"Sea of Kings" by Melissa Hope is a delightful middle-grade adventure that takes young readers on a journey filled with pirates, magical creatures, and the power of teamwork. The story revolves around two brothers, Noa and Dagan, who live a sheltered life as princes under their father's rule. Their longing for adventure leads them to explore forbidden territories, setting the stage for an unexpected and perilous quest.

The book excels in delivering valuable lessons on friendship and teamwork, as these themes are prominently interwoven into the narrative. Each character possesses unique skills and qualities that play a crucial role in their quest. Melissa Hope's descriptive writing style brings action sequences to life, allowing readers to vividly picture the characters' movements and their surroundings. The story is brimming with intrigue and mystery, keeping readers engaged and guessing until the very end.

The concept of the book, set in a world where individuals see only black and white until they experience bonding with a soulmate, is intriguing and adds depth to the plot. The book's characters are well-balanced, with the interaction between Noa and Dagan creating a compelling dynamic. The pacing is consistent, making it an accessible read for middle-grade readers.

While the story succeeds on many fronts, there are moments when the pacing slows down, particularly during the journey by ship. These sections, though necessary for character development, may temporarily disengage readers but are eventually compensated for as the story picks up momentum.

"Sea of Kings" bridges the gap between middle-grade and young adult fiction, making it an excellent choice for young readers looking to transition to more complex narratives. The story offers a fascinating blend of action, magic, and adventure, making it an enjoyable read for children aged 10 and above. With its engaging plot, well-defined characters, and hints of humor, this book promises an exciting and entertaining experience. Melissa Hope's talent as a storyteller shines through, leaving readers eager to see what she will write next.

This one sounded right up my alley, considering how much I love MG books! Sadly, I couldn't seem to get into it. The prose was slow and thick for my personal taste, although I reckon it will be other readers' cup of tea, and I gave up at around 15% because I couldn't figure out what was going on. Still, this is just my personal opinion, and with a premise as interesting as this one, I'm sure it will appeal to many other readers!

Such a fun fast paced book! I loved the pírate vibes and the characters were all original and enagaging! The plot just got better and better as the story progessed. Impressed.

A great and wonderful read, if you love adventure books.
It's a quick read, full of fun and excitement.

I did not finish this book because it wasn't for me personally. However, it was not a bad book! Just needs the right reader.

*Read it a while ago, forgot to post the review.

I really liked this story because it was all about adventure. The concept and plot were great, they had everything to be challenging and bring something new to the literature landscape. What I liked the most? The main character! I was blown away by such a round character. It felt great to see how much love was put into the ships.

Fantastic book! I read this book aloud to my boys and they all loved it, including my teens! Beautifully woven plot and intriguing characters. I can't wait to see what Hope has in store next!

sadly, before i could download this title, netgalley took it off their catalog. that means i can’t review this one. HOWEVER, i will be checking in with my library to see if i can get a copy and review it that way

This book was a wild ride! I love reading middle grade and thought that it was such a fun and engaging journey. Hope wrote characters that felt real and well rounded. I didn't want to stop reading.

Who can resist an adventure about pirates, magical sea creatures, and a mysterious map? This was a fun read and great for middle grade readers looking for an action packed story with a happy ending.

Noa and his brother Dagan are princes of their island country. They aren't allowed to leave until they're adults, due to their overprotective father's rules. When their home is attacked, the boys are sent on a mission to follow a map to an unknown location. They gather their friends and set sail, trying to outrun pirates that want the map for themselves.

I really enjoyed Noa and Dagan's relationship. They argue and don't agree often, but they're best friends and truly do love each other. They stick together and end up realizing how important having a brother is.

I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed and could have been longer. The rest of the story took it's time, but I wonder if the author thought it was getting too long and wanted it wrapped up? It just felt too easy and a bit out of character for one person.

I don't read enough pirate books and this was a good one. I recommend it for a fun, Treasure Island type read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Jolly Fish Press and NetGalley for the copy

While I did enjoy this book I will admit it was hard to get into. However once I was about 25% in I couldn't put it down. I thought this was a really well written middle grade with plenty of adventure and sass and just a little violence. I would happily buy this for my nieces and nephews and think they would really enjoy it. Not only that but the twist at the end when we find out Weston is the lost prince! Wow! I could see this being turned into a movie or series and I will definitely watch it when it comes out.

