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The Azantian Trilogy #1
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea
One woman chosen by the God of the Sea. A king hellbent on saving his mysterious island home. And a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
Forced to marry the wealthy Count Casbian by her power-hungry father, Margrete turns to the gods, praying for a life free from the men who wish to rule her. Across the sea, a ruthless immortal answers…
Planning to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash, a devilishly handsome king, kidnaps Margrete on the day of her nuptials. Bringing her to his home, the mystical island of Azantian, it isn't long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves.
Drawn to the spirited woman he's sworn to hate, Bash cannot stay away from Margrete and the passion she ignites within him. When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
The first book of this exciting fantasy trilogy is perfect for readers who love high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steamy romance. Fans of Danielle L. Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom, and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses will be enthralled.
Forced to marry the wealthy Count Casbian by her power-hungry father, Margrete turns to the gods, praying for a life free from the men who wish to rule her. Across the sea, a ruthless immortal answers…
Planning to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash, a devilishly handsome king, kidnaps Margrete on the day of her nuptials. Bringing her to his home, the mystical island of Azantian, it isn't long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves.
Drawn to the spirited woman he's sworn to hate, Bash cannot stay away from Margrete and the passion she ignites within him. When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
The first book of this exciting fantasy trilogy is perfect for readers who love high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steamy romance. Fans of Danielle L. Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom, and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses will be enthralled.
397 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2021
259 people are currently reading
8418 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Quinn
9 books641 followersKatherine Quinn is a fantasy romance author and poet. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in psychology. She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband and children.
Her love for writing began after she read her first fantasy series, Song of the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. After that, she wanted nothing more than to be a dagger-wielding heroine. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to give a child a dagger, so she settled on writing about daring adventures instead.
Coffee is her true love, and she believes anything can be fixed with Starbucks and dark humor.
Her love for writing began after she read her first fantasy series, Song of the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. After that, she wanted nothing more than to be a dagger-wielding heroine. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to give a child a dagger, so she settled on writing about daring adventures instead.
Coffee is her true love, and she believes anything can be fixed with Starbucks and dark humor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
February 19, 2022
This book had a good mix of swashbuckling pirates, fantasy and a cute romance > definitely an enjoyable read!
✅ MARGRETE WAS A GREAT LEAD character and I enjoyed seeing her grow a backbone throughout the book. I loved all of her escape attempts and I appreciated that she didn't just give up and play the damsel in distress
❌ THE STORY ITSELF was pretty slow. I didn't find myself sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next. It never really felt like the stakes were that high so I never worried about what would happen to the characters
❌ THE TWISTS WERE PREDICTABLE so that was kind of a bummer. Once everything started unfolding, I wasn't really surprised by any of the reveals
🆗 BASH WAS A LITTLE too perfect and too enamored with Margrete. It kind of worked for me because I secretly love the nice and sweet heroes, but I was expecting him to be a little more rogue-ish and alpha with the initial pirate vibe we got from him
✅ I FOUND THE HISTORY of this world and the primary conflict to be unique and interesting - I won't say much more without spoiling it 😆 I enjoyed that it was different and I'm curious to see where it goes next. Plus there were pirates!
🆗 THE ROMANCE was definitely super sweet and it was also steamy (yay!). There was a build-up of tension between the two, but it didn't truly feel like slow burn because they were both very obviously enamored with each other from the beginning.
Overall, this book was a really great debut. I think it's a good introduction to the conflict and the characters, and I loved that it was actually kind of steamy! The main downfall for me was mostly that I didn't find it super captivating or surprising. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy romance that's heavier on the romance and has a pirate vibe!
Steam Scale: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Swoon Scale: ❤️❤️/5
✅ MARGRETE WAS A GREAT LEAD character and I enjoyed seeing her grow a backbone throughout the book. I loved all of her escape attempts and I appreciated that she didn't just give up and play the damsel in distress
❌ THE STORY ITSELF was pretty slow. I didn't find myself sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened next. It never really felt like the stakes were that high so I never worried about what would happen to the characters
❌ THE TWISTS WERE PREDICTABLE so that was kind of a bummer. Once everything started unfolding, I wasn't really surprised by any of the reveals
🆗 BASH WAS A LITTLE too perfect and too enamored with Margrete. It kind of worked for me because I secretly love the nice and sweet heroes, but I was expecting him to be a little more rogue-ish and alpha with the initial pirate vibe we got from him
✅ I FOUND THE HISTORY of this world and the primary conflict to be unique and interesting - I won't say much more without spoiling it 😆 I enjoyed that it was different and I'm curious to see where it goes next. Plus there were pirates!
🆗 THE ROMANCE was definitely super sweet and it was also steamy (yay!). There was a build-up of tension between the two, but it didn't truly feel like slow burn because they were both very obviously enamored with each other from the beginning.
Overall, this book was a really great debut. I think it's a good introduction to the conflict and the characters, and I loved that it was actually kind of steamy! The main downfall for me was mostly that I didn't find it super captivating or surprising. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy romance that's heavier on the romance and has a pirate vibe!
Steam Scale: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Swoon Scale: ❤️❤️/5
April 22, 2022
“You can’t condemn an entire species simply because evil men live amongst them. There’s beauty out there. People who deserve all the good the world has to offer.” -Margrete
I devoured this book in just a few hours. A romance with action, pirates, gods. Had some spicy parts. The description was great, i felt, smelled the sea from the pages. It was a wonderful book.
I devoured this book in just a few hours. A romance with action, pirates, gods. Had some spicy parts. The description was great, i felt, smelled the sea from the pages. It was a wonderful book.
June 28, 2022
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There is a built-in audience for this type of nondemanding read: it floats in the shallow end and never challenges the reader or characters. But at the same time, this lack of sophistication can be extremely frustrating for more experienced readers looking for solid world building, character development, and depth. For me, none of the characters were fleshed out and felt too much like over-romanticized Mary Sue creations that were hitting every cliche on the YA romance checklist.Story: Margrete lives a loveless life under the harsh thumb of her ruthless father. When a random prayer reaches the ears of a cursed god, he sees an opportunity to escape his fate. Margrete is kidnapped on her wedding day and taken to a mysterious hidden island with the 'pirate.' Love and sex ensue.
I think I had the most problem with the characters. They were overly idealized, nearly perfect, and thus never needed to have any kind of character development. Margrete, for example, describes her father's punishment of being stuck in an iron maiden with 'rusted spikes' that caused her to bleed. This is described more along the lines that she was locked in her room and no discussion is made whatsoever of the damage that has done psychologically or emotionally. Instead, she spends the next scene frolicking on the beach with her sister. It feels like such a missed opportunity and very shallow writing not to explore this abuse and how she needs to heal/recover from it. If anything, you'd never suspect she was under any abuse at all since she spends most of the time meeting her love interest the first time by continually insulting him.
The insults toward him felt very stupid - if you're kidnapped by a man who ruthlessly killed a whole bunch of people just to get to you, then you probably shouldn't be mouthing off. She should have been terrified but instead was written as being peeved and annoyed. As such, the heroine fell into the 'too stupid to live' category far too often. At the same time, it is getting tiring reading YA romances where authors seem to think that being rude, obnoxious, mouthy, and insulting shows spirit. It doesn't - it shows stupidity and takes away any sense of danger. Then add the inexplicable reaction by the male love interests who find the heroine sexy and cute when being a jerk and I just don't get it.
