Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
I’m completely addicted to Captain Kit Brightling and her adventures on the high seas. If Kit was finding her feet in the first book, this time she’s fierce, confident, and capable from the start. I love the slightly fantastical Regency setting and the fabulously reimagined Europe in this series.

As Kit grows in confidence, so does her ability to use and channel her magical ability. I love the evolution of her skill as she works to keep herself, her crew – and sometimes even her enemies – safe. Alongside the magic in this book is a little bit of espionage, a dastardly pirate, and some battles on the ocean. The story is as exciting as it is original and I loved every moment of it.

As far as romance goes, this second book sees the return of Rian, who once again joins Kit on her adventures. The sexual tension between these two is real and I love that Kit meets Rian head on as an equal. Her refusal to compromise for a man is wonderful – as is her uncanny ability to save Rian’s life.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/11/23/a-swift-and-savage-tide-by-chloe-neill/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

The<strong><em> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/290302-captain-kit-brightling" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Captain Kit Brightling</a></em></strong> series took me by surprise initially with <strong>The Bright and Breaking Sea </strong>last year.  I loved the historical feeling fantasy world set with a navy and island kingdoms.  There definitely was a strong class system with a misogynistic bent.  Yet Kit is talented enough she succeeded and got her own ship to command.  There was a depth in building of her character, her family members, her work for the Queen and her co-workers.  We only learned a bit about the magic system and some enemies of the crown.

In <strong>A Swift and Savage Tide</strong>,  there is much less world and character building overall. Most of the time is spent at sea, fighting battles and collecting intelligence.  The enemies are trying to rebuild with a new plan.  There is plenty of action and danger.  Kit and her crew, as well as Grant, are all very skilled but there is still much danger.  There are a few additional layers to the story besides this main task, including a fortune-teller and pirates.

Kit does use her magic from being aligned to water more. She also starts to learn more about it.  Magic is illegal because of the huge destruction caused in the previous war.  But with a new war, they need all the tools available.  Kit tries to learn more from others and also works with it a bit herself as she can.

Another exciting thread is the personal relationship devloping between Kit and Grant.  They started out as distrustful co-workers of a sort, and now work well together, supporting and trusting each other.  What will this mean in their personal lives?

I can hardly wait for more of this world with its exciting adventures, to learn more about the magic systems and see how Kit and Grant navigate their personal side.  The humor is the cherry on top.

<blockquote>"Good.  I need a break from the Pig & Pheasant, if I may be so bold."</blockquote>

To be honest I wasn’t sure how much I’d like book one in this series (I liked it a lot too) because the seafaring military adventure wasn’t 100% my thing, I gave the series a try anyway because the author has so many well liked books out I figured I should read something. I found the protagonist so enjoyable and the story so fast moving that I just couldn’t put it down. Book two is every bit as enjoyable as book one. The heroine is still likable and the pages still fly by. I like that the romance isn’t overblown and he’s an enjoyable character as well.
I really need to read something else by this author. I think I’ve probably been missing a good read!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are in search of a high seas adventure with magic, nefarious and calculating enemies, budding romance, and adventure, this is a must-read series.

I read the first book, The Bright and Breaking Sea, last year and was absolutely enthralled not wanting it to end. There is always a risk that a second book will not live up to the first but that is not the case with this sequel. It was just as unputdownable as the first and I read it in one sitting that I felt it was over too soon. I could stay in this world for ages.

Neill is able to continuing escalating the stakes while maintaining the underlying tension of a world on the cusp of changing forever. She does a masterful job of bringing in world building elements right when they are needed in such a natural way that it feels like those details were always known. I love how this world keeps unfolding and discovering new pieces to the puzzle of an epic battle that is sure to come.

Not only is the world building and magic system fascinating, the characters are top tier. Kit quickly became one of my favourite heroines in the first book and her dynamic with Rian is so well balanced that I just can’t get enough of scenes that they share. With the introduction of an added enemy and war on the horizon, Neill has no issues with creating a compelling and layered story and characters.

The only thing I am upset about after finishing this book is that I will have to wait another year for book 3!

