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Olympian Wars #1
War of the Sea
His powers could save the ocean. Her vendetta could sink a kingdom.
Captain Elouise Farrington, the youngest pirate on the Caviar Sea, seeks revenge on her father’s killer. But when her oddly hypnotic foe proposes a pact to kill the Siren Queen and end the War of the Sea’s bloodshed, she must make a choice. Put aside her long-brewing retribution or act the underhanded pirate and use the alliance to claim the life of the man who destroyed her family?
Captain Rylander Bordeaux, the revered royal navy captain of the Isle of Cava, has one mission—kill the Siren Queen and end the War of the Sea. The ocean is the only place Rylander calls home, but to bring peace to his beloved waves, he must defeat his past so he can reshape the future. His greatest hope is Captain Elouise, who calls to him like no siren song ever has. Too bad she’s almost as bloodthirsty as the fanged heart-eaters themselves. She promises to lend her all-female crew to his war on the sirens, but can he trust a brigand—especially one who wants him dead—to uphold her end of the bargain? Or will she be his undoing?
Captain Elouise Farrington, the youngest pirate on the Caviar Sea, seeks revenge on her father’s killer. But when her oddly hypnotic foe proposes a pact to kill the Siren Queen and end the War of the Sea’s bloodshed, she must make a choice. Put aside her long-brewing retribution or act the underhanded pirate and use the alliance to claim the life of the man who destroyed her family?
Captain Rylander Bordeaux, the revered royal navy captain of the Isle of Cava, has one mission—kill the Siren Queen and end the War of the Sea. The ocean is the only place Rylander calls home, but to bring peace to his beloved waves, he must defeat his past so he can reshape the future. His greatest hope is Captain Elouise, who calls to him like no siren song ever has. Too bad she’s almost as bloodthirsty as the fanged heart-eaters themselves. She promises to lend her all-female crew to his war on the sirens, but can he trust a brigand—especially one who wants him dead—to uphold her end of the bargain? Or will she be his undoing?
312 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
17 people are currently reading
3681 people want to read
About the author
Dana Claire
14 books554 followersDana Claire is an award-winning author whose stories explore identity, fate and destiny in the crossroads of romance and adventure. But her writing career didn’t begin when she published her first book, The Connection, in 2020. It started when she was a young girl when her mother, an elementary school teacher, inspired her to create imaginary worlds between the pages.
Dana’s love of romantic tension, the supernatural and non-stop action has elicited very positive feedback from many readers, as their online reviews reveal her flair for spine-tingling action and unforgettable characters. But it’s not just readers who love her; literary critics have also taken note, and Dana was given the Children’s Moonbeam award for The Connection in 2021, and The Pen Craft Award for The War of the Sea in 2023.
Dana is now sharing her stories through speaking events and book signings, introducing more readers to the worlds she created one page at a time.
Dana’s love of romantic tension, the supernatural and non-stop action has elicited very positive feedback from many readers, as their online reviews reveal her flair for spine-tingling action and unforgettable characters. But it’s not just readers who love her; literary critics have also taken note, and Dana was given the Children’s Moonbeam award for The Connection in 2021, and The Pen Craft Award for The War of the Sea in 2023.
Dana is now sharing her stories through speaking events and book signings, introducing more readers to the worlds she created one page at a time.
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February 9, 2023
" You do have a plan, right?" I said in undertones.
His answering loopsided smirk made his dimple wink at me. "Of course, I do. You doubt me?"
"Yes. Everyday, all day long."
His powers could save the ocean. Her vendetta could sink a kingdom.
I mean...
🏴☠️𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗘🏴☠️
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🆈🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝙿𝙸𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚂, 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲, 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴, 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴, 𝙶𝚁𝙴𝙴𝙺 𝙼𝚈𝚃𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙾𝙶𝚈
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝙾𝚄𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙴𝙽𝙴𝙼𝙸𝙴𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙲𝙴𝙳 𝚃𝙾 𝙲𝙾𝙻𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙴 - 𝙾𝙽𝙻𝚈 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚃𝙾𝚄𝙲𝙷 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙳𝙸𝙴 - 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙴 𝙶𝚁𝚄𝙼𝙿𝚈𝚡𝚂𝚄𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙴
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼 ✍🏼 ✍🏼 ✍🏼✍🏼/5 (𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝚂𝚃 𝙱𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁)
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀/5 (𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚁𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴/𝙳𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 - 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 𝙾𝙵 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂 [𝙾𝙽 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝙵𝙵 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴] - 𝚂𝙴𝙼𝙸 𝙸𝙽𝙽𝙾𝙲𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙲𝙾𝙴𝚁𝙲𝙸𝙾𝙽)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 🔥🔥/5 (𝚂𝙾𝙼𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙷𝙾𝚃 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙴𝚂)
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐/5
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹/5 (𝙸 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙼 𝚂𝙼)
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙼/𝙵
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙽𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙴𝚅𝙰𝙽𝚃
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5 (𝙲𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙰𝙸𝙽, 𝙸'𝙻𝙻 𝙶𝙻𝙰𝙳𝙻𝚈 𝙳𝙸𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿)
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
A quick disclaimer before you guys dive into this review.
This book has some flaws, it's not the best book I've ever read, not by any means, but the five stars you see up there aren't a fluke and they come straight from my reader heart.
A heart so full of joy and enthusiasm I couldn't see myself give it less than the maximum ratings, despite it all.
War Of The Sea isn't perfect, but damn, is it entertaining?? I actually can't remember the last time I had so much fun reading, or the last time I was so engaged in a YA book.
Imagine my surprise when I started this novel (and sorry for repeating myself, but it's a YA NOVEL. And it's an ARC, nonetheless!) and found out I not only couldn't stop reading it, but that when I actually managed to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
Want a hint? Picture this: Percy Jackson meets Pirates of the Caribbean meets an exquisite writing and a romance so funny and entertaining you'll have your hands full and your butt on the edge of your seat for the entirety of the book's 313 pages.
One of the things I'll never praise Dana Claire enough for is that the book starts right in the middle of the action; you don't have to wait for chapters and chapters and for characters, places and situations to be introduced, because right from the start, you're thrown into this world and you can't help but feel part of it.
I'm in love with this book and in love with Lou and Rye. And all the side characters, and the lore.
Plotwise speaking, I've undeniably read better and more complex novels.
There are some parts that are rushed and some that are very approximate, and there's not a lot of backstory, but you'll find answers to all your questions and all within a couple chapters at most.
I adore Rye with a burning passion; his sarcasm and infinite charm captured me like a fish to the bait.
I'm sorry for the neverending sea puns, but I can't help it. I'm gonna make this book my entire personality for the forseeable future and you'll all have to suffer it.
Lou is stubborn, reckless, and gets on everybody's nerves, including my own. But her heart is so big and she's the grumpy and broody pirate captain we all deserve, and she and Rye make a wonderful couple.
Their interactions are amazing, and right from the start you can't help but appreciate the funny banter, the longing looks, the cameraderie and the intense and palpable tension.
Sure, they have their moments and aren't always on the same page, but I was glad to see they didn't keep anything from each other and that they (and the others, as well, apparently) weren't afraid to call each other out on their bullshit.
Even the plot benefitted from it, especially if you're like me and too much angst drives you insane.
