Air and Ash

Tides #1

by Alex Lidell

Born to privilege.
Trained for command.
Destined for danger.

After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission--and fails.

Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battle worthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile's blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.

But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Pirates, Adventure, Fiction

265 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Alex Lidell is the Amazon Breakout Novel Awards finalist author of THE CADET OF TILDOR (Penguin) and several Amazon Top 100 Kindle Bestsellers, including the POWER OF FIVE romance series. She is an avid horseback rider who believes in eating dessert first. She writes as both Alex Lidell and A.L. Lidell.

Join Alex's newsletter for news, bonus content and sneak peeks: https://links.alexlidell.com/News

Find out more on Alex's website: www.alexlidell.com

Reviews

[Sylvia Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that start RIGHT in the middle of action, leaving you a bit disoriented and wondering why you're supposed to care about these characters whose lives are imperiled? Yeah, I don't care for those either. But that's exactly how this book opened and somehow it just REALLY worked. I don't know if it was the way the author handled it, or the fact that I do have a soft-spot in my heart for a sea epic (I grew up watching the amazing Horatio Hornblower mini-series. Anyone else fans of those?). Whatever it was, something about that opening, which I fully expected to dislike grabbed me by the collar and held on tight.

Seriously, I felt as though I couldn't put this book down.

I loved the heroine, Nile. She's one of my favs now. I cringed at the mistakes she made but understood why she made them. I rooted for her motivations, I felt her pains. She was truly a fantastic viewpoint heroine.

The plot was engrossing and the world-building was spot-on, especially everything set at sea. You know this author must have researched like crazy, but she didn't let details choke the storytelling either. It was the perfect balance of authenticity and entertainment from beginning to end.

The love interest was PERFECT. At first I expected it to be a bit stereotypical, but then the author took the hero in a complete unexpected direction. Talk about a love/hate dynamic! I don't want to give spoilers on this one, but let me just say, I love a good slow burn, and this was an EXCELLENT slow burn.

[Rachel E. Carter]

Tides is a seafaring adventure perfect for fans of plucky heroines, elemental magic, and a forbidden (slow burning/high tension) romance!



Like some of my fantasy favorites (Tamora Pierce and Sherwood Smith), Alex knows how to straddle the line between fantasy and the real world, giving us a headstrong heroine that has to work for every accomplishment she earns in a climate that isn’t exactly female-friendly. Tides is Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Assassin's Curse meets The Song of the Lioness Quartet, with a heroine you can root for, a fantasy trip riddled with the gritty reality one would actually find asail. Alex doesn’t shy away from the struggles our heroine faces -and that’s probably what I admire most. Nile has to prove herself again and again, endearing herself to the reader and members of the crew, as she struggles to stay true to herself. And yet that barely scratches the surface of the elements I admired most -the world-building, the terrifying magic system, and the unexpected friendships Nile encounters along the way. I’d recommend Tides to anyone in search of a real heroine, because that’s exactly the kind of girl Nile is. Alex excels at gritty, real life heroines of the fantasy world, and Nile is no exception!

WELL DONE, ALEX <3

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4/23/18 - ETA: Re-read so that I can finish the series now that I signed up for Kindle Unlimited and they're available for free on that platform. :)

*****

This tale on the high seas was remarkably similar to Daughter of the Pirate King, which I loved. Except in tone. Where DotPK felt almost playful at times, this book had a much darker feel to it, ominous and deadly and full of portentous events. But I liked that about this story. I've really been jonesing for more nautical stories, especially after DotPK, and I've really enjoyed the majority of the ones I've read, this one included. But this novel ended on the same note that all the others have: abruptly, leaving me full of expectations and wishing I already had the next book in my hands. Not a bad way to go out, but I want MORE, dammit! Also, the narrator was A++. I always knew which character was speaking because she used such unique voices and accents for each. I can't wait till the next audiobook is available.

[sher]

PRINCESS PIRATE

PRINCESS PIRATE

PRINCESS PIRATE

PRINCESS PIRATE

PRINCESS PIRATE!!!!

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Nile Greysik spent eight years earning her place on the sea when it all goes wrong. The ship she was commanding is lost in battle and she's one of the few survivors.

At home she's faced with her family's decision not to let her sail anymore, and to marry her off to a prince of a neighbouring kingdom. There's nothing else to do but run. So Nile does.

She finds her way onto an unknown ship with a plan in mind, to not only evade her planned future, but to eventually find a cure for her brother's condition.

But the ship may find itself in troubled waters. And why is Nile suddenly getting headaches and feeling seasick? Is there something more to it? Can she and the crew make it out alive?

I've been meaning to read this for a while and I finally started. I began with the prequel which made me form an attachment to a character that dies early on. That was just not fair.

I love Nile even more here, but I hate how she is around Domenic. Because I hate Domenic. Hate with a passion of a thousand burning suns. WHY GO FOR HIM WHEN CATSPER IS RIGHT THERE???

I'm so annoyed with Domenic, he's pretending to be all about Nile's safety but then his actions prove otherwise. Catsper meanwhile, is the one who cares and who begins training with her. I'm dreading what will happen when Catsper is reassigned. Can't Nile go with him? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASEEEEEE.

Ok enough about those two. Let's talk sea. And storms. And almost-pirates. Because this book has it all. And the technical knowledge is great too and helps with immersion.