Kit Brightling, Captain of the Diana, has magic that gives her certain gifts from the sea, particularly the strong currents enabling her with a lot of power. As an Aligned, she encounters praise and prejudice for those powers especially since some would seek to use the magic for evil purposes. One such man is deposed Gallic Emperor, Gerard Rousseau, who has escaped exile igniting a new war as he strives to rule over all of the Isles and Continent.

Kit previously worked with Viscount Queenscliffe, Rian Grant, whom Queen Charlotte had assigned to her in order to help run a mission rescuing a spy important to the threat to everyone’s safety. Kit runs into Rian working undercover; he helps her escape some peril while she is also spying on Rousseau’s people. With Rian once again on the Diana, Kit and the handsome lord of the Beau Monde have more than a passing interest in each other having nothing to do with their assignment. Kit and Rian come from very different worlds so chances of anything more than just a dalliance are slim, or maybe not.

The evil ex-emperor, Gerard, employs a man whose magic had devastating consequences in the last major battler the previous year. Thought to be dead, Le Boucher has seemingly risen again and has amped up his power to new destructive heights. Largely self-taught, Kit is still learning about her own abilities and how to use the, with some new hints along the way and a possible link to her foundling origins.

Adventures on the high seas abound in this story with Kit, Rian, and her plucky loyal crew who employ all of their skills on the fast and fleet good ship Diana to overcome their enemies. Kit and Rian’s relationship, which was nascent in the first book, progresses quite a bit; however, all is not smooth sailing. Kit has issues relating to her background of an orphan, her commanding as one of the few female officers as well as being young for the role. Rian has his own complexities to deal with so it is not surprising that they have more than a few things to overcome. This is book two in the Captain Kit Brightling series, while it can be read as a standalone, much is introduced in the first book in regards to the world building.

It's been a few weeks since Kit Brightling and Viscount Queenscliffe (aka Rian Grant) parted ways on the Queen's orders. Both to search for confirmation of the return of Gerard Rousseau - former Gallic emperor, recently escaped from his prison. Kit takes to the seas where her Alignment with water aides in her search, and Grant working on land, undercover on the Continent.

When Kit's crew spots a docked ship that looks like Gerard's prized vessel, they have to investigate. As Kit goes undercover onshore, she's surprised when she runs into Grant (also undercover). Not only is she surprised by Grant's sudden reappearance in her life, but also by the reappearance of an old enemy, an ally of Gerard's known as La Boucher who wields a powerful Alignment capable of decimating all that's in his path.

Kit and Grant embark on a new mission for queen and country, trying to prevent the war that's brimming on the horizon.

I didn't know how much I missed this series and these characters until I started reading the book. Beginning with Kit and her crew, the book takes off right away with intrigue. It's not long before Kit and Grant are reunited which I appreciated because their spark really carries a lot of the story. I think a lot of shippers will like where the story takes Grant and Kit. I like the fact that there's no mistaking how they feel for one another. There are other complications that arise, but their feelings are never in question.

While I overall enjoyed this book, upon finishing it, I feel like it mostly gave readers more questions than it ended up answering. Their prominent enemy, La Boucher, has the potential of a formidable opponent, but his terror is caught up in the past. The travesties that he's wreaked are things of nightmares, but in the present day, it's his mysterious Alignment capabilities that tie into Kit's own struggle to understand her power.

A Swift and Savage Tide acts like building blocks for subjects that will be tackled in the next book. Presumably that of magic Alignments and Kit's unknown family. These are very interesting subjects, but only touched upon, and sometimes briefly, like whetting the readers' appetites for more.

I've read Chloe Neill from the beginning and have read all of her books. I feel like this series has really shown how much her writing has grown. It's a wonderfully paced and well-thought-out story rich in magic and history. Neill knows how to ensnare readers and keep them glued to the page. I missed that we didn't get to spend more time with Kit's adoptive sisters, only hearing from them through letters. Although, I would love if Chloe Neill expanded this world with some novellas maybe featuring the other Brightlings.

Having just finished, I'm already wishing to go back for a re-read and anticipating what's to come next.

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Swift and Savage Tide is the second installment in author Chloe Neill's Captain Kit Brightling series. Kit Brightling sails through treacherous waters and magical mayhem in this seafaring historical adventure reminiscent of the Napoleon conflicts. Captain Kit Brightling is a member of the Queen’s Own Guards and with Colonel Rian Grant, Viscount of Queenscliffe, a new inductee into the Order of Saint James. Previously, Kit and Grant uncovered a plot by Gerard Rousseau to employ a magical warship and regain his power he lost when he was dethroned.

