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Beyond the Tides #2
A Flame Among the Seas
A kingdom risen. A goddess reborn. A world burning red.
Esmyra now knows the truth of her magic, but it’s cost her everything. Draevyn shattered her heart, and she’s sworn to make him pay. But when her hunt uncovers ancient lies, she finds herself entangled in a battle far greater than vengeance.
The truths revealed will unravel everything Esmyra thought she knew about him, herself, and the goddesses risen from the waves. Meanwhile, powers older than any empire stir, enemies wear masks of loyalty, and her own heart betrays her with its unrelenting pull toward the one man she’s vowed to hate.
With her crew caught in the crossfire and Syrena tightening her grip, Esmyra must learn who to trust—and who to destroy—before the tide drags her under. Because every choice carves her fate, and one misstep could strip her of everything she has left…including her soul.
Esmyra now knows the truth of her magic, but it’s cost her everything. Draevyn shattered her heart, and she’s sworn to make him pay. But when her hunt uncovers ancient lies, she finds herself entangled in a battle far greater than vengeance.
The truths revealed will unravel everything Esmyra thought she knew about him, herself, and the goddesses risen from the waves. Meanwhile, powers older than any empire stir, enemies wear masks of loyalty, and her own heart betrays her with its unrelenting pull toward the one man she’s vowed to hate.
With her crew caught in the crossfire and Syrena tightening her grip, Esmyra must learn who to trust—and who to destroy—before the tide drags her under. Because every choice carves her fate, and one misstep could strip her of everything she has left…including her soul.
582 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2026
About the author
Emilia Jae
6 books461 followersEmilia is an author of dark, epic, and romantic fantasy stories, and has been in love with disassociating through fantasy realms her entire life. She was born and raised in scenic New England, and when she isn't cuddled up with a good book, or writing her own, you can find her playing with her dog, or being the chaotic human that she is with her loved ones. Emilia is a Pisces and INFJ.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 433 reviews
June 5, 2026
2.5 🌟 unfortunately this didn’t land for me as well as i’d hoped. it’s definitely not a bad book and i did enjoy parts of it but i had a very mixed journey with this one, which ultimately effected my own personal enjoyment levels & rating. the start of this book was heavy on ‘miscommunication’ - it’s not a typical miscommunication trope but that’s the only way i can describe it spoiler free, and it honestly it got to the point where being so agitated and frustrated began to ware on me. at one point i really started to question if i could keep reading this dynamic, but eventually something happened that helped lift some of this, but after that i honestly found myself feeling slightly disjointed. i think the mixture of me loathing the main villain (which obviously means the villain is done well), but also most of the other characters aggravating me at the same time, just became tedious. ultimately this disconnected me from the story early on. so by the time i was free from the shackles of my annoyance, i wasn’t invested enough anymore & my care factor plummeted :(
i was really excited for esmi’s vengeance era. but it just didn’t work for me that well. i tried my hardest to understand her perspective and take into account she doesn’t have all the information that the reader does, but it was too much frustration happening for me at once. it can be tough to fully immerse yourself in someone seeking revenge built off them believing someone they shouldn’t. especially because i gave it grace in book 1, and at times it felt like ‘okay this badass woman just decided to stop using her critical thinking skills that i know she has?!’
she did end up showing a lot of development and growth as the story progressed. i guess i just wanted her feel a deep connection to her pain & burn the world with her but i didn’t get those feelings. that being said, i do think she’s a good fmc and i don’t dislike her character at all.
drae was saying and doing all the right things here, but i also felt a disconnect from him and the romance in this book. i can’t exactly pinpoint why. perhaps the fact i got pulled out of the story for a good chunk at the start, so i didn’t feel too much depth for their love. i do really like his character- he’s actually the only one who didn’t piss me off, but i just lost a bit of spark along the way. you know when the lines the mmc is delivering aren’t hitting as they should. again, likeable character and definitely giving all the right things - it all comes down to me loosing my connection.
atlas can fuck off. genuinely started to wonder if he was a illusion in book 1 and book 2 was in fact his first day alive because his stupidity took me out. he was so mad, about what?! it made NO sense. i hated being in his pov because i cannot stand his victim complex and his new shitty personality. screw him & his contradictory man child behaviour. did he end up coming around? yes. but, you’re not forgiven because you annoyed me beyond redemption buddy. unfortunately us virgos are a tough crowd when you start behaving like an utter fool.
i will say, from the 60% mark things felt a lot better with the main characters/side characters & it was very action packed. the ending, albeit predictable was definitely a brutal cliffhanger - sadly it didn’t hit me emotionally though. i reckon book 3 has potential to be as good as book 1, if not better, it’s just a shame this book made me so incredibly frustrated for too long & i ended up loosing my emotional connection.
overall, i still enjoyed the overarching plot and the world the author has created, i just felt disconnected on and off for a lot of this book. it is definitely a personal thing, as a lot of what ended up not working for me could be something that doesn’t brother other readers at all!!
i definitely didn’t hate it or anything so i think i’ll let a friend do the honours of letting me know if book 3 could be more of a win for me! i’m sure a lot of people who adored book 1 will continue to adore this instalment and feel a deep pull towards the characters and how the plot progresses!! it will definitely keep people on their toes & as mentioned, it is a personal thing why it didn’t land that way for me.
thank you so much for an arc copy emilia - i’m sorry this didn’t fully work for me!!! 🤍
—————
after how everything played out in book 1, i HAVE to dive into this! thank you to emilia for the e-arc!! past laura clearly knew she’d need it by applying before reading book 1 LOL, but yay for me it was a win & now i don’t have to wait!!!
i was really excited for esmi’s vengeance era. but it just didn’t work for me that well. i tried my hardest to understand her perspective and take into account she doesn’t have all the information that the reader does, but it was too much frustration happening for me at once. it can be tough to fully immerse yourself in someone seeking revenge built off them believing someone they shouldn’t. especially because i gave it grace in book 1, and at times it felt like ‘okay this badass woman just decided to stop using her critical thinking skills that i know she has?!’
she did end up showing a lot of development and growth as the story progressed. i guess i just wanted her feel a deep connection to her pain & burn the world with her but i didn’t get those feelings. that being said, i do think she’s a good fmc and i don’t dislike her character at all.
drae was saying and doing all the right things here, but i also felt a disconnect from him and the romance in this book. i can’t exactly pinpoint why. perhaps the fact i got pulled out of the story for a good chunk at the start, so i didn’t feel too much depth for their love. i do really like his character- he’s actually the only one who didn’t piss me off, but i just lost a bit of spark along the way. you know when the lines the mmc is delivering aren’t hitting as they should. again, likeable character and definitely giving all the right things - it all comes down to me loosing my connection.
atlas can fuck off. genuinely started to wonder if he was a illusion in book 1 and book 2 was in fact his first day alive because his stupidity took me out. he was so mad, about what?! it made NO sense. i hated being in his pov because i cannot stand his victim complex and his new shitty personality. screw him & his contradictory man child behaviour. did he end up coming around? yes. but, you’re not forgiven because you annoyed me beyond redemption buddy. unfortunately us virgos are a tough crowd when you start behaving like an utter fool.
i will say, from the 60% mark things felt a lot better with the main characters/side characters & it was very action packed. the ending, albeit predictable was definitely a brutal cliffhanger - sadly it didn’t hit me emotionally though. i reckon book 3 has potential to be as good as book 1, if not better, it’s just a shame this book made me so incredibly frustrated for too long & i ended up loosing my emotional connection.
overall, i still enjoyed the overarching plot and the world the author has created, i just felt disconnected on and off for a lot of this book. it is definitely a personal thing, as a lot of what ended up not working for me could be something that doesn’t brother other readers at all!!
i definitely didn’t hate it or anything so i think i’ll let a friend do the honours of letting me know if book 3 could be more of a win for me! i’m sure a lot of people who adored book 1 will continue to adore this instalment and feel a deep pull towards the characters and how the plot progresses!! it will definitely keep people on their toes & as mentioned, it is a personal thing why it didn’t land that way for me.
thank you so much for an arc copy emilia - i’m sorry this didn’t fully work for me!!! 🤍
—————
after how everything played out in book 1, i HAVE to dive into this! thank you to emilia for the e-arc!! past laura clearly knew she’d need it by applying before reading book 1 LOL, but yay for me it was a win & now i don’t have to wait!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
PURE CINEMAAAA
(stream of conscious chaotic review coming)
this book was a literal movie playing in my mind while reading. action packed from beginning to end and everything i could’ve hoped for in a highly anticipated sequel! i was a woman possessed and couldn’t put this book down if you had PAID me.
not an ounce of second book syndrome found here. Flame starts off with a bang and picks up right where Wraith ends. if you thought Esmyra was a powerful character in book one BOYYYYY just wait. the character arcs were amazing, and possibly not in the way you’d predict. Esmyra especially is challenged and forced to encounter the deepest parts of herself, and truly she’s a character that just feels so real it’s like you as the reader know her personally.
one of my favorite things about book featuring pirate crews is the found family, and Flame delivered on that front too 🥹 Jak is one of my favorite side characters quite literally ever, and i love how the fmc’s relationships aren’t limited to romantic.