I also would like to point out that this book has a great choice of side characters who aren't impressively present, but they're a much needed addiction; every one of the peopel you meet in this book, like the meddling Gods with no boundaries and the two respective crew members getting friendly, they all bring something to the story and leave a trace.
As you all know, I'm a ginormous sap and love it when my books provide me all the romance I need. WOTS provides. Oh, God, does it provide.
There's no smut and even if there are a couple scenes that stole my breath, it's all pretty PG. But, honestly, I feel like this worked just fine the way it did.
The ending left me a little suspicious (), but I adored that everyone in the end got what they deserved and needed.
I'm talking about the last chapter before the epilogue.
It was so cute I couldn't stop smiling.
Not gonna lie, if you're demanding perfection of substance, a world-shattering romance or if you're looking for the masterpiece of the year, this book won't have on you the same impact it had on me. Maybe it will, but I'm gonna play it safe and deduce it's a mood read that requires a certain mood and a certain propension to lightness to be enjoyed fully.
Like I said before, this book isn't perfect.
But it's perfect for me.
I'll never be thankful enough for the chance I had to read this. I probably would never have picked it up if it didn't fall into my lap through my email inbox, and it's like it was calling to me.
And maybe it was?
They say sirens are a myth and they sure are in this book, but to me, sirens are real and their queen is Dana Claire and her gifted words.
Many thanks to BookSirens (coincidence? I think not), the publisher and the author for the e-copy of this book!
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ this review is teen penguin approved! ♥
August 12, 2023
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Pace
✅ Pirates and bloodthirsty mermaids
✅ 2 POVs
✅🆗 Greek mythology
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Dialogues
🆗 Characters
🆗 Romance
❗️❗️Kind of a cliffhanger I guess?
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths
2.5 stars I think... Unpopular opinion, I know...
Captain Lou hates Captain Rylander, and would like nothing more than to kill him, so when she is forced to not only work with him but also share her ship and crew with him, it proves to be very difficult. The thing is, this is far bigger than Lou's quest for revenge. It's about killing the bloodthirsty siren queen and putting an end to the War of the Sea once and for all.
The book begins with a strong start. The writing is good, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are interesting, but then it kind of just fell flat. It was not bad, but it was not extraordinary either, it was a good, but a very average book.
Ryland has many secrets, and he just drops them on Lou casually, without seemingly a care in the world, but on the other hand, he withholds important and relevant information from her for apparently no other reason than because he can and wants to. His cockiness was not attractive or sexy, and honestly, the way he is asking Lou to trust him with her crew’s life, but does not explain to her his plan is infuriating. How is she supposed to trust him when she’s known him for a few days only and learns new secrets about him every day? Even worse, he wants her to go below deck when there is danger and wait while he orders her crew around, takes care of everything, and man her ship.
Lou is too stubborn and impulsive. I struggled to connect with her, even though I usually really enjoy badass female pirates. She annoyed me most of the time, to be honest, and I don’t understand how she managed to remain captain of her crew and lead them if she is so short-tempered and does not think her plans through.
There is a mild romance between Lou and Rylander, and it is a hate-to-love romance since Lou started off wanting to kill him because he murdered her father. I love a good hate-to-love romance, but while we could feel the tension (and sexual tension) between them in the first half of the book, the second half could use some improvement. Lou is constantly pissed at Rylander because he keeps her in the dark, which should add even more tension between them, but instead, there is a kind of banter developing between them, but it is pretty straightforward and awkward at times instead of being quirky and funny.
The plot is not bad, but some plot holes are never fully explained, and some situations that just make no sense at all to me… For example, the fact that Lou, a renowned pirate was left alone with the King, with not even a guard, because he wanted a private chat with her and trusted that she would not harm him… It doesn’t make any sense. There would still have been a few guards in the room, there is no way the king would have been left alone with her, especially during their first meeting.
There are some twists and “betrayals”, but it was overall predictable, and the unexpected events were related and solved in a simplistic way that didn’t really rise the stakes or add more tension to the story. I knew that no matter what, everything would end up being fine for the main characters and that they would even solve their problem quite easily, even though Rylander seemed clueless at times and Lou is too impulsive to be useful most of the time. Many events are just very convenient and the obstacles are too easily overcome to really be meaningful and leave a lasting impression.
There is Greek mythology in this book, and the author tried to integrate it into the world-building, but it ended up being more name droppings here and there than having a society infused with beliefs and traditions linked to Greek mythology. There are no mentions of temples, rituals, or anything else that would be related to a system of beliefs/religion, so we are told that it’s there, but we don’t feel it as being a part of the culture. It seems weird since many characters are Greek Gods, and it gave the characters some special abilities, but why would they choose to disguise themselves and hide among humans? What is their goal here? Why do they need to hide among humans to accomplish their quest? While I liked the Greek mythology touch to the book, I kept asking myself why the Gods would mingle with humans like that when they could surely be more efficient if they remained in the shadows and did as they pleased.
Overall, I did not dislike this book, but I will probably not remember much of it in a few weeks. It is an average YA book, with a predictable outcome and a world-building, and a plot that have a lot of potential, but could use improvements and more development. If you are looking for an easy read with ruthless sirens and pirate adventures, and don't mind a basic world-building and plot, it might be a good fit for you though.
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✅ Pace
✅ Pirates and bloodthirsty mermaids
✅ 2 POVs
✅🆗 Greek mythology
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Dialogues
🆗 Characters
🆗 Romance
❗️❗️Kind of a cliffhanger I guess?
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths
2.5 stars I think... Unpopular opinion, I know...
Captain Lou hates Captain Rylander, and would like nothing more than to kill him, so when she is forced to not only work with him but also share her ship and crew with him, it proves to be very difficult. The thing is, this is far bigger than Lou's quest for revenge. It's about killing the bloodthirsty siren queen and putting an end to the War of the Sea once and for all.
The book begins with a strong start. The writing is good, the plot is intriguing, and the characters are interesting, but then it kind of just fell flat. It was not bad, but it was not extraordinary either, it was a good, but a very average book.
Have faith? I’d rather not. “Captain Rylander, get down here now!”
Rylander swung down from the shroud to the main deck and strode to my side. “What? I’m preparing for battle.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “You have a plan that involves my crew, and you chose not to share it with me? Worse than that, you convinced my first mate to follow your pompous arse.”
Ryland has many secrets, and he just drops them on Lou casually, without seemingly a care in the world, but on the other hand, he withholds important and relevant information from her for apparently no other reason than because he can and wants to. His cockiness was not attractive or sexy, and honestly, the way he is asking Lou to trust him with her crew’s life, but does not explain to her his plan is infuriating. How is she supposed to trust him when she’s known him for a few days only and learns new secrets about him every day? Even worse, he wants her to go below deck when there is danger and wait while he orders her crew around, takes care of everything, and man her ship.
Lou is too stubborn and impulsive. I struggled to connect with her, even though I usually really enjoy badass female pirates. She annoyed me most of the time, to be honest, and I don’t understand how she managed to remain captain of her crew and lead them if she is so short-tempered and does not think her plans through.
They called him the Emperor of the Ocean, Captain Rylander Bordeaux. I called him my intended prey.
