I had the privilege to read an advanced reader’s copy. This YA fantasy features latinx characters in a swashbuckling pirate tale smashed against fantasy. You’ll find fated lovers, dark magic, forbidden magic, found family, diversity, and swoon worthy plot elements. Angela’s world building and descriptions are so unique to this tropical setting. It’s lush and romantic and absolutely hilarious. Santi has my heart, and I can’t wait for everyone to meet this incredible cast of characters.

3.5 Stars.

I wanted to be swept away, but I was held captive on Sinner’s Isle…along with Mariano, Rosalinda, and everyone else.

Angela Montoya has a lot of raw talent and potential as a storyteller. I had very high hopes for this debut, and its premise and plot held promise, but the execution fell short in a couple areas for me. Overall, I give the story three and a half out of five stars, because I found it very enjoyable.

The premise for the story is a good one. You have a patriarchy that oppresses it’s magical women (and its underprivileged people), a girl who wants to save her best friend and find freedom from the abuse, an orphaned pirate looking for his destiny, and a young ruler with a secret who is thrust into a role he despises…in the midst of an attempted coup masqueraded as a series of parties, on an island full of magic. There are a couple plot twists and turns you won’t see coming, that make the final chapters of the story incredibly satisfying. I was left wanting for a sequel with so many doors left open.

My biggest issue with the story lies with its pacing. Things don’t begin to pick up until you’re about halfway through the book. It was a struggle at times to get to that fifty percent mark despite the beautiful prose and thorough world building. I found myself looking forward to Mariano’s chapters and sometimes dreading Rosa’s. The pacing was much better on his side of the story. There was more adventure and personality there. The humor and character development between Santiago and Mariano made for an enjoyable read and there was more balance between entertainment and world building. For the first half of the book, I felt I was reading Mariano and Santi’s story with Rosa existing as a sort of plot bunny and side character.

On a side note, I found it strange that the main characters only met twice in the first 40% of the book. This is, at its heart, a fantasy romance. This leads me to believe this will be a series, rather than a standalone, where our main interests will go through many trials yet to come before they’re at their true happily ever after. This book felt like the spark that starts a fire, and we didn’t quite reach the dousing of the flames that brings forth the end.

My next issue with the story, is the character development and character arc of Rosalinda herself. I really felt for her, and understood why she was, the way she was. The premise of her character was good. Rosalinda is the most powerful majestic to ever live, yet is stifled by the effects of oppression, abuse, and grief. However, I have truly come to hate the “if the fmc wasn’t afraid of her own power, everything could’ve been fixed already” trope. I found Rosa, frustrating. I wanted to shake some sense into her for the majority of the story and tell her she was a survivor. It made reading her side of the story, at times, unpleasant. Some of this, I know, was intended, as being a woman in her position IS unpleasant and is frustrating for the observer and surrounding loved ones. However, I would’ve rather seen her secretly plotting to take down the evils of the isle much earlier on in the story. With all that power, and the awareness she held of her situation and her world at large, she could’ve done so much more, so much sooner. People who are aware that they are being abused, are harder to manipulate, and she was VERY easily manipulated right up until the end of the story. I understand that this was meant to display the effects of her abuse, but I wanted to see the development of feminine rage and swift justice, not feminine shame and denial that lived on until the near end of the story. Once you get to that end though, the result is VERY satisfying. I’ll give Angela that. (:

I found it interesting, that in a feminist tale, the true mastermind, the true villain, was a woman holding these men up by her puppet strings. Yes, she too, was abused and manipulated by the patriarchy she served, but still, I was shocked when I began the story and quickly saw where we were headed with La Dona. I can appreciate the parallel between her and Rosa, however. Abuse can create different kinds of people: you either become the thing you fear and despise, or you become better than them. I also found her demise to be somewhat anticlimactic and wonder if she survived after all. Again, alluding to a potential sequel.

I did appreciate the messages of love the story brought forth: that while men can be cruel, users, and self serving, men that are loving can be an asset and blessing. You can be a feminist, set yourself free, AND love a man worthy of you. Think Lord Morales versus Mariano. I also appreciated the queer love representation with several side characters and their partners. I won’t say much more on this to avoid too many spoilers. But, there are some side relationships I hope get center stage and their own POVs in a future installment.

I loved the setting of the story. I felt the world itself was beautifully written and I was intrigued by it. I only wanted to see more of it. I wanted a little more high seas adventure, as well. Maybe if there is a sequel, we’ll get that? I want to know the fate of the palace, the Isle, and the Pirate’s Keep. Where’s everyone going from here? So much is left open.

I loved the language used in the story and the incorporation of Spanish phrases. It added to the humor and had me giggling.

While this has been a somewhat critical review, I did greatly enjoy the story and give it three and a half out of five stars. I look forward to Angela Montoya’s future works and will be excited to return to her next story.

This book was absolutely amazing. A pirate romance that was magical thrilling and breathtaking. I loved everything about the story and the characters. It’s a stand alone and I just wanted more. I highly recommend everyone add to your TBR or read it now lol.