Kit is Aligned to the sea. She can feel the particular magic that flowed through the waters surrounding the Saxon Isles. The magic that crisscrossed the earth, through soil and stone and underwater, deep and powerful currents that humans were trying to harness, sometimes with disastrous results. As the Captain of the Diana, she is capable of using her connection to the sea to make her ship fly faster, and avoid being captured by enemy ships aligned with Gerard.

The story begins in earnest when the Queen orders Kit and her crew to find Gerard Rousseau, the self-proclaimed emperor (think Napoleon) who’d waged war against the entire Continent. He escaped his “prison” via fishing schooner. And, they’d come to learn, had rendezvoused with the Gallic flagship the Continental powers had allowed him to keep-the Fidelity. Meanwhile, Grant has been ordered to the Continent and hasn't seen Kit in 2 weeks trying to do what he does best; Observe the comings and goings of those aligned with Gerard which include Alan Doucette.

"La Boucher" is a powerful man who is using powerful magic that hasn't been seen since Gerard was defeated in Contra Costa. Doucette tried to bring the current of magic to the surface as a weapon. He created an inferno that killed thousands of people. Kit knows that Gerard’s loyalists had built a new kind of warship at Forstadt, on the shore of the Northern Sea, and in doing so they’d nearly destroyed the Northern Sea’s current. Kit's journey's include a visit to Auevilla, a meeting with an old nemesis who just happens to be a Pirate King, as well a Rian Grant.

There is a whole lot to discuss in this story, but spoilers could run the story for future readers. Let's just say that there is plenty of action, lots of romance, and plenty of surprises. There are sea dragons which can be good luck or bad depending on your point of view. Kit faces off against Doucette. Her heart is torn is many directions, and it doesn't help when a mysterious woman appears in the middle of battle that may change the course of this entire series.

Who is this mystery woman, and could she be even more dangerous than Doucette? Without any spoilers, Kit was raised as a Brightling and has no clue who her parents were or why they abandoned her. None of her sisters appear in this story except through letters. There's another character named Mathilda who is very much of a surprise as well as possible source of answers for Kit. We shall see how that pans out. As Kit learns more and more about her powers, and how much more she can handle, it will be interesting to see what part Mathilda plans in her continued education.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the early review copy!

4/5 stars

I'm really enjoying this series and it's characters. There's a larger story that isn't fully resolved, a slow burn romance, and each book so far has its own antagonist and it's own story that resolves by the end. I'm absolutely loving reading Kit and Rian's story. And this book even had some privateers! Highly recommend!

What if, Napolean lived in a world of magic? In this second book to the new series, Kit returns on another mission for her Queen. Her goal is to find out what the ex-emperor, Gerard is doing. As a covert spy, Kit drags her crew into perilous waters and she might drown in the expectations required of her and her people.

This is not a romance novel. Whilst there is a romantic thread between Rian and Kit, this is foremost, a novel about good versus evil. Or at least Kit's mission leads her to believe that there is evil on this earth and they work for Gerard. Past enemies long thought defeated have risen from the grave with newfound powers. It appears that those who willfully ignore elemental powers may now rue the day for forbidding it.

This mission is as much a journey of self-discovery for Kit. She learns more about her magic from the most unlikely places. This insight helps her develop new allies and gives her a perspective on people whom she previously thought were in the wrong. This grayness where people are neither for nor against the Queen is new grounds for Kit. Is it possible that people don't support nor are fully against Gerard? There is a certain appeal to Gerard's message. This speaks to a deeper problem for the society as a whole when they would rather go with Gerard's ruthlessness and wanton destruction than stay with the current safer rulers.

I don't know if Ms. Neill will delve more into this broken society of haves and have-nots. I do enjoy the exploration into the elemental magics. Specifically what little Kit knew about it, is now expanding and perhaps preparing her for more warfare using magic in offense. Because we now know, Kit can use her magics impressively in defense.