There is a mild romance between Lou and Rylander, and it is a hate-to-love romance since Lou started off wanting to kill him because he murdered her father. I love a good hate-to-love romance, but while we could feel the tension (and sexual tension) between them in the first half of the book, the second half could use some improvement. Lou is constantly pissed at Rylander because he keeps her in the dark, which should add even more tension between them, but instead, there is a kind of banter developing between them, but it is pretty straightforward and awkward at times instead of being quirky and funny.
The plot is not bad, but some plot holes are never fully explained, and some situations that just make no sense at all to me… For example, the fact that Lou, a renowned pirate was left alone with the King, with not even a guard, because he wanted a private chat with her and trusted that she would not harm him… It doesn’t make any sense. There would still have been a few guards in the room, there is no way the king would have been left alone with her, especially during their first meeting.
There are some twists and “betrayals”, but it was overall predictable, and the unexpected events were related and solved in a simplistic way that didn’t really rise the stakes or add more tension to the story. I knew that no matter what, everything would end up being fine for the main characters and that they would even solve their problem quite easily, even though Rylander seemed clueless at times and Lou is too impulsive to be useful most of the time. Many events are just very convenient and the obstacles are too easily overcome to really be meaningful and leave a lasting impression.
There is Greek mythology in this book, and the author tried to integrate it into the world-building, but it ended up being more name droppings here and there than having a society infused with beliefs and traditions linked to Greek mythology. There are no mentions of temples, rituals, or anything else that would be related to a system of beliefs/religion, so we are told that it’s there, but we don’t feel it as being a part of the culture. It seems weird since many characters are Greek Gods, and it gave the characters some special abilities, but why would they choose to disguise themselves and hide among humans? What is their goal here? Why do they need to hide among humans to accomplish their quest? While I liked the Greek mythology touch to the book, I kept asking myself why the Gods would mingle with humans like that when they could surely be more efficient if they remained in the shadows and did as they pleased.
Overall, I did not dislike this book, but I will probably not remember much of it in a few weeks. It is an average YA book, with a predictable outcome and a world-building, and a plot that have a lot of potential, but could use improvements and more development. If you are looking for an easy read with ruthless sirens and pirate adventures, and don't mind a basic world-building and plot, it might be a good fit for you though.
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October 20, 2022
“A nautical fantasy filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.”
WOTS had everything I was hoping for. Enemies-to-Lovers, Action/Adventure, High-Fantasy Pirates, Greek Mythology (my favorite Greek God was Artemis. I vote for a companion novel about her!), Sirens, and a HEA. I also really liked that this was a more mature YA since I normally read adult books.
One of the things I like most about Claire's writing is that it always feels like a movie. I can see the characters and the places vividly in my mind and watch the scenes pass by.
I'd say this is my favorite of Claire's writing with The Connection being a close second. You'll stay up all night reading this gem! It won't disappoint.
WOTS had everything I was hoping for. Enemies-to-Lovers, Action/Adventure, High-Fantasy Pirates, Greek Mythology (my favorite Greek God was Artemis. I vote for a companion novel about her!), Sirens, and a HEA. I also really liked that this was a more mature YA since I normally read adult books.
One of the things I like most about Claire's writing is that it always feels like a movie. I can see the characters and the places vividly in my mind and watch the scenes pass by.
I'd say this is my favorite of Claire's writing with The Connection being a close second. You'll stay up all night reading this gem! It won't disappoint.
November 15, 2022
This was a good read - a cool blend of Pirates of the Caribbean and Greek mythology. The plot was super interesting and all the fight sequences near the end were great. I also really liked the incorporation of the gods and the flow and style of the language.
There were a couple of typos/ grammar errors and I wasn't a fan of the insta-love (going from 'I hate you' to 'I love you so much I'll die for you' over a few pages without much transition/ depth on how and why those feelings changed) but the rest definitely made up for it.
*I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.*
There were a couple of typos/ grammar errors and I wasn't a fan of the insta-love (going from 'I hate you' to 'I love you so much I'll die for you' over a few pages without much transition/ depth on how and why those feelings changed) but the rest definitely made up for it.
*I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.*
January 2, 2023
Pirates of the Caribbean vibes much?! I love greek mythology and this gave it to me with a cool and interesting story, such a good read (and probs will be a reread!)
Recommended if you like:
🌟 a strong and spunky heroine who knows what she wants and how she's going to get it
🌟 a competent and experienced hero with a mysterious past
🌟 loads of sexual tension (though no smut)
🌟 an interesting villain and great fight scenes
🌟 greek mythology mixed with real life, gods and all
This story follows Lou, captain of her own pirate ship, as she works to avenge her father's death while also trying to defeat the evil Siren Queen whose forces have been destroying so many ships. She meets Rylander on the way and they clash at first, but not for long...
💚Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review💚
Recommended if you like:
🌟 a strong and spunky heroine who knows what she wants and how she's going to get it
🌟 a competent and experienced hero with a mysterious past
🌟 loads of sexual tension (though no smut)
🌟 an interesting villain and great fight scenes
🌟 greek mythology mixed with real life, gods and all
This story follows Lou, captain of her own pirate ship, as she works to avenge her father's death while also trying to defeat the evil Siren Queen whose forces have been destroying so many ships. She meets Rylander on the way and they clash at first, but not for long...
💚Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review💚
October 22, 2022
WOTS has a feel of Pirates of the Caribbean but on its own level in the best ways. I’m a fan of Greek mythology and this is something different than the usual telling of them. Everything is put together to make such a perfect picture and every question is answered in just the right way. It makes for a great, captivating read with action scenes eloquently told. I felt I was there from start to finish. I couldn’t wait to find out what happens between the main characters as I love enemies to lovers. Every character is clearly defined as their own person within the writing and I could picture each one. Dana does such a great job at showing and not telling without being overly wordy, capturing feelings and suspense. The pace is consistent and the story gets better and better with each page. I would definitely recommend this book!
April 10, 2023
(4,5 ☆)
Captain Elouise Farrington is the youngest pirate on the Caviar Sea and her ship, The Freedom, has a crew of mostly women. She seeks revenge on her father's murderer, captain Rylander Bordeaux, but when he suggests a pact in order to kill the Siren Queen she has to make a choice. Get her revenge or, once and for all, end the bloody war of the sea.
Pirates, sirens and greek mythology in a lovely mix! I love pirates and mythology, but I haven't read that much about sirens before. In Dana Claire's world there are two kinds: those who are bloodthirsty and feeds on humans, and those who want to live in peace with the humans. Both can lure and seduce men with their song, and that's why The Freedom has a female crew. The greek gods were a pleasant surprise. We meet Apollo, Hermes and Artemis, among others, and I like how the author blended them in to the story.
We get both Lou's and Rylander's POV's and it takes me a while to warm up to our female protagonist. Sure, Lou is a young captain, but she's got a big responsability and I think she acts careless and childish. She has a temper and no understanding of consequences. I fully understand Rylander's frustration with her.
“You are incredibly difficult, royally frustrating, and ridiculously beautiful. It drives me mad.”
