katrina Delmar no tiene ni idea de que Milo, el encantador chico que conoció en una fiesta universitaria, murió en el mar hace trescientos años. Solo que se siente atraída hacia él desde el primer momento en que lo vio… al igual que con el misterioso Bellamy, cuyo atractivo es difícil de resistir.
Pero enamorarse de piratas no muertos es la menor de sus preocupaciones…
Cuando el despiadado capitán del barco pirata descubre que Katrina puede tener la llave para romper la maldición de su tripulación, se empeña en arrebatársela cueste lo que cueste.
El tiempo se agota y Katrina debe aprender en quién puede confiar para revelar los misterios del pasado antes de que ella y sus seres queridos se vean arrastrados por su propia maldición.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2022
619 people are currently reading
12350 people want to read
About the author
Val E. Lane
5 books180 followersHi! I’m Val. I love to write. From the first time I picked up a Little House on the Prairie book in my elementary school library, I knew I wanted to be a writer. And now I’m inviting you along for the adventure as I launch my debut novel FROM TORMENTED TIDES, the first book in a series with a modern twist on pirates, mermaids, and of course romance!
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September 20, 2025I’m the author and I just want to thank you in advance for reading! Welcome aboard to the story I put my heart and soul into. It will always be special to me, but of course it wouldn’t mean much without its readers. ❤️I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
November 12, 2024
[1.7⭐] 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙨 es una novela de fantasía juvenil escrita por Val E. Lane en el año 2023. La historia se centra en Katrina Delmar, la protagonista, que descubre que Milo, el chico con el que se siente inexplicablemente conectada, es un pirata que lleva siglos maldito. La trama promete una mezcla de piratas malditos, romance y misterio en una ambientación moderna.
Siempre leo cualquier libro que tenga sirenas ya que, como siempre menciono, es mi ser mitológico predilecto. Además, la sinopsis se me hizo increíble cuando la leí. Eso sí, aunque el concepto parece prometedor, la ejecución deja mucho que desear.
En primer lugar, la escritura se siente demasiado juvenil y plana. Los diálogos, tanto entre los personajes como en los monólogos internos de Katrina son forzados y poco naturales. Sentí que era un relleno desesperado de parte de la autora ya que no influían en nada a la trama. Intenté seguir adelante con la historia con la esperanza de que mejorara, pero incluso después de llegar casi al final del libro, la trama no lograba engancharme ni ofrecer ninguna sorpresa significativa. Lo que parecía un prometedor viaje lleno de aventura se transforma en una serie de escenas repetitivas y MUY predecibles.
Otro punto que no ayudó fue la construcción de los personajes. Katrina se debate entre su atracción por Milo y Bellamy, pero sus relaciones son superficiales y no logran desarrollarse de manera convincente. Por más que la autora intenta crear un triángulo amoroso, este no funciona, ya que desde el inicio se sabe que ella terminará con Milo. El intento de formar un triángulo amoroso se siente forzado, sobre todo considerando que apenas conoce a ambos muchachos.
Milo, en particular, resulta demasiado aburrido y plano para ser el interés romántico principal; parece un personaje genérico de "chico bueno" que en este caso, no aporta profundidad ni complejidad a la trama. En cuanto a Bellamy, tiene una chispa intrigante y un toque de oscuridad que me atrajo más, pero lamentablemente, su desarrollo queda incompleto ya que solo en una ocasión llega a tener una cita con la protagonista.
En total, diría que Milo llega a toparse 3 veces con Katrina y Bellamy 2, así que es imposible que la joven tenga este enredo y amor tan profundo hacia ambos, es muy incongruente.
Además, para ser un libro de “piratas”, sorprende la falta de escenas en el mar. La mayor parte de la historia transcurre en el campus universitario de Katrina, lo cual resulta anticlimático para una trama que supuestamente explora la maldición de piratas y que involucra sirenas. Esperaba más aventuras en alta mar, giros inesperados o incluso enfrentamientos entre personajes. Sin embargo, el libro se enfoca en detalles que no aportan a la atmósfera de misterio o peligro que prometía. Además, como mencioné al inicio, me encantan las sirenas, pero acá nos encontramos con una trama que no muestra en ninguna ocasión alguna de ellas (solo se hacen referencias al respecto a través de la leyenda).
Finalmente, puedo decir que aunque la autora logra mezclar este mundo contemporáneo con piratas de siglos pasados, la historia se llega a sentir estancada y predecible. Al final se siente que la escritora intenta acelerar el ritmo, pero, para ese punto, ya estaba demasiado desinteresada para disfrutarlo. En resumen, 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙨 tenía un concepto interesante, pero su ejecución no logra captar toda la emoción que prometía y ha sido una verdadera decepción.
Siempre leo cualquier libro que tenga sirenas ya que, como siempre menciono, es mi ser mitológico predilecto. Además, la sinopsis se me hizo increíble cuando la leí. Eso sí, aunque el concepto parece prometedor, la ejecución deja mucho que desear.
En primer lugar, la escritura se siente demasiado juvenil y plana. Los diálogos, tanto entre los personajes como en los monólogos internos de Katrina son forzados y poco naturales. Sentí que era un relleno desesperado de parte de la autora ya que no influían en nada a la trama. Intenté seguir adelante con la historia con la esperanza de que mejorara, pero incluso después de llegar casi al final del libro, la trama no lograba engancharme ni ofrecer ninguna sorpresa significativa. Lo que parecía un prometedor viaje lleno de aventura se transforma en una serie de escenas repetitivas y MUY predecibles.
