Greetings readers!
I hope you are all having an amazing week! My week is slowly getting better, it started out rough, but it’s Friday so I am quite happy!
At the beginning of the week I shared with you my review for Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser! Today I bring you the review for the sequel! This is a Pirate YA series, so if that is your thing, then I definitely think you should give these a try!
Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolcser
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pub Date: June 5th, 2018
Price: $23.99 CAD
ISBN: 1681193000
Caro Oresteia spent her life waiting to be called by the river god, as those in her family had been for generations. But when she’s swept away on an adventure to save the Akhaian royal prince, Markos, her destiny is sealed by the sea god instead.
For now, Caro is landlocked, helping Markos reclaim his throne after nearly his entire family was assassinated in a political coup. Without any financial or military support, Markos is desperate for allies, and Caro has fought off more than one attempt on his life. When a powerful Archon offers his army in exchange for Markos’s marriage to his daughter, Caro must choose: Her love for Markos, or the fate of Akhaia? And more importantly: How much is she willing to risk to defy the sea god’s wishes and chart her own course?
With shipwrecks, lost treasure, old and new enemies, dark magic, and breathtaking romance, Sarah Tolcser weaves another epic story about chasing your fate.
BUY IT!
Chapters Indigo | Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble
*I was provided an advanced copy by Raincoast Books! All opinions are my own*
So while I was not blown away by the first book, I was still excited to see how things would play out for Caro & co. in the sequel seeing as the synopsis promises a lot of drama with a touch of angst. Just how I like it. And while the book did deliver that, I felt like there were definitely some things missing and other things that could have been explored further.
What I Liked:
Characters:
Caro: I think I liked her a bit more in the sequel. She was in an identity crisis throughout this novel, so her journey to self-discovery was something I enjoyed reading about. She is still stubborn and quite clueless sometimes, but I’ll forgive her for that. She is still not exceptionally amazing to me, I did not feel a true connection, but I did enjoy her for the most bit. She was defiant and determined to do what she could to make things right. Even doing the unforgivable. (Her heart still beat so loudly in this one)
Markos: A step up from what he was in book one. I am still not 100% positive he is book boy toy material, but I did appreciate his sacrifice and dedication to the cause in this book. (But that comes to a rather quick end, more on this later). Again, no real connection was there, but he was a good character and way better than what he was in book one.
Melanos: Honestly, I am a sucker for the morally gray and those with redemption arcs. This man is by no means any “good,” but that redemption arc! He is one fiery and angry and sad pirate, people! He makes many poor decisions and his past is tarnished too, but I think Tolcser did a great job of showing the importance of asking for and extending forgiveness.
On a funny note. One character had the unfortunate circumstance of being named, Dido. And I have a filthy mind.
The World:
In this book, much more of the sea and land is explored which I thoroughly enjoyed. Tolcser was once again able to paint the distinct landscapes in their unique way that made each adventure the characters had more fun and dangerous. While we didn’t get to in touch with actual people of the land, there was a lot more development into the character of the sea god. She was not as benevolent as I thought she would be which was quite a pleasant and rude surprise! I really enjoyed the way Tolcser tried to antagonize her and yet make her a supporter of our heroine as well. I’ll just say that the gods, especially this sea god, likes to play games!
The In-Betweens:
*We are back with this section, huh*
The Plot:
While I was looking forward to the “We can no longer be lovers” story, I was glad it did not take precedence. Instead the characters went on a treasure hunt, which should be just as fun! The thing is is that as the story went further in, the focus shifted back to the romantic tension and the discovery of the treasure, while it had its action, was not a wow factor. I think I was just expecting a lot more from the discovery. The twists in the romance were kind of obvious, so I was hoping the treasure would hold a lot more pizzazz. It was fine, it had action, just not enough for me.
The Romance:
Again, it’s not that I did not ship it, it’s just that I was not invested. Seeing as I could spot the twist in this little “marry the Archon’s daughter” charade, I found myself lacking in drama. The angst was there, but the drama, the scandal, the heartbreak. Meh.
What I Disliked:
The Quick, Clean Ending:
So this book just ends. The characters go off and live their lives and the end. No politics get resolved. There is still a bunch of problems in the world. But to Caro and Markos everything is all sunshine and happy endings.
Highlight the following for spoilers:
>| They literally leave the empire at the hands of a blood thirsty tyrant. Markos leaves his position as Emparch and hopes that the former Lord will rise up in revolution someday so he can go off sailing with Caro. What. The. Actual. F***. Ummmmmmmmm how is this in any way a satisfying ending??? If she writes another series about the sister, then we can talk. Unless Tolcser just randomly added that Markos’s sister was touched by the Lion God (was it a lion?), I think that girl may show up again in the future. <|
End of spoilers.
Let’s just say that there are plenty loose threads available for a spin off series, which I don’t know will happen. I am generally interested in seeing this political turmoil resolved so….I’m up for it, since I do not think there is going to be a third instalment.
Overall, the book was okay. I enjoyed it a tad more than book one. I thought it had a great adventure to it, and even though I was not super invested, the romance was sweet. I had hoped for a bit more action and twists. There were not too many heart-pounding moments. Still, I did enjoy reading Caro’s journey in self discovery and forgiveness.
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Recommend: Sure, if you want to read about more pirates!
Let me know what you think! Did you enjoy this book? Which book did you enjoy more, the first or second? Who were your favourite characters? Any other pirate book recs?
Happy reading!
~ Rendz
Reading with Rendz 