Rylander, on the other hand, is cool as a cucumber (at least until he meets Lou!), and he remains an enigma for a long time, to both Lou and the reader. We get his background in small pieces before we have the whole picture.
Some parts are predictable and some actions aren't fully thought through, but for the most part I really enjoyed this book and can highly recommend it!
* I received an ARC via BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
Captain Elouise Farrington is the youngest pirate on the Caviar Sea and her ship, The Freedom, has a crew of mostly women. She seeks revenge on her father's murderer, captain Rylander Bordeaux, but when he suggests a pact in order to kill the Siren Queen she has to make a choice. Get her revenge or, once and for all, end the bloody war of the sea.
Pirates, sirens and greek mythology in a lovely mix! I love pirates and mythology, but I haven't read that much about sirens before. In Dana Claire's world there are two kinds: those who are bloodthirsty and feeds on humans, and those who want to live in peace with the humans. Both can lure and seduce men with their song, and that's why The Freedom has a female crew. The greek gods were a pleasant surprise. We meet Apollo, Hermes and Artemis, among others, and I like how the author blended them in to the story.
We get both Lou's and Rylander's POV's and it takes me a while to warm up to our female protagonist. Sure, Lou is a young captain, but she's got a big responsability and I think she acts careless and childish. She has a temper and no understanding of consequences. I fully understand Rylander's frustration with her.
“You are incredibly difficult, royally frustrating, and ridiculously beautiful. It drives me mad.”
Rylander, on the other hand, is cool as a cucumber (at least until he meets Lou!), and he remains an enigma for a long time, to both Lou and the reader. We get his background in small pieces before we have the whole picture.
Some parts are predictable and some actions aren't fully thought through, but for the most part I really enjoyed this book and can highly recommend it!
* I received an ARC via BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
March 23, 2023
This was the first book I've read that blends pirates with Greek mythology and it was OK. I didn't particularly like any of the main characters, Lou is supposed to be this badass pirate Captain but she doesn't actually do very much except whine and Rylander just smirks a lot. A lot of the plot seems a bit too conveniently wrapped up and although it starts off action packed it's well over halfway through before the sirens even make another appearance. I think if there had been more back story on the sirens and the Greek gods I would have rated this higher
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Book Sirens and the author.
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Book Sirens and the author.
January 4, 2023
*I received this arc in exchange for a honest review all options are my own.
I would’ve finished this book sooner if i didn’t have school and other things that came up because it was that good. If you like mythology and pirates this one is for you! I really liked the way the author was able to mix in the mythology in her story. This was in a dual pov but each pov was so different to the other. The world building was something else even through it was mostly at sea it felt descriptive. All characters were written so well that when it came down to the final scene I felt bad for the villain. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes pirates, enemies to lovers, woman villain, and mythology.
I would’ve finished this book sooner if i didn’t have school and other things that came up because it was that good. If you like mythology and pirates this one is for you! I really liked the way the author was able to mix in the mythology in her story. This was in a dual pov but each pov was so different to the other. The world building was something else even through it was mostly at sea it felt descriptive. All characters were written so well that when it came down to the final scene I felt bad for the villain. Highly recommend it to anyone who likes pirates, enemies to lovers, woman villain, and mythology.
November 28, 2022
4.5
Everything I expected from an ocean faring pirate/siren tale. It pulled me from the beginning and remained interesting. Now, there were a few points that I almost stopped reading completely. However, I'm glad I finished the story.
While I respect the author and what they did with the story, insta- love is not my favorite trope. It's one that usually makes me dnf a book. But this has pirates, bloodthirsty sirens, and even some Greek gods/demigods thrown in, making it an interesting read.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishing company for an eARC of the title.
Everything I expected from an ocean faring pirate/siren tale. It pulled me from the beginning and remained interesting. Now, there were a few points that I almost stopped reading completely. However, I'm glad I finished the story.
While I respect the author and what they did with the story, insta- love is not my favorite trope. It's one that usually makes me dnf a book. But this has pirates, bloodthirsty sirens, and even some Greek gods/demigods thrown in, making it an interesting read.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishing company for an eARC of the title.
December 1, 2022
4/5 stars
Are you a fan of mythology, seafaring adventures, and enemies-to-lovers romances? Then War of the Sea might be the book for you!
WOTS tells the story of Elouise, a young female pirate seeking revenge for her father’s death in a dangerous, deadly world. But everything changes when she’s forced to partner with her biggest enemy…
I’ve really enjoyed reading WOTS - any time a book involves mythology, you can count me in! At first, I was a bit hesitant about the world building (or what felt like a lack of it), but things turned around and filled out more as I continued reading. I also appreciated some of the jaw-dropping deaths / action scenes - my heart goes out to the characters who left us along the way. And I couldn’t help but love the all-female pirate crew led by Elouise - you go, ladies!
While I would’ve liked a bit more of a deep dive on certain elements of the story (world, secondary characters, etc.), this was an excellent quick read with strong action and an enjoyable mythology component!
Thank you to Dana Claire and her team for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Are you a fan of mythology, seafaring adventures, and enemies-to-lovers romances? Then War of the Sea might be the book for you!
WOTS tells the story of Elouise, a young female pirate seeking revenge for her father’s death in a dangerous, deadly world. But everything changes when she’s forced to partner with her biggest enemy…
I’ve really enjoyed reading WOTS - any time a book involves mythology, you can count me in! At first, I was a bit hesitant about the world building (or what felt like a lack of it), but things turned around and filled out more as I continued reading. I also appreciated some of the jaw-dropping deaths / action scenes - my heart goes out to the characters who left us along the way. And I couldn’t help but love the all-female pirate crew led by Elouise - you go, ladies!
While I would’ve liked a bit more of a deep dive on certain elements of the story (world, secondary characters, etc.), this was an excellent quick read with strong action and an enjoyable mythology component!
Thank you to Dana Claire and her team for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
October 31, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
3.5 stars.
I thought I was going to love this, I really enjoyed the first half of the story. It was fascinating and interesting because I think this is the first book I read that involved pirates and Greek mythology in it which I loved but the second half just didn't do it for me.
First of all, Lou, our female protagonist, was impatient, stubborn and she doesn't think before she acts. Same with our male protagonist, Rylander, just add in the factor that he's cocky and is most of the time clueless and annoying for gatekeeping important information from Lou. I wondered how these two were appointed as captains when they're so dumb? They don't even think through their plans.
Additionally, there were a lot of plot holes and typos. I also noticed how there were a lot of plot twists but most of it were just told by the side characters to our main character Lou. On the other hand, Rylander just takes action for everything and leaves Lou in hiding, not wanting or letting her help with the mission which annoyed me. Why seek her aid when you don't want her to help?
Overall, I did enjoy this but the second half really frustrated me because of how stupid everything unraveled. I really wanted to love this but I just liked it. Still, I did have a good time reading it despite my frustrations with the characters and the plot. I think the concept was fascinating, but poorly executed. I think the story could have been better if Rylander and Lou had acted more like a captain and not flirt at every chance they got.
3.5 stars.
I thought I was going to love this, I really enjoyed the first half of the story. It was fascinating and interesting because I think this is the first book I read that involved pirates and Greek mythology in it which I loved but the second half just didn't do it for me.