Otro punto que no ayudó fue la construcción de los personajes. Katrina se debate entre su atracción por Milo y Bellamy, pero sus relaciones son superficiales y no logran desarrollarse de manera convincente. Por más que la autora intenta crear un triángulo amoroso, este no funciona, ya que desde el inicio se sabe que ella terminará con Milo. El intento de formar un triángulo amoroso se siente forzado, sobre todo considerando que apenas conoce a ambos muchachos.
Milo, en particular, resulta demasiado aburrido y plano para ser el interés romántico principal; parece un personaje genérico de "chico bueno" que en este caso, no aporta profundidad ni complejidad a la trama. En cuanto a Bellamy, tiene una chispa intrigante y un toque de oscuridad que me atrajo más, pero lamentablemente, su desarrollo queda incompleto ya que solo en una ocasión llega a tener una cita con la protagonista.
En total, diría que Milo llega a toparse 3 veces con Katrina y Bellamy 2, así que es imposible que la joven tenga este enredo y amor tan profundo hacia ambos, es muy incongruente.
Además, para ser un libro de “piratas”, sorprende la falta de escenas en el mar. La mayor parte de la historia transcurre en el campus universitario de Katrina, lo cual resulta anticlimático para una trama que supuestamente explora la maldición de piratas y que involucra sirenas. Esperaba más aventuras en alta mar, giros inesperados o incluso enfrentamientos entre personajes. Sin embargo, el libro se enfoca en detalles que no aportan a la atmósfera de misterio o peligro que prometía. Además, como mencioné al inicio, me encantan las sirenas, pero acá nos encontramos con una trama que no muestra en ninguna ocasión alguna de ellas (solo se hacen referencias al respecto a través de la leyenda).
Finalmente, puedo decir que aunque la autora logra mezclar este mundo contemporáneo con piratas de siglos pasados, la historia se llega a sentir estancada y predecible. Al final se siente que la escritora intenta acelerar el ritmo, pero, para ese punto, ya estaba demasiado desinteresada para disfrutarlo. En resumen, 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙨 tenía un concepto interesante, pero su ejecución no logra captar toda la emoción que prometía y ha sido una verdadera decepción.
August 11, 2022
DNF. It seemed like a good concept. I got hooked from a tiktok. I should’ve known better. I’m not a huge fan of the writing style and the dialogues both between characters and the MC’s inner dialogue are very cringe and not realistic. I tried to push through the book to see if it gets any better and at page 229, it’s not showing any promise.
June 18, 2022
Wow, where do I even begin? In this book we follow the story of Katrina, a 19 year old girl who is tasked with breaking a curse for a crew of 300 year old pirates.
She’s living a normal life, and all of a sudden on halloween night, everything changes. She meets Milo *cue heart eyes* who is only the first piece of this incredibly complex puzzle. Then we mean Bellamy *cue drool* and everything for Katrina gets even more complicated.
Throughout the book, we see Katrina struggle to figure out who she can trust, and be weighed down by the guilt of wanting to help break this curse for the people she cares about, yet hitting constant roadblocks that slow her down.
It’s a fast-paced, action packed journey. And I won’t lie, the ending gave me goosebumps.
My only complaint is I wish it had been longer. The story itself was perfectly paced, but I feel like I could have kept reading about Milo and Katrina for hours and I would never get bored! I’m hoping that we’ll see more from this storyline, but if not I would be content with the way things ended since it wasn’t really a cliffhanger. There’s certainly potential for a sequel though!
I would say if you’re a fan of a good mystery mixed with a bit of mermaids, and some irresistible pirates, definitely give this book a read!
*Thank you so much to Val E. Lane for providing an ARC copy!*
She’s living a normal life, and all of a sudden on halloween night, everything changes. She meets Milo *cue heart eyes* who is only the first piece of this incredibly complex puzzle. Then we mean Bellamy *cue drool* and everything for Katrina gets even more complicated.
Throughout the book, we see Katrina struggle to figure out who she can trust, and be weighed down by the guilt of wanting to help break this curse for the people she cares about, yet hitting constant roadblocks that slow her down.
It’s a fast-paced, action packed journey. And I won’t lie, the ending gave me goosebumps.
My only complaint is I wish it had been longer. The story itself was perfectly paced, but I feel like I could have kept reading about Milo and Katrina for hours and I would never get bored! I’m hoping that we’ll see more from this storyline, but if not I would be content with the way things ended since it wasn’t really a cliffhanger. There’s certainly potential for a sequel though!
I would say if you’re a fan of a good mystery mixed with a bit of mermaids, and some irresistible pirates, definitely give this book a read!
*Thank you so much to Val E. Lane for providing an ARC copy!*
June 19, 2022
I had the immense pleasure of being an ARC reader for From Tormented Tides, that being said, my review is completely honest and my own!
While it took me a little bit to get into this book, once I was in I was totally hooked. I loved the modern twist, the romance, and it had just the perfect amount of dark elements! I loved that the main character's best friend's name was "McKenzie," spelled the exact same way as mine, I never see it and she was such a fun, bubbly character!
I really liked the romance, it was built up to perfectly, and the love triangle was very well done. I LOVED the ending, it sets us up wonderfully for the second book without leaving on a total cliff hanger. I can't wait to see what happens next!!
I didn't give it a full five stars because at times, mostly the beginning, the writing felt a bit juvenile and/or predictable. But the overall story is so intriguing and well done, there are many overlapping elements going on that makes it a really enjoyable reading experience.
While it took me a little bit to get into this book, once I was in I was totally hooked. I loved the modern twist, the romance, and it had just the perfect amount of dark elements! I loved that the main character's best friend's name was "McKenzie," spelled the exact same way as mine, I never see it and she was such a fun, bubbly character!
I really liked the romance, it was built up to perfectly, and the love triangle was very well done. I LOVED the ending, it sets us up wonderfully for the second book without leaving on a total cliff hanger. I can't wait to see what happens next!!
