Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: July 11th, 2023
Pages: 464
Publisher: Titan Books
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis:
“A stormsinger and pirate hunter join forces against a deathless pirate lord in this swashbuckling Jacobean adventure on the high-seas.
Launching the Winter Sea series, full of magic, betrayal, redemption and fearsome women, for readers of Adrienne Young, R. J. Barker and Naomi Novik.
Mary Firth is a Stormsinger: a woman whose voice can still hurricanes and shatter armadas. Faced with servitude to pirate lord Silvanus Lirr, Mary offers her skills to his arch-rival in exchange for protection – and, more importantly, his help sending Lirr to a watery grave. But her new ally has a vendetta of his own, and Mary’s dreams are dark and full of ghistings, spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of her homeland and the figureheads of ships.
Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer serving aboard The Hart, an infamous privateer commissioned to bring Lirr to justice. He will stop at nothing to capture Lirr, restore his good name and reclaim the only thing that stands between himself and madness: a talisman stolen by Mary.
Finally, driven into the eternal ice at the limits of their world, Mary and Samuel must choose their loyalties and battle forces older and more powerful than the pirates who would make them slaves.
Come sail the Winter Sea, for action-packed, high-stakes adventures, rich characterisation and epic plots full of intrigue and betrayal.”
My Review:
The best thing since Pirates of the Caribbean! I was completely enthralled by this story. The world is totally immersive and the characters are so endearing. The depth of the story world, magic system, politics, history, and lore is impeccable. You will be swept away into this adventure on the seas. The world feels familiar enough to be grounded into and yet intriguingly unique and magical.
I loved seeing Mary come into her power and embrace her true self. I loved getting to experience Mary deciding her place in life and taking her own path. We get to learn about the world and everything in it right along with her. And I truly felt like I was along for the ride with everyone. Sam is absolutely adorable and such a sweetheart. I just loved him. Their budding relationship is so freaking cute and had me in my feelings.
The pacing is expertly crafted. There are several converging plotlines and multiple POVs that make the story that much more engaging. We follow several different ship crews and explore all of their dynamics, with their differing motivations and overlapping interests. There’s found family and warring factions, all while blurring the lines between good and evil, who’s fighting for what side, and various levels of piracy. Adventure, treasure, otherworldly beings and power – what more could you even ask for?
I loved every minute of this story! I could not put it down and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series. The writing and fantasy craft are fascinating and I have already ordered the first book in this author’s previous series because now I just want even more from her! This is a top must-read fantasy of the year and I recommend it to everyone. You absolutely have to read it! I know you’ll be captivatingly lost in this story just as much as I was.
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an early copy of this amazing story! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Have you read this book? Planning to add it to your TBR?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
I love a good book discussion. 🙂
Leave a Reply