First of all, Lou, our female protagonist, was impatient, stubborn and she doesn't think before she acts. Same with our male protagonist, Rylander, just add in the factor that he's cocky and is most of the time clueless and annoying for gatekeeping important information from Lou. I wondered how these two were appointed as captains when they're so dumb? They don't even think through their plans.
Additionally, there were a lot of plot holes and typos. I also noticed how there were a lot of plot twists but most of it were just told by the side characters to our main character Lou. On the other hand, Rylander just takes action for everything and leaves Lou in hiding, not wanting or letting her help with the mission which annoyed me. Why seek her aid when you don't want her to help?
Overall, I did enjoy this but the second half really frustrated me because of how stupid everything unraveled. I really wanted to love this but I just liked it. Still, I did have a good time reading it despite my frustrations with the characters and the plot. I think the concept was fascinating, but poorly executed. I think the story could have been better if Rylander and Lou had acted more like a captain and not flirt at every chance they got.
December 27, 2022
‘A risk is only a risk if the reward is just as great as the possibility of death.’
Thank you Dana Claire and BookSirens for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review!
🧜♀️ The story 🧜♀️
When Captain Rylander boards the ship of Pirate Captain Elouise, they enter an unlikely alliance to end the War of the Sea once and for all.
This book was exactly what I needed. The chapters were short with a changing POV, which was great. The fact that it featured an all-women crew of pirates was just amazing, and I loved every second of it. I love how the book starts in the middle of the action because I hate slow starts. There were immediately a lot of mysteries, which drew me in and made it impossible to put the book down. Although we did get a lot of information in just the first few chapters, it didn’t feel like it was too much. The story reminded me of a mix of To Kill a Kingdom and Fable, I loved the fact that the roles were reversed here; the girl is the badass pirate, while the guy has ties to the sirens. I loved the unexpected links to the gods as well, didn’t expect that in this story going in. I was kind of disappointed about
The ending was intense, I loved most of it, but I hate cliffhangers lmao. I prefer them as pirates, but I loved seeing a little glimpse into their future lives. I’m guessing the next book will be about Savina, I truly can’t freaking wait.
🧜♀️ The characters 🧜♀️
🏴☠️Lou🏴☠️
Lou was so freaking badass. I loved seeing her as a captain, and basically being morally grey in her pirateness. The chemistry between her and Rye was off the charts, and I loved them together. I loved seeing her struggle between her independence and her interest in Rye, and I just adored her.
🏹Rye🏹
I loved learning more about Rye because he seemed to be hiding so much. I loved figuring it all out, and although some things were already quite obvious, I still really liked it. His interactions with Lou cracked me up, and I loved seeing him hunt the sirens as well. They were just both so great.
👥Other characters👥
I adored all the other characters as well. The King & Queen’s pettiness cracked me up, and I adored them for it. Each and every one of Lou’s crew was amazing, and so was everyone from Rye’s crew. Smitter’s identity was already quite clear to me, but I liked him nonetheless. I also kind of liked the Sirens, even Lorelei. I just loved all of it, especially seeing some of the Siren world.
🧜♀️ The writing 🧜♀️
Although there weren’t many mistakes in writing at first, there were more and more mistakes towards the end of the book, especially in missing commas. I bookmarked quite a lot of mistakes that I found, so please contact me if you want to know which ones I found.
🧜♀️ Overall conclusion 🧜♀️
I truly loved this book. The main characters were both badass with great chemistry, and I loved all of the side characters. The cliffhanger was cool, and I can’t wait to see where the story will go from here. I already miss Lou and Rye :’) The mistakes in spelling and punctuation started to annoy me more towards the end because there were just so many there, which is why I’m giving the book 4.5 stars instead of 5.
March 18, 2023
Sirens, pirates and the Greek mythology, what more do you need.
The story follows lou, an angry woman who doesn’t trust anyone apart from her crew. Lou lost her father and has taken over the captaincy of his this ship and crew. Being a crew of mostly women, the crew have managed to stay safe from the song of the sirens, However, that changes when she is forced to join with Rylander on a mission to save the world( a bit dramatic just stay out of the water)
I did like that not all the sirens were you were wanting to kill people and there was a battle of a good versus evil in that species And liked how Rylander was involved with the species as well, and what happened in his past and how events occur that didn’t give Lou the advantage that she thought she would have at a crucial point in time, like Rylander, forgot to tell Lou one of the major things why would henot tell you that? Hmmm, idiot
I did like the book, and I loved the character Smitter, especiallywith him annoying Lou so much, however didn’t like how quick some parts of the story went, at the end and then they didn’t build it up. There also wasn’t much world building really, I prefer book with my world building in but that’s my personal preference and doesn’t detract from the story.
some explanations at the end felt too rushed. As well as the love development between Rylander and Lou, that seem really fast and there was no build up to that, and there was certain parts at the end that felt too rushed. You knew a certain item had a reason behind it but I didn’t like how quick it was explained and rylanders reaction at the end and the whole discovering of what it was was (if he loved her so much would he really have acted so indifferent?) that did make sense to me .
It is a slow burn but you need to get past the beginning to give the book time to grow the ending was better for me and I did like the end scenes with Siren Queen however mummy dear was really annoying to me.
Mother of the year wouldn’t go this lady. The. Last thing she says to Rylander??? Let me burden you with this and not me …
but still enjoyed the book,. I liked the multiple point of views from each of them. there was a normal miscommunication troupe and the enemies to lovers true, maybe young love is this fast! It was a fun read and a good YA read and i would read from this author again
4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The story follows lou, an angry woman who doesn’t trust anyone apart from her crew. Lou lost her father and has taken over the captaincy of his this ship and crew. Being a crew of mostly women, the crew have managed to stay safe from the song of the sirens, However, that changes when she is forced to join with Rylander on a mission to save the world( a bit dramatic just stay out of the water)
I did like that not all the sirens were you were wanting to kill people and there was a battle of a good versus evil in that species And liked how Rylander was involved with the species as well, and what happened in his past and how events occur that didn’t give Lou the advantage that she thought she would have at a crucial point in time, like Rylander, forgot to tell Lou one of the major things why would henot tell you that? Hmmm, idiot
I did like the book, and I loved the character Smitter, especiallywith him annoying Lou so much, however didn’t like how quick some parts of the story went, at the end and then they didn’t build it up. There also wasn’t much world building really, I prefer book with my world building in but that’s my personal preference and doesn’t detract from the story.
some explanations at the end felt too rushed. As well as the love development between Rylander and Lou, that seem really fast and there was no build up to that, and there was certain parts at the end that felt too rushed. You knew a certain item had a reason behind it but I didn’t like how quick it was explained and rylanders reaction at the end and the whole discovering of what it was was (if he loved her so much would he really have acted so indifferent?) that did make sense to me .
It is a slow burn but you need to get past the beginning to give the book time to grow the ending was better for me and I did like the end scenes with Siren Queen however mummy dear was really annoying to me.