In many ways, this sometimes feels like a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Except that the Beast would have slaughtered many people in Belle's village in order to kidnap her, tell her that they were all bad men anyway and deserved to die, and then take her to his palace so she can call him an ugly, hairy, smelly dog while he smirks indulgently. The author could have chosen to to have the two main characters get to know each other organically but instead already on the first day we have Margrete getting jealous after the 'pirate' hugs a female friend and thinking how manly he is.Let the YA slut shaming begin and this girl, who was kidnapped amidst so much death and uncertainty, is instead more interested in the hunky guy with another woman (who must be a slut, of course) than her own predicament. It made me roll my eyes.
Worldbuilding was also non existent. More of your bog standard medieval patriarchal society that we have seen so much before. Anything that deviated outside of medieval England was there only as a plot mechanism to make the male interest look good rather than an organic and intrinsic part of a unique world. For this reason, the book is very undemanding of readers but also bland as cardboard. We've seen this story so many times, often done better.
The writing is simplistic, lacks depth, but is super easy to follow and therefore I imagine it will be appealing to some. Certainly we don't need Jane Austen level of writing to really succeed but honestly, this felt so pedantic and pedestrian. Granted, it is a debut effort but at the same time, I wish an editor had worked with the author to add depth, character development, and especially world building to make this more than a middle grade read level read but for adults. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
September 26, 2021
I really enjoyed The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea. It’s such an immersive read, and I love the world that Katherine Quinn created. The story has tons of action, adventure, and romance, and the characters are fantastic! I especially like the main characters, Margrete and Bash, as well as Bash’s closest friends.
Margrete’s development and growth over the course of the story are immense. A young woman who has been abused by her father for years (he is a disgusting human being btw, and I can’t believe some of the horrific things he did to his own daughter!), Margrete never expects to find her freedom when kidnapped by a gang of pirates, but that is exactly what happens. Margret had such a terrible life, a life of abuse, pain, and suffering, and she is terribly scarred from her experiences. However, away from the toxicity and evil that is her father, Margrete begins to find herself. She gains strength, surety, and a sense of belonging on her journey, and it is fantastic. Margrete, like Bash, is very selfless, but to see her stand up for herself and to take charge is awesome.
The story is told primarily from Margrete’s point of view, though there are chapters told from Bash’s perspective too. I feel like you really get to understand both characters well with the dual perspectives. Margrete (and the reader) initially sees Bash as a villainous pirate who has kidnapped her for his own nefarious purposes. However, it’s clear fairly early on that he’s much more than that. Bash is so self-sacrificing, and all of his decisions are for the betterment of his people regardless of his needs and desires. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and is desperate to save his kingdom. He deals with a lot of conflicting feelings, and having his perspective humanizes him and shows his thoughts, feelings, motives, and vulnerabilities. It also reveals his feelings about Margrete.
Of course, my favorite part of the book is the romance. It is epically swoon-tastic, and I loved every chemistry-laden minute of it! I love a good enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and the relationship between Margrete and Bash is everything! Their love is described as “a molding of two souls that called out for the other,” and I think that’s the most beautiful and perfect description of Margrete and Bash.
Bash and Margrete have such strong and deep feelings for each other, but there is so much standing in their way. Kidnappings, revenge, her father, vengeful gods, and monsters threaten them at every turn, and they are supposed to be each other’s enemies. Their relationship is angst-filled, a constant push and pull, “will they or won’t they” dynamic, and I love their banter, sexual tension, and chemistry.
I also love the family that Margrete finds in Bash and his closest friends. They are so fun and witty together, and they add interesting dynamics to the story. Margrete has never really known unconditional love and acceptance except with her young sister, and Bash and his friends change that. Margrete becomes more confident and strong, and she sees her own worth more than she ever did before because of this found family. These friends have a lot of respect for each other, and they are extremely loyal. I like that they take Margrete under their wing and show her what it means to belong.
This is a wonderful debut novel from Katherine Quinn. The world-building is layered, unique, and fascinating, and I love the lore and mythology introduced. The imagery and symbolism are also strong, as is the character development. A well-paced and captivating read with mystery, action, and a swoon-tastic romance, The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea will appeal to readers of romantic fantasy. Thanks so much to the author, NetGalley, and City Owl Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Margrete’s development and growth over the course of the story are immense. A young woman who has been abused by her father for years (he is a disgusting human being btw, and I can’t believe some of the horrific things he did to his own daughter!), Margrete never expects to find her freedom when kidnapped by a gang of pirates, but that is exactly what happens. Margret had such a terrible life, a life of abuse, pain, and suffering, and she is terribly scarred from her experiences. However, away from the toxicity and evil that is her father, Margrete begins to find herself. She gains strength, surety, and a sense of belonging on her journey, and it is fantastic. Margrete, like Bash, is very selfless, but to see her stand up for herself and to take charge is awesome.
The story is told primarily from Margrete’s point of view, though there are chapters told from Bash’s perspective too. I feel like you really get to understand both characters well with the dual perspectives. Margrete (and the reader) initially sees Bash as a villainous pirate who has kidnapped her for his own nefarious purposes. However, it’s clear fairly early on that he’s much more than that. Bash is so self-sacrificing, and all of his decisions are for the betterment of his people regardless of his needs and desires. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and is desperate to save his kingdom. He deals with a lot of conflicting feelings, and having his perspective humanizes him and shows his thoughts, feelings, motives, and vulnerabilities. It also reveals his feelings about Margrete.
Of course, my favorite part of the book is the romance. It is epically swoon-tastic, and I loved every chemistry-laden minute of it! I love a good enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and the relationship between Margrete and Bash is everything! Their love is described as “a molding of two souls that called out for the other,” and I think that’s the most beautiful and perfect description of Margrete and Bash.
Bash and Margrete have such strong and deep feelings for each other, but there is so much standing in their way. Kidnappings, revenge, her father, vengeful gods, and monsters threaten them at every turn, and they are supposed to be each other’s enemies. Their relationship is angst-filled, a constant push and pull, “will they or won’t they” dynamic, and I love their banter, sexual tension, and chemistry.
I also love the family that Margrete finds in Bash and his closest friends. They are so fun and witty together, and they add interesting dynamics to the story. Margrete has never really known unconditional love and acceptance except with her young sister, and Bash and his friends change that. Margrete becomes more confident and strong, and she sees her own worth more than she ever did before because of this found family. These friends have a lot of respect for each other, and they are extremely loyal. I like that they take Margrete under their wing and show her what it means to belong.
This is a wonderful debut novel from Katherine Quinn. The world-building is layered, unique, and fascinating, and I love the lore and mythology introduced. The imagery and symbolism are also strong, as is the character development. A well-paced and captivating read with mystery, action, and a swoon-tastic romance, The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea will appeal to readers of romantic fantasy. Thanks so much to the author, NetGalley, and City Owl Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
June 15, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Is it sad that The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea has been on my TBR for almost a year? I think it is because I finally found the time to jump into this. While this might be the first book within The Azantian Trilogy, I can already tell you that I'm super excited to jump into the next two books.
In this, you will meet Margrete and Bash. Now I absolutely adored, loved, and cherished these two characters. Seriously, I don't think I've ever fallen so quickly in love with someone after meeting them. It was definitely main character insta-love syndrome and I'm okay with that.