I didn't give it a full five stars because at times, mostly the beginning, the writing felt a bit juvenile and/or predictable. But the overall story is so intriguing and well done, there are many overlapping elements going on that makes it a really enjoyable reading experience.
June 18, 2022
*5 of out 5 for this bookworm*
What can I say about From Tormented Tides, except that I absolutely devoured it!
If you are a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, or The Daughter of the Pirate King series, which I felt has similar vibes to FTT, I highly recommend buying this page turner immediately :D
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of FTT (my first ever ARC) and I am so glad I did. So thank you Val!
The story was familiar but had enough plot twists and turns that I could hardly put it down.
Val's writing style is simple but elegant all while keeping the reader engaged in the story and its characters.
I felt like our main character Katrina was relatable and likeable, and by the end of the book she had gone through enough character development that I felt satisfied.
That brings us to our main male characters Milo and Bellamy. For me initially, Milo felt very basic however the more we got to meet him he started to feel fleshed out and was a great lead to Katrina.
Bellamy was my favourite male character so I would have liked to see a bit more development from him (fingers crossed that book 2 may be able to do this for me?)
I suspected a character would make an appearance near the end of the book and was delighted when it all clicked together on the last page.
I can't wait for book 2 to be released, and you best bet I will be requesting an ARC for that one as well!
Overall, a fantastic pirate story with a modern spin, I will be recommending it to all my bookworm friends🙂✌️
What can I say about From Tormented Tides, except that I absolutely devoured it!
If you are a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, or The Daughter of the Pirate King series, which I felt has similar vibes to FTT, I highly recommend buying this page turner immediately :D
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of FTT (my first ever ARC) and I am so glad I did. So thank you Val!
The story was familiar but had enough plot twists and turns that I could hardly put it down.
Val's writing style is simple but elegant all while keeping the reader engaged in the story and its characters.
I felt like our main character Katrina was relatable and likeable, and by the end of the book she had gone through enough character development that I felt satisfied.
That brings us to our main male characters Milo and Bellamy. For me initially, Milo felt very basic however the more we got to meet him he started to feel fleshed out and was a great lead to Katrina.
Bellamy was my favourite male character so I would have liked to see a bit more development from him (fingers crossed that book 2 may be able to do this for me?)
I suspected a character would make an appearance near the end of the book and was delighted when it all clicked together on the last page.
I can't wait for book 2 to be released, and you best bet I will be requesting an ARC for that one as well!
Overall, a fantastic pirate story with a modern spin, I will be recommending it to all my bookworm friends🙂✌️
November 12, 2022
The POTC references weren’t enough to save this book sadly.
This would probably be a 1 star if it wasn’t for Bellamy’s character.
If I read this in middle school I think I would have genuinely liked this, but the writing was too juvenile for my taste. The story really dragged. The ending was fairly fast paced, but by that point I was very bored.
If the main love interest was Bellamy this would be 1000 times better. Milo was so boring and Bellamy was so interesting. The reason why I want to read or watch about pirates is to see someone evil, or morally grey. Bellamy was!! Milo spent the whole book trying to be good. Borrringggggg. Any time Bellamy was there, I was excited and interested. Anything else with Milo was lame. If Bellamy called me love and lass I would simply have to fall in love with him. I don’t understand how Katrina didn’t.
McKenzie was such an annoying character I’m sorry. And not a very good friend. She seemed to make Katrina do things Katrina was uncomfortable with, just so McKenzie herself could have fun. She annoyed me.
If this book had more to do about actual pirates or pirate adventures, I think I would like this more, but all we really saw was Katrina in her dorm or on campus. When I read a pirate book I want to be on the ship and on the ocean for the most part! Maybe I need to say away from modern day pirate stories, because this was just not it.
This would probably be a 1 star if it wasn’t for Bellamy’s character.
If I read this in middle school I think I would have genuinely liked this, but the writing was too juvenile for my taste. The story really dragged. The ending was fairly fast paced, but by that point I was very bored.
If the main love interest was Bellamy this would be 1000 times better. Milo was so boring and Bellamy was so interesting. The reason why I want to read or watch about pirates is to see someone evil, or morally grey. Bellamy was!! Milo spent the whole book trying to be good. Borrringggggg. Any time Bellamy was there, I was excited and interested. Anything else with Milo was lame. If Bellamy called me love and lass I would simply have to fall in love with him. I don’t understand how Katrina didn’t.
McKenzie was such an annoying character I’m sorry. And not a very good friend. She seemed to make Katrina do things Katrina was uncomfortable with, just so McKenzie herself could have fun. She annoyed me.
If this book had more to do about actual pirates or pirate adventures, I think I would like this more, but all we really saw was Katrina in her dorm or on campus. When I read a pirate book I want to be on the ship and on the ocean for the most part! Maybe I need to say away from modern day pirate stories, because this was just not it.
August 5, 2022
Favorite character: Katrina / Milo
Words that come to my mind: fun / fast / enjoyable
Favorite quote: When the moon rises and calls up the tide, we rise with it. And then when morning comes, we return to our fate, like the first time it took us down in the storm she sent. Our ship, our bodies, our souls.
Katrina just wants to pass her midterms and keep her nightmares at bay, while she has fun at college with her friend McKenzie. When she gets persuaded by her to attend a Halloween party on a small island in the ocean, she meets the mysterious Milo. While she's never given much thought to the area's ghost legends, that night she sees an old pirate ghost ship herself. It doesn't take long for her to find out that Milo is part of the crew and should have died 300 years ago.