ALL IN ALL THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE if you haven’t read wraith, DO SO IMMEDIATELY.
(stream of conscious chaotic review coming)
this book was a literal movie playing in my mind while reading. action packed from beginning to end and everything i could’ve hoped for in a highly anticipated sequel! i was a woman possessed and couldn’t put this book down if you had PAID me.
not an ounce of second book syndrome found here. Flame starts off with a bang and picks up right where Wraith ends. if you thought Esmyra was a powerful character in book one BOYYYYY just wait. the character arcs were amazing, and possibly not in the way you’d predict. Esmyra especially is challenged and forced to encounter the deepest parts of herself, and truly she’s a character that just feels so real it’s like you as the reader know her personally.
one of my favorite things about book featuring pirate crews is the found family, and Flame delivered on that front too 🥹 Jak is one of my favorite side characters quite literally ever, and i love how the fmc’s relationships aren’t limited to romantic.
ALL IN ALL THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE if you haven’t read wraith, DO SO IMMEDIATELY.
June 29, 2026
3.5⭐️!
Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell that the author is clearly talented. I actually enjoyed the writing and how descriptive everything was. I don’t hate this book and I can most definitely see why others would enjoy it. For me I felt the most disconnect with the love story. I don’t really care for Drae and I just feel like they don’t have that much chemistry. That being said, the second half of the book is much better than the first! I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It got much more fast paced and we saw more of the side characters. The found family trope in this was lovely!
Thank you to emilia for gifting me this e-arc🧜♀️
Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell that the author is clearly talented. I actually enjoyed the writing and how descriptive everything was. I don’t hate this book and I can most definitely see why others would enjoy it. For me I felt the most disconnect with the love story. I don’t really care for Drae and I just feel like they don’t have that much chemistry. That being said, the second half of the book is much better than the first! I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit. It got much more fast paced and we saw more of the side characters. The found family trope in this was lovely!
Thank you to emilia for gifting me this e-arc🧜♀️
May 24, 2026
”there is no one more worthy than you, esmyra blackwood.”
kaelypso’s tits!!!!
that ending was insane wtf what do you mean that was the last line?!
this book was so fast paced it was such a fun, addictive read.
the character development in this book was so good, esmyra is even more of a badass in this one but we also get to see a more vulnerable side to her which i loved.
draevyn rowe…what a man. such a lover boy who will BURN for his woman.
im obsessed with the found family. some of the moments between them made me cry 🥹
“maybe home wasn’t a place at all. maybe home was just the people you love and would do anything for.”
thank you so much emilia for the arc!! i need book 3 in my hands asap.
kaelypso’s tits!!!!
that ending was insane wtf what do you mean that was the last line?!
this book was so fast paced it was such a fun, addictive read.
the character development in this book was so good, esmyra is even more of a badass in this one but we also get to see a more vulnerable side to her which i loved.
draevyn rowe…what a man. such a lover boy who will BURN for his woman.
im obsessed with the found family. some of the moments between them made me cry 🥹
“maybe home wasn’t a place at all. maybe home was just the people you love and would do anything for.”
thank you so much emilia for the arc!! i need book 3 in my hands asap.
June 4, 2026
“i’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, esmyra. and i’d kneel to you a thousand times over.”
—
this was the perfect sequel to one of my favorite reads of last year! this series scratches the pirate/summer itch i’ve desired so perfectly. it was fast-paced, high stakes, and packed with action. i had to take breaks because i was so stressed. like, can we chill???
esmyra’s villain era. her female rage. i support her rights and her WRONGS. she’s such a strong fmc after everything she’s been through over the past thousand years. her trust issues were so valid after what felt like the most heartbreaking betrayal. the thing that really showed her strength was her refusal to second-guess her instincts and her determination to uncover the truth no matter what.
draevyn is a top-tier book boyfriend. he LITERALLY burns for her. he would yearn to the ends of the earth for her. the scene with the pain… you know which one. i sobbed for him because of how deeply he loves her. his mouth and nicknames for her are also everything.
“𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐.”
the character progression was done so well. we see villains become even crazier, others battle with moral struggles, and some learn that softness isn’t a weakness. all of these dynamics tie into the found family aspect, and it was so special to see.
the ending was absolutely diabolical because wtf??? how am i supposed to wait for answers??? send help.
thank you so much emilia and her team for this e-arc! it’s an honor to be a part of the sea wraiths! ♥︎
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏. 𝒊𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚𝒔 𝒖𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆. 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆.”
—
this was the perfect sequel to one of my favorite reads of last year! this series scratches the pirate/summer itch i’ve desired so perfectly. it was fast-paced, high stakes, and packed with action. i had to take breaks because i was so stressed. like, can we chill???
esmyra’s villain era. her female rage. i support her rights and her WRONGS. she’s such a strong fmc after everything she’s been through over the past thousand years. her trust issues were so valid after what felt like the most heartbreaking betrayal. the thing that really showed her strength was her refusal to second-guess her instincts and her determination to uncover the truth no matter what.
draevyn is a top-tier book boyfriend. he LITERALLY burns for her. he would yearn to the ends of the earth for her. the scene with the pain… you know which one. i sobbed for him because of how deeply he loves her. his mouth and nicknames for her are also everything.
“𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐.”
the character progression was done so well. we see villains become even crazier, others battle with moral struggles, and some learn that softness isn’t a weakness. all of these dynamics tie into the found family aspect, and it was so special to see.
the ending was absolutely diabolical because wtf??? how am i supposed to wait for answers??? send help.
thank you so much emilia and her team for this e-arc! it’s an honor to be a part of the sea wraiths! ♥︎
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏. 𝒊𝒇 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒚𝒔 𝒖𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝒊 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆. 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆.”
May 26, 2026
“Careful. Kneeling before a goddess is a sign of worship.”
“I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over.”
SCREAMING!!!!!
My godddd this is how you write a second book. From the very beginning it was fast paced, action packed, emotional and impossible to put down.
I LOVED the villain era Esmyra stepped into. After everything this poor girl has been through she deserved to finally snap a little. The heartbreak in this book was actually insane. The yearning? The devotion? The sacrifices? UGH. It was everything!!! I also loved the found family aspect so much. The loyalty between these characters made every moment hit even harder and the character development was so well done. There were a couple POVs I could have done without at times but I understand why they were important to the overall story.
Esmyra, MY GIRL. She has officially earned a spot on my favorite FMC list. Strong, fierce, resilient and still fighting even after everything thrown at her. Watching her struggle but continue pushing forward was honestly so powerful and I love her for that.
And Draevyn Rowe… THIS MAN. He knows exactly what he wants and will burn the world down to get it. The devotion this man has for Esmyra???? Absolutely feral behavior. He went through hell and back without hesitation and I ate up every second of it. The banter between him and Esmyra was top tier.
I have SO much more to say but I refuse to spoil anything. Just know this book was an easy 10/10 and now I’m left emotionally destroyed waiting for book three.
