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The Sunken City #1
The Sunken City
Amare Bellamy is not a witch. Orphaned as a child and raised on a ship by the most dangerous men in the Caribbean, Amare is one thing and one thing alone: a pirate. And pirates hate magic.
After a fateful storm plunges her to the depths of the ocean, Amare wakes to find herself in a strange new world: an underwater kingdom, where magic exists, but is strictly outlawed by the King—a man who claims to be her true father.
As Amare struggles to fit into her new role as Princess of the Sunken City, she finds herself tangled in a web of love between two brothers—one good, one not so good. And as strange powers manifest within her, she must question everything she was raised to believe—especially if she has any hope of stopping the evil brewing at the bottom of the ocean.
~~~
"Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean will be captivated by this swash buckling adventure on the high seas. A complex and rich narrative... that immerses you fully in the storytelling - a fantasy you won't want to end!" - Kate W. J. White, author of the Caskets of Ice series
After a fateful storm plunges her to the depths of the ocean, Amare wakes to find herself in a strange new world: an underwater kingdom, where magic exists, but is strictly outlawed by the King—a man who claims to be her true father.
As Amare struggles to fit into her new role as Princess of the Sunken City, she finds herself tangled in a web of love between two brothers—one good, one not so good. And as strange powers manifest within her, she must question everything she was raised to believe—especially if she has any hope of stopping the evil brewing at the bottom of the ocean.
~~~
"Fans of Pirates of the Caribbean will be captivated by this swash buckling adventure on the high seas. A complex and rich narrative... that immerses you fully in the storytelling - a fantasy you won't want to end!" - Kate W. J. White, author of the Caskets of Ice series
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2022
About the author
Emma V.R. Noyes
4 books462 followersAuthor also writes under Emma Noyes
Emma V. R. Noyes is the author of The Sunken City trilogy. She grew up in a suburb outside Chicago and attended Harvard University, where she received a degree in History & Literature. She now lives in Los Angeles.
Emma V. R. Noyes is the author of The Sunken City trilogy. She grew up in a suburb outside Chicago and attended Harvard University, where she received a degree in History & Literature. She now lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 651 reviews
August 3, 2022
What a ride! Pirates, monsters, magic, beautiful worldbuilding, love (triangle 😱), betrayal, friendship and a 17 year old girl in the middle of it all.
Amare was orphaned as a baby and raised by pirates. Her life consisted mostly of fight practices, looking for treasures and reading. She set foot on dry land only once in her life and never had a friend her age.
One day she finds a mysterious chest that proves to hold unusual powers. From then on Amare feels herself drawn to the ocean. The pull gets stronger and stronger until finally during a big storm she throws herself into the waves.
To her surprise she doesn’t drown but wakes up in the Sunken City - an underwater town inhabited by seraia - an underwater folk. The city is ruled by her father, who turns out to be very much alive, and yes, Amare is the Lost Princess.
The Sunken City is nothing like the pirate ship she grew up on. There are girls her age, bars, rock ‘n roll and pizza. She also meets a boy and falls in love.
Her new life would be perfect if it wasn’t for an evil witch who wants to kidnap her. To make things worse, her new boyfriend’s brother turns out to be the witch’s sidekick (and a dangerously intriguing one at that!). Amare had always been afraid of magic and witches, but as her situation gets more and more precarious she will have to face her fears.
This book is such a gem! An abundance of well developed characters, plot twists and intertwined stories tied together by beautiful writing.
Amare was a wonderful heroine - struggling to manage her internal demons all while being incredibly brave and loving. I loved all the secondary characters too; the pirates that raised her, her girlfriends, both Mason brothers (I won’t tell you which one I would choose 😈) and just every single character in this book.
There’s only one thing that bothered me a little at the beginning.
So Amare grew up exclusively among pirates who speak only pirate: “Yer a ripe mango inna sunshine, aren’t ye’, Princess?”. Yet somehow she talks like a sophisticated princess from the moment we meet her: “If I’m to entertain the utterly insane notion that you people are telling the truth, what am I doing down here?”. There must have been an accent tutor on that pirate ship after all 🤷🏻♀️.
Still 4.5 round up to 5 because it was an absolutely delicious read!
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Amare was orphaned as a baby and raised by pirates. Her life consisted mostly of fight practices, looking for treasures and reading. She set foot on dry land only once in her life and never had a friend her age.
One day she finds a mysterious chest that proves to hold unusual powers. From then on Amare feels herself drawn to the ocean. The pull gets stronger and stronger until finally during a big storm she throws herself into the waves.
To her surprise she doesn’t drown but wakes up in the Sunken City - an underwater town inhabited by seraia - an underwater folk. The city is ruled by her father, who turns out to be very much alive, and yes, Amare is the Lost Princess.
The Sunken City is nothing like the pirate ship she grew up on. There are girls her age, bars, rock ‘n roll and pizza. She also meets a boy and falls in love.
Her new life would be perfect if it wasn’t for an evil witch who wants to kidnap her. To make things worse, her new boyfriend’s brother turns out to be the witch’s sidekick (and a dangerously intriguing one at that!). Amare had always been afraid of magic and witches, but as her situation gets more and more precarious she will have to face her fears.
This book is such a gem! An abundance of well developed characters, plot twists and intertwined stories tied together by beautiful writing.
Amare was a wonderful heroine - struggling to manage her internal demons all while being incredibly brave and loving. I loved all the secondary characters too; the pirates that raised her, her girlfriends, both Mason brothers (I won’t tell you which one I would choose 😈) and just every single character in this book.
There’s only one thing that bothered me a little at the beginning.
So Amare grew up exclusively among pirates who speak only pirate: “Yer a ripe mango inna sunshine, aren’t ye’, Princess?”. Yet somehow she talks like a sophisticated princess from the moment we meet her: “If I’m to entertain the utterly insane notion that you people are telling the truth, what am I doing down here?”. There must have been an accent tutor on that pirate ship after all 🤷🏻♀️.
Still 4.5 round up to 5 because it was an absolutely delicious read!
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2022
The Sunken City was an absolutely breathtaking and magical read! This is a YA fantasy with enemies to lovers, pirates, underwater kingdoms, witches and demons and a ton of magic!
From the very beginning the story is mesmerizing, pulling you in with it's beautiful writing. We follow the story of Amare, an orphan girl who is raised on a pirate ship. She must learn the hard way how to fend for herself; a pirate ship is no place for a girl. Until one day she comes across a sunken treasure that turns her world upside down... Literally.
Amera has sunk deep into the ocean.. not only does she discover that she is one of the Sereia (i love it that it's also the Portuguese word for mermaid) but also a princess, the long lost heir to the throne of the Sunken City. She must face the reality that the life she knew is gone and take up her place as the next queen of Sunken City.
"But i was not raised to be a princess; i was raised to be a pirate."
I looove arranged marriage trope and enemies to lovers so we get BOTH which had me bursting in joy. I am team Lukas all the way (can't resist a bad boy!). The descriptions of the underwater world are vivid and detailed which made it easy to picture everything clearly in my mind. One of my favorite elements is Amares' friendship with Shoa, you can slowly witness as she finds herself a new family for herself in Sunken City. A beautifully written fantasy that stays with you long after you've finished.❤️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
From the very beginning the story is mesmerizing, pulling you in with it's beautiful writing. We follow the story of Amare, an orphan girl who is raised on a pirate ship. She must learn the hard way how to fend for herself; a pirate ship is no place for a girl. Until one day she comes across a sunken treasure that turns her world upside down... Literally.
Amera has sunk deep into the ocean.. not only does she discover that she is one of the Sereia (i love it that it's also the Portuguese word for mermaid) but also a princess, the long lost heir to the throne of the Sunken City. She must face the reality that the life she knew is gone and take up her place as the next queen of Sunken City.
"But i was not raised to be a princess; i was raised to be a pirate."
