Kingdom of Waves

Kingdom of Waves #1

by Melissa de la Cruz

The Gilded Wolves meets A Magic Steeped in Poison in the first of a new pulse-pounding YA fantasy duology about two thieves who go after the same mythical treasure, from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Once upon a time, there was a shining kingdom floating on the sea . . .

The kingdom of Ophir was one of the most powerful and beautiful places in the world. But after an invasion by the land of Lacon, it was lost to the waves. Now, the Ophir live as second-class citizens beneath Lacon’s golden palaces.

When two bands of Ophir thieves—one led by Eban Sadreal and the other by Gineth Strong—go after the same treasure, a priceless relic, their worlds and hearts suddenly collide. For the relic releases an ancient magic that could restore the legacy of Ophir—a magic that could change the course of Eban and Gin’s lives forever.

With impossibly high stakes and charming will-they-won’t-they romance, this heist fantasy is perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Tempest of Tea.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Audiobook, Romantasy, Fiction, Fantasy Romance

Audible Audio

First published June 16, 2026

About the author

Melissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.

Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.

She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.

Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).

She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kingdom of Waves (Kingdom of Waves #1) by Melissa de la Cruz
Book Blurb: Once upon a time, there was a shining kingdom floating on the sea . . .
The kingdom of Ophir was one of the most powerful and beautiful places in the world. But after an invasion by the land of Lacon, it was lost to the waves. Now, the Ophir live as second-class citizens beneath Lacon’s golden palaces.

Rating: ****
Feels: Adventure, Intrigue, Mystery, Fun
Style: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
First published June 16, 2026: 320 pages

Themes & Setting: A land with the conquerors and the conquered. A people suppressed and wanting to reclaim their glory but with most of their history buried. The rebels are repressed and hunted.
FMC: Gineth was totally relatable and I love her for that. Why yes I would rather be at the castle eating good food thank you !!! Yet she is Ophir and that means she must turn to a life a thievery.
MMC: Eban is the kinda rough edges thief that grows on you. Smart with his own moral code and a fierce need to protect who he sees as his family.
Conclusion: Two thieves , a heist and a world in turmoil lend to the high stakes vibe of this YA fantasy duology. My favorite past of this book was the setting and world building. A lost kingdom that used to harness the power of the gods !! The magic system was truly unique and fascinating. The political atmosphere was charged through out the book and I love that whole fight the evil empire to reclaim our lost kingdom vibe through out. If you like heist books then this is a great read !!!

Favorite Quote: "Magical beings aren't aggravating. We are precise. "

This book has:
Heist Vibes
Political Intrigue
Magical Beings
Lost Kingdom
Rival Thieves

[Aya ☕︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmmm.... A decent read, not great tho. It had all the elements that I -theoretically- liked, thieves turned out royals, spirits, magic, rebellion, and secret history but for some reason felt flat. I will wait for the next book tho.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

So grateful for Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for inviting me to listen to this ALC 🩵💚

[jo ୨୧]

i did win this in a goodreads giveaway (somehow they are not?? a scam??) but i fear this did not hit

[kylie’s been jinxed ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

❛❛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ʟᴏsᴛ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀʟʟ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. ❜❜*

˚⊱🫧⊰˚ 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔˚⊱🌊⊰˚

ᯓ 🌊 ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴠᴇs ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀsᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴊᴜɴᴇ 𝟷𝟼, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟼!
⤿ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 3.5 sᴛᴀʀs!! ★★★☆☆
⤿ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪs ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ: ʜᴇɪsᴛs, sᴛʀᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜɪᴇᴠᴇs, ᴛʀᴇᴀsᴜʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ!

ᯓ 🫧 ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs:

⤷ Gin. A talented Ophir thief looking for the prize, to get herself off the streets and save her own life.

⤷ Eban. Another skilled thief, attempting to gain his freedom and save his people, by getting ahold of the treasure.

They’re both pursuing the same treasure, what could possibly go wrong?

ᯓ 🌊 ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:
⤷ This book is super fast paced and it didn’t slow down during the entirety of the book. The writing was well done and the world building is immersive!

This felt like a very quick read at 320 pages, it flew by with lots of action. However, it does toe the line of feeling too rushed, but it did keep my attention pretty well. There’s always another action scene within the next chapter or so. It definitely could’ve done with slowing down the middle and with extra pages.

The writing was easy to read, it brings me back to reading Melissa de la Cruz when I was younger. Additionally, the plot was well defined and straightforward, but that ending! I was expecting a little bit more from the characters, but it was enough to keep me intrigued. The world building was a high point of this book. It was well imagined and detailed, creating a wonderful backdrop for the action.

ᯓ 🫧 ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs:

I will probably continue with the duology, to see the character development and how the plot will continue to develop. I would recommend this book to people who have short attention spans and enjoy great world building!

ᯓ 🌊 ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ:
⤿ 3.5 stars ★★★☆☆

ᯓ 🫧 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ:
⤿ To Kill A Kingdom (Christo)
⤿ All the Stars and Teeth (Grace)

*Quote has been taken from an uncorrected proof.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰▱▰

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 🫧 || ᴘʀᴇʀᴇᴀᴅ:
₊⊹⁀➴ heist fantasy? sign me up!!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 & 𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖🎧: Kingdom of Waves (Kingdom of Waves duology Book 1)
🎙️: Alexandra Palting, Matt Mercurio

In search for the same relic, rival thieves find themselves entangled in more ways than one.