Thank you SO MUCH Emilia for sending me this ARC. I’m SO grateful!!!
“I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over.”
SCREAMING!!!!!
My godddd this is how you write a second book. From the very beginning it was fast paced, action packed, emotional and impossible to put down.
I LOVED the villain era Esmyra stepped into. After everything this poor girl has been through she deserved to finally snap a little. The heartbreak in this book was actually insane. The yearning? The devotion? The sacrifices? UGH. It was everything!!! I also loved the found family aspect so much. The loyalty between these characters made every moment hit even harder and the character development was so well done. There were a couple POVs I could have done without at times but I understand why they were important to the overall story.
Esmyra, MY GIRL. She has officially earned a spot on my favorite FMC list. Strong, fierce, resilient and still fighting even after everything thrown at her. Watching her struggle but continue pushing forward was honestly so powerful and I love her for that.
And Draevyn Rowe… THIS MAN. He knows exactly what he wants and will burn the world down to get it. The devotion this man has for Esmyra???? Absolutely feral behavior. He went through hell and back without hesitation and I ate up every second of it. The banter between him and Esmyra was top tier.
I have SO much more to say but I refuse to spoil anything. Just know this book was an easy 10/10 and now I’m left emotionally destroyed waiting for book three.
Thank you SO MUCH Emilia for sending me this ARC. I’m SO grateful!!!
June 13, 2026
OMG!! This book was so freaking good! I was on the edge of my seat and every twist and turn in the plot was unexpected. Esmyra is the ultimate FMC- fully into her feminine rage in this book, absolutely fierce and powerful - and absolutely UNHINGED and it’s incredible to read! I do also like that she is on a bit of a quest to figure out where she belongs and who she is. Draevyn is the best kind of book boyfriend too, he is absolutely devoted to Esmyra and will literally burn the world for her. He is devoted, loyal, says exactly how he feels without holding back, and the chemistry he has with Esmyra is palpable!
There are so many things about this book that I loved, but above all things this was just so riddled with action and adventure, and kept me in my feels throughout the whole thing. I am so freaking depressed that I now have to wait until 2027 to continue this story because it absolutely leaves you HANGING on that cliff!
I’m just stunned and super stoked to read the next book! Get this on your TBR straight away!
There are so many things about this book that I loved, but above all things this was just so riddled with action and adventure, and kept me in my feels throughout the whole thing. I am so freaking depressed that I now have to wait until 2027 to continue this story because it absolutely leaves you HANGING on that cliff!
I’m just stunned and super stoked to read the next book! Get this on your TBR straight away!
May 27, 2026
I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever read a more perfect sequel. I have no idea how Emilia does it, but her writing is unbelievably addictive and immersive: you don’t just read the story, you live it alongside the characters. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and somehow it still exceeded every expectation I had.
Esmyra might honestly go down as one of my favorite FMCs of all time, and that is saying a lot. I adored her revenge arc, her rage, her heartbreak, supporting her rights and her wrongs every step of the way. She’s such a layered, complex character: a girl who lost everything and wants the world to feel even a fraction of her pain. There’s something so raw and real about her. I found myself connecting to her on a deeper level than just loving a fictional character. This book made me recognize parts of myself in her that I hadn’t fully acknowledged before. That fear of letting people in, keeping relationships surface-level because trusting the wrong people once left you drowning… Emilia captured that feeling perfectly. Watching Esmyra slowly realize she is worthy of love and acceptance, flaws and all, genuinely hit me hard.
“Careful, kneeling before a goddess is a sign of worship.” “I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over. You’re the only thing in this cursed world worth bending to.”
And don’t even get me started on Draevyn because he has officially secured a spot in my top ten book husbands. He is so baby girl. The way he grovels for Esmyra, begs for even a second of her attention, and supports her no matter how messy things get? UGH. That man is the living embodiment of “I’ll follow you to the depths of hell and never look back.” He never judges her, never tries to dim her rage, and loves her through every mistake she makes. I’m obsessed with him.
“I would’ve burned the world to keep you safe. I still would. And I almost did.”
This may not have been a full six-star read for me purely because some of the additional POVs occasionally pulled me out of the story, but I completely understand why they were necessary. They added so much depth, tension, and understanding to the overall narrative, and I can absolutely appreciate that. Also, Emilia truly knows how to write a villain because I have never wanted to physically jump into a book and fight someone more in my life.
And that ENDING??? Actually cruel. The audacity of making me wait an entire year to find out how this disaster gets resolved should be illegal. I will absolutely be spiraling until book three is in my hands.
Huge ty to Emilia for sending me an e-arc and allowing me to be a part of the arc team. I’m so thankful 🤍
Esmyra might honestly go down as one of my favorite FMCs of all time, and that is saying a lot. I adored her revenge arc, her rage, her heartbreak, supporting her rights and her wrongs every step of the way. She’s such a layered, complex character: a girl who lost everything and wants the world to feel even a fraction of her pain. There’s something so raw and real about her. I found myself connecting to her on a deeper level than just loving a fictional character. This book made me recognize parts of myself in her that I hadn’t fully acknowledged before. That fear of letting people in, keeping relationships surface-level because trusting the wrong people once left you drowning… Emilia captured that feeling perfectly. Watching Esmyra slowly realize she is worthy of love and acceptance, flaws and all, genuinely hit me hard.
“Careful, kneeling before a goddess is a sign of worship.” “I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over. You’re the only thing in this cursed world worth bending to.”
And don’t even get me started on Draevyn because he has officially secured a spot in my top ten book husbands. He is so baby girl. The way he grovels for Esmyra, begs for even a second of her attention, and supports her no matter how messy things get? UGH. That man is the living embodiment of “I’ll follow you to the depths of hell and never look back.” He never judges her, never tries to dim her rage, and loves her through every mistake she makes. I’m obsessed with him.
“I would’ve burned the world to keep you safe. I still would. And I almost did.”
This may not have been a full six-star read for me purely because some of the additional POVs occasionally pulled me out of the story, but I completely understand why they were necessary. They added so much depth, tension, and understanding to the overall narrative, and I can absolutely appreciate that. Also, Emilia truly knows how to write a villain because I have never wanted to physically jump into a book and fight someone more in my life.
And that ENDING??? Actually cruel. The audacity of making me wait an entire year to find out how this disaster gets resolved should be illegal. I will absolutely be spiraling until book three is in my hands.
Huge ty to Emilia for sending me an e-arc and allowing me to be a part of the arc team. I’m so thankful 🤍
June 6, 2026
4.5⭐️ This book was chaotic, messy, and action-packed right from the beginning.. and somehow it only kept getting crazier. The powers, the tension, the magic, and the nonstop action made it so hard to stop reading!
Esmyra’s growth is so clear in this book.. stronger, fiercer, and fully stepping into her power.. even more satisfying than the last. My girl is deep in her villain era and I got exactly what I was hoping for since book 1.
“𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇*ς𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏.”
And Drae… if I already loved him in the first book, I came to love him even more here. Those moments, those spoken words.. ugh.🫠
“𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝑬𝒔𝒎𝒚𝒓𝒂. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓.”
And that alley and rooftop scenes?? Without giving too much away, I loved every second of it!!🫠 The tension, the banters, the way those scenes were written!! I was giggling and grinning like an idiot the entire time.
The push and pull between the characters, the danger, the emotional moments, and all the intense scenes had me in a chokehold the whole time.. Every chapter felt like something was happening.
Also… Jenli?? What a fun addition. I absolutely loved her energy and really hope we get more of her in the next book.
And the battles! The rivalries, the magic, the tension, the sheer intensity of it all!! Every scene kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely locked in from start to finish.
That ending though… now how am I supposed to wait for Book 3??😔
**Thank you to the author for this ARC.
Esmyra’s growth is so clear in this book.. stronger, fiercer, and fully stepping into her power.. even more satisfying than the last. My girl is deep in her villain era and I got exactly what I was hoping for since book 1.
“𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎. 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉𝒔. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇*ς𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏.”
And Drae… if I already loved him in the first book, I came to love him even more here. Those moments, those spoken words.. ugh.🫠
“𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝑬𝒔𝒎𝒚𝒓𝒂. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓.”