I looove arranged marriage trope and enemies to lovers so we get BOTH which had me bursting in joy. I am team Lukas all the way (can't resist a bad boy!). The descriptions of the underwater world are vivid and detailed which made it easy to picture everything clearly in my mind. One of my favorite elements is Amares' friendship with Shoa, you can slowly witness as she finds herself a new family for herself in Sunken City. A beautifully written fantasy that stays with you long after you've finished.❤️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review!
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June 13, 2022DNF at 33%
Let me start off by saying that I really thought this was going to be one of my new favorite reads.
Part 1 really pulled me in. The pacing was great, if a little more on the leisurely side, but that really added to the atmosphere for me. The prose was compelling and beautiful -- it felt like I was listening to an amazing storyteller as Amare narrated her life growing up aboard the Moonshadow. In this part of the book, her emotions, prejudices, and motivations are crystal clear - we know exactly how ambitious she is, we can really feel how much she loves pirating, and we get a good idea of how she handles conflict. She's 17 and has only had one chance to interact with someone her age and is basically hidden belowdecks, so while her voice does read as much more youthful compared to some other 17 year old YA characters, she struck me as insightful, capable, and strategic. I was excited to read how Amare would deal with her internalized sexism and her superstitions about and prejudice against witches:
Then Part 2 happened, and I felt like I was reading a completely different book. Here's where I started getting vibes of a colonial and orientalist perspective -- why is it that the bad guys (trying to avoid spoilers here) and monsters in the book are named after words from African languages?
Even with the orientalist and racist undertones, I was willing to hold out hope -- it's not like consuming problematic media is anything new. But the banter and interactions between Amare and Finn had me cringing so bad from secondhand embarrassment, and the enemies to lovers dynamic that was being set up between them felt really contrived. Amare, who grew up on a ship climbing ladders and ropes and all the ship things, all of a sudden starts literally tripping as soon as Finn shows up in the story. And of course, he catches her when she falls, with, of course, a resigned sigh, since she's just a silly princess now I guess:
What exactly are we celebrating here? The fact that Finn can remain upright? That he has average spatial awareness? I've read so many similar scenes in books contrasting and glorifying men's ability to navigate the world (like, literally just remain upright) while women stumble to be saved. Then there were the legit tantrums Amare started throwing, which felt so out of line with the way she dealt with conflict in Part 1, so she came off as really immature, attention-seeking, and pretty annoying.
Based on how amazing Part 1 was, I have a feeling there will be great scenes ahead in this series, but the bad parts are bad enough that I refuse to spend any more hours of my life on this.
Let me start off by saying that I really thought this was going to be one of my new favorite reads.
Part 1 really pulled me in. The pacing was great, if a little more on the leisurely side, but that really added to the atmosphere for me. The prose was compelling and beautiful -- it felt like I was listening to an amazing storyteller as Amare narrated her life growing up aboard the Moonshadow. In this part of the book, her emotions, prejudices, and motivations are crystal clear - we know exactly how ambitious she is, we can really feel how much she loves pirating, and we get a good idea of how she handles conflict. She's 17 and has only had one chance to interact with someone her age and is basically hidden belowdecks, so while her voice does read as much more youthful compared to some other 17 year old YA characters, she struck me as insightful, capable, and strategic. I was excited to read how Amare would deal with her internalized sexism and her superstitions about and prejudice against witches:
When I bled for the first time, I thought it was witchcraft [...] An hour later, it hadn’t stopped. Two hours. Two days. Nothing. That’s when I started to panic. Six days passed before the bleeding finally stopped. Six days of hidden laundry washes, of bloody cloth thrown off the stern and left for the sharks. I was in a state. Did I tell Omar? The ailment was clearly the result of magic; how else could a person bleed for six days straight with no clear cause? And was I its victim or its source? Then, three weeks later, it happened again. And again the next month. And again. No one explained menstruation to me. Why would a boat full of drunken men think to tell a growing girl such things? It may have been prudent to alert the Captain to the potential presence of magic on his boat, but it also posed a risk—as the only woman aboard, the men might well think the magic came from me. That I cursed myself. And if I accidentally cursed myself to bleed for a week straight, Lord only knows what I might do to them.
Then Part 2 happened, and I felt like I was reading a completely different book. Here's where I started getting vibes of a colonial and orientalist perspective -- why is it that the bad guys (trying to avoid spoilers here) and monsters in the book are named after words from African languages?
Even with the orientalist and racist undertones, I was willing to hold out hope -- it's not like consuming problematic media is anything new. But the banter and interactions between Amare and Finn had me cringing so bad from secondhand embarrassment, and the enemies to lovers dynamic that was being set up between them felt really contrived. Amare, who grew up on a ship climbing ladders and ropes and all the ship things, all of a sudden starts literally tripping as soon as Finn shows up in the story. And of course, he catches her when she falls, with, of course, a resigned sigh, since she's just a silly princess now I guess:
"Then I trip.
Finn catches my arm without even looking. He sighs and pushes me back to vertical."
What exactly are we celebrating here? The fact that Finn can remain upright? That he has average spatial awareness? I've read so many similar scenes in books contrasting and glorifying men's ability to navigate the world (like, literally just remain upright) while women stumble to be saved. Then there were the legit tantrums Amare started throwing, which felt so out of line with the way she dealt with conflict in Part 1, so she came off as really immature, attention-seeking, and pretty annoying.
Based on how amazing Part 1 was, I have a feeling there will be great scenes ahead in this series, but the bad parts are bad enough that I refuse to spend any more hours of my life on this.
April 15, 2022
What a swashbuckling high-sea adventure!
I've spent these last days submerging in the depths of the ocean with this read! The idea of Pirates, Undersea Kingdoms, Merfolk or any thing Mer has always fascinated me, especially those that feature young women and their growth journeys. And I'm so happy I finally found a new solid favorite to rave about!
The book starts off with our protagonist Amare being disguised as a Man on the Moon-shadow ship. She is an orphaned girl who was sheltered by Uncle Omar, the over protective Pirate and his loyal and fierce crew. Her adoration for the sea and the voices she keeps hearing led her to discover a new treasure that flipped her life upside down. Little did she know that she's meant to be part of a bigger and hidden world which needs to be saved.
I love ambitious protagonists who drive their story forward and Amare is constantly propelling the plot with her curious questions and rash actions. The fact that she was being raised by Pirates, shaped her character and made her a fierce well trained badass and a tough one who has a big mouth! She is rough around the edges but in the best way possible. Her thorny exterior resulted in some hilarious banter and jabs and I loved how sweet and considerate she is as well underneath that tough shell. She has no problem slitting a few throats and getting her hands dirty when she was in danger yet her bravery and ability to speak up for both herself and those she love were some things about her that I admired greatly.
And I loved her constant conflict between her loyalty to her past life and the temptation to explore and accept her new life beyond the one she has dreamt up.
There were also some subtle feminist themes which were a great addition to Amare's growth journey. And there's something satisfying is seeing how this sheltered girl went from having lots of insecurities to a queen growing everyday and learning to embrace them each!
There're some fun and supportive side cast that accompanied Amare in her quest but only one male character that I simply adored. He started off as an entitled jerk, but as the story progressed, he became more and more likable. His sassy quips and flirty lines made me fall head over heels in love with him.
Romance wise, there's a ridiculously charming and an arrogant love interest coming your way but I won't go into further details because it involves some plot twist I don't want to giveaway. But believe me when I say it's SO GOOD!
Author Nobles writes with haunting passion, really pulling the reader in the thick of things. There's a lovely lyrical prose style when describing the details of the magical kingdom and when to go snarky and edgy in the pirate take which gives the reader an authentic experience. It digs into various themes with a suitable level of complexity while keeping it understandable and easy for a starter to understand. The story zoomed along at a good pace. The author knows how to end a chapter as the last sentences always always forced me to keep reading, desperate to find out what happened next.
On the whole, This book has everything that makes up a great YA Fantasy and the solid plot will reward you with a quick unfolding of events, pirate battles and treasure hunts, high stake quests, court politics, hot villain, banter filled romance and we can't forget a healthy dash of magic! There's so much left to be explored, and I hope to immerse myself in the depths of The Sunken City world again! Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King and Fable!