Very interesting world building, and of course the enemies to lovers in the center of it all held my attention the most! This is one that will be good for spooky, witchy season! I can't wait to recommend it to others!

This fantastic YA debut has it all - romance, a bad ass cast, and PIRATES?! Say less! Sinner's Isle is as thrilling as it is swoony, and I can't wait to see what Montoya does next!

Thank you so much to Angela Montoya for sending me a copy of this eARC. Rosalinda, her friend Juana and other Magestics — young women gifted with tremendous powers — are inhabitants of the Sinner’s Isle, where they are made to feel that they are wretches and sinners by the church and must pay for their abominable abilities. Rosalinda is constantly thinking of a plan to escape, as she is the most powerful Magestic of all and doesn’t want this to be her fate. Along the way, there is action, humour, friendship and love. But don’t get it twisted, this was such a powerful story of feminine strength, which is always a trope I can get 100% behind.

I love Angela’s writing style. She made sure to include her Spanish heritage in some of the words used, but it didn’t feel like I was completely lost. Though it was written in third person, there was dual POV and I felt every single emotion of the characters. The protagonists were likeable and the antagonists I absolutely despised. One thing with Angela? She sure can write a villain.

The pacing was pretty good too. I found myself lost in their world and devoured this book in one sitting. I was kept on my toes in anticipation to see if Rosa would actually be victorious. Also the world building?? Oh my goossshhh. I was in awe. Everything was so elegantly described. I feel like I could see the Magestics at work, weaving all these beautiful things.

This book is to be released on October 31, 2023. I definitely recommend you all preorder and get your hands on this great book 🤗

Please check the CW/TW before reading

No one's more sad than I am that I didn't love this!

Somehow, I think the premise is misleading... My understanding was that the witch was trapped on an actual island prison for something she'd done, rather than mostly raised in luxurious captivity because she has magic and so the men want to own them.... Further, it seemed like their escape would take place earlier in the book, rather than at the end? This was definitely more a 'court-intrigue' story than a pirate story.

Further, the woke agenda behind the actual plot was so blatant. The story's backbone is burning down a society where women with special abilities are property to men, which was just far too in-your-face for me. Also, the random cross-dressing side-character was jarring. All that aside, the villains were painfully caricatured, and I had a really hard time with the literal insta-love/soulmate element.

Still, very grateful to the author and Netgalley for the arc! I really did think I'd love this one!

(SCREAM) Oh my god the absolute wholesomeness of this book 😭 it's a very swoony, very witchy, very swashbuckling book with the loveliest fated mates romance and many friendships and found families <3 if you like fantasy romances, you must pick it up ❤️

This was a great magical read full of such culture and drama! Rich world building and characters helped make this story come alive through the pages. The romance was swoonworthy and the female empowerment was strong!

Okay this book was recommended by Rebecca Ross and man I loved it! It was fabulous! There was drama and tension and intrigue and magic and it was perfect!

4.5 stars

This was such a fun read! I deeply enjoyed the magic and the atmosphere of the setting. The side characters were really fun too, especially Santi. Santi is everything and must be protected at all costs.

A full Latine cast, a rich isle full of magical dangers and a beautiful story of coming to love the darkness in yourself. What a beautiful debut.

Sinner’s Isle is swoony, romantic, daring, adventurous, and addictive. It was a fast-paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I couldn’t get enough of Mariano and Santi, and the world-building was captivating.

First off this is a debut novel by author Angela Montoya so I will admit I was skeptical going in. But holy mother of peal! I thought this was a phenomenal first book by her! We have witches and pirates, blackmail, romance, adventure, ugh! Does one need anything else? I had an absolute blast with this book. It had all the things that make a great book in my opinion.

At the beginning of this book I was a little worried how much I would like the story. There was a bit of a slow start, with the magic being explained that had me iffy on some things. By halfway through the book I was in love. I wanted Mariano and Rosa to be together forever, I wanted Lord Morales to be gone, and the mistress to get what she deserves for everything she had done. Once I had a handle on the magic of the story I liked it, a lot. Each girl having a unique power or something they controlled. Rosa having a power that almost should have been evil but was being taken advantage of. There were many positives. I also enjoyed Mariano, his growth in understanding the larger world around him and starting to realize what he could do to change things. Also, who doesn't love a floppy haired pirate. I also really enjoyed the use of certain Spanish words and phrases throughout the text. Though I'm not sure if this is a stand alone or not, the ending is very satisfying, and I definitely felt like it was an end I could live with.

Rosa is a Majestic, a woman with a magical power - in her case, she can control shadows to do things for her, even to hurt people. Once magical powers appear, girls are stolen from their families to be raised on Sinner’s Isle and sold and Bound to wealthy and powerful men to control the people in the kingdom. When she tries to escape, she and her friend Juana are caught and Juana is used to keep Rosa in line. All seems lost until the arrival of the pirates Mariano and Santiago and,separately, King Sebastian. The destinies of all three men are tied to Rosa and helping her get free from Sinner’s Isle. It was a fun book, although I expected there to be more action and less insta-love.