A necklace, Katrina got from her father as a birthday present, catches the attention of the crew and the cruel captain, as it could be the one thing to break their curse and things quickly become dangerous for Katrina and she gets hunted by them. Milo and his crew mate Bellamy want the necklace for themselves, but they have different motivations. Katrina is unsure who to trust and whether she wants to give them the necklace at all, since she discovered that it could save her from her terrible nightmares. Everything gets even more complicated when it gets clear that Katrina's family is part of the curse and no woman of her family got older than 46, going crazy by nightmares, and now her mother is running out of time.
A curse, 300 year old ghost pirates and mermaids mixed with a modern day college student with family problems. I really liked how the author balanced these two very different worlds. The times when the differences came up during conversations between Katrina, Milo and Bellamy were so funny. At first, Katrina is unsure which one of them she could trust and she feels drawn to both of them. Usually I don't like that in a story, but it doesn't bother me in this one.
I found the pirate's part of the curse pretty common, they did something terrible, were cursed to live as ghosts and try to find the one thing that saves them. Katrina's part of the curse interested me way more, I just love the digging through family history!
However, I kind of wished for more. More danger, more twists, more darker parts. The plot was pretty obvious to me, and I missed the feeling of surprise and running out of time while reading the book.
After I finished it I found out that From Tormented Tides isn't a standalone but the first part of a series and I don't know if I'll continue it. I mean, I had a fun time reading it, but I didn't get that hooked to read more of it. For me, it was a perfect standalone, and I don't think every story has to be a series.
Words that come to my mind: fun / fast / enjoyable
Favorite quote: When the moon rises and calls up the tide, we rise with it. And then when morning comes, we return to our fate, like the first time it took us down in the storm she sent. Our ship, our bodies, our souls.
Katrina just wants to pass her midterms and keep her nightmares at bay, while she has fun at college with her friend McKenzie. When she gets persuaded by her to attend a Halloween party on a small island in the ocean, she meets the mysterious Milo. While she's never given much thought to the area's ghost legends, that night she sees an old pirate ghost ship herself. It doesn't take long for her to find out that Milo is part of the crew and should have died 300 years ago.
A necklace, Katrina got from her father as a birthday present, catches the attention of the crew and the cruel captain, as it could be the one thing to break their curse and things quickly become dangerous for Katrina and she gets hunted by them. Milo and his crew mate Bellamy want the necklace for themselves, but they have different motivations. Katrina is unsure who to trust and whether she wants to give them the necklace at all, since she discovered that it could save her from her terrible nightmares. Everything gets even more complicated when it gets clear that Katrina's family is part of the curse and no woman of her family got older than 46, going crazy by nightmares, and now her mother is running out of time.
A curse, 300 year old ghost pirates and mermaids mixed with a modern day college student with family problems. I really liked how the author balanced these two very different worlds. The times when the differences came up during conversations between Katrina, Milo and Bellamy were so funny. At first, Katrina is unsure which one of them she could trust and she feels drawn to both of them. Usually I don't like that in a story, but it doesn't bother me in this one.
I found the pirate's part of the curse pretty common, they did something terrible, were cursed to live as ghosts and try to find the one thing that saves them. Katrina's part of the curse interested me way more, I just love the digging through family history!
However, I kind of wished for more. More danger, more twists, more darker parts. The plot was pretty obvious to me, and I missed the feeling of surprise and running out of time while reading the book.
After I finished it I found out that From Tormented Tides isn't a standalone but the first part of a series and I don't know if I'll continue it. I mean, I had a fun time reading it, but I didn't get that hooked to read more of it. For me, it was a perfect standalone, and I don't think every story has to be a series.
June 20, 2022
I was lucky enough to be given an arc of this book to review and let me just say I am blown away.
This book really reeled me in and had me so invested in Katrina’s life and all of her relationships. She was so relatable, I mean balancing college, a social life, family problems, and 300 year old pirates.. that’s the typical life of any college student right? I also really enjoyed the characters of Bellamy and Milo as well, even though I spent half of the book trying to decide who I could trust.
This book is perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean who are craving a modern twist. It was a quick read, really well written, and ends in a revelation that will have you begging for the next book. This author is going to go far and this book is just the start.
This book really reeled me in and had me so invested in Katrina’s life and all of her relationships. She was so relatable, I mean balancing college, a social life, family problems, and 300 year old pirates.. that’s the typical life of any college student right? I also really enjoyed the characters of Bellamy and Milo as well, even though I spent half of the book trying to decide who I could trust.
This book is perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean who are craving a modern twist. It was a quick read, really well written, and ends in a revelation that will have you begging for the next book. This author is going to go far and this book is just the start.
June 18, 2022
I’m so incredibly lucky to have had the privilege of getting an ARC copy of this book.
The writing was divine and the pace held steady through on. The last couple of chapters captivated me and the ending gives me hope that there are more stories to discover. I do hope in the next book it gets darker with a few more twists.
I love romance and the one From Tormented Tides was incredibly sweet.
I am a sucker for the bad boy, so here’s hoping we see more of him in the next book as we didn’t see him too much in book #1.
This is a quick and fun read and the first pirate book I’ve picked up - and boy am I glad it was because I’ve found a new love for this genre.
Definitely something you should bring your attention to if you’re in a reading slump.
Thank you again Val E. Lane - I can’t wait to continue watching your journey as an author.
The writing was divine and the pace held steady through on. The last couple of chapters captivated me and the ending gives me hope that there are more stories to discover. I do hope in the next book it gets darker with a few more twists.
I love romance and the one From Tormented Tides was incredibly sweet.
I am a sucker for the bad boy, so here’s hoping we see more of him in the next book as we didn’t see him too much in book #1.
This is a quick and fun read and the first pirate book I’ve picked up - and boy am I glad it was because I’ve found a new love for this genre.