Nile's bravery during it all is my favourite part. I didn't want her to be in disguise for too long and I'm hoping the crew will be shaped into a competent one by the end of the series.

The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Just a bit. It's not too bad, but it feels like it could be a chapter ending too. What came before it aka the kiss is my least favourite part in the book. You'll know why when you read it. Big "ugh".

The writing style is gripping and the story is a page turner. This is definitely going on my "books I need physically" list.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review is here, on my blog! and here, on the Weatherwax Report!

This is the first of my SPFBO books (the first one I read ^_^), and I’m delightfully thrilled to say that it was pretty great, marking this as a good start for me.

I’m also very tired. More on that later.

This was a very interesting and well put together story, to be sure!

This is the story of Nile Greysik, who is the princess of Ashing. Ashing is one of 6 countries that are part of a League of Nations. The Lyron League are at war with the Republic of Tirik across the ocean, and this war tends to come to blows on the water more often than not.

Ashing is a small country within the League, but it is a peninsula surrounded by ocean, and it is known for its navy. The people of Ashing, even the nobles and royals, serve a mandatory time in military service before they reach adulthood. Nile has been at sea since she was 8 years old (which is more than is common, but she’s training to be in command). She is 17 now, and the mission that she is on goes entirely south, leaving her alive, but her ship sunk. At home, with the inadvertent help of her twin brother, who is suffering from a magical ailment with no cure, she realizes that her parents are planning to marry her off to the prince of the kingdom next door for political advantage. So, for want of her freedom and a cure for her brother, she flees onto the closest ship and pretends to be a common sailor.

But it turns out that not all ships are run as tidily as the one she served on, and not all captains are as competent as the one she served under. The Aurora is not a ship in the Ashing navy fleet, after all, but a ship in the joint fleet of the Lyron League, and is thus made up of people from all over the continent. At the head is Captain Rima, a man from one of the eastern nations who tends to let anyone on ship from the same clan as him get away with everything from shirking duty to sleeping. He’s also doing some shady dealings on the side, and can and will put the ship in danger in order to continue.

The only man really making the ship run properly is the first mate, Dominic Dana, though he is known as the Savage by some for his tendency to maintain discipline with fear and flogging, and he’ll punish anyone who is out of line. Including Nile Ash, the young woman who showed up on the ship one day, that he happens to know the real identity of.

But all is not as it seems. Not always, at least.

I started reading this one later at night and I really should know better than to start a book before bed, because if I love it, that decision will bite me in the ass at about 3 o’clock in the damn morning. This was one of those books that I read in one go, and damn all the consequences. I’ll say that about a lot of books, and it will be true right up until I drop my kindle on my face because I fell asleep. This was one that not only kept me reading well into the wee hours, but it kept me awake until I finished. Quite awake. I couldn’t even sleep for an hour after either because I had thoughts about this book I had to write down.

As I am the kissing book expert on Team Weatherwax, this one was sent my way because it is YA Pirate Romance. Looking at the cover, and reading the blurb, that’s not exactly an incorrect assessment. But, let’s assess further, shall we?

YA – It never sugarcoated difficult topics, or dumbed things down for a sensitive audience, like many books directed at a younger audience do. There is violence here. Some of it is directly against the main character, who is a 17 year old girl. Difficult things happen to Nile along the way, and she deals with them in a way that I definitely would not have at age 17. So, it is about someone who is young and therefore inexperienced with some parts of life, but doesn’t (at least, not to me) always read like it is necessarily written with young adults as the audience. But, nonetheless, I suppose if we’re being all nitpicky, and I guess that’s my job here, I’ll say that yes, it’s YA, but it’s the type of YA that is written without the assumption that young people don’t know shit about shit.

Pirate – This isn’t technically a pirate novel, as these are not pirates. They are legitimately part of the navy, and while the captain is doing some shady stuff on the side, I wouldn’t really consider it piracy. However, I don’t know if this author has +20 to researching skills, some bonkers good google-fu, or legitimately has worked on a naval vessel at some point in her life, because the nautical terms, naval commands, general ship duties, and every other part of day to day life on a ship, pirate or otherwise are spot-on or at the very least sound like they are spot-on AF. Let’s call it Nautical Adventure instead!

Romance – Alright, alright. There is legit a romantic subplot here, but it is that – a subplot. There is an actual plot of events here that don’t really suffer for having main-character-A and obvious love-interest-B make googly eyes at each other throughout. I mean, they do smoulder-eye at each other from time to time during the course of the book. A lot of the communication that isn’t forced or false between them is kind of necessarily through eye contact (and OMG I did not hate it. I am a sucker for the eyes ^_^). And this romance does resolve itself in the end, in a way that I, at least, was generally satisfied with. It is a slow-burning and sometimes maddening romance… that happens concurrently to an actual plotline that would stand up pretty well if the romance was removed from it.

So, today I read a nautical adventure novel about a teenage sailor who happens to have some warm and tingly feelings for a superior officer. You know. That old chestnut. ^_^

I loved the characters in this one. Nile is often snarky, but likable, and I cheered for her. She’s no waif, even when she isn’t at her best, and even despite being royalty, doesn’t shrink away from hard work. She values duty, and follows the rules, but isn’t afraid to do what is right over what is easy, or what is allowed. Dominic was a character that had depth, which I appreciated. There is good reason accompanying many of the things he does, and while some of those things can often seem out of character (or be somewhat infuriating if I’m being honest here) in the beginning, as his character becomes more fleshed out and you see the reasons for those actions, he becomes quite complex.