Now Margrete's life sucks. She's constantly abused by her own father and dreams of escaping. The only downside if she leaves, her little sister will be subjected to the torture instead. So, when she's thrown into a random marriage, she doesn't think she will be rescued by some pirates. Handsome pirates that is.
Enter Bash. These two were just peas in a pod. They were so similar to one another it was kind of scary. They are both selfless and grow on one another quite easily. Which, yes, made things very easy to ship them together. The constant push and pull within their relationship made it way too easy to devour. I loved their bantering so much and the sexual tension between them made their chemistry very likable.
In the end, I had so much fun reading this book. Silently kicking myself for waiting so freaking long to jump into this book. If I cross paths with the sequel, I will not hesitate to read it right then and there. Definitely need more books within this series and from Katherine stat!
Is it sad that The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea has been on my TBR for almost a year? I think it is because I finally found the time to jump into this. While this might be the first book within The Azantian Trilogy, I can already tell you that I'm super excited to jump into the next two books.
In this, you will meet Margrete and Bash. Now I absolutely adored, loved, and cherished these two characters. Seriously, I don't think I've ever fallen so quickly in love with someone after meeting them. It was definitely main character insta-love syndrome and I'm okay with that.
Now Margrete's life sucks. She's constantly abused by her own father and dreams of escaping. The only downside if she leaves, her little sister will be subjected to the torture instead. So, when she's thrown into a random marriage, she doesn't think she will be rescued by some pirates. Handsome pirates that is.
Enter Bash. These two were just peas in a pod. They were so similar to one another it was kind of scary. They are both selfless and grow on one another quite easily. Which, yes, made things very easy to ship them together. The constant push and pull within their relationship made it way too easy to devour. I loved their bantering so much and the sexual tension between them made their chemistry very likable.
In the end, I had so much fun reading this book. Silently kicking myself for waiting so freaking long to jump into this book. If I cross paths with the sequel, I will not hesitate to read it right then and there. Definitely need more books within this series and from Katherine stat!
October 2, 2021
Potential triggers: abusive father (not graphic). Otherwise, suitable for my fellow die-hard fantasy lovers AND historical romance readers who would like to try venturing into this amazing genre for the first time.
Fantasy > historical romance > pirates > kings > GODS.
It all started with a desperate prayer for freedom. From there, 23 old Margrete is swept away to the mystical island of Azantian where seas come to life, danger looms, and romance blossoms.
Admittedly, I struggled with the first 15% or so. Majorly. The prologue really, really threw me off. It was so confusing and didn't match the vibe of the rest of the story. At one stage our main character notes that "it was almost too much to take in all at once," and I have to say - girl, I agree. There were a few points in the book that were very description heavy and they made my little brain hurt.
However, I'm glad I persevered because what I got is a magical island, an abused woman finding her power, a swoon-worthy romance (some of their moments genuinely made me so happy) and a mythical tale that slowly unravels.
Our main character is a bit dense at times (not putting two and two together, not communicating what she should, and forgetting about her younger sister) but the majority of the time she is likeable as are our other characters. She's just the right amount of headstrong and has a great back and forth going with Bash - who is very well developed.
"Only small men fear a woman who knows her own mind and wields a sword. Who fights back. Because those women... Well, they have the power to send men to their knees."
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Apologies to the author for taking longer than usual to have it read. I will definitely be continuing the series :)
Fantasy > historical romance > pirates > kings > GODS.
It all started with a desperate prayer for freedom. From there, 23 old Margrete is swept away to the mystical island of Azantian where seas come to life, danger looms, and romance blossoms.
Admittedly, I struggled with the first 15% or so. Majorly. The prologue really, really threw me off. It was so confusing and didn't match the vibe of the rest of the story. At one stage our main character notes that "it was almost too much to take in all at once," and I have to say - girl, I agree. There were a few points in the book that were very description heavy and they made my little brain hurt.
However, I'm glad I persevered because what I got is a magical island, an abused woman finding her power, a swoon-worthy romance (some of their moments genuinely made me so happy) and a mythical tale that slowly unravels.
Our main character is a bit dense at times (not putting two and two together, not communicating what she should, and forgetting about her younger sister) but the majority of the time she is likeable as are our other characters. She's just the right amount of headstrong and has a great back and forth going with Bash - who is very well developed.
"Only small men fear a woman who knows her own mind and wields a sword. Who fights back. Because those women... Well, they have the power to send men to their knees."
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Apologies to the author for taking longer than usual to have it read. I will definitely be continuing the series :)
November 22, 2021
This book was so phenomenal that it's hard to believe it is a debut novel. I was lucky enough to beta read this novel and it is without a doubt one of my top five reads of 2021. Quinn's writing style is lush and lyrical, her premise unique and spellbinding, the love story magical and full of heat. Readers will cheer for Margrete and Bash and gasp at the twists and turns. This novel is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Katherine Quinn is an author to watch as her debut weaves an intoxicating spell, leaving the reader breathless from adventure and romance. A thousand stars for this amazing book!
September 16, 2021
Yes finally a book that lives up to the hype. I thoroughly enjoyed this swashbuckling, paranormal romance with a touch of The Pirates of the Caribbean and that cover is also absolutely stunning. This begins with our protagonist Margrete being tortured ( nothing too graphic ) and mentally reaching out hoping to find salvation. She’s heard by a being of immense power but is this someone to turn to or something much more sinister ? Forced into a marriage she doesn’t want Margrete cannot believe her luck when she’s literally kidnapped from her own wedding. Waking up onboard a ship bound for a mythical Island is worrying enough but Margrete is determined to return home and save her sister from the atrocities and punishments she herself has been through. It’s just too bad that the Pirate who stole her away has other ideas !
This was a fun read that had me eagerly turning the pages from the very beginning. I loved that Margrete was as feisty as she was stubborn and seeing her blossom into a woman who could speak up was very satisfying. Bash the Pirate ( yes I hated his name ) is a whole lot more than he seems and in fact the people from Azantia are all far from human. No spoilers here but it’s obvious that there’s a reason for Margrete being in Azantia and it’s something that happily wasn’t completely revealed until the end. I am very happy with how this ended although I can see that there are strong possibilities that this story could continue in some way. For now though I can truthfully say this book did not disappoint me and I look forward to reading more from this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
This was a fun read that had me eagerly turning the pages from the very beginning. I loved that Margrete was as feisty as she was stubborn and seeing her blossom into a woman who could speak up was very satisfying. Bash the Pirate ( yes I hated his name ) is a whole lot more than he seems and in fact the people from Azantia are all far from human. No spoilers here but it’s obvious that there’s a reason for Margrete being in Azantia and it’s something that happily wasn’t completely revealed until the end. I am very happy with how this ended although I can see that there are strong possibilities that this story could continue in some way. For now though I can truthfully say this book did not disappoint me and I look forward to reading more from this author.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
September 19, 2021
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I started this book, my expectations weren't that high. Now that I've finished this book in less than a day, I am proud to say that this book is a literal 4.5 / 5 stars.
A romance that not only serves enemies to lovers, but also a semi forbidden love trope. I was taken back by their interactions and longed to see where their story would go. Almost as much as I longed to say the character development of the MC.
Margaret took me back by surprise, especially with that ending. One point that did nag at me, was the fact that we saw so little of her powers until the ending of the book. Though, considering it is a trilogy I am certain the lack of power will be made up for.