Mother of the year wouldn’t go this lady. The. Last thing she says to Rylander??? Let me burden you with this and not me …
but still enjoyed the book,. I liked the multiple point of views from each of them. there was a normal miscommunication troupe and the enemies to lovers true, maybe young love is this fast! It was a fun read and a good YA read and i would read from this author again
4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2022
◦ I've received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ◦
⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The story follows Elouise Farrington who wants revenge for her father's death but instead ends up working with her biggest enemy to kill the Siren Queen.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Elouise Farrington is such a badass, I loved the way she was portrayed and how strong and independent she was and the fact she had a ship full of women was just perfect.
Rylander Bordeaux was definitely something mysterious at the beginning giving you the bad guy vibe but in reality, he was so kind and such a beautiful soul, and even tho he had lots of secrets he had a good reason to keep them hidden.
The sirens in this book were definitely the bad guys and they weren't that cute looking, I loved the way they were described tho, as having their tail weighting more than their whole body and how vicious and pretty crazy they were.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world-building is definitely beautiful, I love the pirate life and the adventure and challenges they had to navigate. Loved the fantasy side of things and how smoothly the gods were introduced and the stories about them were definitely catchy. The siren's island was mind-blowing and has played to my imagination so much, loved the array of animals they had in there each more unique and strange looking.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I loved the pirate life, the enemies to lovers between Elouise and Rylander, and how Elousie had the pants in the relationship years later. Even tho their relationship might have been a bit quick I think it was really sweet the moment they realized they had feelings for each other. Loved the background Rylander had and how smoothly the details were implemented. The details and information received felt perfect at the perfect moment, it didn't feel like an info dump. The world-building, the adventures they had to go and some of their clever ideas to stay safe from the sirens were definitely interesting, and loved it!
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The romance in the book felt pretty clean or fade to black, there is nothing too descriptive, and there are some steamy moments but they do not show/tell too much. TWs might be some like drowning or almost, loss of a parent and some abuse.
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⮞ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ⮜
The story follows Elouise Farrington who wants revenge for her father's death but instead ends up working with her biggest enemy to kill the Siren Queen.
⮞ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⮜
Elouise Farrington is such a badass, I loved the way she was portrayed and how strong and independent she was and the fact she had a ship full of women was just perfect.
Rylander Bordeaux was definitely something mysterious at the beginning giving you the bad guy vibe but in reality, he was so kind and such a beautiful soul, and even tho he had lots of secrets he had a good reason to keep them hidden.
The sirens in this book were definitely the bad guys and they weren't that cute looking, I loved the way they were described tho, as having their tail weighting more than their whole body and how vicious and pretty crazy they were.
⮞ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝-𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⮜
The world-building is definitely beautiful, I love the pirate life and the adventure and challenges they had to navigate. Loved the fantasy side of things and how smoothly the gods were introduced and the stories about them were definitely catchy. The siren's island was mind-blowing and has played to my imagination so much, loved the array of animals they had in there each more unique and strange looking.
⮞ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 ⮜
I loved the pirate life, the enemies to lovers between Elouise and Rylander, and how Elousie had the pants in the relationship years later. Even tho their relationship might have been a bit quick I think it was really sweet the moment they realized they had feelings for each other. Loved the background Rylander had and how smoothly the details were implemented. The details and information received felt perfect at the perfect moment, it didn't feel like an info dump. The world-building, the adventures they had to go and some of their clever ideas to stay safe from the sirens were definitely interesting, and loved it!
⮞ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞/TW ⮜
The romance in the book felt pretty clean or fade to black, there is nothing too descriptive, and there are some steamy moments but they do not show/tell too much. TWs might be some like drowning or almost, loss of a parent and some abuse.
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January 16, 2023
War of the Sea
Author: Dana Claire
Captain Elouise is a born leader. Together with her all-female crew, she braves the rough sea waves. Her father's death has caused her great grief. Deep in her heart there is nothing more she wants than to seek revenge on her father's murderer.
The sirens under the command of the evil queen are on a mission to kill everything that belongs to the sea.
Elouise her enemy proposes a pact with the aim of teaming up with two pirate crews to kill the Siren Queen and eliminate her sirens and thus end the naval war.
Captain Rylander Bordeaux, is a rough men who must do everything in his power to maintain his reputation. Would his collaboration with Elouise give him eternal fame? Or would she be the thunder that makes the sea go wilder?
The author created an action-packed pirate-themed storyline combined with Greek mythology.
This combination was refreshing to me and kept me want to continue reading. There where humorous moments which alternated with emotional ones. I think that the romance was really well balanced without overpowering the story.
Fans of the pirate/mythology and romance genre would enjoy reading this book.
Trigger warnings:
Death, violence
Author: Dana Claire
Captain Elouise is a born leader. Together with her all-female crew, she braves the rough sea waves. Her father's death has caused her great grief. Deep in her heart there is nothing more she wants than to seek revenge on her father's murderer.
The sirens under the command of the evil queen are on a mission to kill everything that belongs to the sea.
Elouise her enemy proposes a pact with the aim of teaming up with two pirate crews to kill the Siren Queen and eliminate her sirens and thus end the naval war.
Captain Rylander Bordeaux, is a rough men who must do everything in his power to maintain his reputation. Would his collaboration with Elouise give him eternal fame? Or would she be the thunder that makes the sea go wilder?
The author created an action-packed pirate-themed storyline combined with Greek mythology.
This combination was refreshing to me and kept me want to continue reading. There where humorous moments which alternated with emotional ones. I think that the romance was really well balanced without overpowering the story.
Fans of the pirate/mythology and romance genre would enjoy reading this book.
Trigger warnings:
Death, violence
December 29, 2022
Thank you to author Dana Claire for this gifted copy! Poppy and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A seemingly human, but powerful demigod and a defiant woman seem to make for an odd pair, but can they combine forces to defeat the Siren Queen and reinstate peace throughout the Caviar Sea? They will if the gods have any say over things.
I feel like few people write about Greek mythology well, but Dana Claire did the damn thing! All while writing about my favorite mythical creatures: SIRENS.
One of my favorite parts was when Lou stabbed herself in the heart with Apollo’s dagger, which sent Rylander into a murderous rage. He was able to like his sister, the Siren Queen, and everyone else lived.
Another favorite part was in the last chapter after they had let each other go to captain their respective pirate ships. Rylander thought The Sea Singer was under attack, but Lou just wanted to reclaim what had been stolen from them: their men.
A seemingly human, but powerful demigod and a defiant woman seem to make for an odd pair, but can they combine forces to defeat the Siren Queen and reinstate peace throughout the Caviar Sea? They will if the gods have any say over things.
I feel like few people write about Greek mythology well, but Dana Claire did the damn thing! All while writing about my favorite mythical creatures: SIRENS.
One of my favorite parts was when Lou stabbed herself in the heart with Apollo’s dagger, which sent Rylander into a murderous rage. He was able to like his sister, the Siren Queen, and everyone else lived.
Another favorite part was in the last chapter after they had let each other go to captain their respective pirate ships. Rylander thought The Sea Singer was under attack, but Lou just wanted to reclaim what had been stolen from them: their men.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2023
I really enjoyed this and the romance made me giggle and I loved the greek mythology aspects. Though I must say I accidentally guessed one of the “revealings” at 6% when I was like “haha wouldn’t it be funny if…” and yeah. Anyway I really liked the fantasy elements and the pirates though I wished for a little more representation (come on a crew full of women and you’re telling me none of them are lovers??). I feel like a lot of minor questions are left unanswered (why does Lou not like her name??). The Main Issue I had I think, was how Artemis was portrayed as I really didn’t like her character and I think her characterization was unjust and unlikeable (but that’s just a personal opinion as Artemis is a deity of mine).