Catsper, the lieutenant of the marines on the ship, was awesome, quite endearing, and only got more so as the book went on. He’s mysterious, kind of a badass, and much more clever than he lets on at first. His marines, and some of the various midshipmen that call the Aurora home were also endearing, so it was always quite easy to find someone to root for during this story.

The antagonist(s) were very easy to hate (eye-narrowingly, irritatingly, maddeningly easy to hate, lol), which made rooting for the protagonists that I liked a pretty fun time. The events in the later parts of the plot made this one incredibly hard to put down, given that you tend to want the good guys to win the day.

There’s magic in this one too, and I really thought the magic system here was well thought out and made sense. The idea is that sometimes people, usually after having been very ill or injured, will become able to ‘call the elements’. They become more-or-less magnets to the element they are sensitive to, and in this world, that makes them ‘Gifted’. So, as an example, Nile’s brother Clay calls metal.

The downfall is that having magical powers here is not a good thing. In fact, it’s pretty much thought of as a disease. Not only are the Gifted generally shunned, but they pay a price for their gifts, and it’s pretty specific depending on the element. Metal callers, like Clay, pay with their minds. So Clay is not only in constant danger of impaling himself with any number of sharp things that he inadvertently attracts to himself, but since he manifested his powers, he has become severely intellectually disabled. Wind callers will suffer convulsions, if the wind they attract doesn’t blow out their lungs first. Fire callers will almost certainly burn to death. Water callers suffer from extremely thin blood, and the slightest nick might make them bleed out. No wonder Nile wants to find a cure for her twin brother, and when she starts to manifest wind calling abilities, herself. Before the obvious convulsions get her thrown off the ship.

So, we have an interesting world with interesting places within it, on a ship with some really likable and really damn unlikable characters on it that have to somewhat get along, with a magic system that is really unique! The writing style kept me engaged. There weren’t any glaring typographical errors in it. The plot was action-packed and kept me immersed in the book until the very end. This one one of those books I couldn’t not finish before sleeping. Clear my schedule, and by schedule I mean all the sleeping I could be doing.

My only real complaint with this one was that 3am me who reached the last 10 pages of this book was both happy with a thing that happened and then soooo not happy with the cliffhanger that immediately followed. Admittedly 8am me who has had a cup of coffee is more okay with it, but 3am me made a sort of groan of indignation. It certainly left me wanting more, either way.

I mean… I probably needed some actual sleep at that point anyway though. :D

Okay, time for my score, right? Right. All told, I thought this one was an 8.5/10. The author has a cool as hell idea, executed it rather well I think, and I’m certainly eventually going to investigate what happened after this one. Because don’t think 3am me disappeared with that cup of coffee. Oh no. No she did not!

I’m going to start reading that one earlier in the day though. :D

[★Me Myshelf and I★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Well written and did engage me but don't think I'll be continuing

A world where teenagers are running battleships just goes beyond what disbelief I can suspend

I'll stick to Alex's RH

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I absolutely love that we’re seeing more and more YA titles set at sea and on ships!

Princess Nile Greysik has spent her lifetime training to lead the Ashing Navy. When we first meet her she is in the midst of a vital mission and when everything goes south, she’s somehow spared.

When she awakes, she finds that she has been barred from the sea and navy that she loves… instead she’s destined to a political marriage… something that she is determined will never happen.

Joining the first ship she can hiding in plain sight as a common sailor, she finds herself on a ship filled with problems and one first officer who knows exactly who she is. But she has more problems … she feels forbidden magic within her and if anyone finds out it’s there, her life is over.

I thought this was an amazing start to a series that I can’t wait for more of.

With a determined heroine, a captivating story and a slow-burn romance, once I started reading, I just couldn’t put this one down. Filled with action, the pacing was wonderfully done and the story itself was intriguing and interesting. I absolutely love how strong and capable Nile is in this story and it’s hard not to be completely captivated by her and her story. I kind of loved that Domenic was the only one on board who knew who she really was.

But the relationship forming between Domenic and Nile isn’t the only thing going on here… There is the added complication of the current Captain. Rima is a coward and incompetent and it’s obvious that he’s got more going on than he’s sharing with his crew. Navigating him and his temper is proving to be difficult and when things come to a head there will be repercussions.

I know I mentioned this forbidden magic the flows within Nile’s blood… her twin brother suffers the effects of his magic and part of her mission on this voyage is to find a cure if it’s possible. But Nile isn’t prepared when she suddenly starts feeling the effects of magic and she’s afraid of what it will do to her. This for me is where the story lost me a bit … mostly because I wanted more info on the origin of this magic… what it meant, why it happened to certain people… how it affects others… why it was so forbidden. I felt like some of that was glossed over and could have been explored a bit more.

But seriously that was my only issue here in an otherwise amazingly crafted story.

Air & Ash is filled with action and adventure from the very first page to the last, and fans of Tamora Pierce and Sarah J. Maas are absolutely going to love this!

[Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gods alive! Alex can sure write one hell of an amazing high fantasy! I just finished and I am completely in love with this world and it's characters! I need book 2 now! Only problem is it's not finished grrrr. I can't wait to read more of Nile's story and I need more Domenic now! Also am I supposed to love Catsper as much as I do? I sure hope so because he's all kinds of awesome lol

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Air and Ash is the first book in the TIDES series (I have yet to figure out how many books there will be which is slightly annoying).
Main Character is Nile. She's been at sea since she was eight years old and recently lost her ship and her captain on a secret spy mission to change the tides in a war that does not only threaten her home country but all countries on the continent. Oh, and she just happens to be a princess. Yeah, the full program. With title and castle and king and queen as parents. Not that she is particularly happy about that. Especially not once she wakes up from a fever coma after a horrible injury only to learn that she is supposed to marry a guy from the neighbouring country. To strengthen the bond between the countries. In all fairness, her parents aren't really horrible about it. They just want her to meet the guy and see if she can imagine a marriage for the good of both countries. Unfortunately, Nile isn't really the marring kind. She wants to go back to sea. But being a princess of marriageable age she is of better use being married of. Not happy about that, she slips away and disappears to go to sea … also there is the whole thing of her trying to find a cure for her brothers 'illness'. So she isn't entirely selfish here. Bad luck, the ship she ends up on has a lazy but politically gifted captain who enjoys making money instead of doing his duty, a first officer who really needs to work on his leadership qualities and a crew thats … at best incompetent.
This was a nice surprise! I just went through kindle unlimited, stumbled over this and thought 'why not'. It was really fast paced (the story starts with a sea battle). While I don't quite get the world building yet, it felt vast and complex. There is a magic system with repercussions for the magic users (always enjoy those) and it's an elemental magical system (love those!).
While Nile occasionally annoyed me, she was mostly a fun and entertaining character. She is pretty bad ass and has a very strong sense of right and wrong. Occasionally, she is short sighted and self involved but she cares a great deal about the people close to her (primarily her brother).
As for Dominic … I find him intriguing but I really don't know yet what to make of him as a whole. What's his deal? Why doesn't he stand up to Rima more? He doesn't even try it! I wonder if there is something in his past to explain this. Also, dude, you seriously need to work on your leadership qualities!
One little warning though. This book is set in a historical fantasy world in the middle of a war on a war ship. There is some serious physical abuse going on (though I admit I was more bothered by the abuse of power). And yes, also between the love interests. If you are sensitive about stuff like that, be warned.
All in all, it was a quick and fun read with hardly a boring moment. Only downside, it basically stops in the middle of the story and you have to continue book two. Luckily that is also on kindle unlimited so I got it right away. xD

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story! I can't wait to listen to book 2. The Narrator was great. I loved the great accent she gave the characters. Nile is a great character! I wasn't sure at first if I would love a book about ship and sailors and such, I usually like that stuff in movies, but this book was great. I would recommend this to anyone!

[Aneta Bak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Air and Ash is absolutely amazing. The characters, the world, the romance, it was all so perfect. I need more from this series.. like right away.

Ashing is at war, and when Princess Nile's ship fails its mission, she is sent home back to her castle. Forbidden to sail the seas and forced to an arranged marriage, Nile runs away and joins a ship where she can escape her life of royalty, and be one with the sea. A strange, new magic awakens in Nile, the gifted are highly frowned upon and if anyone finds out that Nile harbours the power of the wind she will be kicked off the ship or worse, killed. That is, if her power doesn't kill her first.

I was addicted from the very first chapter. Although a few chapters after the first were a bit boring, once Nile got back to the sea the story was absolutely fantastic. I love Nile's personality, even though she was raised to be a royal, she's a person who would rather work for her living than be handed things. She's a natural leader, she's intelligent and so down to earth. She is extremely relatable, I'm sure everyone will fall in love with her.

The romance. Oh my goodness. I did not like Domenic when we first met him in the book, but after seeing him on the ship... well damn, I fell in love. He's definitely got that rough exterior but is so nice and caring when its just him and Nile, I love it.
For the first time in my life, I was actually hoping that there would be a love triangle. Shocking right? Catsper is definitely one of my favourite characters on board the ship. He's funny, athletic and very intelligent... honestly I can't pick which guy I like more. Maybe its a good thing theres no love triangle in this story, that means I can have Catsper all to myself.

The world building in this story was perfect. As I was reading, I actually felt like I was on a ship. The dialogue, the descriptions of the boat and the sea, it was all wonderful. The author did such an amazing job with the world and the story that he created, I am seriously impressed.

When I finished the book I immediately said "What? That's it? No! I need more!"
I seriously did not want this book to end. The climax and the ending of this story was really good, but I just felt like there should have been more. I would have loved to see this book be a little longer, and include more about Nile's life aboard the ship.

I can't wait to read the next book, I'm dying to find out what happens to the main characters and the story line. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves high fantasy, adventure, or pirate books. You will definitely love this one.

Happy reading,
Aneta

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Air and Ash is the first book in the Tides series by author Alex Lidell. The Tides series is an epic high fantasy adventure that takes place on the high seas! Umm, yes please!! I was already kicking myself for passing an early review of Daughter of the Pirate King and I have been kicking myself ever since. I was not going to miss out on all the swashbuckling fun in another highly anticipated pirate adventure. And Air and Ash did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this adventure. I loved everything about it! I loved the characters and I really really loved the world building that Alex Lidell created. Trust me, Air and Ash is a book you do not want to miss.