Combined with the plotline and the world building, it almost felt like I was watching a pirate movie rather than read about the book it self. If you'd throw the Bridge Kingdom, to Kill a Kingdom and From Blood and Ash in a cauldron, I am almost certain this book would crawl out of it.
I am more than eager to read the next book and I certainly hope this book will get the hype it so clearly deserves.
When I started this book, my expectations weren't that high. Now that I've finished this book in less than a day, I am proud to say that this book is a literal 4.5 / 5 stars.
A romance that not only serves enemies to lovers, but also a semi forbidden love trope. I was taken back by their interactions and longed to see where their story would go. Almost as much as I longed to say the character development of the MC.
Margaret took me back by surprise, especially with that ending. One point that did nag at me, was the fact that we saw so little of her powers until the ending of the book. Though, considering it is a trilogy I am certain the lack of power will be made up for.
Combined with the plotline and the world building, it almost felt like I was watching a pirate movie rather than read about the book it self. If you'd throw the Bridge Kingdom, to Kill a Kingdom and From Blood and Ash in a cauldron, I am almost certain this book would crawl out of it.
I am more than eager to read the next book and I certainly hope this book will get the hype it so clearly deserves.
September 26, 2021
I was lucky enough to help Katherine Quinn edit this novel. I loved Margrete's spirit and the conflict that Bash faced. I feel like I can't say more without spoiling things, but...my favorite scene is on the beach. I felt alllllll the emotions and then some, and I literally melted into a puddle of swoony teenage girl when Bash said two words: "Don't frown." I don't know why that moment took my heart and squeezed the life out of it, but it did. I can't wait to see where this story goes!!
Read
September 30, 2021Unfortunately this became a DNF for me - hence the no rating.
Read up until 54%. The writing was just fine and I got through it easily enough, but there just wasn’t much present that was enough to keep me hooked, you know? Felt like I wouldn’t miss out on anything if I’d DNF, so that was enough for me to actually DNF it. With lots of other books waiting to be read, I just want to remain honest and focus on finishing books that ‘do’ more for me.
Read up until 54%. The writing was just fine and I got through it easily enough, but there just wasn’t much present that was enough to keep me hooked, you know? Felt like I wouldn’t miss out on anything if I’d DNF, so that was enough for me to actually DNF it. With lots of other books waiting to be read, I just want to remain honest and focus on finishing books that ‘do’ more for me.
October 10, 2021
4.5 💫
Goodness! That wasn't at all what I thought it would be...but it is amazing.
I enjoyed reading it immensely.
I fell in amazement gaze wonder with this AZENTHA ISLAND.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers - Their love journey and fight was one not to be missed...it was a felt word story depth!
What I liked :
🌊Their love journey and how much they both loved each other..Ahh!! How they fought death and pleaded God for each other..it was all so good
💕Margaret and Bash's individual inner turmoil..struggles with self-worth and wanting to be their best - what they went through since childhood and how they're fighting it
🌊Margaret's sassy voice and Bash's stubborn countbacks, their banter and all..there was humor laced overall 😂
🌊I loved the individual character depths, every character was penned with blowing suspense and goodness and realness
🌊I fell in love with the AZENTHA ISLAND -it's breathtaking - the people and the whole island captured me
There were so many twists I wasn't expecting and it felt good to read them all 😂
🌊I liked the voices struggle- it's more like in real life; which voice will I be listening to!
🌊All the hidden powers, identity, and found family
🌀🌊🌩⚡THAT LAST FIGHT WAS EPIC!!!
Overall! I liked how well the story and all the fantasy elements, all the fight and struggle, and realness in characters were weaved
What I didn't like ?
The only thing is it has more romance than anticipated 🔥🔥
I just skipped that part so I don't particularly know it's depths
I highly recommend this book for all fantasy lovers
I can't wait for the next book and this story was really good 💙
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley
All opinions are my own
Goodness! That wasn't at all what I thought it would be...but it is amazing.
I enjoyed reading it immensely.
I fell in amazement gaze wonder with this AZENTHA ISLAND.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers - Their love journey and fight was one not to be missed...it was a felt word story depth!
What I liked :
🌊Their love journey and how much they both loved each other..Ahh!! How they fought death and pleaded God for each other..it was all so good
💕Margaret and Bash's individual inner turmoil..struggles with self-worth and wanting to be their best - what they went through since childhood and how they're fighting it
🌊Margaret's sassy voice and Bash's stubborn countbacks, their banter and all..there was humor laced overall 😂
🌊I loved the individual character depths, every character was penned with blowing suspense and goodness and realness
🌊I fell in love with the AZENTHA ISLAND -it's breathtaking - the people and the whole island captured me
There were so many twists I wasn't expecting and it felt good to read them all 😂
🌊I liked the voices struggle- it's more like in real life; which voice will I be listening to!
🌊All the hidden powers, identity, and found family
🌀🌊🌩⚡THAT LAST FIGHT WAS EPIC!!!
Overall! I liked how well the story and all the fantasy elements, all the fight and struggle, and realness in characters were weaved
What I didn't like ?
The only thing is it has more romance than anticipated 🔥🔥
I just skipped that part so I don't particularly know it's depths
I highly recommend this book for all fantasy lovers
I can't wait for the next book and this story was really good 💙
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley
All opinions are my own
October 20, 2021
Where to begin?
Objectively, this book is great. Exceptional even, when you take into account the fact that this is a debut novel. Why the 3 star rating then? Well, there was nothing particularly wrong with it, it just wasn't to my tastes. This was one of those "it's not you, it's me" situations.
The thing is, I was just really bored throughout it. I couldn't connect to either the characters or the plot, the overly embellished writing got tiring after a few chapters and there wasn't anything going on to actually capture my interest. Fantasy is kind of a tricky genre for me. If my fantasy books aren't plot driven, I just always end up struggling with them.
As main characters, Margret and Bash were fine. Maybe not all that unique as far as fantasy MCs go; you had the passionate, plucky, selfless girl and the powerful, broody, softie-on-the-inside guy. They were generic but still sufficiently fleshed out. There was even the requisite lust-laced snarky verbal sparring the enemies-to-lovers trope demands, which is usually always my favorite part (sexual tension is my jam!), but for whatever reason, I just wasn't invested in them. In reality the only forbidden aspect of their romance was them denying themselves.
And, well, not caring about the main couple in a character-driven romantic fantasy is just a critical blow to the potential enjoyment you can get out of such a book. I think the writing style really was another major factor in why this book didn't work for me. It was way too heavy handed in its descriptions. I didn't need to know the specific shades and characteristics of every single thing the MC set her eyes on:
"The stands here teemed with impressive coconuts, tangy oranges, spiky pineapples and colorful mangos"
It was too much. Also (and maybe this is just me) but in between all of the endless descriptions, a few times I got lost. For example, at one point we went from:
"She'd explored every crevice by the time the sun lowered in the sky, the twilight casting the room in an ominous haze[…]"
To:
"[…]she focused on the living legends decorating the walls of her beautiful cage. She studied them for hours[..]"
To:
"When the sun began to lower leisurely into the sea[...]"
How could there possibly have been hours between twilight and the sun going down? It's literally the same thing!
And, somehow, this book very much read like YA to me, so I was consistently taken by surprised with the lusty interactions and the couple of explicit sex scenes. Again, a me issue.