And that alley and rooftop scenes?? Without giving too much away, I loved every second of it!!🫠 The tension, the banters, the way those scenes were written!! I was giggling and grinning like an idiot the entire time.
The push and pull between the characters, the danger, the emotional moments, and all the intense scenes had me in a chokehold the whole time.. Every chapter felt like something was happening.
Also… Jenli?? What a fun addition. I absolutely loved her energy and really hope we get more of her in the next book.
And the battles! The rivalries, the magic, the tension, the sheer intensity of it all!! Every scene kept me on the edge of my seat. I was completely locked in from start to finish.
That ending though… now how am I supposed to wait for Book 3??😔
**Thank you to the author for this ARC.
May 19, 2026
this book was everything I wanted in a sequel oh my GOSH.
a wraith beneath the tides was one of my favorite books last year so the bar was high for book two but oh my god did Emilia deliver.
Esmyra’s RAGE in A Flame Among the Seas is so loud that it leaps off the page. I felt like I needed to shake a torch in the sky and scream with her. It was so incredibly well done AND she was still smart about it. It can be so frustrating when MCs are so blinded by rage that they do dumb shit but Esmyra was so genuinely smart that it was refreshing. Were there still moments of confusion? Of course but girlfriend didn’t just blindly trust which was AMAZING.
The entire book was so immersive that I truly felt like I was watching a movie and I cannot believe I’m never going to read this book for the first time again. Thank you so much to Emilia for the eARC!!
a wraith beneath the tides was one of my favorite books last year so the bar was high for book two but oh my god did Emilia deliver.
Esmyra’s RAGE in A Flame Among the Seas is so loud that it leaps off the page. I felt like I needed to shake a torch in the sky and scream with her. It was so incredibly well done AND she was still smart about it. It can be so frustrating when MCs are so blinded by rage that they do dumb shit but Esmyra was so genuinely smart that it was refreshing. Were there still moments of confusion? Of course but girlfriend didn’t just blindly trust which was AMAZING.
The entire book was so immersive that I truly felt like I was watching a movie and I cannot believe I’m never going to read this book for the first time again. Thank you so much to Emilia for the eARC!!
June 6, 2026
5⭐️ “I am the sea.” I am the storm. I am the depths. And I am the fucking monster within.”
Hey so Emilia Jae?? WHAT THE FUCK??? count ur days because that was the most FOUL ending ever. I’m so upset. I’m staring at a wall. I’m distraught.
GOD! Guys I didn’t think we could get better than book 1 but here we are. This was PURE CINEMA PERFECTION. Every single thing about this book was perfect. I’m in awe. I’m obsessed with this world. These characters. This story. Emilia’s writing. like WOW. Esmyra is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Her revenge is so palpable in this book you can TASTE IT! She’s so strong and this book absolutely solidifies her as one of my new favorite fmcs! Draevyn. OMG DRAEVYN. OUR ABSOLUTE SIMP PIRATE BBY DRAEVYN😭😭 He is goals and worships the ground esmyra walks on. as he should. They are everything god i love them so much😭😭😭 The plot thickens in this one and it is NON STOP from page one. All gas no breaks. Complete deep dive into this story and there’s no coming out for air. And I loved every second of it.
That ending was so foul yall must prepare yourselves. Thank you SO MUCH to emilia for the advanced copy im so thankful. Please read this. Please read Wraith. Please pick up these books. Her writing is so good.
Hey so Emilia Jae?? WHAT THE FUCK??? count ur days because that was the most FOUL ending ever. I’m so upset. I’m staring at a wall. I’m distraught.
GOD! Guys I didn’t think we could get better than book 1 but here we are. This was PURE CINEMA PERFECTION. Every single thing about this book was perfect. I’m in awe. I’m obsessed with this world. These characters. This story. Emilia’s writing. like WOW. Esmyra is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Her revenge is so palpable in this book you can TASTE IT! She’s so strong and this book absolutely solidifies her as one of my new favorite fmcs! Draevyn. OMG DRAEVYN. OUR ABSOLUTE SIMP PIRATE BBY DRAEVYN😭😭 He is goals and worships the ground esmyra walks on. as he should. They are everything god i love them so much😭😭😭 The plot thickens in this one and it is NON STOP from page one. All gas no breaks. Complete deep dive into this story and there’s no coming out for air. And I loved every second of it.
That ending was so foul yall must prepare yourselves. Thank you SO MUCH to emilia for the advanced copy im so thankful. Please read this. Please read Wraith. Please pick up these books. Her writing is so good.
June 3, 2026
What an absolutely fantastic sequel!! We immediately pick up exactly where we left on in WRAITH, and jump right in to the next adventure. Emilia graciously provided a recap in the beginning for those that need a refresher😉
I adored WRAITH but this goes above and beyond. Esmyra’s villain era was perfection. I LOVE how confident and badass she is. I aspire to be like her. What really makes her stand out is that she isn’t overly cocky. She knows her limits, and herself, so well. It’s refreshing to read an fmc like this.
Draevyn mf Rowe. He was sexy in WRAITH, but here?? Blew me AWAY. He meshes so perfectly with esmyra it’s insane. He doesn’t get in her way, and he’s so content to just watch her be a badass and I love that for him. A man head over heels obsessed with his woman is going to hit every time. Their romance was steamy, but it was also so sweet. It was lovely to get to see that side of these characters.
The plot was engaging and the pacing was excellent. I was locked in from the get go. We also got to explore more of this world and had some things begin to come together. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. The action sequences were written so well too. I could vividly see what was happening in my brain. No notes.
Emilia also does such a good job of fleshing out her side characters. Love them or hate them, they’re such nuanced characters. I can’t wait to see where we go with them in the next book. Our villains are the same way. While they’re horrible, we get to really understand their motivations and that was so appreciated on my part.
The ending was NUTS. Actually diabolical. I turned the page and saw “acknowledgments” and was baffled. I need the next book in my hands ASAP.
I want to give a HUGE thank you to Emilia Jae and her team for both this e-arc and the opportunity to be on the street team for this series!! Beyond grateful.
I adored WRAITH but this goes above and beyond. Esmyra’s villain era was perfection. I LOVE how confident and badass she is. I aspire to be like her. What really makes her stand out is that she isn’t overly cocky. She knows her limits, and herself, so well. It’s refreshing to read an fmc like this.
Draevyn mf Rowe. He was sexy in WRAITH, but here?? Blew me AWAY. He meshes so perfectly with esmyra it’s insane. He doesn’t get in her way, and he’s so content to just watch her be a badass and I love that for him. A man head over heels obsessed with his woman is going to hit every time. Their romance was steamy, but it was also so sweet. It was lovely to get to see that side of these characters.
The plot was engaging and the pacing was excellent. I was locked in from the get go. We also got to explore more of this world and had some things begin to come together. I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. The action sequences were written so well too. I could vividly see what was happening in my brain. No notes.
Emilia also does such a good job of fleshing out her side characters. Love them or hate them, they’re such nuanced characters. I can’t wait to see where we go with them in the next book. Our villains are the same way. While they’re horrible, we get to really understand their motivations and that was so appreciated on my part.
The ending was NUTS. Actually diabolical. I turned the page and saw “acknowledgments” and was baffled. I need the next book in my hands ASAP.
I want to give a HUGE thank you to Emilia Jae and her team for both this e-arc and the opportunity to be on the street team for this series!! Beyond grateful.
June 11, 2026
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🫶🏽 Vibes:
✨ Goddess reborn
🏴☠️ Pirate romantasy
🧜♀️ Sirens & sea monsters
⚔️ Older FMC
🔥 Fire-wielding MMC
💔 Betrayal & revenge
👯 Sisters & family bonds
🪄 Ancient magic & curses
😤 Feminine rage
⭐ Star-crossed lovers
First, thank you so much to Emilia Jae for the ARC copy of this book. I finished it just in the nick of time for release day!
I have really mixed feelings about this one because there were parts I genuinely enjoyed and parts that never fully clicked for me.