I absolutely loved our heroine, Nile. Yes, she is a princess, but she is kick ass! Seriously, She does not turn away from hard work or unfavorable odds. I loved her determination. Nile does not have it easy, but she always faces what is thrown at her head on. It is hardnot to admire the heck out of her. And even harder not to root for her. She is one of my new favorite characters. I can't wait to see more of her adventures.

And that isn't even talking about the magic in the world. Holy cow, the magic was something else entirely! I totally was not expecting it all. But everything worked so seamlessly together. The world building in Air and Ash was truly something magnificent. Alex Lidell is crazy relented. I am totally loving this series. I need to get my hands on the second book ASAP. And I didn't even scratch the surface on the number of things I loved about this book. I don't give five stars out lightly, but Air and Ash earned every bit of five stars. Don't even get me started on Domenic or the romance. Both are excellent. I want Domenic all to myself. but I am going to let you discover all of that for yourself.

Bottom line: If you can't get enough epic fantasy, like me, this is a series you need to read. Plain and simple. Air and Ash is a fantastic first novel to what is going to be a favorite YA fantasy of mine. I can already tell. I love the characters, I love where the romance is going, I love the world and the magic. All of it works for me. Alex Lidell has a winner on her hands here. I can't wait for more. I need to grab the prequel and book 2 ASAP! Air and Ash is one of my favorite reads of 2017....hands down!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Kelly Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young adult writing at its best.
See the full review on YA Books Central >>> http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaindie...

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly don't remember adding this to my ever growing TBR list back in 2018 but I am glad that I finally dove into Air and Ash. Mostly because it ended up working for lots of challenges but it was also an interesting book to dive into. After meeting the 17 year-old princess, Nile, it was clear that she loved the sea more than her title. She also wasn't a huge fan of going into a political marriage so when she had the time to board another ship - she did it.

Not sure what's going to wait for her whenever she gets back home but I would assume it isn't going to be good news. I'm also not sure what's going to happen in the next book because Rima is a huge asshole and I'm very suspicious of him.

I'm also intrigued to see if we are going to get more action or forbidden romance. We got hints throughout this book but honestly not a lot happened. It was mostly life on a ship and nothing about that really excites me. Well, unless they were in danger which would make sense because life at sea isn't a walk in the park.

Other than that, she is gifted with air which makes her a bit more interesting in my eyes and I'm wondering when or if she is going to become more like her brother Clay. Or if a cure is magically going to fall into her hands. I have endless question so I guess I'll dive into the next book whenever I get the chance.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technically a princess, Nile thinks of herself more as an officer of the navy - a job she has been doing since she was 12. When her ship is sunk by enemies, she recovers from her injuries at home and finds her parents plotting a marriage to a foreign prince and her career as a sailor OVER. So, like other heroines, she runs away on a ship leaving for the far reaches of the realm. She quickly finds out that despite working hard as an officer in her father's navy, she was actually pretty sheltered from what happens on board. The crew she has joined has its own villains and quirks. As if being a royal disguised as a lowly sailor isn't enough, Nile is also keeping another heavy secret, one that could get her killed.

This seems like one of those hidden gems in YA. I am actually rather impressed with Nile's character. She doesn't want to be judged for her royal blood and just wants to fulfill a leadership role on a ship. She's willing to work hard and doesn't always understand why that doesn't earn her the respect that it would if she were a man. I also like the love interest, Dominic - he's got some demons of his own, but you can see the glimmer of a good man through Nile's eyes. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book between them.

[Yiota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Alex Lidell proves what an amazing fantasy author she is. Air and Ash not only includes an amazing, clever and badass heroine in a role we don't usually see in that kind of books, but also an excellent crafted world full with adventure and magic (an interesting magic system which i hope we delve into deeper in a later date). But those are not even the best part of the book. I usually have problem following all the naval terms from books that include ships and big arcs on the sea, but Lidell managed to teach me a thing or two and actually make me care about them. It's the first time, i actually enjoy a "ship/sea story" that much, not only because of its action or the characters included in it but because i understand and feel exactly what's happening, the danger, the difficulties, all the bad and good things. I can't wait for the next one, and oh how i wish this one was longer!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I finished the prequel novella, I needed to get my hands on this book. Lidell has a writing style that I very much enjoy, and she weaves a fun and hear pounding tale in this first installment of the Tides series.

Nile is not your typical princess and I loved her character. She was well balanced and flawed. Incredibly realistic. The other characters too, were loveable or loathable (respective to what they were intended to be), but all felt natural and not exaggerated.

The world building is so subtle yet feels so thorough. Over all I was incredibly impressed with the level of detail in the ship scenes, which account for most of the books.

It was not my favorite ending of all time, but sets up for book two very well and I cannot wait to pick it up and rejoin Nile on her quest.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long long time since I gave a book a good rating. It's been a long time since I actually finished one. I've been skimming samples for months, and not loving anything and feeling like every writer is absolutely horrible. Until now. This one was rejuvenating, with a character that actually had SOME sense and a love for something other than her big man. She's a sailor, and a good one. I loved the slow burn romance, it gets a little too much at the end, I wish the author had drug it out more but over all love the set up of the two's positions and problems. Real strife to keep them from being together is my favorite. So on to the next one, which I probably won't enjoy as much but still I am giving this author huge props for keeping me entertained. At the moment it's almost impossible :D

[Jennifer Ellision · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welp, I loved this. Definitely should not have waited so long to read it since I also loved THE CADET OF TILDOR.