Plot wise, this book was more about world-building and setting stuff up than about events actually taking place. Nothing much happened for the first 75% of the story and then all the action was crammed in the last few chapters. That's not my preference since it means the beginning of the book drags a lot and by the time I get to the fun part, I just don't care and want to get the whole thing over with. Another me issue. But, I know there are plenty of people out there who love character-driven story arcs who this book would be perfect for. I'm just not that type of reader.
I would hope now that the brunt of the world-building has been done and the relationship set up, the next two books will be a lot more plot forward. Maybe those will be more my speed.
**I received an e-copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Victory Editing, City Owl Press and the author**
September 27, 2021
From the moment I picked up the book, I was ensnared and had a difficult time putting it down! The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an amazing fantasy story involving gods, magic, a mythical island, a pirate King, and more!! The main character Margrete is raised in an abusive home with a total jerk for a father. Her father plans to wed her to a Count for an unknown advantage. During the wedding ceremony, a group of pirates arrive and kidnap Margrete away. Margrete is taken away by a handsome pirate and quickly learns that everything she thought was a myth or a legend is REAL. This book is definitely some enemies to lovers trope and knife to the throat trope. Thank you to Net Galley for an eARC of this book. I cannot wait to read the rest of this trilogy!
October 11, 2021
4.5 💫
Goodness! That wasn't at all what I thought it would be...but it is amazing.
I enjoyed reading it immensely.
I fell in amazement gaze wonder with this AZENTHA ISLAND.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers - Their love journey and fight was one not to be missed...it was a felt story depth!
What I liked :
🌊Their love journey and how much they both loved each other..Ahh!! How they fought death and pleaded God for each other..it was all so good
💕Margaret and Bash's individual inner turmoil..struggles with self-worth and wanting to be their best - what they went through since childhood and how they're fighting it
🌊Margaret's sassy voice and Bash's stubborn countbacks, their banter and all..there was humor laced overall 😂
🌊I loved the individual character depths, every character was penned with blowing suspense and goodness and realness
🌊I fell in love with the AZENTHA ISLAND -it's breathtaking - the people and the whole island captured me
There were so many twists I wasn't expecting and it felt good to read them all 😂
🌊I liked the voices struggle- it's more like in real life; which voice will I be listening to!
🌊All the hidden powers, identity, and found family
🌀🌊🌩⚡THAT LAST FIGHT WAS EPIC!!!
Overall! I liked how well the story and all the fantasy elements, all the fight and struggle and realness in characters were weaved
The only thing is it has more romance than anticipated 🔥🔥
I highly recommend this book for all fantasy lovers
I can't wait for the next book and this story was really good 💙
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley
All opinions are my own
Goodness! That wasn't at all what I thought it would be...but it is amazing.
I enjoyed reading it immensely.
I fell in amazement gaze wonder with this AZENTHA ISLAND.
Tropes:
Enemies to lovers - Their love journey and fight was one not to be missed...it was a felt story depth!
What I liked :
🌊Their love journey and how much they both loved each other..Ahh!! How they fought death and pleaded God for each other..it was all so good
💕Margaret and Bash's individual inner turmoil..struggles with self-worth and wanting to be their best - what they went through since childhood and how they're fighting it
🌊Margaret's sassy voice and Bash's stubborn countbacks, their banter and all..there was humor laced overall 😂
🌊I loved the individual character depths, every character was penned with blowing suspense and goodness and realness
🌊I fell in love with the AZENTHA ISLAND -it's breathtaking - the people and the whole island captured me
There were so many twists I wasn't expecting and it felt good to read them all 😂
🌊I liked the voices struggle- it's more like in real life; which voice will I be listening to!
🌊All the hidden powers, identity, and found family
🌀🌊🌩⚡THAT LAST FIGHT WAS EPIC!!!
Overall! I liked how well the story and all the fantasy elements, all the fight and struggle and realness in characters were weaved
The only thing is it has more romance than anticipated 🔥🔥
I highly recommend this book for all fantasy lovers
I can't wait for the next book and this story was really good 💙
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley
All opinions are my own
September 28, 2021
OMG.
This book.
Quinn’s debut novel ticks all of my boxes. Fantasy? Check. Steamy and passionate romance? Check. Adventure? Check. Vengeful gods? Check. Angst? Check. Overcoming your own trauma and coming out stronger in the end? Check.
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is a sweeping and extravagant fantasy weaving in romance and adventure that takes the reader in a voyage into a world they’ll never want to leave.
I already can’t wait for book two because I need more Bash and Margrete. Now. Right now.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book.
Quinn’s debut novel ticks all of my boxes. Fantasy? Check. Steamy and passionate romance? Check. Adventure? Check. Vengeful gods? Check. Angst? Check. Overcoming your own trauma and coming out stronger in the end? Check.
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is a sweeping and extravagant fantasy weaving in romance and adventure that takes the reader in a voyage into a world they’ll never want to leave.
I already can’t wait for book two because I need more Bash and Margrete. Now. Right now.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2021
This book as easily one of my favorite reads of 2021. But now it’s 6am, ive been up all night DEVOURING this book, need to collect my thoughts.
Full review below!!! Mild spoilers:
I had to wait a full seven days before I sat down to write this review because of how much I loved it, and here I am writing this review ON release day.
There was so much to process, and so many things to get straight in my head before I wrote it down on paper. I have not seen any other reviews on Goodreads for this book, and I am honestly surprised. I’ve got this book on netgalley from the publisher, and Immediately went to Goodreads to see what other galley readers were thinking. I was shocked to see zero reviews, so I got to reading it right away not knowing what to expect.
This blew me away. Honestly. 5 stars across the board. It was so refreshing to finally read a book that really deserves all the hype in the world. I have been constantly let down by book recommendations from other people, booktok etc., but this book is what seems to be an undiscovered gem, and definitely on the top 5 books of the year.
The fantasy story is unique, I can tell that there was very careful world building by the author, and it was executed very well. As this is supposed to be a trilogy, I’m only anticipating that this will get better. I don’t have much to to say negative about this. The characters were very well developed, three-dimensional, believable. The problems felt real, and even if I guessed the plot twist about half way through, it wasn’t done in a predictable way, and I have to give major props to the author for that. This story stands out from a lot of the other fantasies I’ve read this year.
The love story was just the right amount of angst to be a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. The main character is headstrong, sassy, sarcastic, not at all the traits that I would’ve expected from the first couple chapters of the book. She really surprised me throughout the story.
I didn’t feel overwhelmed with information. The main character let you in on the secrets of her life as she revealed them. I didn’t get a tragic backstory right off the bat, I got hints here and there, but not even really the full story until much much later. And I have a feeling that there’s still more to follow.
The magic system is very interesting to me, very unique and not anything I’ve read before. I spent the entire book really unsure of what might happen next. Well a couple plot lines were predictable, there was a lot that really surprised me, and I think this book sets itself apart from others and its genre. I love to see a big fight scene in the first novel, especially since it really seems to have gotten the ball rolling on the future plot of the books. I have a feeling things are just getting started, and I cannot wait to read more.
Full review below!!! Mild spoilers:
I had to wait a full seven days before I sat down to write this review because of how much I loved it, and here I am writing this review ON release day.
There was so much to process, and so many things to get straight in my head before I wrote it down on paper. I have not seen any other reviews on Goodreads for this book, and I am honestly surprised. I’ve got this book on netgalley from the publisher, and Immediately went to Goodreads to see what other galley readers were thinking. I was shocked to see zero reviews, so I got to reading it right away not knowing what to expect.