Tropes:
🎙️Dual POV/dual narration
💰Rival thieves
🫂Forced proximity
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Found family
🏰Intrigue
🤫Hidden identities
🗺️Heist

The author crafts a lush tale brimming with a gorgeous world and lovable characters. The narrators skillfully capture the suspenseful elements of this tale and the motivations of our main characters. Gin is a survivor who exudes quiet strength and Eban is determined and fierce. Failure is not an option for either. I’m so eager to see how their relationship evolves!

From heists, high-stakes, to hidden identities, Kingdom of Waves is a sweeping and fantastical adventure! I cannot wait to see how this duology concludes.

Huge thanks to Fierce Reads, Macmillan Audio for the review copies. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Kingdom of Waves leans very much toward the “young” side of “young adult.” It’s a bit unsubtle in certain spots, but still manages to entertain. I think tweens and new teenagers will love it! Melissa de la Cruz is a perfect author for younger audiences just getting into fantasy - there’s always an intriguing world, some spunky characters, and a good plot to pull you in. That being said, if you’re picking this up because you want a heist book…this is not that. The main characters are thieves and there are some robberies involved, but the main focus is on colonialism and the rewriting of history by oppressors. (The topic is handled very well for the age group, in my opinion.)

I really liked Gin and Eban’s dynamic - bantering thieves is always going to be a favorite - though I wish we’d had more time with Aris and Vergel to bring some different energy to the group. I’m excited to see how Eban’s trial goes, and I’ll definitely be picking up book two for the rest of Ophir’s and Lacon’s lore…and the satisfaction of watching certain nobles get what’s coming to them.

I do think the book was good, but its marketing is doing it a disservice. If the right audience picks it up and has realistic expectations going in, Kingdom of Waves will be a really great read.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this really, but was really engaged. The major twist I never saw coming and that ending. 🤯 I need the sequel pronto. I loved that this was a blend of a few genres and a great read for teens or young adults. Heck, I'm almost 40 and got lost in the audio.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced exciting young adult fantasy! I was easily pulled into this story with thieves and magic!

The story moved fast and was full of action never leaving a dull moment. I couldn’t put the book down once I started.

I enjoyed the premise with the lost history, hidden magic, and secrets. The twists were good and kept me hooked throughout.

Gin was a scrappy FMC who was trying to survive. I enjoyed her quiet strength and her determination.

Eban was a fierce character. I enjoyed his protectiveness.

From enemies to reluctant allies to something more I loved the progression of their relationship.

If you enjoy morally grey characters, action-packed reads, thieves, magic, spirits, underdog, close proximity, enemies to allies, protective MMC, past secrets, betrayals, and so much more then don’t miss this one!

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely adventure Eban and Gineth get to go on. Both thieves team up to try when they are sent on the same mission in hopes of retrieving a very powerful relic. Their relationship is filled with ups and downs, quite a few laughs, and of course an unexpected villain. I really enjoyed going on this adventure with them, and younger readers are going to get lost in this fantastical world and feel like thieves on their own mission. This is the perfect book to kick off a series and will have young readers eagerly awaiting the next book.
Thank youto Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ First off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this audioARC of the book. This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. The narrator was really good. I found the characters likeable and the plot was intriguing. I will be continuing the series when there is more. There's oppression, invasion of a land, automatons, deception, magical entities, thieves, a floating city, a heist, love, romance and more. Yes I would recommend this book to readers. I listened to it during my shift at work. It releases today 6/16/26.

[Jacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

Another excellent book from Melissa de la Cruz. She perfectly sets up this duology with a suspenseful story featuring magic, thieves, duplicitous royals, and a wonderful found family. I can’t give too much away, but suffice it to say, this was another slam dunk from one of my favorite authors.

While the story is fast-paced, I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a heist novel. To fit that label, I would have expected more of the plot to focus on the heist itself. Instead, there is a brief “we’re trying to steal something” moment before the story shifts into “what do we do with the goods?” Even so, the writing was accessible, the story was entertaining, and that ending! I’m certainly excited for book two.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and Melissa de la Cruz for the free review copy via NetGalley.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I feel like my main problem with this novel is that it's billed as a heist novel, and it is very much not. Said "heist" really involves just two sets of thieves trying to go after the same treasure hidden in a barrel in an alleyway, and most of the rest of the novel involves what to do with the treasure in the context of Ophir vs. Lacon. I did like Eban a lot when he is first introduced, since I always like a jaded thief looking for the one big job, and I was inclined to like Gin as well, even if I found her romance with Rollo to be a bit intense given that she had just met him a week ago, but I was willing to cut her some slack since he was kind of her savior, and she's a teenager. Unfortunately, everything after that just goes so fast; Gin and Eban's true thieving companions die so fast, and I feel like not enough time is spent on mourning either of them. The lost mystical kingdom of Lashing is found not even halfway through the book, and the romance between Gin and Eban feels speed run as well.

The worldbuilding of this book is interesting, but honestly, the pacing is so fast, and the story could do more to just spend time breathing instead of heading to the next big thing. Hopefully book 2 takes a slightly less frenetic approach.