[Raven_Blake (dreamy addictions) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same Review Also Posted In My Blog: Dreamy Addictions



This book took me by surprise! I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I picked this up right after finishing its prequel novella which I really loved. I'm not familiar with the author's previous works so I really have no idea what to expect but this turned out to be a pretty good read. I love reading books with sea adventures and when I found this book, I couldn't resist and it also says that it is recommended for Sarah J. Mass and Tamora Pierce fans. I loved every aspect of this book. The cover looks simple comparing with the other high end fantasy covers but I'm not one of those who judges books by their covers. Even though it didn't entirely blew my mind away, this book was so much fun to read and I immensely enjoyed reading it from the start till the end.

After ten years of hard struggle, Seventeen Year Old Princess Nile Greysik is the lieutenant of the prestigious Faithful Ashing navy flagship. When her father, the king sends her on an impossible mission, she fails to succeed and loses her crew along with the ship. Awaiting her punishment for the failure, she's surprised to find that her father had other plans for her which she is totally against of. To escape from a political marriage, she flees from there and volunteers to join the League's Joint Fleet Ship Aurora as a common sailor. On the ship, she meets ruthless officer Jana who recognizes her as princess Nile and thinks that she's one of those bratty princesses who doesn't know anything about hard work. After some persuasion, he agrees to not to reveal her identity and really thinks she won't last long on the ship. Nile used to be the one who gave commands and now she's one of the lower deck's crew that she's unfamiliar of. On Aurora, Lazying around or breaking the disciplinary code will get you a punished involving a beating or lashing which is ordered by the officer Jana that every crew member avoids. Even though she doesn't agree with the ship's Captain's commands, she has no choice but to shut her mouth and obey them. When a new elemental power starts to develop inside Nile, she needs to keep it a secret while learning her new ability that she has no control of. With danger approaching, how long can she keep her identity and her ability a secret?

I loved Nile! She's a great female protagonist who isn't a total perfection. She's strong yet naive and insecure. In the prequel, we see the confident and fearless side of her but this book showed the vulnerable side of her. I enjoyed her character development in this book. She always wanted to prove herself worthy to her father and being Lieutenant of Faithful is the only thing she cared about the most. When she joins the fleet ship, she doesn't care much about making friends or anything except reaching her destination without getting her cover blown but eventually she makes new friends and earns her fellow crew members respect. Officer Jana aka Domenic looks young and handsome but on the deck he's quiet ruthless. The first appearance of this guy is pretty sweet but when we meet him again I was like "Who da hell is this guy". He's arrogant, ruthless, cruel and handsome. His hot and cold personality definitely intrigued me because I like hot Jerks. He's one of those characters that you want to hate but you really can't. I enjoyed every interaction between Nile and Jana. While every crew members in the lower deck are afraid of him, Nile doesn't fear him at all and it's pretty enjoyable to watch every time she defies him and shows him that she isn't weak like he expected her to be. There isn't much romance in this book but there is some tension between these two and I absolutely loved the hot kiss at the end. I really can't wait to see how their relationship progresses further. Mr. Catsper is another interesting character that caught my attention. He is arrogant, cocky and quiet deadly. The author didn't gave him much focus but I'd love to know more about him. I also liked Ana! She is such a sweet and caring character whom Nile befriends on Aurora.

The plot is enjoyable and entertaining. Even though I hate slow paced plots surprisingly I found myself enjoying this book. I was totally immersed in to the story right from the first page. Most of the plot centers around Nile's struggle to adapt to her new position and survive on the ship while controlling her new ability. I also enjoyed the sea action and the forbidden attraction between Nile and Dom. The writing style is pretty good and the whole story is told from Nile's (first person) perspective. The world building is amazing but it did took some time for me to understand everything. I loved the unique customs and the elemental magic system. I was little bit disappointed that there's not much action as expected and I really hope the next book makes up for it.

Overall, it is a good read! It was a perfect blend of adventure, magic and light romance. There is no major cliffhanger at the end but the book concludes with an interesting end and I can't wait to check out the next book.

[the_queen_of_books24 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok guys. So this book looked really good, and I loved Nile and Domenic and everything....and then suddenly I just got really bored and everything was being dragged out, the plot with the Gifted and her own powers was stale and slow, the plot with Domenic and her relationship didn't progress fast enough from jerk to nice guy (I know I don't want Indra love but this was pushing it) and I just wish I could have rated this higher but I just can't be bothered. I'm done with books I'm bored with.

[Hetal · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see more reviews, considering taking a peek at my first in series YA book blog here

3.5 stars

I really hyped up Air and Ash for myself. I shouldn't have because it definitely took away from the reading experience. That being said, it was a squash buckling pirate adventure. And, not generally the nice kind.