The story drops us right back into the action where the first book left off. Esmyra now knows the truth about her magic, but that knowledge has cost her everything. She’s determined to make Draevyn pay for what happened, but the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers ancient lies, goddess lore, curses, hidden loyalties, and a much bigger conflict than simple revenge.
One thing I will absolutely give this book is the pacing. Even though it’s a pretty hefty fantasy, I flew through it. There was always something happening, whether it was battles, political maneuvering, sea monsters, magic, or uncovering more about the goddesses and Esmyra’s place in all of it.
My biggest struggle was honestly the romance.
The miscommunication from the first book carries on for what felt like forever, and by the time it was finally resolved, I felt disconnected from Esmyra and Draevyn as a couple. Once they got together, Draevyn spent a lot of time professing his love for her, but I never fully bought into the relationship. I heard it, but I didn’t really feel it.
I also had a hard time connecting with Esmyra herself at times. This book really leans into her anger, her vengeance, and what almost feels like her villain era. I understood what the story was trying to do, but I think the third-person POV created a little distance for me. I kept wishing I could be inside her head more because I didn’t always understand her motivations the way I wanted to. I think if this had been written in first person, I might have connected with her character a lot more.
That being said, there were still a lot of things I enjoyed. I loved the mythology surrounding the goddesses, the sister relationships, the curses, and the expanding magic system. And can we talk about the villain for a second? Because I HATE her. Truly. Every time she showed up on the page I was ready to fight. Which means she was written incredibly well.
I also kept waiting for that vengeance arc to really pay off, and by the end I was honestly left frustrated. Not because it was poorly done, but because I wanted certain people to get what was coming to them and the book said, “Not today.”
Overall, I think this is one of those situations where I can recognize a lot of things that worked, but some of the character and romance elements just didn’t land for me personally. If you loved the first book, I think you’ll still find a lot to enjoy here. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t hit me quite the same way I was hoping it would.
🫶🏽 Vibes:
✨ Goddess reborn
🏴☠️ Pirate romantasy
🧜♀️ Sirens & sea monsters
⚔️ Older FMC
🔥 Fire-wielding MMC
💔 Betrayal & revenge
👯 Sisters & family bonds
🪄 Ancient magic & curses
😤 Feminine rage
⭐ Star-crossed lovers
First, thank you so much to Emilia Jae for the ARC copy of this book. I finished it just in the nick of time for release day!
I have really mixed feelings about this one because there were parts I genuinely enjoyed and parts that never fully clicked for me.
The story drops us right back into the action where the first book left off. Esmyra now knows the truth about her magic, but that knowledge has cost her everything. She’s determined to make Draevyn pay for what happened, but the deeper she digs, the more she uncovers ancient lies, goddess lore, curses, hidden loyalties, and a much bigger conflict than simple revenge.
One thing I will absolutely give this book is the pacing. Even though it’s a pretty hefty fantasy, I flew through it. There was always something happening, whether it was battles, political maneuvering, sea monsters, magic, or uncovering more about the goddesses and Esmyra’s place in all of it.
My biggest struggle was honestly the romance.
The miscommunication from the first book carries on for what felt like forever, and by the time it was finally resolved, I felt disconnected from Esmyra and Draevyn as a couple. Once they got together, Draevyn spent a lot of time professing his love for her, but I never fully bought into the relationship. I heard it, but I didn’t really feel it.
I also had a hard time connecting with Esmyra herself at times. This book really leans into her anger, her vengeance, and what almost feels like her villain era. I understood what the story was trying to do, but I think the third-person POV created a little distance for me. I kept wishing I could be inside her head more because I didn’t always understand her motivations the way I wanted to. I think if this had been written in first person, I might have connected with her character a lot more.
That being said, there were still a lot of things I enjoyed. I loved the mythology surrounding the goddesses, the sister relationships, the curses, and the expanding magic system. And can we talk about the villain for a second? Because I HATE her. Truly. Every time she showed up on the page I was ready to fight. Which means she was written incredibly well.
I also kept waiting for that vengeance arc to really pay off, and by the end I was honestly left frustrated. Not because it was poorly done, but because I wanted certain people to get what was coming to them and the book said, “Not today.”
Overall, I think this is one of those situations where I can recognize a lot of things that worked, but some of the character and romance elements just didn’t land for me personally. If you loved the first book, I think you’ll still find a lot to enjoy here. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t hit me quite the same way I was hoping it would.
June 18, 2026
I’ve been itching to read A Wraith Beneath The Tides ever since I first saw its artwork. Finally picked it up last month, and I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you it CONSUMED my life! It was an instant 5 star read, and the second book turned out to be even more perfect somehow.
Let’s start with Esmyra because she’s one of my top favourite fmcs now. I’m gonna be honest, I find that badass fmcs can come across as sassy in an annoying way, but not Esmyra, because she’s SO charismatic! I loved how she completely embraced her feminine rage, and I support all her rights and wrongs. She’s a baddie, and I love her with my whole heart!
Now, Draevyn, I love how real he is. He is a little clueless at times, but it’s such a breath of fresh air to have an mmc who makes human mistakes and it somehow makes him even more perfect. He’s so loving and sensible but doesn’t play at all when it comes to Esmyra. I loved his character development and was cheering every time the Phoenix came out!
The romance was utter perfection! Their chemistry is so pure and their love bloomed so naturally. The tension and the banter were amazing, but what made my heart ache was how beautiful and agonising the yearning was. I loved how devoted and respectful Draevyn was to Esmyra and how he helped her grow and heal. And I was delighted that he gave in to his dark side and would literally burn the world for her 🤌🏼
The world building is so lovely that it made me remember why I love romantasy. The nautical elements, the different magical beings, the meddling gods, it was all so entertaining. I loved the new side characters and the development of the previous ones. The plot got thicker, and I love the whole mystery of their history slowly unfolding. It was stressful but SO fun, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
The cliffhanger at the end? Criminal! I wanted to scream, but I know this ending has set us up for a wild adventure in the next book so I’m very excited for it!
Thank you so much @authoremiliajae for this eARC! 🤍
Let’s start with Esmyra because she’s one of my top favourite fmcs now. I’m gonna be honest, I find that badass fmcs can come across as sassy in an annoying way, but not Esmyra, because she’s SO charismatic! I loved how she completely embraced her feminine rage, and I support all her rights and wrongs. She’s a baddie, and I love her with my whole heart!
Now, Draevyn, I love how real he is. He is a little clueless at times, but it’s such a breath of fresh air to have an mmc who makes human mistakes and it somehow makes him even more perfect. He’s so loving and sensible but doesn’t play at all when it comes to Esmyra. I loved his character development and was cheering every time the Phoenix came out!
The romance was utter perfection! Their chemistry is so pure and their love bloomed so naturally. The tension and the banter were amazing, but what made my heart ache was how beautiful and agonising the yearning was. I loved how devoted and respectful Draevyn was to Esmyra and how he helped her grow and heal. And I was delighted that he gave in to his dark side and would literally burn the world for her 🤌🏼
The world building is so lovely that it made me remember why I love romantasy. The nautical elements, the different magical beings, the meddling gods, it was all so entertaining. I loved the new side characters and the development of the previous ones. The plot got thicker, and I love the whole mystery of their history slowly unfolding. It was stressful but SO fun, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!
The cliffhanger at the end? Criminal! I wanted to scream, but I know this ending has set us up for a wild adventure in the next book so I’m very excited for it!
Thank you so much @authoremiliajae for this eARC! 🤍
June 15, 2026
A Flame Among the Seas is a gripping follow-up to A Wraith Beneath the Tides, and it delivers in every way possible.
Draevyn became my favourite character in this book. He would quite literally burn the world down for Esmyra, and even when it hurts him, he would rather sacrifice everything and everyone he loves than give up on her.
It's the kind of devotion that makes romance so compelling, the feelings roll off the page and make you feel every moment right alongside the characters. That said, this story leans more into adventure than romance, and I absolutely loved that balance. While Esmyra is driven by revenge, Draevyn continues to hold onto hope that she will eventually see the truth. The way he carries her in both his thoughts and actions was delicious to read. He never gives up on her.
