Week 21 Reviews: Dark Shores, Dark Skies

From Goodreads:

Piracy, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, a thrilling first novel in a fast-paced new YA fantasy series by Danielle L. Jensen.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON
Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense, a ship beholden to the Goddess of the Seas. Her people are born of the waves, and they alone know how to cross the impassable oceans between East and West. 

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET
Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his only family, and even they don't know the secret he's been hiding since childhood.

A DANGEROUS QUEST
When a power-hungry ruler captures Teriana's crew and threatens to reveal Marcus's secret unless they help him conquer the unknown West, the two are forced into an unlikely–and unwilling– alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.

From Goodreads:
A RUNAWAY WITH A HIDDEN PAST
Lydia is a scholar, but books are her downfall when she meddles in the plots of the most powerful man in the Celendor Empire. Her life in danger, she flees west to the far side of the Endless Seas and finds herself entangled in a foreign war where her burgeoning powers are sought by both sides.

A COMMANDER IN DISGRACE
Killian is Marked by the God of War, but his gifts fail him when the realm under the dominion of the Corrupter invades Mudamora. Disgraced, he swears his sword to the kingdom's only hope: the crown princess. But the choice sees him caught up in a web of political intrigue that will put his oath – and his heart – to the test.

A KINGDOM UNDER SIEGE
With Mudamora falling beneath the armies of the Corrupter, Lydia and Killian strike a bargain to save those they love most—but it is a bargain with unintended and disastrous consequences. Truths are revealed, birthrights claimed, and loyalties questioned—all while a menace deadlier and more far-reaching than they realize sweeps across the world.

My Review:
Man, I loved reading these books so much! I actually started Dark Shores before, just before it was going to come out. And then it pushed my buttons, and I couldn't get over it. It took time, and I read slower than usual, but I worked out my issues and read both of these, and they were both so freaking great!

These books are companion novels, in the same series, and taking place at roughly the same time. In fact, the beginning of both Teriana and Lydia's stories are about the same scenes, just from differing perspectives. But then they diverge, going different places, and it was so great to read these back to back!

The situations that all 4 of these characters were in, they were totally unfair. I just wanted to rage, I wanted to help them, and I wanted them to avoid making choices that I knew would turn out badly, even if they had limited options.

Facing two threats, well, only Lydia knows the full extent of both, since she was raised by one side, and in the midst of the other. I think Teriana would be next, since she knows full well the threat of the Cel empire, and she has hints of what's going on in Mudamora. I can't wait to see things come together!

There's question marks from the end of each book. Who is the traitor that betrayed Teriana? Did her two guards survive? And what's going to be the fallout of the end of Skies? And I have a very big suspicion about Lydia, because there were just so many hints, I hope we see that play out in Gilded Serpents! 

I loved these books so much, and I'm so excited for book 3 with all 4 of them narrating!

Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Series: Dark Shores #1, 2
Read: May 18th, 19th, 2020
Source: Bought/NetGalley, NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing so much, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2020 Books and a WoW Books!
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: May 7th 2019, May 5th 2020

Dark Shores:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Dark Skies:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars