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Twin Crowns #4
Captain of Fates
Bestselling author Katherine Webber pens a highly-anticipated and swoonful new spin-off to the Sunday Times bestselling YA romantic fantasy series, Twin Crowns.
Bursting with epic adventure, romance and humour on the high seas. Someone is making waves …
Captain Marino Pegasi.
Wedded to the sea.
Immune to love.
Until now …
Captain Marino Pegasi is never happier than when he’s exploring the oceans. But when his beloved sister, Celeste, falls gravely ill, he is forced to go on a desperate search for a cure. Little does he know that in his search he will find so much more lying beyond the horizon. Does Marino’s fate truly lie in the hands of a bewitching, mysterious mermaid …?
Katherine Webber's book 'Burning Crowns' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-04-22.
Bursting with epic adventure, romance and humour on the high seas. Someone is making waves …
Captain Marino Pegasi.
Wedded to the sea.
Immune to love.
Until now …
Captain Marino Pegasi is never happier than when he’s exploring the oceans. But when his beloved sister, Celeste, falls gravely ill, he is forced to go on a desperate search for a cure. Little does he know that in his search he will find so much more lying beyond the horizon. Does Marino’s fate truly lie in the hands of a bewitching, mysterious mermaid …?
Katherine Webber's book 'Burning Crowns' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-04-22.
Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2025
58 people are currently reading
6023 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Webber
11 books692 followersKatherine Webber was born in Southern California in 1987. She has lived in Hong Kong, Hawaii, and Atlanta. She currently lives in London with her husband, Kevin, and their young daughter. In addition to her YA, Katherine also co-writes young fiction, as Katie Tsang, with Kevin.
Katherine studied Comparative Literature at the University of California, Davis and Chinese literature and language at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has worked at an international translation company, a technology startup, and a reading charity. She now writes full time.
She loves an adventure, whether it is found in a book or in real life and has travelled to over 45 countries. Travel, books, and eating out are her favourite indulgences.
Katherine studied Comparative Literature at the University of California, Davis and Chinese literature and language at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has worked at an international translation company, a technology startup, and a reading charity. She now writes full time.
She loves an adventure, whether it is found in a book or in real life and has travelled to over 45 countries. Travel, books, and eating out are her favourite indulgences.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
lost-interest
July 15, 2024Excuse me? You mean this series isn't a trilogy? I'm genuinely so shocked!!!
I'm looking forward to the cover reveal. I have no doubt it's going to be as beautiful as the previous ones!
I'm looking forward to the cover reveal. I have no doubt it's going to be as beautiful as the previous ones!
July 4, 2025
This book desperately needs to be rewritten. I was so excited for this - having loved Twin Crowns & Marino.
The execution was so ridiculous I couldn’t take anything seriously. We could write a book with the amount of times I’ve said : « wait, wtf? ».
Unbelievably, this is a novella set in the world of Twin Crowns trilogy. This book opens up on Captain Marino being forced to attend multiple balls by Celeste (his sister) and Queen Rose. They’re hoping to find his happily ever after.
The man is just not having it and he’s miserable. He’s voicing his unhappiness about the balls and how he just wants to be at sea but the 2 women just won’t listen to him and then ensues a tantrum by Celeste. (Also Anika was UNBEARABLE). And I’m sorry but Marino was EXTREMELY patient. I would’ve left 🙂 they didn’t respect his boundaries at all.
« My future and my fate is mine and mine alone. I will decide it. There is nothing you can see in that sky that will change it. »
Celeste uses her seer magic to find his happily ever after and despite Marino telling her he won’t base his life off her visions - she keeps doing it and won’t listen to a word he says because she’s entitled and controlling. So she falls off the roof and goes into a coma which is apparently « seer sickness ».
Which is where all common sense and logic fly hand in hand right out the window 🙂
The « seer sickness » is a malady that was only cured once a very long time ago. No one knows what can cure it but they know it’s contagious. Queen Rose says they’ll alert the witches not to use seer magic while Celeste is recovering, and then someone brings up the fact that some seers have dream visions and then the queen is like : oh damn yeah that’s right. And we switch off to the next subject? Lmao? Then Marino is like : how can I find something when I don’t even know what it is?
And then the magic system just threw itself out the window too because suddenly, it was all about believing in yourself and « let your magic guide you ».
And the worst part is that I remember the magic system actually making sense in the Twin Crowns trilogy? Or am I remembering wrong? I didn’t remember it being so vague and weird. It felt like a sect. I don’t know how to voice it out but the fact that they had answers for some things and *inconveniently* had no answers for the important stuff rubbed me the wrong way. Convenient and full of plotholes.
Then the healer tells him the last time this happened it took a very long time for the witches to find what they were looking for. So he says : how long do I have till my sister does? And the healer says : ONE MONTH.
I’m sorry but that is not a long time. You’re sending the man on a fool’s errand. And how is this written in the same page???
And then all sense of urgency flew right out the window. He even had time to fall in love with 2 girls! Don’t we love a productive man?
The ending was so rushed. I was really underwhelmed with everything.
To be honest, I wonder if the author believed in her book. Because it’s downright unbelievable, un logical and didn’t follow the trilogy it came from. The characters didn’t even follow their own character arc from the previous trilogy - they were all acting so weird. I really loved Marino, Celeste & Anika in the trilogy but I actually DESPISED them in this book.
« It doesn’t matter what I believe, now, does it? What matters it the story you tell yourself. Whatever you need to survive. »
The execution was so ridiculous I couldn’t take anything seriously. We could write a book with the amount of times I’ve said : « wait, wtf? ».
Unbelievably, this is a novella set in the world of Twin Crowns trilogy. This book opens up on Captain Marino being forced to attend multiple balls by Celeste (his sister) and Queen Rose. They’re hoping to find his happily ever after.