Shores! This book deserves all the sweet gashes stars 🌟
Read this if you like these trope:
-YA Romantasy
-Enemies to Lovers
-Found Family
-Pirates / Magic
-Atlantis Kingdom
-Hidden Identity
-Marriage of Convenience
-Villain Love interest
-Prophecy /Secrets/ Twists
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy of her debut!
I've spent these last days submerging in the depths of the ocean with this read! The idea of Pirates, Undersea Kingdoms, Merfolk or any thing Mer has always fascinated me, especially those that feature young women and their growth journeys. And I'm so happy I finally found a new solid favorite to rave about!
The book starts off with our protagonist Amare being disguised as a Man on the Moon-shadow ship. She is an orphaned girl who was sheltered by Uncle Omar, the over protective Pirate and his loyal and fierce crew. Her adoration for the sea and the voices she keeps hearing led her to discover a new treasure that flipped her life upside down. Little did she know that she's meant to be part of a bigger and hidden world which needs to be saved.
I love ambitious protagonists who drive their story forward and Amare is constantly propelling the plot with her curious questions and rash actions. The fact that she was being raised by Pirates, shaped her character and made her a fierce well trained badass and a tough one who has a big mouth! She is rough around the edges but in the best way possible. Her thorny exterior resulted in some hilarious banter and jabs and I loved how sweet and considerate she is as well underneath that tough shell. She has no problem slitting a few throats and getting her hands dirty when she was in danger yet her bravery and ability to speak up for both herself and those she love were some things about her that I admired greatly.
And I loved her constant conflict between her loyalty to her past life and the temptation to explore and accept her new life beyond the one she has dreamt up.
There were also some subtle feminist themes which were a great addition to Amare's growth journey. And there's something satisfying is seeing how this sheltered girl went from having lots of insecurities to a queen growing everyday and learning to embrace them each!
There're some fun and supportive side cast that accompanied Amare in her quest but only one male character that I simply adored. He started off as an entitled jerk, but as the story progressed, he became more and more likable. His sassy quips and flirty lines made me fall head over heels in love with him.
Romance wise, there's a ridiculously charming and an arrogant love interest coming your way but I won't go into further details because it involves some plot twist I don't want to giveaway. But believe me when I say it's SO GOOD!
Author Nobles writes with haunting passion, really pulling the reader in the thick of things. There's a lovely lyrical prose style when describing the details of the magical kingdom and when to go snarky and edgy in the pirate take which gives the reader an authentic experience. It digs into various themes with a suitable level of complexity while keeping it understandable and easy for a starter to understand. The story zoomed along at a good pace. The author knows how to end a chapter as the last sentences always always forced me to keep reading, desperate to find out what happened next.
On the whole, This book has everything that makes up a great YA Fantasy and the solid plot will reward you with a quick unfolding of events, pirate battles and treasure hunts, high stake quests, court politics, hot villain, banter filled romance and we can't forget a healthy dash of magic! There's so much left to be explored, and I hope to immerse myself in the depths of The Sunken City world again! Perfect for fans of Daughter of the Pirate King and Fable!
Shores! This book deserves all the sweet gashes stars 🌟
Read this if you like these trope:
-YA Romantasy
-Enemies to Lovers
-Found Family
-Pirates / Magic
-Atlantis Kingdom
-Hidden Identity
-Marriage of Convenience
-Villain Love interest
-Prophecy /Secrets/ Twists
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy of her debut!
January 15, 2023
This feels like a contemporary novel stuck within a fantasy one, which I absolutely did not love. I mean... there are fake IDs, rock and roll, nightclubs, and jumpsuits. Incredibly jarring in this pirate themed book. For some reason, the main character is completely unphased by this despite having grown up among a very different society and technology level. I mean, I get that Atlantis is more advanced... but a little freak out session wouldn't be missed here.
It's also a VERY young YA which is also a hard sell for me.
Interesting world-building overall and very unlike many fantasy novels out there since much of our time is spent under the ocean. I really liked part one with the pirate and I was very sad that we didn't revisit them. The mystery was interesting enough to keep things going but I almost DNF'd several times after 70%. It got...slightly better.
Some really toxic behavior from a lot of the characters. Stop making bullies into love interests, for the love of everything. I mean... He SPIT in her FOOD and tried to choke her bestie. There is no excuse for the things he does, I don't care if he's "embracing his dark side". Lots of internalized misogyny from our main gal and she never really acknowledged it. Again, it makes sense for the time period I guess, but I would have liked it if she had grown from it. Perhaps she does in book two?
Overall, I don't think this one was for me.
It's also a VERY young YA which is also a hard sell for me.
Interesting world-building overall and very unlike many fantasy novels out there since much of our time is spent under the ocean. I really liked part one with the pirate and I was very sad that we didn't revisit them. The mystery was interesting enough to keep things going but I almost DNF'd several times after 70%. It got...slightly better.
Some really toxic behavior from a lot of the characters. Stop making bullies into love interests, for the love of everything. I mean... He SPIT in her FOOD and tried to choke her bestie. There is no excuse for the things he does, I don't care if he's "embracing his dark side". Lots of internalized misogyny from our main gal and she never really acknowledged it. Again, it makes sense for the time period I guess, but I would have liked it if she had grown from it. Perhaps she does in book two?
Overall, I don't think this one was for me.
March 3, 2022
Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
THE SUNKEN CITY is everything I look for in a book set at sea: pirates, adventure, morally gray characters. I adored the pirate element in the first part of the book. The author did an amazing job creating the correct atmosphere around them, even with little details such as ship parts and the pirate slang, but especially with the sense of family and camaraderie aboard the ship. Amare, the main character, fit perfectly within this frame. I loved her strong sense of independence and her sass! A true pirate at heart, so I didn’t miss the pirates too much when the setting turned to the underwater kingdom.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world building of this book, especially once we moved to the underwater kingdom. T the whole concept of it was completely different from what I expected, and very original! There was a lot to learn about the world and the magic, but the information was peppered throughout rather than being info-dumped on the reader. We got sea creatures, witches, court intrigues. It was fantastic!
And finally, the characters. I already mentioned that I loved Amare, but I also really appreciated the supporting cast. There’s a lot of female empowerment and women supporting women in this book, and I’m here for it! Maoke was probably one of my biggest surprises. She embodies a morally gray, misunderstood badass so well! Strangely, I also enjoyed the love triangle between Amare and the brothers, Finn and Lukas. Maybe it’s because I don’t think it’s a real triangle at this point. I think there are plenty of signs that point to the real endgame, and it’s the brother I choose! Hint: tall, dark, dangerous. It was a losing battle to resist.
In short, this new-adult novel is the perfect read for fans of adventures set above and below sea level. It has action, romance, magic, and BETRAYAL. I seriously cannot wait for the next book already because the last 50 pages had me reeling!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
THE SUNKEN CITY is everything I look for in a book set at sea: pirates, adventure, morally gray characters. I adored the pirate element in the first part of the book. The author did an amazing job creating the correct atmosphere around them, even with little details such as ship parts and the pirate slang, but especially with the sense of family and camaraderie aboard the ship. Amare, the main character, fit perfectly within this frame. I loved her strong sense of independence and her sass! A true pirate at heart, so I didn’t miss the pirates too much when the setting turned to the underwater kingdom.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world building of this book, especially once we moved to the underwater kingdom. T the whole concept of it was completely different from what I expected, and very original! There was a lot to learn about the world and the magic, but the information was peppered throughout rather than being info-dumped on the reader. We got sea creatures, witches, court intrigues. It was fantastic!
And finally, the characters. I already mentioned that I loved Amare, but I also really appreciated the supporting cast. There’s a lot of female empowerment and women supporting women in this book, and I’m here for it! Maoke was probably one of my biggest surprises. She embodies a morally gray, misunderstood badass so well! Strangely, I also enjoyed the love triangle between Amare and the brothers, Finn and Lukas. Maybe it’s because I don’t think it’s a real triangle at this point. I think there are plenty of signs that point to the real endgame, and it’s the brother I choose! Hint: tall, dark, dangerous. It was a losing battle to resist.
