Blacksouls was one of those book that just made me feel all the things just like the previous book. The characters own my heart and so does Nicole Castroman, I am in love with her writing and I hope she continues to grace us with many more stories.

I don’t wanna say much because of spoilers but just know that you need to read this book ASAP.

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, and I really enjoyed the story. There are seriously not enough pirate books in my life, and I can't quite seem to get enough of the ones that are! So, of course, I absolutely couldn't wait to read Blacksouls, the much anticipated sequel to Blackhearts. While the first book had really been a pre-pirate novel, this book HAS ALL THE PIRATES!! And that made me so, so happy.

There are so many characters in this book that I love; many we know from the first book, like Anne, who is a very headstrong young lady whom I absolutely love, as well as Teach, aka, the young Blackbeard. But we're also introduced to a lot of new characters as well, so many that it would take me a while to name them all. But with the good, comes the bad, and there are a few characters you're absolutely going to hate. There are two new characters, in particular, that I want to know SO much more about. One is a girl, and one is a guy, and BOTH ARE PIRATES. ARGH! haha! Read the book and meet them for yourself. You totally won't regret it. *wink*

As I mentioned above, I'm a pretty big fan of pirate stories. Unfortunately, there are not nearly enough in my collection, so when I do have the chance to read one, I go in with pretty high expectations. Blacksouls was awesome. There was definitely a lot more action and pirate-y content than what was in the first book. While there were some slow parts, there were also some that had me holding my breath at times when the suspense almost killed me. The setting for the book was completely different than the first as well. Nassau is a far different world from the England that Anne was so used to, and life in there was brutal. And I mean so brutal. It was definitely a different world than in the first book.

The book ends in a way to where I assume that there will be a third book, but I couldn't find any information on it. I really hope that there is one, so I can continue along on this adventure with Anne, Teach and the rest of their crew!

Overall; I really enjoyed reading Blacksouls! It was an interesting sequel to Blackhearts, and I'm super curious to see where the story is going to go next. Now I totally feel the need to binge watch ALL the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, because, you know.. pirates. *wink*

Happy Reading!

I have been waiting with baited breath for this book to release, ever since I read Blackhearts and it ended the way it did. And if you follow my bookstagram (@hiveretcafe), you know how very concerned I was for how this book was going to end when I was 3/4 of the way through and not all of the conflicts had come to pass yet.

Blackhearts follows Edward "Teach" Drummond, the son of a wealthy merchant from England and Anne Barrett, the illegitimate daughter of a merchant and a slave from Curaçao who is sent to work for Teach's father after her father dies. Blacksouls deals with the aftermath of the first novel and expands the world in the novel. It picks up right where Blackhearts left off (for which I'm grateful, because THAT ENDING.) The novel is once again divided into a dual point of view between Teach and Anne and I enjoyed reading from both their perspectives.

We get to meet some of the characters briefly introduced at the end of Blackhearts, more thoroughly in Blacksouls and also meet some other new characters (pirates of course). While I didn't like Kitts at first, I liked the way he changed and grew throughout the novel and became less one dimensional as the story progressed.

The chemistry between Teach and Anne is still as strong as ever and I love those two together so much. The plot brought more hardship and grief their way and I was rooting for the both of them the entire way. This book was a lot of fun and a definite departure from the landlocked Blackhearts. Anne faces racism and the problems and hatred that can come with being interracial, especially back in the era of piracy.

The ending isn't as heartwrenching as Blackhearts, but it definitely leaves room for a sequel, which I would LOVE to read so that I get to read more of Teach and Anne, as well as see them be badass again.

Overall, Blacksouls is a wonderful sequel that expands on the established world, with more pirates and seafaring and nefarious villains.

‘Blacksouls’ is the sequel to Nicole Castroman’s début novel ‘Blackhearts’. It tells of the story of young ‘Black Beard’ the pirate and the women he loves, Anne. I was able to understand what was happening in ‘Blacksouls’ without having read ‘Blackhearts’ first (although I plan on reading it). If I had known that this series was about ‘Black Beard’ the pirate, I would have begun it sooner. When I was a kid I saw the move ‘Black Beard’s Ghost’ and since then have been fascinated with the pirate.

‘Blackhearts’ and ‘Blacksouls’ take us back to a time when traveling and shipping goods was incredibly dangerous. I’ve been wanting to read a historical fiction that explains some of the perils of travel by sea. Castroman describes in vivid details the ugliness of life aboard a ship in the eighteenth century. Her descriptions were wonderfully detailed and graphic.