The man is just not having it and he’s miserable. He’s voicing his unhappiness about the balls and how he just wants to be at sea but the 2 women just won’t listen to him and then ensues a tantrum by Celeste. (Also Anika was UNBEARABLE). And I’m sorry but Marino was EXTREMELY patient. I would’ve left 🙂 they didn’t respect his boundaries at all.
« My future and my fate is mine and mine alone. I will decide it. There is nothing you can see in that sky that will change it. »
Celeste uses her seer magic to find his happily ever after and despite Marino telling her he won’t base his life off her visions - she keeps doing it and won’t listen to a word he says because she’s entitled and controlling. So she falls off the roof and goes into a coma which is apparently « seer sickness ».
Which is where all common sense and logic fly hand in hand right out the window 🙂
The « seer sickness » is a malady that was only cured once a very long time ago. No one knows what can cure it but they know it’s contagious. Queen Rose says they’ll alert the witches not to use seer magic while Celeste is recovering, and then someone brings up the fact that some seers have dream visions and then the queen is like : oh damn yeah that’s right. And we switch off to the next subject? Lmao? Then Marino is like : how can I find something when I don’t even know what it is?
And then the magic system just threw itself out the window too because suddenly, it was all about believing in yourself and « let your magic guide you ».
And the worst part is that I remember the magic system actually making sense in the Twin Crowns trilogy? Or am I remembering wrong? I didn’t remember it being so vague and weird. It felt like a sect. I don’t know how to voice it out but the fact that they had answers for some things and *inconveniently* had no answers for the important stuff rubbed me the wrong way. Convenient and full of plotholes.
Then the healer tells him the last time this happened it took a very long time for the witches to find what they were looking for. So he says : how long do I have till my sister does? And the healer says : ONE MONTH.
I’m sorry but that is not a long time. You’re sending the man on a fool’s errand. And how is this written in the same page???
And then all sense of urgency flew right out the window. He even had time to fall in love with 2 girls! Don’t we love a productive man?
The ending was so rushed. I was really underwhelmed with everything.
To be honest, I wonder if the author believed in her book. Because it’s downright unbelievable, un logical and didn’t follow the trilogy it came from. The characters didn’t even follow their own character arc from the previous trilogy - they were all acting so weird. I really loved Marino, Celeste & Anika in the trilogy but I actually DESPISED them in this book.
« It doesn’t matter what I believe, now, does it? What matters it the story you tell yourself. Whatever you need to survive. »
3-tbr-yes
October 12, 2024Excuse me?! What is this??
May 4, 2025
“he would recognise that voice anywhere. the voice was a lifeline, and with the last crumbling bits of his sanity, unknowing who he was, he reached for it.”
3.75✨wat is het toch met deze serie en love triangles?? i hate it. deze serie is gewoon lekker ya met veel actie en romance maar ook echt wel voorspelbaar. vond deze weer heerlijk
3.75✨wat is het toch met deze serie en love triangles?? i hate it. deze serie is gewoon lekker ya met veel actie en romance maar ook echt wel voorspelbaar. vond deze weer heerlijk
July 22, 2025
This book is so YA in a lot of elements but I just laugh at the fact that the authors for these series make those kisses and touches so NOT YA🤣
Of course I’m not complaining they are adult characters after all m, I just find it funny. I’m going to miss alot of these characters😭 ugh Mariano really captured my heart.
Of course I’m not complaining they are adult characters after all m, I just find it funny. I’m going to miss alot of these characters😭 ugh Mariano really captured my heart.
December 9, 2024
ARC Review: Captain of Fates 🧜🏻♀️✨️
A huge thank you to Katherine Webber and Electric Monkey for the honor of receiving this absolutely gorgeous proof and being one of the first to dive into this masterpiece!! 🙌🏼✨
As a massive fan of the 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 trilogy, this book was everything I could have hoped for AND MORE.
But even as a completely new reader to the world, you can jump right into 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 and be swept away by the adventures of Captain Marino Pegasi.
Marino’s story is one of heart-pounding adventure, as he sails farther than he’s ever gone before, racing against time to save his sister while grappling with guilt, desire, and the weight of fate itself.
Will he find love during his perilous voyage, or will the complications of the journey and his own heart keep him adrift?
In this breathtaking spin-off, Marino ventures into uncharted waters—discovering a new kingdom filled with unexpected magic, tantalizing mysteries, and more beautiful women capturing his heart than he ever could have imagined. The stakes are impossibly high: save his sister, or risk losing everything. But as the waves of destiny rise higher, Marino faces a critical question—can he chart his own course, or has the sea already set his fate in stone?
You don’t need to have read the 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 books beforehand to enjoy this, though I highly recommend them.
That said, 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 is its own dazzling treasure, filled with enchanting world-building, a gripping plot, a swoony romance, and a mystery that kept me up all night reading.
☠ If 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 was a crown jewel, then 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 is the rare treasure chest you’d cross oceans to find.☠
As a protagonist, Marino is more than just the hot, dashing captain you’d expect.
He’s a layered, flawed, and deeply ambitious man wrestling with his guilt, his dreams, and his undeniable desires.
His adventure is made even more captivating with two unforgettable women at his side:
Kira, the dangerously beautiful mermaid with an irresistible pull on his heart, and Lana, the kind and spirited baker whose shared dreams align with his in ways no one else ever has. Caught between the two, Marino must decide if he can truly steer his own fate, or if the sea’s waves have already decided for him.
Speaking of Lana, I cannot wait for everyone to meet her. While it’s easy to be dazzled by Kira’s allure, Lana is a treasure of her own. I fell in love with her the moment she appeared on the page. Her story, her ambition, and her determination make her a truly unforgettable character. She’s someone you’ll root for with all your heart, and I’m so excited to see the love she’s bound to receive!