In short, this new-adult novel is the perfect read for fans of adventures set above and below sea level. It has action, romance, magic, and BETRAYAL. I seriously cannot wait for the next book already because the last 50 pages had me reeling!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
February 12, 2022
If you love pirate-y stories, forbidden magic and a kick-ass heroine (who is not your typical girl), this one is for you!
It made me think a lot of Fable, which I loved!! And inside info: the love triangle in which Amare finds herself is inspired by The Vampire Diaries... And I love Damon. Give me all the Damonssss!!
The world-building is phenomenal and every challenge encountered is so captivating!
Loved, loved, loved!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It made me think a lot of Fable, which I loved!! And inside info: the love triangle in which Amare finds herself is inspired by The Vampire Diaries... And I love Damon. Give me all the Damonssss!!
The world-building is phenomenal and every challenge encountered is so captivating!
Loved, loved, loved!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 28, 2022
“You deserve someone who won’t try to change you. Who won’t try to shape you into the mold he desires. You deserve someone who will love every part of you – the good, the dark, the angry, the broken. Who sees your shadow self, and loves that self all the more.” – Lukas, aka my future baby daddy
I love books that truly allow me to escape to another world. Sunken City was able to offer me this release to another world and I loved every second it.
What I loved about this book:
1. Just from a technical standpoint, this book was very, very well written. It really is no wonder it was written by someone with a literature degree. The details are very imaginative and easy to follow throughout the entire book.
2. The incredible worldbuilding is so meticulous and thought-out. The details and time that Emma V.R. Noyes put into this really shines not just with the background and legends, but with some of the spectacular features of the underwater world.
3. The characters are fantastic!
Amare is super resourceful and is truly a little badass, especially with her daggers she keeps on her at all times.
All her life, she has lived with this “darkness” inside her that she attempts to bury as deep as she can. Every decision she makes is in an attempt to gain freedom from the restraints she grew up with (never being allowed off the ship or into any situation that may harm her) as well as the internal demons she battles.
Even when her powers surface, Amare denies it because she has long grown up, both on the ship and in the Sunken City, being told witches are evil and magic is bad. And if that’s not a larger lesson in why feminism is important to talk about, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS!
I can’t wait to see how her magic evolves and she learns to love her shadows.
Finn is a mystery to me. As the right-hand man to the king of the Sunken City and the person responsible for her safety, I am torn on his true intentions through the entire book. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he just misguided?
Shoa is Amare’s first and best friend in the Sunken City. This girl has zero filter but is super nice! I am so hyped for her by the end of this book and wish the best for her moving forward. She will become a little badass herself, I can just tell. Oh, and she’s a lesbian, or at least bi-sexual, which is actually talked about instead of acting as a checkbox(!) and adds to the diversity factor of this book!
Uncle Omar was first mate to Amare’s father when he was captain. He is very protective of Amare and doesn’t really let her go anywhere or do anything. Is this because he’s hiding something? Is he trying to keep her from ascending to the throne?
Lukas, ugh, why do I always get attached to the bad boy? Lukas is Finn’s older brother who is ex-military and embraces magic, and we aren’t supposed to know if he is good or bad, just that he is the polar opposite of Finn.
Something dark inside him speaks to Amare when they meet and every time they communicate after that. She assumes it’s a warning of danger, but is it really? He appreciates and understands the darkness within her and doesn’t try to hide his own. He loves that she can defend herself and her smart mouth. He’s got to be the love interest in the end!
Oh God, he calls her love. That’s a personal knee-weakening term for me and I love it coming out of his mouth!
“Your smile. Your eyes. The way you stood over me and basked in your victory after you knocked me onto my ass. Under the moonlight, with shadows dancing at your feet, I thought…I thought you might be the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.” YES!! Love the guy that loves when you can best him!!!
Maoke is an alpha-female! She is exactly what Amare wanted to become when she was a landwalker. Do I believe her that the rumors spread about her are false and she is actually a decent being, albeit a pirate? YES, YES I DO! I would trust this woman with my life at this point! She just feels genuine and like the womanly-figure that Amare has needed her whole life.
“To switch on your magic, you must first access the darkest part of yourself. Everyone has a shadow self, Amare. Anger. Sadness. Greed. Rage. The pieces of yourself you wish weren’t there, but are. Most try to fight or ignore it. Push it as far down within themselves as they can. Anything but accept it. Me – I did the opposite. I faced the part of myself that terrified me the most, and I accepted its existence. Eventually, I even became friends with it.”
4. This revolving theme of everyone has a bit of hero and a bit of monster in them. The main theme of learning to accept and love the dark parts of yourself resonates so much with me. This is something I have struggled with all my life and have recently came to the same conclusion on. It’s nice to felt seen.
Full review (with spoilers!) available at my website: https://brittanicaboldsbabblings.word...
Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for the chance to read this book. The reviews reflected here are my own.
5 embrace-your-darkness stars!!!
I love books that truly allow me to escape to another world. Sunken City was able to offer me this release to another world and I loved every second it.
What I loved about this book:
1. Just from a technical standpoint, this book was very, very well written. It really is no wonder it was written by someone with a literature degree. The details are very imaginative and easy to follow throughout the entire book.
2. The incredible worldbuilding is so meticulous and thought-out. The details and time that Emma V.R. Noyes put into this really shines not just with the background and legends, but with some of the spectacular features of the underwater world.
3. The characters are fantastic!
Amare is super resourceful and is truly a little badass, especially with her daggers she keeps on her at all times.
All her life, she has lived with this “darkness” inside her that she attempts to bury as deep as she can. Every decision she makes is in an attempt to gain freedom from the restraints she grew up with (never being allowed off the ship or into any situation that may harm her) as well as the internal demons she battles.
Even when her powers surface, Amare denies it because she has long grown up, both on the ship and in the Sunken City, being told witches are evil and magic is bad. And if that’s not a larger lesson in why feminism is important to talk about, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS!
I can’t wait to see how her magic evolves and she learns to love her shadows.
Finn is a mystery to me. As the right-hand man to the king of the Sunken City and the person responsible for her safety, I am torn on his true intentions through the entire book. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he just misguided?
Shoa is Amare’s first and best friend in the Sunken City. This girl has zero filter but is super nice! I am so hyped for her by the end of this book and wish the best for her moving forward. She will become a little badass herself, I can just tell. Oh, and she’s a lesbian, or at least bi-sexual, which is actually talked about instead of acting as a checkbox(!) and adds to the diversity factor of this book!
Uncle Omar was first mate to Amare’s father when he was captain. He is very protective of Amare and doesn’t really let her go anywhere or do anything. Is this because he’s hiding something? Is he trying to keep her from ascending to the throne?
Lukas, ugh, why do I always get attached to the bad boy? Lukas is Finn’s older brother who is ex-military and embraces magic, and we aren’t supposed to know if he is good or bad, just that he is the polar opposite of Finn.
Something dark inside him speaks to Amare when they meet and every time they communicate after that. She assumes it’s a warning of danger, but is it really? He appreciates and understands the darkness within her and doesn’t try to hide his own. He loves that she can defend herself and her smart mouth. He’s got to be the love interest in the end!
Oh God, he calls her love. That’s a personal knee-weakening term for me and I love it coming out of his mouth!
“Your smile. Your eyes. The way you stood over me and basked in your victory after you knocked me onto my ass. Under the moonlight, with shadows dancing at your feet, I thought…I thought you might be the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.” YES!! Love the guy that loves when you can best him!!!
Maoke is an alpha-female! She is exactly what Amare wanted to become when she was a landwalker. Do I believe her that the rumors spread about her are false and she is actually a decent being, albeit a pirate? YES, YES I DO! I would trust this woman with my life at this point! She just feels genuine and like the womanly-figure that Amare has needed her whole life.