I also liked the flow of the switch between ‘Teach’s’ and ‘Anne’s’ POV. I also would have liked to have one edition POV such as ‘Easton’s’ or ‘John’s’.
I loved the characters. I also liked the romance elements of the story which was not at all what I would expect from a novel about pirates.

The prose was super easy to read and colorful. The research done for this book was amazing. I learned so much about seventh century sailing and the details really added a lot to the story.
I flew through the book. I did find some of the descriptions of ‘Teach’ and ‘Anne’ and ‘Cara’ and ‘Coyle’ a little sanctimonious and the characters’ personalities were a little too black and white, good or evil.

I loved ‘Blacksouls’ and I plan to go back and read ‘Blackhearts’ as well as the third installment in the series. This book was well written, entertaining, educational, and original. I can’t wait to dig into ‘Blackhearts’ the next chance I get.

Blacksouls is the second book in a delightful series by Nicole Castroman. The first book in this series, Blackhearts, starts our exploration into the pirate Blackbeard and his life. With more action, ocean and pirates than the first book, Blacksouls is definitely a fun read and a great continuation to the series.

I adored the action that just kept me on my toes) though I will admit the first 50 or so pages were a little slower. The plot definitely gets more complex and leaves a huge opening for the series to continue (do I really have to wait a whole year for book 3? Really? *sighs*).

Teach and Anne continue their romance….and though I wasn’t too impressed by Teach’s temper and jealousy at times. But as a whole their relationship seems pretty healthy and cute and I can’t wait to see what happens between them.

Plus Anne is such a strong character…honestly. From the first page of Blackhearts to now, she’s grown so much and become such a strong willed and now physically strong character.

Plus there’s Reva. Female. Pirate. Kickass. Yes please… I need more.

I gave this installment 3.5 stars and cant wait to read book 3.

I’m super excited to talk about this one, so let’s get the trigger and content warnings out of the way, shall we?

Racism (addressed on the page)
References to Child Abuse/Murder
References to Sexual Assault against a Child
The secondary characters were developed so well that they could easily have been main characters. I was very impressed with how well this was done and how much I genuinely cared what happened to them. The characters that stayed with us from the first book, Blackhearts, gained a lot of depth in Blacksouls. I was especially happy to see how much development Anne got here because she gives such an important point of view to the story. I still feel like Teach could have had more depth but I love Anne and I’ll take what I can get here. Also, I know some of his bigger moments are still to come.

The majority of the story takes place either on a boat or on an island in the Caribbean and I swear I could smell the sea water. It brought back some serious sea time and island memories I had forgotten. The world is built in a way that’s sort of beneath the surface of the story while not being at all info-dumpy. I got specific information at key moments and it made the read so very immersive. In a word: Love!

The story picks up shortly after Blackhearts and, yes, it is necessary to read the series in order to fully appreciate these novels. For those of you who read my recent review of Blackhearts, you might remember my slight disappointment with the less than excessive pirate related action. I will go ahead and say right now that Blacksouls makes up for it!

Without getting spoilery, I can tell you there is plenty of deception, sailing, and violence. Some of the violence is difficult to stomach, but the rest of it is to be expected from a pirate story.

There are layers upon layers of what this story is about and I am so, so happy with it. The ending isn’t really a cliff-hanger per se, but it does end in a way that screams “To Be Continued.” I’ve really enjoyed getting into the story and getting to know the characters though, so I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Y’all know by now that I love Blackhearts, right? Right. Then you won’t be surprised to know that I loved the sequel, Blacksouls too. And I love Nicole Castroman so much. The West-Indies and all of the pirates is one of my favorite historical eras and I am thankful that we are getting books about it.

Blacksouls picks up where we left off after Anne and Teach, unfortunately, get separated. They continue their journeys to Nassau on separate ships, but trouble never leaves them, no matter where they go.

While I didn’t miss the true pirate-y stuff from the first book, I loved seeing more sailing and overall awesomeness in this one. I loved that this setting is different from the previous one, but you still feel that this isn’t anything different at all. I really loved all the fight scenes and the bada** pirates and the whole setting on the sea.