This blew me away. Honestly. 5 stars across the board. It was so refreshing to finally read a book that really deserves all the hype in the world. I have been constantly let down by book recommendations from other people, booktok etc., but this book is what seems to be an undiscovered gem, and definitely on the top 5 books of the year.
The fantasy story is unique, I can tell that there was very careful world building by the author, and it was executed very well. As this is supposed to be a trilogy, I’m only anticipating that this will get better. I don’t have much to to say negative about this. The characters were very well developed, three-dimensional, believable. The problems felt real, and even if I guessed the plot twist about half way through, it wasn’t done in a predictable way, and I have to give major props to the author for that. This story stands out from a lot of the other fantasies I’ve read this year.
The love story was just the right amount of angst to be a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. The main character is headstrong, sassy, sarcastic, not at all the traits that I would’ve expected from the first couple chapters of the book. She really surprised me throughout the story.
I didn’t feel overwhelmed with information. The main character let you in on the secrets of her life as she revealed them. I didn’t get a tragic backstory right off the bat, I got hints here and there, but not even really the full story until much much later. And I have a feeling that there’s still more to follow.
The magic system is very interesting to me, very unique and not anything I’ve read before. I spent the entire book really unsure of what might happen next. Well a couple plot lines were predictable, there was a lot that really surprised me, and I think this book sets itself apart from others and its genre. I love to see a big fight scene in the first novel, especially since it really seems to have gotten the ball rolling on the future plot of the books. I have a feeling things are just getting started, and I cannot wait to read more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2021
Fantastic!! An advance copy was given to me and I was asked to provide an honest review. I've read debut novels from many authors and this, by far, is the best one I've seen. Ms. Quinn has a gift for painting with words. The world she created was that vivid to me. The characters, dialogue and story really pulled me in. Swords, sorcery and romance done right!
December 14, 2021
Told with the crispness of a fresh sea breeze and the razor sharpness of a well-honed cutlass, this riveting adventure perfectly blends action, fantasy, and romance.
Read full review in the 2021 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2021 Holiday issue of InD'tale Magazine.
September 23, 2021
Enemies to lovers trope is a classic favorite but sometimes hard to pull off. However, this was executed this perfectly!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t put the book down because I was so emotional invested in the main leads relationship. I loved the MC and her ability to not turn into a mute and cower. She spoke up and her feisty attitude made things with Bash so much more fun. The plot was different and refreshing and the author was able to incorporate both romance and fantasy perfectly without one overshadowing the other. The ending though? Can’t say I was expecting that and considering this isn’t a standalone, I’m exciting to see how the story continues. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
I requested this book to review based on the synopsis and I’m so glad I was approved because this is a must read.
I requested this book to review based on the synopsis and I’m so glad I was approved because this is a must read.
December 15, 2021
In lieu of a review, here are some of the most egregious quotes
-“Did you just…smell my wound?”
-The scent of feral sea winds clung to him like perfume
- The stinging of the alarm wormed its way into the deepest recesses of her spirit.
-"When I saw her for the first time…I knew she was something to cherish, and I’d be lucky to marry a woman that smart, cunning, and incredibly beautiful.”
-The jellyfish glowed with foreign light, and the sea turtles flapped their flippers
-He immersed himself in the sea of his people, a graceful shark that swam through the current of souls.
- His brother’s effervescent remains
-“Did you just…smell my wound?”
-The scent of feral sea winds clung to him like perfume
- The stinging of the alarm wormed its way into the deepest recesses of her spirit.
-"When I saw her for the first time…I knew she was something to cherish, and I’d be lucky to marry a woman that smart, cunning, and incredibly beautiful.”
-The jellyfish glowed with foreign light, and the sea turtles flapped their flippers
-He immersed himself in the sea of his people, a graceful shark that swam through the current of souls.
- His brother’s effervescent remains
September 22, 2021
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea introduces us to Margrete, eldest daughter of the abusive and powerful Captain Wood. Eager to escape her father’s clutches with her younger sister, Birdie, Margrete sends out a prayer to the sea for help. Enter Captain Bash, King of Azantian, the faraway land that Margrete had thought only existed in story books. On the day of Margrete’s arranged wedding, Bash captures the bride in the hopes of ransoming her for something that Captain Wood stole many years ago. As Margrete unravels the mysteries of the past and attempts to pave her own fate, she discovers everything, including her own identity, is not quite what she thought it to be.
Full disclosure: I was not expecting much of this book, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down! I found the first few chapters to be confusing. Too much detail was given in some areas and not enough in others, but do not let that deter you. As soon as the action started to build, I was as captivated by Azantian and its characters as Margrete was. This book promises “high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steam romance,” and my goodness does it deliver. While this book doesn’t leave on a cliffhanger, there are plenty of threads left for Quinn to explore in the subsequent pieces of the trilogy (which I am now eagerly waiting to get my hands on).
Many thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure: I was not expecting much of this book, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down! I found the first few chapters to be confusing. Too much detail was given in some areas and not enough in others, but do not let that deter you. As soon as the action started to build, I was as captivated by Azantian and its characters as Margrete was. This book promises “high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steam romance,” and my goodness does it deliver. While this book doesn’t leave on a cliffhanger, there are plenty of threads left for Quinn to explore in the subsequent pieces of the trilogy (which I am now eagerly waiting to get my hands on).
Many thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
I just happened to come across this book, which is he first in a series by Katherine Quinn, and I am so glad I did!
The world that Quinn has developed was interesting and I immediately found myself loving Margrete, the main character. She has definitely lived a tough life...mainly because of her father and when she finds herself being forced by him to marry a man for his own benefit, she isn't truly on board but she sees it as an opportunity to give herself and her little sister the chance to get away from their father and live a better life.
On the day of her wedding, Margrete's nuptials are interrupted by invaders who are looking to use her as leverage against her father. Ultimately, she is kidnapped and as she quickly finds out, it is by the king of Azantian. His reasons are focused on the fact that Margrete's father has stolen something they desperately need back and despite all her arguments that her father doesn't truly care about her, the king still chooses to try to trade her.
The King of Azantian is Bash and I really liked him as a character. He's smart and willing to put his people needs ahead of everything. As he and Margrete get to know each other, it only creates more complexity in their relationship and they ultimately have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the people they love.
If you're looking for a new YA Fantasy series, I definitely recommend picking this one up. The world building was great, the characters were engaging, and I loved the story. I'll for sure be grabbing book two when it's available!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
The world that Quinn has developed was interesting and I immediately found myself loving Margrete, the main character. She has definitely lived a tough life...mainly because of her father and when she finds herself being forced by him to marry a man for his own benefit, she isn't truly on board but she sees it as an opportunity to give herself and her little sister the chance to get away from their father and live a better life.
On the day of her wedding, Margrete's nuptials are interrupted by invaders who are looking to use her as leverage against her father. Ultimately, she is kidnapped and as she quickly finds out, it is by the king of Azantian. His reasons are focused on the fact that Margrete's father has stolen something they desperately need back and despite all her arguments that her father doesn't truly care about her, the king still chooses to try to trade her.
The King of Azantian is Bash and I really liked him as a character. He's smart and willing to put his people needs ahead of everything. As he and Margrete get to know each other, it only creates more complexity in their relationship and they ultimately have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the people they love.