[KMart Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

TL;DR: Way too fast-paced and very young YA. Other than that, it's fun!

This was a fun, fast-paced read that sets up a fascinating world and introduces some genuinely interesting characters, though the pacing never slows down long enough for anything to breathe. With the story moving this fast, some of the bigger moments don't carry NEARLY as much weight as they should. Killing off some characters felt like a cheap move too. There was a real opportunity for a found family dynamic there and it got sacrificed instead for a quick emotional hit that didn't even land.

The world building is the strongest part of this one. The conflict and history between Ophir and Lacon, the sunken kingdom and its lore, and the oppression of the Ophir people were all genuinely interesting and gave the story real stakes. The lore and the complex politics underneath everything feel like they're just getting started, and I think the next book is going to push all of that even further. Fingers crossed.

Gin and Eban are enjoyable together, even if their relationship develops WAY faster than I would have liked. I also wanted more of an actual heist here. There's stolen treasure and thieves involved but not much of the planning or tension that usually makes a heist story satisfying.

Good world, fun characters, just needed to slow down enough to let things land.

The audiobook was very well done and I think they did a great job with such a young adult story. There was a weird sound once in the audiobook copy I got.

Thanks so much to Colored Pages Book Tours, Fierce Reads, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the complimentary copies. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[A Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.75/5. Thank you MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review!

Kingdom of Waves is book 1 in a YA fantasy duology about a people who were once magical and lived in a floating Atlantis-esque city upon the water called Ophir, but then they were conquered and their city sank beneath the waves—killing most of their population. The people who survived had no choice but to live in the land of their conquerors, Lacon, and be treated as servants and live in destitution.

Our story centers around two street thieves, Eban and Gin, who meet while each trying to heist the same treasure—a treasure that turns out to contain lost relics of Ophir. The relics being found releases an ancient magic that can either be used to destroy what is left of the Ophir people, or bring back their city and lives to their former glory—depending on who wields them.

There is adventure, a will-they-won’t-they romance, and themes of the mistreatment of indigenous people.

I definitely enjoyed this one and look forward to listening to book 2. There were, however, a few things that I wished had been different.

1. There could have been more character development. I feel like we didn’t get to know the characters as well as we could have, and some of the character’s revelations just got told to us rather then us feeling like we were witnesses them firsthand. This made them not quite as impactful. That being said, this is something that is sometimes just part of YA and a YA-reader who is actually young-adult aged might not notice or mind!

2. This is not a romance-forward story. It is YA fantasy with a dash of romance. And that’s totally fine! Though I do wish we would have seen/felt it develop a little more.

[Galy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

A fantastic adventure!

The kingdom of Ophir was once powerful until the invasion by the land of Lacon, then it was lost to the waves. Now, the Ophir live as second-class citizens beneath Lacon’s golden palaces. Then two Ophir thief bands, one led by Eban Sadreal and the other by Gineth Strong, go after the same priceless relic and their worlds collide.

I love Melissa de la Cruz's books so when the publisher reached out to read her next YA novel I was so in. I really enjoyed it, the plot was super interesting.

The main characters Gin and Eban were great, two rival thieves who end up working together for a common goal.

The magic is amazing with the relics and I love how we learn more about the ancestral magic at the same time as Gin and Eban cause they didn't know anything about the old stories.

The twists were really cool and the ending caught me by surprise, I really need the next one!

[Ashlyn Tickle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to MacmillanAudio for the gifted ALC through Netgalley. This does not affect my honest review.

I did truly eat this one up. It was a really well done in the narration. Alexandra Palting was a phenomenal Gineth. I felt she was able to demonstrate that Gin is still young but has had many life experience due to her life being really hard on the streets. Matt Mercurio was a great Eben as well when showing his inner conflict on who Eben felt he was against who he wanted to be (mostly for Gin).

I loved that this was a YA because we didn’t lose any plot to the budding romance and that didn’t really get in the way of the overall quest to restore these artifacts. I think it was a bit slow there in the middle and I could’ve lost interest had I not had the audiobook, but stick with it because it picks up again and you’ll be screaming after the epilogue. I’m very excited to hear news on book 2 now!

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an ARC via Netgalley*

Kingdom of Waves dragged me out of a very difficult reading slump. After weeks of finding no joy in reading, I read this book in around 3 hours. Kingdom of Waves really was unputdownable, and brought a lot of uniqueness to well loved tropes.

I felt that the characters were slightly stronger in driving this story than the plot, but I quite enjoyed that. The world building was interesting and easy to follow, but the characters really gripped me. I truly did not see the twists coming, and gosh the ending was incredible. It was a very unexpected ending and I really (impatiently lol) look forward to the sequel.

This was such a fun, interesting, and slightly heartbreaking read.

[AshReadsAlot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid YA Fantasy, emphasis on the Young side, with high-stakes, lost worlds, heists, thieves, magic, mystery and betrayals.
This book is very fast-paced and easy to read, with non-stop action; but I’d say too fast.
I enjoyed the premise and the characters. There is a lot there and the story is so intriguing. For me, it just felt like it needed a bit more depth. It felt a bit rushed where I wanted to dive deeper into the details, emotions, and the world. However, I do think this would be a good fit for the 12-14 age range.