Princess Nile has always been a sailor and commander of the seas. She is summoned home only to be banned from the sea and be used as political pawn. Well, she's having none of that. She joins a ship's crew. What she finds is utter incompetence and corruption at the hands of one lazy captain and a terrifying handsome mean, whip-lashing 1st mate.

Nile has her work cut out for her in this book. She thinks she can change a crew, but before she changes anyone else, she needs to change herself. She needs to lay low, but her inner righteousness makes people suspicious. Let's use a series of gifs, shall we?

First Nile Runs because...



And then on the ship she be like:





And then she is also like...shit calling too much attention to myself because I HAVE MAGIC. THAT I NEED TO HIDE:


But for whatever reason she somehow makes her squad crew amidst all the mayhem:



and then like, "shit I need to escape! Help me handsome terrifying 1st mate.

Anyway, aside from the minor wtf dumb moments Nile has, I really did enjoy Air and Ash. Nile is strong but has to recreate herself is she wants to survive and be the person she needs to be.

[Kasia Burlakoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from the beginning to end, it practically sucked me into its Universe. It was very well written, with interesting and well developed characters. The plot was excellent, and the pace was fast with many twists and turns.

At the beginning there were some moments which got me slightly confused due to many new characters and unknown universe, but the feeling quickly disappeared and all the puzzle pieces fell into place. The author explained the set up of the world fully, without going into unnecessary details.

The universe was fascinating, a bit of a fairy tale, magic, and harsh reality of the life of seamen. I loved Nile and I was holding me breath while following her struggles, decisions, suffering and triumphs. The graphic descriptions of punishments and cruelty on board of Aurora made me want to cry. All the different characters, villains, good guys and those in between were given complicated personalities, none of them seemed like a cartoon cut out. Through the events of the story everyone had a chance to prove their worth or depth of his depravity. I found their fight to preserve their dignity, loyalty and honor fascinating.

I highly recommend this fast paced action book with a healthy dose of romance. Just a little warning, after I had finished this book, I had to start Book 2 immediately, though it was very late at night. So exercise caution.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Alex Lidell. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be part of the blog tour for this book, and I'm so excited to share my thoughts on it with you gals and guys today! I told you about it a little while ago, and I said that it gave me such lady pirate feels. However, I was wrong - no lady pirates - but had also lady captains and lady shippers, or, erm, ladies on ships. But it was still great anyway.

This was definitely like any book that I've read. I thought that I had really read every kind of fantasy book, but this was the first time I was reading about life on a ship in a fantasy world. It was so interesting, and I have to give Liddell for creating such an original world and properties to it. The whole Gifted aspect and the different countries were so interesting, and she really took the time to flesh it out. I only got confused a few times, and it was my own fault for taking a pause and not remembering. Other than that, she did a fantastic job of showcasing her world.

The storyline was very interesting as well. I honestly never knew what was coming next. There were a lot of twists and turns, and did I expect any of them? No, and that was a brilliant thing. I also loved how literally something could appear out of the fog and change the entire storyline. Liddell definitely kept me on my toes.

I enjoyed our wonderful heroine Nile as well. She was strong, fierce, and she knew what was up - in so many aspects. When she started getting sick, it wasn't this whole, oh, I don't know what is happening, let's guess for 100 pages. She knew right away and dealt with it, and I loved that. The only issue I had with her is in the beginning I felt her strength was more telling than showing, and I just wanted to see it more. She seemed a bit forced, but the more I got into it, the more psychological I realized her characterization to be. She has been forced into a society where she has to be strong or else she's done, and how can you afford not to be strong all the time? Once I realized this, I totally got into the groove, and I enjoyed her again.

The romance was good as well - when it showed up. And I say that in the best way possible, because to me, this book was NOT about the romance. While it was delightful and a fantastic slow burn, I was so enthralled with the storyline that I didn't care if I had my feels. Liddell did that well with the plot and keeping things interesting. Also, I might be sensing a different ship as well? (lol, two ships on a ship) And yet I was totally fine with either of them.

The hardest part to read about this book was the society that Nile was forced to live in. I was thinking back to Daughter of the Pirate King, which had some very fierce ladies ruling the sea and it was never questioned. She was strong; therefore, she was accepted. However, the more I thought about it, the more unrealistic it seemed to me. Ladies on the sea or in combat position never get the same treatment, and back in the times/alternate fantasy land that Nile is forced in? Yeah, it's not going to happen with equality and major love. It was hard at times to read about the way that Nile was looked down upon, and I totally wanted to go get my picket signs and protest a certain Captain. -_- While it was hard to read, I'm glad Liddell included it because it added a real sense of realism and what ladies had/have to go through in this type of society - even though it was a sucky one for the ladies.

Liddell also has a really nice writing style. It was so easy to be drawn into her world with her writing and ability to steer the story into twists and turns. I will definitely be picking up other books by her in the future - and we all know how picky I am about my writing style.

Overall, this was a very engrossing read, and while I didn't get my lady pirates, I got some epic seafaring ladies, which is fair enough trade. ;) Nile was a fierce heroine, and this world was quite complex and wonderfully drawn. I never saw what was coming next. I did get disconnected in parts, which led to the drop in a crown for me (although I might have been in a book slump sooooo that could have been a factor), but this story always did manage to draw me back in. There are quite a few nice ships in here as well - romantic and actual kind - and I did feel passionately about all the members of the crew (I'm looking at you Captain Rima especially -_-).