Just like I was satisfied with the ending of Blackhearts, but wasn’t gonna oppose to a sequel, I feel the same with Blacksouls. I loved everything in it, and I loved the ending; but I’ll be over the moon if we happened to get a third book. So dear S&S, maybe let’s make this a thing? The third could be called Blackbeard. 😉

After I finished reading Blackhearts last year, I didn't know that there wasn't a contracted sequel. In fact, I assumed that we would be getting our answers in the second part and was happily waiting for news of it. And then came a publication announcement, and I was pleasantly shocked and surprised because i KNEW I would need to read this book after that HORRIBLE HEART-WRENCHING ENDING to Blacksouls.
I was also very excited to actually have pirates, ships and everything that comes along with the seas in this story because book one didn't have a lot of it. Or any, really. I was also really hoping the entire book wasn't a journey of Teach getting to Anne and it was all kings of mope-y, because that would have been sad

So, now that I've told you what I EXPECTED from this book, I should tell you that It was BETTER than I expected it would be! Thoughts:

1) I LOVED ANNE IN THIS BOOK. She was spunky in book one, but I'd gotten use to the general prejudice of mean girls, and so Blackhearts made her seem normal. In Blacksouls, Anne had to deal with the beginning of and her first experiences with Slavery - and I FELT ALL OF HER INDIGNATION AND RIGHTFUL OFFENSE AND PURE ANGER. Slavery was given JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF EVERYTHING, especially since it was told from a POC's point of view

2) Teach, on the other hand, was an interesting character, but nowhere near as interesting as Anne. He was RIDICULOUSLY POSSESSIVE, and a total anti-feminist and that annoyed me. He LOVED ANNE, but didn't think her capable of anything. I get that he wanted to keep her safe but SIGH. I DID LOVE his transition (or rather how we saw for the first time) his abilities as a sailor and a captain, and I truly believed that he could be a great future pirate.

3) I loved the secondary characters - Alastair, Beth, Cara, Coyle, Easton, John, Reva and Benjamin - and all the added twists, turns and substance they gave the story.

4) Most of all, I TRULY fell in love with this book when the whole *ahem* conspiracy of Evil Dudes came to light. I loved how you could see this TEAM coming together and I LOVED ALL OF THEM which brings me to - IS THESE GOING TO BE A SEQUEL? Because while this didn't end on a cliffhanger, I LOVED THE ENDING SO MUCH AND WHERE THE CHARACTERS ARE GOING SO PLEASE LET ME HAVE MORE!

Would I recommend this series? HELL YES. Especially now that you can binge the two books together.
An swashbuckling, brilliant story that will have you on slowly falling in love with everyone in it.

After being separated, Anne is sailing on The Providence to Nassau, hoping that Teach got her message and would come after her. She befriends a pair of siblings-Cara and Coyle-who take her under their wing. Teach is trying to keep his identity a secret on his father's ship, The Deliverance, so that he can go after Anne. But being First Mate leaves him to deal with a cowardly and stupid captain and it isn't long before he realizes that if he doesn't take charge of the ship; they could possibly all die. But after arriving in Nassau both characters find themselves trapped by a powerful man who could very well end Teach's life if he doesn't do what he's told.

FINALLY!!!! Though it wasn't as Pirate-y as i'd hoped we did start to see the focus shift to pirates with the setting and the characters. But YES THERE WERE PIRATES IN THIS BOOK!!! It feels like we're building up to that full pirate atmosphere i'm literally craving!


We get introduced to new characters- Cara, Coyle, Benjamin, John and many more! I really liked each of them but at the end of the book my heart literally broke at some point!!

Where book 1 was much more romance focused this one goes much more into story line and plot. There was quite a lot of action and naval battles *swoons*!!!. The author also did an amazing job at the setting-i felt like i was watching everything play out like a POTC movie in my mind, she really did put in a lot of research!

LOVED LOVED the ship setting. I think in book 1 the fact that the story took place in an English household mostly, kind of broke off the Pirate feel but in this book half of it was on a ship and the other half in a port-ish scenery so i was getting Pirate vibes:P

The romance is really starting to get to me!!! They are such a swoony couple!

"What Teach wanted most in life was to find Anne and build a quiet life together somewhere, away from the rest of the world. Only then would he truly be happy.
Only then wold he truly be free."

Even though he's super protective of Anne and always wants her to stay out of harm's way; he never makes her feel caged or entrapped. I think we're slowly working up to the changes that turned him into Blackbeard because so far he's been through A LOT and i guess i can start to see the subtle change. I can't wait to see what finally drives him off the edge COMPLETELY and turns him into Blackbeard because now he's starting to walk towards that edge but he hasn't reached it yet.

"He never wanted people to dread him or the sound of his name so much that the only emotion they felt at his death was relief."

My poor poor Teach, this is historically ironical (If that's even a thing).

Anne really stepped up in this book! She really wants to find a place where she can belong and no one will judge her for her mixed heritage and she thinks she finds that in Nassau but even though most people don't bat an eye at her, some still retain the cruelty of racism and prejudice. Though she came back as strong as ever and is as stubborn as ever!