Overall, I really did enjoy the story and the narrators were fantastic. I will read the next book as it was very entertaining and I am invested now to see how it all plays out.


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC copy.

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable young adult fantasy and a great start to a duology. I liked following the dual points of view between Gin and Eban in this story. This book had a fast pace and high stakes and had me hooked from start to finish. I liked the world building and overall storyline in this one. I can’t wait to see how the story continues in the next book after how this one left off.

Read this if you like:

📖 Heists
📖 Lost kingdoms
📖 Dual POV

Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for my giveaway prize.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very much on the young side of YA, and I think it’s probably a great fit for a younger audience.

It has so many great elements - thieves guild and rival thieves, rebellion, secret royals and oceanic magic. I think I wanted MORE? De La Cruz’s other work this year, Sibylline, offered so much in the way of world building and complex magic systems along with deep emotional relationship dynamics and slow burn tension, and I think was expecting more in the complexity and character development.

Thanks so much to MacMillan and Fierce Reads for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

[rachel x]

"The Gilded Wolves meets A Magic Steeped in Poison in the first of a new pulse-pounding YA fantasy duology about two thieves who go after the same mythical treasure"

heist fantasy that's 'perfect for fans of Six of Crows and A Tempest of Tea'?
sold!

[jenny reads a lot]

Treasure and relics?! Say less

| IG | TikTok |

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! The Writting was easy and enjoyable. My 12 year old is currently reading it and loves it too!

[Brenda Westervelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I liked the characters and story but I found it slow.

[Dana M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Risa · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded down


Wow. This book was rough to read.

Listen, not all (YA fantasy) heist books are created equal. However, if you’re going to comp your book to some of the most notable out there (ie The Gilded Wolves, A Tempest of Tea, and Six of Crows), then readers will have certain expectations going in.

I don’t feel I can even compare those books to what I just read, because I don’t believe Kingdom of Waves is a heist novel, and it’s disingenuous and misleading to call it one.

In my opinion, there are certain elements that should be present in a heist novel, and this book did not hit on any of them. Just because our two main characters are thieves (allegedly, we barely see them steal anything), doesn’t mean this is a heist book. Just because they fight off some other thieves and take some of the loot at the beginning of the book, does not make this a heist book. Just because you borrowed certain characters traits from the aforementioned novels, does not make this a heist book!

Did the two main characters attempt to steal some stolen relics from the elites? Yes. But that’s just a burglary. What makes a heist, in my opinion, is the extensive planning (only for things to go wrong) and a team of high skilled individuals trying to execute that plan. We didn’t get any of that in this book.


I have not read A Magic Steeped in Poison, so I cannot say whether or not that is an accurate comp. But from what I know of the novel, that story centers around a competition. Kingdom of Waves does not.

There were no “impossibly high stakes” like the description promised, and the “will-they-won’t-they” romance came out of left field.


Would I have had a more enjoyable time if the description hadn’t been so misleading? Probably. But even if I just judge the book for what it is, there was hardly anything compelling about it. The two exceptions would be the author’s attempt at exploring the devastating impact of colonialism (although that was done heavy-handedly); and some of the scenes in the last quarter of the book (though I guessed the major plot twist ahead of time; it was kind of obvious).


I mean look, there’s a reader for every book, and I’m sure plenty of people will enjoy reading this. But do not go in expecting it to be as compelling as the books it compares itself to.

This author has published a lot of books (and this will be her second YA fantasy to come out in 2026), so maybe she should slow down to improve the quality of her works, because this almost felt like a cash grab with how misleading the description is.

(Having said that, I read the e-ARC in October 2025, and this book does not come out until June 2026. So the author still has time to make major improvements to the book. Hopefully she does.)



NOTES I TOOK WHILE READING:

- So Gin got caught staying in some nobleman’s palace and was going to be executed for that? That sucks.

- I’m glad the girl who took her place is okay, but it kind of made the scene anti-climatic. I think it would’ve been more compelling and impactful if someone innocent did die because Gin escaped.


- I’m curious to know why Rollo gave her a place to stay in the first place. There’s nothing wrong with him just being a nice guy, but still… given who his mother is, I don’t fully trust it.


- Speaking of death, Eban doesn’t seem too upset that Angel. He says he lost a brother, but then is basically like oh well… it feels very surface level.


- Eban essentially wants enough money for a boat…very Inej of him.

- (Also the name Gin makes me think of Jinn from A Tempest of Tea…)

- It’s cool how current is spoken of as big cats (lions and leopards thus far).

- Eban and Vergil are giving platonic Jesper and Wylan vibes (based on their personalities).

- There’s a lot of telling going on with the writing—this place is this, and I am that… I wish the writing had a less simplistic feel to it.


- And Gin used to work at a brothel…more Inej vibes in the story. (Though to be fair, Gin seemed to work in the kitchens.)


- Aris is an old, fragile, and most importantly kind mentor to Gin. And thus, there’s no way he’s making it to the end of the book. (I was right—he died in a fight with some thieves.)


- So Gin and Eban meet while they are both taking on the thieves with that barrel of loot. I appreciate that Eban saved her (makes sense since he and Vergel seem protective of other Ophir). However, Gin seemed so ready to give up after a couple hits. And then when it’s Eban and Vergel versus her, she picks up blades to fight them despite knowing how well they fight….there just seems to be some inconsistencies in Gin’s character, because she comes off weak sometimes and then comes off as a wannabe badass other times.