Four crowns and an Ariel rating!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Kindle Bargain
*Genre* Young Adult, Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5

*My Thoughts*

Air and Ash is the first installment in author Alex Lidell's Tides series. 17-year old Nile Greysik is the protagonist for this series. From an early age, Nile has served her country faithfully in the Ashing Navy. She rose to the rank of Lieutenant, and served as second to the Captain. But, after her ship, His Majesty's Ship Faithful, came under attack from the Republic, and loses a very valuable cargo in the process, Nile finds that her career and hopes of becoming a Captain of her own ship one day, finished.

*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[Camillea Camillea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I initially read the novella, First Command, thinking I'd first sample Alex Lidell's writing before starting a new series. I was intrigued by the premise of a princess who is a lieutant on a navy ship. Sea adventures have grown on me recently and Alex Lidell did not disappoint!

Nile Greysik is a one of a kind character. She's tough, level headed, kind with a touch of humility. Although I doubt she'd admit to the latter. I love her character because of her ability and determination to turn a situation to her advantage. While working under the guise of Nile Ash, Nile remains strong headed and while she does not outwardly undermine the authority of Captain Rima, as a reader I could see how each situation was falling into Nile's hands and all because of her logic and actual love for her career as a naval officer.

Nile could have easily been the special snowflake character, she could have easily rose to the occassion with all her skills of being at sea and her status as a princess could have been seen as an opportunity, but nope! The author wrote her in a way that Ash literally crawled back down the pits to work her way back, rung by rung, for another stand at glory. Or forget glory all together! All Ash wanted was a cure for her brother. I wished with all my heart that more would be mentioned about Clay; even in the brief moments of them being together, my heart ached for the pain the twins must have been going through. Having her brother as motivation made me fell A LOT for our princess sailor.

Domenic Dana. What do I even say about him? He's a duty bound first officer who is ill treated by the captain. So why does he stay on the ship?? I want answers. I found him mysterious and dark but not in that cliched trope I've read many times. In spite of the "unlucky" circumstances he had been placed in, Domenic carried it out with dignity without so much of a complaint. How? I loved the man for it. The romance with Ash was just aaaaaaaah! There was a lot of respect between the two keeping in mind the difference in their stations. The development of their relationship left my cheeks flaming but I think the characters deserve to savour the slow burn.

Oh, and Catsper??? Yes, I may have developed a bit of a crush. What is HIS back story? Will I ever hear one? And Ana? She is such a darling; Ana is a complete opposite to Ash but is just as every bit strong. I can't wait to read more of her! I especially loved the little classes Ash held for the younger ones - Lawrence, Kederic, Song, and Sand. Their hunger to learn more, the willingness to put their trust in Nile, and how they're unafraid to do what's right. These secondary characters are awesome!

The plot had me trapped in its inky fingers. Even with its fast pace, the story was able to shine light on many secondary character - showing us the interactions, and the development of the relationships. The book opens by throwing us headfirst into action which wasn't in any way overwhelming at all to me. It worked out well t0 set the tone of the novel for readers. Oh, and the magic in this world is unlike what I've read before?

I'm pretty sure A LOT of research must have gone into this novel which I really appreciate the author for. I had initially thought this book to be Young Adult but after reading it, I don't think it fits the category. Air and Ash has a darker theme and is more political in nature. While Air and Ash did not have a spectacularly explosive climax, what it did was begin shifting events to chaos. There are tidbits of information sprinkled all over the novel which, if I'm right, hints at what's to come, then I'll be expecting a gritty, swashbuckling adventure.

I purchased this book for myself. All opinions are my own. Follow me at Camillea Reads and on IG: biblio.khaleesi for more bookish adventures.

[Erica Alvendia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmmmmm, I think there's a certain amount of villainy to help a story move along but there comes a point when it really is a bit too much. That's kind of how I felt about this book. The antagonist is supposed to make you despise him but in this book it got to the point where I was beyond annoyed and was pretty much over the storyline. From how the book ended it seems like it's only going to get even worse in that aspect so I'm not even sure I'm that curious to know what happens in the next novel.

I read reviews saying that if you enjoy Sarah J Maas then you will like this book, but honestly nothing in this book made me enjoy it like I would a Sarah J Maas novel. So...I don't really get where the comparison lies.

It's not a bad read though, overall. It has a great twist to the concept of elemental magic than previous books I read so that was refreshing. Another good thing about the book is that while the heroine will do certain things to get herself into trouble, she is a strong female character who is intelligent. I'm always a fan of smart, strong and willful heroines.

In summary, the book holds a serious tone throughout its entirety. If you want any comic relief in your stories then this isn't the kind of book you want to read. I felt the scenarios that played out are things that could and would happen on a ship so the amount of authenticity was believable (other than the over use of power and discipline was excessively thrown around). The slow progress of success for the character and her ability to get things done is also at a nice natural pace (this also pertains to all the relationships she forms).

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNFed at 52%. The writing style isn't bad but, I'm not going to continue reading a book where the obvious future love interest abuses the MC because he feels he has to for appearances and she just accepts it. Uhm no thank you 👎

[Tara (Spinatale Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll write a full review later but I absolutely love this book. It was like Tamora Pierce combined with ships/pirates. Definitely going to be eagerly awaiting the sequel!