Sea of Kings is an adventurous middle grade filled with pirates magical creatures and teamwork.
Crown prince Noa lives with his father and brother, prince Dagan, a very protected life. Nothing may happen to the future king and his father
But Noa and Dagan want to explore. Adventure is our there, but because of their father's rules, out of reach.
When their kingdom is being attacked, the brothers are forced to brave the dangers of the sea to seek help.
Will the young kids succeed and save the Kingdom of Ondule.

Sea of Kings was an enjoyable read.
Friendship and teamwork was a very prominent topic throughout the book, which is an important lesson to teach.
Each character had their own skills which were important during their quest.
Action sequences is where Melissa Hope thrives. Because she writes very detailed, it's easy to picture all the movements and surroundings.
Hope created a solid mystery that wasn't predictable. It kept the reader guessing until the end.

I might be wrong, but this book felt very YA a lot of times. Except for the character's ages and their sometimes childish behaviour.
This book is a good bridge between middle grade and YA. For kids who want to ease into YA fiction.
Will we be reading a YA book by Hope in the future?

The pace of the story felt a little too slow at times. This happened when their journey started and they had to travel by ship. I do recognise it was a good moment to introduce the characters and give them their personality. But still, that slow part kinda pulled me out of the story for a little. It was harder to read through that, but once the story picked up pace, I flew through it.

Hope is here to stay and I'm interested to see what she'll write next!

I really wanted to like this one since it had such an intriguing back cover. However, I had a difficult time getting into it and will be putting it aside for now.
Since I didn’t finish, I won’t be posting a review.

Sea of Kings by Melissa Hope, follows 2 brothers, princes of an Island nation, in a quest to save their kingdom.

I really enjoyed this book. Its aimed at children much younger than me, and I can see that young people would love it. There is lovely development of the characters as the story goes along, and it is lovely to see the relationships between the characters evolve. This book has adventures on the high seas, pirates, mystery and suspense and is well worth a read.
I gave it 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A sweet and amazing adventure story geared toward children and tweens that I absolutely adored! It had a sweet story and a great ending, and I absolutely adored the ocean setting. The sibling relationship was amazing and very relatable and realistic. 4/5 stars from me!

Such a fun adventure story that young readers will adore! I can picture this being a wonderful spring or summer vacation book, especially given the ocean setting! I loved the interactions between the brothers and the high-stakes action!

At thirteen, Prince Noa Blackburn has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and, per his father’s decree, believes magic and mythical creatures are figments of imagination. His younger brother, Dagan, is the polar opposite. He loves adventure, which is just what the two discover when they explore a forbidden beach and find a noose hanging from a tree and a pendant under a skull.

Their discoveries raise questions, but finding answers won’t be easy. They live in Aztrius, a realm comprised of six islands, each with its own king. Their father, King Titus, hates surprises and has instituted rules that he expects his sons to obey. One is that no child is permitted to leave the island. Another is that Noa and Dagan must be escorted everywhere, which is why they make up an imaginary guardian who allows them to go to places they’re not supposed to, such as the forbidden beach.

The arrival of King Edjlin from a neighboring kingdom interrupts the boys’ further investigation into the mysterious pendant. He’s come for the birthday festivities for their sister. During a conch game, Noa witnesses Edjlin meeting with a stranger rather than paying attention to the game. He also overhears a conversation between his father and Edjlin about a map and a battle involving the Death King and his venom.

Shortly before his sister’s birthday ball – a time during which the entire population will be in the castle – Noa and his father argue. Heated words are exchanged and the pendant is confiscated. Angry, Noa flees the castle to find his friend Ayla, the blacksmith’s daughter. An unfamiliar noise raises their curiosity and they find a longboat where it should not be. Then they spy two ships in the harbor, both flying the black flags of pirates! They run to the castle to alert his father, but the attack has already launched and the pirates are closing in. King Titus shoves a map into Noa’s hands and tells him to follow it. There’s no other way to save his father, his sister, and his people. But how can he leave the island and sail into the unknown? How can stop the pirates?