This book is everything: heart-stopping action, sizzling romance, breathtaking magic, and the emotional depth that makes Katherine Webber’s storytelling unmatched. I am absolutely in awe.
This is a story I’ll carry in my heart forever.💜✨️🧜🏻♀️
☠⬥︎☠⬥︎☠
🌊 Meet the Captivating Cast of Captain of Fates 🌊
Marino Pegasi🏴☠️:
The dashing captain of the Siren Secret, Marino is a man of the sea through and through, but his heart aches for something more. When his beloved sister falls gravely ill, he sets off on a perilous journey, desperate to find a cure. But as time runs out, Marino sails farther than ever before, only to lose his ship in a devastating wreck. Stranded on Solvora, a mysterious island kingdom cursed to keep anyone from leaving or arriving, Marino's survival is thanks to a curious savior—a mermaid whose presence lingers in his thoughts, like a song he cannot forget.
Kira🧜🏻♀️:
A creature of the sea, Kira and her mer sisters have long been at odds with the people of Solvora. But when a shipwrecked captain falls into her waters, something about him calls to her in a way she’s never felt before. Against her sisters’ warnings, she defies their rules to save Marino. As their paths intertwine, Kira begins to feel emotions she never thought possible: yearning, curiosity, and a desire as deep as the ocean itself. But why does the captain keep searching for her, even as he’s drawn into the world on the island?
Lana🥖:
Born and raised in Solvora, Lana has never set foot outside the cursed kingdom. A self-made baker running her own shop, Lana dreams of a world beyond the shores of her island. When Marino stumbles into her bakery with tales of a sister in need and a quest for magic, Lana sees her chance. She agrees to help him find the cure for his sister and solve the mystery of Solvora’s curse—on one condition: once the curse is lifted, she wants a place on his crew. As they embark on a dangerous quest together, Lana and Marino uncover secrets about the island’s magic, the true nature of its king, and if their meeting was mere chance—or something far more fateful.
Three lives intertwined like the threads of a sailor’s knot. The ocean whispers secrets to those who listen, and beneath the surface of their journey, there is something untold—something waiting to be uncovered. Who guides whom, and what role does the sea play in their tangled fates?💜✨️
A huge thank you to Katherine Webber and Electric Monkey for the honor of receiving this absolutely gorgeous proof and being one of the first to dive into this masterpiece!! 🙌🏼✨
As a massive fan of the 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 trilogy, this book was everything I could have hoped for AND MORE.
But even as a completely new reader to the world, you can jump right into 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 and be swept away by the adventures of Captain Marino Pegasi.
Marino’s story is one of heart-pounding adventure, as he sails farther than he’s ever gone before, racing against time to save his sister while grappling with guilt, desire, and the weight of fate itself.
Will he find love during his perilous voyage, or will the complications of the journey and his own heart keep him adrift?
In this breathtaking spin-off, Marino ventures into uncharted waters—discovering a new kingdom filled with unexpected magic, tantalizing mysteries, and more beautiful women capturing his heart than he ever could have imagined. The stakes are impossibly high: save his sister, or risk losing everything. But as the waves of destiny rise higher, Marino faces a critical question—can he chart his own course, or has the sea already set his fate in stone?
You don’t need to have read the 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 books beforehand to enjoy this, though I highly recommend them.
That said, 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 is its own dazzling treasure, filled with enchanting world-building, a gripping plot, a swoony romance, and a mystery that kept me up all night reading.
☠ If 𝑻𝒘𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 was a crown jewel, then 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 is the rare treasure chest you’d cross oceans to find.☠
As a protagonist, Marino is more than just the hot, dashing captain you’d expect.
He’s a layered, flawed, and deeply ambitious man wrestling with his guilt, his dreams, and his undeniable desires.
His adventure is made even more captivating with two unforgettable women at his side:
Kira, the dangerously beautiful mermaid with an irresistible pull on his heart, and Lana, the kind and spirited baker whose shared dreams align with his in ways no one else ever has. Caught between the two, Marino must decide if he can truly steer his own fate, or if the sea’s waves have already decided for him.
Speaking of Lana, I cannot wait for everyone to meet her. While it’s easy to be dazzled by Kira’s allure, Lana is a treasure of her own. I fell in love with her the moment she appeared on the page. Her story, her ambition, and her determination make her a truly unforgettable character. She’s someone you’ll root for with all your heart, and I’m so excited to see the love she’s bound to receive!
This book is everything: heart-stopping action, sizzling romance, breathtaking magic, and the emotional depth that makes Katherine Webber’s storytelling unmatched. I am absolutely in awe.
This is a story I’ll carry in my heart forever.💜✨️🧜🏻♀️
☠⬥︎☠⬥︎☠
🌊 Meet the Captivating Cast of Captain of Fates 🌊
Marino Pegasi🏴☠️:
The dashing captain of the Siren Secret, Marino is a man of the sea through and through, but his heart aches for something more. When his beloved sister falls gravely ill, he sets off on a perilous journey, desperate to find a cure. But as time runs out, Marino sails farther than ever before, only to lose his ship in a devastating wreck. Stranded on Solvora, a mysterious island kingdom cursed to keep anyone from leaving or arriving, Marino's survival is thanks to a curious savior—a mermaid whose presence lingers in his thoughts, like a song he cannot forget.
Kira🧜🏻♀️:
A creature of the sea, Kira and her mer sisters have long been at odds with the people of Solvora. But when a shipwrecked captain falls into her waters, something about him calls to her in a way she’s never felt before. Against her sisters’ warnings, she defies their rules to save Marino. As their paths intertwine, Kira begins to feel emotions she never thought possible: yearning, curiosity, and a desire as deep as the ocean itself. But why does the captain keep searching for her, even as he’s drawn into the world on the island?