Then there's Jak, Esmyra's best friend. His unwavering loyalty to Esmyra becomes even more apparent in this book, but it's the way he works alongside Draevyn, and what he witnesses along the way, that makes his character development shine. I also loved the way he tries to protect his crew. There was one particular moment that felt absolutely perfect on the page, and I was so immersed that it felt like I was standing there watching it unfold.
Esmyra still has a great deal to learn throughout this story, but once she reunites with Draevyn and Jak, that's when I felt the heart of the book truly came into alignment. There is something about the dynamic between these characters and their crew that simply works, and I found myself wanting even more of it.
For a sequel, this is one of the best follow-up books I have read. The stakes are higher, the adrenaline never lets up, and the pacing feels spot on. I loved every page and cannot wait to see how the series concludes.
I received this book as an ARC, however, this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings, shared voluntarily.
Draevyn became my favourite character in this book. He would quite literally burn the world down for Esmyra, and even when it hurts him, he would rather sacrifice everything and everyone he loves than give up on her.
It's the kind of devotion that makes romance so compelling, the feelings roll off the page and make you feel every moment right alongside the characters. That said, this story leans more into adventure than romance, and I absolutely loved that balance. While Esmyra is driven by revenge, Draevyn continues to hold onto hope that she will eventually see the truth. The way he carries her in both his thoughts and actions was delicious to read. He never gives up on her.
Then there's Jak, Esmyra's best friend. His unwavering loyalty to Esmyra becomes even more apparent in this book, but it's the way he works alongside Draevyn, and what he witnesses along the way, that makes his character development shine. I also loved the way he tries to protect his crew. There was one particular moment that felt absolutely perfect on the page, and I was so immersed that it felt like I was standing there watching it unfold.
Esmyra still has a great deal to learn throughout this story, but once she reunites with Draevyn and Jak, that's when I felt the heart of the book truly came into alignment. There is something about the dynamic between these characters and their crew that simply works, and I found myself wanting even more of it.
For a sequel, this is one of the best follow-up books I have read. The stakes are higher, the adrenaline never lets up, and the pacing feels spot on. I loved every page and cannot wait to see how the series concludes.
I received this book as an ARC, however, this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings, shared voluntarily.
June 18, 2026
Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that was just released called, A Flame Among the Seas. This is book 2 in this trilogy and it picks up right where book 1 left off. Esmyra did the impossible, bringing the lost kingdom of Maerinys back to the surface from the depths of the ocean. She is not only a pirate captain and a siren, but has been reborn as a goddess, the goddess of the sea. And she is angry and out for revenge after all that happened at the end of the first book. Esmyra doesn't trust her twin sister, she lost her crew, she's grieving her father, and feels betrayed by Draevyn the man she gave her heart to. Her anger, rage, and need for revenge as well as her twin sister's jealousy and thirst for power set a chain of events into motion that will change everything, ending in life and death.
I didn't want to give too much away above so let me just tell you right now to READ THIS SERIES! It's hands-down the best siren/pirate romantasy series! The world building is absolutely incredible. The descriptiveness and attention to detail brings the story to life so you feel as if you're a part of the story experiencing it not just reading it. The characters are so unique and entertaining from their personalities to their magical abilities to their humor. The romance is perfection, absolutely *chef's kiss*. But the epic fantasy and adventures and twists make this story truly unputdownable!!! I don't even know how to put into words how much I love everything about this series and how I never want it to end! 💙📚
Thank you to Emilia Jae for this ARC of A Flame Among the Seas, in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't want to give too much away above so let me just tell you right now to READ THIS SERIES! It's hands-down the best siren/pirate romantasy series! The world building is absolutely incredible. The descriptiveness and attention to detail brings the story to life so you feel as if you're a part of the story experiencing it not just reading it. The characters are so unique and entertaining from their personalities to their magical abilities to their humor. The romance is perfection, absolutely *chef's kiss*. But the epic fantasy and adventures and twists make this story truly unputdownable!!! I don't even know how to put into words how much I love everything about this series and how I never want it to end! 💙📚
Thank you to Emilia Jae for this ARC of A Flame Among the Seas, in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2026
There is one word that comes to mind after finishing this book... Fantastic! As a big fan of A Wraith Beneath the Tides, this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it completely exceeded my expectations.
A Flame Among the Seas is exactly what a sequel should be. Picking up right after the events of Wraith, it hits the ground running at full throttle. I also have to shout out the recap at the beginning! It’s the perfect refresher, no matter how well you think you remember the previous book.
Esmyra's villain arc is absolute perfection. She is such a badass, confident without crossing into being cocky. She knows exactly who she is, what she's about, and where her limits lie. Watching her fully embrace her powers was incredible. Meanwhile, Draevyn somehow won me over even more than he did in book one. I love his devotion to Esmyra and how completely down he is to let her take the lead. Their spicier scenes were perfectly balanced, bringing plenty of heat while deeply showcasing their love for one another.
This book is chaotic in the best way possible. It's loaded with action, tension, and a relentless pace that makes it impossible to put down. The magic, the battles, and the character development all come together to make A Flame Among the Seas a phenomenal sequel. I’ll be recommending this to everyone.
Now, the excruciating wait for book three begins...
A Flame Among the Seas is exactly what a sequel should be. Picking up right after the events of Wraith, it hits the ground running at full throttle. I also have to shout out the recap at the beginning! It’s the perfect refresher, no matter how well you think you remember the previous book.
Esmyra's villain arc is absolute perfection. She is such a badass, confident without crossing into being cocky. She knows exactly who she is, what she's about, and where her limits lie. Watching her fully embrace her powers was incredible. Meanwhile, Draevyn somehow won me over even more than he did in book one. I love his devotion to Esmyra and how completely down he is to let her take the lead. Their spicier scenes were perfectly balanced, bringing plenty of heat while deeply showcasing their love for one another.
This book is chaotic in the best way possible. It's loaded with action, tension, and a relentless pace that makes it impossible to put down. The magic, the battles, and the character development all come together to make A Flame Among the Seas a phenomenal sequel. I’ll be recommending this to everyone.
Now, the excruciating wait for book three begins...
May 31, 2026
[5⭐️]
you know when sometimes the 2nd book in a series can fall into the "2nd book syndrome" category…..let me tell you THIS WAS NOT THE CASE!!!! this book picks up right where we left off in book 1, and omg do you get right into it!! esmyra might be one of my new favourite fmcs, mainly because i see so much of myself in her. as soon as she gets hurt you immediately see her put her walls up to protect herself, and she struggles very much to let people in after that. she has her small close circle of people she can trust and who she would consider family when everyone else in her life has failed her. i heavily support both her rights and her wrongs, and it was great to witness her revenge arc in this book. now draevyn!! i didn’t think it was possible to love that man even more then i did in the 1st book, but here we are. as one of my favourite tropes, i definitely adored the found family aspect so much in this book. and i grew such a huge liking to jak as a character especially. now that ending…emilia what the… 😭 how am i supposed to wait!? 😩 safe to say if you love romantasy, and haven’t read this book then what are you doing!! pick it up nowwww
you know when sometimes the 2nd book in a series can fall into the "2nd book syndrome" category…..let me tell you THIS WAS NOT THE CASE!!!! this book picks up right where we left off in book 1, and omg do you get right into it!! esmyra might be one of my new favourite fmcs, mainly because i see so much of myself in her. as soon as she gets hurt you immediately see her put her walls up to protect herself, and she struggles very much to let people in after that. she has her small close circle of people she can trust and who she would consider family when everyone else in her life has failed her. i heavily support both her rights and her wrongs, and it was great to witness her revenge arc in this book. now draevyn!! i didn’t think it was possible to love that man even more then i did in the 1st book, but here we are. as one of my favourite tropes, i definitely adored the found family aspect so much in this book. and i grew such a huge liking to jak as a character especially. now that ending…emilia what the… 😭 how am i supposed to wait!? 😩 safe to say if you love romantasy, and haven’t read this book then what are you doing!! pick it up nowwww
June 17, 2026
4⭐️s!