“To switch on your magic, you must first access the darkest part of yourself. Everyone has a shadow self, Amare. Anger. Sadness. Greed. Rage. The pieces of yourself you wish weren’t there, but are. Most try to fight or ignore it. Push it as far down within themselves as they can. Anything but accept it. Me – I did the opposite. I faced the part of myself that terrified me the most, and I accepted its existence. Eventually, I even became friends with it.”
4. This revolving theme of everyone has a bit of hero and a bit of monster in them. The main theme of learning to accept and love the dark parts of yourself resonates so much with me. This is something I have struggled with all my life and have recently came to the same conclusion on. It’s nice to felt seen.
Full review (with spoilers!) available at my website: https://brittanicaboldsbabblings.word...
Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for the chance to read this book. The reviews reflected here are my own.
5 embrace-your-darkness stars!!!
February 21, 2022
What if you were a pirate who finds herself in an underwater kingdom with magic and you're supposed to be the lost princess? What if you're suddenly in a love triangle between two brothers, a good and a bad one (that's definitely inspired by the Vampire Diaries). What if you get a book that has all these plus found family, forbidden love, a cool adventure and awesome secondary characters?
I don't think I should say more to convince you, but I really enjoyed this book!! The heroine is sassy and lovely, I loved her personality and don't get me started on the brothers!! I'm not a big fan of love triangles, but this one was written so well!! I really loved the world that this author built and I can't wait to read more! 😍🙌🏻
March 29, 2022
I just finished The Sunken City and WOW.
This book is an amazing YA fantasy with mermaid-like creatures, pirates, plot twists, and romance akin to the Vampire Diaries. 10/10 recommend.
This book is an amazing YA fantasy with mermaid-like creatures, pirates, plot twists, and romance akin to the Vampire Diaries. 10/10 recommend.
February 28, 2022
Great for fans of Fable by Adrienne Young! The Sunken City is a book you will devour if you enjoy YA, world building, and intriguing characters.
The pirate tones to this book are so fun. After all, who didn't want to be a pirate at one point? When they were the main focus of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Although some parts were a little slow for me, I did enjoy the writing!
It will be exciting to see where the next book goes!
The pirate tones to this book are so fun. After all, who didn't want to be a pirate at one point? When they were the main focus of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Although some parts were a little slow for me, I did enjoy the writing!
It will be exciting to see where the next book goes!
Read
July 18, 2022This book had such potential
Girl raised by pirates, into the depths at 16%, a very cool world, immediate excellent love interest.. but then, it suddenly sped up, introduced a love triangle nobody wanted, and proved Amare to be the opposite of anything loyal. I was sorely disappointed!
if you’ve got better pirate fantasy please share
Girl raised by pirates, into the depths at 16%, a very cool world, immediate excellent love interest.. but then, it suddenly sped up, introduced a love triangle nobody wanted, and proved Amare to be the opposite of anything loyal. I was sorely disappointed!
if you’ve got better pirate fantasy please share
August 21, 2024
Girl, so confusing-
Part I, or: “am I mistaken? Am I reading a lit fic book?”
The first portion of this book was by far the most compelling. It contained great observations on femininity, borderline internalized misogyny and neglecting womanhood.
So I (naively) thought that the paved road of character development and exploration laid ahead.
As you’re about to find out, I was wrong.
Part II, or: “a former secluded teenage girl discovers the wonders and marvels of Wattpa- I mean, a whole new world!”
Like every seventeen year old worthy of its name, Amare gets whisked away and *surprisingly* finds herself in a magical world, one she’s the princess of, may I add.
Royalty trope? For a young adult? Groundbreaking.
But (there’s always a but) OBVIOUSLY she doesn’t want to be a princess, she wants to be a pirate!!
(Girl, hand me the crown)
So we spend the next one hundred pages reading a complaint letter (and an attempt at enemies to lovers, more on that later…).
She gets to finally experience the life of a “”normal”” teen (parties, friends, fighting with your parents, being obnoxious etc.) which is nice, good for her, but… did the book I was reading got switched up overnight?
The change in tone was CRAZY.
We go from the 1700s/1800s to a futuristic city underwater. And she adapts in basically no time.
You can only imagine the confusion on my face when she pulled up to a NIGHT CLUB, in a PRETTY MODERN OUTFIT (mini skirt + crop top) and a FAKE ID???
Ma’am, I thought we were in a Pirates of the Caribbean like setting, not the Upper East Side. At least Amare is half as confused as I am, given that she thinks they’re taking her to a “prostitution ring”.
Anyway, onto more pressing matters.
The 🐚🌊✨romance✨🧜🏼♀️🪸
*Obviously* there’s this tall, dark-haired, handsome young man (Finn), and OBVIOUSLY he “””hates””” her because she’s rude, crass, ungrateful and whatever, BUT EVEN MORE OBVIOUSLY he never truly hated her, in fact he was smitten since day one baby.
Now, their relationship wasn’t that bad, predictable and cheesy sure, but it was bearable. Until…
Part III, or: “not every segment needs to be the side of a triangle”
Not all heroes wear capes, but every single YA fantasy romance does have a love triangle. It’s the law, I guess.
In a fashion that reminded me of a fanfiction adaptation of TVD, we meet Lukas. Finn’s emo older brother.
And listen, I love the broody, misunderstood, snarky older brother love interest as much as the next person, but Lukas was not it. He just looked like the cardboard cutout version of what I’ve just described.
This whole ordeal added nothing to the story, it wasn’t even that entertaining.
Finn and Amare blossoming relationship gets butchered in the name of a sequel, and Lukas does what every second (but blatantly favored) love interest does best. He fucks up.
But it’s all right, isn’t it? We’ll find out that he’s just trying his best and he’s not really the bad guy by the next book. Like, sorry I tried to kill you in order to bring back my ex girlfriend… wanna be my girlfriend? (Sounds familiar?)
I can already smell Finn’s character assassination.
Part I, or: “am I mistaken? Am I reading a lit fic book?”
The first portion of this book was by far the most compelling. It contained great observations on femininity, borderline internalized misogyny and neglecting womanhood.
So I (naively) thought that the paved road of character development and exploration laid ahead.
As you’re about to find out, I was wrong.
Part II, or: “a former secluded teenage girl discovers the wonders and marvels of Wattpa- I mean, a whole new world!”
Like every seventeen year old worthy of its name, Amare gets whisked away and *surprisingly* finds herself in a magical world, one she’s the princess of, may I add.
Royalty trope? For a young adult? Groundbreaking.
But (there’s always a but) OBVIOUSLY she doesn’t want to be a princess, she wants to be a pirate!!
(Girl, hand me the crown)
So we spend the next one hundred pages reading a complaint letter (and an attempt at enemies to lovers, more on that later…).
She gets to finally experience the life of a “”normal”” teen (parties, friends, fighting with your parents, being obnoxious etc.) which is nice, good for her, but… did the book I was reading got switched up overnight?
The change in tone was CRAZY.
We go from the 1700s/1800s to a futuristic city underwater. And she adapts in basically no time.
You can only imagine the confusion on my face when she pulled up to a NIGHT CLUB, in a PRETTY MODERN OUTFIT (mini skirt + crop top) and a FAKE ID???
Ma’am, I thought we were in a Pirates of the Caribbean like setting, not the Upper East Side. At least Amare is half as confused as I am, given that she thinks they’re taking her to a “prostitution ring”.
Anyway, onto more pressing matters.
The 🐚🌊✨romance✨🧜🏼♀️🪸
*Obviously* there’s this tall, dark-haired, handsome young man (Finn), and OBVIOUSLY he “””hates””” her because she’s rude, crass, ungrateful and whatever, BUT EVEN MORE OBVIOUSLY he never truly hated her, in fact he was smitten since day one baby.
Now, their relationship wasn’t that bad, predictable and cheesy sure, but it was bearable. Until…
Part III, or: “not every segment needs to be the side of a triangle”
Not all heroes wear capes, but every single YA fantasy romance does have a love triangle. It’s the law, I guess.