- I get that the Thieves Guild is probably supposed to add another level of suspense in the story (since Gin and Eban end up killing thieves from the guild, and they fear retaliation); however, if members of the Thieves Guild aren’t supposed to steal from the noble Houses, what’s the point of having the guild? Eban says he never joined the guild because he’d rather steal from the rich than our own. … But from what I’ve gathered, Eban’s “own” is poor, so what exactly would the guild even be stealing?


- I figured the barrel of loot had some magical elements in it. Curious to know what it all means.

- Interesting that Eban and Gin have matching symbols on their arms. I bet you it will tie them to some Ophir magic/deities some how. (Or it could just be some fated mates mark, which it’s always my favorite.)


- Oh how interesting that Zagger works for Rollo’s house as a guard. I like that surprise. It makes me all the more curious now why Rollo saved Gin’s life. I wonder if he knows something about her (magical) past that we don’t yet. (And perhaps that’s why Rollo wants Gin to go to the lashing, for some reason we’ll learn about later in a twist.)

- 37% in: I should’ve guessed that Vergel would suffer a similar fate to Aris, as he too was too kind for this world. So RIP to Vergel.


- I really like the fight scene where Zagger has other guards/soldiers from House Eternal ambush the trio! And I also really liked how Gin called on a magical spirit from a looted bottle to save them! But it leaves me with two main questions: (1) How did Gin know that the bottle had a spirit in them that could save them? And (2) How did the spirit know to only take out the soldiers, and leave Eban alive?


- So I’m 38% in, and it’s just Eban and Gin left. I’ll be honest—this book isn’t really delivering what was promised. In the description, it says the story follows opposing bands of thieves—while we technically got that (with Aris and Gin looking for the same barrel as Eban and Vergel), that literally only lasted a couple chapters. Since that’s basically the meat of the description, I thought this book was going to follow the two bands competing against each other, maybe even trying to one up each other, and throw the other under the bus—something exciting, to warrant calling this a heist story. We didn’t get that—the competition between the two bands of thieves is over so quickly. And now we are trying to get to the Lashing. What about that screams heist????



- I know he’s had a rough upbringing, but it still feels disingenuous that Eban didn’t show more grief at losing his “brother” Vergel.


- I really like the idea of the glowing blue bottle acting as a compass for them! Hopefully they find the Lashing (though I bet there’ll be some big twist about its existence, like it’s taken over or something, when they get there).


- 41% oh, we’re already arriving at the Lashing. Well that was fast… (It’s been two days? The pacing is too fast.)


- We get it, Eban—you think you should have kept your hair as an escape plan. Which means obviously something is going to go wrong.


- I thought Darius was a man—he came off as an adult to me. So when Gin keeps thinking about how he’s handsome and he looked away like they just kissed…that was jarring.


- So obviously Darius has ties to the Great Houses too if he’s going there for information, and knows Gin’s full name.


- Glad that Gin could just the spirit power to fight off the Blackcoat ambush. I don’t really buy her reason for waiting so long though.



- Alright good—so we have another heist-like event where Darius, Eban, and Gin (and maybe a few others?) are going to try to break into House Dominant to find the relics. My only question about that is—Darius said a couple relics are missing, and we know Gin has one. Didn’t Eban steal things from the loot barrel too, and thus wouldn’t he have the other one?

- Okay so—never mind in that Darius is leaving Eban and Gin to steal the relics themselves (he actually wanted Eban to go by himself, apparently), and just send a flare when done. I feel like that’s a missed opportunity for the heist.

- First, we know that Darius has informants in the houses, so why he wouldn’t go with them to help, or at least help them come up with a plan, is beyond me. Like, how badly does he want to retrieve these relics if he’s so careless about Eban (a guy he clearly isn’t a fan of) and Gin retrieving them? They could’ve at least discussed it during their return trip to Lacon. (I mean, maybe it’ll become clear in the end since Darius is suspicious to me as a character.)

- And second, how convenient that they happen to come across someone who recognizes Gin from House Eternal (bringing her food?), but doesn’t realize that Gin wasn’t working there. And then she’s the one who tells them the secret way into House Dominant. It’s very convenient, and it’s still ridiculous to me that that’s how they come up with a plan.


- Also, it was confirmed that both Gin and Eban are each in possession of a relic. I can believe that there are more that they need to retrieve from House Dominant (though I could’ve sworn Darius said there’s just a couple missing—so maybe he’s setting them up to be caught because he thinks Eban has the missing relics?). But why hasn’t Eban even tried to put his relic to use yet? He’s said he doesn’t have the same power as Gin—fine, let’s say I believe that. Why wouldn’t he at least give it to Gin to try and use, to at least know what it does?

- I mean, I have a strong feeling that Eban will FINALLY try using his relic towards the end of the book (and I’m already 66% in). But it’s so strange and unbelievable that we’re just ignoring it for now.


