Book one (Song of the Current) was good, but this sequel was great! In Whisper of the Tide we follow Caro's point of view as she and Markos head out on the run to try to gain followers....and avoid being killed....in order to overthrow the rule of Konto Theucinian. As the one chosen by the sea goddess, Caro also has to attempt to appease the sea god and this is where we enter a world of pirate adventures.

Overall, I felt that the book was good but a little basic. The world-building was pretty neat and I loved the sea-faring aspects, as well as the concepts of fighting for democracy. I'm also glad there is romance blooming. The book started off slow but of course, it took off around the middle. Good character growth and fun adventure.

4.5 stars!
This was such a wonderful sequel and wrap up. It was a great adventure story with so many twists and turns that kept me engaged the whole time.
I loved how Caro thought she knew who she was, but it turns out she was completely wrong about it. I loved watching her grow as a character and find out what her true destiny is.
I still loved Kenté. She was such a wonderful addition to the story. I wish we had seen more of Caro’s Pa because I really liked him too. I also really liked what Diric added to the story.
I thought the whole story flowed together very well. There were so many different mini adventures in the whole big adventure but it wasn’t confusing or hard to follow. When I first started reading it, I didn’t think there was going to be so much adventure in it, but I loved everything!

Ahoy, there, mateys, and arrrrgh!

Stories about pirates on grand adventures is one of my my favorite things, and as far as I'm concerned, there aren't nearly enough of them. I <3 ed <i>Song of the Current</i>, so had pretty high expectations for <i>Whisper of the Tide</i>. I found it to be a satisfying voyage, if through murky, monster (and goddess)-infested waters. (Ha - see what I did there?)

So, let's talk Caro. I *super-duper* dislike it when authors make their characters bulletproof. (Unless, of course, they actually <i>are</i> bulletproof. But you know what I mean.) Personally, I find it very hard to connect with characters who always know all the answers, know exactly what to do, and make all the right decisions. They're unrealistic, and they're totally boring. That is not the case here. Caro is completely flawed, which makes me like her a lot. She makes terrible decisions, albeit for what she thinks are the right reasons, and then when things go straight to hades she takes responsibility for her actions, puts on her stomping boots, and fixes the mess. She is brave and she is clever, and she is resilient. She is a wanderer at heart and wants to travel and explore and have adventures, and I totally get her (most of the time). Flawed character = interesting character.

Now let's talk Markos. His concerns have taken a toll on him, and that is evident. His is constantly faced with the decision of which is more important, happiness or duty, and politics will legit suck the soul right out of anyone, so I get it. I love that he is a pirate adventurer at heart, though, and eventually stays true to the person he is.

Also awesome: this book has magic, curses, schemes and shenanigans, treasure and maps that lead to it, shipwrecks, mayhem, snarky saltiness, and smooching. All the makings of a fantastical adventure! ( I know, I know, I keep using that word, but it's really the BEST one to use! Adventure, adventure, adventure!)

This book is so much more packed with adventure and creativity and worldbuilding than the first one. I already liked the first one, but this one blew its prequel out of the water.

4.5/5 Stars

Building off a strong debut novel, Sarah Tolcser returns with Whisper of the Tide as Caro is stuck trying to help Markos reclaim his crown while longing for the sea. This book is bursting with swashbuckling shenanigans, hidden enemies, and epic plots that leave the reader constantly on the edge of their seat. The real question is what does fate have in store for our intrepid heroes.

No worries, there won't be any spoilers here but Tolcser does an excellent job of plotting and pacing this tale to leave the most resounding impact when the dust settles. There's a whirlwind journey to embark on, politics at play, and even a hunt for treasure. I mean, what else would you expect with pirates. Plus the romance doesn't get in the way, it merely adds depth to the narrative.

Caro is even more compelling in this one, grappling with her place in life and where her fate is leading her. She has doubts but her stubborn, persistent nature pushes Caro onward. Thankfully she's not the only complex lady portrayed. Her mother is a pistol wielding business woman. Kente, her cousin, returns after learning her trade in the arts of shadow magic. Even an antagonist wields her skills against them.

Overall Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolcser was a rip roaring adventure that set my heart alight. These pages held so much within; from twists and turns that left me reeling to brilliant character growth. Honestly I enjoyed this one even more than the first installment and cannot get enough of the fierce females that populate this world. I totally recommend picking up this duology!