I can't wait to get to the next book for more adventures and hopefully MORE PIRATES!!!

I may not talk about it much, but I'm a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. I've watched each of the movie a couple of times, at least, and still not get bored with it. That's why, when I heard about Blackhearts more than a year ago, I immediately read it and was not disappointed, despite the lack of swashbuckling. I admit I didn't remember much of Blackhearts, except the cruel cliffhanger at the end of the book. When I heard that it'll have a sequel, I couldn't wait any longer. Fortunately, the sequel manage to exceed my expectations, and it has everything that the first book lack for (re: the swashbuckling).

Why You Should Read Blacksouls

1) The fast-paced plot. Seriously, the plot moves fast and packed in actions that in no time I'm already at the last pages. It is also rich with schemes, betrayal, and unexpected alliances that I couldn't guess what happens next. I swear, everytime I turn the page there's a surprise, both good and bad. And let's not forget the swashbuckling because there's lots of it, both at the decks and at the sea.

2) TEACH AND ANNE REUNITED. Blakchearts ended with a cruel cliffhanger, but our agony is paid-off because they spend a lot of times together in this book (eventhough there's still problems, but at least they're together). While they could be stubborn and hot-headed at times, their love for each other is really strong that you couldn't not ship them. Also, both Teach and Anne definitely grew up compared to Blackhearts.

3) I also love all the friendships they made throughout the journey. There's John, Teach's first mate (who apparently shows up in Blackhearts but I didn't remember), and also the rest of Teach's crews. Teach deeply care for his crew, and it hurts him when they're hurting because of him. Anne also befriends Coyle and Cara aboard the Providence, and they help Anne when they're in Nassau. I just hope we get to see more of them in this book, though. Oh, and of course, the 'unexpected alliances'! Let's just say I didn't see it coming, but I love it.

One thing that made me left hungry is Blacksouls ends with another cliffhanger! Not as bad as the first, but it still screams for book three. Overall, Blacksouls is that kind of sequel that leave you satisfied, and if you love Blackhearts, you definitely should read this one!

I was pretty excited to get to this one, because I quite enjoyed Blackhearts . And while Blacksouls was definitely a very different sort of book, I still really liked it!

Anyway, let us discuss the things I liked about this book first!

-The characters, both old and new. The characters were absolutely the strongest part of the first book, and this one is no different. Anne has already gone through so much in her life, and this just... wow, Anne has to deal with a lot. She goes through a pretty solid character growth, and I love how she adapts to challenges. The new characters, especially that we meet with Anne, are fabulous additions to the story. They make the stakes higher, because Anne has found people who she can consider real friends in Teach's absence. I liked Teach's story arc too, I just have always loved Anne a little bit more :)

-Changing it up from England to Nassau and the actual ocean sailing was really refreshing. Now, I adored the setting of the first book, but let's be real, we needed some pirate-y vibes, and this delivers. And the author does an amazing job of really making the reader feel the difference, not just in location, but overall atmosphere. It was quite well done, and I loved it.

-This book was grittier, but in a very realistic way. It dealt a lot with slavery, which was really hard to read about, but historically accurate, unfortunately. And Anne really got a look into this world, and the reader was able to see the horror from her point of view. There were also a lot of moral gray areas that the characters had to navigate in their new surroundings, and watching them grapple with these decisions was really gripping.

-I still ship (ha, ship in a book about ships, it never gets old) Anne and Teach so much! While we don't see as much of them together, I still adore them, and how much they care for each other.

So, what didn't work for me? Honestly, I am having a hard time pinpointing that! I think there were parts that were a little too much pirate-like action for me, and I was so much more invested in the characters' stories, that I kind of felt a little bored during some of the longer action sequences. Also, there is no announced third book yet, and there needs to be. Like, no question, I need a third book.

Bottom Line: If you enjoyed Blackhearts, you're going to need this sequel in your life. And if you wanted more pirate shenanigans, you'll love this one even more! (less)

I liked the first book, but this one was 100 times better!!

This is my favorite pirate series. And this was so necessary after the way book one ended.

Anne was a bad ass in this book. Taking charge and not waiting for others to make decisions. And, of course, I love her relationship with Teach. They are ADORABLE.

The pacing was fast and intense! Seriously there was so much going on! And I loved the villains.

Now we wait for book 3 *ahem* because JAMAICA!!

Blacksouls is a swashbuckling adventure fit for any diehard Pirates fan. Complete with danger, intrigue, high seas battles, and one epic romance, Blacksouls will get under your skin.