- I’m a bit confused at Gin’s reaction to seeing Rollo on the street with poor children. She assumes her only helped her, and helps the people on the street, to make himself feel better and different from other oppressors. And while I’m not saying he acted perfectly (and it wasn’t great that he ignored Gin when he saw her), I don’t understand why that riled her up as much as it did. He’s still giving coins (and food?) to those on the street that need it. Yes he’s making himself feel better, but he’s also making others feel better in the process—it’s not like he’s ridiculing them and parading them around the elites to be laughed at or something. (Honestly, this just felt like the author needed an excuse for Gin to choose Eban over Rollo romantically, but I don’t think the reasoning worked here.)


- Also, I greatly appreciate that this story wants to explore how terrible colonialism is. But having paragraph after paragraph telling us how mean the Lacon are to the Ophir is starting to get repetitive. I think it’s more powerful if we are shown these instances (like the attack on the Lashing was good).

- I’m glad that Gin and Eban are reconnecting with their heritage in this book. But them coming across the lost kingdom in the ocean felt kinda random. Like it’s a cool concept, but it’s almost taking away from the task at hand (sneaking into House Dominant). Especially since they are only there in their heads, like a memory/dream. I also wish it had been more intentional about them finding it, like how they were searching for the Lashing earlier.

- The trip to this lost kingdom was obviously just so the author could info dump about the history of the world and the meanings of the relics. And don’t get me wrong, I actually like the history that was given—of the Lacon killing all the bonded to try and teal the magic for themselves. I just wish the history was introduced in a more compelling way. (Or that Gin and Eban at least sought out these answers themselves, rather than it essentially being dropped into their laps.)

- I mean, it was obvious that, if they weren’t just fated lovers, the marks on their arms meant that Gin and Eban are from special bloodlines. I like that though, and I like that Gin is from the warriors and Eban is from royalty.

- This need to bond with relics via the trials is dumb. Gin not only talked to her spirit already; she’s already called on the spirit to save her. So yes, Gin may not have activated the magic within herself yet, she’s already had control of it. So the stakes of these trials don’t feel high.

- Also saying Eban cannot talk to his spirit because he’s not ready to listen…um, okay? What does that even mean?

- The romantic feelings that Eban suddenly has for Gin seem so random. And rushed. I know I’m more than two-thirds into the book, but I don’t understand how such a romance even developed… Because if I’m being honest, Eban and Gin have barely gotten to know each other thus far.


- I’m gonna go ahead and guess that the trickster god is either tied to Darius or Rollo somehow.

- Wow, those trials were dumb. I’m glad they only lasted two chapters, because how anti-climatic.

- First of all, I don’t mind the idea of them having to embrace the past to access their powers. But for Eban to bow out of doing that is stupid—it’s not like he had to relive it and be that nine-year-old on the run (and it felt so real because he was running for his life, etc.). He was just watching it happen! This wasn’t even a trial, to be honest, it was just him watching a memory!

- Second of all, Eban’s memory with his uncle was ridiculous. I appreciate him and his uncle (a father figure) were trying to escape the Blackcoats. But for him to stop running, and draw his sword, because he wants to cut his uncle, so that he can escape… and his uncle is like go ahead do it? That’s so bizarre!!!

- I think it wouldn’t worked way better if while running, the two of them either split up (and maybe Eban hides while his uncle draws the Blackcoats away) OR the uncle was the one to suggest Eban cut him. How it’s currently portrayed just makes no sense. And I understand the author wants to make Eban be this tortured, guilt-ridden person, but this didn’t land at all.

- The only thing I liked about that scene is that Eban took his late uncle’s name.

- Gin’s trial was also dumb. I don’t think she even saw her own memory, she saw he’s spirits? It wasn’t good. The author couldn’t come up with a better way.

- 77% Okay—it’s a long time coming, but maybe we are FINALLY going to get a heist in this book? When they sneak into the vault?

- Nope, just kidding—Darius just tells them to enter the palace as servants, and then sneak off to find the vault. I need more planning than that!

- Between Darius convincing them not to use the entrance in the side of the cliff, and him changing his mind to appear like a noble rather than sneak in as a servant, it’s looking more and more like Darius is in control of the Trickster Ophir God.

- Also, idk why, but I have this feeling that Darius and Rollo might be the same person? (And can shift appearances using their trickster power?)


- It’s pretty obvious from the way that they are only allowing in strong Ophir that there’s going to be some battle to the death. (Yep, I was right! It was so obvious—how did Gin and Eban not realize that? I thought they were smarter than that.)

- While I think it’s stupid how Gin just pushed a man and was invited in (it would’ve been more compelling if she hadn’t been chosen), I did like the scene where they had to battle against the automaton. That was great, and honestly the first truly compelling scene in this book (even if Gin’s ability to control her power so easily, without practice, and just the will of her mind, was a bit convenient). It was a little rushed pacing wise, but I still enjoyed it. It’s also interesting that the guards are wearing Ophir symbols, because they are “rebels” as Tadhana called them earlier.

- Okay so now Gin and Eban are racing through the halls, in search of the vault, with Tadhana leading them the right way. That’s fine, but I still don’t consider any of this to be a heist. I also predict Darius is gonna show up on Team Lacon at some point.


- Listen, I like that they found the Ophir prisoners underground and want to free them (thought it’s a bit weird that the key only works on Silva’s cell, the first one Gin tries). And I think Gin and Eban having to separate in the last leg of their search is good. But they’re under a time crunch where (Silva just said we need to get the prisoners free asap), and yet they are stopping and sharing a kiss? Now?? Not the time.