Lana🥖:
Born and raised in Solvora, Lana has never set foot outside the cursed kingdom. A self-made baker running her own shop, Lana dreams of a world beyond the shores of her island. When Marino stumbles into her bakery with tales of a sister in need and a quest for magic, Lana sees her chance. She agrees to help him find the cure for his sister and solve the mystery of Solvora’s curse—on one condition: once the curse is lifted, she wants a place on his crew. As they embark on a dangerous quest together, Lana and Marino uncover secrets about the island’s magic, the true nature of its king, and if their meeting was mere chance—or something far more fateful.
Three lives intertwined like the threads of a sailor’s knot. The ocean whispers secrets to those who listen, and beneath the surface of their journey, there is something untold—something waiting to be uncovered. Who guides whom, and what role does the sea play in their tangled fates?💜✨️
December 10, 2024
When I read the Twin Crowns series, I felt so intruiged by captain Marino and was sad he didn't get featured in the book more often. So when Captain of Fates was announced, my excitement was reaaaal!
In Captain of Fates, the first spin off in the Twin Crowns series, we follow Marino Pegasi. While he's kind of being forced to find love, his sister falls gravely ill. In order to find the cure, he has to do what he does best: set sail and take to the ocean. On this quest he finds a bewitching mermaid that he can't help but feel a pull towards. When he also meets a human girl, his heart is torn. Not only between two women, but between the women and his sister as well.
I had insanely high hopes for this book. If you're familiar with Webber's writing, you know her stories are a smooth read. This was no different in Captain of Fates. With intruiging adventures, action-packed chapters and a dose of magic and mermaids, this book had all the right ingredients.
The world-building was very vivid, the storytelling was excellent and I liked the characters in this book, though I would've liked to see more of some of them (e.g. Marino's crew).
I did enjoy the story, though at one point some things were very obvious and I'm unsure whether Webber wanted the reader to figure things out this fast or not?
All in all, Captain of Fates was a fast-paced and fun read. A great addition to the Twin Crowns series. Now, I am ready for the spin off of Alarik!!
In Captain of Fates, the first spin off in the Twin Crowns series, we follow Marino Pegasi. While he's kind of being forced to find love, his sister falls gravely ill. In order to find the cure, he has to do what he does best: set sail and take to the ocean. On this quest he finds a bewitching mermaid that he can't help but feel a pull towards. When he also meets a human girl, his heart is torn. Not only between two women, but between the women and his sister as well.
I had insanely high hopes for this book. If you're familiar with Webber's writing, you know her stories are a smooth read. This was no different in Captain of Fates. With intruiging adventures, action-packed chapters and a dose of magic and mermaids, this book had all the right ingredients.
The world-building was very vivid, the storytelling was excellent and I liked the characters in this book, though I would've liked to see more of some of them (e.g. Marino's crew).
I did enjoy the story, though at one point some things were very obvious and I'm unsure whether Webber wanted the reader to figure things out this fast or not?
All in all, Captain of Fates was a fast-paced and fun read. A great addition to the Twin Crowns series. Now, I am ready for the spin off of Alarik!!
May 24, 2025
Quite possibly the most disappointing book I have ever read. I really liked the first 3 books and Marino, and I was thrilled to be getting a high-seas book about him with mermaids!
Except it wasn't a high-seas book for one thing, and the writing was terribly basic and juvenile, the characters were flat and inconsistent, the dialogue was cringey and unnatural, and the plot was obvious. It made me dislike Marino and drop my opinion of the series as a whole. It feels clear to me that Doyle is the one who carried the series for the first 3 books, and the difference in her writing and Webber's is so stark, I can look back on the other 3 and point out exactly which parts Webber wrote (incidentally, it's all the parts I didn't like). Webber somehow made Shen Lo also weird. I don't care to explain or expand on my thoughts because I really don't have anything positive to say. I will definitely be giving King of Beasts a go because it's written by Doyle, but if this is Webber's standard for writing and story-telling, I won't read anything else she has written or will write. I have never been so thoroughly let down by a series that I otherwise really liked.
Except it wasn't a high-seas book for one thing, and the writing was terribly basic and juvenile, the characters were flat and inconsistent, the dialogue was cringey and unnatural, and the plot was obvious. It made me dislike Marino and drop my opinion of the series as a whole. It feels clear to me that Doyle is the one who carried the series for the first 3 books, and the difference in her writing and Webber's is so stark, I can look back on the other 3 and point out exactly which parts Webber wrote (incidentally, it's all the parts I didn't like). Webber somehow made Shen Lo also weird. I don't care to explain or expand on my thoughts because I really don't have anything positive to say. I will definitely be giving King of Beasts a go because it's written by Doyle, but if this is Webber's standard for writing and story-telling, I won't read anything else she has written or will write. I have never been so thoroughly let down by a series that I otherwise really liked.
April 16, 2025
3.5 stars
It was so nice being back in the world of Twin Crowns again, and having a unique story for Marino. He was such a charming and dashing character in the original series, he deserved the spotlight. There was a good amount of adventure, danger and romance, as expected for a captain of the high seas. Very fast paced read. If you enjoyed Twin Crowns, you will love this.
For me personally, I would have loved the last few chapters to have been expanded on. It felt very rush by the end, and I wasn't ready for the story to be over.
I'm hoping we'll get more spin-off stories. If so, I'll definitely be reading them.
Thank you to Electric Monkey for the advanced reader copy!
It was so nice being back in the world of Twin Crowns again, and having a unique story for Marino. He was such a charming and dashing character in the original series, he deserved the spotlight. There was a good amount of adventure, danger and romance, as expected for a captain of the high seas. Very fast paced read. If you enjoyed Twin Crowns, you will love this.
For me personally, I would have loved the last few chapters to have been expanded on. It felt very rush by the end, and I wasn't ready for the story to be over.
I'm hoping we'll get more spin-off stories. If so, I'll definitely be reading them.