Definitely something you should bring your attention to if you’re in a reading slump.
Thank you again Val E. Lane - I can’t wait to continue watching your journey as an author.
June 20, 2022
First I would like to say thank you to Val for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team! I absolutely loved this book, it did take me a few chapters to get into it but once I did I couldn’t put it down. I loved the main characters and the storyline. It was different than what I normally read but I still found myself really enjoying it. I would say that my only “cons” would be to just watch stuff like run on sentences and being too overly descriptive in parts. All in all though, I would highly recommend this book!
June 17, 2022
I was lucky enough to be selected to receive this book as an ARC, which was so exciting! This book was a fun and easy read (I finished it in two days!), even though it could be a little predictable at times. If you’re interested in pirates and magic, definitely give this a try!
October 28, 2025
I really like this. I still need to think about the rating. Definitely something between 3/4 stars.
*update*
3.75⭐️
*update*
3.75⭐️
June 19, 2022
ARC Review!
Ever since I saw Val’s little teaser video on TikTok I KNEW I had to get my hands on this book! I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader….and holy cannoli was this a great read!
My FYP on TikTok told me my love interest would be Bellamy, and he ticked all of the boxes…however, I found myself drawn to Milo immediately from the very first interaction he had with our heroine Katrina.
I am giving this book a 4.5! While the story was a tad hard to get into in the beginning, the story drew me in with the mystery of the necklace and the curse. The story kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the read. The tidbits we got about the relationship between Katrina and her mom, her passion for painting, and Katrina navigating love and the social life of college were well done. They were placed in great spots, helped us remember that Katrina is a college student with a lot going on personally, let alone trying to break this 300 year old curse she never asked for.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that I only had some of it figured out by the time of the reveals, I can usually figure things out quickly or have a general idea of where the author is leading me…however, that ending?!?!?! Val, you 1000% got me with that one. Did. Not. See. That. Coming. What a way to end the book!
This will definitely not be the only book I read by Val!
Ever since I saw Val’s little teaser video on TikTok I KNEW I had to get my hands on this book! I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader….and holy cannoli was this a great read!
My FYP on TikTok told me my love interest would be Bellamy, and he ticked all of the boxes…however, I found myself drawn to Milo immediately from the very first interaction he had with our heroine Katrina.
I am giving this book a 4.5! While the story was a tad hard to get into in the beginning, the story drew me in with the mystery of the necklace and the curse. The story kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the read. The tidbits we got about the relationship between Katrina and her mom, her passion for painting, and Katrina navigating love and the social life of college were well done. They were placed in great spots, helped us remember that Katrina is a college student with a lot going on personally, let alone trying to break this 300 year old curse she never asked for.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that I only had some of it figured out by the time of the reveals, I can usually figure things out quickly or have a general idea of where the author is leading me…however, that ending?!?!?! Val, you 1000% got me with that one. Did. Not. See. That. Coming. What a way to end the book!
This will definitely not be the only book I read by Val!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2022
"But what good is the promise of a pirate?" - "A pirate's word is everything when it involves his treasure."
I threatened to sell my soul to Davy Jones for an ARC when I heard about this book. Thankfully, I had the wonderful opportunity to receive a copy without making that bargain. Onto the review......AHHA! Literally. Okay now that I've got the screaming out of the way, this book has it ALL.
Seriously. Pirates, A Cheesy At Times Love Triangle (But not the ones you'd hate I promise), Magic, a Big Bad Captain Villian, Sirens/Mermaids, and Swoon-Worthy Romance (Hello, Reader Overboard!)
It was a quick read, but I'm not at all mad about that, the pacing is just perfect for a standalone, though from the Book #1 in the title I see we're pitching for more in this world (which THANK GOD because I need more), it does not have a cliffhanger which is absolutely awesome, but some mysteries are left unsolved, and I'm really excited to see where this quest goes in the potential sequel!
Ngl from the prologue I was like oml she has a blade to her heart, this is it, I've barely started the book and we're pulling out all the stops, but it GOT BETTER! I love Lane's style of description because, while the Wattpad classic of the whole character painting a picture of themselves for readers is still there, I could literally see this play out as a movie in my head while reading (BRB gonna go argue with myself about fan castings for both Milo & Bellamy) and I loved it!
PROS
Swinging around the ship on ropes being held against the chest of a hotter-than-hades love interest mid-battle scene (Seriously I can't be the only one who drools over this)
Fast-paced
Realistic romance
PIRATES, MERMAIDS, and CURSES OH MY
CONS
Can be predictable at times
TOO SHORT (and by this I mean it's absolutely a full novel, I just wanted more!)
June 20, 2022
I was given a free ARC copy of this book by the author (Thank you so much!) but ALL opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
This story was adorable! I absolutely love pirates and specifically Pirates of the Caribbean, so I knew this book would be fun!
Once the action started, it never stopped! And I love books just like that!
The writing was great and immersive and I loved watching the story unfold!
I do, however, wish was the love interest and not , because . Though this had no impact on my rating of course!
If you love the vibes of YA fantasy and Pirates, this book is for you!
This story was adorable! I absolutely love pirates and specifically Pirates of the Caribbean, so I knew this book would be fun!
Once the action started, it never stopped! And I love books just like that!
The writing was great and immersive and I loved watching the story unfold!
I do, however, wish was the love interest and not , because . Though this had no impact on my rating of course!
If you love the vibes of YA fantasy and Pirates, this book is for you!