What I loved about Blacksouls was how real it felt. Dark, gritty, full of the deep underbelly of the pirate world, it is not at all glamorous. There’s scurvy, enemies ready to pillage, plunder, and murder simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Being a pirate is not fun, it’s living on the edge of your seat one moment, never knowing if you’re safe, and the next starving or suffering at the hands of a dictatorial captain.

Transportive (in both the contemporary and 17th century sense of the word). Richly descriptive with strong voice, you’ll feel like you’re on the ship or in the tavern suffering right along with the characters. The story is set in a time when slavery was a major means of import and export, people got rich off of the misery and imprisonment of innocent people because of their skin color or because they came from an island. That atmosphere of fear, prejudice, and loathing is potent and repulsive. Even people who is a little darker skinned, even if freed, are constantly on guard and threatened by those who reign because of money, prestige or simply, their pale skin. There are beautifully poignant messages about how people treat those that are different, how racism can destroy and damage and decimate entire groups of people, but through all that how resilient and proud the persecuted can be.

Teach and Anne fight against all odds to be with each other, when their lives are in others hands and so much is on the line. Still, they constantly have each other in their thoughts even when they’re not together and that kind of devotion in the sweetest kind of love.

The action scenes are full of uncertainty and adrenaline that will keep you guessing. Mutiny, betrayal, and worse are always on the horizon.

Secondary characters, for the most part, were memorable and each had their own story separate from the main characters. Cara and Coyle, Alistair and Beth, and that rowdy bunch of pirates Teach captained, they’ve got scars and things that haunt them, and yet, their loyalty and compassion are front and center.

Initially the pacing was so-so, but it picked up as the danger grew. Once you get past the first chapter or two the tension builds, the characters are developed, and if you haven’t read the first book, there is summarization but not enough to bog down the story.

After that ending on Blacksouls, I was so eager to get my hands on this book. And my main take away is that there better be another book.

I especially loved Anne this time around. She refused to be left behind or wait while the men handled things. She learns things to take care of herself and it just endeared her to me so much. Teach, of course, is lovely and the scenes with them together were adorable.

The story is fast paced, the bad guys were especially bad, and the ending was satisfying, I'm going to need more. A lot more. And a whoooole lot more of Reva.

**Huge thanks to Simon Pulse and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

3.5 stars

Plot: Earlier this year, I read and loved Blackhearts. I loved how Castroman took her time to explore the characters and really set the scene. Admittedly, Blackhearts was a rather slow-paced book, but the character dynamics kept me glued to the pages. Blacksouls did a complete 180 in terms of pacing. Starting immediately after the events of Blackhearts, Blacksouls was full of exciting battles and surprising betrayals. I honestly felt like I was in a Pirates of the Carribean movie while reading this book! For all of its action, I did miss the quiet of Blackhearts, but I know that readers who prefer more action in their novels will enjoy Blacksouls.

Characters: Both Teach and Anne went through a considerable amount of change in Blacksouls. I liked reading Teach's chapters because I could see the subtle difference in his character and how each action led him in the direction of becoming Blackbeard. Anne's changes weren't as surprising because she was already portrayed headstrong and stubborn, but I did see how their development affected their relationship. Blacksouls also introduced new characters who instantly became my favorite. From pirates to trusted first mates, Castroman created a fun and memorable cast of characters!

Blacksouls also highlighted the series' first villains. The villains fell flat with me mostly because I didn't think they received enough back story to make their actions believable. I'm hoping that the third book (!?!) will delve more into their motivations.

Worldbuilding: The atmosphere of Blacksouls was completely different from that of Blackhearts. Blackhearts took place in dreary England and always had a sense of melancholy. Blacksouls balanced itself between the sea and Nassau. I loved that Nassau was a complete change of scenery from England and it allowed Anne to do a lot of introspection. She was in a world where people looked like her, but the slave trade was still going strong. She had to deal with the guilt of being free and wanting to do more than she physically could.

Short N Sweet: Nicole Castroman continues to pull at my heartstrings with Blacksouls. This will be a favorite for anyone who wants a life at sea!

I received a copy of this via Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Alright. I’ll be honest, I wanted to try and see if this improved upon what was laid out in the first book. That being said:
PIRATES! Actual Pirates in this one!
This held what I managed to like about the first book and actually improve upon it. The added note of pirates which was lacking in book 1 improves with the addition of Reva and a few others that come in near the end of the book.
As per usual, I think this entire series isn’t bad but if it had been marketed more as a Blackbeard origin story rather than a romance with a hint of pirates (the first book) it might have faired better.
I’m excited to see where it goes next towards book 3 and Teach becoming Blackbeard eventually.