- Except…now I have even bigger questions. Silva said her and the others were caged because they are to take part in the tournament. So (1) why were they choosing strong people to compete in the competition , when they already had people locked up for it? And (2) why were they only choosing strong people (like Gin and Eban) when there were men, women, and children locked up for the tournament, some of whom have been locked up for a while???? None of this makes sense.


- Also, there’s a good chance they won’t both be in the eastern garden at sundown with Darius.


- Wait what? How does Rollo calling Eban the Weasel make him assume the failed heist at the gaming hall was a setup?????


- I mean listen, Im glad Eban is still alive after fading so many Blackcoats. But the way Rollo was “finish this” implied he wanted Eban to be killed. Now, obviously it’s probably smarter to take Eban prisoner until you find Gin, but Rollo had hoped Gin would be with Eban…so idk, it’s just unclear how the guards knew not to kill Eban in that moment.


- I KNEW IT! I KNEW ROLLO AND DARIUS WERE THE SAME PERSON!! It was so obvious to me.


⁃ I like that Gin tricked Rollo (Darius) by acting like she loves him, only to then stab him.

⁃ The epilogue where Eban has been in prison for months at House Eternal, and Rollo is the warden (alive of course), was intriguing. But I won't be reading the sequel to find out what it is.

⁃ My final thoughts: This book was pretty bad. It was not a heist story at all. And what it was, I didn’t really enjoy. Yikes. I hope the author will make improvements to what I just read.

[Schelby Tharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so ready to go back and see what happens! This book had me hooked! I don’t read physical books too often but I couldn’t put it down! I would recommend to everyone!!!!

[Summer Hensley (TheStoryNookBook) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This moved at such a fast pace that the characters did not feel fully developed. This caused a lack of chemistry and made things feel glossed over.

While some may enjoy it, I do not think this one was for me. Marketed as a heist, it lacked heist qualities and simply felt more like characters trying to find a lost world.

[Phoebe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

1.5 stars rounded down. For an author with as many books written as Melissa de la Cruz, it's kind of bizarre how badly crafted this book is, though honestly, I've mainly only ever heard bad things about her work. Well, first of all, I appreciate that Kingdom of Waves is a YA book trying to tackle colonialism, specifically colonialism against indigenous peoples. I think there are some valuable takeaways for a younger reader who is not entirely aware of how indigenous people have been subjugated. ...However. The book is entirely too heavy-handed with its message and the way Ophir is described does not make it believable that it *is* a subjugated civilization.

Let me elaborate: this is a problem with the entire book but the author pretty much only sketches out whatever is necessary for the story to keep going. As a result, the world doesn't feel lived in and the characters don't feel like real people. This is especially egregious with the Ophir. We're told a lot about how Lacon views them as barbarians and treats them as second-class citizens, but weirdly, we get more description about Laconian culture than we do Ophir. I can't really tell you anything substantial about Ophir culture, traditions, or beliefs other than that they worship ancestors and gods (on the flip side, I don't know what the Laconian worship), they maybe eat slightly more seafood and tropical fruits than Lacon (honestly, this is tentative, given Lacon is also located by the sea), and uhhh they use more humble materials for their clothing?? (Though, this is debatable because what we see of Ophir later in the book suggests it was just as ostentatious as Lacon.) We never get to know what about Ophir is actually *different* from Lacon, such that they can be portrayed as "barbarians" in the first place, and I honestly feel like this is a somewhat common pitfall for some white authors trying to write racial dynamics when they don't fully understand how those work and are enforced. In general, I feel like Ophir, in the descriptions about its original kingdom, feels very......Euro-centric. Sure, Lacon is all about gold and marble and brocade and silk and Ophir uses crystals and pearls but in actuality, there is no real difference between the two civilizations. What particularly stuck out to me was that Ophir preserves its history in *books*, when indigenous cultures are famously oratory or at least, non-textual. That, combined with Ophir's opulent grandeur, felt like a missed opportunity to highlight aspects of a culture that aren't normally portrayed as worthwhile or valuable. It also felt weird for the author to pretty much copy-paste the treatment of indigenous peoples onto the Ophir but then completely disregard any cultural parallels in favor of aesthetics and convenience. I somewhat wonder if the author just didn't want to bother with deeper research than what she already knew.

That aside, I also have issues with the characters, romance, and story. First off though, the synopsis is a complete lie. This is not a heist book *at all*. There is little to no elaborate planning, scheming, or deception. The "heist" described in the synopsis is essentially a brute-force robbery, and the "bands of thieves" we're suggested rival each other are basically two *pairs* of thieves that are quickly whittled down to just our two main characters Gin and Eban when their respective friends die. And speaking of those deaths... The book is rather short and the pacing is *extremely* fast. The reader and the characters never get a chance to fully sit with what has happened, and this is particularly noticeable with the deaths of two characters that Gin and Eban respectively have long histories with. Actually, even before those two characters die, we're told that a previous "heist" Eban committed very recently got one of his friends killed, someone he says was like a brother to him....and he doesn't show one ounce of grief or guilt over it. He barely shows any more than that after his best friend Vergil is killed, and the book tries to justify this by Eban thinking to himself that he'll have time to mourn later, he has to focus on surviving now, that that's just how things go in a thief's life, but then...he never actually mourns. There *is* a moment where he tells the audience he's probably going to be tormented by nightmares of Vergil's death during the night but we never actually get to SEE him tormented by them, and he never really mentions them or Vergil throughout the course of the story so it comes off as him just not really caring about him all that much. I also thought it was particularly insulting when Eban thinks to himself that he never had a reason to live before falling in love with Gin when...he had Vergil....who was his closest friend.... Gin shows a similar level of indifference towards the death of her mentor, with the same justifications, and honestly she mentions her mentor somehow even less than Eban does Vergil, despite him having practically raised her and taught her everything.

