Sophie Reads YA: Tricia Levenseller

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #2) by Tricia Levenseller

11:00

Daughter of the Siren Queen
Series: Daughter of the Pirate King #2
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Published November 24th 2022 by Pushkin Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis
Alosa's mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he's under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father's justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

After succeeding in her aim to gather the three pieces of the map, Alosa is ready to travel to the mysterious island and seek out her mother's treasure. However, she soon discovers her father has been lying to her, and after angering him, Alosa and her crew need to flee and hope to arrive at the isle before her father's fleet catches up to them. Alosa worries that everything she once believed in was false, and that her siren side may overpower her human nature.

I'm glad I had this book to read straight after Daughter of the Pirate King. We pick up the action not long after the first book ends, and Alosa is now back in control of her own ship, with a few new crew members. She wants revenge against Vordan, and seeks out his piece of the map, thinking that by doing so, her father will be pleased. But even after she's done that, her father isn't supportive, and Alosa learns that he's kept bigger secrets from her than she could ever have imagined. I loved that she really developed a backbone here, and stood up against her father. It wasn't easy, and there were losses along the way, but Alosa had her crew, and Riden, there to support her. The ending of the book was the perfect way to finish the series, though I have noticed that apparently there will be a companion book released some time in 2023. Hopefully Alosa and Riden make an appearance.

Dates Read:
December 28-30, 2022

Rating
4 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

10:00

Daughter of the Pirate King
Series: Daughter of the Pirate King #1
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Published September 29th 2022 by Pushkin Children's Books

Goodreads Synopsis
There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Alosa is the daughter of the ruthless Pirate King, and a notable pirate captain in her own right. As her father's heir, she's the only one he trusts to find and steal one third of an ancient hidden map. Allowing herself to be captured by her enemies, she works to escape her captors and find the map, before reaching her father, right on plan. However, as much as she can best the pirate crew, her main captor, first mate, Riden, is keeping an extremely close eye on her, and Alosa finds she doesn't mind it.

From the first few pages in Daughter of the Pirate King, I knew this was a book for me. Alosa was such a feisty and strong character, who used her knowledge, and her powers, to gain what she wants. That's not to say she's not vulnerable too, though. Because of her parentage and her upbringing, she has weaknesses, and Alosa doesn't ever allow anyone to see them. Even so, when she's with Riden, parts of her true self come out, and they both reveal aspects of themselves that they would never expect. I did work out some of the twists before the big 'reveals' but all in all, a really good YA book. Roll on book 2!

Dates Read:
December 26-28, 2022

Rating
4 Stars

2020 New Release challenge

Review: The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

10:00

The Shadows Between Us
Series: None
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Published February 25th 2020 by Feiwel and Friends

Goodreads Synopsis
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
Goodreads

Review
I hadn't heard anything about this book until speculation was going around on what the nest Fairyloot book would be, and someone mentioned it could be The Shadows Between Us. I took a look at the synopsis, and felt it was a book for me, and was overjoyed when I won a copy.

In The Shadows Between Us, Alessandra is the daughter of a lord, and knows it's expected that she marries well, but her sister is the favourite, so she's sort of left to her own devices. She likes to enjoy herself, and after her first love dumped her - and she killed him in retaliation - she's never let herself get too close to someone, at least emotionally, but knows that power is also she wants. The best way to get that power? Well, it's to make the Shadow King fall in love with her, marry her, and then she kills him and rules in her own right.

No one can ever get close to the Shadow King. He has literal shadows all around him, and anyone who touches him is put to death. But when Alessandra turns up at court, and neigh on ignores the king, he's intrigued, and they make up a scheme to pretend to be courting, so that both can have a bit more power, as Kallias is still dependant on his courtiers, and one is out to kill him. The more they are together, the less Alessandra wants to kill Kallias, and she finds herself wanting his attention not just for power, but because she actually cares for him. And, if anyone is going to kill him, it will be her, and she will stop at nothing to help her friends, and especially to find out who the assassin is, and get rid of him, before they get in her way.

I did like Alessandra, but sometimes she was a bit too much. Everything always had to have a goal, and she wanted attention, which got a bit old. I did understand it, though, because she's always been forgotten at home, and her dad was a wimp really. She grew on me, though, as she started to develop friendship in the palace, and we got to know her more, and not just her ambition. The romance between herself and Kallias was so slow burning, and I wanted it more and more as it progressed, but anything else would've been rushed and unrealistic. The plot, after we get over the initial plot to kill Kallias, was well rounded, and kept me engaged until the last page. I haven't read any of Tricia's books before, but definitely think I'll give her pirate books a go!

Dates Read:
March 9-14, 2020

Rating
4 Stars