If you're looking for a new YA Fantasy series, I definitely recommend picking this one up. The world building was great, the characters were engaging, and I loved the story. I'll for sure be grabbing book two when it's available!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review
This book is a masterpiece. If you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash this book is for you it is the perfect combination of these two books and a sprinkle of The Cruel Prince.
The plot is so interesting and so amazing. I love the whole sea story and how powerful it is.
The writing is a 10/10 it is smooth, catching, hypnotizing.
The characters are.... P E R F E C T !!! I would do anything for them let's be real. You'll fall in love with them immediately. A traumatized woman who becomes a badass and a desperate king who is the most daring and loving man out there. Their dynamic is so heart melting "I hate that I love you" kind of trope. THERE IS A KNIFE TO THE THROAT SCENE !!!!!
Anyways this book is amazing I can't wait to read the second book I miss them already :(
Best reading of this year and this book is now one of my favorite.
This book is a masterpiece. If you loved A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash this book is for you it is the perfect combination of these two books and a sprinkle of The Cruel Prince.
The plot is so interesting and so amazing. I love the whole sea story and how powerful it is.
The writing is a 10/10 it is smooth, catching, hypnotizing.
The characters are.... P E R F E C T !!! I would do anything for them let's be real. You'll fall in love with them immediately. A traumatized woman who becomes a badass and a desperate king who is the most daring and loving man out there. Their dynamic is so heart melting "I hate that I love you" kind of trope. THERE IS A KNIFE TO THE THROAT SCENE !!!!!
Anyways this book is amazing I can't wait to read the second book I miss them already :(
Best reading of this year and this book is now one of my favorite.
September 26, 2021
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is one of the best debuts I have read in a long time. This book delivers with the action, adventure, mythology and steamy enemies to lovers romance. The plot flows so well from page one and the worldbuilding truly captures you. Quinn has done a phenomenal job with her characters and reader will fall in love with Margrete and Bash. The romance in this book adds to an already strong story and does a great job of moving the plot along. I am excited to see the magic system and mythology expanded more in the next book because readers definitely just got the tip of the iceberg in this book. I cannot wait for the next book in this series because this feels like a new favorite series for me.
Fans of Danielle L Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom and Jennifer L Armentrout's From Blood and Ash series do not want to miss this book!
Fans of Danielle L Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom and Jennifer L Armentrout's From Blood and Ash series do not want to miss this book!
September 19, 2021
Wow!!!! This book is amazing, and definitely not what I was expecting. I have never read a book that involved the sea, pirates, and princesses. Margrete and Bash are AMAZING characters. Following their stories in their POV gives you a great understanding of their internal struggles and thoughts. I love the enemies to lovers trope, throat to dagger, captured princess. Oh the “youre not what i expected” moments LOVE. The spice is there and just the right amount. Along with that, Aztanian’s world building and story is captivating and has you wanting to learn more. This is also set up nicely for the next book for the trilogy. I cannot wait for that to come out, but more importantly recommend this to everyone!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
Vengeful gods. Hot pirates. Strong female lead. Spiceeeeee.
Need I say more?
If you’re looking for your next fantasy read, look no further. I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes! Will definitely recommend!
Need I say more?
If you’re looking for your next fantasy read, look no further. I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes! Will definitely recommend!
September 29, 2021
I received an advanced reader copy of The Girl Who Belonged To The Sea in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this opportunity.
I felt like The Girl Who Belonged To The Sea was like a better (and more diverse) version of Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Mist and Fury, with a touch of Fable and a hint of Deeplight. That is to say, it was really, really good.
The main character Margrete is tortured by her father and prays to any God who will listen, but would do anything to protect her little sister - even agree to the arranged marriage with a count whom she has never met before. When she is kidnapped in the middle of her wedding and brought to an island that she has always thought to be a myth by its very ruler, she tries to finally reach her goal of freedom.
I adored Margrete and the character growth she went through. I could relate to her very well and found all of her motivations and thoughts easy to follow. A thing that I liked especially is that she never stopped thinking of her little sister and wanting to save her - something that I’ve seen happen in too many other books. She is at the beginning and remains throughout the story a strong, independent, courageous and compassionate character who I admired a lot.
Bash honestly reminded me of Rhys from the first line on, hence also the comparison at the beginning of this review. He is proud but humble, cocky but sweet and he puts his people before anything else - except for maybe Margrete, although that is a struggle that I found especially well explored in this book.
I’m a bit sad that we haven’t seen more of the courtiers yet, but I guess that’s something that will be developed more throughout the rest of the trilogy. Adrian and Bay seem like that amazing pair of best friends who would stand with you against the rest of the world if need be, and I hope to get to know the female courtiers better as well in the future, becaus what I’ve seen (read) of them so far was very promising as well. I wish Margrete had taken up Shade’s offer of friendship at some point already now.
Then again, the plot was so incredibly fast paced that there was scarcely any opportunity to fit in such a thing - but still, she could have been escorted to the city by her at some point, for example. I did like how fast everything happened right from the beginning and that I didn’t feel bored at any point. Quite the opposite, really - I finished this book within 4 hours because I was so drawn in by everything.
The exciting plot and the great character dynamics were matched by an interesting and well executed worldbuilding and a great writing style, without which I would never have rated the book as highly as I do now. I loved the attention to details and how immersive the writing was.
I also quite enjoyed the ending. I liked that Margrete wasn’t all-powerful and could defeat her enemy without any kind of training, and that there’s a cliffhanger for the next book in the series. The pacing was just as great as it was for the rest of the book and I was glad to have Birdie back again.
All in all, I’m super excited for how the series will continue and the fact that this is the first ARC that I now want to have a physical copy of as well speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
5/5 stars.
I felt like The Girl Who Belonged To The Sea was like a better (and more diverse) version of Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Mist and Fury, with a touch of Fable and a hint of Deeplight. That is to say, it was really, really good.
The main character Margrete is tortured by her father and prays to any God who will listen, but would do anything to protect her little sister - even agree to the arranged marriage with a count whom she has never met before. When she is kidnapped in the middle of her wedding and brought to an island that she has always thought to be a myth by its very ruler, she tries to finally reach her goal of freedom.
I adored Margrete and the character growth she went through. I could relate to her very well and found all of her motivations and thoughts easy to follow. A thing that I liked especially is that she never stopped thinking of her little sister and wanting to save her - something that I’ve seen happen in too many other books. She is at the beginning and remains throughout the story a strong, independent, courageous and compassionate character who I admired a lot.
Bash honestly reminded me of Rhys from the first line on, hence also the comparison at the beginning of this review. He is proud but humble, cocky but sweet and he puts his people before anything else - except for maybe Margrete, although that is a struggle that I found especially well explored in this book.
I’m a bit sad that we haven’t seen more of the courtiers yet, but I guess that’s something that will be developed more throughout the rest of the trilogy. Adrian and Bay seem like that amazing pair of best friends who would stand with you against the rest of the world if need be, and I hope to get to know the female courtiers better as well in the future, becaus what I’ve seen (read) of them so far was very promising as well. I wish Margrete had taken up Shade’s offer of friendship at some point already now.
Then again, the plot was so incredibly fast paced that there was scarcely any opportunity to fit in such a thing - but still, she could have been escorted to the city by her at some point, for example. I did like how fast everything happened right from the beginning and that I didn’t feel bored at any point. Quite the opposite, really - I finished this book within 4 hours because I was so drawn in by everything.