Hearty har har me mateys! Time to hear about a fellow grand and glorious sea dog . . .

blacksouls (Nicole Castroman)

Title: blacksouls

Author: Nicole Castroman

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing

Publication Date: April 11, 2017 (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 9781481491051

Source: NetGalley

If ye haven’t read the first book in this series, blackhearts, then ye might want to skip this post and go read the first book. Worth the read. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

So I am assuming most of me readers have heard of the fearsome Blackbeard who sailed the waters of the West Indies on the Queen Anne’s Revenge. The first book sets up the "true" story of how Anne, a half West Indies / half English daughter of a respected merchant and the young Blackbeard (known at the time as Edward Drummond) meet and fall in love.

The second novel continues their story outside of Bristol, England and heads seaward to the Caribbean, mate! While I loved the first book and it's forays into Blackbeard’s beginnings and how some of the myths surrounding him started, not much of it involved the sea. It was more of the story of how Blackbeard ending up having to go to the Caribbean.

This novel begins with Anne on the sea dealing with a dead man and continued to be a non-stop rollickin' adventure. I devoured this in one sitting and loved every moment. From sea battles, to political intrigue, pirate code, treachery, and swashbucklin', I found this to be the real pirate tale that I be cravin'. Arrrrr!

Both Anne and Blackbeard continue to be fun characters to follow. Feisty, spunky Anne be me favorite in particular. Add in excellent friendships, other pirates, and what life was like in Nassau, and I be hooked.

The author continued her entertaining portrayal of what Blackbeard's life could have been like and how he turned "pirate" so to speak. I mean maybe it happened this way . . . who can say. Me mateys should definitely read this.

Side note: This was the author’s second novel. Still an excellent taste in choice of subject matter. Brilliant job.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing!

The author’s website says this about the novel:

Nicole Castroman brings the dangerous pirate ports of the Caribbean to life in this vibrant sequel to Blackhearts—the reimagined origin story of history’s most infamous pirate, Blackbeard.

Edward “Teach” Drummond is setting sail to the Caribbean as first mate on the most celebrated merchant ship in the British fleet—until he rebels against his captain. Mutiny is a capital offense and Teach knows it could cost him his life, but he believes it worth the risk in order to save his crew from the attacking Spanish ships.

Sailing on the same blue waters, Anne barely avoids the Spanish attack, making it safely to Nassau. But lawless criminals, corrupt politics, and dangerous intentions fill the crowded streets of this Caribbean port. Soon, Anne discovers that the man entrusted to keep the peace is quite possibly the most treacherous of them all—and he just happens to hold Teach’s fate in his terrifying hands.

Life and death hang in the balance when Teach and Anne are given a dangerous mission. It’s a mission that will test their love, loyalty and devotion, forcing them down a path neither one could have ever imagined.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Nicole Castroman - Author

To buy this wonderful yarn visit:

blacksouls - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Blacksouls by Nicole Castroman
Book Two of the Blackhearts series
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: April 11, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Nicole Castroman brings the dangerous pirate ports of the Caribbean to life in this vibrant sequel to Blackhearts—the reimagined origin story of history’s most infamous pirate, Blackbeard.

Edward “Teach” Drummond is setting sail to the Caribbean as first mate on the most celebrated merchant ship in the British fleet—until he rebels against his captain. Mutiny is a capital offense and Teach knows it could cost him his life, but he believes it worth the risk in order to save his crew from the attacking Spanish ships.

Sailing on the same blue waters, Anne barely avoids the Spanish attack, making it safely to Nassau. But lawless criminals, corrupt politics, and dangerous intentions fill the crowded streets of this Caribbean port. Soon, Anne discovers that the man entrusted to keep the peace is quite possibly the most treacherous of them all—and he just happens to hold Teach’s fate in his terrifying hands.

Life and death hang in the balance when Teach and Anne are given a dangerous mission. It’s a mission that will test their love, loyalty and devotion, forcing them down a path neither one could have ever imagined.

What I Liked:

Over a year ago, I read Blackhearts and enjoyed the story, but hated the ending. At the time, no sequel had been contracted. This weighed somewhat on my rating of the book. Months later, a sequel was announced (just one). Who wasn't excited?! I think this was a good sequel, and probably as good as the first book, for most readers. But I personally wasn't feeling it, didn't love it, and that's how the three-star rating is showing up again. I fully admit the fact that most readers will probably love this book. I didn't. I didn't hate it either though.