Like with the first book in this series, Whisper of the Tide was entertaining and intriguing, but the quality was only mediocre. Though I did enjoy the pirate-adventure aspect of it, the worldbuilding and characters were shallow and I struggled a lot with the writing style of this book. I am glad to the say though that this novel didn’t suffer from the “second book syndrome” and that it was overall a decent read.

Whisper of the Tide follows Caro Oresteia a few months after the events of Song of the Current. Caro and Markos are residing in the free city of Valonikos, trying to rally support for Markos as the Emparch (over his cousin) so he can help transition the kingdom to a democracy. As problems arise, alliances need to be made, and the sea god grows increasing angry, Caro and Markos find themselves torn apart and questioning who they want to be.

I think my favorite part about this book was that it was much more pirate-y than the first book. There was a lot of adventure to this novel, compact with loads of action scenes. Once you get past the slow beginning, the novel never holds a dull moment. A character is always struggling to get their head above water, dodge a bullet or sword, or running down an alleyway.

Another characteristic of this book that I admired was the first chapter/prologue. I’ll admit that I came into this book with low expectations (because I didn’t know if it would suffer from second-book syndrome), but the opening scene made me sit up straighter. I was so intrigued to see how Caro got to the point where she was sitting in a rundown tavern, weaponless, and talking with an old enemy.

My final, favorite part of Whisper of the Tide is this beautiful, 100% relatable line of dialogue:

“I ain’t scared of [spiders],” Diric said, affronted. “I just don’t put up with their shit.”

But while I enjoyed these aspects, I found myself with the same criticisms I held with the first book. The beginning chapters were chalk full of exposition and telling. Caro constantly reminds the reader about basic details about herself, Markos, and the plot of Song of the Current. It was aggravating and really lessened my previous excitement from the prologue. And once again, characters’ actions and opinions seem to be crafted to further the plot rather than to suit their personalities/backstories. Scenes also suddenly changed in time or location so they only focused on action imbued instances of the plot. There were so many escapes/life-or-death instances in this story that they came off as minor obstacles that didn’t require much struggle for the characters.

And just like the first book, another thing that I found offsetting was the brewing revolution/cry for democracy in the kingdom of Akhaia. It’s the backbone for the entire plot behind Whisper of the Tide, yet across the entire story the revolutionary ideology stayed in the background. The story tended to favor Caro’s “who am I?” search (with a lot of sudden, directly-told-to-the-reader realizations), to the point that the ongoing political chaos was brushed aside. Stepping back and looking at it: this was a bizarre dynamic that really weakened the worldbuilding.

Overall, Whisper of the Tide was an interesting, fantastical, pirate-filled mediocre tale. I would say that if you enjoyed Song of the Current, you’ll be fairly delighted with this book, but I would not go out of my way to recommend this story. This series is definitely not going to rock the YA fantasy world. I really enjoyed the ideas that this duology was built on, but I personally found the execution to be lacking.

The sequel to Song of the Current opens with Caro, now captain of her own ship, and Markos, rightful ruler of Akhaia, in a committed relationship. They continue to strategize how Markos can gain control of his country. The only option appears to be a marriage alliance in exchange for an army. Caro sacrifices her happiness by ending things with Markos freeing him to marry for political gain. To make matters worse, Markos sends Caro to fetch his future bride. The plot starts twisting from there and Caro is thrust into desperate adventures with her survival dependent upon an old adversary. The sequel is every bit as fabulous as the first, perhaps better. Caro is such an engaging heroine and her adventures are a thrill. I look forward to reading everything this author publishes. Highly recommend.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Song of the Current and Whisper of the Tide are definitely different than all of the other books I have read! I love the unique concept and world in this duology. However, I was sitting on a 3-star rating for about the first 60% of this book. BUT, Sarah Tolcser's writing and this story effectively changed my mind.