There are many details in this book I enjoyed. I hesitate to list them all because I don't want to give spoilers. Suffice to say, the water theme appeals to me greatly. Kit fighting for survival as well as sneaking past enemy lines is thrilling. The growing romance and sexual tension between Kit and Rian is moving at the pace I enjoy and it's unconventional and perfect. This fantasy is recommended to readers who enjoy magic, espionage, and a spy who loves me theme.

The second Kit Brightling novel was filled with action and new discoveries. Kit is a Navy captain who commands a ship. She is also Aligned to the ocean. She has magical powers that let her do such things as speed her ship along and surround it with a bubble of protection. She is still learning about her magic because there are no teachers and the dangers of Alignment don't encourage experimentation.

The story begins when the former Emperor escapes his island prison and heads back to try to regain his empire. After serious failures of his land campaign, it looks like he is going to try to conquer the sea and the Saxon Isles which is Kit's home country.

A spying expedition to Gallia to search for the former Emperor's ship leads to the discovery that an enemy believed dead was not and had harnessed a new and surprising sort of magic and was using it to further his Emperor's goals. It also leads to Kit being captured and then rescued by Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, who had been working undercover.

Kit and Rian's relationship grows and is tested in this episode. His proposal causes all kinds of conflict for Kit who, as a foundling and a sailor, isn't sure she can be or wants to be a Viscountess and a member of the privileged upper class. Her ideas of what she thinks Rian wants are getting in her way and making both of them unhappy. She has so many questions about her past that she would like to have answered and does get one clue in this episode that can't be explored until the war is done.

The story is filled with adventures on the sea including accidentally swimming with sea dragons and being marooned on an island. It is also filled with Kit learning more about her magic. The magical system is intriguing and unique. It is also filled with interesting characters.

This is the second book in a series and does end with a largely unresolved ending. There are still many questions to answer and battles to fight though it does look like Kit and Rian will be fighting them together.

It’s been just over a year since The Bright and Breaking Sea was released, and since then I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. That book could be best described as having tottered on the brink of something. All the clues were there. Whereas its sequel, A Swift and Savage Tide, was an excellent story that saw the continuation (and result) of those very same clues and outstanding mysteries introduced in the first book. It was more than fitting as a sequel for a series that began with a lot of promise.

It was great to dive back into the world with Kit, her crew, and Grant. One of the main reasons for that was the dynamics between the characters being as great as it was. And I particularly enjoyed the way Neill chose to advance those relationships. Kit and her crew were tightknit, which was a highlight of the story. They were skilled at what they did, and their strong suits ultimately aided them in the difficult circumstances that surrounded the Diana’s latest missions.

And while the story had its fun and lighthearted moments, those were few. A Swift and Savage Tide had a serious tone to it, as the echoes of a greater conflict finally reached a boiling point where there was no way back. It was a fight on the land and the sea, between skill and magic. The stakes were sky high, and it made for an incredibly thrilling story.

The ending did pay off—and it was satisfying in some ways—but there was open-endedness to it. Everything was very-VERY far from over. There are so many possibilities that could be in store, and I will be over here waiting for the next book to (hopefully) be announced sometime soon.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Berkley) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

"Chloe Neill’s bold, seafaring heroine Captain Kit Brightling sets sail for the high seas and high sorcery in this swashbuckling fantasy series.

Captain Kit Brightling is Aligned to the magic of the sea, which makes her an invaluable asset to the Saxon Isles and its monarch, Queen Charlotte. The Isles and its allies will need every advantage they can get: Gerard Rousseau, the former Gallic emperor and scourge of the Continent, has escaped his island prison to renew his quest for control of the Continent.

Gerard has no qualms about using dangerous magic to support his ambitions, so Kit and the crew of her ship, the Diana, are the natural choice to find him - and help stop him. But then Kit’s path unexpectedly crosses with that of the dashing and handsome Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, who’s working undercover on the Continent in his own efforts to stop Gerard. And he’s not the only person Kit is surprised to see. An old enemy has arisen, and the power he’ll wield on Gerard’s behalf is beautiful and terrible. Sparks will fly and sails will flutter as Kit and crew are cast into the seas of adventure to fight for queen and country."

I ALWAYS listen to book recommendations from my friend Johnnie, and you should too because the first book in this series was on of his favorite books of last year!