Blackhearts left us with a terrible, horrible ending. This book picks up nearly where its predecessor left off (give or take a few days, maybe weeks? I can't remember). Anne is on a ship to Nassau, but she has made friends with Cara and Coyle, who offer to let her stay with their uncle at Nassau. Anne and the rest of the ship arrive safely in Nassau, and she begins to work for Alastair in his tavern. Teach is on another ship, bound for Nassau as well. But when Teach arrives, he is arrested by Governor Webb and given a merciless decision: find the pirate Easton, or hang. The politics of Nassau are filthy and corrupt, and there is nothing that Teach and Anne can do about it, except flee. Teach sets out to find Easton, with Anne stowed away. But they will discover what they feared about Governor Webb, Lord Pelham, and other men of power at Nassau.

I adored Teach in this book. His character development is subtle and something you don't actively notice, but from the start of this book to the finish, you can see how much he has grown. He is less of a lovesick boy and more of a hardened, fierce, loyal man. He assumes a captain's role of more than one ship, and it suits him. I liked seeing him become even more of a leader, and a smart one at that. He never thinks of himself alone, always of his crew, and Anne, and Anne's loved ones.

Anne, meh. I didn't really care for her in this book. I'll talk about her in the next section. But, meh.

There is a much more adventurous tone in this book, especially since much of the book is set at sea of near a ship. I liked this change of pace, because the story moved a little faster. I was still bored (which I'll talk about later), but at least the story seemed more lively than in Blackhearts. Not that Blackhearts was super boring, but I like the more pirate-y feel to this book.

Some of the secondary characters are awesome! Teach's best friend John is a wonderful friend and good first mate. Reva, a sly and cunning pirate, is so kickbutt and admirable. Alastair, Cara, Coyle, and Beth (Alastair's lady) are supporting and loyal people who are so good to Anne (too good to be true?). Even Easton was a character I grew to like! Though we don't really meet him until the end.

No love triangle, though there are some things that annoyed me about the romance (see below). Teach and Anne's relationship is really strong, and nothing comes between them or their feelings for each other. It's the author that likes to play games with the romance (again, see below).

In general, this was a good sequel. Don't necessarily be fooled by the rating - I can definitely appreciate how well-written and satisfying this sequel was. Just... not for me, maybe? I have a feeling of meh in my head.

What I Did Not Like:

I didn't really care for Anne, in this book. I didn't hate her but I also wasn't really rooting for her. She doesn't really think things through and is always shoving herself into places and businesses and things that she doesn't belong in. I hate how she was constantly trying to justify herself and her presence when she really needed to just not. Look, I get that all the authors are trying to make all the female characters more "kickbutt" and fierce. But on Anne, it seemed fake and forced. I was rolling my eyes at Anne during the entire book. She needed to take a seat and stay put. I'm not really an advocate for "sit back and let the men do the work" but Anne isn't the smartest girl so... given how she just rolls right into trouble, I wouldn't let her get into business she doesn't belong in. Especially when she tries to act like she's a perfect shot and she can fight, after "learning" how to shoot a pistol for like, two days? Girl, please. Take a seat.

But of course, everything magically works out for her when she does join a battle or enters a fray. Because of course. *cue eye-rolling* I can't stand that type of fake female protagonist.

Moving on. The romance. Yes, Teach/Anne are a solid pair. But the author threw in Coyle, who loves Anne (Anne cares for him as a brother, don't get too upset). This was... unnecessary? Annoying? Irrelevant? WHY was it necessary to the plot, other than to send Teach's blood pressure up, and mine? What purpose did having Coyle love Anne serve? Why couldn't they be platonic friends? (Well, Anne certainly thought they were.)

And then there are all of the lewd comments that some of the male sailors/pirates made around Anne when she was discovered on Teach's ship. This, I found more believable, but really? What, is this girl Helen of Troy? Does she have sort of magical essence that makes all men attracted to her? Literally every other attractive male sailor/pirate? Again, nothing came out of this, the romance is all Teach/Anne, there are no feelings or kisses or anything except between Teach and Anne. But it's so unnecessary!

And let's be real - this kind of thing is annoying on so many levels. How about the author drop a hot, attractive female in Teach's direction, and let that female throw herself at Teach. He's an attractive guy, and a captain. Nothing love-triangle-y, but something annoying and irritating, like Coyle, and those male pirates. Is that going to happen? NO! Because that would literally be the end of the world and we can't upset Anne (or the female protagonist in general)! Could authors just not?