My issues with the first half of the book had to do with Caro's character and the plot. At the beginning of this story, Caro's character just turned me off. I understand that she felt lost and conflicted, but I wanted her fiery passion to come back. She wasn't fighting for anything whether it be her relationship with Markos or for sailing the open seas. My next issue with the story was that I wasn't sure where Tolcser was trying to lead me at the beginning of this book. I found myself wanting to skip a few pages at a time as I felt that nothing exciting or important was occurring. BUT, this all changed. The second half of the book is much better; it's filled with twists and turns, action. and magnificent character development--which is all I wanted.

At its core, this book is about Caro finding herself and making her own destiny. After finding out that the Sea God is her true God, Caro is a bit confused about who she is and where she fits in the world. She's also falling in love with Markos--which terrifies her--and she isn't sure where she fits in with his life as the rightful Emparch. Of course, there is more to this story. Markos is trying to reclaim his throne from his evil cousin with the help of Caro and Peregrine. Sounds simple, right? *buzzer sound* Wrong. None of the lords will side with Markos, some of them even try to play it off as if he isn't the rightful heir to the throne since he was the second in line son. They all wanted his brother, Loukas, not him. So, when a respectable Lord sends Markos a letter promising his loyalty and army to Markos's cause, it seems like a great deal. But, yes as you are probably thinking, there is a catch: Markos will have to marry this man's daughter. *Que the drama and heartbreak for him and Caro.

If you read Song of the Current, I definitely recommend you read Whisper of the Tide. Then, if you do start Whisper of the Tide and you aren't sure about whether to finish it, please do. Honestly, everything is happening and being said for a reason--IT ALL TIES TOGETHER. Tolscer does an amazing job of weaving together every single minute detail she mentions in the book. I really enjoyed this story, the characters, and the ending.

This was such a fun sequel and the perfect ending to the series! I really enjoyed Song of the Current and I think it’s such a shame that these books don’t have more popularity. I really hope more people decide to read this series, because they are full entertainment!

Whisper of the Tide was just as action-packed and thrilling as the first book. There are so many things about this book to love: pirates, treasure hunts, female friendships, adventures. There were even some elements of the book that reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean and that made me enjoy it even more! Caro remains unapologetically herself, and love how she continues to grow as a character. Her relationship with Markos also grows and matures, which is very refreshing to read in a young adult book. The plot was fast-moving, the world-building remains excellent, and the writing as just as compelling as Song of the Current. I wish this was more than a duology; I would have loved to be back in this world for a third book!

Whisper of the Tide was a great ending to an entertaining series full of sea adventures, pirates, assassins, sea/river deities, and fun characters! If you enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean and books like Daughter of the Pirate King, then I would definitely suggest reading these books! They’re totally underrated and need more love from the bookish community.

I felt like that the first book was much more action packed yet this book felt like it fell under the 2nd book syndrome. I was very upset about it. I felt like the plot was lacking, and the angst was heightened but at the same time it was a fun conclusion to read.

A perfect read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for the opportunity to read and review Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolcser! The sarcastic humor shines right off the beginning of the story. Caro and Markos feel more mature in this sequel to Song of the Current and their worries have taken a toll on them. I enjoyed this book more than the first one and I think it’s because the world building had already been set up and the characters show tremendous growth. I enjoyed the side characters also, with their diverse personalities. Danger, intrigue, twists and interesting characters made me love this book. Diric, the pirate, is endearingly charming with all of his good and bad attributes mixed well together. Fun, adventurous and suspenseful and a perfect read for anyone with an interest in pirates and fantasy. 5 stars!

So if you’ve literally ever been on my blog or on my bookstagram, you’re probably pretty well aware that I seriously love Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser (if you haven’t read my full review of that book yet, click here to check it out). And I mean love. I love the characters, the plot, the adventure, the overall badass female vibe happening—all of it. So I was pretty stoked when I found out she was releasing a sequel, Whisper of the Tide, in June of this. year.

I received this book as an e-ARC in exchange for a review, and as y’all know, I never let that influence my opinions—I’ll always be upfront and honest with you!

So this being the sequel, you’ll of course want to read Song of the Current first (which if you haven’t why not? What have you been doing? Get on it!). Whisper of the Tide picks up shortly after Song of the Current left off, which is perfect for readers like me who were hungry for more. In this book, Caro is now the captain of her own ship (her stolen pirate ship, of course), Victorianos, but spends most of her time with the ship in the harbor as she spends time with Markos and tries to protect his life from some too-close-for-comfort brushes with potential assassins. Meanwhile, Markos is working tirelessly to stake his claim to the throne after everyone in his family except his little sister, Daria, was assassinated.