I was so excited to read this ARC and I was not disappointed!!! It was just as good as the first book and I absolutely loved it. This series is so criminally underrated, holy cow. Daughter of the Pirate King meets Shades of Magic in this abosfreakinglutely AWESOME book. Like c'mon, it's so ridiculously good it should be illegal. The main character is such a badass, and the love interest is actually not your basic graham cracker of a dude. So glad I got approved for this one!

thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review!

i loved book one of this series and i couldn’t wait to get my hands on book two! i really enjoyed this just as much as the first one. i love every single character with my whole heart!!

I enjoyed the Swift and Savage Tide although I didn’t think it was quite as good as book one. Strong and decisive women of authority, men who don’t object to women as equals (or as superiors). Naval battles! Magic and sea dragons!

The resolution of the attraction between Rian and Kit came quicker than I expected, and the series seems to be verging from normal war into perhaps religious war? far less interesting to me than the normal motivations of land, power, and glory. But I will read book three.

This series is a nice way to get regency vibes only with characters of color and women in positions of authority and power. Good mix of action and character interaction.

I read an advance reader copy of Swift and Savage Tide from Netgalley.

This is an extremely fun read.

Captain Kit has been spying to find out what Gerald (this world's equivalent of Napolean) is planning. This leads her to explore the depth of her magic powers and her relationship with Rian.

Since the first page, this book grabs you and won't let you go. Kit and Rian are a great team and are quick thinkers. They have great respect for each other that's always romantic to see. Kit is not always right and they argue but this makes Kit fallible. There are times when I worry that Kit is being too awesome but then she makes a bad decision that keeps her a grounded character.

This book goes deeper into the world and its magic. I'm eager for more of this series.

Review based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

Kit Brightling and crew are back investigating the reappearance of a dead enemy and strange magical null spots along the coast. When the Queen sends Kit on a spy mission in the north, Kit didn't expect to discover magic being manipulated to cause chaos. She will need to lean into her own gifts to fight back against an old enemy.

I was so happy to dive into the next book in this series. I love Kit, Grant and the crew. I was a little worried about Kit and Grant on the island, but things work out eventually.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill is the second book in the Captain Kit Brightling series, and it's a swash-buckling adventure full of magic and romance. It will appeal to fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or those wanting an adult version of Adrienne Young's Fable series. The story revolves around 24 year-old Kit, who often faces danger and prejudice as a female ship captain. She is also Aligned to the sea, which gives her powerful magic over water. When a lethal enemy escapes his prison, Kit and her crew are charged with finding and stopping him. Will Kit be able to stop this powerful enemy? Or will she and her crew sink into the depths of the sea? And what will happen when a potential love interest resurfaces in the most unlikely of places?

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 that introduces us to Kit and her potential love interest, Grant:

"The queen had ordered Grant to the Continent, to resume his prior work as an observation officer, and the Diana had been provisioned. That had been two weeks ago, and she hadn’t seen New London—or Grant—since.
At twenty-four, Kit understood the ways of romance, and she wasn’t one to pine over a man. Certainly not a viscount. But the fire ignited by seeing him across the ballroom—the unexpected shock of it, the exhilaration of it, and the discovery that she needed to see him again—hadn’t diminished in the intervening weeks. It had left her feeling hollow in some deep inner corner of her heart that had never been opened before."

Overall, A Swift and Savage Tide is an exciting fantasy adventure that is everything you would want from a feminist take on Pirates of the Caribbean with more magic. One highlight of this book is Kit, who is a strong female protagonist. It's thrilling to watch her as she commands her crew, goes undercover in new territories, and fights for what she believes in. Another highlight of this book are the amazing side characters. The commander of Kit's ship, Jin, is coded as Japanese, so yay for Asian representation in the fantasy genre! There are also other female side characters, like Mathilda, and it's so refreshing to have women talking to each other in a book about pirates. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, of if you're a fan of the fantasy genre in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in November!

Kit Brightling is quickly becoming one of my all time favourite characters! I loved this book just as much as the first and I can't wait to see what other adventures she, Rian Grant and the crew of the Diana get up to in the next book.

i really enjoyed the storytelling in this page turning adventure on the magical hight seas. I loved the first one in this set and wanted to see the more of the characters that could not fit into the plot. Did Love seeing more character development in all the deck hands.