In a fashion that reminded me of a fanfiction adaptation of TVD, we meet Lukas. Finn’s emo older brother.
And listen, I love the broody, misunderstood, snarky older brother love interest as much as the next person, but Lukas was not it. He just looked like the cardboard cutout version of what I’ve just described.
This whole ordeal added nothing to the story, it wasn’t even that entertaining.
Finn and Amare blossoming relationship gets butchered in the name of a sequel, and Lukas does what every second (but blatantly favored) love interest does best. He fucks up.
But it’s all right, isn’t it? We’ll find out that he’s just trying his best and he’s not really the bad guy by the next book. Like, sorry I tried to kill you in order to bring back my ex girlfriend… wanna be my girlfriend? (Sounds familiar?)
I can already smell Finn’s character assassination.
March 1, 2022
The Sunken City is a YA fantasy featuring pirates, underwater cities, lost princesses, and a girl torn between two brothers…one who is loyal and kind and one who is the definition of morally grey. I loved this book and couldn’t stop thinking about! Like, so much so that I actually dreamed about it 😆 definitely recommend if you’re looking for a quick, addicting read!
I actually enjoyed the love triangle and thought it was interesting. Really excited to see what Emma does in the sequel! Also super curious to see where everyone’s true loyalties lie 👀
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I actually enjoyed the love triangle and thought it was interesting. Really excited to see what Emma does in the sequel! Also super curious to see where everyone’s true loyalties lie 👀
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 14, 2022
This book honestly had me hooked from the beginning, just imagine Pirates of the Caribbean meets Atlantis and Little Mermaid in the world of this lush adventurous, magical and enchanting masterpiece of a novel.
The world building in this book is phenomenally done for such a unique world I was able to picture and feel as if I was there with the characters in the moment.
Amare, oh darling I love her sass, her darkness and everything that makes her unique to who she is. She is confident yet she isn't which is something that I can really resonate with. She is strong but sometimes darkness consumes her, and I think it was refreshing to see that, it made it feel almost normal. Even though she was a badass she had her flaws. I cannot wait to see her grow and conquer her fears and be the powerful woman she is destined to be.
I am not one to absolutely adore love triangles BUT the execution of the love triangle in this book IS PHENOMENALLY DONE but I feel my heart will break. There is a curse I bear, and I will just state it by saying; It will always be Stefan. However, the enemies to lovers aspect at both ends of the love triangle had me hooked and I always love the chase when reading enemies to lovers. Finn take me to the sea and Lukas I am still deciding about you but I have to admit you are seductive. Beware ladies and gents these men will want you diving down to the Sunken City for sure.
The found family and friendship in this book is wholesome and made my heart ache with happiness, I laughed and cried with all the characters. The only thing I want in this world is a friendship like Amare, Shao and Cora.
This book took me through an emotion rollercoaster, a good one, on that matter and one I would happily ride again. I cannot wait for the second instalment in this series.
The world building in this book is phenomenally done for such a unique world I was able to picture and feel as if I was there with the characters in the moment.
Amare, oh darling I love her sass, her darkness and everything that makes her unique to who she is. She is confident yet she isn't which is something that I can really resonate with. She is strong but sometimes darkness consumes her, and I think it was refreshing to see that, it made it feel almost normal. Even though she was a badass she had her flaws. I cannot wait to see her grow and conquer her fears and be the powerful woman she is destined to be.
I am not one to absolutely adore love triangles BUT the execution of the love triangle in this book IS PHENOMENALLY DONE but I feel my heart will break. There is a curse I bear, and I will just state it by saying; It will always be Stefan. However, the enemies to lovers aspect at both ends of the love triangle had me hooked and I always love the chase when reading enemies to lovers. Finn take me to the sea and Lukas I am still deciding about you but I have to admit you are seductive. Beware ladies and gents these men will want you diving down to the Sunken City for sure.
The found family and friendship in this book is wholesome and made my heart ache with happiness, I laughed and cried with all the characters. The only thing I want in this world is a friendship like Amare, Shao and Cora.
This book took me through an emotion rollercoaster, a good one, on that matter and one I would happily ride again. I cannot wait for the second instalment in this series.
August 22, 2022
17-year-old Amare Bellamy was orphaned as a small child and has been growing up on a pirate ship. She dreams of one day being captain on her own ship, but when a storm puts her in the water her life takes a whole new direction. Instead of drowning Amare wakes up in an underwater kingdom - where the king claims to be her father.
It took me a while to get into the book and to get to know Amare, but after a while I was hooked! The underwater world that Noyes has created is magical and like nothing I ever read before! Those who live in the ocean are called sereia, and once you've gone through the transformation there's no turning back to a life above water. Unless you're also a mchawi - a witch. Amare has been taught to fear and hate magic, and in the Sunken City magic is forbidden. It's not hard to guess that eventually Amare discovers that she's a mchawi, but the story is also full of surprises.
The story is set about 300 years ago, and while we remain above water it feels authentic. When we get down below it's obvious that they are further developed, and Amare is in for a cultural clash, which has me smiling from time to time.
I'm a bit bothered by unnecessary repetitions, especially in the beginning of the book, but it's rather easy to disregard. Another thing that I'm not all that into - and that's harder to ignore - is the love triangle. Amare gets to know the Mason brothers, Finn and Lucas, where one is "good" and the other "bad" (to simplify). To begin with she dislikes both of them, but that will change. Shall we guess whom she'll end up with?!
* I received a free copy of the book from BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
It took me a while to get into the book and to get to know Amare, but after a while I was hooked! The underwater world that Noyes has created is magical and like nothing I ever read before! Those who live in the ocean are called sereia, and once you've gone through the transformation there's no turning back to a life above water. Unless you're also a mchawi - a witch. Amare has been taught to fear and hate magic, and in the Sunken City magic is forbidden. It's not hard to guess that eventually Amare discovers that she's a mchawi, but the story is also full of surprises.
The story is set about 300 years ago, and while we remain above water it feels authentic. When we get down below it's obvious that they are further developed, and Amare is in for a cultural clash, which has me smiling from time to time.
I'm a bit bothered by unnecessary repetitions, especially in the beginning of the book, but it's rather easy to disregard. Another thing that I'm not all that into - and that's harder to ignore - is the love triangle. Amare gets to know the Mason brothers, Finn and Lucas, where one is "good" and the other "bad" (to simplify). To begin with she dislikes both of them, but that will change. Shall we guess whom she'll end up with?!
* I received a free copy of the book from BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
May 6, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
Will post a full review soon ☺️
Will post a full review soon ☺️
July 10, 2022
4.5 ⭐️
Pirates, underwater cities, a lost princess trope, a well-written love triangle, forbidden magic, morally gray characters, great female friendships… I just couldn’t get enough! It was so good! Very interesting plot that totally sucked me in. Pretty predictable, especially if you read fantasy often, but I had a lot of fun watching everything unfold. There was maybe 10-15% of the book that I wasn’t too interested in but I think it was mainly because I was eagerly waiting for a character to make an appearance. Also found like two typos, which always drives me nuts, but I understand this was independently published and paying proofreaders isn’t cheap. Between the predictability and my disinterest in that small portion of the book, I couldn’t justify 5 stars but I did really, really enjoy this. Back to the love triangle, I am VERY firmly on a team but I won’t say which one (unless you ask).
If you’re a fan of maritime fantasy and great romance, I highly recommend checking this one out! It’s the first book in a trilogy and I’m dying to dive into the next one.
Favorite Quotes
“You deserve someone who won’t try to change you. Who won’t try to shape you into the mold he desires. You deserve someone who will love every part of you—the good, the dark, the angry, the broken.”
“Everyone has a shadow self, Amare. Anger. Sadness. Greed. Rage. The pieces of yourself you wish weren’t there, but are.”