Thank you to Electric Monkey for the advanced reader copy!
June 2, 2025
Review to come but fucking hell.
June 23, 2025
4.75 stars. I loved it. The plot twist was great did not see it coming. I loved every bit of this book and the world. I only wish the last chapter was longer/the ending back at castle. It felt a bit rushed. I just want more book. I cant wait for the next book.
July 8, 2025
I love this series so much and I'm so happy we're getting extra stories set in this world!
This installment is all about adventure, and it was so much fun! I loved getting to explore new places in this world, new magic systems. The romance that takes place is very well written - there is a love triangle, which typically I don't enjoy, but I loved both love interests in this case, and how the romance ended up playing out was very creative, if a little easy to predict. My issue is how rushed the ending felt - I thought I was missing pages in my proof copy, because we still had so much to figure out and there was only about 15 pages left, so it didn't feel fully developed. I am very excited for King of Beasts though!
Thank you to the publisher for my proof copy in exchange for an honest review!
This installment is all about adventure, and it was so much fun! I loved getting to explore new places in this world, new magic systems. The romance that takes place is very well written - there is a love triangle, which typically I don't enjoy, but I loved both love interests in this case, and how the romance ended up playing out was very creative, if a little easy to predict. My issue is how rushed the ending felt - I thought I was missing pages in my proof copy, because we still had so much to figure out and there was only about 15 pages left, so it didn't feel fully developed. I am very excited for King of Beasts though!
Thank you to the publisher for my proof copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 17, 2025
Thanks Electric Monkey and Katherine Webber for allowing me to read this before its publishing date 🥹
It's been so exciting to be back into the Twin Crowns world and even more exciting to be exploring new places. I think the vibes of this story have hit a very specific spot that I always am in search of.
The mix of mermaids, pirates, search and adventure between land and sea, it just speaks to me on a soul level and it truly felt like coming home.
If you like The little Mermaid, and general pirates/sea creatures lore, this is for sure gonna make you happy.
Everybody knows I am a fan of YA, but sometimes it does force me to realise that I am no teenager anymore. Katherine for sure does a great job at getting in their heads, and you can very much tell that they are after all, young and occasionally very frustrating. But that's totally part of the experience.
I was SO shocked by the plot twist at the end, and I couldn't be happier that I didn't see it coming AT ALL (which is what we all know I love).
Overall, it was a cozy and familiar YA read, with a few well placed twists that made my pirates-lover heart very happy.
So excited for more!
It's been so exciting to be back into the Twin Crowns world and even more exciting to be exploring new places. I think the vibes of this story have hit a very specific spot that I always am in search of.
The mix of mermaids, pirates, search and adventure between land and sea, it just speaks to me on a soul level and it truly felt like coming home.
If you like The little Mermaid, and general pirates/sea creatures lore, this is for sure gonna make you happy.
Everybody knows I am a fan of YA, but sometimes it does force me to realise that I am no teenager anymore. Katherine for sure does a great job at getting in their heads, and you can very much tell that they are after all, young and occasionally very frustrating. But that's totally part of the experience.
I was SO shocked by the plot twist at the end, and I couldn't be happier that I didn't see it coming AT ALL (which is what we all know I love).
Overall, it was a cozy and familiar YA read, with a few well placed twists that made my pirates-lover heart very happy.
So excited for more!
June 16, 2025
Charming and light-hearted, but in desperate need of a rewrite.
Trust me, no one's sadder about my rating than I am. I LOVED the TWIN CROWNS trilogy. Fun, funny light-hearted YA romantasy with a diverse cast, I was of course excited for the series continuation putting the side characters into the spotlight (albeit more for Alarik's book). But not even I could pretend to like this.
CAPTAIN OF FATES follows sailor, tempest witch and Celeste's older brother Marino Pegasi as he journeys further than the edge of the maps to find a cure for his sister's rare sickness, throwing him in the path of shipwrecks, villainous mermaids and a strange island with no way out. This is such an easy premise to make a great story out of, yet this is the weakest book in the series by a longshot.
Something to note, it became pretty clear within the first few chapters I was reading a draft of this story, rather than the final product, so I will try not to let that influence my opinion.
Unfortunately the main problem with this book is that it's so dry. With his sister's life in the balance you'd think Marino would be doing everything he can to find a cure, like researching plants, discovering the island's history or trying to search for his crew, but instead he's pottering around the bakery, meeting the locals and going to the beach. There's a complete lack of of urgency that gives the impression this is some fun little sojourn rather than a necessary endeavour with a time limit. His sister is dying? Hello? Despite how short this book is the entire middle feels like padding to bolster the word count more than any real plot progression.
This is made even worse when near the end of the story the Solvorans reveal there was actually a very important character around they all just conveniently forgot to tell Marino about. Marino is meant to be the first foreigner to breach the island's waters in two decades, but whoops, actually he's not. Did no one think to maybe find a link between the two? It was laughable.
Marino himself is a fun POV to follow and never takes himself or the circumstances too seriously, contributing to the lighter tone of the novel. I did find some of his dialogue a little jarring because he talks like landed gentry; I know he grew up in Anadawn Palace and his father is a highly-regarded physician, but he's also basically a sailor, and you know what they say about swearing and sailors... he doesn't code-switch either, so even to his crew or bakers and fisherman he sounds like he's from Bridgerton (which, I suspect he was inspired by Regé Jean-Page given what he looks like on the cover, lol).
He spends most of his time with Lana Dawn, a baker he feels an immediate attraction to upon meeting by chance in a rainstorm. I couldn't buy their InstaLove, not only because Marino should be focused on finding a cure for his dying sister, but because their attraction is so mundane. They meet and they're immediately in love. Where's the tension and conflict and spark? What is it about her that attracted Marino more than any of the other ladies shoved in his face at the beginning of the book? At least with rival love interest Kira there was a forbidden love element that added some nuance to their relationship. Marino and Lana play it so painfully straight.