On the topic of Eban and Gin themselves, they NEVER speak of their grief to one another. In fact, they never have any kind of substantial conversation with each other and yet they're deeply in love and "know" each other in the span of a few days. Their romance is completely unbelievable and it also starts out as practically instalove/instalust. Eban experiences jealousy over Gin having potentially had a lover after exchanging like, a few sentences with her, and both Gin and Eban also show attraction towards the other mere hours after their friends are killed. How is that the behavior of reasonable or even likeable people? There's also the issue that Gin is *incredibly* passive as a character (TBF, Eban also is, it's just more obvious with Gin) and a big reason she falls in love with Eban is that Eban allegedly trusts her to save herself, unlike her previous love interest Rollo who always protects her. This rings blatantly false when Eban saves her from nearly every situation and even at one point *makes* a decision for her...and she *likes* it. Her reasoning for loving him is so bizarre, and it's also pretty bizarre how she instantly jumps to believing Rollo only saved her to stroke his own ego the next time she sees him again despite not even interacting with him. The way the scene is written makes it feel like Gin is just jumping to a bunch of unfounded assumptions (even though they do end up being true in the end) just so the author can have Gin choose Eban without any emotional baggage. And the way Rollo starts acting like a cartoon villain after Gin decides that despite having acted perfectly nice before then...it's all so *lazy*.

There are also some plot things that make zero sense or are just written very weirdly. Eban instantly assumes that his previous failed heist at a gambling hall was a set-up because....Rollo calls him a weasel?? Darius's intent to steal the relics is bizarrely underbaked; he claims he's throwing together a crew to go steal it but then just has Gin and Eban and...abandons them to make a plan on their own?? There was also no reason for him to suddenly change his mind about the plan that *he* made when the author could've written him as having crafted the plan they ended up going with. It felt like a failed attempt at foreshadowing. I also didn't like the use of some anachronistic words and phrases, like "glitch", "whatever", "make bank", and I particularly didn't like the portrayal of Ophir's venerated ancestor spirits as very casual, almost childish people when they're supposedly the best of the best. It just felt like it took away from the story and the very real practice of ancestor worship, but that's my personal opinion. I also didn't really feel like the book or the civilization of Ophir was nearly as aquatic/oceanic as the title "Kingdom of Waves" makes it out to be.

As for the narrators, I thought the female one was pretty good but the male narrator was *horrendous*. I personally found his voice quite obnoxious, trying too hard to sound like a roguish thief that it sounded like a devil-may-care 15-year-old, and his cadence was very strange at some points, kind of like when students are reading out loud in class and don't bother with pacing their words in a natural way, kind of stopping very oddly once they reach the side of the page. He also did not bother to differentiate Eban's speaking voice with his thinking voice, or Eban's voice from any other character's voice for that matter. Everyone and everything sounded the same so it was at times difficult to tell who was speaking or when Eban's thoughts ended and his speech began. Honestly, it made Eban's chapters unbearable for me to listen to, and I'm going to try to avoid this narrator from now on. (EDIT: Apparently there's only one narrator?? That's actually incredible if so, and I commend the narrator's skill in doing both a female and male voice, but I stand by my points about not enjoying Eban's chapters.)

Anyways, that's all the criticism I can remember. I have another ARC of Melissa de la Cruz's to finish but in the future, I won't be reading anymore of her work.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley for this arc. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.


This is the first book in the Kingdom of Waves series and I enjoyed it from start to finish.


We are following Gin and Eban’s pov throughout the book. We meet Gin as she is about to be executed but she escapes and another servant is put in her place because of her friendship with Rollo whose bed she was sleeping in when she was found by Lady Ariadne and sentenced to death. Rollo is also the “son” of Lady Ariadne and loves Automatons. Gin and Eban meet when both their teams: Gin and Aris who was like a father to her, and Eban and his best friend both Aris and Eban’s best friend die and Gin and Eban decide to go to the tent island of their people the Ophir while making sure no Blackcoats get them or try to find the location of the “island”. They befriend David who is one of the leaders of the island and Gin is able to bound with a spirit in a bottle who happens to be her ancestor and she gains powers after going through a trial which Eban failed. Gin, Eban, and David go to House Eternal and Eban and Gin get in by be selected to be servants and David a nobleman. They are ushered into an arena where they realize that it’s an re enactment of the Ophir’s becoming servants. Gin and Eban escape and they find out that David is Rollo and he is actually a witch who can shapeshift and he’s been a double agent all along. Gin escapes and Eban is taken hostage and will stand trial.