the feminine rage in this book was so seen! esmyra was giving me major dianna ramirez vibes and i was here for esmi’s wrath of vengeance! poor draevyn was put through the ringer trying to get through to esmyra in this book 😅.
a flame among the seas picks up right where you left off from a wraith beneath the tides. the story doesn’t slow down, the betrayals and backstabbing ensue, and emilia feeds you with even more lore that adds even more depth to the story and understanding the characters on a deeper level. i felt esmyra’s anger and draevyn’s desperation to pull her back from the brink of ultimately losing herself to her rage. these two would literally burn the world for each other.. the phoenix and his wildfire.. you definitely don’t want to mess with them!
also, i’m glad my little atlas finally came to his senses lol. he had me worried there for a second!
but that ending?! that ending was RUDE! syrena and azarian, when i get my hands on the two of you.. i swear to kaelypso!! im super excited to see how the story ends when we get to book 3!
thank you to emilia jae and her team for sending me an eARC!
the feminine rage in this book was so seen! esmyra was giving me major dianna ramirez vibes and i was here for esmi’s wrath of vengeance! poor draevyn was put through the ringer trying to get through to esmyra in this book 😅.
a flame among the seas picks up right where you left off from a wraith beneath the tides. the story doesn’t slow down, the betrayals and backstabbing ensue, and emilia feeds you with even more lore that adds even more depth to the story and understanding the characters on a deeper level. i felt esmyra’s anger and draevyn’s desperation to pull her back from the brink of ultimately losing herself to her rage. these two would literally burn the world for each other.. the phoenix and his wildfire.. you definitely don’t want to mess with them!
also, i’m glad my little atlas finally came to his senses lol. he had me worried there for a second!
but that ending?! that ending was RUDE! syrena and azarian, when i get my hands on the two of you.. i swear to kaelypso!! im super excited to see how the story ends when we get to book 3!
thank you to emilia jae and her team for sending me an eARC!
June 14, 2026
I needed this book as soon as I finished the first one and now I’m waiting again! I am absolutely loving this series and need the 3rd already! It picks right up where the last left off and even has a great recap at the beginning of this one. It has non stop action and adventure and the love, tension and yearning between Draevyn and Esmyra is everything!
“I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over.”
“You’re the only thing in this cursed world worth bending to.”
Thank you to the author for the early copy of this book.
“I’ve worshipped you since the moment we locked eyes, Esmyra. And I’d kneel to you a thousand times over.”
“You’re the only thing in this cursed world worth bending to.”
Thank you to the author for the early copy of this book.
May 22, 2026
HOW DO I REWIND AND READ IT AGAIN 🩵🌊
An absolute masterpiece on the high seas 🔱🏴☠️ the last book was pure. Pirates of the Caribbean meets the lost city of Atlantis, and this book kicks the action up tenfold. We see Esymyra ready to exact rightous revenge on all those who hurt her, her crew, and her father, Dravyn, fighting against his own family to get back to her, and a psychotic goddess trying to cause chaos and and enact a devious plan centuries in the making.
I felt like I was constantly at the edge of my seat, these characters were simply given no breaks throughout the whole book, so it was easy to feel breathless, right alongside them. The romance was spicy, the stakes were higher, and the ending left me in a puddle of my own tears. How am I supposed to wait for this next book? I guess I have to go rewatch Pirates of the Caribbean to hold me over.
An absolute masterpiece on the high seas 🔱🏴☠️ the last book was pure. Pirates of the Caribbean meets the lost city of Atlantis, and this book kicks the action up tenfold. We see Esymyra ready to exact rightous revenge on all those who hurt her, her crew, and her father, Dravyn, fighting against his own family to get back to her, and a psychotic goddess trying to cause chaos and and enact a devious plan centuries in the making.
I felt like I was constantly at the edge of my seat, these characters were simply given no breaks throughout the whole book, so it was easy to feel breathless, right alongside them. The romance was spicy, the stakes were higher, and the ending left me in a puddle of my own tears. How am I supposed to wait for this next book? I guess I have to go rewatch Pirates of the Caribbean to hold me over.
May 20, 2026
emilia, come here, I’D JUST LIKE TO TALK (full rtc, but an absolute banger)
July 4, 2026
4.5⭐
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?????? i mean i was happy then that ending?? no no ugh why am i surprised? i should've known something like this could happen ugh i love it and i hate it at the same time!!
this one was such a rollercoaster of emotions, the first one was addictive and mysterious and meeting this lot kingdom, discovering their secrets and esmyra's past and history, but this second one?? was even more wild and action packed and tho it took me more time to read it and maybe i wasn't that invested some parts but loved it nonetheless and esmyra becomes stronger then she finally accepts draevyn and they have such emotional and beautiful and heartwarming and so deeply wholesome moments that i just want to cry everytime i think about it!! draevyn is such a man I LOVE HIM!! esmyra's crew and his crew trying to get alotaas fun, then the scenes with his brother was also really emotional and sad but glad they are going to get through it and the little found family we get to witness is beautiful and i love it so much!! jak still is one of my fave characters, i do like ren a lot too and now jak's cousin was introduced and yeah she's crazy but i like her a lot!!
overall that was diabolical that ending was even worse than the first one my heart can't take it ITS TOO MUCH WHY EMILIA WHY!! yeah i need book three and i need syrena to just die please i had enough of you but oh well let's see what book three brings us, i bet it will be chaotic and another big rollercoaster of emotions and beautiful banter amazing wholesome found family scenes and of course my fantastic man draevyn being the best simp ever!! atlas he's growing on me again, at the beginning he pissed me off but i understand his position just a lot of stuff could be avoided if he didn't snap like that oh well glad he learned and he's changing and he gets to safe his wife, can't excited for book three 2027 can't come fast enough!! please go read this series it's good it's fun there's a lot of mystery there's lost kingdoms, gods, pirates, powers, sirens and romance, found family the vibes are immaculate yes go read it!!
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?????? i mean i was happy then that ending?? no no ugh why am i surprised? i should've known something like this could happen ugh i love it and i hate it at the same time!!
this one was such a rollercoaster of emotions, the first one was addictive and mysterious and meeting this lot kingdom, discovering their secrets and esmyra's past and history, but this second one?? was even more wild and action packed and tho it took me more time to read it and maybe i wasn't that invested some parts but loved it nonetheless and esmyra becomes stronger then she finally accepts draevyn and they have such emotional and beautiful and heartwarming and so deeply wholesome moments that i just want to cry everytime i think about it!! draevyn is such a man I LOVE HIM!! esmyra's crew and his crew trying to get alotaas fun, then the scenes with his brother was also really emotional and sad but glad they are going to get through it and the little found family we get to witness is beautiful and i love it so much!! jak still is one of my fave characters, i do like ren a lot too and now jak's cousin was introduced and yeah she's crazy but i like her a lot!!
overall that was diabolical that ending was even worse than the first one my heart can't take it ITS TOO MUCH WHY EMILIA WHY!! yeah i need book three and i need syrena to just die please i had enough of you but oh well let's see what book three brings us, i bet it will be chaotic and another big rollercoaster of emotions and beautiful banter amazing wholesome found family scenes and of course my fantastic man draevyn being the best simp ever!! atlas he's growing on me again, at the beginning he pissed me off but i understand his position just a lot of stuff could be avoided if he didn't snap like that oh well glad he learned and he's changing and he gets to safe his wife, can't excited for book three 2027 can't come fast enough!! please go read this series it's good it's fun there's a lot of mystery there's lost kingdoms, gods, pirates, powers, sirens and romance, found family the vibes are immaculate yes go read it!!
June 30, 2026
this was such a fast paced and thrilling sequel! this book picks up right where we left off at the end of wraith, and was non stop action from beginning to end. emilia did an incredible job of bumping up both the stakes and the emotions. esmi was fully untamed 🙂↕️ fueled by vengeance, grief, and all consuming love. while they may be forbidden, drae and esmi were truly meant for each other, and wow did they prove it in this book 🥹 similar to book one, i couldn’t get enough of jak, ren, sam & tommy, but i especially loved the introduction of jenli! i was desperate for some female camaraderie 💞
without getting spoilery, for some reason i couldn’t get myself to care about what was going on with atlas 😅 some of his words and actions personally annoyed me to no end. the repetitive sibling drama, and miscommunication became a bit exasperating. i really loved reading the interactions between kae and esmi (& lavaia!!). i ate up the expansive lore surrounding the gods. i can’t wait to see how their story is wrapped up in a god beyond the depths!
