Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I have not read the first book in this series. The blurb of this book seemed very interesting and the contents lived up to it.

Jenna has escaped from her vile husband and is trying to discover herself while living under the shadow of his pursuit.

Despite the confusion at some parts due to not having read the first book, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The worldbuilding was very well done and the references to the events and setting of the first book made me want to go back and read that first. The author focused on all the little things, accounting for all the consequences that living in a sheltered, abusive and oppressive environment could have on our protagonist. The language barrier, the naivety, the lack of counting ability, the culture shocks, everything was addressed.

Jenna's character is one of the best that I've read in terms of development. I may not have read the first book, but she grows so much during the course of this book that I didn't feel like I was seeing her for the first time. Her development was not illogical either, but well thought-out.

The other characters were also developed well, namely Ochieng and Kaja. Jenna's husband I was not as familiar with as he barely appeared in this, so I do wish his part had been a bit longer.

There were some bits that were very forcefully shoving some ideas down the reader's throat. Usually this was done for only one sentence and so I was able to look past it. Furthermore, the themes of oppression were explored thoroughly and treated with the right gravity.

Overall, this was an excellent read. I will definitely read the first book in the series and look forward to the conclusion of this trilogy. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an admirable female protagonist whose strength stems from her personal struggles and development.

Rating (out of 5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Short review on Litsy

Book not available in Litsy's catalogue

An escaped Imperial Princess of Dasnaria learns to live like a regular person in Kennedy’s EXILE OF THE SEAS. This is book 2 in the <i>Chronicles of Dasnaria</i> series, and is a much more equanimical read than book 1, Prisoner of the Crown [http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=66088]. In book 1, Jenna grows up in the viperous harem of her father the emperor. First abused by her twisted mother while growing up, Jenna falls from bad to worse once her father trades her to her husband, a sadistic and abusive monster. Jenna escapes at the end of book 1, having endured a brutal existence laid out in painfully descriptive turns. In comparison, EXILE OF THE SEAS shows Jenna learning to stand up for herself and become a fully actualized person. This book left me cheering for Jenna’s progress.

Jenna escapes from Dasnaria by sea. While shipboard, Jenna meets a warrior woman who begins to teach Jenna how to defend herself, which leaves me cheering. The warrior convinces Jenna to commit to becoming a fighter priestess of the goddess Danu. Jenna then commits to serving as a bodyguard to a caravan traveling to a distant locale, which will hopefully keep her one step ahead of the Dasnarian guards who are certainly searching for her to haul her back into merciless captivity. These new experiences bring Jenna alive, and it’s so lovely to watch her blossom.

There is an understated love interest, but book 2 is not a romance. It’s a rich fantasy with romantic elements, showing the path of an isolated princess to becoming a confident woman and integrated community member. This series is loosely connected to other Twelve Kingdoms books by Kennedy, but no knowledge of the overall series is needed before reading EXILE OF THE SEAS. The reader would be well served to have read Prisoner of the Crown before embarking on book 2 however. Kennedy’s EXILE OF THE SEAS showcases the fantasy journey of a tormented young woman who is becoming so much more than her background would suggest.

Three and a half stars.

I haven't read the first book in this new series which may be the reason I didn't feel connected to this story. Okay, I have no looked up the first book and it was clearly all about Jenna and her husband - I would recommend reading that one first because I definitely felt that I was missing a lot of the story.

We first meet Princess Jenna of Dasnaria on board a ship, she has run away from her abusive husband and is fleeing her homeland. Having been brought up in a seraglio she has no concept of money, reading, writing or living in the real world. She doesn't even know how to open the portholes or light the lanterns until one of the other passengers shows her.

We travel with Jenna as she learns about life outside the backwards, misogynistic society of Dasnaria where women have no voice, no power and no rights. Outside Dasnaria women can be warriors, priestesses, they can buy things, they can walk around alone, they can walk with young men. They have freedom. But always in the back of her mind Jenna knows her husband will not stop searching for her. She changes her name and becomes a Priestess of Danu but still she waits for him to find her.

As always, Jeffe Kennedy's writing is seductive, it draws you into a fantasy world so completely you feel disorientated when you look up and find you are sitting at home instead of living in a foreign land. Nyambura reminded me of Sri Lanka, maybe it's because I saw elephants washing in the river there at the Pinnewella Elephant sanctuary and the way that Jeffe Kennedy describes their skin and the bristles which are so rough and such a shock just transported me back there.