With little choice, Noa and Ayla hurry back to town where they meet Dagan, as well as some boys who favor gambling to hobnobbing with grownups. Together, they devise a plan to elude the pirates and escape the island. There’s just one problem: not all of the boys are Noa’s friends. Some are competitors, who take exception to Noa being in charge. For the risky and daring plan to succeed, they must work together. A slight mistiming results in one of them becoming a sacrificial lamb. Upon discovering Noa’s escape, the pirates are determined to get their hands on the magical map by whatever means necessary.

Sea of Kings is a high-action fantasy for young pirates ages 8-14. There is something for everyone: lies, betrayal, magic, blue men (a type of kelpie), electric octopuses, furry creatures, a vicious one-eyed pirate, a despicable tyrant, fearsome storms, a sea battle, a stowaway, near mutiny, a shipwreck, and an underwater, upside down castle. Humor is also woven into the story, and the stowaway’s sayings – such as “Slap me with cilantro” or “Flour my bottom and stick me in the oven” – will make readers smile. Rather than using many synonyms to refer to the pendant that Noa finds, it would have been better to just use one. This is a small quibble, though, in an otherwise well-paced, absorbing tale that melds magic and knowledge with seemingly-impossible dilemmas from which Noa and his friends must extricate themselves, including being declared pirates themselves.

A fantasy sea adventure like none other with a pirate ship taken over by a group of kids. The journey is led by Noa, the boy prince, and is loaded with action and great characters.

The relationship between Noa and his younger brother Dagan had me smiling. The are opposites in personality and their frequent disagreements were both funny and believable. There’s only one girl stowaway on the ship and she adds more mystery to the many other unanswered questions the crew is after. So many secrets to uncover!

The young crew has no experience in dealing with life on a ship so their bravery and tears are often on display. The fast pace will appeal to many. Despite the length the plot never stalls. There’s a hint at a sequel in the Epilogue and maybe we’ll get to read more about Noa and his family in future stories. Highly recommended for boys and girls.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press in return for an honest review.

This was a fun, sea-faring adventure story with some magic and mystery mixed in. The story follows brothers Noa and Dagan, sons of the King. When their island is invaded, they and some other children, flee on a stolen ship to find help. As the children have never left their island before, they are sailing into the unknown with only a magical map to guide them.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. The differences between the two main characters were clearly established and it was great to see how their different skills and personalities complimented each other or caused tension at various points. The world building that went into creating the fantasy island setting was detailed and held my interest. I wanted to attend a celebration ball, visit the shops and join in with a game of Capture the Conch. I was also intrigued with the history of the different island and the peace pact they had signed.

Once the characters left the island, the story started to lose my interest a little. We got to know each of the crew members a little bit. However, as there were so many, there wasn't time to get to know them in much detail so they all got boiled down to one character trait which made me less invested in them. The backstory which led up to the current events was detailed. However, its complexity led to the main character (and the reader) being given quite a few info dumps to make sure we understood why certain things were happening.

There were some clever twists towards the end of the book and an intriguing set up for a sequel. I would recommend this book to readers aged 10+ who enjoy reading pirate adventure stories.

Thank you to Jolly Fish Press for sending me an ARC via netgalley to read for an honest review.
4/5 stars
This was a really fun read! I think the author did a great job of crafting the world and the characters, and the adventures felt intense and action-packed while also providing lessons for the characters. The pacing was good, and I thought the author balanced the action with the other scenes well.
The book follows Noa, the heir to the throne of Ondule, and his younger brother Dagan. It starts off with introductions to the characters and the world they live in, and there are questions popping up right away when the brothers find a mysterious pendant in the ocean. Soon, things take a turn for the worse, and Noa is given a map by his father and told to flee his home and follow the map. This is a huge moment because children aren’t allowed to leave Ondule.
With the help of his classmates and his brother, Noa steals a ship and sets off to try and save his kingdom. Once they’ve started their journey, the boys all bring something different to the crew. I liked how the skills that they’d learned at home were important for sailing and surviving. I also really liked the introduction of magic, and the magical creatures that they begin to discover.
I think my favourite part of this book was the way that the author told this adventure story of a young prince trying to save his kingdom, and she infused it with magic and growth. Noa had excellent character growth, and I think young readers will be able to connect with him.
Overall, I’d recommend this one to younger readers who are looking for an exciting adventure story with magic and parents, or to older readers looking for the same thing!