Pirates, underwater cities, a lost princess trope, a well-written love triangle, forbidden magic, morally gray characters, great female friendships… I just couldn’t get enough! It was so good! Very interesting plot that totally sucked me in. Pretty predictable, especially if you read fantasy often, but I had a lot of fun watching everything unfold. There was maybe 10-15% of the book that I wasn’t too interested in but I think it was mainly because I was eagerly waiting for a character to make an appearance. Also found like two typos, which always drives me nuts, but I understand this was independently published and paying proofreaders isn’t cheap. Between the predictability and my disinterest in that small portion of the book, I couldn’t justify 5 stars but I did really, really enjoy this. Back to the love triangle, I am VERY firmly on a team but I won’t say which one (unless you ask).
If you’re a fan of maritime fantasy and great romance, I highly recommend checking this one out! It’s the first book in a trilogy and I’m dying to dive into the next one.
Favorite Quotes
“You deserve someone who won’t try to change you. Who won’t try to shape you into the mold he desires. You deserve someone who will love every part of you—the good, the dark, the angry, the broken.”
“Everyone has a shadow self, Amare. Anger. Sadness. Greed. Rage. The pieces of yourself you wish weren’t there, but are.”
September 23, 2023
It was fun but kinda predictable. And Amara is very annoying. Also I hate love trianguels, especialy when is beteween two brothers. The pirate crew, the city undersea and the witches were the intresting part. "Sunken city" did remind me a lot the Disney movie Atlantis. I love Finn, he is the sweetest (and does not deserve the indecisons of Amara). Luke is the type of moraly grey character that most people seem to enjoy, but very me he is just the type of toxic guy that we should run.
There have so many parts dull that I dont know if I should continue this triology, especialy if I do not like Amara.
There have so many parts dull that I dont know if I should continue this triology, especialy if I do not like Amara.
May 22, 2022
First things first: the book cover is absolutely gorgeous. It's what attracted me to open the s, and sparked my interest for the story.
Maybe the 3* rating is a condequence of my high expectations; the aforementioned cover and summary, as well as the first few pages, completely mesmerized me. I had thought I'd sumbled upon a new favorite. Unfortunately, my excitment wore off soon.
Before I get into what I didn't enjoy, I'd like to say that I believe the author is very talented. There were moments of absolutely beautiful writing, especially beautiful descriptions.
Hiwever, I feel that the book fell short on its worldbuilding and characterization. Throughout most of the story, I found Amare insufferable and spoiled. I tried to rationalize it by reminding myself that she was supposed to be 17-ish, but as the story went on, i found her more and more unlikeable. Also, I feel like a lot of wolrdbuilding was done through dialogue expositions and info-dumps.
"Show, don't tell" can be difficult to pull of f well in fantasy; however, I really don't like when readers are spoon-fed necessary information.
Bottom line: 'The Sunken City' has a great premise and engaging story that I think many readers might enjoy. I might pick up the author's some other work, as i feel there is a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be re-reading this book.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Maybe the 3* rating is a condequence of my high expectations; the aforementioned cover and summary, as well as the first few pages, completely mesmerized me. I had thought I'd sumbled upon a new favorite. Unfortunately, my excitment wore off soon.
Before I get into what I didn't enjoy, I'd like to say that I believe the author is very talented. There were moments of absolutely beautiful writing, especially beautiful descriptions.
Hiwever, I feel that the book fell short on its worldbuilding and characterization. Throughout most of the story, I found Amare insufferable and spoiled. I tried to rationalize it by reminding myself that she was supposed to be 17-ish, but as the story went on, i found her more and more unlikeable. Also, I feel like a lot of wolrdbuilding was done through dialogue expositions and info-dumps.
"Show, don't tell" can be difficult to pull of f well in fantasy; however, I really don't like when readers are spoon-fed necessary information.
Bottom line: 'The Sunken City' has a great premise and engaging story that I think many readers might enjoy. I might pick up the author's some other work, as i feel there is a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be re-reading this book.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
May 16, 2022
I received an advance review copy from Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
I was hesitant to start the Sunken City because it takes me time to get into a fantasy world, but once I do get into it, I generally love it. The same happened with Sunken City because, as of now, after finishing the book, I cannot wait for the sequel. As soon as Lukas entered the story, my heart was gone. The world description and character development, everything was just so good. The betrayals and plot twists were a bit cliche, but something I hope builds up the plot for the next book. It is a trend in fantasy books where the second book is often way better than the first one because the author focuses on the world and character buildup rather than the plot in the first one. Since I think the second book will be more focused on the plot, I think I would be able to give it 5 stars.
With the tropes for the next book, like Marriage of Convenience (I'm still confused about which brother I like, lol), yes, I'm super excited. I do want more of Lukas because I know his motives aren't evil. I know he loves Finn more than anything and won't do anything, which causes Finn to suffer. (Elder Brothers who protect their little brothers by becoming the villains>>>>>>>>>>>). I have more questions about this book, but they might act as spoilers, so I'm just going to wait for the second book.
I was hesitant to start the Sunken City because it takes me time to get into a fantasy world, but once I do get into it, I generally love it. The same happened with Sunken City because, as of now, after finishing the book, I cannot wait for the sequel. As soon as Lukas entered the story, my heart was gone. The world description and character development, everything was just so good. The betrayals and plot twists were a bit cliche, but something I hope builds up the plot for the next book. It is a trend in fantasy books where the second book is often way better than the first one because the author focuses on the world and character buildup rather than the plot in the first one. Since I think the second book will be more focused on the plot, I think I would be able to give it 5 stars.
With the tropes for the next book, like Marriage of Convenience (I'm still confused about which brother I like, lol), yes, I'm super excited. I do want more of Lukas because I know his motives aren't evil. I know he loves Finn more than anything and won't do anything, which causes Finn to suffer. (Elder Brothers who protect their little brothers by becoming the villains>>>>>>>>>>>). I have more questions about this book, but they might act as spoilers, so I'm just going to wait for the second book.
July 5, 2022
4.5 stars
This was a great start to a series (trilogy?). I'm not sure if it was intentional, but as I was reading the story, I kept thinking Vampire diaries meets Lore and Little Mermaid, lol! I loved the imaginative world of the Sunken City, and okay, so the physics was totally iffy, but it was a fun place to imagine exploring. The ending was a little bit predictable, but the whole story was a lot of fun, so I didn't mind these things. This is both a series that you will HAVE to read in order and one that doesn't really resolve much so you have to continue reading. I suppose you could call this the story of how Amare figures out who she is and how she comes into her powers and it sets it up very well for the next book. Regardless, for a book that I couldn't find in my library (it appears to only be on Amazon), I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and I definitely want to continue with the series.
I received an advance review copy from the author and NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a great start to a series (trilogy?). I'm not sure if it was intentional, but as I was reading the story, I kept thinking Vampire diaries meets Lore and Little Mermaid, lol! I loved the imaginative world of the Sunken City, and okay, so the physics was totally iffy, but it was a fun place to imagine exploring. The ending was a little bit predictable, but the whole story was a lot of fun, so I didn't mind these things. This is both a series that you will HAVE to read in order and one that doesn't really resolve much so you have to continue reading. I suppose you could call this the story of how Amare figures out who she is and how she comes into her powers and it sets it up very well for the next book. Regardless, for a book that I couldn't find in my library (it appears to only be on Amazon), I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and I definitely want to continue with the series.
I received an advance review copy from the author and NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 7, 2022
I would give it 4.5 stars. Only reason is I am not here for a love triangle. Why choose? And Amare was extremely YA in some parts. But it didn’t take me away from the story.
The world. Beautiful. The setting. Perfection. My pirates of the Caribbean obsessing heart screamed in joy through this book. The first few chapters could be written within the same world. I devoured this book. I am also mad because I hate love triangles for this reason. I love both boys. I don’t want to pick one. Why choose? Have both. Finn and Lukas are brothers. And they are completely opposite. Amare is going to ruin me in the next book I know it. And so much betrayal has happened. I cannot wait to see where it goes.
The world. Beautiful. The setting. Perfection. My pirates of the Caribbean obsessing heart screamed in joy through this book. The first few chapters could be written within the same world. I devoured this book. I am also mad because I hate love triangles for this reason. I love both boys. I don’t want to pick one. Why choose? Have both. Finn and Lukas are brothers. And they are completely opposite. Amare is going to ruin me in the next book I know it. And so much betrayal has happened. I cannot wait to see where it goes.
February 18, 2022
pirates? witches? witch pirates? lost princess? bad ass female lead? THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING. i haven’t read a fantasy book in so long but this was amazing. it was very unique in the world building and i think it’s clear that a lot of thought was put into it. it has just enough world building for the story to make sense, without it being info-dumpy. it was beautifully written and the pacing was perfect to me. there was the perfect amount of storyline here while also leaving a lot of room for a sequel. i usually don’t enjoy love triangles but i enjoyed it here. more than anything, this book was just so much fun to read!
February 6, 2022
AMAZING
Swashbuckling, heartstring tugging good time. It’s got it’s awkward moments, it’s not perfect, but when all’s said and done, thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it!
Swashbuckling, heartstring tugging good time. It’s got it’s awkward moments, it’s not perfect, but when all’s said and done, thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend it!
July 23, 2024
3.75⭐️
Pirates of the Caribbean + Little Mermaid vibes?! Sign me. This was SO much fun! Once I started I couldn’t put it down. This is like the cozy fantasy but with pirates in an underwater kingdom. Such a unique concept and the sarcastic tones of the characters had me giggling.
Was this the most well-written? No. Did the plot jump around some? Yes. Was it fun? HECK YES!
I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. 🥰🖤
Pirates of the Caribbean + Little Mermaid vibes?! Sign me. This was SO much fun! Once I started I couldn’t put it down. This is like the cozy fantasy but with pirates in an underwater kingdom. Such a unique concept and the sarcastic tones of the characters had me giggling.
Was this the most well-written? No. Did the plot jump around some? Yes. Was it fun? HECK YES!
I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. 🥰🖤
January 27, 2022
The myth of Atlantis meets Pirates of the Caribbean and the ‘Lost Princess’ trope in this incredibly fresh novel
This book was a roller coaster from start to finish! Pirate, YA-fantasy’s aren’t my usual go to, but the second I read the synopsis I was hooked!
The world-building was exactly what you’d expect from a book about a sunken city and a lost princess - unique and magical perfectly describes it!
There was plenty of the found-family trope, and a LOVE TRIANGLE which i absolutely did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed! I usually despise love triangles, but this one was executed so well that I’m genuinely torn on who I want our MC to end up with. I’ve seen so many people equate this to the Vampire Diaries love triangle and I absolutely approve the comparison - and I still don’t know if I’m Stefan or Damon😭
Moving onto Amare - learning about this world through the point of view of a sassy teenager wanting to experience her new found freedom was really great to read! Seeing (reading?) her come into her power makes me so excited for what will happen in the sequel and I can’t wait!
Overall, this was a really great YA read and you bet I’ll be hounding for the next one as soon as it’s ready!
*I was kindly sent this eARC by Emma in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much for sending me your amazing book!*
This book was a roller coaster from start to finish! Pirate, YA-fantasy’s aren’t my usual go to, but the second I read the synopsis I was hooked!
The world-building was exactly what you’d expect from a book about a sunken city and a lost princess - unique and magical perfectly describes it!
There was plenty of the found-family trope, and a LOVE TRIANGLE which i absolutely did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed! I usually despise love triangles, but this one was executed so well that I’m genuinely torn on who I want our MC to end up with. I’ve seen so many people equate this to the Vampire Diaries love triangle and I absolutely approve the comparison - and I still don’t know if I’m Stefan or Damon😭
Moving onto Amare - learning about this world through the point of view of a sassy teenager wanting to experience her new found freedom was really great to read! Seeing (reading?) her come into her power makes me so excited for what will happen in the sequel and I can’t wait!
Overall, this was a really great YA read and you bet I’ll be hounding for the next one as soon as it’s ready!
*I was kindly sent this eARC by Emma in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much for sending me your amazing book!*
September 30, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I was firstly extremely thrilled about the idea of pirates in this book, which to my surprise not only managed to meet,but also succeed my expetactions.The way the interactions between the crew (and the MC), are written and their way of speaking, is really well written,to the point where I found myself often forgetting completely that I was reading. The writing also succeeded my expectation after Amare "sunk" aka went underwater.
Further more the relationships between the characters as well as the characters themselves, were so well developed, particularly Amare. I was completely charmed by her personality and constantly rooted for her throught the story. The way she managed to talk about her womanhood and struggles was deeply relatable. I just love how the female characters are written in the book in general,they all are seen to have personality,hobbies and passions as well as insecurities. The friendship between Amarr,Cora and Shoa was so adorable and fun to read about! The love interests were also SO interesting to read about?? The only reason why I took one star was how suddenly Amane fell for Finn (along with some overuse of modern language) but other than that this was an absolutely excellent read and I AM SO EXCITED TO READ THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES!
I was firstly extremely thrilled about the idea of pirates in this book, which to my surprise not only managed to meet,but also succeed my expetactions.The way the interactions between the crew (and the MC), are written and their way of speaking, is really well written,to the point where I found myself often forgetting completely that I was reading. The writing also succeeded my expectation after Amare "sunk" aka went underwater.
Further more the relationships between the characters as well as the characters themselves, were so well developed, particularly Amare. I was completely charmed by her personality and constantly rooted for her throught the story. The way she managed to talk about her womanhood and struggles was deeply relatable. I just love how the female characters are written in the book in general,they all are seen to have personality,hobbies and passions as well as insecurities. The friendship between Amarr,Cora and Shoa was so adorable and fun to read about! The love interests were also SO interesting to read about?? The only reason why I took one star was how suddenly Amane fell for Finn (along with some overuse of modern language) but other than that this was an absolutely excellent read and I AM SO EXCITED TO READ THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES!
June 17, 2022
The writing itself was quite good, which was the shocking part. Normally, in independently published books the language and style are...lacking, even if the story is solid.
Here. I just. I couldn't.
The book takes place in the early (EARLY) 1700s. And yet when our main character ends up in the Other World of this fantasy trilogy, she's confronted with modern language, fashion, and activities. I might not get this quote exactly right but "She told me it was called a 'miniskirt' and a 'crop top'," to wear to a NIGHTCLUB.
Also please. Please, please, please, please, pLEASE. All of us authors with pirate novels gathering dust on our hard drives since 2003: Tortuga is a real island, there's a few called that, it literally just means turtle, but Tortuga as a pirate haven didn't necessarily exist. There were dozens of tiny shanty towns that welcomed (or were forced to welcome) trade of all kinds, including piracy, but please stop revisiting the backdrops from Pirates of the Caribbean in your novels. I'm begging. Same with Liar's Dice, quotes about rum being gone, etc.
Here. I just. I couldn't.
The book takes place in the early (EARLY) 1700s. And yet when our main character ends up in the Other World of this fantasy trilogy, she's confronted with modern language, fashion, and activities. I might not get this quote exactly right but "She told me it was called a 'miniskirt' and a 'crop top'," to wear to a NIGHTCLUB.
Also please. Please, please, please, please, pLEASE. All of us authors with pirate novels gathering dust on our hard drives since 2003: Tortuga is a real island, there's a few called that, it literally just means turtle, but Tortuga as a pirate haven didn't necessarily exist. There were dozens of tiny shanty towns that welcomed (or were forced to welcome) trade of all kinds, including piracy, but please stop revisiting the backdrops from Pirates of the Caribbean in your novels. I'm begging. Same with Liar's Dice, quotes about rum being gone, etc.
December 27, 2021
I simply floored it through this novel - couldn't get enough of Amare's sass, the tantalizing love interest(s)?!, an exciting and unique plot - LOVED it all. This author certainly knows how to entertain an audience and I think this book is great for a broad range of age groups and reader profiles. But god that ending. I WANT A SEQUEL ASAP!!!
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