• epic world building and expansive lore
• touch her /or him /or crew and die
• sirens, pirates, shifters, sea creatures & meddling gods
thank you so much to emilia for sharing a copy of this earc with me 🩵
without getting spoilery, for some reason i couldn’t get myself to care about what was going on with atlas 😅 some of his words and actions personally annoyed me to no end. the repetitive sibling drama, and miscommunication became a bit exasperating. i really loved reading the interactions between kae and esmi (& lavaia!!). i ate up the expansive lore surrounding the gods. i can’t wait to see how their story is wrapped up in a god beyond the depths!
• epic world building and expansive lore
• touch her /or him /or crew and die
• sirens, pirates, shifters, sea creatures & meddling gods
thank you so much to emilia for sharing a copy of this earc with me 🩵
May 26, 2026
Now this is a sequel that hits. Action packed and full of some moments that shocked me. Book one ended with a bang and this one just dived right back in. Some big things happened pretty early on that had me locked in. This is book two in a planned trilogy and I am fully invested in these characters and this story.
Emilia is my go to author when it comes to writing strong rageful female characters. I am always here for a morally grey FMC. Esmyra really entered her villain era in this one. I love how we get more big moments from the MMC in this book as well. Draevyn really brought the “ touch her and i’ll unalive you” energy. A few different POV’s to help build a larger picture in the story. Another thing that always stands out to me with Emilia’s books is her ability to write a good villain POV. It really adds some depth and makes things more interesting. Great group of side characters and found family. The ending gutted me. I am sure the conclusion next year is going to be epic!
Emilia is my go to author when it comes to writing strong rageful female characters. I am always here for a morally grey FMC. Esmyra really entered her villain era in this one. I love how we get more big moments from the MMC in this book as well. Draevyn really brought the “ touch her and i’ll unalive you” energy. A few different POV’s to help build a larger picture in the story. Another thing that always stands out to me with Emilia’s books is her ability to write a good villain POV. It really adds some depth and makes things more interesting. Great group of side characters and found family. The ending gutted me. I am sure the conclusion next year is going to be epic!
June 8, 2026
✨ARC Book Review✨
After finishing Book 1, I just knew Book 2 would start off with the drama popping, and I was not disappointed.
Not gonna lie, I would have been afraid of Esmyra. Sis was out for blood, and honestly, for what she knew, I understood.
Draevyn… poor guy. You can’t help but like him. He knew his dad messed up and honestly can’t undo the fact that her father had been killed. Him supporting her even when she came to kill everyone is top tier devotion. I’m glad they eventually found a way to work through their issues.
Her sister was a real piece of work. She was heartless. I really wish Esmyra could have experienced a sense of family with her biological sister, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
The ending was so good, and I’m ready for Book 3!
After finishing Book 1, I just knew Book 2 would start off with the drama popping, and I was not disappointed.
Not gonna lie, I would have been afraid of Esmyra. Sis was out for blood, and honestly, for what she knew, I understood.
Draevyn… poor guy. You can’t help but like him. He knew his dad messed up and honestly can’t undo the fact that her father had been killed. Him supporting her even when she came to kill everyone is top tier devotion. I’m glad they eventually found a way to work through their issues.
Her sister was a real piece of work. She was heartless. I really wish Esmyra could have experienced a sense of family with her biological sister, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
The ending was so good, and I’m ready for Book 3!
May 19, 2026
5☆ my jaw is dropped. that ending was actually so good, but wdym it just ends like that???????
this sequel picks up right where it left off in book one and i was hooked the entire time. i loved seeing more from the main characters—their dark sides, their emotional sides, and their romantic sides. as well as more from the side characters, especially jak and atlas.
i know for a fact we’re going to get some really amazing emotional scenes from draevyn in book 3 and i cannot wait for that. from what we got in this book, i was nearly a sobbing mess. love me a tortured man.
the plot was constantly moving and it made it extremely enjoyable the entire time. i stayed up until 2am reading because i just couldn’t put it down. emilia has extremely addictive writing.
but i can’t believe this book ended LIKE THAT. i saw “end of book two” and i couldn’t believe my eyes. emilia, you better send me book 3 asap.
thank you to emilia and her team for sending me an early copy of this book 🤎
“𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭.”
this sequel picks up right where it left off in book one and i was hooked the entire time. i loved seeing more from the main characters—their dark sides, their emotional sides, and their romantic sides. as well as more from the side characters, especially jak and atlas.
i know for a fact we’re going to get some really amazing emotional scenes from draevyn in book 3 and i cannot wait for that. from what we got in this book, i was nearly a sobbing mess. love me a tortured man.
the plot was constantly moving and it made it extremely enjoyable the entire time. i stayed up until 2am reading because i just couldn’t put it down. emilia has extremely addictive writing.
but i can’t believe this book ended LIKE THAT. i saw “end of book two” and i couldn’t believe my eyes. emilia, you better send me book 3 asap.
thank you to emilia and her team for sending me an early copy of this book 🤎
“𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭.”
May 26, 2026
Who doesn’t love a truly evil bad guy? And when that bad guy is the twin sister of our hero.. even better. I got to the last 60ish pages thinking how is this going to be a trilogy, things are going so well for our heroes?? And the. That diabolical cliffhanger.
Esmyra’s character development is fun to follow because she always teetering that line between good and not-so-good. I refuse to see her as a villain (she’s a baddie not a bad guy) - angry yes, morally grey definitely. And Draevyn… swoon. He’s so down bad for Esmyra he’s all but ditched his brother and kingdom.
Strap in bc it’s a long one but the second half flies by!
A Flame Among the Seas is out June 11. Thank you to the author Emilia Jae for the ARC!
Esmyra’s character development is fun to follow because she always teetering that line between good and not-so-good. I refuse to see her as a villain (she’s a baddie not a bad guy) - angry yes, morally grey definitely. And Draevyn… swoon. He’s so down bad for Esmyra he’s all but ditched his brother and kingdom.
Strap in bc it’s a long one but the second half flies by!
A Flame Among the Seas is out June 11. Thank you to the author Emilia Jae for the ARC!
Read
July 2, 2026RTC BUT THIS IS HOW YOU FUCKING DO A SEQUEL!🔥
HOWEVER THAT ENDING?! SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TREASON. I AM FUCKING VEXED.
HOWEVER THAT ENDING?! SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TREASON. I AM FUCKING VEXED.
June 20, 2026
EMILIA JAE after the ending in Wraith, you WENT AND DID THAT?! I know, I know everything will be okay, but that ending…. The emotional toll, this is what I love. We’re really putting Drae and Esmi through it. I need book 3 as soon as it’s ready.
This sequel was perfection. This series has been my first siren/pirate series and I’m loving it. We have more revenge and book 3 will have even more I know it. We’ve got found family. Jak is the real deal for friendship.
There’s multiple povs, fast paced, vulnerability and acknowledgement of one’s self, and if you love a fire daddy who will fight until his last breath for his girl Esmi, this book and series are for you.
“I am the sea” I am the storm. I am the depths. And I am the fucking monster within”
Draevyn was wrath incarnate — he was the phoenix.
Thank you Emilia for the advanced eARC.
This sequel was perfection. This series has been my first siren/pirate series and I’m loving it. We have more revenge and book 3 will have even more I know it. We’ve got found family. Jak is the real deal for friendship.
There’s multiple povs, fast paced, vulnerability and acknowledgement of one’s self, and if you love a fire daddy who will fight until his last breath for his girl Esmi, this book and series are for you.
“I am the sea” I am the storm. I am the depths. And I am the fucking monster within”
Draevyn was wrath incarnate — he was the phoenix.
Thank you Emilia for the advanced eARC.
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