That said, the resolution of the love triangle is somewhat satisfying, albeit a bit of a cop-out. The logistics don't make sense to me and I will stand by that, but on the whole I didn't hate how it ended.
The book's villain Leonel is the Solvoran king who wants revenge against the mer for trapping them on the island. Despite being flattered, offered a place to stay and help for his situation, Marino immediately distrusts the man. Why? He was raised in the palace and grew up next to royalty! If anything he should trust Leonel to a fault. Nonetheless he doesn't, and it undermines a lot of the dramatic tension after the midway point. No epic betrayal or great twist, just, oh, suspected bad guy is bad. It was incredibly unsatisfying.
Which is a shame because the ending was decent. Not perfectly executed, there's a lot of moving parts and characters just doing nothing as others do their thing and such, but it tied all the plot threads left hanging. I was more invested to see Celeste's fate, but for some reason you never get to see Marino heal her as the reunion is completely sped over in the last few pages, which feels like another cop-out. Isn't that the whole reason I picked up the book? Why was it decided this should be summarised at the very end?
I can see the glimpse of a fun story, but the dry plot, surface-level characters and poor writing made CAPTAIN OF FATES more of a struggle than it needed to be, and not a very fun reading experience. I sincerely hope that the released version is a much more polished draft readers can actually enjoy, and, more importantly, that KING OF BEASTS doesn't disappoint me like this did.
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR? One bad book doesn't a bad author make. I'm also still hype for KING OF BEASTS by Catherine Doyle.
LAST REVIEW
1. TWIN CROWNS ★★★☆☆
2. CURSED CROWNS ★★★☆☆
3. BURNING CROWNS ★★★★★
5. KING OF BEASTS ★★★★★
WING JONES ★★★★☆
ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART ★★★★☆
DRAGON MOUNTAIN ★★★★★
INFINITY'S SECRET ★★★☆☆
Trust me, no one's sadder about my rating than I am. I LOVED the TWIN CROWNS trilogy. Fun, funny light-hearted YA romantasy with a diverse cast, I was of course excited for the series continuation putting the side characters into the spotlight (albeit more for Alarik's book). But not even I could pretend to like this.
CAPTAIN OF FATES follows sailor, tempest witch and Celeste's older brother Marino Pegasi as he journeys further than the edge of the maps to find a cure for his sister's rare sickness, throwing him in the path of shipwrecks, villainous mermaids and a strange island with no way out. This is such an easy premise to make a great story out of, yet this is the weakest book in the series by a longshot.
Something to note, it became pretty clear within the first few chapters I was reading a draft of this story, rather than the final product, so I will try not to let that influence my opinion.
Unfortunately the main problem with this book is that it's so dry. With his sister's life in the balance you'd think Marino would be doing everything he can to find a cure, like researching plants, discovering the island's history or trying to search for his crew, but instead he's pottering around the bakery, meeting the locals and going to the beach. There's a complete lack of of urgency that gives the impression this is some fun little sojourn rather than a necessary endeavour with a time limit. His sister is dying? Hello? Despite how short this book is the entire middle feels like padding to bolster the word count more than any real plot progression.
This is made even worse when near the end of the story the Solvorans reveal there was actually a very important character around they all just conveniently forgot to tell Marino about. Marino is meant to be the first foreigner to breach the island's waters in two decades, but whoops, actually he's not. Did no one think to maybe find a link between the two? It was laughable.
Marino himself is a fun POV to follow and never takes himself or the circumstances too seriously, contributing to the lighter tone of the novel. I did find some of his dialogue a little jarring because he talks like landed gentry; I know he grew up in Anadawn Palace and his father is a highly-regarded physician, but he's also basically a sailor, and you know what they say about swearing and sailors... he doesn't code-switch either, so even to his crew or bakers and fisherman he sounds like he's from Bridgerton (which, I suspect he was inspired by Regé Jean-Page given what he looks like on the cover, lol).
He spends most of his time with Lana Dawn, a baker he feels an immediate attraction to upon meeting by chance in a rainstorm. I couldn't buy their InstaLove, not only because Marino should be focused on finding a cure for his dying sister, but because their attraction is so mundane. They meet and they're immediately in love. Where's the tension and conflict and spark? What is it about her that attracted Marino more than any of the other ladies shoved in his face at the beginning of the book? At least with rival love interest Kira there was a forbidden love element that added some nuance to their relationship. Marino and Lana play it so painfully straight.
That said, the resolution of the love triangle is somewhat satisfying, albeit a bit of a cop-out. The logistics don't make sense to me and I will stand by that, but on the whole I didn't hate how it ended.
The book's villain Leonel is the Solvoran king who wants revenge against the mer for trapping them on the island. Despite being flattered, offered a place to stay and help for his situation, Marino immediately distrusts the man. Why? He was raised in the palace and grew up next to royalty! If anything he should trust Leonel to a fault. Nonetheless he doesn't, and it undermines a lot of the dramatic tension after the midway point. No epic betrayal or great twist, just, oh, suspected bad guy is bad. It was incredibly unsatisfying.
Which is a shame because the ending was decent. Not perfectly executed, there's a lot of moving parts and characters just doing nothing as others do their thing and such, but it tied all the plot threads left hanging. I was more invested to see Celeste's fate, but for some reason you never get to see Marino heal her as the reunion is completely sped over in the last few pages, which feels like another cop-out. Isn't that the whole reason I picked up the book? Why was it decided this should be summarised at the very end?
I can see the glimpse of a fun story, but the dry plot, surface-level characters and poor writing made CAPTAIN OF FATES more of a struggle than it needed to be, and not a very fun reading experience. I sincerely hope that the released version is a much more polished draft readers can actually enjoy, and, more importantly, that KING OF BEASTS doesn't disappoint me like this did.
WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR? One bad book doesn't a bad author make. I'm also still hype for KING OF BEASTS by Catherine Doyle.
LAST REVIEW
1. TWIN CROWNS ★★★☆☆
2. CURSED CROWNS ★★★☆☆
3. BURNING CROWNS ★★★★★
5. KING OF BEASTS ★★★★★
WING JONES ★★★★☆
ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART ★★★★☆
DRAGON MOUNTAIN ★★★★★
INFINITY'S SECRET ★★★☆☆
April 25, 2025
Just a silly fantasy based in the world of twin crowns! I loved this book!
June 5, 2025
4.5 ⭐️!
August 3, 2025
O captain! My captain! This book felt like diving into a familiar tidal current that is safe, steady then getting pulled into whirlpools of magic, longing, and destiny. Marino Pegasi, the sea‑bound captain from Twin Crowns, gives him his magnetic journey that’s less court politics with a twinkle of romance, self‑discovery, and mermaid folklore. When his sister, Celeste, falls prey to a mysterious magical illness, he sails toward a cure…and toward two women whose worlds pull him in opposite directions.
Captain Marino is so charming, and it is no wonder he was able to pull off those two beautiful women, Lana and Kira, both share the same dreams and longing with him. It's giving the love triangle but slowly drifting towards someone who sees the truest version of you. The pacing is calm, much like a gentle tidal wave, no rush whatsoever. The island of Solvara felt like a dream, tropical but bruised, full of secrets and mermaid songs and curses. The entire book was very much ‘healing in paradise, but people might die’.
Would I recommend it? Yes, if you want a romantasy that doesn’t shout, just sighs and stares longingly at the sea. It’s not groundbreaking but it doesn’t need to be. It’s soft-hearted, a little predictable, but still beautiful in its own way. Thank you Pansing @definitelybooks for this copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is now available at all good bookstores.
Captain Marino is so charming, and it is no wonder he was able to pull off those two beautiful women, Lana and Kira, both share the same dreams and longing with him. It's giving the love triangle but slowly drifting towards someone who sees the truest version of you. The pacing is calm, much like a gentle tidal wave, no rush whatsoever. The island of Solvara felt like a dream, tropical but bruised, full of secrets and mermaid songs and curses. The entire book was very much ‘healing in paradise, but people might die’.
Would I recommend it? Yes, if you want a romantasy that doesn’t shout, just sighs and stares longingly at the sea. It’s not groundbreaking but it doesn’t need to be. It’s soft-hearted, a little predictable, but still beautiful in its own way. Thank you Pansing @definitelybooks for this copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is now available at all good bookstores.
September 10, 2024
Alarik better make a come back
May 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4.25 stars
Captain of Fates is the first spin-off book that takes place after the events of the Twin Crowns trilogy. It follows our favourite captain, Marino, on his quest to find a cure for Celeste.
Twin Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Cursed Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Burning Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book has been highly anticipated for me ever since it was first announced! I love the Twin Crowns trilogy and couldn’t be more excited that we get even more stories told in this vast and amazing world! I also really loved reading this book together with my friends as the book club pick for May! You don’t really need to have read the trilogy before, but I do recommend reading those books so you know the characters and know who ends up with who before diving into this book!
I really enjoyed the opening, as we’re thrown into the thick of it from the very beginning!! The stakes are high from the beginning, and I really liked how we just take off. Also love the fact that the vast world became vaster by the exploration of a brand-new island and its inhabitants! And after meeting both Lana and Kira, I was hooked! I might’ve gone rogue and keep on reading hihi.
From the very beginning, I was hooked and fell in love with Lana. I don’t know exactly what it was, but she just stole my heart. I loved her attitude, the fact that she was a baker and her general stance in life. Wanting to see the world and grasping that chance to go see it. Kira was intriguing at the start but didn’t have a personality I really connected with. Still, I’m always a fan of mermaids haha.
The romance was really well written and yes, there is a bit of a love-triangle since there are two love interests for Marino haha. I do think one pairing showed a lot more potential, since they had more on page interactions compared to the other, but I’m happy with the person who he ended up with!
The plot itself was fun and intriguing, but the ending was predictable to me. Other members in the book club had predicted the big twist, and I kept hoping it wasn’t true… in the end it was, and I do get it. Katherine also explained her reasoning for the ending being a bit rushed and while I still wasn’t the biggest fan due to the rushed feeling, I do understand her point of view on it. she also said she should probably write any bonus content to extent that ending, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that!!!
Overall, Captain of Fates is a solid spin-off with an engaging plot and fun characters!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!
Captain of Fates is the first spin-off book that takes place after the events of the Twin Crowns trilogy. It follows our favourite captain, Marino, on his quest to find a cure for Celeste.
“𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝”
Twin Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Cursed Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Burning Crowns Review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book has been highly anticipated for me ever since it was first announced! I love the Twin Crowns trilogy and couldn’t be more excited that we get even more stories told in this vast and amazing world! I also really loved reading this book together with my friends as the book club pick for May! You don’t really need to have read the trilogy before, but I do recommend reading those books so you know the characters and know who ends up with who before diving into this book!
I really enjoyed the opening, as we’re thrown into the thick of it from the very beginning!! The stakes are high from the beginning, and I really liked how we just take off. Also love the fact that the vast world became vaster by the exploration of a brand-new island and its inhabitants! And after meeting both Lana and Kira, I was hooked! I might’ve gone rogue and keep on reading hihi.
From the very beginning, I was hooked and fell in love with Lana. I don’t know exactly what it was, but she just stole my heart. I loved her attitude, the fact that she was a baker and her general stance in life. Wanting to see the world and grasping that chance to go see it. Kira was intriguing at the start but didn’t have a personality I really connected with. Still, I’m always a fan of mermaids haha.