This book is about Rosalinda, a young witch, called a Majestic, who is forced to live on an island with other Majestics until she can be sold off and bound to a rich man. As in, he would actually control her powers. Being a strong willed woman she does everything she can to avoid that fate, including blackmailing a handsome pirate. We've got: magic, pirates, queer representation, romance. This was a very fun read. The magic system and the world building was great. I really enjoyed this book.

This is a fun and fast paced read that includes Majestics (girls with magic), sirens, pirates, heartsongs, romance, and political intrigue. To keep power, moneyed men and the cardinals of a church conspire to re-write the story of young girls, shaping them into monsters, criminals, and villains. Rather than forming an inquisition, the church uses propaganda to vilify these girls. The church then runs an operation for “tithe.” The church has cazadores that capture girls with magic, imprisons them on Sinner’s Isle, and then sells them and binds them to the highest bidders.

In this corruption, a powerful majestic will participate in subjugating other girls rather than fighting for liberation. So it is up to the Rosalindas of the world to bring about social change. But she only has seven days to do so, or she will be forever bound to her buyer, and her magic will cease to be her own.

Spiders, sirens, and fireflies bring hints magical realism to the text.

Mariano is Rosalinda’s heartsong, so the sexual attraction becomes love within a one week period.

Mariano’s sidekick offer fun one-liners that will make you read, and then reread. The remaining characters have unresolved conflicts, so the door is open to a series to follow.

Overall verdict: A fun way to spend the day.

I received an e-arc through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

I give the book like 4.25/5.

Intriguing, fast paced romance. The book has many elements going on and is a very captivating read with the world building and character development. It is a dual pov with the FMC and MMC and truly a favorite in ways of writing a romance seeing both pov of the interactions. The romance is well done and their few interactions kind of help build how quickly it comes together. I loved Rose's interactions with the side characters. The emotions given off by her are well developed and the exchange is with the mistress you can see the distaste for everything. It's not very adventurous or deadly book, but there is action and well made character interactions that it's a great read. If you like the first book of Serpent and Dove and pirates you'll probably enjoy this book.
*Spoiler tropes* it is a kind of insta love for the book takes place over the week of the offering so it happens very quickly. Which is a meh trope for me.
Overall loved the book. So many twists and turns and things I didn't really expect. Love this debut novel and look forward to more of her work!

A romantic adventure filled with lush settings, magic, and the struggles of power in all forms.

I'm a bit conflicted about this book. Ever since I saw the cover and read the blurb, this became one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was so excited to read this story and meet all the characters. However, something about it fell flat for me. Not that the story wasn't enjoyable per se, but it felt like something was missing.

At the very beginning, I fell in love with both Rosalinda and Juana. Those two were so clearly the best of friends, their platonic chemistry jumped out of the story. It was beautiful to read. I was so sad when Doña Lucía took Juana, and we barely saw her until the very end. It would've been amazing to see more scenes between Rosalinda and Juana.

Enter Mariano, and I was hooked into the pirate side of the story. The fights on deck, el Draque dying and commanding his son to flee, the addition of Santiago were an incredible start to his arc. I was expecting so much more fire and adventure, but then it all kind of fell flat when Mariano and Santi made it to Sinner's Isle.

Another aspect of this story that had me scratching my head was the heartsong. I loved the name, loved how it meant having a soulmate, etc. However, I felt like if the story was gonna be revolved around this, adding in that romantasy aspect to the book, it should've been introduced and intertwined with the rest of the plot. Moreover, because of this, Mariano and Rosalinda felt too insta-lovey for my liking. As far as insta-love goes, I think it was handled fine, it's just that I don't tend to like these types of romance arcs *personally*. I felt like there could've been more use of a person's heartsong, especially after the reveal of Doña Lucía's.

One thing I did adore was the overall theme of wanting to be your own person, not an object for others. Seeing Rosalinda want to escape this isle so desperately and find freedom and autonomy filled me with both rage and sorrow for her, for the fact that she had to deal with all those disgusting displays and lower herself to these men who paid her tithes. A scene that impacted me further was when she was climbing on the outside of the building to get to Doña Lucía's room and got caught by another Majestic, and instead of reporting this incident, the Majestic showed a sign of solidarity and closed the curtains. This moment showed just how trapped they all were, and how they didn't know any other way to leave the isle if not for the binding ritual. It felt absolutely satisfying when I got to the end after everything Rosalinda and the other Majestics did to the isle.

Overall, this was a decent book with an interesting concept. I wish the romance had sparked more for me, but it wasn't that bad anyway.

3.5 rounded up!

(ARC from NetGalley) First of all, my apologies to the group chat for bombarding you with my reactions. This story was the perfect blend of fantasy, romance, political intrigue and adventure— Pirates of the Caribbean and Circe. The story follows Rosalinda, a Majestic witch with the power of shadows, as she tries to escape Sinner’s Isle with her best friend before The Offering. In the other POV we have Mariano, the marooned Prince of Pirates, who’s just escaped a battle that took his father and his ship. These two must form an alliance if they want to escape and boyyyyy was it JUICY! The gowns, the sirens, the betrayal! Anyways pick this up and have the time of your life.