The exciting plot and the great character dynamics were matched by an interesting and well executed worldbuilding and a great writing style, without which I would never have rated the book as highly as I do now. I loved the attention to details and how immersive the writing was.
I also quite enjoyed the ending. I liked that Margrete wasn’t all-powerful and could defeat her enemy without any kind of training, and that there’s a cliffhanger for the next book in the series. The pacing was just as great as it was for the rest of the book and I was glad to have Birdie back again.
All in all, I’m super excited for how the series will continue and the fact that this is the first ARC that I now want to have a physical copy of as well speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
5/5 stars.
September 28, 2021
*****5 Stars!
“𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯...𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴.”
First I would like to thank Owl City Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book! I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review!
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an adventurous tale that follows a young woman named Margrete Wood, crushed beneath the thumb of a controlling and power-hungry father. She craves an escape from her father’s control and a chance at her own freedom, desperate for the sweet taste of freedom Margrete turns to the Gods for help. It was a prayer she had not expected to be answered. Receiving word from her father of her engagement to a young wealthy Count Casbian, Margrete is forced to the altar against her desires.
Then enters Bash, a rogue pirate and King to a mysterious island that should only belong in myths. With plans to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash kidnaps her on the day of her nuptials and brings her to his home, Azantian. Little did they both expect to be drawn to one another despite their better judgement, thus leading to a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
As the lines between them blur, Margrete must make a choice between a passionate love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
This book was an absolute delight to read and filled my craving of an engaging and adventurous pirate fantasy! I found myself easily hooked to Margrete and Bash’s tale, sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see what would happen next. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the world building--the island of Azantain was so easy to imagine as were the sights and the smell of the sea as well as the culture of the people who resided there. I would absolutely love to hear more of the lore behind this rich world.
I also found each and every character to be very easy to love and become invested in; I can’t wait to get to know them even more in the next book! I found the chemistry between Margrete and Bash to be very well written, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance that blossomed between them since the moment they met. That is an aspect I really enjoyed and drew me further into this beautiful tale. I couldn’t wait to see where our two heroes found themselves at the end of the book!
This was a book I enjoyed immensely and would highly recommend! As someone who is obsessed with all things pirates, I was very pleased with this book and will happily add it to my list of favorite books I’ve read this year! I am so looking forward to continuing with this series, I can’t wait to see where the characters find themselves next!
“𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯...𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴.”
First I would like to thank Owl City Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book! I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review!
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an adventurous tale that follows a young woman named Margrete Wood, crushed beneath the thumb of a controlling and power-hungry father. She craves an escape from her father’s control and a chance at her own freedom, desperate for the sweet taste of freedom Margrete turns to the Gods for help. It was a prayer she had not expected to be answered. Receiving word from her father of her engagement to a young wealthy Count Casbian, Margrete is forced to the altar against her desires.
Then enters Bash, a rogue pirate and King to a mysterious island that should only belong in myths. With plans to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash kidnaps her on the day of her nuptials and brings her to his home, Azantian. Little did they both expect to be drawn to one another despite their better judgement, thus leading to a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
As the lines between them blur, Margrete must make a choice between a passionate love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
This book was an absolute delight to read and filled my craving of an engaging and adventurous pirate fantasy! I found myself easily hooked to Margrete and Bash’s tale, sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see what would happen next. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the world building--the island of Azantain was so easy to imagine as were the sights and the smell of the sea as well as the culture of the people who resided there. I would absolutely love to hear more of the lore behind this rich world.
I also found each and every character to be very easy to love and become invested in; I can’t wait to get to know them even more in the next book! I found the chemistry between Margrete and Bash to be very well written, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance that blossomed between them since the moment they met. That is an aspect I really enjoyed and drew me further into this beautiful tale. I couldn’t wait to see where our two heroes found themselves at the end of the book!
This was a book I enjoyed immensely and would highly recommend! As someone who is obsessed with all things pirates, I was very pleased with this book and will happily add it to my list of favorite books I’ve read this year! I am so looking forward to continuing with this series, I can’t wait to see where the characters find themselves next!
October 29, 2021
*****5 Stars!
“𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯...𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴.”
First I would like to thank Owl City Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book! I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review!
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an adventurous tale that follows a young woman named Margrete Wood, crushed beneath the thumb of a controlling and power-hungry father. She craves an escape from her father’s control and a chance at her own freedom, desperate for the sweet taste of freedom Margrete turns to the Gods for help. It was a prayer she had not expected to be answered. Receiving word from her father of her engagement to a young wealthy Count Casbian, Margrete is forced to the altar against her desires.
Then enters Bash, a rogue pirate and King to a mysterious island that should only belong in myths. With plans to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash kidnaps her on the day of her nuptials and brings her to his home, Azantian. Little did they both expect to be drawn to one another despite their better judgement, thus leading to a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
As the lines between them blur, Margrete must make a choice between a passionate love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
This book was an absolute delight to read and filled my craving of an engaging and adventurous pirate fantasy! I found myself easily hooked to Margrete and Bash’s tale, sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see what would happen next. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the world building--the island of Azantain was so easy to imagine as were the sights and the smell of the sea as well as the culture of the people who resided there. I would absolutely love to hear more of the lore behind this rich world.
I also found each and every character to be very easy to love and become invested in; I can’t wait to get to know them even more in the next book! I found the chemistry between Margrete and Bash to be very well written, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance that blossomed between them since the moment they met. That is an aspect I really enjoyed and drew me further into this beautiful tale. I couldn’t wait to see where our two heroes found themselves at the end of the book!
This was a book I enjoyed immensely and would highly recommend! As someone who is obsessed with all things pirates, I was very pleased with this book and will happily add it to my list of favorite books I’ve read this year! I am so looking forward to continuing with this series, I can’t wait to see where the characters find themselves next!
“𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯...𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴.”
First I would like to thank Owl City Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book! I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review!
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an adventurous tale that follows a young woman named Margrete Wood, crushed beneath the thumb of a controlling and power-hungry father. She craves an escape from her father’s control and a chance at her own freedom, desperate for the sweet taste of freedom Margrete turns to the Gods for help. It was a prayer she had not expected to be answered. Receiving word from her father of her engagement to a young wealthy Count Casbian, Margrete is forced to the altar against her desires.
Then enters Bash, a rogue pirate and King to a mysterious island that should only belong in myths. With plans to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash kidnaps her on the day of her nuptials and brings her to his home, Azantian. Little did they both expect to be drawn to one another despite their better judgement, thus leading to a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
As the lines between them blur, Margrete must make a choice between a passionate love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.
This book was an absolute delight to read and filled my craving of an engaging and adventurous pirate fantasy! I found myself easily hooked to Margrete and Bash’s tale, sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see what would happen next. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the world building--the island of Azantain was so easy to imagine as were the sights and the smell of the sea as well as the culture of the people who resided there. I would absolutely love to hear more of the lore behind this rich world.
I also found each and every character to be very easy to love and become invested in; I can’t wait to get to know them even more in the next book! I found the chemistry between Margrete and Bash to be very well written, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance that blossomed between them since the moment they met. That is an aspect I really enjoyed and drew me further into this beautiful tale. I couldn’t wait to see where our two heroes found themselves at the end of the book!
This was a book I enjoyed immensely and would highly recommend! As someone who is obsessed with all things pirates, I was very pleased with this book and will happily add it to my list of favorite books I’ve read this year! I am so looking forward to continuing with this series, I can’t wait to see where the characters find themselves next!
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