Again, no love triangle. It's just the author being irritating. She's probably trying to show how much Teach cares about Anne by how jealous and possessive he gets. Hey Castroman, how about you go the other way around now, huh? Parade some hot ladies in front of Teach, let's see Anne's jealousy, let her get possessive and fight for/over her man. *cue eye roll*

I was bored for the beginning of this book. I admit, I did a good amount of skimming and fast-paced reading. The tone of this book is much more adventurous than that of Blackhearts, but I was feeling kind of meh about this story. It's good! I was bored though. It could have been my mood.

Would I Recommend It:

Yeah, I'd recommend this book, because it is a good sequel and a well-written book. But also no, I don't recommend this book, because there is no contracted book three, and the ending of this book kind of demands a book three. No ridiculous cliffhanger (i.e. like Blackhearts), but the ending is so unresolved and wide open, in a more general direction (not just talking about Teach and Anne anymore). So maybe don't bother with this one until you know for sure that there will be a book three? Because, at this time (March 26th, 2017), there is no third book contracted.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded down to 3 stars. This was a very quick read for me, and while I was bored and sometimes irritated, I'm glad I gave this book a chance. Don't be fooled by my rating and the dislikes section - it's a good book overall. Maybe I'm getting too caught up in the details (I probably am). I personally felt a little meh about this book and I can't quite pinpoint why, but it could very well be my current mood!

I received this eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Diving into Nicole Castroman’s Blacksouls right after reading Blackhearts was the best decision ever! As you might have known, Blackhearts ended with a pretty dicey cliffhanger! Our star-crossed lovers, Teach and Anne were separated due to evil circumstances and now we all wait with bated breath until their reunion.
While Anne had been sailing away, on the wrong ship, to her mother’s homeland she made friends with a sibling pair, Coyle and Cara. The trio began to look out for one another and they even brought Anne along with them to the uncle they had been going to see to work for him in a tavern. Anne is struck with awe upon coming Nassau. There’s a variety of people and everything is just so new. Though it isn’t all paradise as she’s soon to find out.

In the meantime, we see Teach sailing on his father’s ship while the captain is sure to get them all killed when it looks like the Spainards were gunning for their ship. It’s Teach’s quick thinking that keeps the crew alive, but sadly, the danger is only just starting when Teach thinks it’s passed. Upon docking, he and the crew are arrested for mutiny and Teach will have to make a deal with the devil, in the form of a governor, in order to save himself and his crew, and essentially, Anne!

It took a while before Teach and Anne were finally reunited! It was most agonizing, because let’s face it, this is a love story in a sense! It’s also a great swashbuckling pirate origin story filled with adventure as well! By the time our couple finally reunites and you think a breath of relief might escape you, you’d be wrong! The danger is only just starting because soon there’s murder and mayhem to be had that brings upon these characters a direct sense of chaos!

I was left kind of stunned by the end of this one! Like its predecessor, the pacing was once again a little more slower than your usual adventure read, but I can say there was a great deal more action and tension than we had in the first one! Things are tense! Our characters have developed fairly well over the course of the first novel, but we continue to watch them grow in different areas. I will say though, that the adventure thrill is definitely stronger in this one than what we saw last time! Much more time spent at sea and going to new places. Though, granted, it’s not a lot of traveling, but more than we had in the first book anyway!
It was such a rush to see the new culture and experience things through Anne’s eyes! She’s never been anywhere besides her England where she was born, so anywhere besides there is a new adventure for her. I enjoyed seeing the colors and exoticness of Nassau through her eyes. I’ve never been anywhere tropical myself, so I loved living through her in this one!

There’s still a great deal of danger in their relationship for being who they are. But I love seeing Teach and Anne overcome those prejudices. It doesn’t hurt that their new friend, Alastair has a wife who’s of another race as well. It was like they could see who they would become some years down the line. There was at least one scene that still stands out to me as being terrifying. It just goes to show you how scary things were way back then. And I’m not talking about just the pirates either.

The ending was quite exciting too! Things were happening so fast! And then just when you think we’ve come clear of near and sudden danger…The End! Okay, granted it’s not that bad! I mean if you’ve read Blackhearts, you’ll know that ending was pretty tough to swallow! Especially since at the time we didn’t know how many books there were going to be! Well now we know there’s three (as of now!) and I can tell you this one ends perfectly!! There will be no screams of agony or tears, at least I hope there’s not for you guys! Because trust me, I am an emotional reader and at the slightest edge of a cliffhanger I am moved to fits and screams, and maybe a bit of rage. There was none of that for me here! Yes, I am excited for the next one but I can honestly say that I will be (mostly, sorta, kinda) “patiently” waiting for it!

The adventure continues in the awe-inspiring Blackbeard origin story with Blacksouls! This will be a read you will not want to miss out on!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Blacksouls releases April 11, 2017