June 20, 2022
OH.MY.GOD! I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book and I could not have been more happy to read this book. I literally just finished it and I am speechless, THAT ENDING? Just wow! I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s got mermaids, pirates, 300 year old curses, romance, and so much mystery that it’s hard to guess what’s going to happen next. I truly hope that this book will be getting a sequel because I will be first in line to read it. You could tell that the plot of this book was well thought out and you could feel the love that the author had for these characters and this story. It was honestly one of my favorite reads of 2022 so far. Here’s hoping for a book two! 🤞🏻
June 21, 2022
I’m thrilled to have received an Arc copy of FTT! First of all, you should know I couldn’t put it down! Pirates are my FAVORITE thing to read!! I loved Bellamy and Milo and the modern twist on Pirates of the Caribbean was so fun! I don’t normally read contemporary, so this book was very different for me, but I still enjoyed it!
June 18, 2022
I have LOVED every second of this book. I could not put it down! I love the pirates, the curse, the captain jack feels. I loved it all. I cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy when released.
June 17, 2022
The book was very good. Had a lot of the elements I expected it to have. Sword fighting, romance, mystery, magic, and pirates. I was honored to be given an ARC of this story and loved the whole aspect. You may think it’ll be like the Pirates of the Caribbean but it offers so much more. I highly suggest reading this book when given the chance!
October 27, 2022
I really wanted to like it. It was cute but still missing something. Slightly disappointed since TikTok really hyped this up. I’ll still read the next one if there is a next one!
April 7, 2025
FANTASTIC book
Pirates of the Caribbean x Vampire diaries
Tropes
Love triangle
Family mystery
Curses
Loved loved loved her prose!
Pirates of the Caribbean x Vampire diaries
Tropes
Love triangle
Family mystery
Curses
Loved loved loved her prose!
July 21, 2022
I had the pleasure of recieving an ARC of From tormented tides. My review however is a 100% my own opinion!
even though it took me a bit to get into it, after a couple chapters however, i just couldnt put it down and i enjoyed every bit!
The writing style took me a minute to get used to, the romance and plot however really made up for it.
for me personally, im wishing for more! despite the ending not being a cliffhanger, i truly wish to learn and read more of the characters and their story!
i'd rate this book a 4 stars overall, and i'd definitely recommend it to those wanting a fun mystery read! especially those interested in mermaids and pirates *winks*
even though it took me a bit to get into it, after a couple chapters however, i just couldnt put it down and i enjoyed every bit!
The writing style took me a minute to get used to, the romance and plot however really made up for it.
for me personally, im wishing for more! despite the ending not being a cliffhanger, i truly wish to learn and read more of the characters and their story!
i'd rate this book a 4 stars overall, and i'd definitely recommend it to those wanting a fun mystery read! especially those interested in mermaids and pirates *winks*
June 26, 2022
Val E. Lane was kind enough to send me an advance reader copy of From Tormented Tides for my honest review.
I first found this on Tik Tok when it was still under another title and I knew right then I wanted to read it. I’ve always loved pirates and absolutely love Pirates of the Caribbean. I truly enjoyed this book. While I struggled to get into it in the beginning (the pace seemed off for me but that could be me since I haven’t picked up an urban fantasy in a minute) and I found that the bits in the beginning didn’t feel as important to the story. But once I got over that slow bit, it picked up. I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Katrina as a character felt well rounded. She was trying to do what was right but not just for herself. Her relationship with her mother was something I could really resonate with.
The world building was great. I easily could see the ocean and town. Though it’s modern, I wish there had been more scenes on the ship. More being on the sea then seeing it from afar. But who knows what’s to come?
I’ve got to say I feel cheated though lol. Going into this I knew there was supposed to be love interest(s) but I really only ever saw videos for Bellamy and I’m SO SAD he really wasn’t the centered love interest. He really wasn’t as involved as I anticipated. Ironically, I was always team Will in POTC but I’m team Bellamy here and I’m a smidge depressed Milo captured Katrina’s heart. While I liked Milo, I was more drawn to Bellamy with as little scenes as he was in.
I figured Katrina was a descendant, but I’m not at all mad about guessing correctly. It adds an interesting detail to the furthering of the story. Especially if Cordelia is alive.
I’m fully invested in seeing where the series goes and how Bellamy is still alive because I KNOW he’ll be back but the question is how. And he better be fighting for some time with Katrina lol.
As a whole this book was really good. While it was slow in the beginning, the mystery kept me hanging on until the pace picked up. There were occasional inconsistencies and errors (maybe that’s only in this version and not the physical copies?) it didn’t really take away from the story or confuse me too much. My only “complaint” is the word “Smirk”. It was used so much and didn’t always feel necessary to some of the dialogue for the characters. This isn’t the first book to overuse/possibly misuse the action. Again could be a me thing though lol. It doesn’t take away from the story though!
I’m so happy and appreciative to have been given the chance to read the arc of this! I’m invested to continue the story and follow the characters on into the next book, I literally can’t wait ☺️
I first found this on Tik Tok when it was still under another title and I knew right then I wanted to read it. I’ve always loved pirates and absolutely love Pirates of the Caribbean. I truly enjoyed this book. While I struggled to get into it in the beginning (the pace seemed off for me but that could be me since I haven’t picked up an urban fantasy in a minute) and I found that the bits in the beginning didn’t feel as important to the story. But once I got over that slow bit, it picked up. I couldn’t put it down, I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Katrina as a character felt well rounded. She was trying to do what was right but not just for herself. Her relationship with her mother was something I could really resonate with.
The world building was great. I easily could see the ocean and town. Though it’s modern, I wish there had been more scenes on the ship. More being on the sea then seeing it from afar. But who knows what’s to come?