Overall, I feel that not having read the first book in the series left me at a disadvantage because I was curious about Jenn's previous life, how she escaped her husband etc. Had I read that book I expect my rating would have been much higher.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Completes the story of the princess who becomes a priestess after suffering horrible abuse from her husband. Shows the trauma experienced by the victims in abusive relations and how hard it is to recover from such trauma.
It shows her growth as an individual and the start of her healing process with the help of friends and a loving family.

Exile of the Seas is far more than Jenna’s story, it’s a woman’s journey to finding herself. Book one, Prisoner of the Crown, was good, but Exile of the Seas is great.

The book’s blurb gives you a great sense of what takes place. But it’s Kennedy’s ability to put you in the scene right next to Jenna that is captivating. The first remarkable moment is after Jenna, now Ivariel, has made her vows to Danu and stops for a meal before boarding the next ship. The sounds, smells, and taste of that cafe were so real, as was Ivariel’s fear when the Dasnarian soldiers came walking up the street. So good!

Exile of the Seas is Ivariel’s healing tale. Every sunrise she sees and new animal she encounters molds her new self. And it’s a beautiful thing to witness. Maybe it’s the changes going on in my life but I connected with Ivariel and her appreciation for the good, simple things life has to offer.

Another great aspect of this book is Ochieng. He is a fellow traveler on Ivariel’s last ship, where they meet. She’s taken a vow of silence but he’s well versed in communicating without words. And so their friendship develops. Ochieng has a wonderful soul and he helps Ivariel heal by getting her out of her own way. He is rich in family and shows Ivariel what it means to be treasured. Their friendship takes small steps towards love but Kennedy keeps the story Ivariel’s and gives them time.

Which is what they need. Remember those sensory stunning scenes I mentioned? Ivariel faces her demons near the end of the book. It’s amazing. No, I can’t say more, I don’t spoil five-wine reads. Even the blood-thirsty heathen in me wanted to see the rivers of red in detail, it was an excellent scene.

I don’t know what Kennedy has in store for the end of Jenna/Ivariel’s story, but the first two books are well worth reading. If you enjoy character-driven high-fantasy with a hint of a love story, pick these up.


*review will go live August 21st, 2018

The second book in Jenna’s journey sees her learning to leave behind the naive, trusting girl she was and learning to embrace her own power. A chance meeting with Kaja, a warrior priestess sees Jenna realising just how little she really knows about the world outside barred walls and indeed just how she will struggle to ever fit in. If honest at times she is pitiful but that’s essential to the story as Jenna has to discover her own strengths and how to harness all that she can be.
Jenna’s travels see her making more than one friend although Kaja is perhaps the one whose influence sets Jenna on her new path and changing her name to Ivariel devoted priestess of Danu is just the start. I loved that we know Ivariels thoughts and fears. It made her such a real person as she struggled with memories and finally learnt the value of hope. This is not a romance exactly although there is a character who accepts Ivariel exactly as she is but unfortunately for this reader he just didn’t have what I’d hoped for in a love interest. No this book shows Ivariel embracing everything she has learnt, showing others that change is possible and using the disciplines of her past life to rise up and become reborn in whatever guise she chooses.
Not as dark as the first book but still a sweeping piece of fantasy that captured my imagination and I’m blown away by this authors talent
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I received this novel from net galley and the publisher for an honest review. Thank you!
This novel was a good read. The story is told by Jenna, also known as Ivariel. Jenna was treated cruelly by her husband and she escaped. This is her tale of coming to terms with her escape, meeting of new people, and rediscovering herself. She meets a woman who helps her to use her dancing as a weapon. Jenna has many fears, but throughout the novel she begins to tackle them until she comes to the one who hurt her the most. Impersonating a priestess of Danu, she takes a vow of silence and chastity. This is to protect herself, for she needs to heal mentally and physically. She meets Ochieng, who is very kind and compassionate towards her, knowing she has suffered, but never forcing or imposing his will upon her which is very different from her own upbringing and culture. Jenna enjoys her time with Ochieng and his family, but the past always has a way of coming when one least expects it. The kindness Ochieng and his family have shown her makes her want to protect them from those who would take out their anger on them.Jenna needs to face her past in order for her to move forward, even if it means her death.