[Thank you to the Author and BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review]
June 19, 2023
This was an excellent pirate/siren story. I loved the dual POV - definitely adds to understanding the characters more. It was fast paced and moved along nicely. If you're looking for a romance with lots of adventure, you should check this book out.
I received an ARC via BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review.
I received an ARC via BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review.
October 28, 2022
War of the Sea features a lot of different genres and tropes. Pirates. Magic. Romance. Mythology. Action and adventure on the high seas. Enemies to grudging partners to lovers. They all intertwine to form a YA fantasy romance with a refreshingly unique premise.
Being a big fan of enemies-to-lovers, one of my favorite parts about this book was how Elouise and Rylander start off with very strong reasons to despise each other. Far too many enemies-to-lovers romances simply aren’t credible because the author makes them enemies over something trivial, which definitely isn’t a problem here.
The romance itself burns slow, avoiding one of the other common pitfalls with enemies-to-lovers: rushing right into the romance. Lou and Rye take quite a bit of time warming up to each other, which makes perfect sense given the history between them.
The actual romantic content is fairly mild, even by the standards of YA Romance. There aren’t any sex scenes—explicit or fade-to-black—and only a handful of kisses, though one gets pretty intense and probably would’ve led to sex if not for an interruption. In terms of heat, War of the Sea rates roughly a Level 2.
There were only two problems that stuck out to me:
1) Typos pop up throughout the book. They weren’t common enough to impact my enjoyment, and it was usually pretty clear what the author meant. However, there were some missing or misused words forcing me to guess. In fairness, this is an ARC. The vast majority of those shouldn’t be in the final, published version of this book.
2) The decision to use Greek Mythology in what otherwise seems to be a completely constructed fantasy world is very…jarring. References to Greek etymology and Mount Olympus make it even more so. Bronze and Iron Age mythology clashes with the Golden Age of Piracy in the rest of the setting. I can’t help but feel the story would be stronger with either a fantasy pantheon for the secondary world or transporting the plot to a historical fantasy setting.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The action is vivid, especially by the standards of romance. The characters are well-drawn. In fact, Lou stands out as a rare example of a flawed FMC whose flaws are acknowledged by the narrative and actually get her into trouble.
Oh, and don’t worry, there’s definitely a happy ending!
If you’re looking for romance with a touch of magic, piracy, and mythos, War of the Sea is definitely worth a look.
4/5 Stars
Finally, thank you to the author for sending me an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Being a big fan of enemies-to-lovers, one of my favorite parts about this book was how Elouise and Rylander start off with very strong reasons to despise each other. Far too many enemies-to-lovers romances simply aren’t credible because the author makes them enemies over something trivial, which definitely isn’t a problem here.
The romance itself burns slow, avoiding one of the other common pitfalls with enemies-to-lovers: rushing right into the romance. Lou and Rye take quite a bit of time warming up to each other, which makes perfect sense given the history between them.
The actual romantic content is fairly mild, even by the standards of YA Romance. There aren’t any sex scenes—explicit or fade-to-black—and only a handful of kisses, though one gets pretty intense and probably would’ve led to sex if not for an interruption. In terms of heat, War of the Sea rates roughly a Level 2.
There were only two problems that stuck out to me:
1) Typos pop up throughout the book. They weren’t common enough to impact my enjoyment, and it was usually pretty clear what the author meant. However, there were some missing or misused words forcing me to guess. In fairness, this is an ARC. The vast majority of those shouldn’t be in the final, published version of this book.
2) The decision to use Greek Mythology in what otherwise seems to be a completely constructed fantasy world is very…jarring. References to Greek etymology and Mount Olympus make it even more so. Bronze and Iron Age mythology clashes with the Golden Age of Piracy in the rest of the setting. I can’t help but feel the story would be stronger with either a fantasy pantheon for the secondary world or transporting the plot to a historical fantasy setting.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. The action is vivid, especially by the standards of romance. The characters are well-drawn. In fact, Lou stands out as a rare example of a flawed FMC whose flaws are acknowledged by the narrative and actually get her into trouble.
Oh, and don’t worry, there’s definitely a happy ending!
If you’re looking for romance with a touch of magic, piracy, and mythos, War of the Sea is definitely worth a look.
4/5 Stars
Finally, thank you to the author for sending me an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2023
Pirates and sirens and greek mythology?? Always a yes. It’s not hot girl summer, it’s pirate girl summer, and this book was just what I needed. Rylander was amazing but Lou especially stole the show…basically Elizabeth Swann times 10.
January 5, 2023
Love a good fantasy adventure with pirates and mermaids?? Your in luck? This is one of my favourite pirate reads of 2022! Full of adventure, action and romance!!!
If you are wanting a new read for 2023 pick up this amazing read!! You will not regret it
If you are wanting a new read for 2023 pick up this amazing read!! You will not regret it
February 24, 2023
I love stories about mermaids and the Gods and this had it all. At first I wondered if the story would be about two sides of the war coming together, a mermaid and a human, but it's not as simple as that.
Rylander and Lou team up together, though their relationship is very tumultuous due to Lou's hated of the man for killing her father. However she discovers that things may not be as simple as she realises. This book has everything - enemies to lovers, mythology, mermaids. The last few pages even brought tears to my eyes.
Rylander and Lou team up together, though their relationship is very tumultuous due to Lou's hated of the man for killing her father. However she discovers that things may not be as simple as she realises. This book has everything - enemies to lovers, mythology, mermaids. The last few pages even brought tears to my eyes.
November 11, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read the eARC of War of the Sea in exchange for my honest review.
War of the Sea was a nice standalone fantasy that helped make a gloomy day off much more enjoyable. I was sucked into the plot and was able to get through the book almost in one sitting! I enjoyed the tension between the two main characters. If you're in a reading slump and want something entertaining with a straightforward plot, I would definitely check out War of the Sea!
War of the Sea was a nice standalone fantasy that helped make a gloomy day off much more enjoyable. I was sucked into the plot and was able to get through the book almost in one sitting! I enjoyed the tension between the two main characters. If you're in a reading slump and want something entertaining with a straightforward plot, I would definitely check out War of the Sea!
February 8, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. #WOTS #NetGalley
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced, witty and gave me Pirates of the Caribbean and To Kill a Kingdom vibes. Lou and Rye are both lovable and interesting characters, Lou is a spitfire, while Rye tries to be a bit more reasonable (emphasis on trying). Liked both ships' crew, the worldbuilding, inclusion of the Greek Gods, but not overwhelming the setting. Would have loved to read even more of the sirens and the world in general.
It was a quick and fun read, looking forward to reading more of this world! Would recommend it for people who'd like to read a YA enemies-to-lovers, fantasy pirate adventure.