When a powerful Arkon offers Markos the one thing he really needs to secure his position—an army—in exchange for taking his daughter’s hand in marriage, Markos and Caro find themselves at odds with not just one another, but with their own desires as well. Caro sets off on her own journey to meet this Arkon and deliver the new bride back to Markos (and you thought your relationships were awkward), but of course…the Goddess of the Sea has her own plans.

By far the best part of a sequel is getting to dive back in and spend more time with the characters you fell in love with in the first book, so I was so, so excited to get more of Caro and Kente and Markos and Diric Melanos! As you know from my review of Song of the Current, Caro and Kente are easily two of my newest favorite badass female characters (AKA one of my favorite types of characters), and Caro really comes into her own in this one. While in the first book she is struggling a lot with finding herself and finding her path and accepting her “fate”, in Whisper of the Tide we get to see her more in her element. She is much more accepting of having been chosen by the God of the Sea, even when the God of the Sea is kind of screwing up her life, and even though I wasn’t sure if it could happen, she’s actually kind of more of a badass in the book, strolling around her with her twin gold-handled pistols tucked into her belt, captaining Victorianos like a boss, and literally throwing knives at a pirate in an underground pirate bar on the pirate isle.

I absolutely loved seeing her take on this role of being even more awesome and self-assured as she faced down the changes in her life, and let’s be serious, we need more female characters like this in YA fiction. Speaking of things we need more of in YA fiction—I loved that even though she has a significant other in this book, she still has a lot of other stuff going on, too. She still is the captain of her own boat, she is still trying to make sure she doesn’t lose herself and is concerned about staying true to her destiny and her own dreams, and these are things she takes into consideration when the idea of Markos marrying another woman comes up. She’s pretty openly in acknowledgement of the fact that they are both young and she may not be with this one guy forever, and that’s pretty cool to see in YA. The relationship does play into the story a lot, so there definitely is some romance, but it also plays into it in a more of a political intrigue type of way rather than an “omg let me throw away my life for you because you’re the only thing that matters” type of way. She’s very conscious of the fact that she shouldn’t lose herself in a boyfriend and that she needs to stay true to who she is, as well.

“When I was with Markos, I felt myself teetering on the edge of a great chasm, terrified of what might happen if I tumbled over the precipice.”

And since I mentioned the God of the Sea, I did like seeing her return in this book and continue to play a role in Caro’s life and the things that happen to her. She was such a huge factor in the first book and played into Caro’s thoughts and choices and so much her inner turmoil that it would have been really strange to see that thread get dropped in the sequel. Luckily, Tolcser definitely continued that thread in a way that felt natural and appropriate to the story, and was also really exciting (as you can imagine, the God of the Sea can wreak some serious havoc).

“I belonged to the sea now. I could never go back to the river. Not truly.”

I enjoyed seeing that kind of mythical/spiritual aspect being woven in among the more tangible, relatable aspects of the novel, and seeing how much she can shake up a plot that was already really exciting from the get go. The overall plot of this sequel was super interesting, and there was always a lot going on, so it never got boring or dragged even a little bit! It felt like it was really fast paced, but not so much that it was hard to keep up with. Most of you already know that I think Sarah Tolcser is an extremely accomplished writer, and she proves it again in Whisper of the Tide as she demonstrates her ability to handle a fast-paced plot where there’s quite a few things going on at once in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the reader and goes down smoother than that first cup of coffee in the morning.

And trust me, there’s no shortage of things happening to keep your attention here. Tolcser sets it up to grab your attention right away, starting with a pivotal moment in the novel that is instantly exciting and gets the heart racing, and then takes us back three months, leaving us wondering how exactly we got to that point and dying to read as much as possible as soon as possible so we can figure it out! And from that moment, there’s never any shortage of awesomeness—this book has it all: pirates, political intrigue, backstabbing, double crossing, romance, new friendships, old friendships, deceit, mystery, and magic.