I’ve got to say I feel cheated though lol. Going into this I knew there was supposed to be love interest(s) but I really only ever saw videos for Bellamy and I’m SO SAD he really wasn’t the centered love interest. He really wasn’t as involved as I anticipated. Ironically, I was always team Will in POTC but I’m team Bellamy here and I’m a smidge depressed Milo captured Katrina’s heart. While I liked Milo, I was more drawn to Bellamy with as little scenes as he was in.
I figured Katrina was a descendant, but I’m not at all mad about guessing correctly. It adds an interesting detail to the furthering of the story. Especially if Cordelia is alive.
I’m fully invested in seeing where the series goes and how Bellamy is still alive because I KNOW he’ll be back but the question is how. And he better be fighting for some time with Katrina lol.
As a whole this book was really good. While it was slow in the beginning, the mystery kept me hanging on until the pace picked up. There were occasional inconsistencies and errors (maybe that’s only in this version and not the physical copies?) it didn’t really take away from the story or confuse me too much. My only “complaint” is the word “Smirk”. It was used so much and didn’t always feel necessary to some of the dialogue for the characters. This isn’t the first book to overuse/possibly misuse the action. Again could be a me thing though lol. It doesn’t take away from the story though!
I’m so happy and appreciative to have been given the chance to read the arc of this! I’m invested to continue the story and follow the characters on into the next book, I literally can’t wait ☺️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2022
I’m a fantasy fan but have never given pirates a try, so I was very excited to be selected as an ARC recipient.
First, this book provided enough adventure to satisfy the fantasy lovers with barely even leaving one town. That was impressive to me.
I adored Milo and Bellamy, I want a friend like McKenzie, and in some ways I felt I could relate to Katrina.
The story was beautiful, I absolutely love plots where the MC searches for answers, connects clues, digs through family history, etc. to break a generational curse. (The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler is another water-based (lol) generational curse story that I’d recommend to anyone who wants more like FTT, though more witchy and no pirates)
I recently finished a book that ended in the most frustrating way in regards to the love interest, so I was SO satisfied with the ending of this book. The kind of endings I love, with enough of a cliffhanger to make you excited and impatient for the next book but without feeling like you’re being tortured.
I’m eagerly awaiting book 2, that ending!! (I hope we get to learn about Bellamy’s fate)
I’ll definitely be buying the physical copy to have it in my library.
First, this book provided enough adventure to satisfy the fantasy lovers with barely even leaving one town. That was impressive to me.
I adored Milo and Bellamy, I want a friend like McKenzie, and in some ways I felt I could relate to Katrina.
The story was beautiful, I absolutely love plots where the MC searches for answers, connects clues, digs through family history, etc. to break a generational curse. (The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler is another water-based (lol) generational curse story that I’d recommend to anyone who wants more like FTT, though more witchy and no pirates)
I recently finished a book that ended in the most frustrating way in regards to the love interest, so I was SO satisfied with the ending of this book. The kind of endings I love, with enough of a cliffhanger to make you excited and impatient for the next book but without feeling like you’re being tortured.
I’m eagerly awaiting book 2, that ending!! (I hope we get to learn about Bellamy’s fate)
I’ll definitely be buying the physical copy to have it in my library.
October 19, 2023
He descubierto una nueva obsesión y son los libros sobre piratas, sirenas y maldiciones y todo gracias a “Mareas tormentosas” de Val E. Lane.
El ejemplar llegó a mi gracias a Siren Books, y no puedo estar más agradecida porque lo he devorado y disfrutado en cada página.
Nos cuenta la historia de Katrina una universitaria que estudia Arte en Florida, que conocerá a Milo, un pirata que murió en el mar hace 300 años, a quién intentará ayudar para acabar con la maldición. Sin embargo, en su viaje, se dará cuenta que la maldición de Milo no es la única…
En toda esta situación Katrina deberá decidir si merece de verdad la pena confiar en un pirata.
El libro ha sido muy especial para mí, porque me ha hecho recordar lo que adoraba las películas de piratas del Caribe, y es que si sois fans deberíais comprarlo ya.
Pero es que además lo tiene todo: misterio, sirenas, romance, un triángulo amoroso que te descoloca, una protagonista que no le teme a nada y sigue su intuición, traición, un villano, y un final de infarto (necesito la segunda parte ya).
Al principio iba leyendo como si estuviera en la cuerda floja porque no sabía muy bien que esperar, la premisa era buenísima y tenía miedo de que no cumpliera mis expectativas, pero lo ha hecho al 100%:
La mezcla de personajes de épocas tan distintas, con tres siglos de diferencia, me ha parecido una idea brillante e inesperada, y la forma en la que la autora lo escribe hace que te atrape y quieras seguir leyendo.
El misterio es uno de los pilares fundamentales de este libro, y es que al principio pensaba que se me iba a hacer pesado, pero es que al final es el hilo conductor de todas las historias del libro, y al final, como un rompecabezas, va solucionándose poco a poco.
El prólogo es brutal porque sabes que la traición va a ser el segundo pilar fundamental, y se deja ver constantemente, entre los diferentes personajes… ¿quién dice la verdad?
Y el tercer pilar, el amor. Es verdad que en la primera parte tiene una importancia relativa, tu sabes que se cuece algo, pero no del todo… pero luego OMG. Podría decir que es una “insta love”, pero no lo definiría del todo bien por lo que os decía, y tampoco es un “slow burn”, porque una vez explota se queman, así que lo voy a dejar en mezcla.
En definitiva, creo que es un libro ideal si tienes interés en este tipo de “fantasía”, además es un libro de momento, para todos los públicos ya que no contiene escenas spicy (no se los siguientes).
¡Os animo mucho a leerlo!
El ejemplar llegó a mi gracias a Siren Books, y no puedo estar más agradecida porque lo he devorado y disfrutado en cada página.