The romance was really well written and yes, there is a bit of a love-triangle since there are two love interests for Marino haha. I do think one pairing showed a lot more potential, since they had more on page interactions compared to the other, but I’m happy with the person who he ended up with!
The plot itself was fun and intriguing, but the ending was predictable to me. Other members in the book club had predicted the big twist, and I kept hoping it wasn’t true… in the end it was, and I do get it. Katherine also explained her reasoning for the ending being a bit rushed and while I still wasn’t the biggest fan due to the rushed feeling, I do understand her point of view on it. she also said she should probably write any bonus content to extent that ending, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that!!!
Overall, Captain of Fates is a solid spin-off with an engaging plot and fun characters!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book!
September 26, 2025
This was so bad. I had very high hopes considering i had loved twin crowns and Marino when he made an appearance in the books. I feel like even the writing got so much worse and i was so disappointed from the beginning. Marino is a typical man with a syndrome called “man”, he didn’t know what he wanted and what was right. When he arrived in Solvora and his ship sank, he didn’t think of his dying sister and his lost crew except for like the two sentences where he was in so much “grief”. His whole character had the opposite of character development and I couldn’t stand his being throughout the whole book. Then he proceeded to fall in love with two separate people who happened to be just one being in the end and also the salvation to the curse, blah blah blah. The only standable character was Lana who had a typical crush on a boy and was pretty relatable. I so hated Kira on the other hand, she was so obsessive and jealous and i swear every time she made an appearance i wanted to rip my eyes out. The book was so fast paced and badly done, I was flabbergasted to see what happened in the first like 60 pages. And to add a cherry on top he saved his sister (yes the one he forgot about for like 200 pages) exactly on time, when i say minutes i mean minutes. I can’t lie the twist at the end would have been sort of acceptable had the whole book not been a shitty nonsense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2025
The Twin Crowns trilogy is one of my all time favourite series, so I was beyond thrilled when I heard it was getting a spin off instalment and Captain of Fates did not disappoint.
Captain of Fates is everything I love about this series. It's such a huge amount of fun and filled with adventure, magic and romance and stars a cast of characters you can't help but adore. It also brilliantly plays on classic tropes in a way that feeds my soul in an almost nostalgic way.
This is truly a series for all of us who grew up on a healthy diet of Disney, animated Barbie movies and old school YA fantasy novels (whilst being elevated to new, higher levels). With vibes of The Little Mermaid and The Pirates of the Caribbean, this book was practically written just for me and I had such a great time with it.
what to expect:
- mermaids
- magic
- secrets
- slow burn
- excellent world building
Captain of Fates is everything I love about this series. It's such a huge amount of fun and filled with adventure, magic and romance and stars a cast of characters you can't help but adore. It also brilliantly plays on classic tropes in a way that feeds my soul in an almost nostalgic way.
This is truly a series for all of us who grew up on a healthy diet of Disney, animated Barbie movies and old school YA fantasy novels (whilst being elevated to new, higher levels). With vibes of The Little Mermaid and The Pirates of the Caribbean, this book was practically written just for me and I had such a great time with it.
what to expect:
- mermaids
- magic
- secrets
- slow burn
- excellent world building
September 22, 2025
No, sorry but no.
The writing is as servicable as the other books, but the plot (if you want to call it that) is as shallow as a puddle. I'm not sure I would recommend it to a seven year old mermaid fan, it's that boring and so incredible stupid (even if you ignore the gd instalove). The main conflict is solved in 16 pages in a variation of deus ex machina, so contrived I didn't see it comming. Like really out of left field in a conflict decades old, just poof everyones happy. The plot was really, really braindead.
I fear for King of Beasts!
The writing is as servicable as the other books, but the plot (if you want to call it that) is as shallow as a puddle. I'm not sure I would recommend it to a seven year old mermaid fan, it's that boring and so incredible stupid (even if you ignore the gd instalove). The main conflict is solved in 16 pages in a variation of deus ex machina, so contrived I didn't see it comming. Like really out of left field in a conflict decades old, just poof everyones happy. The plot was really, really braindead.
I fear for King of Beasts!
April 25, 2025
3.75⭐️
A fun dive back into the Twin Crowns world. I enjoyed the change of scenery, the magic and addition of mermaids to the world. The book was short and easy read. My one gripe was how rushed the ending felt. But overall a really fun read.
A fun dive back into the Twin Crowns world. I enjoyed the change of scenery, the magic and addition of mermaids to the world. The book was short and easy read. My one gripe was how rushed the ending felt. But overall a really fun read.
May 13, 2025
This was my favourite of the Twin Crowns books - when Celeste becomes unexpectedly ill Marino (the sassy captain and her brother) sails off the map to find the cure - along the way he comes across mermaids, an ocean full of gold, some excellent baked goods and just so much magic! I devoured this
October 2, 2025
For those, like me, slightly disappointed that Marino Pegasi was not the main character in the trilogy: this was so fun!
This book was, like Twin Crowns, quick paced, high stakes and magical and I loved that. And mermaids are one of my favourite mythical creatures so huge '+' on that one 🌊🧜🏻♀️
This book was, like Twin Crowns, quick paced, high stakes and magical and I loved that. And mermaids are one of my favourite mythical creatures so huge '+' on that one 🌊🧜🏻♀️
May 23, 2025
Está cute, un poco predecible pero la historia es sencilla y linda
July 8, 2025
I KNEW IT IM SO HAPPY YES
December 12, 2025
Tror jeg kunne lest uendelig med bøker i denne serien 🥹
July 19, 2025
It was full of twists and turns and I never knew that Kira and Lana were the same person but who would! If i had to read a book 2 time I choose this one, reading just filled me with so much joy! CAPIN OF FATES WAS A AMAZING BOOK THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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