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast paced, witty and gave me Pirates of the Caribbean and To Kill a Kingdom vibes. Lou and Rye are both lovable and interesting characters, Lou is a spitfire, while Rye tries to be a bit more reasonable (emphasis on trying). Liked both ships' crew, the worldbuilding, inclusion of the Greek Gods, but not overwhelming the setting. Would have loved to read even more of the sirens and the world in general.
It was a quick and fun read, looking forward to reading more of this world! Would recommend it for people who'd like to read a YA enemies-to-lovers, fantasy pirate adventure.
November 9, 2022
I received a copy of the book through NetGalley and read it within a couple of days. 4.5⭐️
My only issue with the book was pacing. A good third of the book takes place within 24 hours and then jumps ahead two weeks with the rest of the novel taking place within a longer period of time.
I thoroughly enjoyed both Rylander and Lou and their story.
The epilogue leaves the book open for a sequel and I do hope we get one.
My only issue with the book was pacing. A good third of the book takes place within 24 hours and then jumps ahead two weeks with the rest of the novel taking place within a longer period of time.
I thoroughly enjoyed both Rylander and Lou and their story.
The epilogue leaves the book open for a sequel and I do hope we get one.
November 10, 2022
I love Greek mythology and the way Ms Claire has woven the gods into this story is both entertaining and hilarious at times. My initial take on the story was Pirates of the Caribbean mashed up with Greek mythology. It resulted in an amazing read.
Rylander and Lou make such a fun couple with an amazing mix of heat and disdain. Watching them go from enemies to lovers was a great trip.
Rylander and Lou make such a fun couple with an amazing mix of heat and disdain. Watching them go from enemies to lovers was a great trip.
October 26, 2022
Before we get down to business thank you so much BookSirens for the advanced reader copy of this wonderful book. I'm now leaving a review to tell the world just how much this was worth my time ❤️
Okay
I LOVED this book! As soon as I started I couldn't stop, I didn't do laundry, I barely ate. I just had to finish it but also never wanted it to end 🤩
You want the main points 👉
-YA Fantasy Romance ✨️❤️ (Name a better genre, be real)
-Adventure/High Stakes 📖
-Pirates, Mermaids, Greek Mythology 🧜♀️
-Enemies to Lovers ⚔️ (I'm roping you in, I can sense it)
-Strong FMC, Arrogant MMC, side characters you just wanna give a big laughing bear hug 👑
-Banter 📢 hold on, let me repeat myself BANTER
-World Building 🌍
-Character Development 👀
Need I truly say more?! 🥵
Dana Claire had such a way of writing this that I almost thought I was in a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Her writing was detailed but not overly flowery. The story and new world flowed from the pages as easily as the sea Lou and Rye sailed on. All I wanted was to join the crew for the action and adventures! ❤️
I know I tend to throw around five stars, but this absolutely riveting fantasy makes me want to retract a few so that this one means more. ⭐️
I'll wrap this up simply, read it, Read It, READ IT 📖
Okay
I LOVED this book! As soon as I started I couldn't stop, I didn't do laundry, I barely ate. I just had to finish it but also never wanted it to end 🤩
You want the main points 👉
-YA Fantasy Romance ✨️❤️ (Name a better genre, be real)
-Adventure/High Stakes 📖
-Pirates, Mermaids, Greek Mythology 🧜♀️
-Enemies to Lovers ⚔️ (I'm roping you in, I can sense it)
-Strong FMC, Arrogant MMC, side characters you just wanna give a big laughing bear hug 👑
-Banter 📢 hold on, let me repeat myself BANTER
-World Building 🌍
-Character Development 👀
Need I truly say more?! 🥵
Dana Claire had such a way of writing this that I almost thought I was in a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Her writing was detailed but not overly flowery. The story and new world flowed from the pages as easily as the sea Lou and Rye sailed on. All I wanted was to join the crew for the action and adventures! ❤️
I know I tend to throw around five stars, but this absolutely riveting fantasy makes me want to retract a few so that this one means more. ⭐️
I'll wrap this up simply, read it, Read It, READ IT 📖
October 26, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
Holy moly! Dana Claire knows how to write an entrance! One of my pet peeves in books is how long it takes to actually get to the story… or for the main couple to meet. Sometimes you can read for pages upon pages before the good stuff starts. Not the case with this one. Ms. Claire drops you right in the action and I loved it so much I wanted to give a round of applause (I might have a little 😏).
Loved Rylander and Lou! Characters with grit and heart. Not always an easy combo to write. The pacing was great and the story moved along at the perfect speed. I love a story that wraps up in one book! Way more exciting read. I did feel that the door was left open for other books possibly (say it’s so, Dana!!), but I guess we shall see.
Loved the gods element. I’m a sucker for stories involving them and how that world ticks. And who doesn’t love a good vs. evil story where good wins?!
My only complaint is that two kissing scenes went a little to far for my taste. Especially in a YA book. I think the book would of been perfect if those would of been dialed into to just kissing and no inference that there was going to be more if they weren’t interrupted. IMO.
*I did receive a arc from author but all opinions are my own. Happy reading!!
Holy moly! Dana Claire knows how to write an entrance! One of my pet peeves in books is how long it takes to actually get to the story… or for the main couple to meet. Sometimes you can read for pages upon pages before the good stuff starts. Not the case with this one. Ms. Claire drops you right in the action and I loved it so much I wanted to give a round of applause (I might have a little 😏).
Loved Rylander and Lou! Characters with grit and heart. Not always an easy combo to write. The pacing was great and the story moved along at the perfect speed. I love a story that wraps up in one book! Way more exciting read. I did feel that the door was left open for other books possibly (say it’s so, Dana!!), but I guess we shall see.
Loved the gods element. I’m a sucker for stories involving them and how that world ticks. And who doesn’t love a good vs. evil story where good wins?!
My only complaint is that two kissing scenes went a little to far for my taste. Especially in a YA book. I think the book would of been perfect if those would of been dialed into to just kissing and no inference that there was going to be more if they weren’t interrupted. IMO.
*I did receive a arc from author but all opinions are my own. Happy reading!!
October 30, 2022
I had the opportunity to receive an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this novel & the author's writing style. It was a quick & easy read, but still made me love the main characters. Her attention to detail & descriptive writing was amazing. I felt like I was there with the characters. Captain Lou was a spitfire & I loved every bit of it. The storyline was unique & grabbed my attention. I was glad for some fight & battle scenes! I think in the short space, the character building was really good.
I could have done without how many time "ichor" was used. Also, I do think that the romance between Rylander & Lou was a lot, really fast. I personally like a slow burn. The building of the tension between characters could have gone longer before anything happened between them, but I'm glad for the epilouge! Now I need to know what happened next.
I enjoyed this novel & the author's writing style. It was a quick & easy read, but still made me love the main characters. Her attention to detail & descriptive writing was amazing. I felt like I was there with the characters. Captain Lou was a spitfire & I loved every bit of it. The storyline was unique & grabbed my attention. I was glad for some fight & battle scenes! I think in the short space, the character building was really good.
I could have done without how many time "ichor" was used. Also, I do think that the romance between Rylander & Lou was a lot, really fast. I personally like a slow burn. The building of the tension between characters could have gone longer before anything happened between them, but I'm glad for the epilouge! Now I need to know what happened next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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