Nos cuenta la historia de Katrina una universitaria que estudia Arte en Florida, que conocerá a Milo, un pirata que murió en el mar hace 300 años, a quién intentará ayudar para acabar con la maldición. Sin embargo, en su viaje, se dará cuenta que la maldición de Milo no es la única…
En toda esta situación Katrina deberá decidir si merece de verdad la pena confiar en un pirata.
El libro ha sido muy especial para mí, porque me ha hecho recordar lo que adoraba las películas de piratas del Caribe, y es que si sois fans deberíais comprarlo ya.
Pero es que además lo tiene todo: misterio, sirenas, romance, un triángulo amoroso que te descoloca, una protagonista que no le teme a nada y sigue su intuición, traición, un villano, y un final de infarto (necesito la segunda parte ya).
Al principio iba leyendo como si estuviera en la cuerda floja porque no sabía muy bien que esperar, la premisa era buenísima y tenía miedo de que no cumpliera mis expectativas, pero lo ha hecho al 100%:
La mezcla de personajes de épocas tan distintas, con tres siglos de diferencia, me ha parecido una idea brillante e inesperada, y la forma en la que la autora lo escribe hace que te atrape y quieras seguir leyendo.
El misterio es uno de los pilares fundamentales de este libro, y es que al principio pensaba que se me iba a hacer pesado, pero es que al final es el hilo conductor de todas las historias del libro, y al final, como un rompecabezas, va solucionándose poco a poco.
El prólogo es brutal porque sabes que la traición va a ser el segundo pilar fundamental, y se deja ver constantemente, entre los diferentes personajes… ¿quién dice la verdad?
Y el tercer pilar, el amor. Es verdad que en la primera parte tiene una importancia relativa, tu sabes que se cuece algo, pero no del todo… pero luego OMG. Podría decir que es una “insta love”, pero no lo definiría del todo bien por lo que os decía, y tampoco es un “slow burn”, porque una vez explota se queman, así que lo voy a dejar en mezcla.
En definitiva, creo que es un libro ideal si tienes interés en este tipo de “fantasía”, además es un libro de momento, para todos los públicos ya que no contiene escenas spicy (no se los siguientes).
¡Os animo mucho a leerlo!
June 21, 2022
✨ ARC Review ✨
From Tormented Tides by Val E. Lane
Rating: 4.25/5
I originally saw this book on TikTok and all I could think was I need to read this book! I was so excited to be selected to receive this book as an ARC.
It did take a little while for me to get into the book, but it did grab my attention and kept it throughout the entire book. I love books with pirates, but I was a little concerned with it being set in modern time. There was no need for concern because the author did an amazing job combing the two times.
I loved the romance in this book, there is no spice, but the story between the two is just amazing. They just want to put the other first even if it hurts themselves. I usually go for the dark and broody male character (Bellamy) but Milo definitely took my heart!
I loved the ending to this book! I had a huge smile on my face at the end. I can’t wait to see what Val comes up with next in the series.
From Tormented Tides by Val E. Lane
Rating: 4.25/5
I originally saw this book on TikTok and all I could think was I need to read this book! I was so excited to be selected to receive this book as an ARC.
It did take a little while for me to get into the book, but it did grab my attention and kept it throughout the entire book. I love books with pirates, but I was a little concerned with it being set in modern time. There was no need for concern because the author did an amazing job combing the two times.
I loved the romance in this book, there is no spice, but the story between the two is just amazing. They just want to put the other first even if it hurts themselves. I usually go for the dark and broody male character (Bellamy) but Milo definitely took my heart!
I loved the ending to this book! I had a huge smile on my face at the end. I can’t wait to see what Val comes up with next in the series.
April 11, 2023
First of all, I applaud the author for putting their work out there.
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. If it wasn’t for the fact that I hate not finishing a book this book would have been a DNF. It took me weeks if not longer to read it because I found it so hard to get into and about halfway through I just ended up skim-reading just to get the book over with.
Social media did have a hand in helping me find this book and although the concept of the book drew me in and I was quite excited to read it, I, unfortunately, found that the book was completely different from what social media had made it out to be.
I personally did not enjoy the author’s writing style, along with finding the characters were somewhat poorly written and lacking in a few aspects. Overall, I found the book quite boring.
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. If it wasn’t for the fact that I hate not finishing a book this book would have been a DNF. It took me weeks if not longer to read it because I found it so hard to get into and about halfway through I just ended up skim-reading just to get the book over with.
Social media did have a hand in helping me find this book and although the concept of the book drew me in and I was quite excited to read it, I, unfortunately, found that the book was completely different from what social media had made it out to be.
I personally did not enjoy the author’s writing style, along with finding the characters were somewhat poorly written and lacking in a few aspects. Overall, I found the book quite boring.
November 10, 2022
This was an interesting idea overall but I couldn't finish it.
The writing felt a bit elementary, I don't know how else to explain it but it sounded more like a story you're in middle school telling your best friend at lunch than a novel. Also, some of the descriptions were a bit excessive, there were several parts where I skimmed instead of read because of this.
The writing felt a bit elementary, I don't know how else to explain it but it sounded more like a story you're in middle school telling your best friend at lunch than a novel. Also, some of the descriptions were a bit excessive, there were several parts where I skimmed instead of read because of this.
October 16, 2022
Another review that is more notes to self than review:
- the POTC vibes. That franchise is beyond ruined for me now so it all just. Missed me.
- very tired of the very-young mortal girl or woman romantically paired with a very old male setup.
- lovely cover though.
- the POTC vibes. That franchise is beyond ruined for me now so it all just. Missed me.
- very tired of the very-young mortal girl or woman romantically paired with a very old male setup.
- lovely cover though.
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