And speaking of magic…


I just have to dedicate a whole paragraph to the return of one of my favorite characters: Kente! As I first mentioned, Kente first returns only in the form of a letter, and even in this one letter that she writes to her cousin, Caro, her personality is just pouring off the page. Now that’s a strong character.
Kente writes to her cousin to warn her of a possible threat and provide her with a little talisman of magical protection (as all good cousins do, naturally), and some of the snippets of her letter speak straight to the soul:
“As it happens, I was lurking behind the parlor drapes. (Oh, all right. I was sneaking to the kitchen to get some cheese. The cheese is not the point of the story.)”

Kente also writes that she has to skip the pleasantries, which she sums up as “the magic I’ve learned and the boys I’ve kissed and all other such intriguing topics”, and even as I read this the first time I made a note that was something along the lines of BUT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS!!! And included something along the lines of, “I wish Kente had her own book.” Seriously, she’s a badass sidekick, but I would read the heck out of a whole novel just about her and her magical escapades.

Was there anything I disliked about Whisper of the Tide? I’ll tell you what—only one thing. The only thing I disliked was that I had a certain ship (no, no…not like the Victorianos…the other kind of ship) that did not sail. I won’t say who, as this review is spoiler-free, but if you know me literally at all, when you read this book you will instantly know who it is.

But, realistically, all that really tells me is that Tolcser is just that excellent of a writer, that she is able to create such realistic and complex relationships and interactions between characters that it creates an ample amount of tension.

So, to wrap things up, there is no doubt in my mind that I give this book FIVE out of FIVE stars, and I highly recommend it!!!

Despite receiving an ARC of this book, I absolutely will go out and buy it when it releases, and I absolutely will read it again, and I absolutely will tell everyone I know to read it until they all listen to me (so, get ready for that).

Whisper of the Tide is available June 5th!!! That’s less than a month away so if you haven’t read Song of the Current yet, the time is nigh!

I highly recommend this book if you love adventurous YA, tough, butt-kicking female characters, pirate shenanigans (so many pirate shenanigans), and generally really well-written books. I also think you’ll like this if you’re a fan of spiritual mythology and the idea of fate and destiny and how those concepts affect our choices and lives. I can’t say it enough—this book is sooo good.

I cant give this book enough praise!!I loved it soooo much! Song of the current was absolutely amazing and Whisper of the tide is even more amazing! I just love Caro and Markos sooo much! Whisper of the tide was suspenseful action packed sequel to this amazing series! I definitely got some daughter of the siren queen vibes from this book but would could you not with sassy pirates and a strong young female charter. I need another book in this series! Please tell me there is a third book lol! while the book is pretty politically based there is good balance so its not all about it

Thank you so much for allowing me to review this book!

I was so happy when this title was announced as I heard Song of the Current was just a stand-alone, but imagine my elation when I heard that I'd be reading about Markos and Caro again! I love these two together and the "break-up" was heartbreaking, but Caro's journey and how she never gave up on love was truly inspiring. The action, of course and some unlikely friendships made the book unputdownable. This one, for sure, left it open for a third and I cannot wait to add thsi one to my collection with its beautiful cover in June.

Full review will be post on my blog and Goodreads one month before release.

I felt like this book took me a little bit longer to get into than the first one, but once I got into it, I was REALLY into it. All the plot points I was concerned about in the first third of the book were resolved satisfactorily by the end, and when it was over, I was hoping for the next book in this series. Tolcser does such a good job bringing these characters and their world to life. 3.5 stars

WHISPER OF THE TIDE was a stunning sequel! I came in with high expectations, but was honestly ready to give it a 3 star midway through the book, no joke. What changed my mind? I could say that the events that happened were pretty awesome, or the resolution was sooo satisfying and lovely, or how the stuff that had me side-eyeing were properly addressed. But I think plain and simple, Tolcser breathed life into Caro’s character and made her resilient, flawed, and just great in general. I adored her from start to finish, mistakes and all. And I hope fans of the book come into WHISPER OF THE TIDE with an open mind and heart to Caro’s flaws.

The book follows Caro’s first person POV as she tries to help Markos overthrow the rule of Konto Theucinian, who has a strict regime as monarch (or Emparch, as they are called here). Both Markos and Caro are on Theucinian’s hitlist, and much of the action comes from assassination attempts and being on the run. Markos is trying to get supporters to place him on the throne, as his father was the Emparch and was killed when Theucinian took power, but many people call him the Pretender and are too afraid of Theucinian to support him. The interesting part of this particular plot is that it’s there, but not the main focus. Theucinian is a force that’s unseen throughout the book - his actions are done through other characters and thus made for an uneventful protagonist.

“‘When we make a promise to serve, sometimes that promise is hard to keep. Whether you serve a god or an Emparch.’ He nodded at me.
‘Or both.’”

Caro’s life was flipped upside down after meeting Markos and getting embroiled in the politics of the land. She found out that she was one of the chosen by the sea goddess, even though she grew up calling for the river god. Additionally, she wants to explore and travel, but stays in the city near Markos to help him with his campaign. Because of this, doubt and restlessness emerges, creating a confused main character who doesn’t know where she fit in. I really enjoyed this particularly piece of introspection because her obvious insecurities made her stand out as a character, even as she puts up a strong and fierce front.

The plot thickens when Caro pushes Markos to marry another noble that will help him with his campaign. At the same time, she defies the sea goddess and becomes stranded in an island with an unlikely ally. Or is it enemy? With that, the fun begins.

“Three months ago I’d believed with every bone in my body that my fate was in the riverlands. I’d been wrong. Was this really fate… or the god attempting to manipulate me?”

I thought that I would really dislike the romance in this book. Both Caro and Markos don’t know what they want, and whether to sacrifice their lives over duty. Since she pushes him away, they aren’t together for the middle of the book and I low key got annoyed with him. BUT. But, when they meet again, things are in the open. Hidden schemes are unfolding and they - mainly Caro - has learned a lot since they last met. I love how the author really makes good use of dialogue and communication to sort their relationship out. Yes for no misunderstandings! And overall, I thought they were a great couple with sweet chemistry and complementing hearts full of adventure.

“Practicality had never been Markos’s strong point. He could stand there and make romantic proclamations all he wanted. Myself, I preferred the money.”

I really enjoyed the ending and how most plot points got wrapped up. Another great thing about this book was SOOO many women in power. It’s uncommon to see that in YA fantasies, and I loved seeing all these talented, ruthless, and creative heroines here. This book also features: mistaken deaths, fearsome sea monsters, a map to a long-lost treasure, and the taste of the sea. Tolcser writes a timeless ocean adventure that wanderlust readers will devour.

This book…omg…THIS BOOK. Sarah Tolcser once again delivers a high stakes adventure at sea as Caro and Markos fight for love, power, and treasure. Picking up almost exactly where Song of the Current left off, Caro and Markos are quickly faced with a tough choice that will put them on the path to heartbreak or sovereignty. What follows is a fast paced thrill ride full of old enemies, magic and mayhem, and a swoony romance that gave me all the feels.

Caro is just as fierce as ever, even when she doubts the person she’s becoming. Her relationship with Markos is something completely new to her and she worries that the promise she made him at the end of book one will leave her feeling caged and unable to take to the seas, adventuring as she so wishes to do. Along the way, she realizes who she’s meant to be and how Markos plays into that, especially once he reveals vital information in regards to how he feels about his own future.

The best parts of these books most definitely are when Caro and Markos are sharing the page, bantering and bickering and pushing each other’s buttons. Their relationship is so fun and realistic feeling, which is really cool to see set against the backdrop of pirates and monarchies and politics and fantasy. I love getting to see how much they’ve grown across two novels and I can only hope someday there might be even more to their story, even though this appears to be only a duology and the ending is oh so satisfying.

Another pleasant addition to this book was Diric Melanos. He was present in Song of the Current, but was villainous and made to be unlikeable. I loved that we got to uncover who he really was in Whisper of the Tide, and see the redemption he had always secretly been seeking.

The plot is very well done, the female villain introduced in this book is quite adversarial, and the ending is everything fans of this series could hope for. Song of the Current was one of my favorite reads of 2017 and I can already say that Whisper of the Tide is one of my favorite reads of 2018.

*Thank you to Bloomsbury YA and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

WHISPER OF THE TIDE was as fun as its predecessor--SONG OF THE CURRENT. The romance, the adventure, and the characters reminded me of why I love this series so much.

This series is AMAZING. And Whisper of the Tide only got better with this series.